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Rangers aim to start series against Penguins strong; Klein not ready for Game 1
Bobby Bevilacqua
Rick Nash will be a huge focal point for the Rangers as they open the playoffs tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins on home ice. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Following a wild opening to the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday Night, the Rangers begin their quest for the cup tonight as they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at MSG in the first game of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, round one of the playoffs.
This is a rematch of last year’s thrilling series in the second round, where the Rangers found themselves in a 3-1 hole before winning the final three games of the series to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
But this is a new year, and these are two new teams. The Rangers have been “the hunted” since day one, with people constantly using them as a measuring stick, while the Penguins are trying to embrace the underdog role for the first time in years. Read the rest of this entry
New York Rangers: Key Players to watch for in the Playoffs
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers are a complete team from top to bottom, but who will stand out in the playoffs? Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
One of the Rangers’ strengths throughout the regular season was the fact that everyone on the roster was able to contribute or provide production in some way. Whether it was goal scoring, or defensive play, or penalty killing, each player brought something to the team that helped make the Rangers one of the best teams in the entire league.
Alain Vigneault has created a lineup with great chemistry, and one that has been very effective throughout the season. The Blueshirts have four quality forward lines with a great amount of depth, all able to chip in with offensive production to an extent, as well as playing a solid defensive game. After trading for Keith Yandle from the Arizona Coyotes, the Rangers have one of the deepest defensive units in the NHL. And with Henrik Lundqvist healthy and performing well, he presents another threat to opposing teams.
Obviously, every player’s performance is important to coming away with a win on any given night, but throughout the playoffs, some players will stand out from the pack with their clutch performances on both sides of the puck. Read the rest of this entry
6 Keys to the Rangers taking down the Pittsburgh Penguins
Bobby Bevilacqua
If the Rangers want to celebrate a series win, here’s what they need to do to take down the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
With the home ice advantage, many people are expecting the President’s Trophy winning Rangers to come away with an easy series win over Pittsburgh. But like Sidney Crosby said, it doesn’t matter how a team gets in. Once they’re in the playoffs, anything can happen.
For the first time in a while, the Penguins are coming into the playoffs as underdogs. If they embrace that mentality, using the lower amount of pressure to motive them, and Crosby and Malkin can explode offensively, it will be an interesting series.
But with a ton of injuries on the backend, not a lot of depth scoring, and question marks coming into game one, there is a big opportunity for the Rangers to pounce on a fragile Penguins team and advance to the second round.
This is what the Rangers need to in order to do defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins. Read the rest of this entry
Series Preview, Round 1: Rangers vs. Penguins
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers and the Penguins will meet again in the postseason for the second consecutive year. This time, the Rangers look to have the advantage, with the Penguins a depleted, and seemingly weaker team than last season. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
After a crazy end to the regular season, the season closed with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the final Wild Card spot, meaning that for the second consecutive season, the Rangers and the Penguins will face off in the playoffs, this time in the first round.
Last year’s series against the Penguins was one of the most memorable in the entire postseason run for New York. After starting the series with the “double-goal” from Beniot Pouliot and Derick Brassard in overtime, the Rangers dropped the next three games, finding themselves in a 3-1 hole.
After the passing of newly acquired Martin St. Louis’ mother, France, his teammates rallied around the unfortunate tragedy. The Blueshirts won game five on the road, and came back to Madison Square Garden for Game 6 on Mother’s Day, where St. Louis scored an emotional goal en route to a win. Thanks to goals from Brad Richards and Brian Boyle in Game 7 in Pittsburgh, and a spectacular goaltending performance from Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers completed the comeback to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers finish historic season with 4-2 win in DC; Hayes and Moore impress
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers and the Capitals battled it out in the final game of the season, with the Rangers coming away with their 53rd win of the season, breaking some franchise records along the way. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
The Rangers (53-22-7) closed out their remarkable season on a positive note, taking down the Washington Capitals (45-26-11) on the road, setting new franchise records in the process.
The victory established new franchise records in wins (53) and points (113) in a season, eclipsing the 52 wins and 112 points set by the 1993-94 Rangers team, a team that ultimately went on to win the Stanley Cup. This Rangers team knows that despite the fantastic regular season, they will ultimately be judged on what they do in the playoffs.
This marked the Rangers 28th road win of the season, also a franchise record, and tying an NHL record for most road wins an Eastern Conference team has earned in one season. Read the rest of this entry
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