The Rangers played a strong game but once again came up on the short end of a one-goal deficit, falling to Washington 2-1. They now trail their best-of-seven series 3-1 heading back to MSG on Friday. If Wednesday wasn't a must win, the next three games certainly are as New York is on the brink of elimination, though the adage of one game at a time certainly applies here.

Washington has done to New York what the Rangers did to so many teams under Tortorella. Clog the neutral zone, block shots in the offensive one and when it breaks down, have your goalie step up and make a big stop. All have been on display this series but especially the past two games. Washington has had an answer for just about everything thrown at them, though I know the prevailing line amongst Rangers fans is how AV has been out coached.

I will tackle that one here. AV did make one change, moving Domonic Moore up to skate with Carl Hagelin and Kevin Hayes, shifting Hayes to wing, That in essence made the fourth line Tanner Glass-JT Miller-James Sheppard. The absence of Mats Zuccarello to a suspected concussion has wreaked havoc with the lines, moving players out of place and possibly their comfort, which has had a major impact on this team.

Last year, the Rangers had a magical, unexpected run, fueled partially by an emotional charge following the death of Martin St. Louis' mother. This year, expectations were high and run exponentially due to the mid-season run and President's Trophy. A loss this round would be viewed as a failure. But, do I think AV is coaching any differently this year than last? No, I don't but whatever moves he is or is not making haven't worked, so he is taking the criticism, rightly or wrongly.

What I will criticize AV on is his failure to adjust in-game, especially late. Double-shift your big boys. Play Rick Nash with different combinations. Try him with Chris Kreider and Hayes as a big line. Shift Derek Stepan up to try and get him going. Move Hagelin around to utilize his speed. don't worry about rolling four lines, especially when it's late and the fourth hasn't really generated offense, which was a hallmark of last year's team and lacking big-time this one.

Last year's team had many heroes and may have been constructed better for playoff play. Brian Boyle, Dan Carcillo and Derek Dorsett were key members of the fourth line, each of whom had big moments in the playoffs. This year, they are all gone, adversely impacting the fourth line. Benoit Pouliot was a puck-possession winger who also stepped up in the playoffs, that's lacking this season. The big boys that need to step up, haven't, save for Derick Brassard. Rick Nash is having a rough post-season but at least he has put himself in positions to succeed. The same can't be said for MSL or Derek Stepan or Kevin Hayes and especially Chris Kreider, save for moments in Game 2, while Carl Hagelin, who was so good last round, hasn't matched that this one. Anton Stralman balanced out the top-six, this year, Dan Boyle and Keith Yandle have come up small; a list that you can add the Captain and Girardi to, especially this round.

I said at the trade deadline that I thought Marek Zidlicky might have been a better fit due to his strong shot from the point on the PP, as well as cap friendly deal and more minimal cost. That unfortunately has proven to be accurate. So, because of that and the other missing players I spelled out in the paragraph above, Glen Sather has to be criticized as well.

But, all of this will be hashed out further once the playoffs end. As of now, it hasn't, it just feels that way. The disappointment after Game 4 of the Penguins series seems to pale in comparison to what is felt now. That is partially due to the heightened expectations this year but also time has a way of altering memories, because the Rangers were booed off MSG ice after Game 4, showing that it was pretty damn bad last season.

Wednesday, Brassard stepped up as he has all playoffs to give New York a 1-0 lead. The quest for the perfect pass and play - showing how much Holtby is in their heads - reared it's ugly head when Hagelin passed up a wide-open seven foot shot at the net to try and feed Moore. We know the result. The Rangers gave up momentum right after that on a silly goaltender interference penalty by Moore, which New York killed off but Washington evened it later.

New York lost a puck-battle but it came to Kreider on the wall. He failed to make the simple play to get it out and Andre Burakovsky picked his pocket. Troy Brouwer gets away with a slew foot (Rick Carpinello term, I felt it was interference) on Stepan after the turnover, and Burakovsky — with Girardi doing the opposite of what he normally does, and sliding away from the front of the shot — ripped one past Lundqvist. Maybe in an ideal world, Lundqvist stops that puck and Girardi should have stepped up to pick up Burakovky, Neither happened and it was even at one.

Just 24 seconds into the third is basically where it ended. Hagelin was unable to keep at the Washington line and the puck came to Ryan McDonagh at center ice. Instead of blasting it on the zone, especially since Girardi has just cleared the zone and wasn't far enough up ice to provide support, he tried to go through the shin pads of Troy Brouwer. He deflected it to Burakovsky, who came in, deked to his backhand and beat Lundqvist, who also has garnered some criticism, though he would have to be perfect to be better than he has been.

Hagelin had a chance to tie it later, earning a penalty shot when Mike Green puled him down. he deed, went backhand, but didn't get it high enough off the ice and Holtby's glove, where so many shots have gone to die, snatched it out of the air two feet off the ice. You basically could have turned your sets off there, as the Rangers didn't must a lot, especially the last 3-4 minutes when they had three piddly shots, none the last 1:20 with Hank out of the net.

I will run this until the series ends because it's how I feel. If you are a fan, you are a fan through good and bad. If not, then you aren't a true fan. You can be pissed and angry and disappointed and disenfranchised and wanting to toss it all in, but you don't because you are a fan. Even if your belief is shattered to the core, as it is for many of us, you are a fan and that's what keeps you here.

You're a fan because of the name on the front of the jersey, not the back.
It's in your heart and in your soul.
It's part of your life blood.
It never ever goes away, regardless of what happens.
It's why this sucks and hurts down to your core.
That's a fan and that's why we watch and root and pray and hope to the hockey gods.
We are Rangers fans, and no matter what happens, you know and I know and we all know that will never stop regardless of the end result.
WE ARE ALL RANGERS!!!

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