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Rangers pick up a win at home in a battle of goaltenders
The Rangers picked up a big win on home ice, evening the series at one goal a piece with Game 3 in Washington DC on Monday. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Bobby Bevilacqua
In one of the most intense games played at Madison Square Garden this season, Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers prevailed in a battle of goaltenders to even the series at one game apiece with the series heading to the Verizon Center for Game 3.
This marked the ninth consecutive playoff game decided by one goal for the New York Rangers, dating back to Game 4 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals against the Los Angeles Kings. The win was also the first Game 2 win at Madison Square Garden following a Game 1 loss since 1994.
Following a heartbreaking loss in Game 1, the message from Alain Vignealt got through to the team, and the Rangers got off to a fantastic start, scoring the first goal of the game just 38 seconds into the opening period. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers need stronger effort in Game 2; Vigneault sets the tone for the series
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers and Capitals will play Game 2 in a matinee matchup at the Garden, with New York looking to even the series before heading to Washington D.C. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
After a shocking 2-1 loss in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Washington Capitals, the Rangers have regrouped and look to put that game behind them in today’s matinee Game 2 at Madison Square Garden.
Friday saw the team have a full practice, as well as a meeting with reporters. Most of the players had the same message; forget about Game 1 and worry about the game at hand. Vigneault seemed irate following the loss, and it carried over into yesterday’s press conference as well. This team probably got a stern talking to, and they’ll likely come out blazing today.
Vigneault has also avoided directly talking about the hit from behind, but he did say something that conveys his feelings about the hit, as well as how the rest of the series may go. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers lose heartbreaker in the final seconds; Ovechkin dominant for the Caps
Bobby Bevilacqua
It was a hard-fought Game 1, but Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals came out on top thanks to Joel Ward’s goal with 1.3 seconds remaining in regulation. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
In an emotional, hard fought game that saw the Rangers tie the game with less than five minutes to go, the Garden crowd was left stunned following a questionable no call, and a Rangers’ defensive lapse allowed Joel Ward to score with less than two seconds in regulation, sealing a victory for the Capitals.
The Rangers came out of the gates blazing, and it looked like they were ready to totally take over the game. They were controlling possession, getting shots on net, and came close on a few occasions, but Holtby stood tall and the team defense from Washington was strong.
Eventually, Hart trophy finalist Alex Ovechkin took over the game, and the Rangers did not do a great job of containing him. Ovechkin dominated possession when he was on the ice, with a 71% corsi for during the first two periods. He also scored on the power play, again, the fifth time that he has scored on the man advantage against the Rangers this season. Going forward, Vigneault needs to do a better job of limiting his influence. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers aim to open series against Capitals strong: Klein and Sheppard ready to go
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers will have to be responsible defensively when going up against Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, something that will be a focal point of this series. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Following the conclusion of the final game in the first round, with the Tampa Bay Lightning advancing to face the Montreal Canadiens, the Semifinals matchups can commence. The New York Rangers open up their Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup against the Washington Capitals, a team they are very familiar with, at Madison Square Garden.
This is the first playoff meeting between these two rivals since 2013, but the fourth since the 2011 playoffs. Some players from both the Capitals and Rangers have remained with their respective squads, so there is definitely some familiarity and bad blood between these two teams.
Washington has had less rest than New York since their first round series concluded, with only two days off, but they did have to travel to Manhattan as well. They took out the Islanders in a grueling seven game series full of hard hitting, tough defensive play, and intensity. Read the rest of this entry
5 Keys to the Rangers taking down the Washington Capitals
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers were victorious in round one, and now face off against the Washington Capitals. Here is what they need to do to win. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Rangers were able to execute their game plan and eliminate the Penguins in five games, advancing to the second round of the playoffs to take on the Washington Capitals, emerging victorious following a grueling seven game series against the New York Islanders.
Unlike the Penguins, the Capitals are a fully healthy team, with all of their wingers and defensemen ready to play. They too have a solid goalie in net in Braden Holtby, a name familiar to the Rangers and their fans in the postseason.
Following the tiring series against the Islanders, with little rest as well as travel, the Capitals are coming into what will be another extremely hard fought series against another very good team in the New York Rangers. With Game 1 and 2 at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers have another good opportunity to pounce on what could be a tired Capitals team as they try to reach the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in as many seasons. Read the rest of this entry
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