Classy Stash and a Gritty Net Crash: Dubinsky Comes Through In Characteristic Ranger Style

by Rich Baiocco

I tell you, it's one thing for the players to be in better spirits after holding onto a win to regain ground in this series, but as a fan coming into work Monday morning the difference between 2-1 and being down 3 games to nothing probably saved the life of someone I would've killed on a miserable morning commute had the Blueshirts lost. But that's not the case(Thankfully!), due to Brandon Dubinsky and a tremendous Ranger team effort yesterday at the Garden.

I wrote an article about Rangers resiliency for The Hockey Writers website (kind of an NHL.com type site, with more in-depth articles) in response to all the doubts and negativity that was infiltrating the media after the first 2 games of the series and as expected the team came through.

The Blueshirts took it to the Caps from the jump, utilizing the energetic Avery-Boyle-Prust line to set the physical tone for the tilt. The Rangers were finally able to control the offensive zone with a sustained forecheck that kept the top-seed on their heels and caused them to take 8 penalties. Normally that wouldn't have been a problem since the Rangers were an anemic 1-31 on the PP, but with tension mounting Erik Christensen rifled a wrist shot from the goal line into the crawl space above Michal Neuvirth's shoulder and gave the Rangers a confidence in themselves they would not lose.

Yet it certainly would be tested. The Caps' captain and most lethal player freed himself from Brandon Prust on a broken play and was able to tip a puck over the pad of Henrik Lundqvist with time dwindling in the period. The Rangers didn't panic though, but rather kept their foot on the gas and veteran Ruslan Fedotenko--who played a spirited and gritty game on both sides of the puck--somehow jammed a wraparound/centering pass past Neuvirth with .1 second remaining on the television clock. The crowd went bananas but unfortunately the goal went under review and was overturned due to a discrepancy between the actual game clock and the television clock. Why in hell the two tickers would be different is mind boggling, but the Blueshirts kept their poise, marched into the locker room and came out with a continued intensity and attack in the next period.

Then Brandon Dubinsky took over. Playing on a line with Marian Gaborik, the two stifled shooters combined their efforts to make something happen in game 3. Gabbi weaved down low and got a puck to the net and Dubi used his size and strength to free it from Neuvirth's pounce, wheel into the corner and cycle back up the boards where he arrowed a pass to Marc Staal at the point. Making an adjustment to Washington's shot-blocking strategy, Staal waited for his checker to go down then fired chest high blast with Gabbi screening in front. Neuvirth made the initial save but Vinny Prospal crashed the net and banged in perhaps the juiciest rebound of his career. It was a prime example of the Rangers figuring out the extra yard to push in order to score a goal in a tight playoff series like this one.

The Caps wouldn't quit though, and Ovetckin again made a big play to keep his squad in the game, faking out Girardi on the PP then hitting Backstrom on a cross ice feed. Lundqvist stopped the one-timer, but Mike Knuble slammed in the rebound. Being that the games were so defensively locked both teams were clearly looking to make plays happen around the net, crashing the blue paint to create rebounds and cash in.

The Rangers would crash harder though, and again it was Brandon Dubinsky rising to the occasion. The newly placed center ran a monstrous forecheck in the corner, jamming up the boards like a rally car crash-up. With Fedotenko cheating in for a pick, Dubi used his skate to muscle the puck out of the corner and then made a key play that will hopefully signify a slight change in the attitude of attack the Rangers are taking: rather than taking the puck behind the net for a probable perimeter cycle, he cut short, using his big body as a screen and dragged the puck out and jammed it hard on Neuvirth. To quote Caps disgruntled coach Bruce Boudreau the puck "hit off a guy's stick, went up into the air and tumbled behind the goalie and in. It counted." Damn straight Bruce, it counted. And it set the Garden fans into a frenzy.

The Rangers were able to fend off a final Caps surge on the strength of a Marc Staal extra effort along the boards that led to a clear. The win was dramatic and resilient and everything the Rangers needed it to be to give themselves some confidence in this series. But Washington never quit either, and with a trip back to DC looming, it is vital the Rangers bring the same intensity Wednesday night to knot this series up and put pressure on the #1 seed.

Great win Blue. Let's keep it fighting.