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Rangers bring series to MSG for Game 3; McDonagh a maybe for tonight
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
After splitting the first two games of the series, the Rangers are back on home ice for the first time in the playoffs, looking to pull ahead of the Penguins in Game Three.
The first two games of the series were played in an electric atmosphere at the CONSOL Energy Center. They finally solved Jeff Zatkoff, scoring four goals in 8:01 and skating away with a 4-2 win and tying the series at one game apiece.
But now, the Rangers are back at Madison Square Garden, where they took advantage of home ice and posted a record of 27-10-4 in the regular season. Despite that, Pittsburgh has won 15 of the last 24 games they’ve played at MSG, regular season and playoffs included. It’ll take another complete effort from New York tonight if they want a win. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers look to even up the series in Pittsburgh; McIlrath back in the lineup
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
After a Hornqvist hat trick and a Penguins win in Game 1, the Rangers will look to steal home-ice advantage and even up the series today at the CONSOL Energy Center.
In the playoffs, the road team aims to take just one of the games away from their home stadium, and that’s what the Rangers need to do here. A win tonight would send the series back to MSG, with the series tied at one, and playing on home ice where the Rangers have an impressive record of 27-10-4.
The Penguins were backstopped by third string goalie Jeff Zatfkoff, who was stellar in Game 1, making 35 saves and keeping the Blueshirts at bay. Pittsburgh’s top players outperformed the Rangers best players, and some shoddy defense on New York’s part cost them a game. Sidney Crosby had a goal and two assists, Patric Hornqvist scored a hat trick and picked up an assist, and Kris Letang had a pair of assists. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers lose Lundqvist to injury as Penguins take a Game 1 victory
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
It’s a good thing that it’s a seven game series.
Patric Hornqvist scored a hat trick as the Pittsburgh Penguins took down the New York Rangers in Game 1, 5-2, backstopped by a 35 save performance from Jeff Zatkoff, their third string journeyman goaltender.
What’s worse? Henrik Lundqvist took an errant stick to the eye and was removed from the game after the first period. Antti Raanta was forced into his first career playoff game, and although three goals on 19 shots doesn’t look great, he was fantastic in relief. Read the rest of this entry
Pregame Notes: Rangers vs Penguins, Game 69
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
- It was announced yesterday that Evgeni Malkin would miss today’s game and will be out for the next 6-8 weeks. Malkin sustained an upper body injury on Friday after a collision in their game against the Blue Jackets.
- Derick Brassard will re-join the Rangers lineup after missing yesterday’s game in Detroit with the flu. He will take the place of Tanner Glass, who sustained an upper body injury in yesterday’s game.
- Goalie matchup; Henrik Lundqvist (31-17-5, .923 SV%, 2.32 GAA) vs Marc Andre-Fleury (28-16-6, .922 SV%, 2.34 GAA). Lundqvist is coming off of a fantastic 40 save performance in an overtime loss against the Red Wings. Fleury made 25 saves and allowed two goals in the win over Columbus, which was the 350th win of his career.
- This is the third matchup between the Rangers and Penguins this season, and the first between these two teams at MSG since Carl Hagelin scored the overtime game-winner in Game 5 back in April. Lundqvist shut out the Penguins back on February 10th in a 3-0 Rangers win, and the Penguins got their revenge with a 4-1 win just 10 games ago. Nine different Rangers have a point in the two games against the Penguins.
- Sidney Crosby is heating up again, currently riding a seven game point streak where he has scored 11 points (3-8-11). He’ll skate on a line with Chris Kunitz (13-20-33) and Patric Hornqvist (17-26-43).
- Crosby leads the Penguins in goals (28), points (67), and is tied with Kris Letang in assists (39).
- The Rangers have picked up a point in 10 of the last 12 games against the Penguins dating back to April 3, 2013 (7-2-3). They’ve also picked up a point in six of the last seven games against Pittsburgh (5-1-1).
- Eric Staal skated with Rick Nash for the first time and that line had some good shifts. Staal has had success against the Penguins in his career, with 46 points (19-27-46) in 47 games. He’s recorded a point in 10 of the last 16 games against Pittsburgh, with 16 points (6-10-16) in those games.
- Rick Nash has also been good against the Penguins in his career, tallying 19 points (11-8-19) in 22 games. He has a point in each of the last four games against Pittsburgh (4-3-7).
- The Rangers have won 13 straight games following a regulation loss or an overtime loss dating back to December 22nd against the Ducks.
- The Rangers have a point in 14 of their last 17 games on home ice (12-3-2), as well as 12 of their last 14 games (10-2-2). The Blueshirts have a 22-6-2 record in the last 30 home games, and rank third in the league in wins (23) and points (49) this season.
- The Rangers have an 8-4-1 record in the second game of a back-to-back sets this season. New York has an 18-5-2 record in the second game of their last 25 back-to-back sets. Since the start of the 2013-14 season, the Rangers are 27-11-2 in those same circumstances.
- The Rangers and Penguins will faceoff at Madison Square Garden at 12:30 PM
EXPECTED LINEUP
JT Miller-Derick Brassard-Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Kevin Hayes
Rick Nash-Eric Staal-Viktor Stalberg
Oscar Lindberg-Dominic Moore-Jesper Fast
Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi
Marc Staal-Dan Boyle
Keith Yandle-Kevin Klein
Henrik Lundqvist
Rangers fall to Penguins on the road; Lundqvist injured
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
After winning three games in a row, the Rangers (37-21-6) dropped the first game of their road trip, falling to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins (33-22-8) by a score of 4-1 in an important divisional matchup.
The Rangers opened up the scoring but fell victim to three Penguin goals in 1:39. That small lapse cost them the game, as they were pretty good for the rest of the night. The Penguins also scored on the penalty kill, an area where the Rangers continue to struggle.
The first period didn’t see any goals, but the pace and action was that of a playoff game. Both teams were skating quickly and efficiently, the passing was crisp and accurate, and there was a ton of big hits. Ian Cole laid out Viktor Stalberg, Dylan McIlrath obliterated Tom Kuhnhackl, and Viktor Stalberg hit Kevin Porter into the boards. Read the rest of this entry
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