The Rangers weren’t fast enough, weren’t tough enough, weren’t sharp enough and weren’t engaged enough for a conference finals opener. The Panthers were everything the Blueshirts weren’t in Wednesday’s 3-0 game at the Garden.
All that threat talk leading up to the Puddy Tats and it turns out Florida’s physicality showed up in puck battles and territorial battles. The Puddy Tats took advantage of the Rangers’ sloppiness to possess the puck during time changes below the hash marks.
There were times when the Blueshirts were like the kid in the schoolyard who had his hat stolen and was desperately trying to intercept it while the bullies threw it over his head.
The game was 1-0 in 39:46 from the time Matthew Tkachuk beat Igor Shesterkin from the left circle at 16:26 of the first period until Alexis Lafrenière inadvertently deflected a pass from Carter Verhaeghe past his own goalie for 2-0 at 16:12 of the third period, but it never really looked like the game was in the balance.
Losing the first game of a best-of-seven is no reason to panic, even at home. The Panthers lost the first game of their second-round series to the Bruins and recovered to win three straight and close the series in six. There is forgiveness for losing a first match. There is forgiveness for the Rangers who fall behind in a series for the first time in this tournament.
But you know what was a little strange? Head coach Peter Laviolette, who has talked about the importance of being able to play four lines in Matt Rempe’s dressing decisions, would fall into this one using about five forwards for the third period.
Laviolette had a full complement of players to choose from to dress for the first time since Filip Chytil was knocked out for the regular season count on Nov. 2 in the team’s 10th game. The center returned for Game 3 of the Carolina series after a 188-day absence related to his convalescence recovery, but then contracted an illness and reported soreness that sidelined him for the rest of the second round.
No. 72 was available for this one. So has Blake Wheeler, who has been sidelined since suffering a gruesome leg injury on February 15th. Matt Rempe and Jonny Brodzinski were also healthy options for Laviolette.
The coach left with Chytil. There is no world in which the best Rangers lineup, the one with the most speed, skill and creativity, would not include Chytil. Of course, #72 was there and he was back on the left with Alex Wennberg in the middle and Kaapo Kakko on the right, the same Raleigh unit.
Of course, Chytil was up for this one.
Chytil didn’t get on the ice between 4:22 of the third period and 18:53, 12 seconds after an empty net sealed it, and was nailed by Niko Mikkola on his final shift. He got three shifts worth 2:38 in third and a total of 9:17. It was weird, although there was a brief shining moment in Kids Line where Chytil skated with Lafrenière and Kaapo Kakko.
“Fil was fine, it was just the way the game ended there, the timeouts, the (long video review of a canceled Panthers goal),” Laviolette said. “We had new players coming in all the time, so we ended up doubling up on our guys a little bit to try to achieve that goal.”
Follow The Post’s coverage of the Rangers in the NHL playoffs
Chytil actually got a change on the right with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, who were both cold in this one. Artemi Panarin has doubled a bit, just like Lafrenière. Roslovic, Kakko, Wennberg, Jimmy Vesey and Barclay Goodrow were missed, as was Will Cuylle.
It’s not about one player or one line. The power play had two chances and couldn’t crack the code. The top guys seemed a step and a thought late. The Rangers weren’t fast enough. The Rangers were not assertive enough.
If Chytil is out too long to be considered a difference maker in a 1-0 game against and if Laviolette won’t play the fourth line in that scenario, then the Blueshirts might need the energy of Matt Rempe for the Game 2 on Friday against a team that had this one buttoned up from start to finish. A little chaos might help.
Alternatively, I wouldn’t be shocked if Wheeler replaces Roslovic in the lineup and on the line with Kreider and Zibanejad. Roslovic’s game is based on IQ and subtlety. Wheeler, at 6-foot-5, the Rangers aren’t going to beat the Panthers by being subtle.
For so long, Laviolette had few decisions to make regarding his roster.
He probably has some now.
New York Post
