New York Rangers To Face New Jersey Devils in Conference Finals
The New York Rangers have defeated the Washington Capitals by the score of 2-1 in the 7th and final game of the Eastern Conference semi-finals and will advance to the Eastern Conference finals to face the New Jersey Devils.
The big picture of how this series has gone leading up to the 7th and final game, is that each team has alternated wins and losses since the Rangers won in Game #1. Every game has been a one goal contest and no team has recorded more than three goals in a single game.
During the first period of this enduring physical match-up, Brad Richards and the New York Rangers scored the first and most important goal of the game 1:32 into the first period. During the rest of the first period, throughout the second period and the first 10 minutes of the third period, this winner takes all game consisted of great physical play, solid defense and one penalty.
All in all making this game where you cannot afford a mistake and that is what happened 10:05 into the third period of play. Where Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto got a shot off between the face-off dots to put his team up 2-0. But 38 seconds later, the Capitals did not waste time when veteran Roman Hamrlik was able to wrist in a shot from the same position Del Zotto scored his goal. A couple minutes later the Capitals got their first power-play opportunity, when Ruslan Fedotenko went to the box, but the Capitals could not capitalize on this opportunity to tie up the game.
In the end the Capitals certainly made a valiant effort in the remaining minutes and seconds to tie up the game. But when the New York Rangers have the likes of Henrik Lundqvist in net, along with a solid defense; two huge reasons why this team won the 1st seed in the Eastern Conference during the regular season, the Rangers were too much for the Capitals.
Lundqvist finished the game saving 21 of 22 shots, while Braden Holtby saved 29 of 31 shots.
The New York Rangers will play Game #1 against the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden’s this Monday night.
My personal opinion of this game is that I have definitely seen more exciting game 7′s than this one and yes more goals makes the game more exciting. All in all, the first couple minutes was fast paced and Richards being doubled shifted early in the game proved to be a great decision in the end. I feel that the New York Rangers played a better physical game and with their Vesina Trophy goalie in net, along with being on home ice, I think the odds were in the Rangers’ favor from the get go.
Rant Sports Toronto Maple Leafs Feature Writer
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