The Rangers don't like doing anything easy and Wednesday was no different. A slow start left them even with Philly after one, making every Rangers' fan up the pacing quotient. They scored twice in the second, and would have had more, but Steve Mason was brilliant, stoning several chances. Of course, you knew the Flyers would score to cut it one, so the final 15:28, was pace, pace, pace, breathe, pace, pace, pace. New York had just enough to hold off Philadelphia to advance to the Eastern Conference Semi-finals against the Penguins.
Game Highlights:
For a series that had no true flow and momentum seemed to change from game-to-game, it ended on a thriller in Game 7. Neither team won consecutive games in the series and the Rangers benefitted from home-ice advantage, earned by going 9-2-2 in their final 13 games. Despite their issues during the season at home, NY won three of four on Garden ice, including Wednesday when the crowd was up and alive throughout the contest.
Philly carried play in the first but New York came on strong late. The only power play of the period came on a Zac Rinaldo, but NY ran their streak of futility on the man advantage to 21, as they were unable to generate any sort of real pressure. At the end of one, the shots were 11-10 Flyers, but NY had the better chances, especially late.
The second period didn't start off well, as a silly too many men on the ice penalty was taken by the Rangers. But right then, you started to figure maybe this won't turn out badly, as the Rangers PK was dominant, blocking several shots. Just like in Game 3, Daniel Carcillo, inserted back in for JT Miller, came out of the box and beat Steve Mason for a 1-0 lead. The play started on a bad giveaway by Andrew MacDonald and great read by Carcillo to steal the puck. Carcillo fed Mats Zuccarello, how was stoned by Mason. Zucc and Derick Brassard did a good job of keeping the puck alive and Sean Couturier tried to go up the boards, but Kevin Klein kept the puck in. Klein played the puck down the boards to Zucc, who made a brilliant no-look, behind the back feed to a cutting Carcillo, who beat Mason to the glove side. The third time AV made a lineup move, and each time, in games 3, 5 and 7, it paid off.
The Rangers were now buzzing but it still was 1-0. Then Benoit Pouliot was pushed into Mason, yet the penalty was called on NY. The Rangers were able to kill it off, with more good work, and NY having the best chance, a 2-on-1 break where Rick Nash was stoned by Mason. A minute late, NY broke through again. A good play by Anton Stralman and Pouliot helped keep the puck in at the line. Stralman got the puck down the boards to Brassard, who found a streaking Pouliot, who beat Couturier and Rinaldo to the spot and beat Mason.
New York carried play the rest of the period, but were unable to beat Mason. He stopped Martin St. Louis on a 3-on-1 with his left pad. Later, he stoned Ryan McDonagh to keep it 2-0, and Philly almost halved the difference, as Claude Giroux shot high following a great move in the slot when he had the top part of the net open. Before the end of the period, Mason made several more brilliant saves, including one on Nash to keep the deficit at two despite NY outshooting Philly 18-5.
We knew that it would be a one-goal game down the stretch. This series has gone that way and two-goal leads in general have been the bane of most teams existence. Jason Akeson scored 4:32 into the period, after his pass was blocked by Marc Staal, Akeson beat Lundqvist to the wide-side. It became watch the clock time. Slowly it wound down, with Philly sending wave upon wave into the Rangers' zone. Icing after icing became common place. The last several minutes seemed to take forever. Even the ending was nerve-wracking, as it was reminiscent of Game 7 in '94, though instead of 1.4 seconds, there was 2.6 remaining. The Rangers were able to win the final draw and that was it, on to Pittsburgh on Friday.
A few takeaways from me:
McDonagh had by far his best game of the series. He finally looked like the Norris Trophy contender from he first 75 games of the season. Nash, despite not scoring, was heavily engaged. Three shots, not including one off the post early, and hits in the first period, after struggling in both areas throughout. He went to the dirty areas. In addition, he blocked a Kimmo Timonen chance with 4:37 remaining. Nash went goalless and has just two in 23 games, but if he plays like that against Pitt, especially where there should be more open ice, eventually he will break through.
While Mason was brilliant, Lundqvist was up to the task, especially early and late. Early, he kept the Rangers in it, and after a so-so Akeson goal, he was a brick wall. Lundqvist came in to the contest with a 3-1 record, 1.00 goals-against average and a .963 save percentage in Game 7s. The latter two sayer about the same, but he is now 4-1, including 3-0 at MSG in this situations.
Staal was the Rangers' best d-man this series while Stralman had a very strong game 7. John Moore also was good Wednesday while Klein was steady. Girardi rebounded from a very poor game 6.
Up front, the top line created pressure, even though they didn't score. Richards and Hagelin were nothing special while the third - or really top - line came up big again. Boyle/Moore were their usual solid selves, with Boyle very physical.
Will get more into the breakdown against Pitt the next few days, but a few quick things:
- the PP has to be figured out. If Pitt does take penalty, you must make them pay, since their offense is a lot more dangerous than Philly and will score goals. - the big edge for NY likely is Lundqvist vs. MAF, even though MAF was better this past series against Columbus than he has been recently in the playoffs. - NY must also be disciplined against the Penguins and not let them get in their heads, resulting in bad penalties and man-advantages for Pittsburgh. - The Pitt D overall is better than Philly's, but Letang is still finding his legs and Scuderi isn't that quick. The Rangers should be able to use their speed to create chances and then get opportunities off the forecheck. - The third and fourth lines. Regardless of if the Zucc or Richards line is the third line, that trio plus the Boyle is better than the Sutter and whoever centers the fourth one in Pitt. In 2012 and 2013, the fourth line cost the Rangers the series against NJ and Boston. This year, they were a big reason why they beat Philly and may be a huge key against the Penguins. - If the schedule is Friday, Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, that will mean six games in none days for NY. Keeping the players fresh will be key. I don't think Chris Kreider will be back, as view him more of a third round option, but if somehow he could be ready for Game 3 or 4, it would be a high boost. Carcillo and JT Miller should be fresh, so could play the rotation game again, same with Raphael Diaz is needed - Most Pitt fans wanted the Rangers, as they seemed to view Philly as a tougher opponent. Well, guess what, you got them, now it's time for NY to make them wish they hadn't felt that way.
One-quarter of the way there. Let's Go Rangers!!!