The Rangers sit on the brink of elimination following their underwhelming 4-2 loss to the Penguins on Wednesday. A loss tonight would mean that the Rangers played the same number of games with the same result for back-to-back seasons; falling to Boston in five contests last year. As gauling as that defeat was, as many of thought NY could have pulled out that series, to date, this one does not have the same feel.
New York was dominated, positionally and by puck possession in Games 2 and 4. Pittsburgh pretty much did whatever they wanted to the Rangers, with the scores not being worse solely because Henrik Lundqvist made several great saved. The key game was Game 3. Lundqvist was unconscious, possibly playing his best game as a Ranger, yet it came in defeat. That loss was due to the moribund offense's inability to beat Marc-Andre Fleury at all. As poorly as New York played in Games 2 and 4, a win in Game 3 would have this series tied at 2. We would be railing as to the disappearing act by several players, yet the series would be tied and we would have realistic as opposed to the pie in the sky hopes we have now.
First and foremost, condolences to Martin St. Louis on the passing of his mother, France. The decision on whether to play has to be a difficult one for him and sure he will make the right choice for him and his family. Whatever transpired until now pretty much is pushed way to the background when something tragic like this happens. Unfortunately, I need to discuss more trivial matters, like the Rangers play in general next and there is no good transition from this paragraph to the next.
Booing Rick Nash. The argument about whether a player should be booed on his home court is one that has raged for decades and will continue to do so. Some feel that you play your money and if a player fails to perform, then with the salary they get comes the right to boo when they feel to meet the expectations of those results. Years ago, it was blasphemy to boo a player at home, but those days have long past.
In the case of Nash, he has two strikes against him. First, he forced his way out of Columbus to come to New York. Second, he is earning $7.8 million dollars and produced like a $.78 player in the post season. The effort has not been lacking, as he has a strong CF% while also displaying a physical game we haven't seen in a while. But, he still isn't going to the dirty areas and has failed to score, earning the ire of the Blueshirt Faithful.
The answer on what to do with him down the road isn't one that comes without some trepidation. The easy argument is to say to trade him to get pennies on the dollar and relieve yourself of what looks to be a very bad contract. However, he did lead the team in goals the past two seasons, so that offense would need to be replaced. The flip side to that is that he plays like Tarzan during the year and Jane in the playoffs, so he may be more easily replaceable than you think. GM Glen Sather will have lots of critical decisions this off-season, whenever that may be. Number 1 or 1a on the list, which we didn't think was going to be the case, is Nash.
Number 2 may be Derek Stepan. Larry Brooks had a lot to say on Nash, Brad Richards, Stepan and Ryan McDonagh today. The most interesting might be on Stepan, since he has struggled again in the playoffs, making it three of four years that has happened. The danger in moving on from him is that given his age, his relatively reasonable salary and importance to the team, especially wth the questions on Richards, who else is their top center? Maybe they get Stastny, move Brassard to the second one, once he is resigned, and try and deal Stepan for a big winger, but we are then talking massive restructuring of the team. Again no easy answers.
In the case of McDonagh, maybe he is hurt. If that is so, he gets a mild pass. However, his failure to get back on the shorthanded goal the other night had nothing to do with his shoulder, so that excuse holds little water for me on that one. He and Dan Girardi have struggled with Pitt's big line of Kunitz-Crosby-Malkin, so with Pitt having the last change, it wouldn't be surprising to see Dan Bylsma get that trio on against McD-G rather than Staal and Stralman, though that duo hasn't been much better.
While much of the focus has been on the pressure Pitt has put on the Rangers, lost has been how that pressure has manifested itself in the end results. What has happened is that the Rangers have been forced to play at a higher speed, resulting in turnovers, leading to the goals. If you look at the scoring plays on Wednesday, and in fact many of them, it's been speed causing turnovers, resulting in goals. Unfortunately, I would love to say that the Rangers can remedy this, but even in Game 3, which they dominated play, two mistakes, caused by speed, and the game was over.
I am as optimistic as anyone, but would not be shocked if the series ends tonight. 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 Pitt walk over you, stand up for yourselves as an athlete and member of the New York Rangers. The a Kings looked dead to rights down 3-0 and they somehow found way to win over San Jose. Philadelphia came back down similar a few years ago. Screw history. New York has never come back from 3-1 down in a series, make new history this year. Be the first to do so. 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 to MSG.
Tonight, win or lose, we are all Rangers.
Let's Go Rangers!!!