The Rangers took a 1-0 lead towards the latter stages of the second period before it all went to hell in a hand basket. Pittsburgh scored three goals in 99 seconds to completely change and take ownership of the game. The Penguins stifled the Rangers in the third, and after a Phil Kessel empty-net goal, they ended up with a 4-1 win. New York gets right back at it tonight in Washington.
A few thoughts:
1) L'Affaire Lundqvist. The one image everyone with take and remember from this game is Lundqvist pushing his net off the moorings with a two-handed shove. That play resulted in a delay of game penalty, though you could have added on an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and maybe a misconduct one as well.
Lundqvist was already annoyed as Pittsburgh opted for the strategy of crashing the net and making contact with the netminder when the could. Then, Ryan
McDonagh came barreling down the ice trying to stop Patric Hornqvist on the backside of yet another 2-on-1 break. Unfortunately, even though the puck went awry, McDonagh was unable to avoid Lundqvist slamming into him for yet another case of friendly fire.
Lundqvist was tossed a few feet out of the crease and spun around. He got back up to his feet and began to yell at the officials but no game stoppage occurred. When that occurred, as Pittsburgh came back up the ice, Lundqvist turned and shoved the net off, causing the delay. I don't condone the action but understand it, especially as we found later on that Lundqvist was injured on the play. But he allowed his frustration to get the better of him, resulting in his knocking the net off its moorings.
2) We've noted that most goals occur due to a mistake. Unsure I would say all three last night was the same but if not, it's pretty darn close. Up 1-0 with the momentum, Lundqvist allowed a weak goal. Sidney Crosby's shot went off the end boards and bounced back. When Lundqvist failed to maintain the post, it resulted in the puck getting banked off Hank and into the goal.
At 1-1, you're thinking, ok, at a minimum get through the next few minutes and get out of the period tied. But as we know that didn't happen. Dan Girardi was in front tying up Chris Kunitz. The puck hits off one of them, likely G and Brassard lost Malkin, allowing Malkin to get inside and out the puck past Hank. Now at 2-1 you have to maintain the score but gat also didn't happen.
Keith Yandle with a really stupid penalty away from the puck putting NY shorthanded. Pittsburgh created space with their set up, but Jesper Fast needed to be a bit higher in the slot. When he stayed low marking the Penguin there, Phil Kessel was able to slide high into the open spot. A Royal Road pass to Kessel, who put the shot on the tape of Hornqvist with inside position for the easy deflection past Lundqvist. Yes, Girardi was on the ice for that goal, as he was for the other two. Unsure any were specifically his fault but the easy rhetoric is G stinks, and he wasn't good, and it's all his fault.
3) Tanner Glass got more 5x5 time than Staal in third. In fact, what annoys me more is that AV roller four lines late rather than shortening lineup. That decision and strategy has been the case way too often.
Staal got just 14:45 of ice time. The excuses have been that he is on the third line and he is getting comfortable with the team, system and style of play. The later part of that argument only holds mild water, because you look at Lee Stempniak (16:26) and Devante-Smith Pelley (18:10), each of them also came to new teams and both played more than Staal. Maybe AV was managing minutes due to the back-to-back, but sit most of the fourth line and roll three lines plus one or two, double-shifting to create offense.
4) A component of this is also AV's propensity to try and create the witches brew. Mixing and matching looking for the right combinations. Monday, he started with Staal at center between Kevin Hayes and Oscar Lindberg, breaking up an effective Viktor Stalberg-Hayes-Lindberg trio. Both Staal and Hayes played better when they were moved in the third period; Staal to left wing with Brass and Zucc and Hayes back to center.
What happens Thursday? Staal is back at center on the third line with Hayes while Lindberg is moved down to the fourth and Viktor Stalberg moved up to the third. While Staal and Hayes showed some chemistry early, you have to play Staal on the top-six. Especially when you are down two goals and need to generate offense. This gets back into AV's inability or unwillingness to change. I got a tweet this AM noting that AV mishandled the Luongo/Schneider situation on Vancouver, so why should this be a surprise? I am unsure it reaches that level or you can solely blame AV for that situation but there is some truth to it, as we have question AV's roster/lineup decisions since he has been in New York
5) All that said, can we take it down a notch with the repeated criticism? Despite all the complaints and views that AV doesn't know what he is doing, the Rangers made the SCF and ECF the past two seasons. In addition, after their swoon in November and December, the team had been hot and more than solid lately. Yet, every loss and even in wins, the complaints about AV and his coaching come raining down.
6) Lundqvist didn't come out to start the third. When no announcement was forthcoming, speculation immediately started. Was he hurt? Annoyed at AV? Upset at the team for not responding when certain liberties were taken? Sitting because of the back-to-back and as way to spark the team? We found after that it was due to neck spasms, which don't appear severe.
But that doesn't mean Hank was happy. He may have annoyed at the team, because before all the goals, as Carp wrote, Malkin slashed Lundqvist behind the net. The puck went out of play off the screen, the whistle blew, and Malkin shot the puck at Lundqvist anyway, drawing a cross-check from Dan Girardi and a crowd. To me, that was a mild response. Pitt was taking liberties all game, similar to what other opponents have done. Eventually, someone will have to step up and show enough is enough and retaliate in kind, either by doing the same to the other netminder or reminding those who take liberties, it won't be tolerated.
7) No offensive pressure in the third. Raanta played the third period, during which the Rangers (37-21-6) got just five shots on net. Where the heck was any semblance of offense? You look at New Jersey and the Islanders who rallied late to tie and then win games and wonder why couldn't the Rangers do the same? I give Pitt, who also didn't allow any traffic in front of Marc-Andre Fleury all night, for clamping down. But could we see some fight and heart and willingness to crash the net to force the action? Yesterday, there was none.
8) Maybe as Carp suggested, when Staal is back, play McI as a fourth liner. You know he will bang and hit, which is something that has been lacking. Plus, if things get out of hand, he is willing to drop the gloves and stir the pot. In addition, sit players, including defensemen besides McIlrath, who just don't have it that game.
Thanks to Marc-Andre Fleury for the bulletin board material. When asked if he would ever knock off the net in frustration. MAF said, "No, that's baby stuff." Ok, Flower, duly noted.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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