Live conversation for a must win Game 3

After dropping the first two games of the series to the Hurricanes, we have entered the realm of the “must win” game.  Actually, the next two games are must wins as it would be overly optimistic to believe that the New York Rangers could overcome another 3-1 deficit and do it by winning two games in Raleigh.

It appears that there will be a small shakeup in the Rangers lineup with Alexis Lafrenière moved up to the Strome line with Andrew Copp on the wing with Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko.  Rangers coach Gerard Gallant used that combination late in the last game, not that it really worked.

The big question is whether Gallant needs to shake up the lines even more, as Craig Berube did with the St.Louis Blues for their second game with Colorado.   Berube changed all four lines and it was enough to throw off the Avalanche that the Blues won 4-1 after losing the first game in overtime.

A power play disaster

The bigger challenge for the Rangers will be to get the power play going.  Instead of spurring the team on, it actually stopped them dead in their tracks.  They had the best shift of the game at even strength midway through the second period  with 10 shot attempts in just two minutes.  When Brady Skjei took a double minor it looked like the momentum of the  game had change, but instead of maintaining the pressure, the power play it was a disaster.  Kevin Rooney took a penalty to shorten the man advantage to 3:38, but they managed only two shot attempts in that time and gave up the shorthanded goal to Brendan Smith.

Small consolation

While the Rangers can point to allowing only two even strength goals to the Hurricanes in two games, the fact remains that they have not scored in over 116 minutes, almost two full games. Most disheartening was the Rangers inability to mount a meaningful push in the third period.

The Rangers had 17 shot attempts, but only six got through to Antti Raanta and only two were high danger chances.  The two high danger chances were as many as the Rangers had in the first two periods.   Not good enough.

Projected lineups

NEW YORK RANGERS

20 Kreider – 93 Zibanejad – 77 Vatrano
10 Panarin – 16 Strome – 13 Lafreniere
18 Copp -72 Chytil – 24 Kakko
64 Motte  – 17 Rooney – 75 Reaves

55 Lindgren  – 23 Fox
79 Miller – 8  Trouba
61 Braun – 54  Schneider

31 Shesterkin
40  Georgiev

CAROLINA HURRICANES

37 Andrei Svechnikov – 20 Sebastian Aho – 24 Seth Jarvis
13 Max Domi – 16 Vincent Trocheck – 86 Teuvo Teravainen
21 Nino Niederreiter — 11 Jordan Staal – 71 Jesper Fast
78 Steven Lorentz – 82 Jesperi Kotkaniemi – 88 Martin Necas

74 Jaccob Slavin – 77 Tony DeAngelo
76 Brady Skjei – 22 Brett Pesce
7 Brendan Smith – 28 Ian Cole

32 Antti Raanta
52 Pyotr Kochetkov

Jordan Martinook has missed the last six games with a lower body injury and is ready to return, but indications are that he will sit this one out.

How to watch and the live conversation

Note that gametime is 330pm and there will be no local options for watching as all games from now on will be on national television.  This afternoon’s game and at least the next game of the series will be on ESPN with the livestream on ESPN+.

MSG Network will be providing pre-game coverage beginning at 3pm EST and will have live postgame coverage.    ESPN will be televising the Calgary Edmonton with an 8pm EST start time, so we may actually see some postgame analysis on national television.

Blue Line Station’s live conversation is active now and you can join in and talk about the game with your fellow Ranger fans.  You can be sure that Madison Square Garden will be hopping and let’s send as many positive vibes to the Rangers for this must win game.