Rangers vs. Sharks Recap 3/28/2017

The New York Rangers fall to the San Jose Sharks 5-4 in OT, but the Rangers clinch a birth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 7th Consecutive season.

The New York Rangers started this game acting like they had no intention of clinching…or even making the playoffs for that matter. The San Jose Sharks quickly took a 1-0 lead less than 2 minutes into the game. Coming into the game, I was personally saying how this game seemed like it would be a disaster for the Rangers because the Sharks have been struggling (6 game losing streak) and we all know how much the Rangers love to give struggling teams the chance to break out of slumps. The start of this game was nothing short of that. The Blueshirts seemed to drag their feet all through the opening period but they gave some hope back to people watching when JT Miller scored to tie it at 1 with 6:30 left in the frame. However, this only lasts about 5 minutes when SJ took a 2-1 lead with a short-handed goal. Just like that, the NYR have given up short-handed goals in back to back games which is a big problem especially this close to playoff time.

The 2nd period was no picnic for the Rangers either as the Sharks were swarming just as they were in the 1st. It almost seemed like the Rangers forgot there was a game going on and they were just on autopilot. San Jose took a 3-1 lead (lol 3-1 leads) at 11:38 of the period and it seemed to be very bleak for our team from Broadway. However right before the end of the period, the bald eagle himself, scored a powerplay goal after a series of video game-like, tic-tac-toe passes. There was some life left in the boys!

I don’t know what was said in the locker room during the 2nd intermission but I wish I could’ve been a fly on the wall. From the moment the puck dropped to start the 3rd…it was like a brand new team put on the white sweaters for New York. They were SWARMING the Sharks at every chance…every loose puck was New York’s in the end. Only 1:24 into the period, Jesper Fast tipped in Brady Skjei’s shot from the point and it was finally tied again since the game was 1-1 (yes cue the “blew a 3-1 lead” jokes). JT Miller looked like a man possessed and he netted another powerplay goal to give the Rangers the 4-3 lead (Note that the Rangers goal 2, 3, and 4 came within a 5:07 frame). This lead lasted up until 2:15 left in regulation when Tierney scored in a scramble around the crease. Just like that…this game was going to OT.

In the extra frame…both teams had some golden 3v3 chances, but Nick Holden took a penalty for holding the stick about midway through the 5 minutes. The Rangers were able to clear the puck once and Grabner even had a short-handed chance…but in the end offensive juggernaut Brent Burns scored the OT winner.

Postgame Interviews

New York Rangers (46-26-5)		4	vs.	5	San Jose Sharks (43-26-7)
28		Shots			35
2/3		Power Play			1/2
42.1%		Faceoff%			57.9%
Miller: 2 Goals (22) PPG Puempel: Assist Stepan: Goal (16) Zuccarello: Assist Skjei: 3 Assists Fast: Goal (6) Hayes: 2 Assists Lundqvist: 30 Saves				Hansen: Goal (7) Hertl: Assist Boedker: 2 Assists Karlsson: Goal (10) SHG Vlasic: Assist Braun: Assist Tierney: 2 Goals (9) UN Hansen: Assist Burns: Goal (28) OT PPG Pavelski: Assist Marleau: Assist Jones: 24 Saves
Third Star: J.T. Miller Second Star: Chris Tierney First Star: Brent Burns

Author: @BenR_Experience via Twitter