The Rangers, now 5-0 in elimination games, are riding momentum into their first conference finals since 2015.
They’re young, talented, and resilient. They have, arguably, the best goalie in the sport. Although, on that front, I’m not sure anyone outside of Tampa Bay, Florida believes there’s an argument to be had.
On Monday night, they put another Game 7 win on their resume with a 6-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.
And now the Rangers are four wins away from the Stanley Cup Finals.
With their series win, next up is the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lighting in the Eastern Conference Finals.
For the Rangers, the magic number is eight — as in eight wins away from their first Stanley Cup since the magical year of 1994.
And while it’s not smart to count on this bunch to continue coming from behind like this, it’s sure been fun to watch.
In the first round, the Rangers rallied from 3-1 down to beat Pittsburgh in a seven-game series. Then, after falling into a 0-2 hole against Carolina, here come the cardiac kids again.
And now, here we are, ready to see what magic these Rangers have in store for us next.
They have our attention, beginning with their goalie.
Igor Shesterkin, at 26 years old, is as cool as they come when it’s game time. Shesterkin set the tone when he shut down the Hurricanes in the first period. He finished the night stopping 36 of 38 shots.
Watching Shesterkin in front of the net, it’s clear why he’s a finalist for both the Vezina Trophy for the league’s top goalie and Hart Trophy for most valuable player.
They’ll need him again at his best for what’s ahead.
Wednesday night, Tampa Bay projects to bring their A-game to the Garden for Game 1.
Tampa Bay brings championship experience and, also, one of the best goalies in the sport — Andrei Vasilevskiy, to counter the wizardry of Shesterkin.
Taking out Pittsburgh in the first round was impressive. Moreover, taking Carolina down in the second round was eye-opening. This was a team, after all, which played lights-out hockey on their home ice. And the Rangers went into Raleigh, Monday night, took it to the Hurricanes, and rolled out with as impressive a Game 7 victory as it gets.
But they’ll need to be at their very best to hold off the Lighting.
This includes their continued excellence on the power play.
Carolina is kicking themselves right now from too many mental errors in the opening minutes of Game 7. Therefore, the Rangers must continue capitalizing on their opponents mistakes.
Be that as it may, let’s put the strategy aside here. There’s a feeling of excitement in the air circling this team’s push through the playoffs.
The hashtag for the Rangers is “No Quit in NY”, and they’ve played up to that motto. Their resiliency has them four wins away from a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals.
“Backs against the wall five times now,” Adam Fox said after eliminating Carolina, “and we’ve come through all five.”
“You’ve got to pay a price to win games in this league, especially against real good teams like that,” head coach Gerard Gallant said. “I love the way our guys are competing and battling. I’ve said 100 times this year, we’re not perfect, but we find ways to win.”
The 1994 team had a similar feeling. They were also well-coached, with young talent, plenty of fight, and a brilliant goalie.
That was a special team with Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Adam Graves, Sergei Zubov, and Mike Richter on it.
These current Rangers are just as exciting to watch. They’re postseason run has caught our attention.
Shesterkin vs Vasilevskiy will headline the star power in this series, but the Rangers know they need to take some of the weight off their goalie.
The Rangers need Fox, Chris Krieder, Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and their “Kid Line” to all bring their A-game.
Game 1, Wednesday night, Madison Square Garden, Eastern Conference Finals — there’s no sound in sports like the playoffs inside the Garden.
Just as I advised the casual boxing fan checking out Gervonta Davis this past weekend…
This is for the casual sports fan. If you’re checking out hockey for the first time or not familiar with the names on the back of the blue jerseys. Give this team a watch.
There’s an excitement in the air right now with the New York Rangers, they’re worth the watch.
Anthony Rushing is on Twitter @TonyRushingNY
Baseline Sports NY is on Twitter @Baseline_NY
