The Rangers and Caps have an unusual two-day break between games six and seven, so today is an off day for both teams, their second in a row. The Rangers have come roaring back in this series, tying it at three games a piece after being down 3-1. While the Rangers never truly looked out of the series or dominated in any game, the Caps were on their way to being that dominated team on Sunday night. That was until a dominant third period, where they didn’t allow a shot attempt by the Rangers in the final 15 minutes.

With an extra day off, the news will be slow. So why not do a brain dump?

  • Ryan McDonagh was banged up by Alex Ovechkin, and Tim Gleason appeared to be hurt as well. This gives them both an extra day to heal. This helps the Rangers more than it does the Caps. Nate Schmidt was called up by the Caps just in case Gleason can’t go, but many want Schmidt to play over Gleason anyway.
  • The extra day favors the Rangers on the injury front, but not on the goaltender rest front. Braden Holtby looked a little tired in Game Six. Suit noted in the comments of the goal breakdown that he was dropping early, a sign of fatigue. The extra day helps him.

  • Game Six was a very high event hockey game, something that plays into the Rangers strengths. The Caps won three of the first four while playing low event hockey, limiting shot attempts by the Rangers. If they want to win, they need to return to that style of play.
  • Why does high event hockey favor the Rangers, especially when the Caps have Ovechkin? Simple: Depth. The Rangers have talent up and down the lineup that is only matched by Tampa Bay. The Caps certainly have high end skill, but the talent drop off after their top six is drastic.
  • You know who’s having a surprisingly decent series? I can’t believe I’m about to say this. Tanner Glass. He’s not the best option, but he hasn’t been a liability this series.
  • How about that Chris Kreider? He’s been a monster this series, and has almost single-handedly helped the Rangers manage without Mats Zuccarello.
  • Speaking of Zuccarello: He doesn’t have a fractured skull. His career is not in jeopardy. He’s not playing tomorrow night. Enough with that nonsense. He has a concussion, and has resumed light work.
  • I wonder where this series would be if the Rangers had Zuccarello in the lineup. Considering how they’ve dominated the possession throughout the series (except for last game), and how they lacked that finishing touch, it makes you wonder if there would have been a seventh game.
  • While the Caps have been solid, and Lundqvist has been phenomenal, I also wonder where the Caps would be without Holtby. He’s been an absolute wizard. He got in the heads of the Rangers early in the series, but they at least solved him temporarily. He can’t maintain a .950 SV% forever, that has to regress. Was last night the first sign of it?
  • Ovechkin has guaranteed victory in Game Seven. Okay then.

Today is going to feel weird. These two teams played every other day all series, now they have an extra day off. It’ll be that much longer for the fans to get nervous, have rising heart beats, shaking extremities, and be volatile towards everyone around. If you thought this series was going to be different from the other Rangers/Caps series, what were you thinking?

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