The Rangers head to Tampa for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Finals series. A split of the two at MSG makes this contest once again a pivotal one, as odd-numbered contests usually are. The Lightning come in bursting with confidence after a 6-2 win Monday while the Rangers were left to remark on just how poorly they played.
Each playoff game is like its own series. Momentum seems not to carry over from game-to-game, as we have seen throughout these playoffs and in the past several years. However, Tampa should get a boost coming home and cognizant that their power play was dominant and a difference maker in Game 2. New York needs to stay out of the penalty box. So if this game is a parade like it was Monday, that could be very dangerous for the Blueshirts, unless their penalty kill figures out their mistakes quickly.
Pat Leonard made some interesting line combination suggestions in his column today:
Nash-Brassard-Fast Kreider-Stepan-Miller Hagelin-Hayes-MSL Glass-Moore-Sheppard
Moving Fast up provides some grit for the top line and enables Brassard to be a playmaker again. The All-American second line, which was so good late in the year, gets reunited and Miller’s game has been good lately. I could also see swapping Fast and Miller to keep the second line together. Hayes shifts back to center, where he is better suited and that could help Hagelin. MSL gets one more chance, and if he fails/struggles, Moore or Sheppard could double-shift, as one would be out for key defensive draws anyway. Zucc isn’t coming back any time soon, so what we see is what we will get, as I doubt Lindberg or Bourque get in. On D, Klein needs to step up and Yandle has to see more time and produce more. But for the love of all that is holy, stop giving the puck away.
This game is yet another chance for Rick Nash to change the story. Right now and rightfully so, he is the main whipping boy. If he – and MSL to a lesser extent – was producing, much of the other arguments and issues would go away. But he hasn’t and they remain. If you want the big bucks, especially in NY, the responsibility comes with it. Especially in the playoffs, where your track record to date has been sub-optimal. Go to the front of the net. Use your size to your advantage. Channel your inner Chris Kreider and have a bit of a mean streak. But in all honesty, just score, don’t care how, just score.
The Rangers led the league in road victories this year, which will be big given how good Tampa is on home ice. New York has been a resilient team all season and have shown in the past, that they rebound well from poor efforts or disappointing losses. That will be needed again tonight. I fully expect an effort eons beyond what was on display Monday. This is a proud team and one that knows what’s at stake tonight and in this series as a whole. Time to put on the “big boy pants… and get it done.
Let’s Go Rangers!!!