Karlsson leads Senators past Rangers into East finals

It turns out the best defenseman of his generation can win playoff games, too. Chris Kreider restored that hope once again just a minute into the third, after a ridiculous power move to the net. He stopped 37 of 39 saves on the night, allowing Jean-Gabriel Pageau to add an empty-netter in the final minute.

Emotionally drained, that’s what it feels like. The coaching staff put the team in position to fail, and while the players were not outstanding, they also were playing against themselves in a sense as well.

NY outshot Ottawa 15-5 in the third but couldn’t get the equalizer. “The players reloaded emotionally, mentally and physically for (Game 5), and we wanted to do the same in this game”.

The Ottawa Senators pulled off their own Miracle on 34th Street on Tuesday night.

Ottawa very almost took a 2-0 lead with 6:49 left in the period on a Karlsson slapshot from the right wing, but Lundqvist made a dazzling glove save as he fell to the ice. After the Rangers did pump life back in, cutting their deficit to 2-1 in the second period, Karlsson ripped a shot past Henrik Lundqvist-a shot that proved decisive in sending the Rangers into the summer. The goal was his second of the playoffs and his 13th point overall. “They’re going to give it their all”, Burrows said to the Ottawa Sun. Erik Karlsson took the shot from the point, with the tip by Hoffman fooling Henrik Lundqvist and putting a hush to an ecstatic Madison Square Garden.

“Every situation is different”, said defenseman Dan Girardi, a veteran of 121 playoff games with the Rangers since 2007. He took a pass from Mats Zuccarello, skated in and beat Anderson on the glove side into the top right corner. They Rangers had won nine series, second to none.

Game 7 may be the most exciting phrase in sports to a lot of people. NY is in an incredibly hard division with a roster that has an aging defense, no true-blue offensive stars and very little in the way of top prospects coming their way.

Part of that was the Senators smartly trying to expose Lundvqist’s high short side blocker with their limited chances, but they also got goals at the right times, and NY didn’t have the same fortune. But the team wasted each one.

“He makes plays that are a step above everybody – like most superstars do”, Sens winger Mark Stone said. The sixth shot on goal went in. This is on the system, which has been a repetitive issue. We didn’t sit back. That viewpoint has some validity but knee jerk reactions need to be shelved. In addition, Kreider didn’t have a great playoffs, nor did Zibanejad. With veterans Kevin Bieksa and Clayton Stoner sidelined for the final six games against Edmonton, Anaheim used a six-man group with nobody over 26 and averaging just 23.6 years old – the youngest group among the NHL’s 16 playoff teams. I am sure some believe that Lundqvist has to go.

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They must win Game 6 of their playoff series with the Senators or their Stanley Cup dreams are over.

“It’s an emotional and tough loss for everybody”, NY coach Alain Vigneault said. Has his play all of a sudden warranted a prime defensive role over, say, Rick Nash? In a star drive league, the rangers have one, and it’s their goalie, which isn’t enough.

The penalties happened three minutes into the second period and Neil didn’t play another second afterwards. This meant double-shift duty for Marc Staal.

-Oh, and Nick Holden received power-play time.

“I didn’t really change anything”.

Because we are fans, the pain is magnified exponentially. This was the #BeastMode we’ve been looking for. So when it’s really over, all that’s left is the memories along with views on what needs to be done this offseason. And the last thing NY can afford is to waste a dominant Lundqvist performance with a substandard offensive one. It shows that we needed everyone.