Well this was a convincing way to end the series. The Rangers made a statement in Game Seven, scoring five goals and shutting out the Caps to complete the comeback from down 3-2 in the series. Henrik Lundqvist was good when he needed to be, but the Rangers made sure he didn’t need to be dominant like he was in Game Six. They won the physical battles, and they finally found chinks in Holtby’s armor en route to the rout. There won’t be pictures for this breakdown, I apologize in advance for that. On to the goals:
Rangers 1, Caps 0
Chris Kreider got a big break on this one. As he was getting on the ice for a line change, he went over to pressure Eric Fehr instead of covering Mike Green, who was his man. Green wound up getting stopped by Hank on the breakaway, and Kreider eventually wound up with the puck gaining the Caps zone. He dropped the puck back to Arron Asham, who ripped it through Braden Holtby. Holtby looked to be a bit screened on the play.
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Ben Solomon for The New York Times
Another day, another Game Seven for the Rangers. We all know what the Rangers need to do tonight. They need to win the special teams battle. They need to win the boards battle. They need to win the defensive battle. They need to win the high-priced real estate. They need to score. If you have a heart monitor, I’d recommend using it tonight. If you’re like me, you will need a beverage or two to get through this.
Be sure to catch up on everything you need to know for this series:
Game Six goal breakdown
Game Five goal breakdown
Game Four goal breakdown
Game Three goal breakdown
Game Two goal breakdown
Game One goal breakdown
How the Caps will match up lines
Keys for Ranger success
Special teams may decide series
Scouting Braden Holtby
Previewing the Caps systems
Caps will be a tough series for the Rangers Read more »
Michael St. Croix (4th, 2011) and the Edmonton Oil Kings fell in Game Six to the Portland Winterhawks by a score of 5-1. The loss gave Portland the WHL Championship and a trip to the Mastercard Memorial Cup. St. Croix had an assist and was a -1 in the finale.
The Mastercard Memorial Cup is a four team tournament that comprises each of the CHL champions (WHL – Portland, QMJHL - Halifax, OHL – TBD) and the host city’s team (Saskatoon Blades). Because Saskatoon is hosting the tournament, the Rangers will have two prospects participating: Shane McColgan (5th, 2011), and Josh Nicholls (undrafted UFA). The tournament begins on May 17.
Per Pat Leonard, Marc Staal, Ryane Clowe, and Darroll Powe are all out for tonight’s Game Seven in Washington. Powe and Clowe didn’t even travel with the team for the game tonight. With these three out, expect the same lineup as Game Six. It’s worth noting that the Rangers have not dressed their top lineup at all during the postseason.
Per Andrew Gross, defenseman Stu Bickel and forward J.T. Miller were sent home from the Rangers taxi squad for wrist injuries. This doesn’t have much of an effect on the Rangers, but neither Bickel nor Miller will be available as injury replacements.
Disclaimer: This is one of those rare circumstances where we will not opine on the news. We do not have any facts other than what is being reported, and it is unfair to pass judgment without having all the facts. All we can do is send our prayers to the Boogaard family.
News broke yesterday that the family of the late Derek Boogaard is suing the NHL in the wrongful death of the former Ranger. Per ESPN, the family is suing on the basis that “ the league is responsible for the brain damage that Boogaard sustained during six seasons as an enforcer in the league, and for his addiction to prescription painkillers.”
Boogaard died in May of 2011 after an accidental overdose of alcohol and painkillers. Following his death, his brain was examined by Boston University School of Medicine and he was diagnosed with “chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain ailment that is caused by repeated blows to the head.”
This is another chapter in the chapter in the Boogaard tragedy. The previous chapter included a “lawsuit against the NHLPA that was dismissed last Spring.”
AP Photo/Kathy Willens
The Rangers are pretty good at making us sweat. This club went to seven games twice (Ottawa, Washington) and six games once (Devils) last season. They went to seven games in 2009 (Washington). There was only one series in this time frame that didn’t go to seven games, and that was in 2011 when the Rangers lost to the Caps in five games. If the Rangers are one thing, they sure are consistent.
This series has been on par with the other seven game series the Rangers have played. They appear to have been dominated for most of the games, but have persevered due to their goaltending and defense. They have all been low scoring, although this series has seen a pair of 4-3 blips on the radar. The Rangers may be maddeningly inconsistent on the ice, but they are consistent in their ability to stay in games and make it a series, no matter the makeup of the team.
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This game shall forever be known as the Henrik Lundqvist show. Lundqvist stopped all 27 shots thrown at him, including 12 in the third period, en route to a shutout and a 1-0 win for the Rangers. With the win, the Rangers forced Game Seven in Washington in a series that has seen the home team hold serve in each of the first six games. Braden Holtby dueled Hank shot for shot except for a lone Derick Brassard shot found its way through in the second period. Since there was one goal today, we will get to the goal and then some random game thoughts.
Rangers 1, Caps 0
The Rangers had a good shift here, cycling the puck with Brassard, Rick Nash, and Mats Zuccarello, John Moore, and Anton Stralman on the ice. There was one occasion when Moore pinched in to keep the puck in the Caps’ zone. The puck eventually worked its way back to Moore, who fed it to Brassard in the high slot. Brassard wound up for the shot, hesitated (he later admitted he shot because the fans kept chanting “shoot the puck”), then wound up again and ripped a slap shot that deflected off Steve Oleksy and past Holtby. The goal was a credit to the entire Rangers unit on the ice, and to Nash in front, who screened Holtby. No picture for this goal, nothing came out clear. Sorry about that.
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COREY SIPKIN/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
The home team held serve for the fifth straight game in this series, and if the Rangers want to have any chance at a Cup, the home team will need to hold serve for a sixth straight game. We all know this series would be a tough one, but the fact that the Rangers have been absolutely dominated from a puck possession standpoint is very surprising. The Caps have gameplanned well, and now it’s time for the Rangers to answer. It’s either send it back to Washington or pack it up until next year. They came back from down 3-2 last year against Ottawa, and they can do it again.
Be sure to catch up on everything you need to know for this series:
Game Five goal breakdown
Game Four goal breakdown
Game Three goal breakdown
Game Two goal breakdown
Game One goal breakdown
How the Caps will match up lines
Keys for Ranger success
Special teams may decide series
Scouting Braden Holtby
Previewing the Caps systems
Caps will be a tough series for the Rangers
Read more »
On Friday night, Michael St. Croix (4th, 2011) kept his Edmonton Oil Kings career going for at least one more game, scoring two goals –including the overtime winner– in Game Five against the Portland Winterhawks. St. Croix’s goals (his 12th and 13th of the postseason) gave the Oil Kings a chance to tie the series in Game Six, which will be today at 4pm.
Meanwhile, Sam Noreau (6th, 2011) and his Baie-Comeau Drakkar lost 5-1 in Game Five of the QMJHL Finals, and lost the series 4-1 to the Halifax Mooseheads. Noreau was a -2 in the series. There is no shame in losing to the Mooseheads, who have two of the top three picks in this year’s draft (Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin) and one of the top goaltending prospects (Zachary Fucale).
Noreau has until June 1 to sign with the Rangers, or he will re-enter the draft. I’d venture a guess to say the club will sign him, as they are very thin on defensive prospects at the AHL level.
