The Rangers rallied for a 3-2 overtime win Thursday to take a 3-2 series lead in their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal matchup against the Canadiens. New York was outplayed the fist half of regulation, but started to turn the tide in the second. A fairly even third period was followed by a dominant overtime. While the goal resulted from a "lucky" bounce, New York deserved the bounce and made their own break with how well they played in the extra stanza, resulting in Mike Zibanejad's overtime game-winner.
Game Highlights:
My thoughts and look forward to Game 6:
1)
Zed ain't dead and Zib's alive.
After struggling and looking mostly invisible in Games 1-3, Zibanejad showed some signs of life in Game 4. He truly woke up in Game 5, keying the Rangers win.
First, shorthanded, he bats the puck out of the air, comes down the left side, cuts to the middle, creating space and then makes the beautiful dish to Jesper Fast for the goal, Fast gets a ton of credit for reading the play and getting inside position and the shot past Carey Price. But Zib made the initial defensive play and the dish for the goal.
Next, on the game-winner, he went hard to the net, finding the puck after it deflected off Alexei Emelin following Chris Kreider's shot - how ironic is that Kreider, Emelin and Price - and beating Price. Great job by Kreider to garner the puck in the neutral zone and gain the offensive zone with speed while Zib took advantage of the deflection and Jordie Benn losing track of the puck for the game-winner.
ESPN Radio call of Zib's GWG:
https://t.co/lqDLdQQPuw
2)
Four lines rolling
Kreider was also invisible for the first several games of the series and the first two periods yesterday. But he finally started to find his game in the third period and overtime. Granted Kreider missed a golden opportunity to end the game earlier in the extra frame, shanking the shot, but he kept coming. When he uses his speed and power to create chances, that's when he is dangerous. When he is passive, he is somewhat useless. Yesterday, he found that next gear. The line of CK20-Zib-Buch has benefitted from AV placing Buch on that trio, restoring what was successful in the pre-season. Buch has been dangerous nearly every shift on the ice.
On the second line, Nash and Vesey have carried Stepan, but Stepan has been more engaged. Brady Skeji's goal resulted from Vesey's and Nash's hard work. First, great puck possession, patience, skill and strength by Vesey on the wall, drawing two Canadiens' forwards to him. Then, the dish to Nash, who went hard to the net and put the puck off Price's pads. Steve Valiquette pointed out in the post-game that Price doesn't keep his stick low, so shots off the pads ends up like a pass and Skjei found open space on a great pinch to tie it late in the second.
Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller still haven't found their form. If those two can get going, the Rangers really will be dangerous. Zuccarello has been all over the place and carrying that trio. It would be great if he watched his stick, as he was lucky he didn't get a four-minute high-sticking penalty. But he just missed winning the game early in overtime and set up Kreider for an open look as well.
The newly constituted fourth line has been brilliant. Oscar Lindberg was on ice for 14 shots for and none against. Now many have seen why I have been such a Fast fan. Not the goal, but he is almost always in the right place and makes the little plays that help a team win but aren't notice.d Grabner was solid as well. Some miscommunication on the Montreal PP goal, which is why Brendan Gallagher had all day in the slot, but besides that, he was engaged and his speed is a weapon.
3)
An angry McDonagh and Smith bolsters the blueline
McDonagh took a hit up near his head in the first period, sandwiched between Alexander Radulov and Max Pacioretty, and was down on the ice, rattled, for a good 45 seconds. There was no penalty called on the play, and McDonagh didn’t miss a shift. Now, I thought he should have been in the concussion protocol, like what happened with Lindberg later in the game, but that didn't happen. What did McDonagh on his next shift? Plant Andrew Shaw on his rear end. Later, he knocked Gallagher down to the ice from the side of the slot, then pounded on him. McMonster played over 30 minutes and looked to get stronger as the game went on.
Smith decided enough was enough and he took on Shaw. That gave Montreal an advantage, as New York losing Smith for five minutes is worse than losing Shaw for Montreal, but I will take it. Smith sent a message that the team wasn't going to take it any more. He has brought an edge to this team that was lacking. I think we all hope he is brought back.
Skjei got the goal and his pairing with Smith has provided the team a solid second duo. Similarly, Dan Girardi has really stepped up his game, adding even more of a physical presence. His hit on Radulov is one example of that physical presence. Girardi continues to log major minutes and since the ankle injury, he has really stepped up his game. Maybe the time off is what he needed. Plus, to give you a sense on just how tough he is, per Valiquette the ankle is so nasty looking and the issue lingering that the team has cut a hole in Girardi's skate to alleviate the pressure on that ankle.
Now, Holden and Staal, the new glimmer twins. Staal had an egregious erros and turnover resulting in Lehkonen's goal.
Then later, the snow angels on Shaw, which fortunately didn't result in a goal:
AV needs to deploy these two as coach Joel Quenneville did with the bottom pairing in Chicago, protect the two, sheltering their minutes and relying on the big four. If not, I would recommend a change, but we know that won't happen.
4)
Lundqvist being Lundqvist
Coming into the series, the key was if Lundqvist would match Price save for save. So far, so good. Hank is a proud athlete and relishes these challenges. He has more than met that challenge. His save on Max Pacioretty kept the game even in the third, allowing New York time to win the game in overtime.
5)
Build on the final 30 plus minutes
Eric Engels in his column laid out very well how Montreal controlled play the first half of the game and how they missed opportunities throughout to take a two-goal lead:
In a first period played at breakneck speed, the Canadiens scored two goals, had 15 shots on net, threw 25 hits and won 65 per cent of the faceoffs.
The Canadiens didn’t sulk about it, they came out to work in the second period, pushing the play towards New York’s end and limiting the Rangers to just two shots on net through the first 12 minutes
From Pacioretty’s early miss in the slot, to the two blown power plays in the opening five minutes of the second period, to the short-handed 2-on-1 chance Phillip Danault rang off the post in the third period, to Pacioretty’s clean breakaway opportunity as time ticked away in regulation time; the Canadiens had the bullet in the chamber and ended up shooting themselves with it.
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The key now is take advantage of this opportunity in Game 6 and lock it up at home.
6)
Repeat history
The Rangers have won each of the previous 14 playoff series in which they earned a win in Game 5, dating back to the Patrick Division semifinals against the Flyers in 1986. This is also the eighth time in franchise history they have come back from a 2-1 series deficit to take a 3-2 lead, and they are 6-1 in the previous seven series — the only loss being in the 1950 Stanley Cup final to the Red Wings.
Playoff Schedule:
Montreal (A1) vs. New York (WC1)
G1 Wed., April 12 NY Rangers 2 Montreal 0, Rangers lead series 1-0
G2 Fri., April 14 Montreal 2 NY Rangers 1, OT Series tied 1-1
G3 Sun., April 16 Montreal 3 NY Rangers 1 Montreal leads series 2-1
G4 Tue., April 18 NY Rangers 2 Montreal 1 Series tied 2-2
G5 Thu., April 20 NY Rangers 3 Montreal 2, OT, Rangers lead series 3-2
G6 Sat., April 22 Montreal @ NY Rangers, 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, NBCSN, CBC, TVA
G7* Mon., April 24 NY Rangers @ Montreal, TBD, TBD
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