If The Rangers Want To Avoid A Series Deficit, They'll Have To Figure Out Steve Mason
Well, good for Claude Giroux. His boys came through on his guarantee & Steve Mason proved, at least for a game, that he could be a difference-maker in this series. He made 37 saves – not a whole lot were challenging – but in a one-goal contest, all it takes is a huge stop or two. Mason made none bigger than this one on McDonagh:
So, after a pair of 48-hour gaps between games, the series now comes down to a whirlwind best 2-of-3 scheduled over the next 4 days. The key to victory for the Blueshirts is nothing new. Score. They gotta take advantage of their power plays instead of just slinging the puck around the outside. Rick Nash needs to play every shift like his Rangers are down a goal with under a minute left & Hank pulled. I was one of many bitching about St. Louis’ regular season slump, but 1 goal in 16 NYR playoff games from Nash dwarfs Marty’s slow start. Today is as good a time as any for #2.
