HARTFORD WOLF PACK News & Commentary

PEP TALK: YOU CAN’T WIN IF YOU CAN’T SCORE GOALS

Mitch Beck — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:02:21 +0000

VERSUS

BY: Billy Pepitone, Exclusive to Howlings

(Purchase ICE COLD, Billy thriller about a murder at MSG during the playoffs HERE)

Daniel Paille scored with 3:31 left in the third period, lifting the Boston Bruins to a 2-1 come from behind victory over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden Tuesday night and a 3-0 lead in their best of 7 playoff series.

The Rangers nursed a 1-0 lead into the final session, led by the brilliant goaltending of Henrik Lundqvist and not much else. Boston dominated play throughout the first two periods, and drew even when Johnny Boychuk beat Lundqvist through a crowd in front just over three minutes into the third. While the Rangers looked to hang on, the Bruins continued to roll four lines and pinned New York deep nearly every shift, before Gregory Campbell’s drive from the left circle struck Lundqvist in the mask. The puck went up and behind the Ranger goaltender, landing on the goal line before taking a strange bounce in front. Paille circled the net and pounced on it, giving Boston their first lead of the game.

“I didn’t see it,” Lundqvist said in his post game interview. “It went straight up. Nobody saw it, and then it just landed on his stick.”

The Rangers called timeout with 1:36 left and went with five forwards, but could not muster a threat on Boston’s Tuukka Rask, who was forced to make just 23 saves on the night, few of them difficult. New York was shut out on the power play once again (o for 2, 2 for 38 in the postseason)and their lone goal came on a deflection by Taylor Pyatt of a seemingly harmless shot from Ryan McDonagh at the 3:53 mark of the second period. That would be all for the Rangers, who relinquished a third period lead for the first time all season at the worst possible time.

“That fourth game is going to be the toughest one, and out of any team in the NHL we should probably know that the best,” Boychuk told the media, after Boston moved to within one win of the Eastern Conference Finals, a place the Rangers visited last season but will need a miracle now to return.

“The season is on the line,” Lundqvist continued after the game, “…so you have to leave everything out there.”

So begins the parade of cliché’s put forth by a team on the brink.

RANGERS ON THE BRINK

Mitch Beck — Wed, 22 May 2013 04:34:29 +0000

VERSUS

BY: The New York Rangers

Team Notes:

The Rangers were defeated by the Boston Bruins, 2-1, tonight at Madison Square Garden, in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series. The Blueshirts now trail in the series, 3-0.
New York has posted a record of 212-232-8 overall in postseason action, including a 119-89-2 mark at home.
Tonight’s loss ended the Rangers’ streak of nine consecutive wins at MSG, including their final six regular season home games. Prior to tonight, the Blueshirts’ last loss at MSG was a 3-2 shootout defeat against Washington on Mar. 24, and their last regulation loss at home was Mar. 21 vs. Florida (1-3).
The Rangers have lost only six times in regulation over their last 24 contests, including the final 14 games of the regular season.
The Blueshirts did not surrender a power play opportunity to the Bruins, marking the second time in these playoffs New York has not been shorthanded in a game (Mar. 12 vs. WSH).
The Rangers out-hit the Bruins, 37-28, led by Ryan Callahan’s game-high, seven hits.

Player Notes:

Henrik Lundqvist made 32 saves and is now 29-36 in 65 career postseason contests. He has posted 30 or more saves in the playoffs 20 times, posting a 9-11 record with a 1.56 GAA, .941 Sv% and four shutouts in those games.
Taylor Pyatt notched a goal, was credited with three hits and two blocked shots in 14:53 of ice time. He has registered a point in three of four home playoff games (one goal, two assists over the span), and is now tied for fifth on the team in playoff scoring with four points (two goals, two assists).
Ryan McDonagh tallied an assist and was credited with three hits in 21:14 of ice time. He has now recorded two points (one goal, one assist) in the last three games, and is tied for the team lead among defensemen in playoff scoring with three points (one goal, two assists).
John Moore was credited with a game-high, four blocked shots in 13:01 of ice time.
Ryan Callahan registered four shots and a game-high, seven hits, in 23:37 of ice time.

Post-Game Quotes:

John Tortorella on tonight’s game…

“At times we struggled to get through and when we got through we just didn’t sustain our forecheck. A team that is rolling their lines like they are, we need to have some time in their end zone. As the game went on we were there less and less. So it pops up on you.”

