For years, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been vexed by a lack of depth in the postseason. “They have a really good structure and they kind of go from there”.
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The New York Rangers lost the first playoff game of the season at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1.
“He’s a player, eh?” “But if it’s going the other way, we’re mad if they score that way”. He skates well. He’s smart. It always helps your lineup when you can put him back in. If they let up on the gas pedal at all, it could be just enough for Lundqvist and the Rangers to erase a 3-1 deficit for the third straight year.
There are no must-win games until a loss eliminates you. Kevin Klein created the entire chance for Pittsburgh after he turned the puck over at the blue line, which sent Sheary in on a partial breakaway. So far two games have been put to rest on third-period gaffes followed by some lethargic play, and if NY can’t find a way to right the ship they may be heading home earlier than they’d like.
This was a game in which the Rangers seemed to lose momentum after a first-period goal by Chris Kreider was nullified because of an offside call after a challenge. “Our mindset is just playing the right way, doing the things that got us here”.
Murray, who made 16 saves, didn’t have to do much to preserve it; the Rangers mustered just four shots on net in the final period and were unable to generate anything in the final minute with Lundqvist on the bench for an extra skater.
Kris Letang added an empty net goal at 19:47 of the third, on a play that was indicative of Pittsburgh’s stellar defensive effort.
Rick Nash scored for the Rangers, who played without an injured McDonagh (upper body, hand) in the first two games in Pittsburgh.
The once-capacity crowd at Madison Square Garden had little to cheer about on this night – and didn’t – as the surging Penguins took one step closer to advancing to the second round and a possible clash between Sidney Crosby and the Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin. “I don’t know what to say”. “We were pretty dominant”.
“Frustration right now is not what we need”, Vigneault said. “We are real confident. That definitely makes my job a lot easier”.
Following the goal the Rangers again failed to respond with bite and jump. “Obviously he’s a big part of our group, no doubt about it”, Rangers center Derek Stepan said of McDonagh”.
“I don’t think it was a lack of will, we just picked a very bad night to have a very bad game”. “We might feel that it seems deliberate”, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said.
Adam Rotter: The Rangers were trying to make plays, especially in the Penguins zone, but the Pitt defenders were swarming and forcing the Rangers to try and make some fancy plays/stickhandling which then led to turnovers. “And my line can play better”. Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano scored his second goal of the playoffs as did teammate Ryan Getzlaf …
Game 5 is Saturday in Pittsburgh, start time expected to be announced following the Chicago-St. They are all tight.
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Still, one has to wonder if a replay call like this should alter the course of a playoff game and ultimately a series.
