Much has been made of the New York Rangers’ less-than-stellar work at Madison Square Garden in recent playoff appearances, yet it sure felt like a return home did the trick in shrinking Ottawa’s series lead to 2-1 in Game 3.
Then again, maybe you chalk it up to Alain Vigneault adding toughness to the lineup vs. the Ottawa Senators ... or any number of antidotes.
Whatever explanation you have, Tuesday’s 4-1 win made this second-round series feel new again, not unlike the Capitals edging the Penguins last night. While the Senators didn’t suffer a loss at the level of Sidney Crosby, there must be some concern that still-quite-important winger Bobby Ryan might be banged up. They also lost Zack Smith in addition to the contest.
MORE: Click here to see how Smith got hurt
After fumbling a big lead in Game 2, the Rangers mostly nullified the Senators, though Ryan helped J.G. Pageau keep his unexpected goal tear going with a sublime setup. (Check out that nifty assist here.)
In many ways, it was a lot like Vigneault probably draws it up. New York burned Ottawa at times in transition, enjoying a balanced attack thanks to Michael Grabner, Mats Zuccarello and Rick Nash. Craig Anderson had a rare off night while Henrik Lundqvist was sharp when called upon.
The Rangers now have a chance to “hold serve” at home by making the series 2-2, while the Senators get another chance to push New York to the brink of elimination in Game 4. That contest airs on NBCSN at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday. You can watch online and via the NBC Sports App; click here for the livestream.