Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Rangers had scored one goal in their first-two playoff games against the Washington Capitals. The crowd was beginning to grow uneasy and then the Rangers awoke.
Brian Boyle, Derick Brassard, Arron Asham and Derek Stepan all scored goals in the Rangers 4-3 win over the Capitals on Monday night. The Rangers were in desperate need of a spark and the depth players provided scoring for the team.
Boyle has struggled scoring all season but scored a big goal that got the crowd back into the game. Boyle has proven he can score in the playoffs. If you remember last year, he scored three goals in the Rangers first-round series against the Ottawa Senators. If Boyle can continue to provide offense, the Rangers will have a nice fourth line center to rely on.
The Rangers best offensive player was Brassard. He recorded a goal and two assists. Being a spark plug, he has provided more depth scoring for the Rangers down the stretch. He had the Rangers first power play goal of the playoffs, which is an area he has helped tremendously with.
The most shocking player to get a goal for the Rangers was Asham. Known for his fighting, he can have the occasional snipe. He received a beautiful pass from Brassard and buried it top shelf past Braden Holtby. While no one is expecting Asham to contribute offensively it was a huge goal and spark for a struggling Rangers offense.
Stepan, who has been the most consistent Rangers forward, scored the game-winning goal. Stepan tipped in a bad angle shot from Rick Nash. Stepan played a great game offensively and got rewarded for going to the dirty areas of the ice. He is going to be a huge piece moving forward for this Rangers team.
The Rangers still need more scoring from their top guns but if they can continue to get quality depth scoring they will be a dangerous matchup for any team in playoffs.
