'Absolute God' Igor Shesterkin Hailed for Saving Rangers' Season vs. Hurricanes
May 22, 2022
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin makes a save against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 22, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Igor Shesterkin may have just saved the New York Rangers' season.
The star goalie saved 43 of the 44 shots he faced in Game 3 of the team's Eastern Conference second-round matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes, leading the way in a 3-1 win Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider and Tyler Motte all scored for the Rangers.
Carolina still leads the series 2-1, but were it not for Shesterkin's heroics, the Canes may have been heading for a sweep. Unsurprisingly, hockey fans were singing his praises after those heroics:
Even the lone goal he allowedâa weak backhand flick from Nino Niederreiter that somehow slipped through his left armâwas more of a reminder that he is, in fact, occasionally fallible rather than a game-changing blemish:
Shesterkin has been downright brilliant against the Canes, giving up just four goals in three games. The fact that the Rangers still find themselves trailing 2-1 in the series is a bit hard to imagine, though they'll have a chance to even things up in New York on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN).
The Hurricanes will be praying they can finally solve their Shesterkin woes.
Rangers' Lackluster Power Play Slammed by Fans in Game 2 Loss to Hurricanes
May 21, 2022
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 20: Frank Vatrano #77 and Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers confer during the first period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 20, 2022 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The New York Rangers are now down 2-0 to the Carolina Hurricanes in their second-round playoff matchup following a 2-0 loss Friday at PNC Arena and face an uphill battle when the series shifts to Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
Throughout the game, the Blueshirts were slammed for their struggles on the power play. The team went 0-for-4 with a man advantage and also allowed Hurricanes defenseman Brendan Smith to score a shorthanded goal in the second period.
Smith's goal ended up being the game-winner, though Sebastian Aho added another goal with just two seconds remaining in Game 2 to seal the victory.
Rangers 0/4 & pathetic on the Power Play, and Carolina scores a shortie. And the Rangers couldnât win a face off in the offensive zone to save their lives
The Rangers had the #4 power play in the league during the regular season. They've played better at 5-on-5 in this series than on the power play. https://t.co/FclPNQM9IQ
The Rangers finished the regular season with the fourth-best power play in the NHL at 25.2 percent, and Chris Kreider led the league with 26 power-play goals. They're 5-on-5 play wasn't nearly as effective and they relied heavily on the PP.
They're still scoring 25 percent of the time on the power play this postseason, but through two games against the Hurricanes, the Blueshirts have yet to find the back of the net on the man-advantage.
With these past two games against the Hurricanes being pretty tight, the Rangers will need to find their footing on the power play when they return home to New York, otherwise they risk being swept by the team that finished first in the Metropolitan Division this season.
Rangers Ripped After Defensive Strategy 'Backfired' in Game 1 Loss vs. Hurricanes
May 19, 2022
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 18: Teuvo Teravainen #86 of the Carolina Hurricanes is checked by Alexis Lafreniere #13 of the New York Rangers during the second period in Game One of the Second Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 18, 2022 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Following a slow start in which they failed to challenge New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin, the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Blueshirts 2-1 in overtime in Game 1 of their second-round playoff matchup at PNC Arena on Wednesday to take a 1-0 series lead.
The Rangers led the Hurricanes 1-0 for more than two-and-a-half periods thanks to an early goal from Filip Chytil, but Carolina broke through with around three minutes remaining in the third period to tie the game 1-1 on a goal from Sebastian Aho and send it to overtime.
After Hurricanes defenseman Ian Cole scored the game-winner just three minutes into overtime, the Rangers were ripped for their horrific defensive strategy in the third period as they sat back and allowed Carolina to control much of the action.
The Rangers lost that game and deserved to for how conservative they got from the 3rd period on. That is not winning hockey. In fact in no sport does it work to play prevent defense. It just prevents you from winning. They deserved that loss.
— Hot Take Johnny aka Rob (@nymoonburn1) May 19, 2022
Canes deserved that goal. Rangers with atrocious 3rd period defense
— Paul Rosenberg aka (Rosie//Glue) (@PaulsRandomness) May 19, 2022
Tough way to lose. Ranger defense got caught with under 3 minutes left and Aho had two shots to put it in. #NYR need to regroup and win Game 2. They have no choice.#NoQuitInNY
It's not hard to see why the Rangers' defensive strategy in the third period didn't work out. The Hurricanes entered averaging 3.43 goals per game in the playoffs and were bound to eventually find the back of the net.
