Boudreau And Caps Silence Raucous Garden In Game 4

Damn that hurt.

I haven't had the wind punched out of me like that since Ryan Hollweg took a penalty in the 2008 Rangers/Penguins playoff series that led to the series winning goal and Jagr's subsequent retirement following the most determined postseason performance he'd given in a Rangers uniform. But who has time for the past right now?

I do. A few notes about last night's game in order to confront the demons and then prepare for Saturday.

Gaborik didn't cost us the game, but he cost us a goal. Just say it and get it over with. As much as McDonagh's giveaway to Semin cost us a goal, Gaborik's attempt to blindly swat at a loose puck with one hand instead of letting Lundqvist (who was facing the action and could see who was coming down on him) cover the puck, was a desperation play in a non-desperation situation (it was a 2 on 3 rush). The Rangers--with an exception to Lundqvist--seemed mentally fatigued in the 3rd period and both overtimes and this play seemed a direct result of that. We stopped forechecking and creating strong chances and got on our heels. It's a fine line in overtime as I'm sure the natural philosophy is to protect your zone and when you notice an opportunity then go for it. But the best way to protect your zone is to control the puck, and the best way to take an opportunity is to make an opportunity happen for yourself. The Rangers were hesitant, maybe tired, and the Capitals had a few players who seemed to get stronger as the game progressed (Semin, Fehr, Chymera).

Still, when Hank stopped Ovechkin on that breakaway I thought we'd steal the momentum we needed to slip one by Neuvirth, but it wasn't the case.

Prior to the extra sessions, I thought Gabby was cruising out there and his backdoor goal not only supplied a personal drought with some rain water, but gave the Rangers that elusive two-goal lead it had thirsted for through 3 playoff games. I have no ill will towards Gaborik, just as I have no ill will towards McDonagh (a rookie playing over 30 minutes against one of the most potent offenses in recent NHL history, expected to play pristine mistake-free hockey? If you criticize him I'd like to know what you've done lately?). I'm sure Gabby feels bad the game ended the way it did and he'll do everything he can to get on the scoreboard on Saturday, in fact if there's every been a motivation for the superstar to put together a magical game it's right now. Let's take that and ride with it because being down 3 games to 1 is all about finding positives and eliminating negatives.

The Power Play blows. Coach Tortorella didn't so much admit it during his postgame but he certainly alluded to it. He commented that since the man-up is clearly not working the only thing the Rangers can do is fight that much harder to kill off Washington's Power Plays. In a way he's right (though it reads like a cop out) because the penalty kill can be something you can control--you can work harder for it because it is rooted in your survival instinct. The Power Play is different: it's more of a feel. It takes some vision, some vision that this particular group of guys may not all have, and if the wrong guy has the puck and he bobbles it, or gives it away, or loses the faceoff, and you're facing one of the best Penalty Kills in the league in Washington, you're toast. For now with our backs absolutely up against the wall I agree with Tortorella that a Penalty Kill far outweighs the chance that we happen to figure out a PP goal, but this summer it must be corrected if the Rangers want to be considered a threat. Going 0-fer on the PP when you have multiple chances in the 3rd period or overtime to put a game away against the #1 seed is just not going to cut it.

No Surge Protector. Hank could stand on his head, and I did get the feeling that he would've saved pucks last night until the Rangers found a way to win--he was THAT KIND OF ON, but if the team doesn't monkeywrench the momentum back from an opponent's surge Time will find a way to award the other team the win. The McDonagh giveaway exposed a chink in the armor after the Rangers played what uber-qualified Mark Messier called 'one of the best periods I've seen in 5 years', but it was the 2nd goal that was the back breaker for me. Weak side coverage has been a problem for the Blueshirts all season (ie. teams throwing pucks cross-ice for unexpectedly open or weakly covered teammates to tap in). When Brooks Laich chases a puck to the outer hashmarks and wheels and blindly fires it cross ice, he's not making a specific pass but hoping someone will be open. The Rangers, who were already beginning to back off their gameplan and watch the Caps skate a little too often, drifted towards Laich and left Johansson wide open in front. The subsequent tying goal was an unlucky tip but at that point the Rangers had already lost the momentum. You can't give away goals to the Capitals--they will make you pay. This game was lost in the 3rd period, not the overtime.


And still, I think of the Hank save on Ovechkin in the first extra session. King was on, he was giving us a chance to win and that is why this game hurt so much to lose. We didn't get blown out, we haven't been blown out this series, we've been right there at the buzzer. But we haven't found a way to get it done as often as they have found a way. But it takes 4 wins to move on and the Blueshirts still have an opportunity to find a way.

I thought Boyle put it best:

"I'm not looking for three in a row. We're looking for one. We just want to win Game 5. Tonight will be tough to be positive. We're going to dwell on it, and I think that's part of it. If you're not a little upset about what happened there's something wrong with you."

Game 4 was a tough pill to swallow, no doubt, but there is no way to change it or make it hurt less. Take the pain, confront the 3rd period in tape and at practice, take accountability for the Overtime goal, and use it all to motivate a spirited comeback game in Washington DC because amidst the hostile Red Crowd the Rangers need to play a focused dead-on road game.

We want the Blueshirts back at the Garden. If anything for another chance to prove Bruce Boudreau wrong. Can You Hear Us??