ALL EVEN: Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist looks upset as the Senators celebrate Milan Michalek’s game-tying goal in the second period of Game 4 last night in Ottawa. The Rangers eventually lost, 3-2 in overtime, to even the series at 2-2. (Getty Images)
ALL EVEN: Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist looks upset as the Senators celebrate Milan Michalek’s game-tying goal in the second period of Game 4 last night in Ottawa. The Rangers eventually lost, 3-2 in overtime, to even the series at 2-2. (Getty Images)
KANATA, Ont. — The Rangers took pride all season in their ability to maintain their discipline and put away opponents when they had them down.
But not last night, and not again in this opening round — oh yes, again — against the Senators in a series that has been distilled to a best-of-three. The series swings back to Broadway for Saturday night’s Game 5 tied at 2-apiece in the wake of last night’s Senators’ 3-2 overtime victory on Kyle Turris’ wicked left circle drive at 2:42 that rocketed over Henrik Lundqvist’s glove into the far corner.
It was the Rangers’ seventh straight playoff overtime defeat dating back to the second round of 2007.
“I don’t think we let this one get away so much as [Game 2],” Ryan Callahan said after the Rangers were unable to build on or ultimately hold any of last night’s 2-0 lead they gained on a pair of power-play goals in the match’s first 6:10. “If there’s one thing we need to focus on, it’s staying out of the box, because they have too good of a power play.”
Game 2 was the one that Chris Neil won at 1:03 of overtime for the Senators at the Garden on Saturday after Nick Foligno had tied it with 4:37 remaining in regulation.
“We have to win in overtime in the playoffs,” Marc Staal told The Post. “I thought we played pretty well except that we took too many penalties in the second that allowed them to build momentum.
“But we need to find a way to win in overtime. That’s what it comes down to.”
Brad Richards said both teams were given notice prior to the game that the game would be tightly called by the referees. Eric Furlatt and Francois St-Laurent were true to their word, giving the Rangers seven power plays to the Senators’ five, but three in the second period allowed Ottawa to seize enough control to score twice and tie the score.
“I think both teams were warned and I’m sure the whole league was warned with what’s gone on,” said Richards, who had eight shots and whose rebounds were converted by Anton Stralman at 0:49 and Callahan at 6:10 to propel the Rangers into the lead. “It was a [well] called game.”
The calls in the second were on Ryan McDonagh for high-sticking the electric and effective Erik Karlsson at 1:21; Stu Bickel for holding Chris Neil’s stick during a scramble at 8:11; and, the killer, Artem Anisimov for hooking Jason Spezza in the neutral zone at 16:48 with the Rangers up 2-1.
“We were playing with fire taking a couple of stupid penalties, Artie’s especially,” coach John Tortorella said. “It comes back to bite you.”
It came back to erase the Rangers’ lead when Sergei Gonchar was able to blow a 50-footer through Lundqvist at 17:50.
“We made it a little bit harder on ourselves by taking those penalties in the second,” Lundqvist said. “They got confidence from going on the power play and moving the puck, and they built their game from there.”
The turning point came just at the end of a Rangers’ power play that followed the kill on McDonagh’s penalty, when Craig Anderson made a gorgeous stop on Staal from the slot — the team’s first shot in 13:27 — only to have Jason Spezza pounce on the puck behind the net and fling a headman to Matt Carkner coming out of the box to launch a two-on-one on which Milan Michalek scored to make it 2-1 at 7:04.
Similarly, Anderson made a big stop on Mike Rupp a shift before Turris sent the Rangers and Lundqvist to another OT defeat.
“Yes and no,” said The King, 1-7 lifetime in playoff OT, when asked if he were aware of the string of losses. “I just know we’ve lost two for two now and have to get better at it.”
larry.brooks@nypost.com