New York Rangers Head Back to Tampa for Game Six

From the desk: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

GAME FIVE

Rangers     1

Lightning   3

FINAL

Backs to the Wall, Rangers Face Elimination, Again!

Tampa Bay has outplayed the Rangers in eight of the last nine periods.

Any remaining spots of rust have been polished over.

The Rangers look slower, a step behind, and lack sixty-minute discipline.

To be fair, they've played 19 games in 38 days, which is a lot, and it has taken the Lightning everything they have to beat them.

Nevertheless, the education of the young Rangers continues ...

These boys must first learn how to finish.  The Rangers failed to protect a two-goal lead in game three, and with 0:42 left in regulation, yielded the game-winning goal.  They once again failed to effectively close out the second period in game five, allowing the game-tying goal at the 17:34 mark, and like game three, could not push into overtime, surrendering the go-ahead goal at 18:10 of the third.

Ryan Lindgren scored the game's first goal simply because he put the puck on the net, nothing more, nothing less.  The Rangers had their chances, some better than others.  Just ask Ryan Strome.  But in truth, the Rangers are no longer making Andrei Vasilevskiy work for his saves.  They hardly drive down the slot, no passing from behind the net, and, like I've been saying, a lot of predictability.

Ryan Reaves was a healthy scratch in favor of Kevin Rooney, an apparent attempt by Coach Gallant to muster more offense.  Reaves would have proved helpful after the final whistle.  Rooney threw his body around and got off two SOGs in under ten minutes on ice.  Overall, Blueshirt centermen had ten SOGs but no points.  Only one Ranger forward, Artemi Panarin, had as many as three SOGs.

Meanwhile, the refs seem less interested in blowing their whistle these days - advantage Bolts.  Tampa handed the Rangers just one power-play opportunity midway through the second period.  Lindgren's goal aside, game five was the latest example of the Blueshirt's dearth of scoring at even strength. 

Something needs to change quickly as the Rangers head to Tampa for game six.

If the first two rounds demonstrated anything, the Rangers played exceptionally well when faced with elimination - three straight must-win games against Pittsburgh, two against Carolina, and here we go again against Tampa.  But can the Rangers pull it off, again, against the defending back-to-back Stanley Cup champions?

That's a lot of noise!

We all know what needs to be done.  

Some better luck wouldn't hurt.

Otherwise, I expect all the New York City transplants and retirees to don their jerseys and make a ruckus at Amalie Arena.

New York Rangers Force Game Seven Against Penguins at MSG

From the desk: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

GAME SIX
Penguins   3

Rangers     5

FINAL

First Line Proves Its Playoff Worth 

Following two deflating, if not disgraceful losses in games three and four, the young Blueshirts rose to the occasion in game five.  The Rangers got critical goals from Adam Fox, Alexis Lafreniere, and Filip Chytil.  But that was on home ice, and so the call to action sounded loud and long for Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider immediately after the game.  

Sidney Crosby left the ice midway through the second period of game five and did not play on Friday, but that made New York's game six road victory at Pittsburgh no less impressive.  During the first intermission, whatever was discussed in the Ranger locker room seemed to work.  The Blueshirt big boys, the veterans, the top line, answered spectacularly.  Facing elimination for the second consecutive game, Kreider and Zibanejad seized control of the situation, leading the Rangers into Pittsburgh needing to extend the series and doing just that.  

Down 0-2 after the first period, Mika Zibanejad scored during a power play at 5:05 of the second period on a one-timer from Adam Fox and Ryan Strome.  A mere seventy-six seconds later, Zibanejad again scored on a one-timer from Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox.  Mika almost accomplished the hat trick at the 13:48 mark.  Igor Shesterkin made a brilliant first pass to Zibanejad.  Louis Domingue made the initial save, but Chris Kreider was there to clean up the rebound for a 3-2 Rangers lead.

However, before the second period ended, Evgeni Malkin picked off a pass in the Pittsburgh defensive zone and scored on a breakaway at the 16:36 mark.