That said, the Rangers will need to regroup for Game 2 on Friday and find a way to score more than once on Canes backup goaltender Antti Raanta. That could be difficult, though, as the veteran also stymied the Boston Bruins in their first-round series.
Penguins' Last Dance? Game 7 Loss to Rangers Marks End of Crosby-Malkin Era
May 16, 2022
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 15: The New York Rangers celebrate a 4-3 overtime victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 15, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK â The player once known as Sid the Kid is no longer a kid anymore.
You probably couldn't tell based on the way he played in the Pittsburgh Penguins' first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the New York Rangers. He put up 10 points in six games, missing Game 6 with what was suspected to be a head injury, and the Rangers had no answer for his line.
But without the helmet and the pads, you realize Sidney Crosby is now 34 years old. His playoff beard is flecked with gray. His demeanor is heavy. His two teammates that he has gone to battle with so many times and won three Stanley Cups with may no longer be on the ice with him come next season.
When the Penguins' playoff run was ended by the Rangers' 4-3 overtime win in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night, it might have ended the era of Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. Malkin and Letang will soon be unrestricted free agents, and with a tight salary-cap situation, it's unclear if the Penguins will be able to retain them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIh2z3UPh_o
And even if they can, the warning sign is clear: It's time for the Penguins to start planning for the post-Big Three era after a fourth straight first-round exit.
"I think it's something that you try not to think about, and you hope that you make a good run," Crosby said. "But it's something in the back of your mind. It's something that you know is a possibility coming into the playoffs."
Malkin was drafted in 2004. Crosby and Letang were drafted a year later. They all entered the league within a year of one another as heralded rookies, and they lived up to the billing.
What the trio accomplished is what every team tries to emulate (and often fails) when you have three young players of their caliber: You build around them in hopes that they will all peak at the same time. By the time they're at their most dangerous, the club will have a wide-open championship window.
It was Pittsburgh's Big Three that kept the engine running when the management was restructured. Former general manager Ray Shero and former head coach Dan Bylsma have their names etched on that 2009 trophy, but it was Jim Rutherford and Mike Sullivan who had taken their places by the time they won back-to-back Cups in 2016 and 2017.
"They're generational players, and Pittsburgh has been lucky enough to have three of them for the last 15 years," goalie Tristan Jarry said. "The bonds that they've created throughout the team [are] irreplaceable."
PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 20: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins poses for a photo with Kris Letang #58 and Evgeni Malkin #71 after being presented with a plaque and stick after scoring 500 NHL goals before the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG PAINTS Arena on February 20, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)
Jarry has solidified his place in the organization's future. The goalie has shown that he is not the same one who bore the brunt of the loss last year when the team was eliminated just east of Midtown Manhattan on Long Island by the Islanders.
A year ago, the narrative was that the Penguins had chosen the wrong goalie. To make matters worse, the goalie whose shadow Jarry was still inâMarc Andre-Fleuryâwon a Vezina Trophy with the Vegas Golden Knights.
This time, it was another New York team and another first-round series, but Jarry looked like a completely different goalie in the regular season.
Maybe the shadow wasn't quite as harsh as it once was or it's finally disappeared completely, but he turned in an All-Star campaign, and his .919 regular-season save percentage was tied for the sixth-best in the league.
This series might have been different had he not been injured for the first six games. The goalie behind him, Casey DeSmith, was hurt during the first overtime of Game 1, and Pittsburgh was down to its third-string goalie, Louis Domingue, for much of the series. Domingue played admirably, but the Penguins had three chances to eliminate the Rangers in Games 5, 6 and 7, and they blew leads in each of those three games and goaltending was part of the problem.
"They're a balanced team; they've got a dynamic power play, and they've got one of the best goalies in the league," Sullivan said.
The Rangers showed a remarkable ability to come back, but this particular comeback effort was not without controversy. Mika Zibanejad scored at 14:15 in the third period to tie the game at 3-3 and put it into overtime just seconds after Pittsburgh defenseman Marcus Pettersson skated off the ice without his helmet.
The Penguins insist Alexis Lafreniere intentionally took off Pettersson's helmet during a tie-up behind the net in order to get him off the ice.
