Resilient Rangers break tie late in the third to take ECF lead (NYR 2 v TB 1)

Anthony Scultore May 16, 2015

Stepan opens the scoring in the ECF (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Resiliency is a word that should be synonymous with the 2015 New York Rangers. They simply continue to finds ways to win and that’s exactly what they did today. With the score knotted up at 1-1 thanks to an Ondrej Palat‘s power play goal, Dominic Moore scored with 2:25 on the clock.

“When Hayzee (Kevin Hayes) got it, I knew it was going to eventually get to the net and a good thing happened,” Moore said wearing the Broadway Hat. “It’s a fun time of year for us and everyone in this room relishes these games.”

Even though the score was close, the Rangers truly dominated the majority of the play and appeared in controlled. Freed from the clutching and grabbing that the Penguins and Capitals deployed, the Blueshirts generated plenty of offense off the rush and on the cycle.

A key to their success could have been Alain Vigneault making a subtle switch and moving Kevin Hayes to the top line and Marty St. Louis to the 3rd line. The speed of Carl Hargelin, Dominic Moore and MSL gave the bigger and slower defense pairing of Braydon Coburn and Jason Garrison fits for most of the game.

Vigneault spoke to this in his presser as did Hayes in the locker room afterwards.

[su_quote cite=”Blueshirts United” url=”https://www.blueshirtsunited.com/article/moores-goal-lifts-rangers-2-1-victory-game-one”]”After looking at games from both of their series we just felt that s subtle little change in right wingers on two lines would maybe help us out,” explained Vigneault. Added Hayes, “I played right wing the past two years, but it doesn’t matter what position I play. Playing with those two guys is nice. We’re looked upon to create offense and I thought today we did that. The goals weren’t there, but I thought we had good looks.”[/su_quote]

Marc Staal was a beast on Steven Stamkos all game. The Lightning’s biggest threat was limited to just one shot on goal for the contest. Tyler Johnson did send 4 shots on Lundqvist but he stopped them all.

Finally, Henrik Lundqvist was sharp and zoned in. He stopped 24 shots and only allowed a fluttering shot from the circle on the PP in. Bishop of course was rock solid at the other end. He was the only reason the Lightning were even in the game.

This victory means the Rangers are now off the snide against Bishop. His perfect record in the regular season of 8-0 is now met with an 0-1 record verse the Rangers in the playoffs. The win could bode huge for the Rangers scorers’ psyche the rest of this series.

Game 2 is set for Monday at 8pm.

NOTES

#NYR @mooredom gets the Broadway Hat! pic.twitter.com/o7b0NwVuxY

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) May 16, 2015

Bishop’s sense of humor: On NYR streak of 15 1-goal games: “You almost think they missed that empty net on purpose to keep it going.”

— Rangers Report (@rangersreport) May 16, 2015

Marty St. Louis on Rangers’ playing one-goal games: “I think this is a comfortable place for us to be…We’re used to it.”

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) May 16, 2015