Every team after a loss grasps onto something positive as it prepares for the next one.
Even facing an 0-2 hole in the Eastern Conference final against the Rangers, the Canadiens did exactly that, buoyed by their inspired play in the 3-1 Game 2 loss in Montreal.
As the Rangers shake off the hangover from their deflating 3-2 overtime loss to Montreal Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, they can continue to take solace in the fact the Canadiens cannot score against their penalty kill.
This much has been certain about the Rangers penalty-killing prowess in these Stanley Cup playoffs: They’ve been good. Real good.
The Rangers have successfully killed 30 of the last 31 opponents’ power plays, spanning the last 11 games. They haven’t allowed a single power play goal in the last eight games.
The last time they went that long in the playoffs without yielding a power-play goal was in 1940 when they went 10 consecutive games. You know what happened in 1940? They won the Stanley Cup.
So through three games against Montreal, the Rangers, who have killed 43-of-50 in the playoffs, have had the Habs’ number — killing all nine of their power plays, including two on Thursday night. One of them came in the first period with the game on the verge of getting out of control when Daniel Carcillo was sent off with a charging penalty and a game misconduct.
“We killed off that penalty and after that our team got going,’’ Rangers winger Carl Hagelin said, who was their best player on the ice, scoring a goal, taking five shots and, as usual, one of their most dependable penalty killers. “We had a lot of chances, a lot of shots. Maybe it should have been more than 1-0 after the first period.’’
There are differing views and theories as to why the Rangers have been so good on the penalty kill — the first of which is pointing directly at their goalie, Henrik Lundqvist, who has been the MVP of the series to date.
But there is more to the penalty kill than Lundqvist, with key figures such as Brian Boyle, Dominic Moore, Derek Stepan and Hagelin consistently clogging the lanes and blocking shots in front and forcing the opposition wide.
“Their penalty kill has been incredible,’’ Canadiens winger and former Ranger Dale Weise said before the game. “It’s led by Lundqvist; he’s their best penalty killer. But they’ve got so many guys that kill, so many goodcentermen that kill with guys like Boyle, who’s a big body, has got a long reach and takes up a lot of the lane.’’
Rangers coach Alain Vigneault called his team’s success on the penalty kill “a combination of the willingness to get in shooting lanes and having good sticks.’
“Penalty killing is four guys on the ice working together with the goaltender, and our guys have done a good job there,’’ he said.
“I think we’re making their penalty kill look good,’’ Canadiens left wing Max Pacioretty said. “We’re not burying our chances.’’