The crowds have changed, players have come and gone — the injured and invisible — and momentum has swung a nauseating number of times, but the difference between the Rangers dropping two games in Washington and winning the past two at home has come down to what both teams believed would determine the first round series before it started.
The formula is fairly simple: Win special teams, win Game 5.
“I think penalties, and special teams has been the difference,” Rangers forward Rick Nash said after yesterday’s practice, heading into tonight’s game at Verizon Center. “The first game we took too many penalties. Lately we’ve been staying disciplined and special teams has been winning us games.”
Special teams have decided every game. The Rangers failed to convert on a 5-on-3 advantage in Game 1, failed to take a two-goal lead and failed to win the game. The lone goal in the Capitals’ Game 2 overtime win came on a power play.
In Game 3, the Capitals failed to tie the game with a 6-on-4 power play in the final two minutes, and the Rangers got a go-ahead power play goal at the start of the third period in Game 4 from Dan Girardi.
After the Rangers went 0-for-7 on power plays in the first two games of the series, finding Bigfoot seemed like a better bet than them finding the back of the net. The Blueshirts, however, have scored a power play goal in each of the past two games, and had a third from Brian Boyle come just as one expired in Game 3.
“I think we’re playing a bit more aggressive, we’re on the move more,” forward Carl Hagelin said. “We definitely held on to more pucks, created more chances.”
With center Derick Brassard assisting on Girardi’s goal and scoring the other, coach John Tortorella has found his second unit is no longer his second-best.
“It’s been our best unit,” said Tortorella, discussing the Game 4 goal. “It’s not me playing a hunch or anything like that. They’ve done a really good job with a man up.”
On the other end, the Capitals’ greatest asset hinges on the Rangers biggest strength. The irresistible force must wait out the immovable object.
After giving up two power play goals to the Capitals’ top-ranked power play in the first two games, the Rangers held them scoreless in five opportunities in New York. The biggest difference for the Blueshirts was in limiting their opportunities by returning to the most disciplined team in the league.
After committing six penalties in Game 1, the Rangers’ number of penalties has decreased each game, down to two in Game 4.
The task is tougher tonight, with the Rangers having lost nine of their past 10 playoff games in Washington, but after blowing, and then regaining a two-goal lead in Game 4, Hagelin said he thinks the team can handle any environment or situation at this point.
“I think we showed a lot of character being up 2-0, and then they came back, but we stepped up in third and took over the game the way we wanted,” Hagelin said. “We’re a well-conditioned team, and the more games we play, the better we get. We’ve got a lot of guys who’ve been here before.”