Rangers Crush Devils To Fend Off Elimination & Force A Game 7
Jared Silber. Getty Images.Now that's more like it. Another 5-spot throttling the Rangers simply had to have to force a winner-take-all Game 7 they're all too familiar with.
Although it sure didn't start off too hot. For the first 19 minutes the Devils were in total control & got out to a 1-0 lead that looked like it might be enough based on how little the Blueshirts could generate. It wasn't until Patrick Kane was taken down on a breakaway to give the Rangers a late first period powerplay that the good guys woke up. Zibanejad wired a one-timer off Chris Kreider & in for a crucial equalizer (tying Mark Messier for the most elimination game goals in NHL HISTORY) that seemingly gave New York all the momentum the rest of the way. They looked just like the squad that rolled in Games 1 & 2 in a dominant second period that saw Zibanejad & Tarasenko light the lamp for a lead they'd never surrender. They were clearly the better team for the final 40, chasing Akira Schmid from the Devils crease while Igor Shesterkin was his usual stellar self - now third all-time with 22 straight playoff games ceding 3 goals or less - sending a loud & clear message that the Rangers are in fact NOT dead just yet. Even when the contest was well in hand late, Trouba put an exclamation point on the message when he straight up alpha'd Hischier on his ass leaving the youngster shaking his head. And there should be a lot of head-shaking on the bus ride home all around.
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The Blueshirts love adversity, plain & simple. They're now 6-1 in elimination games since last year & won both Game 7's. The powerplay snapped their snide. Zibanejad finally woke up with 1 & 1 while Vlad & Krieder got back on the board and Patrick Kane, while pointless, was instrumental in the first & third goals. Most importantly, Shesterkin has looked absolutely dialed in all series. There's no reason the Rangers shouldn't be supremely confident. Meanwhile the young Devils have never been in this spot before. In their first attempt at putting their opponent away, they got steamrolled. Timo Meier is still pointless in the series while Bratt & Hischier have yet to hammer one home. Their fairy tale between the pipes got pulled. They've given up a 5 spot in half their games & there's plenty of uncertainty as to whether whoever gets the nod in net can forget their individual struggles & handle a new level of pressure under the brightest lights.
Maybe experience doesn't mean much over the course of an entire series - but there's no doubt it should play into the Rangers hands for Monday's Game 7. Whether or not it results in a trip to Carolina remains to be seen but man, after yet another incredible effort out of nowhere in a must-win playoff game it's hard to imagine the Devils we saw tonight have what it takes to finish New York off. No way.
VIVA LA BLUESHIRTS!!!
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