To stay alive, Rangers must win Game 5 (WSH at NYR 7PM)
How did they get here? The President’s Trophy winning Rangers on the bring of elimination in round 2? Must be the unstoppable Alex Ovechkin. No, that isn’t it. Washington, much like Pittsburgh before looked at the speed and skill of the Rangers and opted to commit to defense and shot blocking.
Tonight, the Rangers are in a do or die situation and allowing another 20+ shot blocking performance will certainly kill them. The Blueshirts have to get shots through and crash the net. Sadly, the NHL playoffs circa 2000 doesn’t really reward skill as much as it does grit. However, when you can combine the two it results in Championships.
Time for the Rangers to get dirty.
NOTES & QUOTES
Stepan: I think we have to go into tomorrow night and just play
— Pat Pickens (@Pat_Pickens) May 7, 2015
Ryan McDonagh on the Rangers’ mood returning from DC last night: “Obviously frustration.”
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) May 7, 2015
#NYR captain Ryan McDonagh: “If there’s an opportunity to get a puck toward the net, we’ve got to have two or three guys going there.” — Sean Hartnett (@HartnettHockey) May 7, 2015
AV also cites FO struggles as a key. Says that’s the one area where the Caps have been a lot better than the Rangers. — Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) May 7, 2015
Vigneault in #NYR conference call today was confident, pointing out #NYR forced a lot of #Caps TO in Game 4 but just couldn’t capitalize
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) May 7, 2015
#NYR action, not words, needed, but McDonagh declares: “This series and this season isn’t over.”
— Steve Zipay (@stevezipay) May 7, 2015
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