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Rangers prepared for pivotal Game 5 at MSG; Nash and St. Louis ready to continue success
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers are back on home ice, looking to come away with a win in a very important Game 5, and move to within one game of advancing. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
What a difference Friday’s 5-1 win at Amalie Arena makes in the series. Following a 6-2 loss and a 6-5 overtime loss in consecutive games, panic was widespread through Rangerstown about many facets of the Rangers game. Now, the series is tied at two games apiece, both teams have scored 14 goals in the series, and the Rangers get to play a crucial Game 5 on home ice tonight.
Game 5 is always seen as one of the most important games in the series, especially when the series is tied like it is for the Rangers and the Lightning. The winner of tonight’s game has a huge advantage, needing to win just once in two games to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. Tampa Bay gets to play Game 6 at Amalie Arena, and the Rangers would have the advantage in a potential Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.
Needless to say, this game is very important. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers rebound in big way with 5-1 win over Lightning; Nash scores twice
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers played well in Game 4, with a better defensive effort, better goaltending, and getting contributions from their best players. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Needing to respond and win after allowing 12 goals in Game 2 and 3, the Rangers did exactly that, winning by a final score of 4-1, and having nearly everything go right for them. The biggest takeaway from tonight is that Vigneault was able to get huge performances from his best players, including Henrik Lundqvist, Rick Nash and Martin St. Louis.
It was the Rangers first win in the playoffs by a margin of more than one goal, which was nice for a change. A big win was exactly what they needed to build confidence. The series now heads back to Madison Square Garden all tied up at two games apiece.
After Game 3, and following a weak overtime winner in Game 3, Henrik Lundqvist seemed dejected in his postgame interview. Larry Brooks from the New York Post questioned (foolishly) if Henrik Lundqvist should start in Game 4, and there was worry from some fans. But like he always has, Lundqvist upped his performance. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers ready for crucial Game 4 in Tampa; Stronger defense key
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers and Lightning are back at it tonight in a crucial game for New York in what feels like a must win for Vigneault’s squad. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Forget about the last two games, start fresh on Friday, and earn a split in Tampa to bring the series back to MSG for Game 5.
That’s the mentality that all of the Rangers’ skaters must have when heading into Game 4 tonight at Amalie Arena, a crucial, almost must win for New York. After a disastrous past two games, full of undisciplined play and defensive breakdowns, the team needs to move past that and be much better tonight.
While it’s not technically a must-win elimination game, it surely feels like that. The Rangers still only trail the Lightning by a two games to one series lead, and a win tonight would send the series back to Madison Square Garden with the series even, and home ice advantage back in favor of New York.
That will be no easy task, as the Lightning have built up a ton of momentum after scoring a dozen goals in the last two games. Their offense has been electric, generating a ton of high quality chances and converting on a lot of their opportunities. They have confidence, posing a challenge to the Rangers. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers fall 6-5 in overtime despite late comeback; Defense = disaster
Bobby Bevilacqua
It was a chippy, fast, high scoring game at the Amalie Arena. And the Lightning came away with a 6-5 win in overtime. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
In a wild back and forth game between at Amalie Arena, it was Tampa Bay that came out on top, scoring a shocking goal in overtime to ward off a Rangers comeback, and come out on top with a 6-5 overtime victory. Prior to this loss, the Rangers were 60-0-0 since the 2010-11 season when scoring five goals, in both the regular season and playoffs, yet they could not get the win tonight.
For the second consecutive game, the Rangers’ defense was atrocious. Tampa Bay’s forwards and defensemen just walked through the Rangers at the blue line, out shot and out chanced New York, and had more shot attempts. The defense did nothing at all to help out Lundqvist or the rest of the team, missing defensive assignments, giving up bad turnovers and allowing too many high scoring chances.
The problem in this game is that the Rangers are getting into a track meet. The game is way too wide open for them to keep up with the Tampa Bay Lightning forwards, especially with all of the speed and skill that they have. The Rangers would be better off controlling the pace of play, limiting the speed of the Lightning forwards, and using their quickness when the ice opens up for them. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers need a more disciplined effort in Game 3 on the road
Bobby Bevilacqua
Game 2 got very chippy and aggressive towards the end. That will likely carry over into Game 3 in Tampa Bay tonight. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals was an anomaly. The Rangers were completely off their game for the first 34 minutes. They took too many penalties, made way too many errors, and didn’t give themselves much of a chance to win from the initial puck drop.
I don’t think that will be the case in Game 3, which is down in Tampa Bay at Amalie Arena. Ryan McDonagh and Alain Vigneault were two of the most vocal people following the loss, and they were not happy. McDonagh criticized the team’s “embarrassing, stupid, selfish penalties,” and head coach Alain Vigneault criticized the miscues and lack of scoring.
Now the series shifts to Tampa Bay with both teams having secured one win out of the first two games at Madison Square Garden. Now the Lightning, the best home team in the NHL (32-8-1), get a crack at capitalizing on their home ice idvantage against the Rangers, the best road team in the NHL (28-11-2). Read the rest of this entry
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