Brassard proves again to be thorn in Penguins’ side
Even Rangers center Derick Brassard admits he doesn’t totally understand the reasoning behind it.
Whether it’s matchups, heightened emotions or luck, the cause doesn’t ultimately matter. All that does is his consistent ability to score against the Penguins, especially in the playoffs.
Brassard has seven career postseason goals against the Penguins the past two seasons. He had four in the Rangers’ 4-3 series win a year ago in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and his tying goal in the second period Wednesday was his third this year.
“I have no idea,” he said. “I guess I’m just trying to enjoy the moment. It’s playoff hockey. I’m playing with a lot emotion.”
If you add in the regular season, Brassard has 21 career points (12 goals, nine assists) in 21 career games against the Penguins.
The postseason scores have come at crucial times. A year ago, Brassard scored winning goals against the Penguins in Games 1 and 5, and his Game 6 goal gave the Rangers a two-goal lead that ensured a decisive Game 7.
This year, Brassard opened the scoring in the series to give his team a 1-0 lead just 28 seconds into Game 1. Wednesday night, he netted a tying goal that sparked some much-needed momentum, en route to a 2-1 overtime win and commanding 3-1 series lead.
“I think we needed that goal,” Rangers forward Carl Hagelin said. “We started playing better and better, but if you don’t get the goal, it can be frustrating. We got that goal and then after that we looked like a team with a lot of confidence, a lot of jump.”
Hagelin believes there is something to be said for one player’s consistent success against a specific team.
“I think there’s definitely some guys that score more against certain teams,” he said. “It was good to see [Brassard] score again.”
Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said the productivity is just a byproduct of Brassard’s improvement.
“His knowledge of the game has really improved,” Vigneault said this week. “His confidence, he’s going up against all the top lines in the league, and he’s doing a real good job for us. We needed that evolution and we got it.”
Brassard’s goal Wednesday night wasn’t a typical goal-scorer’s goal, either. He found himself in the right place at the right time as the puck bounced around MarcAndre Fleury’s crease, and slammed it past Fleury’s pads to tie the score, 1-1, at 17:15 of the second period.
“We didn’t really generate that much offensively, and Rick [Nash] just threw the puck at the net,” Brassard said. “I was just in front of the net with Martin [St. Louis]. I think the first shot on my backhand hit the post, and then I stuck with it and we were trying to get back in the game and that was a big goal.”