As Chris Kreider said, “it’s not a negative” that numerous Rangers know what it takes to win three straight elimination games, but there can’t be an expectation that it will happen again, especially if the Rangers continue to put the Penguins on the power play, where they’ve converted seven of 19 opportunities this series.
Advertisement
Malkin has provided additional scoring punch to the red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins, who return home Saturday with a chance to wrap up their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series with a Game 5 victory over the Rangers.
Pittsburgh scored first in the game, but Philadelphia answered with two Mike Richards goals to take a 2-1 lead.
“Of course, I think (about it) when I’m not playing and the team wins, uh, 15 games, and when I came back we lost the first one”, Malkin said, referring to the Penguins’ 4-2 defeat in Game 2. Only 24 seconds into the power play, Malkin got as good of revenge for a player that had a penalty committed on them by scoring the fourth goal of the game.
In the last game alone, Malkin factored in on four of the five goals; he had two of them on the power play and assisted on the others.
Kris Letang avoided a suspension by the National Hockey League on Wednesday after a nasty slash to the face of Viktor Stalberg in Game 3 that reportedly cost him three teeth.
Rookie goalie Matt Murray, who hadn’t played in 10 days because of an undisclosed injury, stopped 16 of 17 shots in his Stanley Cup playoffs debut.
According to Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy, keeping the Rangers’ shots to the perimeter was discussed ahead of Game 3 by making NY work for them and winning the neutral zone battle. No one in that locker room is looking past Game 5.
Nick Mangold has been with the Jets since 2006, long enough, apparently, to have become a pretty big fan of the New York Rangers. They didn’t give up much. Some games we tried too many seam passes. “We’ve been there and have been in those situations, and I think what made it possible was that narrow focus of staying in the moment”.
In a game filled with established stars, Drouin seemed to be the most dynamic player in Game 4.
“It’s the playoffs, game to game can change very quickly”, added Marc Staal. “All we can do now is go to Pittsburgh with a mindset that we have to win that game or the season is over”, Lundqvist said.
DETROIT – Ondrej Palat scored with 2:59 left in the third period, lifting the Tampa Bay Lightning to a victory over the Detroit Red Wings and a 3-1 lead in the first-round series.
Keith Yandle and Dan Boyle paired together, Tanner Glass matched up against Sidney Crosby, and the handling of players like Kevin Hayes are all issues that need to be carefully examined in the off season.
“It was kind of a tough puck”, Cullen said. The second period didn’t start much better with Lundqvist having to kick out a s in the first minute, and he then made an outstanding glove save on Hornqvist on the door step at 3:28.
First, he picked up an assist on Eric Fehr’s first period goal.
“We kept saying it, we kept trying to tell ourselves – we have to lay in and shoot it”, said Ranger captain Ryan McDonagh.
One of the most impressive aspects of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ hot streak over the last month and a half is that three goaltenders have played a role in it.
Advertisement
This might be the best they’ve played all season. They’ve also scored three goals while dropping their last four playoff games at MSG. “I thought he got better and better as the game went on”.