Henrik Lundqvist on approaching Game 4…

“You can’t look at it as you have to win four games, you just have to focus on the next one. The season is on the line, so you have to leave everything out there. Preparation and the effort have to be there, and we will see if it’s going to be enough. We definitely have to give everything right now, mentally and physically, and put it out there on Thursday.”

Ryan Callahan on tonight’s game…

“They are a good team at an important time of the year. We knew they were going to push. I thought we had a pretty good third period, but we gave up a goal (to allow them to tie it) and we don’t get one. It’s tough. Especially at home, going into the third period with the lead, that’s something you want to hold onto this time of year obviously.”

Team Schedule:

The Rangers will return to action when they face-off against the Boston Bruins on Thursday, May 23, at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. – TV: CNBC; Radio: ESPN 98.7), in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup.

IT’S NOT, “LOSE AND GO HOME” FOR NYR, BUT IT MAY AS WELL BE

Mitch Beck — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:59:09 +0000

VERSUS

BY: The New York Rangers

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. BOSTON BRUINS
2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Eastern Conference Semifinals – Game 3
Tuesday, May 21 (7:30 p.m.) – Madison Square Garden

BOS leads 2-0

TOMORROW’S GAME:
The Rangers will face-off against the Boston Bruins tomorrow at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. — TV: NBC Sports Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7), in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series. The Blueshirts trail in the series, 2-0, following a 5-2 loss in Game 2 on Sunday at TD Garden. The Rangers enter the contest with a 212-231-8 record all-time in 451 playoff contests (119-88-2 at home; 93-143-6 on the road). New York has posted a 37-42 record all-time in Game 3s.

New York entered the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference having posted a record of 26-18-4 overall (16-6-2 at home; 10-12-2 on the road) for 56 points. The Blueshirts finished the regular season with a 10-3-1 record in the month of April, marking the third time the team has won 10 games in a month since October of 2008. The Rangers are one of two teams in the Eastern Conference, along with Pittsburgh, to have advanced to the playoffs in seven of the last eight seasons.

ALL-TIME RANGERS PLAYOFF RECORDS:

Overall — 212-231-8
Home — 119-88-2
Away — 93-143-6
Goals for — 1,238
Goals against — 1,232

ALL-TIME PLAYOFF RECORDS —RANGERS vs. BRUINS
The Rangers and Bruins are meeting in the playoffs for the 10th time overall, and the first time in 40 years. Their last postseason encounter was in the 1973 Quarterfinals, a series won by New York 4-1. Overall, the Blueshirts have a 3-6 playoff series record vs. the Bruins, posting an 18-24-2 mark in 44 postseason contests.

RANGERS vs. BRUINS:

All-Time (Regular Season): 249-283-97-2 overall (143-119-55-0 at home; 106-164-42-2 on the road)
2012-13: New York was 2-1-0 overall (1-0-0 at home; 1-1-0 on the road). Two of the three contests were decided by one goal, including one game that required overtime and another decided in the shootout. The Blueshirts’ penalty kill was 15-16 (93.8%). Rick Nash led all skaters with three assists, while Henrik Lundqvist was 2-1-0 with a 2.93 GAA and .913 Sv%.
The Rangers have won 11 of their last 15 regular season games against the Bruins, including seven of their last nine meetings, and are 22-7-2 against Boston since 2005-06
The Rangers are 12-3-0 in their last 15 regular season games against the Bruins at MSG, dating back to a 3-2 win on Nov. 20, 2005
The Blueshirts are 5-1-0 in their last six regular season games at TD Garden, having out-scored the Bruins, 15-10, over the span
Henrik Lundqvist has started in 27 consecutive regular season games against Boston, dating back to Jan. 13, 2007
The Blueshirts have three players with previous playoff experience against the Bruins – Arron Asham (9 GP, 1-2-3), Roman Hamrlik (25 GP, 1-8-9), and Darroll Powe (11 GP, 0-1-1)
New York lists no former Bruins on their roster
Boston lists three former Rangers on their roster: Jaromir Jagr (2003-04 – 2007-08); Wade Redden (2008-09 – 2009-10); Marc Savard (1997-98 – 1998-99)

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. BRUINS (Regular Season):

