Penguins vs. Rangers Game 3 Preview
Matt Bodenschatz | National Hockey League
Apr 29, 08:53 AM | Hype this story!
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Penguins (2) vs. Rangers (5) Game 1
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Series Score: Penguins 2 – Rangers 0
Game Time: 7:00 EST
Location: Madison Square Garden (New York)
Television: FSN Pittsburgh, Versus, CBC
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Preview
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Confidence is a tricky thing. The New York Rangers think they have it, and the Pittsburgh Penguins clearly have it. But does it really matter?
As the teams head to New York for game three of their Eastern Conference semifinal series, the Rangers have found themselves in a difficult predicament that even the most confident of teams can have difficulty getting out of.
If they win tonight, the Rangers still trail the Penguins in the best-of-seven series, and if they lose, the Rangers are all but eliminated.
“If somebody tells you that you have to win four of five, it’s strange. It doesn’t look possible,” Jaromir Jagr said to the Associated Press. “But if someone tells you that you have to win the next one, then tell you that you have to win the next one and the next one, it’s a lot easier. You don’t think too forward.”
That is the mentality the Penguins must keep, as well.
“After winning two games, you want to go to your next game [as if it is] 0-0 again,” Jarkko Ruutu said to Shelly Anderson of the Post-Gazette. “What happened in the past doesn’t matter, win or lose. The first round was four-zip, but then you’re 0-0 again.”
While the Penguins won’t be in front of their home crowd, they certainly will have widespread support in their home state, and more specifically, their home arena.
According to a team release, the lawn outside Mellon Arena will, once again, be used to broadcast game three and four for any/all fans interested. The only stipulations are: no alcohol, no grills, and no tents.
The keys to the game are simple, as they have been in games one and two.
First, keep the front of the net clear. They did a good job of this in game two until Sean Avery found his way to Marc-Andre Fleury. That incident, however, was handled quickly by the twin towers, Hal Gill and Georges Laraque.
Solve Henrik Lundqvist. They buried five in an open game one, but only got one past “King Henry” in a defensive game two. The Rangers can and will score goals, so the Penguins must find a way to solve Lundqvist with shots from less-than-prime areas.
Lastly, stay out of the penalty box. Sunday afternoon saw the Penguins take multiple penalties, giving the Rangers chance after chance to get back into the game. This cannot happen in New York, as the Rangers will make them pay.
For a complete list of team leaders and statistics, click here.
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Injuries
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Penguins: Roberts, DTD (Groin); Eaton, IR (Knee)
Rangers: Rozsival, DTD (Undisclosed); Orr, DTD (Toe)
Comments
Head Coach Michel Therrien
Apr 29, 09:56 AM
So I type dis to you from de bowels of de devil.
What de media call de MSG.
Tonight is going to be a very physical and mentally demanding game for de player on both side. We mus’ prevail.
I hear dat we suppose to have all de pressure on us. Can dis be so?
Come on, dat for real? Der is pressure on all de player from both side. All de pressure? Please, let us not preten’ or play dis game in de paper.
Dis is de playoff. Dis is a battle for de Cup. Der is pressure for me an’ for de totally bad azz Tom Renney. Der is pressure for de Jagr an’ de Sid, de Malkin an’ Gomez, de Hossa an’ de Drury, de Marc-Andre an’ de Lundqvis’. De playoff is all about pressure.
We will be ready to play.
As de Ruuuuuuuu say, we mus’ approach de game as though it is de firs’ game of de serie’.
We mus’ continue to prevent de skill player of de Ranger from getting scoring chance. We mus’ continue to have de focus from Marc-Andre.
All dat I and you as fan can deman’ from any of de player is solid work ethic and effort and concentration and play de system and use de strengths dat de ‘ave.
It will be de hostile environment tonight. We mus’ have your support. We mus’ have a unify fanbase.
Be prepare for de palpitations and de sweating. Make sure your vocal chord are in shape. You will be yelling at de MSG, or at de television, de radio, de internets, however you watch de game. Believe dat de player can hear you and know dat de fight for de pride, de fan, de city of Pittsburgh.
Focus. Discipline. Sacrifice.
Michel
DaBich
Apr 29, 10:34 AM
Right on, Michel! We’ll be yelling to support our team!
Tom
Apr 29, 01:52 PM
Matt, The secret for success for the Pens in game 3 is not really a secret at all. The Pens are young, fast, agile and hard hitting. They must play to their strengths. Play a fast paced game. Forecheck and keep the Rangers in their own zone from which all the skill in the world will not score for them. Pepper Lundqvist with high shots. Backcheck and disrupt those chances the Rangers have. Be physical. The Rangers are old and slow. Hit them. outskate them. Keep the pressure on them from faceoff to the final buzzer. Punish them physically. Keep them out of our crease. They cannot compete with our far younger players’ athleticism. MSG has no magic. If the ice is better than Mellon Arena’s it favors the faster team. Run them, check them, pressure them. They are old and slow. They do not like to be hit. They must fall to the younger, faster team.
Matt Bodenschatz
Apr 29, 03:04 PM
Tom, I agree with everything you say, however, everyone saying the Rangers are “old” is a bit off base. Yes, Jagr, Straka and Shanahan are some of the NHL’s elder statesmen, but the majority of the team is relatively young.
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