rangers lightning playoffs 2015

Boy was this a sloppy, yet exciting game. Neither team remembered how to play defense, but the Rangers were the worse culprits again. This is a team that was one of the top teams in the league in goals allowed, but has allowed a whopping 11 goals in two games. No one on the blue line had a good game, with some egregious efforts all around. In fact, I think Jesper Fast is the only Ranger player I’d say had a good game.

Henrik Lundqvist was human, but you can only really fault him for the last goal, which of course was the overtime winner. He’s been hung out to dry the last two games. If the Rangers played any semblance of defense, they would have won. Ben Bishop has been pretty brutal the last two games. Any kind of strong defensive play, and the Rangers take this game. It’s sad really.

On to the goals:

Rangers 1, Lightning 0

Another powerplay goal for the Rangers. This time the Rangers were rotating up top, depending on puck location, with Martin St. Louis playing as the middle of the “3” in the 1-3-1. Derick Brassard got the puck at the top of the circle with Chris Kreider providing the screen, and just blew it by Bishop.

Rangers 2, Lightning 0

Jesper Fast got behind the injured Matt Carle (who did not return) to get open for Kreider’s pass to start the breakaway. Fast made a great move on Bishop, and gave the Rangers a two goal lead.

Lightning 1, Rangers 2

Dan Boyle is forced into a turnover in the offensive zone by Steven Stamkos, who starts a 2-on-1 with Alex Killorn. Killorn’s shot is blocked, but Lundqvist pokes the puck right to Stamkos, who puts it into the empty net. Nash is back on this play, not a defenseman, and he goes to Killorn instead of Stamkos. It’s not the proper play for a 2-on-1, but McDonagh coasts on this goal. He just unplugs.

Lightning 2, Rangers 2

Another powerplay goal for the Bolts. This time, Ondrej Palat gains the zone, then gets the puck to Stamkos across. Palat splits Dominic Moore (who goes to cover the trailer entering the zone) and Carl Hagelin (who goes…somewhere?) to get to the net, and Dan Girardi simply doesn’t have the foot speed to catch him. Stamkos hits Palat in stride, and Girardi was barely able to get his stick on the shot, which deflected it by Hank.

Lightning 3, Rangers 2

Kreider did an absolute fly-by on Tyler Johnson here, leaving him wide open for Palat. There was nothing wrong with Kevin Klein’s play here (it was a great pass), but Kreider cannot do that fly-by.

Lightning 4, Rangers 2

I have no idea how Killorn managed to keep possession here, but he did, as Boyle did a lazy swan dive / stick swipe and Marc Staal simply overskated the play (after missing high and wide on a prime chance at the other end). Killorn used Stamkos as a screen and ripped it by Hank.

Rangers 3, Lightning 4

The Rangers got back to basics on this with some good board play by Fast and Derek Stepan. Stepan got the puck in front to Klein for a chance that was blocked, but Fast was there to get the puck and roof it over Bishop.

Rangers 4, Lightning 4

Another powerplay goal, surprise surprise. Good puck movement, as Yandle got the puck up high and moved it to Kevin Hayes as McDonagh cut to the back door. Hayes hit him with a perfect pass, and McDonagh roofed it over a sprawling Bishop.

Lightning 5, Rangers 4

Girardi is at the blue line. Kreider bull rushes Nikita Kucherov, taking Girardi out in the process. That allows Palat to walk in alone to receive Nikita Nesterov’s pass. Palat has the room to take the pass and walk around Lundqvist for the goal.

Rangers 5, Lightning 5

After Tampa Bay iced the puck, J.T. Miller, moved up to a line with Brassard and Rick Nash, won the faceoff to start the play. After Nash got the puck deep, Brassard got the puck to Yandle at the point, who got the puck to the traffic jam in front. Miller and Boyle took whacks at the puck, and Boyle was the one who was able to tie the game.

Lightning 6, Rangers 5

This is one Hank wants back.

USAT/Fenwick Chart

rangers lightning playoffs 2015

Courtesy of war-on-ice

Tampa Bay held the advantage throughout the game after dominating possession for the first ten minutes (when the Rangers scored twice). After that it was pretty even throughout.

Scoring Chances

rangers lightning playoffs 2015

Courtesy of war-on-ice

The Bolts had a major advantage here, especially in the third period as the Rangers pushed to tie the game twice.

Individual SAT/Corsi

rangers lightning playoffs 2015

Courtesy of war-on-ice

Consistent with what we see above, the Rangers weren’t on the positive side of possession (above the middle line is a positive possession player for the game). Jesper Fast had a great game though.

Shot Locations

rangers lightning playoffs 2015

Courtesy of war-on-ice

That’s a lot of attempts in high risk areas for the Bolts. The Rangers were a tire fire defensively.

Shift Chart

rangers lightning playoffs 2015

Courtesy of war-on-ice

Jon Cooper got the Stamkos line out there against Yandle and Klein way too often. He also did a good job getting The Triplets away from McDonagh, but didn’t mind getting them out there against Girardi or Staal.

The Rangers need to get their acts together on defense. The last two games have been embarrassments in their own end.

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