TAMPA, Fla. — There was no telling Chris Kreider or Mika Zibanejad that the younger Rangers had overachieved by advancing so far as the convention closing. There was no telling them that the long run seems vibrant.
As a result of the 31-year-old Kreider had waited seven years to get again to this very spot. As a result of the 29-year-old Zibanejad had by no means been right here earlier than. The long run isn't assured.
There was no consoling the disconsolate pair following the Rangers’ 2-1 defeat to the Lightning in Saturday’s Recreation 6 that ended the journey that had begun in October. The ache Zibanejad and Kreider shared on the dais was palpable.
Suppose again to the shattered room in Los Angeles within the instant aftermath of the 2014 defeat within the Stanley Cup Closing to the Kings and also you’ve obtained the image.
“Empty,” stated Kreider.
“I’m simply denying it,” stated Zibanejad.
There isn't a denying that the Rangers took a quantum leap this 12 months, despite the fact that a lot of the progress was constructed on the brilliance of Igor Shesterkin. The 26-year-netminder honored his Hart- and Vezina-finalist season all through this sequence and all through this recreation by which the Blueshirts would have been blown out if not for his work. Let’s face it. This was a 5-1 or 6-1 recreation.
The issue was that the Rangers had one purpose once more for the third straight recreation. The issue was that the Blueshirts by no means had been in a position to get to the web and by no means had been in a position to transfer Andrei Vasilevskiy out of his consolation zone. Tampa Bay was too large, too sturdy, too keyed in on defending. Truth is, the Rangers scored one purpose at five-on-five over the ultimate 4 video games of the sequence and it was scored by Ryan Lindgren.
And after Zibanejad and Kreider had scored on the facility play to provide the Blueshirts a 2-0 lead halfway by way of Recreation 3 after having received the primary two on the Backyard, effectively, neither scored once more.
Head coach Gerard Gallant thought fatigue turned an element because the sequence grinded on following the pair of seven-game sequence the Blueshirts had received. This was the group’s twentieth recreation in 40 days and nights. Possibly they’d have had extra success if they'd used an ark.
However Zibanejad refused to make use of the grind as an excuse when Gallant’s sentiment had been relayed to him.
“There’s no fatigue,” insisted No. 93, who had 24 factors (10-14) within the match however none over the ultimate three contests. “These are the video games all of us need to play. I really feel we obtained sufficient relaxation between video games.
“It had nothing to do with fatigue.”
The Rangers chased all recreation. They chased the Lightning, who by no means appeared to lose a one-on-one battle. They chased the puck. And so they chased the scoreboard after falling behind 1-0 at 10:43 of the second interval on Steven Stamkos’ screamer from the best aspect that appeared to catch Shesterkin unaware.
However, extremely, they tied the sport at 13:07 of the third on Frank Vatrano’s energy play one timer off a faceoff win by Andrew Copp. Right here they had been, coming again once more. Right here they had been, someway doing it once more.
No they weren’t.
As a result of on the following shift, Stamkos blew by Jacob Trouba down the left boards after taking a two-on-one feed from Nikita Kucherov and minimize to the web. Shesterkin made the preliminary glove save however when he couldn't maintain it, the puck glanced in off the Tampa Bay captain’s physique. Good purpose.
Recreation 3 was determined by a Lightning winner at 19:18 of the third interval. Recreation 5 was determined by a Lightning winner at 18:10 of the third interval. Recreation 6 was determined by a Lightning winner at 13:28. Two-time champions perceive the best way to win video games.
After which, on this closing recreation of the 12 months, there was a quite mysterious scratch of Kaapo Kakko that head coach Gerard Gallant refused to handle when queried in regards to the resolution. It isn't as if Jaromir Jagr wearing Kakko’s place. As an alternative, Gallant selected to go along with Dryden Hunt, who had not performed since Recreation 3 of the opening spherical.
One factor we all know, although, is that Gallant by no means fairly purchased into the hype surrounding the Child Line.
Then there was the case of Ryan Strome, who was clearly laboring going into the sport after leaving warmups for about 10 minutes, was in a position to accomplish primarily nothing, and departed with a decrease physique harm after the second interval.
The traces had been jumbled initially. Gallant broke up Kreider and Zibanejad. Then he reunited them. Nothing labored. The Lightning had been relentless bodily. They took their kilos of flesh from the Blueshirts.
So it ends right here, this 2021-22 season by which the Blueshirts constructed a basis. In days and weeks to return, they are going to be happy with their achievement. However not on this evening.
To not Kreider and Zibanejad.
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