The third period was a tightly contested affair.  Finally, with 1:28 left in regulation, Chris Kreider launched a shot from the left point that (I say) deflected off a Penguin stick.  Mika Zibanejad was causing traffic in front, and Domingue thought he made the save, but the puck deflected over the goalie's head and into the net for the tie-breaking goal.

Andrew Copp sealed the deal with an empty-netter off feeds from Adam Fox and Kevin Rooney.

Adam Fox assisted on four of the Rangers' five goals, and of course, the Rangers got two by Mika Zibanejad and two by Chris Kreider.

Mika hit the post on another opportunity, as did Frank Vatrano.  More importantly, the Rangers were 2 for 3 on the power play and did well to prevent the Penguins from scoring on their three opportunities.

Now they have to do it all over again, but they'll be home at Madison Square Garden this time.

Calgary Flames Sack Towns of Manhattan and Newark

From the desks: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS & THE BRICK CITY STYX

UP IN FLAMES

It's as if Calgary was some ancient civilization that amassed an army, marched East, laid siege to the metropolitan area, and burnt it to the ground upon arrival.

After defeating the Capitals at Washington, the Flames arrived in Manhattan on Monday.  What started as a tightly contested affair quickly deteriorated into a rout.  Igor Shesterkin committed the first of his two cardinal sins when Christopher Tanev scored with just 1:10 left in the opening period.  Then, just over two minutes into the second period, Calgary made it a 2-0 game.  The Rangers showed signs of life at 5:25 of the third period when Kevin Rooney converted feeds from Jacob Trouba and newcomer Dryden Hunt.  Afterwhich, it was flame on.  Calgary scored three unanswered goals.  Shesterkin's second cardinal sin came on a penalty kill with just 0:05 left in regulation giving the Flames a 5-1 final margin of victory.

The Flames next invaded Newark on Tuesday.  They scored four unanswered goals within the first 13 minutes of the game.  Starting between the pipes, Nico Daws yielded three goals on Calgary's first seven shots and was promptly pulled.  In relief, Scott Wedgewood surrendered the Flames' fourth goal of the first period and another midway through the third.  The Devils mustered three goals, two by Pavel Zacha and one by Dawson Mercer.

Calgary has 17 goals in their last four games, with the Steel City dead ahead.  Playing minus Jack Hughes, the Devils have until Saturday's game against the Penguins to recover.  The hope here being Calgary treats Pittsburgh similarly.

N.Y. Rangers: Best Hot Wing is Right Here in the City

From the desk: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

Upstate vs. Downstate

EMPIRE STATE PUCKS

Sabres  3

Rangers 5

FINAL

Artemi Panarin Governs Over Downstate Victory Over Western Neighbor

When you're in the midst of a season with no expectations, playing the Buffalo Sabres still comes with expectations.  It's called the food chain, and for the present time, the Rangers are two species up on the pecking order from Buffalo; 

... not to mention the Sabres are playing minus their injured center Jack Eichel.

When there are expectations, sometimes you're bound to be disappointed.  Yes, this implies the Rangers did something wrong.  A scoreless first period in any game is reasonable to expect.  But yielding the opening goal at 3:52 of the second period was somewhat deflating.  As per the cardinal sins of hockey, allowing a goal just over one minute into the third period was annoying.  Then ... then, allowing that game-tying goal just 3:13 minutes later was quite a disappointment.

What really has me incensed is Filip Chytil, Alexis Lafreniere, and Kaapoo Kakko, all playing under 15 minutes.  The trio of Julien Gauthier, Kevin Rooney, and Brendan Lemieux also wasn't up to snuff.

Keith Kincaid faced only 16 shots, made three saves on special teams, but only 13 saves at even strength.  He nonetheless earns his second straight victory and still sports a representative 2.22 GAA through seven appearances.

