The Rangers will be forced to play Game 7 against the Caps tomorrow night in Washington without key penalty killer Blair Betts. According to Game 6 replacement coach Jim Schoenfeld, Bettts “was hurt significantly,” by an uncalled open ice elbow to the head delivered by Donald Brashear at 9:54 of the first period of yesterday’s Game 6, 5-3 defeat to the Caps at the Garden.
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“I didn’t see it at the time, [but] I saw it on replay and it was a late hit to the head. It was pretty vicious,” Schoenfeld said of the blow that was delivered in the neutral zone that was somehow missed by the entire officiating crew that included notoriously incompetent referee Bill McCreary.
“[Brashear] is a big, strong guy, and Bettsy didn’t see him coming. It was a late head to the head, the league will look at it and make their own ruling.”
It would seem inconceivable that Brashear — who also confronted Colton Orr during the pre-game warmup — escape a suspension, but that will not placate the Rangers, who should have been awarded a five-minute power play for the attack. Not only did they get nothing with the score at the time 1-1, but adding insult to injury, they then yielded two power play goals without their best penalty killer.
NHL VP Colin Campbell is also expected to review a scrum between Brandon Dubinsky and Shaone Morrisonn at 15:03 of the second period, with the Rangers charging that the Washington defenseman bit their centerman.
“Dubinsky had to get a tetanus shot because he was bit in the arm,” Schoenfeld said. “I don’t know what effect that will have on him, so his status [for Game 7] will remain in question.
“Morrisonn [bit him]. As he was trying to show it to the linesman, instead of looking he gave him a 10-minute misconduct.”
If Campbell can verify the Rangers’ claim, Morrisonn, who partners with Mike Green on the Caps’ top defense pair, is likely to be suspended. Ottawa’s Jarkko Ruutu was given a two-game suspension in January for biting Buffalo’s Andrew Peters’ finger during a scuffle.
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Sean Avery returned to the lineup after his one-game timeout. Though he made a strong play to set up the Scott Gomez first period power play goal that tied the score 1-1, the winger was decidedly passive over the final two periods, looking more like the post-lobotomy R.P. McMurphy than himself. Even if there’s no safety net, Avery will need to walk the high wire tomorrow night.
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Marc Staal had a dreadful afternoon with partner Dan Girardi only slightly better Ryan Callahan, by leaps and bounds the Rangers’ best player in the series other than Henrik Lundqvist, had another outstanding game that included a goal. Nikolai Zherdev remained scoreless for the series and Nik Antropov remained in the invisible state he’s inhabited since scoring in Game 1 Markus Naslund struggled and so did Derek Morris Colton Orr was scratched.
Rangers’ public relations representative cut off interviews with Henrik Lundqvist before print reporters were able to speak to the netminder, who was pulled from consecutive games for the first time in his career. But the King told Swedish reporters that he was very disappointed in himself and wanted to play the third period rather than watching it from the bench, according to Afonbladet correspondent Per Bjurman.
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Blueshirts, who have never lost a best-of-seven series after leading 3-1, last played a Game 7 in the 1994 Finals against Vancouver after allowing a 3-1 lead to evaporate. .Ñ.Ñ. This marks fifth time since lockout that a team has rallied from 3-1 down to force a Game 7. Not one of those teams has prevailed, including the Caps, who lost in first round Game 7 overtime at home last year to the Flyers after winning Games 6 and 7.