N.Y. Rangers: Game Three Lacked Heart - Rangers Face Elimination

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESH WITH THE GREATS


NEW YORK RANGERS - Dumped.


The time of Boston's goal - 16:29 of the third period, scored by Sheer Mayhem - primary assist goes to Mass Confusion, secondary assist to Utter Chaos.  They might have well been the Hanson Brothers, because Boston's third and fourth lines are pummeling Coach Tortorella's short rotation as if they were.  And the longer this series goes, the more Boston bears down on the Rangers with their size, depth, coaching and cohesion.


The Boston Bruins keep it simple - get the puck to the point, or continue working it around to the right circle, get off quick shots, and devour rebounds.  Off those two quick, decisive shots, the Bruins have made Henrik's crease area as busy and dangerous as a hornets nest.  And off those two simple shots, they managed to stay in the offensive zone most of Game Three.  Otherwise, the Bruins forecheck pushed the Rangers off the puck like they were playing their kid sisters.  The New York Rangers now look like the freakin' Keystone Cops on ice.  I wasn't ready to say that until the conclusion of Tuesday night's match.  Game Three's effort really was pathetic, not even minor league.  Their forwards played with a tremendous disconnect, skated with no flow, and certainly lacked continuity.  In fact, the Rangers offensive plan and application wasn't even up to frozen backyard ice standards.


Instead of winning the game's opening face-off and getting off to an aggressive start, the Rangers spent nearly the first two minutes of the game in their defensive zone.  Those two minutes however, were an omen as the game disintegrated from there.  This was supposed to be the game in which the Rangers forwards had Henrik's back.  But this team's most expensive and highest scoring forwards turned their back on their liege, and left him to face the Bruins alone.  Outside of Henrik Lundqvist, this team regressed, and now faces elimination.


 

Mike