We collect cookies to analyze our website traffic and performance; we never collect any personal data. Cookie Policy
Accept
NEW YORK DAWN™NEW YORK DAWN™NEW YORK DAWN™
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • Trending
  • New York
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
  • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Art
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Reading: Suddenly, Rangers Look More Like Their Regular Season Selves
Share
Font ResizerAa
NEW YORK DAWN™NEW YORK DAWN™
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • New York
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
  • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Art
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Follow US
NEW YORK DAWN™ > Blog > Sports > Suddenly, Rangers Look More Like Their Regular Season Selves
Suddenly, Rangers Look More Like Their Regular Season Selves
Sports

Suddenly, Rangers Look More Like Their Regular Season Selves

Last updated: May 6, 2022 3:07 am
Editorial Board Published May 6, 2022
Share
SHARE
06nhl playoffs1 facebookJumbo

The New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins would have been hard-pressed to repeat the drama of the opening game of their playoff series, which the Penguins won in triple overtime.

The division rivals battled again on Thursday, only this time, the younger Rangers held off the more experienced Penguins despite the efforts of their endlessly creative star center, Sidney Crosby.

After 106 minutes of hockey on Tuesday, the question was whether the Rangers — and particularly their goalie, Igor Shesterkin, who had stopped 79 shots — would bounce back. After an uneven start, Shesterkin and the Rangers found their footing in the second period and went on to win, 5-2, in convincing fashion.

“It was a good first step in the right direction,” said Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin, who scored a goal and had two assists.

The victory evened the best-of-seven series, which now moves to Pittsburgh for Game 3 on Saturday and Game 4 on Monday. It also keeps the youthful Rangers, who returned to the playoffs for the first time in five seasons after amassing 108 points in the regular season, in the hunt for the Stanley Cup.

That’s good news for the N.H.L., which thrives when its older clubs are winning.

Since the playoff brackets were finalized last week, the top-selling merchandise on Fanatics, the largest online seller of licensed sporting goods, belonged to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Rangers and Boston Bruins, all “Original Six” teams.

For the entire regular season, the top four best selling teams were the Seattle Kraken (who made their debut in 2021), the Bruins, Maple Leafs and Rangers. The Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins took the next two spots.

Sales of Rangers merchandise jumped 190 percent compared with last season, Fanatics said.

“Nothing against the Flames or teams in the Southeast, but that original group of teams is still pretty darn strong,” said Andy Dolich, a longtime marketing executive with the Oakland A’s, San Francisco 49ers and Memphis Grizzlies, who sold season tickets for the Washington Capitals in the 1970s just after they joined the N.H.L.

The league’s oldest teams have also bolstered television viewership. The number of people tuning into the first eight games of the playoffs on ESPN and ESPN2 this week was 15 percent higher than the first two nights of the playoffs in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic.

On Monday, the first night of the playoffs, the most-viewed game was the Boston Bruins-Carolina Hurricanes matchup. On Tuesday, the Penguins-Rangers triple-overtime game was the most-watched opening playoff game on cable television since 1994, according to ESPN.

“There’s equal passion across all 32 teams, but quality and quantity are two different things,” said Emily Kaplan, who covers the N.H.L. for the network. “The equity the original six teams have built is hard to touch.”

The Rangers were hard to touch during the second half on Thursday.

They struck first less than seven minutes in when Panarin, their best passer, held the puck in the left slot and waited until he could find Andrew Copp, who fired the puck past Penguins goalie Louis Domingue, who was screened by Ryan Strome.

Two minutes later, Crosby stole the puck from Panarin at center ice, skated into the offensive zone and lost the puck, but it found its way to Jacob Guentzel, who shot it past Shesterkin.

For the first 20 minutes, the Rangers looked like the more exhausted team — particularly Shesterkin, who was unable to control many shots, creating second chances for the Penguins.

But the Rangers found their rhythm after the Penguins were called for a penalty a minute into the second period. The Rangers had the fourth best power play during the regular season, but they had only one man-advantage opportunity on Tuesday.

