Rangers won’t change their approach for G7
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Game 7s are special and the Rangers know that.
But that doesn’t mean they want to change their approach on Sunday night at a sure-to-be delirious Madison Square Garden after rallying to push their first-round series with the Penguins to the brink with wins in the last two games.
“We’re real excited,” coach Gerard Gallant said after Saturday’s well-attended, optional practice at the MSG Training Center. “Being down 3-1 and battling back to get back to a Game 7 is huge for us. Now, we’ve got to make sure we finish it off tomorrow and play the right way.”
It will be the Rangers’ 16th Game 7 but first since losing the Eastern Conference final to the Lightning at the Garden, 2-0, on May 29, 2015.
The Rangers evened this series with Friday night’s 5-3 win in Pittsburgh. Chris Kreider scored twice, including the winner at 18:32 of the third period, as did linemate Mika Zibanejad while Igor Shesterkin stopped 31 shots.
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby missed Game 6 with a suspected concussion but could return in Game 7. No. 1 goalie Tristan Jarry might also be available after missing the first six games while recovering from a broken foot.
But the Rangers know they must focus on their own play, rather than who they are playing.
“It’s a huge game but I don’t think we should
change anything,” said Alexis Lafreniere, who will play in his first NHL Game 7. “Just get ready and go out there and have fun. I know the building is going to be probably loud.”
“We just need to settle down and get to our game,” said Kreider, who has played in six of the seven Rangers’ Game 7s since joining the team in the 2012 playoffs. “We’ve been doing a better job of that over the last few games and that’s why we’ve had results. There’s not a playoff way to play, or a regular-season way to play. There’s Rangers hockey and that’s all there is. We’ve been treating every game since we’ve been down like it’s a Game 7. It’s been do-or-die for us so nothing changes.”
Well, perhaps some things could change.
For instance, not falling behind by two goals as they did in each of the last two victories.
“It’s worked out for us, so far,” Gallant said. “But I don’t like it.”
The Rangers were able
to start well in splitting the series first two games at the Garden. But their last four first periods have been sluggish, especially in establishing a forecheck or winning puck battles.
“We never want to go down,” Lafreniere said. “But when we’re down, we’re still playing good hockey. You always want to play with the lead and have good starts but it’s something they’re trying to do, too. Try to have the best start we can and play a full 60.”
That the Rangers are still alive in this series speaks to their season-long resiliency.
“It’s going on the whole year and, every time, we’re making good comebacks,” said Artemi Panarin, who has to two goals and four assists in the series. “It’s a good thing. But we have to start, probably, playing in the first period.”
Sunday will mark Panarin’s first NHL Game 7 as well.
And he’s not sure whether he’ll be nervous.