Meanwhile, Artemi Panaris continues proving beyond a shadow of a doubt just how indispensable he is to the Blueshirts.  He elevates the team and those playing alongside him.  The Bread Man fueled Monday's second-period counterattack, then helped punctuate an unnecessarily hard-fought victory in the game's closing moments.  Panarin assisted on Kaapo Kakko's game-tying goal in the first.  Shortly thereafter, he assisted on Chris Kreider's power-play goal putting the Rangers ahead by one.

At 18:18 of the second period, Adam Fox gave the Rangers a 3-1 lead on feeds from Pavel Buchnevich and the surging Mika Zibanejad.

Chris Kreider also said to hell with all the complaining about his streakiness.  After Buffalo tied the game at three, Kreider restored the Rangers lead on feeds from Ryan Strome and Adam Fox.  

With under a minute left in the game, Artemi Panarin again factors in assisting Kaapo Kakko's second goal of the game and a 5-3 final margin of victory.

Panarin and Adam Fox finish the game with three points each.  Kreider now has seven goals and eleven points through twelve games in March.  Pavel Buchnevich has scored in nine of eleven games played this month for 16 points.

N.Y. Rangers: Monday Night Faux Pas

From the desk: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

 

MONDAY

Flyers      5

Rangers   4

FINAL

Keith Kincaid Targets Panarin, But Throws a Pick-Six in Overtime Loss to Flyers

The Blueshirts played nine games minus the services of Artemi Panarin.  They achieved a pair of victories each against the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils, respectively, two beleaguered squads flapping and floundering about like a fish out of water.  The other five games include one loss against the Philidelphia Flyers, two losses against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and two against the Boston Bruins. 

Despite the disparity of talent levels between clubs, some might describe what the Rangers achieved as hanging tough until their breadwinner returned to the ice.  Insofar as wins and losses, they did just that.  But I'm just not buying it.  It's been said many times: to be the best, you gotta beat the best, and that's not what happened.  The sixth team in the division beat up on the seventh and eighth place teams in the standings, that's it. 

A stiff jab at 3:47 by James van Riemsdyk followed up with a straight right by Ivan Provorov at 5:05, and the Rangers were down 2-0 in the first period.  

Enter Artemi Panarin, who started slicing up a freshly baked loaf of points.  He finally put the Rangers on the board at 8:12 of the second, then over the next six minutes, assisted on goals from Colin Blackwell and Julien Gauthier for a 3-2 Rangers lead.  However, at 18:27, Gauthier got whistled for high-sticking.  Just nine seconds into the power play, Joel Farabee stuck it to the Rangers by tying the game at three.

• Since returning from his Russian sabbatical, the Breadman has baked four points in two games; three came Monday against the Flyers.

Kevin Rooney scored an uplifting goal at 2:56 into the third.  But Julien Gauthier got whistled at 4:53 for another very costly high-sticking infraction.  A mere ten seconds later, Claude Giroux once again made the Rangers pay for the errs of their ways.

Into over time, they go ...

Keith Kincaid - forced to fill in while Igor Shesterkin remains out with an injury - messed up.  His pass from the goal line to a waiting Panarin at the Rangers blueline was simply too soft, too free and easy, and completely lacking urgency.  As you can imagine, it was picked off by Jakub Voracek, who to took it to the house unassisted.  

It's the equivalent to a quarterback throwing a game-losing pick-six in football.

Hockey Night in New York State: Rangers Centermen Do Not Stack Up Against Next Door Neighbors

From the desk: HOCKEY NIGHT IN NEW YORK STATE

TUESDAY

Devils      5

Rangers   3

FINAL

Look what the Devils did to the Rangers ... again!  

On Jan.19, the Devils went into MSG and defeated the Rangers, 4 to 3.  After five games and upwards of seventeen players getting scrubbed due to COVID, Newark returns to the ice at MSG on Tuesday, where they again defeated the Rangers, this time by a 5-3 final margin of victory.  It's like they never left the ice.

Nico Hischier is still out, and Jack Hughes was rather unproductive with no shots on goal through 21 shifts and 18:59 minutes of ice time.  The rest is just bad news for Rangers fans.  Four other Devils centermen accounted for ten of Newark's 36 shots on net, with three assists and two goals.  Novice center Janne Kuokkanen assisted on three goals.  Playing in his tenth game, center Pavel Zacha scored his third goal and notched his fifth point.  

