New York Rangers

2022 - 6 - 10

Post cover — Image courtesy of "The New York Times"

Lightning Advance to Third Straight Stanley Cup Finals With Game 6 ... (The New York Times)

New York surrendered four consecutive games to the Lightning, who will attempt to defend their back-to-back Stanley Cup championships against the Colorado ...

With 110 points during the regular season, the Rangers had their best point total in seven years. They finished off the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference finals nearly a week ago. Stamkos, coming out of the penalty box, raced toward the net, took a pass from Kucherov and shot the puck. The Lightning won the series in convincing fashion, dominating the Rangers in the clinching game, overcoming a two-game deficit and winning the last four games of the series outscoring the Rangers 12-5. The Rangers came alive toward the end of the first period. The Rangers mustered several shots, but they were all blocked. It was Stamkos’s eighth goal of the playoffs. They skated quickly, made sharp passes and scooped up errant passes by the Rangers. They peppered Shesterkin and attempted 25 shots in the first period while the Rangers made only 12. The Lightning were the far sharper team from start the game to the finish. He robbed Nikita Kucherov, Tampa’s top scorer, when he tried to backhand the puck past him. The young Rangers, in the playoffs for the first time in five seasons, failed to score at even strength in the last four games of the series. Shesterkin held Tampa at bay, even cleaning up his own mess.

Rangers run out of gas, comebacks in Game 6 of East Final (NHL.com)

Chris Kreider sat up in his chair at the postgame press conference, trying with everything he had left to stay composed as his eyes appeared to well up.

They did it in the first round, down 3-1 against the Penguins before coming back to win. They did it in the second round, coming back from down 3-2 against the Hurricanes. A lot of guys giving some courageous efforts playing with injuries and putting it on the line." The Rangers played 20 games in 40 days in the playoffs. It had nothing to do with fatigue." Ryan Strome couldn't play in Game 4 because of a lower-body injury. That would have been the first time. "Think about it and reflect, but right now, not a good feeling." "They're a big, big defensive team," Gallant said. TAMPA -- Chris Kreider sat up in his chair at the postgame press conference, trying with everything he had left to stay composed as his eyes appeared to well up. "Empty," Kreider said of his emotions. Don't want it to be over."

Igor Shesterkin valiant but New York Rangers season ends (Forever Blueshirts)

For the Blueshirts, this was a team that many people weren't sure could make the playoffs. Instead, they finished second in the Metropolitan Division and made ...

Kucherov found Stamkos coming in all alone and Shesterkin made the initial stop. Check out the latest list of top trade candidates this offseason. Finally it looked like the Rangers had life and something to maybe build on. For the Blueshirts, this was a team that many people weren’t sure could make the playoffs. Tampa went on to win four straight and close it out with a 2-1 victory in Game 6 to head to their third straight final. Shesterkin picked it up a tad late and couldn’t get his blocker on it.

2022 Stanley Cup playoffs - Who wins Game 6 of Rangers-Lightning ... (ESPN)

What does Tampa Bay have to do to close it out? What will New York do to counterpunch? We break it all down here.

When the Lightning committed 48 turnovers combined in the first two games of the series, the coach -- loudly and emphatically behind the scenes -- reminded them not to make plays that aren't there. Challenging the Lightning physically, firing pucks on Vasilevskiy and establishing a good forecheck will all help New York take this series home. Making Tampa Bay uncomfortable isn't easy, but New York did have some success at it and got the results to match. Throughout the lineup, you're starting to see little mental errors that come with fatigue and physical wear-down. Öcal: As the slogan goes, there's no quit in New York. They were down by multiple goals in elimination games twice against the Pittsburgh Penguins but rallied to win three straight elimination games. He knew the layoff hurt Vasilevskiy the most, and he has been their best player since Game 2, owning a .956 save percentage (86 saves on 90 shots against) over the past three games of series. To close this thing out on Saturday, look for more timely contributions from Tampa Bay's depth of talent and expect Vasilevskiy to shut the door once more. The Rangers had the better of the play in Games 1 and 2 because the Lightning weren't physically and mentally sharp following a nine-day layoff between rounds. If that keeps up, the Lightning match New York in speed and Vasilevskiy has another great performance, this one could close out in six. The last-minute goal Tampa Bay scored in Game 3 really swung momentum back their way, and New York hasn't recovered. The Lightning have remained calm under pressure, never letting the ups and downs dictate their level of confidence. What does Tampa Bay have to do to close it out?