Henrik Lundqvist — 30 GP, 21-7-2, 1.67 GAA, 6 SO
Martin Biron — 31 GP, 12-12-2-1, 2.66 GAA, 1 SO
Brad Richards — 37 GP, 8-23-31
Ryan Callahan — 22 GP, 5-6-11
Michael Del Zotto — 13 GP, 2-5-7

SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Blueshirts are 2-0 in games when tallying a power play goal during the playoffs, and are 4-1 when not allowing a power play goal against
Power Play: The Rangers did not tally a goal in five power play opportunities (9:12) in Game 2, and are now 2-36 (5.6%) in the playoffs. New York is 0-2 in five-on-three situations (3:17; last – 5/12 vs. WSH), and 0-2 while skating four-on-three (0:23; last – 5/8 vs. WSH). Shorthanded goals allowed (0).
Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts held the Bruins scoreless in one shorthanded situation (2:00) in Game 2, and are now 17-21 (81.0%) in the playoffs. Shorthanded goals for (0).
Four-on-Four: The Blueshirts surrendered one goal in two four-on-four situations (4:00) in Game 2, and are now -1 in five four-on-four situations (8:25) in the playoffs. Four-on-four goals for (0). Four-on-four goals allowed (1): J. Boychuk (5/19 at BOS).

QUICK HITS:

The Rangers are 11-12 all-time in Game 3 when trailing 2-0 in the series
Prior to Game 1, the last time the Rangers and Bruins played an OT game in the playoffs was Mar. 27, 1958 (L, 3-4)
Four of the remaining eight teams in the playoffs are Original Six teams, marking the second time this has happened since the NHL adopted the current playoff format in 1994 (2010)
All Original Six teams qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1996
The last time the Rangers faced an Original Six opponent in the playoffs was in the 1996 Conference Quarterfinals against Montreal (NYR won 4-2)
The Rangers have lost only five times in regulation over their last 23 contests, including the final 14 games of the regular season
Henrik Lundqvist is a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender for the fifth time
The Blueshirts were the least penalized team in the NHL this season with 183 penalties and 9.2 penalty minutes per game
New York ranked third in the NHL with 1,413 hits, and sixth in the league with 773 blocked shots this season
The Rangers held opponents to 2.25 GA/game, which ranked third in the East and fourth in the league overall

CLOSE CALL
The Rangers and Bruins have been separated by one goal in 19 of their last 24 regular season meetings, including eight games that required extra time and six that went to the shootout, dating back to Mar. 24, 2007. Four of the other five games during the stretch were decided by two goals, while one was decided by three goals (3-0 win on Feb. 14, 2012 at BOS). New York is 12-5-2 in one-goal games against Boston over the span.

COOL UNDER PRESSURE
Henrik Lundqvist has posted 30 or more saves in the playoffs 19 times, posting a 9-10 record with a 1.54 GAA, .941 Sv% and four SO in those games.

CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS vs. CAPITALS – SERIES RECAP:

The Rangers held the lead for 183:13, were tied for 219:48, and trailed for 34:23 in the series. The Blueshirts tallied the first goal in five of the seven games.
Games 2-6 were each decided by one goal, including two games that required overtime.
The Blueshirts’ 5-0 win in Game 7 was their largest margin of victory in a Game 7, and is the first Game 7 shutout in franchise history. It is only the eighth shutout by a road team in Game 7 in NHL history. It was also the Rangers’ first Game 7 victory on the road in team history.
The Rangers came back from a 2-0 series deficit to advance in the playoffs for only the second time in franchise history, having previously done so in the 1996 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against Montreal. It is the first time the Blueshirts advanced after losing the first two games in a playoff series on the road.
The Blueshirts have come back from a 3-2 series deficit to advance in the playoffs three times in franchise history, having also done so in the 2012 Conference Quarterfinals against Ottawa and the 1994 Conference Final against New Jersey.
The home team won Games 1-6 before the Rangers’ Game 7 victory in Washington. It is only the third time the road team won Game 7 of a playoff series after the home team won Games 1-6 in the series since the NHL adopted the current playoff format in 1994.
Henrik Lundqvist completed the first round ranked first in the NHL with two shutouts, and ranked fourth with a 1.65 goals against average and .947 save percentage.
Derick Brassard led all skaters in the series with seven assists and nine points, and completed the first round tied for third in the NHL in playoff assists and points. His nine points tied Pentti Lund (1950) for second most by a Ranger all-time in their first playoff series with the team.