According to the rule, Pettersson could have retrieved his helmet and continued playing, but if a player is unable to put the helmet back on, then they have to skate immediately to the bench or a penalty will be assessed.
Maybe it was Pettersson not knowing the rule, maybe he didn't know where his helmet was, but Sullivan, Jarry and Crosby all expressed their displeasure with the rule.
"I think it stinks," Sullivan said. "He has to come off and his helmet got pulled off intentionally. That's the rule."
"A terrible rule probably ends up being the difference," Crosby said.
Prior to that, the Penguins looked unbeatable.
Sullivan was out-coaching Gerard Gallant. Jake Guentzel's eighth goal of the series was confirmed as a good goal after he kicked the puck from his skate to his stick and batted it past Igor Shesterkin in midair to give the visitors a 2-1 lead in the second period.
Evan Rodrigues, a fourth-liner who was in Sullivan's doghouse after a terrible penalty cost them in Game 6 and was killing penalties in place of the injured Brian Boyle, stripped the puck from Filip Chytil, broke away and snapped a backhand shot over Shesterkin late in the same frame to give the Penguins back the lead after K'Andre Miller briefly tied it at 2-2.
The second line of Rickard Rakell, Malkin and Kasperi Kapanen didn't allow a single shot attempt through regulation, and the Rangers had no answer for Crosby's line when it was on the ice. An anxious MSG crowd was expecting the end.
But it didn't come for the Rangers. Artemi Panarin sniped home the OT winner on the power play.
Instead, it came for the Penguins, who now face an uncertain future.
Artemi Panarin Praised for Saving Rangers with Game 7 OT Winner vs. Penguins
May 16, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 15: Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers celebrates his game winning overtime goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 15, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin had struggled throughout the team's first-round playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. But in Sunday's Game 7, Panarin came up with the biggest shot of his career with a goal in overtime to give the Rangers the series victory at Madison Square Garden.
Panarin had recorded three points in Game 2 but then only had three points total over the next four games combined. He also didn't get off to a great start in Game 7 by picking up two penalties in regulation. When it looked like the Rangers were on the verge of being eliminated on their home ice, Panarin was getting eaten alive online for his struggles.
But the tone changed once Panarin found the back of the net 4:46 into the extra period with nine seconds remaining on a power play. Fans and critics had no choice but to praise the 30-year-old for redeeming himself when it mattered most:
Rangers have been waiting for that all series from Panarin. #StanleyCup
— Joseph Staszewski (@Joe_Staszewski) May 16, 2022
Gallant admitted it had been a tough night for Panarin, but said he had this thought going into OT:
âIf we get the winning goal, I know itâs going to be him.â#NYR
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) May 16, 2022
Artemi Panarin gets it done when it counted most! And credit KâAndre Miller for drawing that penalty. The #NYR roar back down 3-1 to win it.
— Forever Blueshirts (@4EverBlueshirts) May 16, 2022
The Rangers made a major investment in Panarin when they signed him to a seven-year, $81.5 million contract in 2019. He earned his first selection to the NHL All-Star Game in 2020, and he led New York with 96 points (22 goals, 74 assists) in the 2021-22 regular season.
Sunday's win should be a massive confidence boost for Panarin as the Rangers head into the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes. If he can return to the consistent player who led the team throughout the year, New York will have a good shot at taking down the Metropolitan Division champs.
Penguins' Louis Domingue Ripped Over Wild GW Goal in Game 6 Loss to Rangers
May 14, 2022
PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 13: Louis Domingue #70 of the Pittsburgh Penguins defends the net during the second period against the New York Rangers in Game Six of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG PAINTS Arena on May 13, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)
The New York Rangers aren't done yet.
The Blueshirts forced a Game 7 against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 5-3 Game 6 win on Friday night at PPG Paints Arena thanks to a late, fluky third-period goal scored by Chris Kreider.
With 1:28 remaining in the third period, Kreider took a shot from just inside the blue line that found the back of the net after it bounced off Penguins goaltender Louis Domingue, who appeared to punch at it in midair, and into the goal.
Domingue didn't see this one and the Rangers have the lead with 1:28 left đ pic.twitter.com/XVnuggtA1A
Kreider's fourth goal of the series gave the visitors at 4-3 lead. Andrew Copp capped off the scoring with 27 seconds. After the game, fans were quick to criticize Domingue, Pittsburgh's third-string goaltender for the loss. He stopped 33 of 37 shots.
