“Panarin… Goes in.. He shoots..HE SCORES! HE SCORES! RANGERS! RANGERS! RANGERS WIN!!!” Four minutes and forty-five seconds into overtime, with ten seconds left on the power play, ARTEMI PANARIN let his shot go to complete the three game comeback to give the Rangers the series win! As I was standing in the middle of my living room, I screamed on the top of my lungs and fell to my knees in excitement, completely speechless in the best possible way as Panarin put the shot away to clinch the series for the Blueshirts. What an incredible display of resiliency by this Rangers team. There truly is, no quit in New York.
Before we get into everything, let’s run through the action. Night before last, it was Billy Joel’s Garden which led to the ice at the World’s Most Famous Arena being a bit on the choppy side. Both teams would quickly learn less is more as the puck was bouncing and guys were falling out of nowhere. Game seven at the Garden, the Penguins had Crosby back, Rakell back for the first time since game one and Tristan Jarry in net for the first time since mid-April. The Rangers didn’t get as many shots on him early as I’m sure we all would’ve liked but the Rangers caught a break about seven and a half minutes in. Mika Zibanejad opted to go for the pass to Kreider who let a slap shot go, bardown past Jarry to make it a 1-0 game early.
After going down in both of the last two games, the Rangers HAD to get the first one here and sure enough, it was their leaders that got it done on a huge play. Play continued but the Penguins were beginning to generate a bulk of the offense. The Rangers penalty killers would be tested about halfway through the period as Panarin took a bad yet kind of weak slashing call. Good kill by the Rangers but they wouldn’t be so lucky the second time around. First, Ryan Strome and Bryan Rust get matching roughing calls following a scrum after the whistle, 4-on-4 hockey, no big deal. However, about forty seconds later, Jacob Trouba takes an AWFUL offensive zone penalty that left Mike Matheson bleeding, 4-on-3 for the Penguins who would have the man advantage for the rest of the period as result of the double minor.
The Penguins power play went to work and for a second, it looked like the Rangers got away with one but of course, Toronto chimed in and the buzzer would sound mid play which essentially means there was a good goal on the ice. Turns out, the puck did take a quick bounce over the line after touching Danton Heinen’s stick, allowing the Penguins to tie it up. Can’t really argue the goal, the puck very clearly crossed the line but it is just so frustrating as a Rangers fan to have yet another reviewed play result in the Penguins favor. Oh if we only knew of what was to come! After the Heinen goal, you just wanted to get to the intermission. A quick goal to regain the lead would’ve been great but beggars can’t be choosers.
To the second we go and it was more of the same kind of action we were getting in the first. Three minutes in, the Rangers would get their first power play opportunity but failed to capitalize. Four minutes after that, the Rangers would go back to the penalty kill as Kaapo Kakko shot a puck that I could’ve sworn hit the glass before going into the crowd but nevertheless, advantage Pittsburgh. To tell you the truth, I don’t remember if it was this play or not, but there was a play where Pittsburgh iced the puck but the refs called it off because “they felt Trouba could’ve gotten it.” This of course resulted in a tired Rangers group getting stuck in their own zone with the puck which forced them to clear the puck and take stupid delay of game penalties like Kakko did. Of course the Penguins score on the power play but the puck was hit by the stick of Jake Guentzel VERY CLEARLY ABOVE THE CROSSBAR. The refs reviewed it, it went through whatever process it goes through and what do you know, the Penguins get another call in their favor, 2-1 Penguins.
I don’t care which team you root for, I don’t care if you think Rangers fans have been overreacting all series long, you can’t watch that replay and tell me with a straight face that Guentzel’s stick was below the crossbar. The rule is where the stick makes contact and it is literally in the footage that the stick makes contact above the crossbar but hey, this is playoff hockey, game seven, short-term memory. That’s exactly what the Rangers did as just over a minute later, K’Andre Miller let a shot go that deflected in to tie the game back up, 2-2. With less than five minutes to go, Bryan Rust got called for cross-checking and the Rangers had the perfect opportunity to regain the lead with time winding down in the second.
The Rangers power play went to work, got some looks but again, just couldn’t find the back of the net. With time running out on the power play, Chytil made a risky play that resulted in a breakaway for Pittsburgh and sure enough, Evan Rodrigues finished on the play. At this point, you’re not pointing fingers but that’s a great play for Chytil to learn from, don’t make that play near the blue line on the power play, that’s it that’s all. Once again the goal would be just to get to intermission, you’d rather not be down but you have to keep control of this thing. If there’s one thing we learned about this Rangers team this year it’s that you can’t count them out until it’s over. They’ve come from behind in games five and six to get to this point, this is their game. We don’t lose game seven’s at the Garden.
