The Stanley Cup will be in the building, at Madison Square Garden tonight, but the Rangers have their work cut out for them if they want to extend the series.
Down 3-0 in the series to the Los Angeles Kings, the Rangers have not scored in the last six periods. Even with the home fans at MSG, New York was shutout 3-0 in Game 3. They know they must win from here on out, but the Kings are playing some great hockey.
Behind the talented goalie Jonathan Quick, the Kings have dominated New York all series. When they’ve needed him most this series, Quick has stepped up and kept Los Angeles in games.
Los Angeles has history behind them, since 1982 of the nine series to go 3-0, eight have gone to sweep. The last team to fail, the 2012 Kings. They went up 3-0 against New Jersey, before losing two games, and closing out in Game 6.
Tonight’s game will come down to Henrik Lundqvist. The Vezina Trophy finalist has played less than stellar this series.
“I think both teams know it’s possible to turn this around,” Lundqvist said Tuesday. “They’ve done it and we know we can do it. It’s not like we’ve been outplayed here; that’s not been the case.”
Although they were shutout in Game 3, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault has seen positives in the the three losses.
“What needs to happen is the actions on the ice,” Vigneault said. “I like the way we’ve played. I mean, we’ve played some good hockey but we haven’t found a way to win. That’s what we’ve got to do Wednesday.”
Game 3 was no fluke, the Rangers played a more aggressive game, out shooting the Kings 32-15. But it wasn’t enough to even get on the board.
“I think potentially, maybe not everyone but there were some issues that maybe got us sidetracked a little bit,” Kings forward Justin Williams said. “We’ve got the rest of our lives to see our friends and family, make sure they have tickets and all that. We have, you know, usually one chance, and this is
The Rangers will have to score to win, and it’s as simple as that. The series, season, and a chance at the Stanley Cup on the line, they have to win.