Nash & St. Louis' Game 4 Goals Prove Just How Important They Are To Finishing Off The Bolts

If the Rangers accomplish their ultimate goal & hoist the Stanley Cup, they might look to Friday’s 5-1 win as their playoff turning point. Plenty of Blueshirts had questions to answer – some asked longer than others – but Lundqvist, Nash, St. Louis & deadline acquisition Keith Yandle all responded in a big way. Hank’s rebound was the least surprising and, despite plays with the puck in front of his own net that still scare the shit out of me, it makes sense that Yandle would find offensive success (5 points over his last 2 games) against a less physical, run & gun Lightning squad. Nash & Marty finding twine in the same game though helped shake two huge monkeys off their backs. If the Blueshirts have finally found that scoring knack they had all regular season, it’ll be because these two are set to take off.
Game 4 was the first NY playoff win by more than a goal since the first two games of last year’s series with the Habs. It’s no coincidence that both Nash & Marty scored in each of those games as well. The fact that they both scored Friday isn’t the whole story – it’s how they scored. For Marty it was his first PP goal since early January off the vintage one-timer he practices religiously at the end of every skate. For Nash, his first tally was the determined drive to the net we’ve all been begging for. His second, the Rangers 6th goal with the man advantage in their last 11 chances, was a rebound stuffed while parked in front of the net. Getting off the schneid is one thing. As far as confidence boosts are concerned, both players getting results from their bread & butter should bring out their most assertive performances tonight at the Garden. It’s been quality over quantity this series – the team with a decided advantage in possession numbers has lost all 3 times (Game 3 TB had only a slight edge). Their most natural goal scorers continuing to light the lamp means the quality is still there.
It’s common knowledge that the longer a series goes, the better off for the Blueshirts. They’ve won 8 straight and 11 of 12 home games 5/6/7. With this one now down to a best-of-3 & two at MSG, the Rangers are right where they want to be. Nothing’s a given though. With as confident everyone was in the Bolts after Game 3, it took just one strong effort to flip the script. The Lightning are looking to flip it right back. Similar to how NY slammed the door in Friday’s 3rd period instead of giving TB hope, they need to take a stranglehold on this series with a win tonight. Put the young, inexperienced Lighting backs against the wall having to take a pair of win-or-go-home games again. Except this time, it won’t be Petr Mrazek at the other end in Round 1. It’d be Henrik Lundqvist just one W away from a return to the Cup Final. Safe to say, I’d like the Rangers chances.