By comparison, Mika Zibanejad has now played 14 games and is stuck at three points despite skating the team's most shifts and minutes.  Kevin Rooney played the least minutes (13:24) of the five Rangers centermen.  The point being, together, the futile five accounted for eleven shots on goal, one goal by Colin Blackwell, and one assist from Brett Howden.

• NET RESULT: Five points by Devils centermen; two points by Rangers centermen.

TUESDAY

Islanders   3

Sabres        0

FINAL

Don't look now, but it appears the Islanders are straightening themselves out.  On back-to-back nights, the Long Islanders take two straight from the Sabres at Buffalo.  After losing five straight, they are now winners of five of their last six games.

But this is still more about the Rangers than the Islanders - although I invite Isles fans to revel in our misery.  That said, Long Island centermen accounted for ten shots on net, with three goals and three assists.  Josh Bailey had two assists, Anders Lee scored two goals, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau had one goal and one assist.

If you go back, Tuesday was a near mirror image of Monday's game.  Islanders centermen accounted for 13 shots on net, with three goals and three assists.  That means in two games at Buffalo, Isles centermen accounted for 23 shots, six goals, and six assists.

• All Rangers Centers: 12 goals; 10 assists; 22 points.
• Mathew Barzal & Jean-Gabriel Pageau: 12 goals; 13 assists; 25 points.

Long Islanders Do To The Boston Bruins What The Rangers Could Not

From the desks: LONG ISLAND NOMADS & RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

BRUINS CENTERMEN: 55 points

Islanders Centermen: 41 points

Rangers Centermen: 20 points

In the week that was, Boston defeated the Rangers in successive games to win their fourth and fifth straight.  The Bruins then take on the Islanders and get stopped cold in their tracks.  One needn't look very far for the reasons why.  

The Islanders have scoring threats up the middle, and the Rangers do not.  Whereas the Rangers mustered three goals in two games against the Bruins, the Islanders posted four goals in just one tilt.

Against the Bruins, Mike Zibanejad skated 21:49 minutes on Wednesday with four shots on goal and no points, then skated for 24:21 minutes on Friday, managing zero shots on goal.  Overall, through two games against Boston, the position of center generated 18 shots on goal but just one point on a goal by Kevin Rooney.  Six of those shots were from Ryan Strome in Wednesday's game.  However, on Friday, Strome and Zibanejad joined for just one shot on goal.  The Rangers centermen accounted for only four shots on Friday, whereas the Bruins centermen accounted for 14 shots.  Overall, Boston centers generated two points (on an assist by Patrice Bergeron and a goal by Brad Marchand) on 23 shots on goal.

SATURDAY

Bruins       2

Islanders  4

FINAL

On Saturday, Brad Marchant and Patrice Bergeron each recorded a goal and an assist.  At 11:36 of the first period, Jean-Gabriel Pageau tied the game at one with his third goal of the season.  At 5:30 of the third period, Mathew Barzal scored on a power play giving the Islanders a 3-2 lead.  Jean-Gabriel Pageau then capped off the scoring with a short-handed goal at 14:32, giving the Islanders a 4-2 final margin of victory.  In the Islanders' first encounter against the Bruins back on Jan. 18, Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored the only goal of the game at 15:51 of the third period.  Unlike Tex's Rangers, Long Islander centermen in two games against the Bruins generated 22 shots on goal with three goals and two assists.

Ryan Strome is the Rangers' top-scoring centerman with four goals and two assists.  Mike Zibanejad continues to lag with just one goal and two assists through 13 games.  Mathew Barzal leads the Islanders with 14 points on six goals and eight assists.  Jean-Gabriel Pageau is next in with four goals and three assists.  Three of the Islanders' top four scorers are centermen whereas no centerman breaks the top three for the Rangers; Strome is the team's fourth-leading scorer.