It's a particularly disappointing result for the Penguins, especially considering Domingue will almost certainly start Game 7 with both Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith sidelined.
Game 7 is set for Sunday at Madison Square Garden, and the Penguins will be praying that Domingue doesn't make a similar mistake.
Angry Penguins Left Frustrated After Sidney Crosby's Injury in Game 5 Loss to Rangers
May 12, 2022
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 11: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) skates during the second period of game 5 of round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the New York Rangers and the Pittsburgh Penguins on May 11, 2022 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEW YORK â You could say that Sidney Crosby has turned back the clock in the Pittsburgh Penguinsâ first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the New York Rangers, but the reality is that, even at 34 years old, heâs still a top-10 player in the NHL.
His impact in this series has been tremendous. He has nine points against the Rangers, and coach Mike Sullivan canât get the line of Jake Guentzel, Crosby and Bryan Rust out on the ice fast enough. The Crosby line has been absolutely dominant throughout the series and is the main reason why Pittsburgh is one win away from the second round.
So when Crosby left Game 5 on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, it changed the tenor of the contest. What happens next will undoubtedly have an impact on the rest of the series, which the Penguins lead 3-2 and will shift back to Pittsburgh for Game 6 on Friday.
Jacob Trouba caught Crosby high with an elbow and leveled the center in open ice at 9:15 into the second period. Crosby lumbered to the Penguinsâ bench and played two more shifts before heading down the tunnel and back to the dressing room. He did not return. After the game, Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed that his captain was being evaluated for an upper-body injury.
Trouba was not penalized, though a suspension or a fine remains a possibility. The department of player safety will likely review this and, if theyâre seeing the same angles we already are on Twitter, then the evidence is pretty damning.
Troubaâs elbow was fully flared, and the point of contact was the head. Itâs tough to see the intent from the replays and the images, but an open-ice high elbow that makes any contact with the head is heavily frowned upon by the league's disciplinarians.
If you want to gripe about missed calls, then this is your chance. It should also be noted that officials missed a crosscheck by Evgeni Malkin near the benches that saw Rangers center Kevin Rooney get a stick to the face as he was trying to get back to the bench. The officiating in this series has been inconsistent at best.
These were two dangerous plays that need to be called and could result in fines and possible suspensions.
Trouba is a key defenseman for New York, playing in all situations, including on the Rangersâ second power-play unit that scored the game-winning goal in the 5-3 win. Trouba had a goal and an assist and was on the ice for four New York goals scored.
However, Crosby has been playing Conn Smythe-level hockey. Losing him would be a nightmare for the Penguins. Those three goals the Rangers scored in the second period within a span of three minutes? Those all came after Crosby had left the game.
The Rangers had nothing going in the first period and throughout the first half of the second. The injury had a clear effect on the game, and it won't be easy for Sullivan and the Penguins to fill the minutes he plays.
"We never want to see a player like that leave, but we have to find a way," Guentzel said. "He's the best player in the world. That's a lot of minutes other guys have to take up."
Losing Trouba wouldn't be great for the Rangers' hope of staving off elimination one more time and pushing this series to a seventh game at home, but the health of Crosbyâand the health of any player, for that matterâis more important than a hockey game.
"He's one of the best players in the world, and they still had some good chances and they created a lot," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. "But he's a great player for them and hopefully he's OK."
Sidney Crosby Injury Gives Rangers New Life in Game 5 Win vs. Penguins
May 12, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 11: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins is checked by Chris Kreider #20 of the New York Rangers during the first period in Game Five of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 11, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Throughout the majority of the first two periods in Wednesday's Game 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the New York Rangers looked like they were on the verge of getting eliminated from the playoffs on their home ice.
But the Rangers flipped a switch late in the second period, scoring three goals within the final three minutes en route to a 5-3 victory at Madison Square Garden to stay alive in the postseason.
So what exactly led to New York's impressive turnaround? Coincidentally, the Rangers' run began shortly after Penguins star Sidney Crosby left the game with an undisclosed injury. Crosby exited late in the second period after taking a shot to the head from Jacob Trouba, and he didn't return.
