A much different New York Rangers team decided to show up Thursday evening in Ottawa for Game 1 against the Senators.
- New York Rangers (0-1)
- Ottawa Senators (1-0)
- Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2
- Game One Final box score.
- Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
You think Henrik Lundqvist wants the Stanley Cup? With the save of the postseason in Ottawa. #NYR pic.twitter.com/NQL5bRO1sH
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) April 27, 2017
The undeserving Rangers were even treated to a one-goal lead, as captain Ryan McDonagh found the back of the net on a power play goal in the second period.
Ryan McDoangh … yup, that's right Sam (who's watching somewhere), It's a power play goal!. 1-0 #NYR pic.twitter.com/AkO9mq56bX
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) April 28, 2017
Where was the edge, the physicality we saw in the Montreal series? Its quite hard to believe that a team that worked so hard to get to where they are currently are decided not to show up.
It’s perplexing as a coach to figure this out. You do all you can to prepare the guys and talk about how effective they were in games they won, but they laid an egg on this one. What might be the most common theme of Henrik’s career reared its ugly head yet again: wasted spectacular performances.
Ottawa got on the board in the second on a power play goal from Ryan Dzingel. Kyle Turris ripped a slapshot off of Lundqvist’s shoulder, the rebound bounced high, Marc Staal decided to fall to his knees instead of finding a body in front of the net, and bang, Dzingel finished it.
When the rebounds come, bury it.
Tie game in Ottawa. #StanleyCup #OTTvsNYR pic.twitter.com/419O6vlwdQ
— NHL (@NHL) April 28, 2017
Paging Kevin Hayes, Paging Chris Kreider. Paging J.T. Miller.
The three most debated players of the Rangers so far, again forgot they had a playoff game and seemingly disappeared tonight. Kevin Hayes played passive, didn’t move his feet, J.T. Miller looks like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders, and Chris Kreider still has yet to find a way to use his big frame to possess the puck below the goal line.
Kreids, watch Bobby Ryan below the goal line. Great possession skills down there.
Almost zero angle.
Huge game winner.#StanleyCup #OTTvsNYR pic.twitter.com/kBbNQapuFI— NHL (@NHL) April 28, 2017
A lucky late goal by Erik Karlsson proved to be the game-winner. It was a freak play that had McDonagh spinning and Lundqvist looking through a screen. Kraals’ simply threw it on net and he caught a nice break.
Henrik Lundqvist is mind-boggled on the bench trying to process how Erik Karlsson scored from that angle pic.twitter.com/o7kzBX8h7C
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) April 28, 2017
The good thing is the Rangers have something extremely valuable when it comes to postseason hockey, and that’s experience and a great core group. They’ve bounced back before, they can do it again. The Senators were in no way overpowering tonight.
Game 2 will be played on Saturday Apr. 29 at 3 p.m. ET, back at the Canadian Tire Centre.
#Blueshirts fall to Ottawa in game 1. pic.twitter.com/jQaFPQxj6v
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) April 28, 2017