The Rangers held serve at home Sunday to take a 3-2 series lead over the Flyers. In some respects, the final score of 4-2 doesn’t accurately represent how the Rangers controlled play. But if you watched the game, especially the first period, the Rangers were fortunate to be up at the end of that stanza. In addition, the officials, which to date has been an issue overall in the playoffs, nearly played way too big a factor in the contest.
Game Highlights:
In my opinion, the Flyers carried play much of the first period, but were unable to convert several odd-man rushes through the neutral zone. New York did a much better job the last two periods, limiting those opportunities. If you go by coach Craig Berube's response to the question on the missed connections, it was partially due to the ice, which I guess was cleared up by the Zamboni between periods one and two. Personally, Philly just missed those connections on their own and the Rangers did a much better job of limiting space and time through the neutral zone the last two stanzas.
Overall, it was very good performance by NY. The penalty kill, which was on for 9:11 in the game, was good, save for the one after the inane call on Anton Stralman, which was part of why Kevin Klein was even out there, deflecting the puck past Henrik Lundqvist. Even strength, especially after the first period, they were solid, generating enough chances, even though not happy they took foot of the gas pedal the last period. Of course, that excludes the overturned goal, more on that later. The power play is still a major work-in-progress, as they went 0-for-3 Sunday, and is now 0-for-11 in the past three games. New York haven’t converted on the man-advantage in 15 attempts, since Benoit Pouliot’s goal in Game 2. Please stop having Brad Richards bring the puck up. Go with McD and G or Staal at the points, maybe John Moore and stick with the Zucc trio. If not, add Martin St. Louis to that group and have one of the four play the point.
The fourth line was brilliant again/ Dominic Moore was everywhere, winning draws (6-1 for the game, 15-of-22 overall in the series, including winning nine-of-13 in the defensive zone), trying spin-o-ramas, scoring goals and pressuring the D. Brian Boyle was his usual steady self, and yes, he can score - as long as it's on an empty net with a forward blocking the goal. Derek Dorsett wasn't a standout but balanced out the line, and think you could have substituted Daniel Carcillo there with the same effect.
Despite Philly carrying play early, the Rangers had a 1-0 lead after one. A nice job by Derek Stepan, and how good has he be, first winning a pair of draws, then in the neutral zone getting the puck to St. Louis, who dished it to Marc Staal for his left-circle, knuckle-puck shot past Steve Mason. It should have been 2-0 early in the second, as John Moore's shot trickled between Mason's legs into the crease and the puck was poked in by St. Louis, but referee Justin St. Pierre had ruled the play dead and it was not reviewable. Another example of poor officiating, as St. Pierre was not in the right spot to see that the puck clearly was behind Mason and not frozen.
The Rangers could have let that affect them, but the Garden crowd was loud and vociferous, it seemed to spur the home blue on. Almost six minutes later, hard work led to the third, oops second goal of the game. J.T. Miller, playing his first NHL playoff game and replacing Carcillo on the second line, missed a one-timer set up by Richards. A good job by Hagelin, making up for the two so-so penalties and one very necessary one, saving a goal, dug the puck out, fed Miller who shanked the shot, but Richards back-handed the puck past Mason from the side of the net.
New York seemed to put the kill shot on when D. Moore pressured Braydon Coburn into a pass he never should have even tried, given when Moore and his stick were positionally. The puck ended up in the skates of Hal Gill, in for an injured Nicklas Grossman and playing just his seventh game of the year. Moore used his speed to pick up the puck and beat Mason. Of course, we knew that somehow the game would be close and the officials did their best to help it along. Stralman missed two glorious chances to score, and after the second, did his best to avoid Mason after getting pushed in to him, yet was called for goalie interference. On the ensuing PP, Vincent Lecavalier's shot hit off the stick of Klein, who should have just avoided it and through Lundqvist's five-hole.
The Rangers maintained that two-goal lead much of the third. However, Claude Giroux got his first of the series and made every Rangers' fan start to panic when he beat Lundqvist with a one-time from the left hash, aided by a Wayne Simmonds screen. Thanks to Moore, who prevented a possible icing and got the puck to Boyle, who scored, the final was 4-2.
Separately, I really want to see where Ryan McDonagh ended up in the Norris Trophy voting. Chara, Keith and Weber are more than worthy of being the final three, but I guess we are biased here. To me, this is the year, McDonagh got some notice, next year is when he gets the real benefit of it.
A solid win in a game and really a series that has had no flow due to all the penalties. That type of action benefits Philly, who look to make things a bit disjointed, compared to NY, who would rather the ability to go up-and-down, using their speed to create chances off the transition or on the forecheck. I will get more into Game 6 tomorrow, though I don't expect any changes from the Rangers, though as we saw with Carcillo in Game 3 and Miller in Game 5, AV is willing to change things up when needed. Philly moved Scott Hartnell down and Brayden Schenn up to play with Giroux and Jakub Voracek, so line changes could occur for Tuesday.
Winning a fourth game in a series is the hardest to do. Plus, as we have seen these playoffs, two-goal leads aren't safe and late-game ones as well. If NY has the effort and intensity they showed in Games 1, 3 and 5, I think they win, plus I expect Lundqvist to be at the top of his game.