CLOSING THE DOOR
Henrik Lundqvist made 35 saves in Game 7 at Washington to post his second straight shutout and eighth career in the playoffs. He passed Dave Kerr for second on the Rangers’ all-time playoff shutouts list, and moved to within one of Mike Richter for first in franchise history. Lundqvist also posted a shutout in Game 6 against the Capitals, becoming the first goalie to post shutouts in Games 6 and 7 of a playoff series since Dominik Hasek with Detroit in the 2002 Western Conference Final against Colorado. It is also the fifth time a Rangers goalie posted shutouts in consecutive playoff games, and the first time since Mike Richter in 1994 playoffs.

TIMELY GOALS
Derek Stepan notched the game-winning goal in Games 3 and 4 to become the first Ranger since Adam Graves in 1997 (May 8, May 11) to tally the game-winner in consecutive playoff games.

FINISHING THE JOB
The Blueshirts have registered a point in 92 consecutive regular season games when leading after the second period, dating back to the 2009-10 season, posting a record of 85-0-6 over the span. The Rangers’ last regulation loss in a game when entering the third with the lead was Feb. 4, 2010 (6-5 loss vs. WSH). New York posted a 16-0-0 record when leading after the second period this season.

INJURIES:

Michael Sauer (concussion, 12/5/11) — 57
Marc Staal (injured, 5/6) — 6
Darroll Powe (injured, 5/6) — 6
Ryane Clowe (injured, 5/10) — 4

Total Man-Games Lost (Regular Season): 134
Total Man-Games Lost (Playoffs): 32

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

None

PEP TALK: BEEN THERE, DONE THAT?

Mitch Beck — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:21:22 +0000

VERSUS

BY: Billy Pepitone, Exclusive to Howlings

(Please buy ICE COLD, Billy’s terrific murder mystery novel that takes place in MSG and around the NYR playoffs HERE)

Déjà vu all over again? With apologies to Yogi Berra, the New York Rangers had better hope so, because it is getting late very early once again.

For the second straight playoff series New York finds itself in a 2-0 hole after the Bruins rolled to a 5-2 victory Sunday afternoon in Boston. Unable to keep up with Boston’s speed in the transition game, the Rangers allowed too much open ice in both the neutral and defensive zones and saw their other-worldly goaltender reduced to a mere mortal by the constant Bruin pressure.

“It was definitely a tough game to play.” Henrik Lundqvist explained to the media after surrendering five goals for the first time in his last 35 postseason starts. “I thought I was in position, but a couple of screens … giving up five goals you can’t be satisfied, obviously. I have to be better, and the guys in front of me have to step up as well.”

The King was not alone in his Game 2 struggles. Dan Girardi was on ice for all FIVE Boston goals, suffering through perhaps the worst performance of his career. His defense partner, Michael Del Zotto, wasn’t much better, posting a minus-4 on the day.

Boston’s rookie defenseman Tory Krug opened the scoring five-and-a-half minutes into the game, beating a screened Lundqvist from the left circle. Ryan Callahan responded quickly, however, stealing the puck from Brad Marchand and beating Tuukka Rask with a gorgeous move on a breakaway to tie it at 8:01.

Greg Campbell put the B’s back in front at the 2:23 mark of the second period, putting home the rebound of a Krug shot while he was left all alone in the slot. Once again the Rangers bounced back, as Rick Nash netted his first of the playoffs with a power rush down the right side to even the game less than a minute later. That, unfortunately, would be the final time the Rangers would have an answer, as Johnny Boychuk’s fifty foot wrist shot through traffic eluded Lundqvist at the 12:08 mark to put Boston up 3-2 heading into the third.

Any hopes of a Ranger comeback were quickly extinguished as Marchand tipped in a perfect centering feed from Patrice Bergeron just 26 seconds into the third frame, a carbon copy of the Game One overtime winner.

“We made coverage mistakes,” head coach John Tortorella said in his postgame press conference. “Our second period is where we want to be. We can’t put it in the net. We had multiple chances. We felt really good going into the third, and to have that type of goal go in on just a 2-on-2, it hurts you, it hurts you. Then they’re just going to fill the middle and they’re just going to jam you, so we couldn’t generate much more.”