To the third we go and the Rangers are struggling to get anything going. Pittsburgh is out-shooting them by a landslide, Igor is having his best game of the playoffs to keep this team alive. Artemi Panarin took a bad penalty eight minutes in however, the Penguins wouldn’t get the full power play as Jeff Carter tripped up Zibanjead to make it four on four. We’ll talk more about Panarin when we get towards the end but this was not his best game and has not played his best throughout the series. I’d be lying if I said that penalty didn’t almost set me over the edge. Back to 5v5 but time is running out. With each passing second, the Rangers season is on the line, the Garden is rocking, this team isn’t quitting, and with about six seconds left.. MIKA ZIBANEJAD, lets a quick shot go that beats Jarry and ties the game up at three. THIS IS THE RANGERS GAME.
Overtime, because that’s what was destined to happen. This series began with a triple overtime game and has been quite the roller coaster since, who’s going to be the hero? The teams eased into overtime, testing the waters in both ends until K’Andre Miller rushed the puck out and found himself on a breakaway. Brock McGinn took a penalty he had to take, tripping Miller up. The Rangers held possession on the delayed call, further intensifying the suspense of whether or not it was a penalty or a penalty shot. Two for tripping would be the call, no breakaway as the Rangers power play unit went out for their biggest chance of the night. For a minute and fifty seconds, it looked like it was going to be yet another power play where the Rangers didn't get anything done.. Until.
Artemi Panarin.
This team did it. Down in the series three games to one, they came back, forced game seven and won it in overtime. Igor Shesterkin had one of the best games of his postseason, the Rangers top players stepped up, the kids played great, the resurgence of Tyler Motte and Ryan Lindgren sparked the team, it all came together. I was quick to take my apology to Artemi Panarin to Twitter as the amount of times I cursed regarding his play, especially in the back half of that series was a lot. I don’t know if he’s battling something or if he’s just in a funk but he was not looking good for most of these playoffs. The most frustrating part of it all was the effort. It’s one thing to struggle but still show the effort but it’s another to slam the stick around, to not be moving your feet and to glide around on the back-check and fore-check. It’s the Stanley Cup playoffs, you have to go the extra mile and skate a little harder, get in the dirty areas and not be afraid to throw a hit or block a shot. All of that seemed to be lacking from Panarin.
I’ll take it all back, for now. You have to hope this goal turns things around as this team needs him going into round two… WE’RE GOING TO ROUND TWO!!! Rangers fans, this series was a big ole ball of stress and emotion but in the end, boy was it worth it. I can’t even begin to put into words how impressive the kids have been throughout their first taste of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil, K’Andre Miller and Braden Schneider have grown immensely in these seven games alone and have been so huge for this team. We don’t get to game seven without that kid line finding their game when it mattered most. They stepped in when the Rangers weren’t getting anything from their top guys; however, those top guys came to play when the series was on the line and they had to get it done. Kreider and Zibanejad’s efforts in games six and seven proved they are the leaders of this team and came up so clutch.
The secret weapons to this Rangers comeback? Ryan Lindgren and Tyler Motte. Again, I don’t know what injury Ryan Lindgren is playing on but oh, my, goodness. What an absolute warrior to not only battle through it, but to be one of the most relied on guys defensively against Crosby, Malkin, Guentzel, one of the most threatening team’s in the league. It’s hard to say that we do this without him making his comeback in game five. As for Tyler Motte, he could not have been quicker to show he was sorely missed. His efforts in both ends of the ice are so important, that type of hockey is what wins playoff games. Could not be more thankful he is back in this lineup, especially in the absence of Barcaly Goodrow. Up and down the lineup this team gave it everything they had and it paid off, we’re moving on!
Fans, let’s enjoy these two days off and rest up along with the team as we’re in for an even tougher test against the Carolina Hurricanes. We all knew going into these playoffs that they were the team to beat and now, we have the chance to do just that. The Rangers won’t have home ice advantage in this one but I’ll take the resilience of this group over home ice advantage any day. Getting a win on their soil will be huge in this series and what better time to do that than in the beginning. Let’s keep this thing going and as always, LETS GO RANGERS. NO QUIT IN NEW YORK.
Chris Feldman
Comments