NY Rangers' Game 6 projected lineup: Surprise changes may be in ... (The Journal News / Lohud.com)

New York Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant may have a few tricks up his sleeve for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference, including a surprise scratch.

I don't think the line combinations or anything like that is going to be the difference. It allows the line to kind of dig out of it when you're not playing as well. I’ve been on both sides of it where there has been a lot of consistency, and that can be nice. He plays a great two-way hockey game and he's a great player. "If he's healthy, he's a big part of their group," Gallant said. "As a line, we’ve been talking a lot about finding our game," Zibanejad said Friday. "Ultimately, we have to be better five-on-five. He was limited to just 10:33 time on ice Thursday, as Gallant has peculiarly reduced his usage of the Kid Line – which also features Alexis Lafrenière and Filip Chytil – in recent games. That’s kind of been the theme of everything we’ve been talking about. It’s all things that we can control – our work ethic, our attitude – and it gives guys the confidence to just play the game. "Every night he’s feeling it," Andrew Copp said of Panarin. "When the puck is on his stick, something special can definitely happen. The dynamic winger has found it difficult to maneuver at his typical rate for much of the postseason, with only seven even-strength points through 19 games. Interestingly, Kaapo Kakko was one of the final players to leave Amalie Arena on Saturday morning.

New York Rangers: 3 keys to winning Game 6 and staying alive (Bluelinestation.com)

The New York Rangers face yet another elimination game and here's three keys to winning Game Six and staying alive in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Amalie Arena will be up for grabs and Shesterkin will have to be ready for a busy night. This series was always going to revolve around the elite showdown between two of the game’s premier netminders in Vasilevskiy and Shesterkin, and the latter must win this latest battle if the Rangers are to live to fight another day in this war of attrition. If they are to live to fight another day, though, here’s the three keys they will need to win on the road for the first time in the Eastern Conference Finals…

Tampa Bay Lightning reach third consecutive Stanley Cup Final with ... (USA TODAY)

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored twice as the two-time defending champions advance to face Colorado Avalanche in Stanley Cup Final.

"He gave us a chance to win every night and we got outchanced in a lot of the games, but he was outstanding. The defenseman, who is a Norris Trophy finalist for the fifth consecutive season, grabbed his head and broke his stick as he returned to the bench. Lafrenière started alongside Mika Zibanejad and Vatrano and Filip Chytil was on a line with Chris Kreider and Barclay Goodrow, though the lines changed up later. ... We know that everyone in our room plays a huge part in our success." We’re going to the Finals again and have a chance to do something special.” Shesterkin complained but the goal survived a review.

Stamkos Scores Twice, Lightning Beat Rangers 2-1 in Game 6 (NBC New York)

Steven Stamkos scored two goals and the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning are headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year ...

He made some unbelievable saves to keep them in it, but I think I just felt kind of a calming presence because of the group,” Stamkos said. "They found a way to get the big goal at the big time.” They are trying to become the first to win three straight championships since the New York Islanders claimed four in a row from 1980-83. NOTES: The Lightning played again without forward Brayden Point, who’s missed 10 games since suffering a lower-body injury during Tampa Bay’s Game 7 victory over Toronto in the first round. “And the fact that they they have every excuse in the world to not win because nobody would fault them by saying hey, you won one, you won two and to come back and and go for a third. He was the NHL’s leading goal scorer the previous two postseasons. “It was just one of those nights where whether it was the next shift after, whether I scored or someone else scored, it was just a feeling that we were going to get it done.” “I was just confident in our group that we would find a way, whether it was in regulation or was in overtime. But we played well, we battled hard, we had a chance to win all those games," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. “You’re still not at the end of our goal, but in saying that this group is pretty amazing and pretty special.” He gave us a chance to win every night. That was the feeling we had from puck drop.”

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