New York Rangers lose game one in overtime: wash, rinse, repeat
The New York Rangers lost game one of their second round series much in the same way that they lost game one of their first round series. Against both the Carolina Hurricanes and the Pittsburgh Penguins the Blueshirts lost a heartbreaker in overtime. Why were these losses heartbreakers? Simply put, both these games were losses that should have been wins.
It’s deja vu all over again for the New York Rangers
In both games the New York Rangers controlled play early and would open the series scoring less than 10 minutes in, but would eventually squander their good fortune. For as good as they were early in these games their opponents would find their own rhythm and take over. The Penguins gained their footing earlier than the Hurricanes, but the result was still the same.
Kaapo Kakko was again involved in the would be game winning goal that was not to be, though far less controversial the second time around. Both losses were decided off a ‘throw it to the net’ type shot that deflected in front to elude Igor Shesterkin. The New York Rangers were again left to pick up the pieces of a win shattered by defeat.
“Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view” – Obi-Wan Kenobi
Fortunately, there are also similarities that can be seen in a positive light. Having lost game one to the Penguins in much the same manner, this is not uncharted territory for this New York Rangers team. This team rebounded with their most complete game and a convincing win in game two of the last series. The team would also win that series in dramatic game seven overtime fashion and transfer their broken hearts to the Penguins on the handshake line.
The continued growth of the “kid line”, the teams best line throughout the playoffs is nothing, if not positive. Yes Kakko missed the opportunity to seal the game, but he along with Alexis Lafrenière and Filip Chytil were the only line to produce any consistent offense for the Rangers. They had several grade A chances to score and eventually did when Lafrenière stole the puck from Tony DeAngelo and set up Chytil for the Rangers lone goal.
The team should also recognize that their big gun players, Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, who were relatively silent in this game, can break out to push the team forward as they did against the Penguins. Perhaps most importantly, they have learned valuable do’s and don’t’s regarding their game play for the remainder of this series.
A great start
For the first 38 minutes the New York Ranger controlled the game. They set the tempo and kept the Hurricanes to the outside. They quickly moved the puck out of their own zone and countered attacked against the Hurricanes aggressive style.
This is how the Rangers should model the their game plan for the remainder of the series. They can’t expect that they will control the play as effectively, but by moving the puck forward quickly and with purpose, they can keep the ice from tilting against them as it did in the later portion of the game.
Clear, change, defend
With roughly two minutes to play in the second period, the Hurricanes elevated their game and the pressure caught up to the Rangers. For the remainder of the game the Rangers watched as the play was consistently brought to them. The Rangers went into a defensive shell and it was all they could do to try and prevent the Hurricanes from tying it up. Whether this was by design, the result of continued pressure in the defensive zone or battle fatigue, the Rangers were left to clear pucks just to get a line change, start the cycle again with the next shift of players.
In any sport, defense without offense is a bad idea. Under constant attack there will be breakdowns and those breakdowns will eventually lead to a change on the scoreboard. Sebastian Aho scoring with just over two minutes remaining was not a result of the one breakdown, but of the many during a third period in which the Rangers were shell shocked. The Rangers must once again learn that in the playoffs, no lead is safe. They must learn to continue to try and enact their game, not only to react to their opponents.
Play it again, Sam
The series may have just begun, but make no mistake, game two is a practical must win. Though it is not an elimination game the Rangers do not want to head back to New York trailing two games to none. They need to play with the same level of urgency as they had when their playoff lives were on the line. Do that and they can knot this series at one game a piece and perhaps surprise us all with yet another comeback.
A heartbreaking loss. light. Related Story