It’s a day off for the New York Rangers and a good chance for them to reflect on their effort in Game Five and to figure out what they need to do to win at Madison Square Garden and send the game back to Raleigh for a Game Seven.
After the game, when Gerard Gallant said the team looked “tired” he was sending a message to his players. It was similar to when he said that they played soft. If anything, it was a gentle reminder that if they lose the next game, they will have plenty of time to get over their “fatigue.”
The Rangers have played 12 games in 24 days with three games going to overtime. While that has been a busy schedule, when asked, Gallant pointed out that the Hurricanes have played the same number of games, though with only one game going to overtime.
If anything, it may more be mental fatigue. The Hurricanes have never trailed in either of their series. The Rangers have never led during a series and will be facing their fourth elimination game, more than any other playoff team. The players say that it doesn’t affect them, but the pressure is enormous.
The way the Hurricanes won Game Five has many believing that the Rangers’ great playoff run is almost over, with many predicting the Canes putting a bullet in the Blueshirts in the next game.
What they have forgotten is that the Hurricanes are schizophrenic when it comes to playing on the road. Their ineptitude when away from North Carolina is the worst of any playoff team (though the Rangers aren’t far behind).
That means the Rangers have to build on the atmosphere at the Garden and their fans and win to force a seventh game. Based on how this series has gone, there’s reason to believe that we will be spending Memorial Day worrying about the game that night.
Injuries
We never know about the assorted injuries and ailments that Rangers are playing through. Ryan Lindgren’s injury is no mystery, except what it actually is. The report has been a high ankle sprain.
Artemi Panarin hasn’t been the same player since he sat out the last two games of the season with an upper body injury. He was injured in the 4-3 loss to the Hurricanes in game 80 and though Gallant said that he would have been able to play, there is no reason to believe that it isn’t more serious. There was one report that in the Carolina game he was getting heat treatments to his back and if he is indeed suffering from a back injury, that could explain a lot about his play.
Let’s not forget that they lost Barclay Goodrow in the first game of the playoffs. He’s the player that Chris Drury targeted as the one guy who could provide the leadership and experience to help the team go far in the postseason. Missing those qualities, plus his ability in the faceoff circle has hurt. The good news he has resumed skating. Let’s hope we see him in a game again.
Kreider’s lack of productivity
Chris Kreider’s lack of production away from MSG has been concerning and he took responsibility after the game saying “I’ve got to do a better job on the wall.” It’s a simple fact. If he continues to be ineffective the Rangers will have a tough time winning.
Kreider has only one power play goal in 12 playoff games (Game Six of the First Round). It has to be a concern that he has scored only two power play goals in his last 22 games including the regular season.
In this series Kreider has one even strength goal in five games with only nine shots on goal. Even worse, he has been scoreless with only one shot on goal in three games in Raleigh.
One of the reasons for Kreider’s fabulous 52 goal season is that he avoided the lengthy scoring slump that has plagued him in the past. If he picked this series to pull a disappearing act, that’s a big problem.
Is Kreider nursing an injury? We have to hope that is the reason that he has been ineffective.
Line manipulation
The Kid Line has been consistently the best line for the Rangers this series. Gerard Gallant has broken up that line when he feels that he needs try to inject some energy into his other lines. While that seems like a good idea, if it doesn’t work, it eliminates the team’s best line.
While Ryan Reaves has been a physical presence in this series, the question is whether that presence has been needed on the road when the Hurricanes speed has been overwhelming.
Reaves has been credited with five hits in three road games and the same number in the two home games. In the regular season he averaged 22.78 hits per 60 minutes. That’s down to 12.36 per 60 in the playoffs and10.64 per 60 minutes on the road in Carolina.
If he is not going to be hitting the Carolina defensemen, he could be a liability. The Rangers may be better off with more speed in the lineup.
News for optimists
For all of you optimists out there, the NHL has announced that if there is a Game Seven it will be played on Monday at 8pm and it will be televised on ESPN. See you there.