The Peerless Prognosticator is ON THE AIR!!!
The Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers take up their Eastern
Conference Quarterfinal matchup on Monday night in Madison Square Garden. The Caps held onto their home-ice advantage
with a pair of wins in Washington, and now the Rangers look to do the same
starting with Game 3 in Manhattan.
It is early, this series being two games in, but already there are a
couple of things the Caps have done that are contrary to type as reflected in
the regular season:
-- The Caps allowed 32.3 shots per game to opponents in the regular
season. They have allowed only 60 shots
total (30.0/game) in the first two games, one of which went to overtime with
the Caps allowing only 24 shots in 68 minutes.
-- The Caps finished 27th in the league in penalty killing
in the regular season (77.9 percent), but they have killed off all seven of the
Rangers’ power play chances so far.
Moreover, the Caps have held the Rangers to 10 shots on goal in 13:04 of
power play time, only one of those power play shots coming off the stick of
Rick Nash. Over their last 11 games
dating back to April 9th, the Caps are 24-for-27 on the penalty kill
(88.9 percent).
Meanwhile…
-- Henrik Lundqvist is tied for sixth among playoff goalies with a .941
save percentage but does not have a win to show for it. That is because Braden Holtby is 2-0, 0.47,
.983, with one shutout. In nine career
playoff games against the Rangers, Holtby is 5-4, 1.60, .941, with one shutout.
Something to watch for…
Ryan Callahan has been on the ice for three of the four goals scored by
the Caps in the series so far. In the
Game 1 pre-game review we noted that his aggression in penalty killing left a
hole in the Ranger defense that Alex Ovechkin took advantage of to score a power
play goal. It happened again in overtime
in Game 2:
With Ryan McDonagh in the penalty box for a delay-of-game penalty, the
Rangers look to have their diamond penalty killing formation in good shape
against the Caps’ 1-3-1 power play. Mike
Ribeiro is along the right wing wall, but the Rangers are tight and collapsed
in the middle with Callahan at the top of the formation, John Moore marking
Troy Brouwer, and Derek Stepan keeping an eye on Alex Ovechkin in the left wing
circle…
Ribeiro now establishes himself at the wall, looking over his
options. Callahan has drifted to
Ribeiro’s side of the ice, cutting off a potential skip pass to Ovechkin
through the middle. Moore had edged out
to close the shooting lane Ribeiro has…
Ribeiro forces the play at this point, stepping in and winding up for a
slap shot. Moore has the shooting lane
covered, but Callahan begins to slide across to try and block the shot Ribeiro
is indicating. This has the effect of
collapsing the top of the Rangers’ diamond, opening lanes to move the puck to
Mike Green at the top of the zone or (a more risky play) to send the puck
across to Ovechkin in the left wing circle…
Callahan slides across Ribeiro’s shot line in front of Moore. At this point the Ranger penalty killing
formation has completely broken down, leaving Mike Green open at the top of the
offensive zone for a one-timer or Ovechkin at the top of the left-wing circle
for the same. Derek Stepan is now in the
unenviable position of having three players to defend – Brouwer at the hash
marks at the edge of the right-wing center, Green, and Ovechkin. He is going to have to make a choice…
Callahan and Moore are essentially out of the play in this moment. Moore’s responsibility in covering Ribeiro
was fulfilled, but there is no Ranger at the top of the diamond – that was
Callahan’s responsibility, and he is behind Ribeiro at this point. Green has an unimpeded path for his one
timer, except for Stepan, who is too far away to improve his shot blocking
chances. And, the Caps have numbers for
any rebound – Ovechkin all alone on the left wing, and Brouwer, who could turn
in the direction he is already leaning for a short rebound near the crease…
It might have ended differently for the Rangers but for the fact that
Stepan could not close the distance with Green.
He got close enough to deflect the shot upward just enough for it to
sail over Lundqvist’s glove…
…Game over…Green.
This will be something to watch as this series unfolds. The Caps have been very patient on their
power play. The Rangers have a penalty killing style
that tends to aggressively pressure the puck.
Ryan Callahan has been particularly noticeable in this regard. Can the Caps take advantage of Callahan as the series moves forward?
On the answer to that question this game – and this series – might turn.
Capitals 2 – Rangers 1
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