Milan Lucic iced the game at 12:39, banging a rebound past a fallen Lundqvist to close out the scoring and New York on a disappointing afternoon. Down two games heading back to Madison Square Garden for Game Three might seem familiar to New York, but the outcome will not be the same if they don’t tighten up defensively and get some contribution from their power play, which put up a big-bagel-for-five Sunday and overall is an embarrassing 2 for 36 in the playoffs.

While it’s pretty clear that Tortorella is NOT going to lose his job, the need for a power play specialist to fix this mess is as obvious as it is necessary if this team is ever going to be a serious contender for the Stanley Cup.

“It’s frustrating,” Nash told reporters afterwards. “…We watched all the video, we got all the game plan, it’s on the players now, the guys out there to execute, just as we talked about after the last game.”

The time for talk is over. The Rangers need to execute in Game 3, or their 2013 execution will come faster than they had hoped.

RANGERS NOW NEED ATTITUDE OF, “BEEN THERE, DONE THAT!”

Mitch Beck — Mon, 20 May 2013 01:12:27 +0000

VERSUS

BY: The New York Rangers

Team Notes:

The Rangers were defeated by the Boston Bruins, 5-2, today at TD Garden, in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series. The Blueshirts now trail in the series, 2-0.
New York has posted a record of 212-231-8 overall in postseason action, including a 93-143-6 mark on the road.
The Blueshirts out-shot the Bruins, 37-32, including a 16-9 advantage in the second period.
The Rangers held the Bruins scoreless in one shorthanded situation (2:00), and are now 17-21 (81.0%) on the penalty kill in the playoffs.

Player Notes:

Ryan Callahan notched an unassisted goal at 8:01 of the first period, and was credited with a game-high, eight hits in 22:00 of ice time. He has now tallied a point in each of the last three games (two goals, one assist over the span).
Rick Nash registered his first playoff goal as a Ranger, and tied for the game-high with four shots on goal in 22:23 of ice time. He has now recorded a point in each of the last three games (one goal, two assists over the span).
Mats Zuccarello tallied an assist and was credited with two hits in 17:29 of ice time. He has now recorded six points (one goal, five assists) in the last seven games.
Dan Girardi registered an assist, three shots on goal, and was credited with three hits in 19:29 of ice time. He now leads all Rangers defensemen in scoring with three points (one goal, two assists) in the playoffs.
Henrik Lundqvist made 27 saves and is now 29-35 in 64 career postseason contests. The last time he allowed five goals in a game was Mar. 9, 2011 at Anaheim, a streak of 152 games (regular season + playoffs).
Derick Brassard tied for the game-high with four shots on goal, was credited with four hits, and won 6-11 faceoffs (55%) in 20:16 of ice time. His six-game point streak, which was the longest by a Ranger in the playoffs since Wayne Gretzky’s nine-game point streak in the 1997 postseason, came to an end. *courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau
Steve Eminger was credited with a team-high, three blocked shots in 12:08 of ice time.

Team Schedule:

The Rangers will return to action when they face-off against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, May 21, at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. – TV: NBC Sports Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7), in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup.

newyorkrangers.com

NOT A “MUST” WIN, BUT A BIG, “NEED TO WIN,” FOR NYR

Mitch Beck — Sun, 19 May 2013 14:36:31 +0000

VERSUS

BY: The New York Rangers

NEW YORK RANGERS at BOSTON BRUINS
2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Eastern Conference Semifinals – Game 2
Sunday, May 19 (3:00 p.m.) – TD Garden

BOS leads 1-0

TODAY’S GAME:
The Rangers will face-off against the Boston Bruins today at TD Garden (3:00 p.m. — TV: NBC; Radio: ESPN 98.7), in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series. The Blueshirts trail in the series, 1-0, following a 3-2 overtime loss in Game 1 on Thursday at TD Garden. The Rangers enter the contest with a 212-230-8 record all-time in 450 playoff contests (119-88-2 at home; 93-142-6 on the road). New York has posted a 45-50-2 record all-time in Game 2s.