Fans couldn't help but notice that the Rangers turned up their game once Pittsburgh's best player was off the ice.
âElbow the best player in the faceâ was not in the âKeys to the gameâ segment but doing so really turned things around for the Rangers.
After Sidney Crosby went to the Penguins dressing room, the Rangers scored three unanswered goals in a short span. Then Jake Guentzel got his second of the game 13 seconds after NY took the lead to tie it back up. It's 3-3 after 40.
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) May 12, 2022
In that period: - Crosby went to the room, did not record a shift for the final 6:50 - Rangers scored 3 in less than 3 minutes to take the lead - 13 seconds later, Guentzel scored his seventh goal of the playoffs and second of the game to tie the score at 3
Worst case scenario. A loss and a Sidney Crosby injury.
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) May 12, 2022
What really sucks is that the Penguins had that game for the first 34-35 minutes. The Rangers looked absolutely cooked until the Sidney Crosby injury. That's all it took for everything to change.
The New York Rangers knew exactly what they doing when they were head hunting Sidney Crosby. They were dead in the water and needed to injure our best player to get back in this series. Pathetic fanbase. Pathetic franchise. Dirty team. I don't tolerate it.
The series between the Rangers and Penguins has been a contentious one from the start, and this injury to Crosby is sure to amplify the tension between the two teams. It's unclear if Crosby will be forced to miss time going forward, but his absence is undoubtedly a major blow to Pittsburgh.
Whether it was Crosby's injury that sparked the Rangers or something else, New York needs to bring that same energy to Pittsburgh for Game 6 on Friday if it hopes to stave off elimination once again.
Rangers Fans Rip Lack of Offense After 3OT Loss vs. Evgeni Malkin, Penguins
May 4, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 03: Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers makes a save against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game One of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 03, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
The New York Rangers suffered a demoralizing loss Tuesday's Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins, falling 4-3 in triple overtime.
The loss was particularly brutal for New York as the team wasted a historic performance by goalie Igor Shesterkin. The 26-year-old made 79 saves in his playoff debut, shattering the Rangers all-time record. Shesterkin is the eighth goalie since 1955-56 to finish with 65 or more saves in a playoff game.
While Shesterkin was praised for his effort on Tuesday, fans couldn't help but to rip the Rangers offense for letting its goalie down.
The Rangers probably got what they deserved in this one, but itâs going to be really hard to swallow. The disallowed goal sucks and the officiating was worse than brutal but the Penguins certainly outplayed the Rangers for the vast majority of the night
That's the biggest disgrace I've seen in my time as a Ranger fan. Triple OT loss after Shesterkin had like 80,000 saves, and the refs saw the goal at the end of the 3rd and were like, nah. Going to sleep.
The Rangers ranked fourth in the league in power-play percentage (25.2) in the regular season, but they held the man-advantage just one time in 105 minutes of play.
Shesterkin led the NHL this year with a .935 save percentage and 2.07 goals-against average. Despite playing in the postseason for the first time, he's clearly unfazed by the moment.
It will be up to the Rangers to do a better job of supporting Shesterkin if they hope to make a deep postseason run.
1 Nightmare Matchup for 5 NHL Playoff Contenders
Apr 10, 2022
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 26: Nicolas Roy #10 of the Vegas Golden Knights faces off with Darren Helm #43 of the Colorado Avalanche during the third period at T-Mobile Arena on February 26, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images)
Weâre in the dog days of the 2021-22 NHL regular season. The cellar-dwelling teams are beating each other up in meaningless games while the top teams in each conference jostle for Stanley Cup Playoff positioning.
The Eastern Conference playoff grouping has been set for months, with the only thing left to determine is the final bracket. Over in the Western Conference, the wild card has yet to be determined. The Vegas Golden Knights could potentially miss the playoffs for the first time since the franchiseâs history. The Vancouver Canucks still have an outside chance of leapfrogging Vegas and Dallas for that last wild-card spot.
And, of course, there is always a chance the high-powered Golden Knights get some of their firepower back and manage to pull ahead of the Los Angeles Kings to save their season.
Lots of scenarios are still in play.
Matchups are everything in the playoffs. Unlike in the regular season, when weaknesses can be minimized in a single game, a seven-game series allows some teams to exploit another's weakness or neutralize the opposition's strength. It's enough time to figure out how to pick apart a power play and how a goalie moves.Br
Sometimes two teams match up well, but other times it's a disastrous draw.
