Captain Crushes Caps Hopes in Game 5, 2-1(OT)

Rangers Captain Ryan McDonagh celebrates OT winner

We were asking for some leadership and some scoring and the Rangers Captain Ryan McDonagh delivered a two-fer. He blasted an OT winner that deflected past Capitals goalie Braden Holtby, for the 2-1 OT win. It was his first career playoff OT winner. He also did some motivating in the locker room between periods. Good job by the captain.

Chris Krieder's game-saver/season-saver with 1:41 left in the third to even things at 1-1, was a massive redemption from his game 4 performance.

So, the Rangers tee-times for this weekend will have to be cancelled. All the friends and relatives who thought their boys-in-blue would be home for Mother's Day – sorry, there is more hockey to be played. And isn't that what we all wanted, more May hockey.

Yes, give us more on the edge, tense, fingernail-biting, tied, or close one goal hockey for every single period that we have left. Forget about the mythical 2 goal lead, that doesn't seem likely with these two goal tenders as stingy as Uncle Ebenezer.

The Rangers and Lundqvist have spoiled us with their stellar performances in elimination games. Can we ask for two more miracles? Past is not present, but these stats tell a compelling playoff story for NYR:

• NYR: 9-game home winning streak when facing elimination, dating back to game 4 of 2008 Eastern Conference Semi's versus Pittsburgh
• Washington: 3-9 in series clinching games since 2010
• Lundqvist: 9-0, 0.97 GAA, 98.6% save percentage, 2 shutouts in home games facing elimination
• NYR: allowed 2 or fewer goals in 8 consecutive playoff games, 2nd longest streak in the team's history, 21-games from 3/31/28 – 3/31/31

By the way, McDonagh's talk on Thursday was prescient, you could even say Messier-like.

Hartnett / CBS NY:
Ryan McDonagh Is Determined To Be Game 5 Difference-Maker –  

“I’m expecting to be an impact player and be a difference-maker here,” McDonagh said during Thursday’s conference call. “I’m going to be playing in a lot of situations and a lot of different roles. I need to be as sharp as anyone here and try and step up; continue to make effective plays and make the right plays, give my team and help myself be part of hopefully a win on (Friday) night.”

He also declared: "This series and this season isn't over."

Encore, Encore...

ICINGS:

The Russian Machine: Nope. Not Going to Analyze This.

Glencross: "Brooksie was all alone wide. I get it past that guy and he's gone in. Get better next game."

GIF: Curtis Glencross's turnover pic.twitter.com/ZFl8obHdv3

— Stephanie Vail (@myregularface) May 9, 2015

----

-----

via Kristy Shields:

Related Articles by Categories