ALL-TIME RANGERS PLAYOFF RECORDS:

Overall — 212-230-8
Home — 119-88-2
Away — 93-142-6
Goals for — 1,236
Goals against — 1,227

RANGERS vs. BRUINS:

All-Time (Regular Season): 249-283-97-2 overall (143-119-55-0 at home; 106-164-42-2 on the road)
2012-13: New York was 2-1-0 overall (1-0-0 at home; 1-1-0 on the road). Two of the three contests were decided by one goal, including one game that required overtime and another decided in the shootout. The Blueshirts’ penalty kill was 15-16 (93.8%). Rick Nash led all skaters with three assists, while Henrik Lundqvist was 2-1-0 with a 2.93 GAA and .913 Sv%.
The Rangers have won 11 of their last 15 regular season games against the Bruins, including seven of their last nine meetings, and are 22-7-2 against Boston since 2005-06
The Rangers are 12-3-0 in their last 15 regular season games against the Bruins at MSG, dating back to a 3-2 win on Nov. 20, 2005
The Blueshirts are 5-1-0 in their last six regular season games at TD Garden, having out-scored the Bruins, 15-10, over the span
Henrik Lundqvist has started in 27 consecutive regular season games against Boston, dating back to Jan. 13, 2007
The Blueshirts have three players with previous playoff experience against the Bruins – Arron Asham (9 GP, 1-2-3), Roman Hamrlik (25 GP, 1-8-9), and Darroll Powe (11 GP, 0-1-1)
New York lists no former Bruins on their roster
Boston lists three former Rangers on their roster: Jaromir Jagr (2003-04 – 2007-08); Wade Redden (2008-09 – 2009-10); Marc Savard (1997-98 – 1998-99)

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. BRUINS (Regular Season):

Henrik Lundqvist — 30 GP, 21-7-2, 1.67 GAA, 6 SO
Martin Biron — 31 GP, 12-12-2-1, 2.66 GAA, 1 SO
Brad Richards — 37 GP, 8-23-31
Ryan Callahan — 22 GP, 5-6-11
Michael Del Zotto — 13 GP, 2-5-7

SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Blueshirts are 2-0 in games when tallying a power play goal during the playoffs, and are 4-0 when not allowing a power play goal against
Power Play: The Rangers did not tally a goal in three power play opportunities (5:35) in Game 1, and are now 2-31 (6.4%) in the playoffs. New York is 0-2 in five-on-three situations (3:17; last – 5/12 vs. WSH), and 0-2 while skating four-on-three (0:23; last – 5/8 vs. WSH). Shorthanded goals allowed (0).
Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts surrendered one goal to the Bruins in four shorthanded situations (7:21) in Game 1, and are now 16-20 (80.0%) in the playoffs. Shorthanded goals for (0).
Four-on-Four: The Blueshirts did not tally/yield a goal in one four-on-four situation (0:25) in Game 1, and are now even in three four-on-four situations (4:25) in the playoffs. Four-on-four goals for (0). Four-on-four goals allowed (0).

QUICK HITS:

Prior to Game 1, the last time the Rangers and Bruins played an overtime game in the playoffs was Mar. 27, 1958 (L, 3-4)
Four of the remaining eight teams in the playoffs are Original Six teams, marking the second time this has happened since the NHL adopted the current playoff format in 1994 (2010)
All Original Six teams qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1996
The last time the Rangers faced-off against an Original Six opponent in the postseason was in the 1996 Conference Quarterfinals against Montreal (NYR won 4-2)
The Rangers have lost only four times in regulation over their last 22 contests, including the final 14 games of the regular season
Henrik Lundqvist is a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender for the fifth time
The Blueshirts were the least penalized team in the NHL this season with 183 penalties and 9.2 penalty minutes per game
New York ranked third in the NHL with 1,413 hits, and sixth in the league with 773 blocked shots this season
The Rangers held opponents to 2.25 goals against per contest, which ranked third in the East and fourth in the league overall

COOL UNDER PRESSURE

Henrik Lundqvist has posted 30 or more saves in the playoffs 19 times, posting a 9-10 record with a 1.54 GAA, .941 Sv% and four shutouts in those contests.

CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS vs. CAPITALS – SERIES RECAP:

