The New York Rangers handled the Boston Bruins in decisive fashion, beating them by a score of 5-2. The Rangers showed real playoff grit.
By Chris Wengert
It still wasn’t perfect, but the New York Rangers demonstrate that they can play a game worthy of April hockey.
So was that Keith Yandle or Brian Leetch on the ice? Yandle’s decision making, skating stride, and even his posture, it all looked eerily similar to the Ranger great.
The first two goals were a direct result of Yandle’s finesse and amazing play-making abilities. Man, that guy can move the puck well.
That’s just the irony of the whole situation, because on some nights Yandle just throws around lame duck passes for turnovers.
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But if Yandle can consistently play like he has the past couple of games, it would be invaluable for the Rangers.
Speaking of Yandle, check out this post-game interview. Apparently that fan in the background wasn’t having a pleasant evening.
Go home kid. You simply just cannot “Yandle” it. #NYRpic.twitter.com/uF4oIYxkZi
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) March 24, 2016
That’s priceless. Sorry buddy, maybe next time.
Henrik Lundqvist looked like playoff Henrik Lundqvist. Some of his saves, including this one, kept the Rangers in the game. Also, it has been two games in a row now in which Toronto has made calls that have gone in the favor of the Blueshirts.
Is this all just a dream?
Having said that, who else was totally prepared to hear about the “hawk-eye” system, and how the refs were able to conclusively say the puck was over the line?
Well…there’s one for the books. #Lundqvist. #NYRpic.twitter.com/2e3Mw6etx7
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) March 24, 2016
The two Boston goals were a direct result of bad individual plays and as far as mistakes go, this is the lesser of the evils. Correcting individual mistakes is a much easier task than correcting foundational problems with a team’s system.
The Rangers battled hard, pressured the Bruins often, and protected the puck for most of the game.
Whose power play was on the ice last night, because that unit was absolutely deadly on the advantage. The puck movement was crisp and the players shot the puck, which as we all know, has been a serious problem for the Rangers.
Substituting a slow and lethargic Dan Boyle for Keith Yandle has made all of the difference on the PP, as his passing ability is just ridiculous.
Everyone is quick to jump on Dan Girardi for lobbing up grenades at opposing teams, but Ryan McDonagh hasn’t been fabulous with the puck this year either.
Mac threw the puck right up the middle of the ice, with a soft pass I might add, that was picked off mid-air by Boston. While this turn of events didn’t ultimately affect the outcome of the game, it did shift the momentum in favor of Boston for a while.
Eric Staal watch: This guy just doesn’t seem to have it right now. Whether it’s a line combination or being banged up, he doesn’t look particularly fast or effective with the puck.
Staal also isn’t shooting, as he opted to pass the puck while he had a clear shooting lane in the high slot at one point. This isn’t good, as he was brought to the Rangers to score some goals.
Overall, the Rangers looked like a team that is ready for the playoffs. But the playoffs are not here yet, so the name of the game moving forward is consistency.
Consistency and health.
If the Rangers can lock up four more wins, I would advocate for Antti Raanta to start a handful of games to give Hank some rest.
And it would be great if Kevin Hayes and Eric Staal could find their respective games.
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