N.Y. Rangers: Vote No To Game Seven, Finish Tonight!

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

Rangers Lead Series 3-2

I - NYR 4; PHI 1

II - PHI 4; NYR 2

III - NYR 4; PHI 1

IV - PHI 2; NYR 1

V - NYR 4; PHI 2

VI - TONIGHT

GAME SIX

New York Rangers

vs.

Philadelphia Flyers

FROM

The Broad Street Octagon

NEW YORK RANGERS: Blueshirts Give Bullies A Bloody Nose In Game Five; Look To Knock Out Philadelphia Tonight.

FINISH!

You know what I say - once is an event, and twice is a coincidence.  But, the Rangers scoring four goals in every other game is now a trend, or so we hope.  I'd settle for a 2-0 shutout tonight.  Try me.

The Rangers were actually out-shot in Game Five, but took a 3-2 lead in the series on the strength of their somewhat least likely scorers.  Steve Mason's teammates certainly failed him on two of them.  Mason had no answer for Marc Staal's booming shot from the left dot.  However, on the Rangers second goal, Mason accounted for every one in front of him, except Brad Richards who lurked off net.  During a loose puck scrum, four Flyers descended on the crease, left Richards uncovered, and paid a price.  Later, Mason was then failed by his teammate's piss poor puck handling on Dominic Moore's goal.

Without knowing which Steve Mason awaits them in Game Six, it behooves the Rangers to generate more shots, similar to the first two games.

Of course, Mason was a non-participant during Brian Boyle's closing goal.  There's no doubt the Rangers have 4th line fever.  After all the hard work he's put in this series, Brian Boyle finally scored.  Good for him.

Brad Richards scored his 2nd goal of the playoffs, and Martin St. Louis was robbed of the Rangers potential sixth goal of the game by non review-able whistle.  The big guns have by and large, shown up - all except Rick Nash.  He leads the team with 23 shots on goal.  So, the chances have been there.  He's just able to finish.  If he doesn't get going, the Rangers themselves risk not finishing.

Oddly enough, the Rangers have won three games without his scoring, and with a sputtering power play.  If I didn't know any better, in Game Five, it looked like the Rangers took a page out of the Flyers play book.  I watched the Blueshirts play after the whistle, I saw them crash Steve Mason, I saw them make questionable hits (they got away with..), and saw them glove wash a few faces as well.  I saw the Rangers play with an edge the Flyers did not match.

Another Flyer-like similarity was the Rangers putting Philly on the PP an uncharacteristic 5 times in Game Five.  While, the Blueshirts were only afforded 3 opportunities (and went scoreless).

The big question for the Rangers is, should Dan Carcillo play in Game Six?  I'm not as insistent on him playing like I was heading into Game Three, but I still think he should be strongly considered.  J.T. Miller deserves minutes too, and just may get 'em.

No one wants the series to return to Madison Square Garden.  We can do without a Game Seven for a change.  Finish!

And Let's Go Mets too.




Mike,BTB