The Rangers held the lead for 183:13, were tied for 219:48, and trailed for 34:23 in the series. The Blueshirts tallied the first goal in five of the seven games.
Games 2-6 were each decided by one goal, including two games that required overtime.
The Blueshirts’ 5-0 win in Game 7 was their largest margin of victory in a Game 7, and is the first Game 7 shutout in franchise history. It is only the eighth shutout by a road team in Game 7 in NHL history. It was also the Rangers’ first Game 7 victory on the road in team history.
The Rangers came back from a 2-0 series deficit to advance in the playoffs for only the second time in franchise history, having previously done so in the 1996 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against Montreal. It is the first time the Blueshirts advanced after losing the first two games in a playoff series on the road.
The Blueshirts have come back from a 3-2 series deficit to advance in the playoffs three times in franchise history, having also done so in the 2012 Conference Quarterfinals against Ottawa and the 1994 Conference Final against New Jersey.
The home team won Games 1-6 before the Rangers’ Game 7 victory in Washington. It is only the third time the road team won Game 7 of a playoff series after the home team won Games 1-6 in the series since the NHL adopted the current playoff format in 1994.
Henrik Lundqvist completed the first round ranked first in the NHL with two shutouts, and ranked fourth with a 1.65 goals against average and .947 save percentage.
Derick Brassard led all skaters in the series with seven assists and nine points, and completed the first round tied for third in the NHL in playoff assists and points. His nine points tied Pentti Lund (1950) for second most by a Ranger all-time in their first playoff series with the team.

INJURIES:

Michael Sauer (concussion, 12/5/11) — 56
Marc Staal (injured, 5/6) — 5
Darroll Powe (injured, 5/6) — 5
Ryane Clowe (injured, 5/10) — 3

Total Man-Games Lost (Regular Season): 134
Total Man-Games Lost (Playoffs): 28

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

None

RANGERS THROW GAME 2 VIEWING PARTIES

Mitch Beck — Sat, 18 May 2013 03:00:17 +0000

BY: New York Rangers

New York, May 17, 2013 – On Sunday, May 19 the New York Rangers will host viewing parties for Blueshirt fans to cheer on the team as they take on the Boston Bruins in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Semifinals. The viewing parties will be held at Ainsworth on 26^th St between 6^th & 7^th Avenue and Zeppelin Hall in Jersey City, NJ beginning at 2:00 p.m. New York Rangers Alumni Nick Fotiu & Ron Duguay will be in attendance at Ainsworth and Glenn Anderson & Stephane Matteau will be in attendance at Zeppelin Hall. Fans that come by will have a chance to win Rangers prizes including playoff tickets.

WHO:

New York Rangers Alumni Nick Fotiu, Ron Duguay, Glenn Anderson and Stephane Matteau and New York Ranger Fans

WHAT:

New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins – Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 2 Viewing Party

WHEN:

Sunday, May 19, 2013 2:00 p.m. (game begins at 3:00 p.m.)

WHERE:

Ainsworth Zeppelin Hall
122 W 26th St, 88 Liberty View Dr
New York, NY Jersey City, NJ 07302

PEP TALK: FORMULA OF A LOSS: OT – PK – REG (PP) = NYR – GM 1

Mitch Beck — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:22:35 +0000

VERSUS

BY: Billy Pepitone, Exclusive To Howlings

(Purchase Billy’s thriller ICE COLD about a murder that happens at MSG HERE)

Brad Marchand scored off a two-on-one rush on the power play at 15:40 of overtime, giving the Boston Bruins a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers in Game One of their Eastern Conference semi-final series.

Henrik Lundqvist stopped 45 Boston shots, including 15 in the extra session, but could not deny Marchand as the speedy winger took a centering pass from Patrice Bergeron and slid the puck under the goaltenders pads.

“I gotta see the guy in the middle,” Lundqvist told reporters after his career playoff overtime record fell to a puzzling 3-11. “I was too focused on the puck and I kind of knew he was coming in the middle, but I was too locked in on the puck. That’s why I made a stretch move instead of coming with my pads together. It’s a technical thing and it happened fast, but sooner or later when you face a lot of chances like that you’re going to make a mistake.”

The game started off slow, not unexpected considering both teams were coming off emotional seven game series in the previous round. Like two heavyweight fighters sizing one another up, the Rangers and Bruins played a conservative first period with both teams taking few chances. That changed in the second period, following Zdeno Chara’s drive from straightaway that handcuffed Lundqvist, trickling behind him and into the net just over two minutes in. Play opened up after that, with both teams ramping up the physicality and pace. New York drew even with just a tick under two seconds left in the period, when Ryan McDonagh’s shot from the left point sailed through a screen and past Bruin goaltender Tuukka Rask.

Derek Stepan snapped a shot through Rask just 14 seconds into the third, giving the Rangers their first lead and two goals within 16 seconds. The lead was short-lived, however, as Steve Eminger took a holding penalty a minute later, setting up a power play goal from Boston’s rookie defenseman Torey Krug. That set up the sudden death overtime that was dominated by Boston, who took advantage of an early Derek Dorsett penalty to seize momentum they never relinquished.

