The Rangers return home for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series against Montreal. New York was able to ride a Tanner Glass goal into a 2-0 Game 1 win. In Game 2, New York was able to withstand wave after wave of attacks from Montreal before allowing the tying goal with 18 seconds remaining and losing in overtime.
My prior blog went through several points of what went wrong as what who has been playing well. Below, I will touch on what i think are a few key points for tonight:
1) Get the crowd engaged early. The best way to do so is score early, but as we have seen the last five playoff games, scoring at home in general has been a challenge. But the leather lunged fanbase of years past is long gone, as the Blue Seats are no longer the true blue seats. The fanbase has gone way too corporate, a function of the ticket prices rising due to the renovations at MSG and the nature of how pricing has gone in general. The Rangers need to do something to engage the fanbase and make the home ice advantage real and not perceived.
2) Mix skill and grit. New York has played too much to how Montreal wants to play this series. Grind it out and give Montreal a taste of their own medicine but use the skill that got you to the point, but wisely. Don't just aim for the home run or fancy play, especially now that you are home. But take advantage of chances, as they did on Rick Nash's goal in Game 2, to use the breakout pass to create space.
3) Maintain focus. The players and coaches can say all the right things about today is a new day and there on't be any carry over from the loss. That's great for the print media, but they are humans and while they might be able to turn the page, it won't be easy. That will be especially so if they trail early. But the real test will come if they have a late lead. Will they be able to recall how they played in Game 1 or will they be haunted by the end of Game 2?
Lineups for tonight:
Rangers:
Forwards: 26 Jimmy Vesey - 93 Mika Zibanejad - 36 Mats Zuccarello 40 Michael Grabner - 21 Derek Stepan - 61 Rick Nash 20 Chris Kreider- 13 Kevin Hayes - 19 Jesper Fast 10 J. T. Miller - 24 Oscar Lindberg - 15 Tanner Glass
Very surprised that there are major changes up front. Moving Vesey off the Nash line to play with Zib and Zucc, sliding Grabner up to the second line, dropping Kreider down to the third line with Fast moving up and Miller going down to the fourth line. Personally, as I wrote in this morning's blog, I wouldn't be shocked if there is movement within the lines to generate more offense. But I proposed swapping Stepan and Zib or Kreider and Nash. Possibly slide Miller up at times to take advantage of his blend of skill and physical play. These are wholesale changes and wonder how long they remain in effect before they are changed again.
Defense 27 Ryan McDonagh - 5 Dan Girardi 76 Brady Skjei - 8 Kevin Klein 18 Marc Staal - 42 Brendan Smith
it looks like per the line rushes, Klein will be in for Holden. This is the right move and I could have seen Steven Kampfer possibly get the nod over Klein. But interesting Klein is for Skjei and Staal with Smith, as liked Skjei with Smith. In case you needed more evidence why a change should occur, this from Steve Valiquette:
NYR vs MTL Games 1 & 2 combined Rangers D Men pairs on ice for chances against. #NYR pic.twitter.com/cAPji0S3TN
— Steve Valiquette (@VallysView) April 16, 2017
Goaltender 30 Henrik Lundqvist
Canadiens
Forwards 67 Max Pacioretty - 24 Phillip Danault - 47 Alexander Radulov 41 Paul Byron - 14 Tomas Plekanec - 11 Brendan Gallagher 65 Andrew Shaw - 27 Alex Galchenyuk - 62 Artturi Lehkonen 21 Dwight King - 92 Steve Ott - 17 Torrey Mitchell
Mitchell replaces Martinsen for tonight's game.
Defense 79 Andrei Markov - 6 Shea Weber 28 Nathan Beaulieu - 88 Brandon Davidson 26 Jeff Petry - 8 Jordie Benn
Davidson replaces Nesterov for Game 3.
Goaltender 31 Carey Price
As a reminder, scheduling update: I am out of the box for the last two days of Passover starting tonight until Tuesday night. If anyone wants to do a Game 3 recap blog and/or a Game 4 preview blog, please let me know ASAP. If not, I will be back late Tuesday night or Wednesday AM with at a minimum a Game 4 recap blog and possibly some thoughts on Game 3.