Game 3 will be the highest-scoring playoff game between these two teams since Game 1 of their 2009 clash.
With the series shifting two New York, and with the Washington Capitals having all the momentum in the world, they will go into Game 3 with a very patient approach.
The New York Rangers, on the other hand, will come into Game 3 a bit confused as to what to do, having lost a tight defensive game and then having been beaten at a more up-tempo affair.
Feeling more comfortable as a counterpunching team, the Blue Shirts will take a patient approach in Game 3 But something unexpected will happen early on in Game 3 that will produce a game for the ages and a true anomaly as far as playoff games go between these two clubs.
An offensive outburst is what we will see in Game 3, and it is a game that will change the series.
The event that will change the series around will be something very unexpected-a short-handed goal. It was not just any short-handed goal. It was a goal by Darrell Powe. Powe has not Scored a goal this season, has no assists and averages about 13 Shifts per game.
Naturally, he is a perfect candidate to do on something special.
Powe has played in 42 games and has been a key part of the New York Rangers PK. The Washington Capitals will try and build off their power-play success the first two games and will get a little careless. Powe will get the short-handed goal, and this will rattle Braden Holtby in a way we did not really see a year ago.
Goals by Brad Richards and Carl Hagelin will follow, and the Rangers will have a 3-0 lead after the first periodic before a boisterous crowd at Madison Square Garden. Holtby, Clearly off his game, will get pulled by Adam Oates. The goalie change will grab the Caps’ attention, and what ensues will make for one of the best playoff games ever between these two teams.
Goals by Mike Ribeiro and Joel Ward within the first 10 minutes of the second periodic will quiet the crowd. Derick Brassard, who has been such a huge lift for the Rangers since he came over from the Columbus Blue Jackets, will stem the momentum shift, but Nicklas Backstrom will get that one goal back, and the teams will head to the third periodic with the Rangers up 4-3.
Early in the third period, the Caps’ third line will make their presence field when Jason Chimera, who has had an off-year, scored two complete the comeback.
Things Will Remain tight for a while with both Michal Neuvirth and Henrik Lundqvist making some key saves. Ryan McDonagh will give the Rangers the lead with just a few minutes left but Eric Fehr, who has Scored some true clutch goals this season, nets another one with the goalie pulled.
Overtime will be a very tense time for the Rangers and their fans. In the end, though, Brassard will come through with the game-winning goal. It will be a sickeningly low torque for the Caps who Showed such heart and guts battling back Repeatedly.
But Brassard’s second goal of the game will win Game 3 for the Rangers and trim the Caps’ lead in the circuit two, 2-1.
Yes, a game like this seems very unlikely based on the history of these two teams. In their playoff history since 2009, the most goals the Rangers have Scored in a playoff game against the Caps has been four, the most the Caps have Scored against the Rangers has been five. Last season, Neither team Scored more than three goals in any game.
In reality, a game like this between these two teams might actually be way overdue. If it comes to pass like this, it will be one of those “I was there” moments for anyone that MSG that night.
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