Gut check time. Pride. Call it what you will but tonight's pivotal Game 5 at the Rock will tell us a lot about this Rangers' team. Do they have the intestinal fortitude to get up off the mat after losing Games 3 and 4 at home and find a way to get a win? Have they learned the needed lessons from the two defeats - and the two victories - they can and will apply tonight? Whoever ends up victorious will have the chance to clinch the series Saturday at MSG. The other team, they will be looking to stave off elimination and send the series back to New Jersey.  

Rangers lines:

Kreider-Zibanejad-Kane
Panarin-Trocheck-Tarasenko
Lafrenière-Chytil-Kakko
Vesey-Goodrow-Motte

Lindgren-Fox
Miller-Trouba
Mikkola-Schneider

Shesterkin
Halák

Scratches: Harpur, Brodzinski, Hajek, Leschyshyn, Domingue

Devils lines:

Meier-Hischier-Bratt
Haula-Hughes-Palat
Tatar-McLeod-Mercer
Boqvist-Lazar-Bastian

Siengenthaler-Hamilton
Graves-Marino
Bahl-Severson

Schmid
Vanecek
Scratches: L. Hughes, Sharangovich, Smith, Wood, Blackwood

Keys to the Game:
1) I'm holding out for a hero: with all due respect to Bonnie Tyler and Footloose, the Rangers need someone to step up and be the hero. Ideally, that would come from one of the big names, but anyone of the 18 skaters or Igor Shesterkin can fill that role. 

We all know the names on the backs of the jerseys. Zibanejad. Kreider. Kane. Panarin, Trocheck. Tarasenko. Lafreniere. Chytil. Kakko. A few put their imprint on the series in the first two games. But Zib and Panarin have yet to have their shining moment, In fact, both, each for different reasons, have been invisible on the offensive end. For New York to take a 3-2 lead, one or both of them will need to produce offense. 

Zibanejad has been solid defensively, but he has now gone, per HockeyStatMiner, 158 minutes since his last 5x5 goal, which was March 28 against Columbus. Down the stretch, the focus was on the disappointment that Zib was unable to notch #40, but not specifically on his inability overall to light the lamp. Panarin had jump in his game the first two games, but that dissipated the last two. Now, he looks almost as ineffective as he did in last year's playoffs.
Which one will be the hero?

2) Focus on offense but not at the loss of defensive structure: the Rangers have allowed seven goals in four games. In each of the first two games, the only markers on a PP and penalty shot. In Game 3, the first goal allowed came on the PP with the overtime goal coming 5x5. Monday, New Jersey tallied twice on even strength and sealed the win with an empty netter. 

What the above shows is that the Rangers defensive structure was solid. This was especially so in the first games. In Game 3, the game-winner was aided by poor neutral zone defense and lack of picking up the trailer. In Game 4, the first goal was on a fluke play, but the game-winner occurred on a play very similar to the one in Game 3. 

For New York to win, the 5x5 offense has to be much better. With that will come the potential for additional risk, as New York might at times focus so intently on improving their offensive production, they end up damaging their performance defensively. In football, the term controlled aggression is used for the style of play required to succeed. Similar is required, controlled risk taking will be key. Knowing where, when and how to take chances without leaving your blueline and especially goalie out to dry will be key. 

3) Energized power play: in Game 1 and the first part of 2, the Rangers' PP was all but unstoppable. Since then, the plug has been out of the socket. The adjustments New Jersey made were not matched by that of New York. Adam Fox was taken out of the equation, the neutral zone was clogged and the pressure at the top of the zone put the Blueshirts out of sync.

In practice yesterday, Gerard Gallant went to the reserve umbrella set up. Zibanejad was moved back to the left circle, with Kane down on the goal line to the right of the net. Fox at the point, Kreider at the net front and Panarin on the right circle. No one is in the bumper, but Kane and others have the freedom to move there. Expect NJ to be ready and adjust. New York then has to counter those adjustments with quicker player and puck movement.
Win the special teams battle, likely win the game.

Follow @airjan23

Join the Discussion: » 488 Comments » Post New Comment

» Rangers' rookies split a pair of games with the Flyers this weekend

» Rangers' prospects meet their Flyers' counterparts as hockey is back

» Rangers open rookie training camp, who has my focus and why

» Seth Jarvis' contract deferral could be a model to extend Laf and Igor

» Adam Fox ranked as 8th best NHL D-man by NHL.com, woof bad at best