“It was about time” the Penguins were called for a penalty, Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said after the game.

With seconds left on the penalty, Strome tipped in a shot that Panarin fired toward the net. That seemed to energize the Rangers. About 12 minutes into the second period, Chris Kreider, who scored 52 goals during the regular season, redirected a shot by Frank Vatrano into the net.

But Crosby showed again why he remains one of the best players in the game. With 90 seconds left in the period, he carried the puck from deep in the Penguins’ defensive zone to the Rangers’ end of the ice, much of it with Rangers defenseman Justin Braun in close pursuit. Crosby passed the puck to Bryan Rust, who shot; Crosby scooped up the rebound and put it in the net.

“Overall, we contained him a little bit, but he’s a great player,” Gallant said of his team’s defense against Crosby, who had a goal and an assist.

The Rangers put the game away eight minutes into the third period, when Panarin skated behind the Penguins’ net and tossed the puck into the goal crease, where it hit the skate of Penguins defenseman Mike Matheson and bounced into the net.

Panarin said he was trying to pass the puck to defenseman Jacob Trouba.

Less than two minutes later, Vatrano raced down the right, eluding Matheson, and shot the puck over the right shoulder of Domingue for a 5-2 lead.

Domingue was the hero for the Penguins on Tuesday, entering the game in the second overtime and stopping all 17 shots he faced. On Thursday, making his first start in the playoffs, he was unable to hold back the faster Rangers.

You Might Also Like

Mets pocket book: Paul Blackburn, Frankie Montas, and dealing with the Dodgers lineup

Ex-Mavs coach Carlisle on Jalen Brunson: ‘Don’t know many individuals would have predicted this’

‘I don’t even know the place it’s, however I gotta go’: Knicks react to NYC avenue indicators

As soon as a Knicks lottery choose, Obi Toppin has discovered a house with the Pacers

Jets gamers are shopping for into Aaron Glenn’s new tradition change

TAGGED:Crosby, SidneyHockey, IceKreider, ChrisNational Hockey LeagueNew York RangersPanarin, Artemi (1991- )Pittsburgh PenguinsShesterkin, Igor (1995- )Stanley CupStrome, Ryan (1993- )The Washington Mail
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print

Follow US

Find US on Social Medias
FacebookLike
TwitterFollow
YoutubeSubscribe
TelegramFollow
Popular News
Publicity to air air pollution might hurt mind well being of older adults, research suggests
Health

Publicity to air air pollution might hurt mind well being of older adults, research suggests

Editorial Board April 7, 2025
Artwork World Dos and Don’ts for 2025
Shaq’s OGs win the first NBA All-Star mini-tournament, topping Chuck’s International Stars 41-25 within the closing
Quarterback pedigree in NFL’s Divisional Spherical a reminder of place’s premium
China’s Covid Lockdowns Set to Further Disrupt Global Supply Chains

You Might Also Like

Abdul Carter, Jalin Hyatt, Russell Wilson, Jaxson Dart on radar as Giants put together for OTAs
Sports

Abdul Carter, Jalin Hyatt, Russell Wilson, Jaxson Dart on radar as Giants put together for OTAs

May 23, 2025
Ian Hamilton has been an exception in Yankees’ thriving bullpen
Sports

Ian Hamilton has been an exception in Yankees’ thriving bullpen

May 23, 2025
Knicks should embrace the insanity on the Backyard
Sports

Knicks should embrace the insanity on the Backyard

May 23, 2025
Jets DT Quinnen Williams exhibits maturity after ‘immature’ tweet following Aaron Rodgers’ launch
Sports

Jets DT Quinnen Williams exhibits maturity after ‘immature’ tweet following Aaron Rodgers’ launch

May 23, 2025

Categories

  • Health
  • Sports
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Technology
  • World
  • Art

About US

New York Dawn is a proud and integral publication of the Enspirers News Group, embodying the values of journalistic integrity and excellence.
Company
  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • Accessibility Statement
Contact Us
  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability
Term of Use
  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices
© 2024 New York Dawn. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?