Rangers win with physical game
by ANGIE CARDUCCI, Inside Hockey
Down three games to none and desperate to avoid the embarrassment of a sweep on home ice, New York came out physical, throwing 15 hits in the first period. And although the Rangers took two penalties in the opening frame, their tenacious defense and penalty kill aggressively cleared out pucks, impeded the Penguins' chances to get into the offensive zone and frustrated Pittsburgh's attack. The Rangers came hard at the Penguins' net, firing 33 shots at goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, and their power play, previously 1-for-14 in the series, finally found some success. New York converted two of seven chances with the man-advantage, including one on a nice play from rookie Brandon Dubinsky, who recovered the puck after being knocked down, patiently held on until Fleury committed, then shot it into the open net on the goalie's stick side.
Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist was outstanding and singlehandedly stole prime scoring opportunities from the Penguins throughout the night, earning 29 saves, his second career playoff shutout and the game's first star. And for the second consecutive game, Jaromir Jagr dispelled any doubts about his passion or leadership as he put on a dominant performance with the hope of salvaging his team's playoff life. In Game 3, the Rangers captain had fired 10 shots; in Game 4, he figured in on all three goals, scoring two and assisting on the other.
Why the Penguins lost: The Penguins had gone 7-0 to start the playoffs, but that run ended in Game 4. Pittsburgh had its chances to score early in the game, particularly from the line of Sidney Crosby, Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis, but every opportunity was blocked by the Rangers' defenders and Lundqvist. The longer the game went scoreless, the more it seemed to favor New York, which preferred a lower-scoring, defensive battle. Late in the game, coach Michel Therrien put his three biggest threats — Crosby, Hossa and Evgeni Malkin — together in a desperate attempt to generate some offense, but the Penguins still came up empty.
Pittsburgh's best opportunity of the game may have come at 17:53 of the second period, when Malkin came in on a breakaway from just inside the center line. Rangers blueliner Dan Girardi had broken his stick and instead defended Malkin with a push from behind, which sent the big center hard into the net and Lundqvist. A penalty shot was awarded, but Malkin's slow-motion move didn't get much on the Rangers' goalie, who made an easy stop.
Fleury turned in another strong performance for the Penguins, stopping 31 of the 33 shots he faced, and his defense again made a substantial contribution, blocking 20 shots. But the Penguins' lack of discipline cost them; with seven chances, even the Rangers' previously sputtering power play was bound to convert eventually. Dubinsky's goal with the man-advantage, just 44 seconds into the third, was crucial as it gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead, and that was all New York and Lundqvist needed to shut the door the rest of the way.
Play of the game: With both teams scoreless well into the second period, some serious momentum was up for grabs with the first goal of the game. And it was Jagr who scored it at 12:45 of the second, barreling to the front of the net and getting off the shot just as he was leveled by Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik. The big man went down hard, laying face-down on the ice for several moments after the goal, and was eventually helped to the bench by the Rangers' medical staff. The New York captain's willingness to take a big hit to make the play exemplified his team's desire, and he returned to the ice a few minutes later without missing a single shift.
What's next: Did the Rangers simply ward off the inevitable, or can they get back into this series? Now down three games to one, New York has earned the right to return to Pittsburgh for Game 5 on Sunday afternoon.
That contest will be a big test for the Rangers, as the Penguins' offensive attack will be difficult to contain for two consecutive games, especially on Pittsburgh's home ice. The Rangers will need to play with discipline, continue to get strong work from their special teams, and get another outstanding game from Lundqvist. They'll also need to sustain a total team effort, as players step up to fill big gaps created by injuries to Sean Avery (lacerated spleen), Blair Betts (fractured orbital bone) and Chris Drury (torso injury). Although Drury played in Game 4 and logged 20 minutes of ice time, he's not near 100 percent.
Game 5 may be an even bigger test of the young Penguins' character. Prior to Game 4, they had trailed for only about 30 minutes in all of these playoffs, and this first loss constitutes the most significant adversity they've faced thus far. The Penguins' offense will need to pressure the Rangers into defensive breakdowns, and they'd be well advised to make things easier on themselves and Fleury by limiting the number of power plays they allow — at least two of Pittsburgh's most important shot blockers are nursing foot injuries, with Max Talbot's break keeping him out indefinitely and Rob Scuderi playing through pain. Fleury hasn't been on the losing side of things often since returning from injury in late February, and must shake off the setback and approach Game 5 with confidence. The Penguins will be hungry to close out the series on Sunday, and not allow the Rangers to gain additional momentum and send the series back to Manhattan.
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