NHL.com: Five Reasons the New York Rangers Advanced

[Fuhgeddaboudit]

 
1. King Henrik

There wouldn't have been a Game 7 without Henrik Lundqvist, who was brilliant in the Rangers' first elimination game with 27 saves in a 1-0 win. And sure, the Rangers would likely still have won Game 7 at Verizon Center considering they scored five goals, but Lundqvist equally was as brilliant, especially in the first period, to crush the will of the Capitals.

Lundqvist enters the conference semifinals riding a shutout streak of 120 minutes, including 62 straight saves. The last goal he allowed was Mike Ribeiro's overtime winner in Game 5 -- and that was the second goal he allowed in that game.

Lundqvist finished the series against Washington with two shutouts, a 1.65 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage. Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin, who was held off the score sheet for the last five games of the series, gave Lundqvist credit for being the difference.

"I think it was just one guy out there," Ovechkin said. "Of course they played really well against my line, but Lundqvist did an unbelievable job.

2. Great against 8

Ovechkin gave the credit to Lundqvist, but by saying "they," he is talking about Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh, the Rangers' top defense pair that saw more and heard more about Ovechkin then they did anyone else in this series.

It worked.

Ovechkin did not have a point in the final five games of the series. He finished with one goal and one assist, taking some of the shine off his incredible second-half surge that saw him score 22 goals over the last 21 regular-season games to help Washington win the Southeast Division.

Ovechkin had a goal in Game 1 and an assist on Mike Green's overtime winner in Game 2, but that was it despite 30 shots on goal and several quality chances. His most memorableplay of Game 7 was when he crushed McDonagh in the corner, but the Rangers' blueliner got up and continued to play -- and win battles -- against Ovechkin.

"Danny and [McDonagh] got banged around a little bit, but they made the plays," Tortorella said. "That's how it's going to be. [The Bruins' Milan] Lucic is going to be coming after them in Boston; a number of people are going to be coming after them. That's the way you have to play -- take hits to make plays. Hopefully we can find our way."

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More here: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=6...d=nhl:topheads
 
Surprised there was no excuse of the refs.
 
 

 

[Giantmetfan07]

The whole ref thing was BS too. Obviously they probably missed a few calls on NY but that wasn't going to turn the tide of either game 6 or 7. 
 
and Ovechkin got away with some hits in game 7 too so he shouldn't even be talking.