The Rangers sit on the brink of elimination after a 4-0 loss to the Devils. New York did very little well with Igor Shesterkin really the only one who could hold his head up high after the game as his effort and performance level was not matched by others. Taps on the season could be played Saturday night.
Game recap:
Devils lines (we all know the Rangers' ones and what the players did last night)
New Jersey made line changes that paid immediate dividends. Ondrej Palat tallied 39 seconds into the game while Erik Haula posted a three-point effort. Up and down the roster, the Devils received contributions and executed their game plan following their style of play to a T.
Tatar-Hischier-Bratt Haula-Hughes-Palat Meier-Mercer-Boqvist Bastian-McLeod-Lazar
Siegenthaler-Hamilton Graves-Marino Bahl-Severson
Schmid Vanecek
Scratches: L. Hughes, Sharangovich, Smith, Wood, Blackwood
A few thoughts:
Going to keep this brief and not going into each goal or player but provide some overview thoughts.
Failures were on display up and down the lineup. The top six were invisible. New York's power play had a few decent looks, but New Jersey shut down both units and outscored the Rangers while shorthanded. The Blueshirts failed to make any meaningful adjustments. When the score became 1-0 early, the immediate reaction of the fanbase was the game was over, that in itself is telling. New Jersey has sucked any life out of this team, starting with the OT win in Game 3, raising that level in Game 4 and topping out - as of now - in Game 5.
Passengers outweigh competitors right now. When you trail 3-0 after two periods and have to play more wide open hockey, yet still get outshot 20-2, that's telling. When your goalie and fourth line center are the only two with some passion and heart, that's telling. When your coach, who ripped you after Game 4, has to take the soft approach and try and build back up what looks to be a broken team, that's telling.
Right now, everything looks to be broken. Finding a positive is almost a near impossibility. Maybe it's recency bias, but after Game 4 last year, while we were down, the biggest concern was Igor. We knew deep down if he channeled his inner Henrik Lundqvist in elimination games, maybe New York had a shot. This feels different as the Devils have shut down the team's attack while capitalizing on opportunities they have created and been gifted by the Rangers. Plus, Fox. Lindgren. Miller, Zibanejad, Panarin. Tarasenko. Kane. Lafremiere. Find me one who has played well.
In an attempt to find something that works, the Rangers made some significant line changes today at practice:
Kreider-Zibanejad-Tarasenko Lafreniere-Trocheck-Kane Panarin-Chytil-Kakko Vesey-Goodrow-Motte
Both the second and third line left wingers can be on milk cartons. Neither has provided much, which has been an epidemic on this roster. The difference is the "new '' third line winger is coming off a brutal post-season last season, save for one moment, and this year was to be different. To date, the only difference is he has been worse. We all know the possible ramifications of a loss, starting with behind the bench to the roster, but that can be saved for down the road.
I wrote this in 2014 when the team was down 3-1 to Pittsburgh as well as last year. What I said then certainly applies now, with some very small tweaks, as at the time, New York had never rallied from a 3-1 series deficit. Running this today and tomorrow and for however long the series lasts.
I am as optimistic as anyone, but would not be shocked if the series ends tomorrow. If it does, what I want to see is heart, passion and effort. Lose but lose with all of it left on the ice. Show some pride for the name on the front of the jersey. Don't just let New Jersey walk all over you, especially in your own building, stand up for yourselves as an athlete and member of the New York Rangers. It doesn't matter who plays and who sits, whoever is in the lineup needs to bring it. To quote Boomer Esiason and it's something I have said a lot, win one shift, then another, then another. Then win one period and another. Then win the game and send it back to New Jersey for Game 7.Heart. It's the willingness to take a hit to move the puck or score a goal. Heart. It's what makes the name on the front of the jersey more than the one of the back. Heart. It's what New Yorkers love to see in their athletes. It's rising over trying circumstances. It's carrying a team or a teammate on your backs when needed. Heart. It can overcome talent when talent doesn't have or use it. Heart. It's what needs to be on display Wednesday when We Are All Rangers.
Tomorrow, win or lose, We Are All Rangers!!!