In back-to-back games for the first time in three years, the New York Rangers defeated theTampa Bay Lightning. There is a time and a place for it.
The New York Rangers entered the Eastern Conference finals with a well-rested team and a well-executed sweep of the Florida panthers.
In the first two games of the series, the Bolts have looked rusty and out of sync against a Rangers team that has been playing well. In the first game of the series, New York defeated the visitors. While Game 2 was close, the Rangers were able to play at their pace and keep the Lightning at bay to build a 2-0 series lead.
The Rangers have been a tough team so far. We are a good hockey team. In the playoffs, we've played well. We are able to win games.
Here are five things we learned from the first two games of the series, as the action moves to Florida for Sunday's game.
We've seen this before in the playoffs.
During the playoffs, teams find their identity. The Rangers bounced back from a triple-overtime loss and a 3-1 series deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Hurricanes came back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to beat the Rangers. The Rangers' Kid Line is one example of a team that fit together the way their general managers had planned.
The Rangers have played four of their best games in the playoffs so far. They're in possession of the puck. They are getting balanced scoring from many lines. The Rangers averaged five goals per game in the four games in which Shesterkin did not give up more than two goals.
We were told all year that we wouldn't have success in the playoffs. The room is believed to be high in belief. Defenseman Adam Fox said that the outside opinions don't affect him. I don't think the outside noise or perception of our team affects our mindset.
If the Bolts lost a game in the playoffs, they would win the next one. In the first round, they did it three times. In the playoffs, they did it 18 games in a row. The goalie was 18-0 with a 1.49 goals-against average, a.942 save percentage and five whitewashes.
The Rangers won the first game of the series. In the second game, they lost the streak.
You are going to lose two in a row in the playoffs. We haven't done that in a long time. You could say, "Hell of a job, boys." For most of the time, streaks come to an end, according to Jon Cooper. Were we knocked out of the playoffs? The thing didn't. We have a hill to climb. There is no doubt. I don't believe I'm saying that. I think that we have better things in common.
There were some positives to take away from the loss. The game was a lot tighter than the one in the first game. During the second half of Game 2, they got back to what made them effective -- north-south offense, turning defense into offense and earning their zone time.
The magic of bouncing back from losses wasn't there for the Lightning or Vasilevskiy, who has given up three goals in all four games he's played.
There were some positives to come out of the second half of the game. There are no moral wins here. Cooper said we still lost.
When it comes to young defenders in the NHL, it's Cale Makar's world and Adam Fox is just living in it. One reason Fox's playoff run hasn't gotten the attention it deserves is because of the incredible play of Makar, who is setting scoring records for defensemen.
Fox is one of the Rangers' leading scorers with 22 points. He runs an active point that keeps the unit moving. He was getting 26 minutes, 41 seconds a night. He can handle the big defensive assignments that the Rangers try to put him in.
Kaapo Kakko's goal in the second game of the series was set up by this move to send a perfect pass to him. Fox has had a great run. It might not be special, but it's still special.
No NHL player has had more playoffs goals than Point, who has 30 in 53 games. He left the game against the Maple Leafs after just 5 minutes. They did not need him in the second round. They missed him against the Rangers.
The Stanley Cup Final will be broadcasted on ABC, as well as the first and second round of games.
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