“I thought it was pretty even going into the overtime,” Rangers coach John Tortorella said in his post game press conference, “but we got spanked in the overtime.”

Lundqvist made big stops on shots by Chara and David Krejci, and was helped out by his goalposts on drives by Jaromir Jagr and Johnny Boychuck. When Chara tipped Derick Brassard’s ill fated cross ice pass out of the Bruin zone, Marchand picked up the puck and gave it to Bergeron, who carried down the right side before putting a perfect pass on Marchand’s stick for the game winner.

“It felt great,” Marchand told the media after the game. “We had a really good game, and to be able to finish it off with a win is very big. We’re happy that we’re able to capitalize in these overtime games. They’re very tough games to be in, but we’re happy with the win.”

The Rangers will have an opportunity to tie the series on Sunday with Game Two in Boston at 3pm. While they were able to dig out of a 2-0 hole against Washington, New York may not want to tempt the hockey God’s twice in one month.

RANGERS LEAVE IT ALL ON THE ICE – IN WASHINGTON

Mitch Beck — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:10:48 +0000

VERSUS

RANGERS POST-GAME NOTES
Eastern Conference Semifinals
Game 1: TD Garden
Bruins 3, Rangers 2 (OT)
BOS leads 1-0

BY: The New York Rangers

Team Notes:

The Rangers were defeated by the Boston Bruins, 3-2, in overtime tonight at TD Garden, in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series.
New York has posted a record of 212-230-8 overall in postseason action, including a 93-142-6 mark on the road.
The Rangers tallied two goals in a span of 16 seconds at 19:58 of the second period and 0:14 of the third.
The last time the Rangers and Bruins played an overtime game in the playoffs was Mar. 27, 1958 (L, 3-4).
The Blueshirts were credited with 29 blocked shots, led by Dan Girardi’s team-high, five blocked shots.

Player Notes:

Henrik Lundqvist made 45 saves and is now 29-34 in 63 career postseason contests. His shutout streak ended at 152:23, which marks a playoff career high.
Ryan McDonagh notched his first career playoff goal with 1.3 seconds remaining in the second period, was credited with five hits and three blocked shots in 31:59 of ice time. It is the fourth time in his playoff career he has logged 30:00 or more of ice time.
Derek Stepan registered a goal and was credited with two blocked shots in 25:18 of ice time. He now leads the team with three goals in the playoffs.
Derick Brassard recorded an assist to extend his point streak to six games (two goals, eight assists over the span). He is now tied for third in the NHL in playoff assists (eight) and points (10).
Rick Nash tallied an assist and led the team with six shots on goal in 20:54 of ice time. He has registered an assist in each of the last two games.
Carl Hagelin registered an assist, four shots, and three hits in 19:43 of ice time. He is now tied for second on the team in points (five), and leads the Rangers with a plus-five rating in the playoffs.
Ryan Callahan tallied an assist, was credited with three hits and two blocked shots, and logged 26:37 of ice time. He has now recorded a point in each of the last two games (one goal, one assist over the span).

Team Schedule:

The Rangers will return to action when they face-off against the Boston Bruins on Sunday, May 19, at TD Garden (3:00 p.m. – TV: NBC; Radio: ESPN 98.7), in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup.

RANGERS VIEWING PARTY

Mitch Beck — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:40:37 +0000

BY: The New York Rangers

New York, May 16, 2013 – Tonight the New York Rangers will host a viewing party for Blueshirt fans to cheer on the team as they take on the Boston Bruins in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Semifinals. The viewing party will be held at Stout NYC on 33^rd St between 6^th & 7^th Avenue beginning at 7:00 p.m. New York Rangers Alumni Ron Greschner and Ron Duguay will be in attendance and fans that come by will have a chance to win Rangers prizes including playoff tickets. In addition, there will be a viewing party held at Black Bear in Hoboken, New Jersey with Brian Mullen and Nick Fotiu.

WHO: New York Ranger alumni Ron Greschner and Ron Duguay New York Ranger Fans

WHAT: New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins – Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 1 Viewing Party

WHEN: Tonight – Thursday, May 16, 2013 7:00 p.m. (game begins at 7:30 p.m.)

WHERE: Stout NYC 133 W 33^rd Street New York, NY