Here are five matchups that fall into the latter category and why.
Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (17) breaks against the New York Rangers defense during the third period of NHL hockey game Thursday, April 7, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
New York Rangers: Pittsburgh Penguins
The New York Rangers will successfully take the next step in their rebuild when they return to the playoffs (technically, they only reached the postseason portion of the 2020 bubble tournament and not the playoff portion, failing to make it out of the qualifying round) for the first time since 2017.
They have a lineup full of elite talent at the top and emerging young stars throughout, plus a goalie who should be a finalist for the Vezina Trophy in Igor Shesterkin.
The lineup has also done a good job of limiting chances in front of Shesterkin, and their power play is exceptionally good, with the Blueshirts' 26.6 percent conversion being the second-best in the NHL.
The top unit with the man advantage might be one of the best, with Chris Kreider (the third-leading scorer in the league), Artemi Panarin, Ryan Strome, Mika Zibanejad and defending Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox. The addition of Andrew Copp to the second unit has given them a tougher net-front presence, but that second unit doesn't see a whole lot of time since the top one takes care of business.
However, the Rangers generate surprisingly little offense at 5-on-5, ranking toward the bottom of the league in Corsi, scoring chances and expected goals for. New York typically wins by winning the special teams battle and goaltending, making its Metropolitan Division foes in the Pittsburgh Penguins, the least penalized team in the NHL this season, its most potentially daunting challenge.
The Penguins also have the second-best penalty kill in the league and a ton of postseason experience. The Rangers' leaders aren't completely devoid of playoff experience, but it's tough to match that of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Jeff Carter and even former Ranger Brian Boyle.
Maybe this is where we see the changing of the guard, with the Rangers overcoming their even-strength issues and their young players knocking off the legendary vets, especially since the Rangers are 3-1-0 against Pittsburgh this season and have outscored the Penguins 11-4.
But on paper, this isn't a good matchup.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 26: Andre Burakovsky #95 of the Colorado Avalanche skates during the second period against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on February 26, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Zak Krill/NHLI via Getty Images)
Colorado Avalanche: Vegas Golden Knights
The Colorado Avalanche have been playing with a chip on their shoulder after losing in the second round to the Vegas Golden Knights last season. A meeting again in early rounds would be a nightmare for reasons other than just the statistical matchup because the Avs have been the better team all season.
Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty could get healthy enough for the playoffs when the salary cap doesn't matter, and the club would be out of the woods with the cap constraints. That would give Vegas an even deeper lineup than they had last spring when they knocked out Colorado in six games since Jack Eichel has joined the club.
The Avs have been the favorites in the Western Conference all season but have dealt with their own injury issues, with captain Gabriel Landeskog currently on injured reserve while he recovers from knee surgery. Nazem Kadri, who is second on the team with 83 points, is expected to return by the playoffs.
However, should Colorado continue to struggle with injuries and run into a fully healthy Golden Knights squad, they may struggle to avenge their playoff disappointment from a season ago.
Questions will be asked about last year's series, but Vegas has been a contender for four years. It's time for the Avs to show that they're a top team when it matters, and to do that, they may once again have to face off against Vegas.
TAMPA, FL - APRIL 4: Brayden Point #21 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates against Alexander Kerfoot #15 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Amalie Arena on April 4, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images)
Toronto Maple Leafs: Tampa Bay Lightning
If youâre looking at playoff history, as we just did above, you might be thinking the worst opponent for the Toronto Maple Leafs would be the Boston Bruins. The Leafs have lost their last six postseason series against Boston dating back to 1969.
The 2019 first-round loss still stings, but this is a better, deeper Leafs team that has a different coach, a different goalie and plays much better defense.
Instead, the nightmare matchup for Toronto would be the Tampa Bay Lightning. To be fair, the Lightning are a nightmare team for anyone to face. They haven't lost a postseason series since 2019, and they're still the champions until someone knocks them off.
These are two elite teams that would make for a great series.
Tampa Bay has the best quite possibly the best goaltender in the world in Andrei Vasilevskiy, a proven coach in Jon Cooper and a deep lineup.
