Rangers beaten at their own game, on the brink again (TB 2 vs NYR 0)
Staal and Rangers fall in Game 5 (Getty)
Control. You were positive the Rangers had it after the first period of play. After 20 minutes of play they held a 6-4 shot advantage but dominated possession and looked like they were going break through soon.
In the second period, Tampa appeared to be struggling with the Rangers speed and it led to consecutive penalties. Alas, the Blueshirts failures to cash in on one of their 4 power play chances would do them in. Any momentum they were building was slowly taken away by Tampa’ defense.
[su_quote cite=”NHL.com” url=”https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2014030315″]”Our power play had been getting us some momentum, had been getting us some really good looks,” Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. “Our execution was a little bit slow tonight on the power play. Because it was slow, it made it easier for them to defend. We didn’t get very many looks on it, and obviously that was a big part of tonight’s game.” [/su_quote]
Then in an instant, the game turned. Anton Stralman made a deft pass off the boards that caught Tanner Glass flat footed. The pass found Steven Stamkos, Tampa’s best player who dished it perfectly to Valtteri Filppula. With Staal out of position on the pass, Filppula buried it past Henrik Lundqvist. That goal was all they needed as Tampa played a shutdown defense that Rangers fans have seen all to well.
[su_quote cite=”NHL.com” url=”https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2014030315″]I thought we played a good game. We were holding on to a lot of pucks. They looked they controlled the middle and their own end pretty good, so it was hard to get in there and create the big chances. It was a pretty tight game.”[/su_quote]
Now the Rangers are facing elimination again for the 4th time this postseason. While they may be a perfect 3-0 so far and are 8-1 over the last two playoffs, luck could eventually run out.
[su_quote cite=”NHL.com” url=”https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2014030315″]”It’s a race to four,” Stepan said. “It doesn’t matter how many games the other team wins, we have to beat them four games. We have to go into their building and find a way to get it done.”[/su_quote]
Get it done is exactly what the Rangers will need to do for the remainder of this series.
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