|
Game 2: NYR-PIT, Rangers look to equalize series at home, keys to contest |
|
|
|
|
|
The Rangers look to even their first round series at one when they take on the Penguins at MSG tonight. Tuesday was a game for the ages with Pittsburgh prevailing 4-3 on a goal by Evgeni Malkin at 5:58 of the third overtime. The two teams play Game 3 at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday night.
Not yet set in stone is the lineup. Up front, the only change we might see is Dryden Hunt over Ryan Reaves. The other 11 forwards are pretty much locked in, barring an injury not yet reported. Julien Gauthier and Greg McKegg are probably not getting in. But if picking one of the two and if Gallant decides to make a change, McKegg might have a chance. This is where the absence of Tyler Motte is felt. How good would a fourth line of Barclay Goodrow-Kevin Rooney-Motte look in this series?
On the blue line, Ryan Lindgren left Tuesday’s contest several times due to injuries. Lindgren suffered a lower body injury at the end of the season and looked to have the same occur in Game 1. If he is in, which looked to be view yesterday from Gallant, then I would expect Justin Braun to replace Patrik Nemeth opposite Braden Schneider. If Lindgren doesn’t go, Braun replaces him, then the D-pairings get jumbled. K’Andre Miller and Jacob Trouba would remain together. Nemeth likely moves up opposite Adam Fox, though I would go with Braun on his offside there rather than Nemeth. Could Gallant go with seven d-men?
Igor Shesterkin, off his Rangers’ record 79 saves, will be back between the pipes. Hopefully he got his rest and rehydrated on Wednesday’s day off. New York can’t leave him out to dry as they did repeatedly in Game 1.
For Pittsburgh, Casey DeSmith’s injury has yet to be reported. Signs seem to indicate that Louie Domingue, who replaced him in the dedicated overtime, will be between the pipes. Up front, Rickard Rakell, injured in Game 1, is a game time decision, as is Jason Zucker, out since April 26 with a lower-body injury. Zucker practiced in a regular jersey Wednesday and could get back in tonight. If that happens, Kasperi Kapanen likely moves up to the second line, replacing Rakell, opposite Danton Heinen and Malkin. Zucker, if active, would then slot in on the third trio.
Keys to the Game:
1) Mental reset - the tremendous high New York would have been on was replaced by the monumental low and heartbreak of the loss. The Rangers need to use the Etch-A-Sketch, wiping the slate completely clean and mentally resetting. Dwelling on the loss, other than maybe the lessons learned strategically, needs to be the mantra and model followed.
Professional athletes are usually good at turning the page. But we wouldn’t be surprised at all if there was any carryover or lingering effect given how much of a gut punch the defeat was. The team and coaching staff had yesterday to lick their wounds, rage against the league for the overturned goal and get out all their anger and disappointment. Today, it’s all about the focus on Game 2.
2) Maintain focus - the Rangers came out like a house on fire in the first period and first five minutes of the second, then fell flat. Physical play was evident the opening 25 minutes, as the Rangers used every chance to hit Pittsburgh and create chances off the rush and forecheck. In control of the game, up 2-0, the Blueshirts then just stopped what had made them successful and have them the lead.
Give Pittsburgh credit for flipping the switch and changing the narrative. But New York also enabled the Penguins to get back in the game for failing to maintain the style of play that carried them the first 25 minutes of the contest. By allowing the Pens time and space, New York ended up playing on their heels and chasing, enabling their opponent to dictate the style of play and tilt the ice, especially in the second period.
3) Stop or slow down Sidney Crosby - sounds easy on paper, not so much actually. Crosby is still an elite player and his line dominated action by a wide stretch Tuesday. New York had no answer for him, trying the first two and fourth lines in an attempt to slow Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust to little avail.
If coach Gerard Gallant does decide to match the fourth line up against the Crosby line - which I am not sure I agree with - then I think he dresses Hunt, who has more speed than Reaves. Sitting Reaves would remove a physical element as he was very effective in the first period, less so later in the game. My guess is that Gallant tries the Mika Zibanejad trio again, but Frank Vatrano needs to be a lot better than he was in Game 1 and the past two weeks.
4) Structure - the Rangers don’t have a complicated system. That’s good and bad. When times are going well, the lack of a standard structure doesn’t create issues. When bad, as they were at times Tuesday, the team looks like they are chasing their tails and have no structure at all.
New York ceded the neutral zone like a hot knife through butter. The breakouts started in the Pitt defensive zone with the Rangers forward doing a poor job of cutting off angles, allowing a quick cross ice pass from D to neutral zone. Once that happened, the Pens were off to the races and needed just one more dish for a golden opportunity, seen especially on Guentzel’s second goal on the game.
5) Goaltending - all the signs point to Domingue starting in net. All the normal cliches about putting pressure on him, getting traffic in net, yada, yada apply. My point here is to remember the major difference between the two goalies.
What I mean by that is Casey DeSmith is a left-handed catching netminder while Domingue is a righty. That should change some of the mentality when shooting. If the Rangers used to aim blocker side on DeSmith, that would be glove side on Domingue. New York needs to have this as a little mental note that translates into practice when in the game.
6) Just win baby - yesterday, three of the four teams - including a pair on home ice - who were down 1-0 evened their series. Minnesota and Edmonton put forth dominant efforts to pick up victories. New York needs to do the same tonight.
All that matters is winning. We all would love a 5-0 or so cakewalk victory where tomorrow we speak about the dominance in the win. But if it ends up a grind it out, one goal victory, so be it. The discussion afterwards may be the concern that they weren’t able to enforce their will and blow out Pitt. I would much rather that be the narrative then a conversation on can they come back from 2-0 down in a series.
Therefore, all that matters is Just Win Baby
.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»