The team lost its entire third line of Blake Coleman, Yanni Gourde and Barclay Goodrow, as well as other players from those two Stanley Cup teams like Tyler Johnson, and hasn't missed a beat.
In Toronto, Auston Matthews has quickly become one of the most prolific scorers of this generation and is the type of game-breaking player that can make a difference in the playoffs. He scored his 55th goal of the season on Thursday night to set the Leafs' single-season record and the most for a U.S.-born NHL player.
Meanwhile, Mitch Marner has surpassed the 30-goal benchmark for the first time in his career.
Yet Matthews and Marner disappeared during their seven-game series with the Montreal Canadien last season. The Lightning have the defenders to neutralize even the best scorers, including Ryan McDonagh, who is expected to return as soon as this weekend.
Meeting in the first round is a realistic scenario given the current Atlantic Division standings. There is immense pressure on Toronto to get out of the first round, and this is an opponent who can bring the pressure on and off the ice.
Much like the Colorado-Vegas matchup, this one is less about the statistics and more about the storyline and the narratives that surround the Leafs and Lighting.
CALGARY, AB - MARCH 29: Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter speaks to media after his teams 2-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on March 29, 2022, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Los Angeles Kings: Calgary Flames
The Los Angeles Kings will return to the playoffs for the first time since 2018. A decade ago, it looked as though they had an emerging dynasty, but the culture fell apart, key veterans departed and former general manager Dean Lombardi tried to keep the window open a little too long, failing to recognize that it had already shut.
Finally, Lombardi's successor, Rob Blake, decided to blow it up and rebuild in 2019. Blake kept some of that championship core, and Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick remain.
He stockpiled talent and quickly built one of the most impressive prospect pools in hockey. He hired coach Todd McLellan to guide the team through the lean years and get them ready for a return to contention.
Los Angeles is ahead of schedule and currently sitting in third place in the Pacific Division with 86 points, a near-lock to make the playoffs. And there is a chance they could face a familiar face: Darryl Sutter, the coach that guided them to two Stanley Cups and the current coach of the Calgary Flames.
Sutter hockey has proven to be effective throughout the years, and the Flames are proof that it's still working. It might a low-event style of play, but Calgary is scoring 3.48 goals per game, good for sixth in the league, and they're the third-highest shot volume team at 5-on-5 in the NHL.
The Kings don't have the defense to withstand an offensive attack from Calgary. If Alexander Edler returns, as he is expected to soon, it will add another proven defender to the blueline. However, the club is unsure when Doughty can return from an upper-body injury, and without him, Los Angeles may not have enough to stop Calgary's offense.
The Los Angeles power play is also the least effective amongst teams in playoff contention, as its 16.6 percent mark is 28th in the league. The Flames, meanwhile, happen to be one of the best penalty-killing teams, killing off 83.4 percent of the opponent's power-play opportunities.
No one knows Sutter hockey like the Kings, but now that Kopitar, Doughty, Brown and Quick are on the other side, it might not be as much fun.
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 10: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce (22) moves in to break up a pass for Boston Bruins winger Nick Foligno (17) during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes on February 10, 2022 at TD garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Boston Bruins: Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes have outscored the Boston Bruins 16-1 in three meetings this year. Granted, one of those games was one of Tuukka Rask's final games in the NHL, and it was a disaster. However, Linus Ullmark didn't fare much better against the Canes in February, allowing all six goals in a 6-0 loss.
This matchup could be similar to a Kings-Flames series in that Carolina is a high shot-volume team, and Boston may not have the defense to contain their attack.
The Bruins added Hampus Lindholm at the trade deadline to deepen the blueline, and this team has been good at limiting scoring chances throughout the season.
They'll have to decide which goaltender to go with during the playoffs because a tandem is never really an effective plan past the regular season. They have two very good options in Jeremy Swayman and Ullmark, though, the latter of whom has played much better lately, going 6-0-0 with a .938 save percentage in his last seven games.
However, it's tough to argue with how many weapons Carolina has up front. This is an exceptionally deep team, especially at forward, where they can roll all four lines and overwhelm teams with the volume and quality of shots. They have defensemen with shutdown abilities like Brett Pesce and two who can jump into offensive plays in Jaccob Slavin and Tony DeAngelo.
It's a tough match for the Bruins, who have similar high-end talent but not as much as Carolina, especially on the blueline.
