The New Jersey Devils controlled the play. They attempted close to 70 shots. They had a parade of power-play chances.

They had every opportunity to win Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final. But the New York Rangers' penalty kill, reinvigorated shot-blocking defense, goalie Henrik Lundqvist and opportunistic offense frustrated and, ultimately, defeated the Devils on their home ice on Saturday afternoon — 3-0 to take a 2-1 series lead, on Lundqvist's 36-save shutout.

The game had an unmistakable, eerie symmetry to the Rangers' Game 1 win.

Read More »

I've attended New York Rangers Coach John Tortorella's playoff press conferences, and they're about as comfortable as a root canal performed during a proctological exam.

The majority of his answers — when there are answers — are clichéd and measured. Information is never that forthcoming. It's like watching the media defuse a time bomb: You're either going to cut the wrong wire or the buzzer in his mind is going to go off. Either way, the thing's getting blown up.

His time with the media has been discourteous in the past, but it's become downright farcical in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Perhaps it was the $30,000 fine for sarcasm following the Winter Classic that cemented this behavior. Perhaps it's just Tortorella's coping mechanism for postgame stress. Whatever the case, his press conferences have turned into exercises in journalistic sadism.

His terse "keep it in the room" dismissal of questions after Game 2 against the New Jersey Devils appears to have been the tipping point for the reporters covering the series; the suggestion of a boycott of future press conferences having been floated.

This ignores the notions that (a) fans don't care if Tortorella is short with the media and (b) any form of protest is the Pavlovian response he's looking for, because Tortorella seems genuinely aroused by the media's frustration and (c) there has been more digital ink spilled over Tortorella's word count from Game 2 than Marian Gaborik's ice time, and that's his objective.

Read More »

No. 1 Star: David Clarkson, New Jersey Devils

Clarkson scored the game-winning goal on a redirection past Henrik Lundqvist in the third, leading the Devils to a 3-2 win and a 1-1 series split with the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final.

No. 2 Star: Chris Kreider, New York Rangers

Kreider scored the Rangers' second goal of the game on the power play in the second period, getting a piece of an Anton Stralman shot. In the process, Kreider tied an NHL record: "Most playoff goals scored in a single postseason by a player who has not yet skated in a regular-season game." Huzzah!

Read More »

When asked about his third-period benching in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final — he didn't see the ice through 11:02 of the third —Marian Gaborik of the New York Rangers said (via Andrew Gross): "On the second [Devils] goal, I didn't get the puck out, I guess. You'll have to ask him."

"Him" as in Coach John Tortorella, who was in fact asked about Gaborik after the 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils, and was as candid as expected. "Candid" as in "a series of one-word answers and declarations that even the most innocuous information will be kept 'in the room.'"

Tortorella's press conferences have become mandatory postgame viewing during the playoffs, sometimes for their brevity and often times for his curt tone with the media.

Does he have an obligation to be more forthcoming? Yes, because that's part of the gig. But is there something inherently amusing about seeing his discourteous reactions to clichéd questions in a setting where real news is rarely made? Yes, but that's only because we have a sadistic streak.

Craig Button of NHL Network was not amused, however, calling Tortorella's press conference a "travesty," saying he shouldn't even come out and adding that "it's a joke, he's making it a joke, it's an unnecessary joke, so stop it."

So keep it in the room then?

The No. 1 seed New York Rangers and the No. 6 seed New Jersey Devils will clash in the Western Conference Final beginning Monday night at MSG. Here are 10 items for your consideration about this matchup.

1. Rangers defense vs. Devils offense

It's just odd reading that, isn't it? That a New Jersey franchise synonymous with tedium-for-victory is arguably the most exciting offensive team left in the playoffs, and that a New York team will be tasked with stopping them?

At even strength (1.85 goals for/against ratio), the Devils are the best team in the playoffs, to go along with a 20.9-percent conversion rate on the power play. They average 3.00 goals per game to the Rangers' 2.07. Ilya Kovalchuk, Zach Parise and Travis Zajac have been consistently good; David Clarkson, Adam Henrique and Dainius Zubrus have all had their moments.

What they haven't faced: A goalie as good as Henrik Lundqvist. But if the Rangers concede puck possession to the Devils in the same way the Capitals did to the Rangers in the semifinals, New Jersey might have enough weapons running hot to make them pay.

Read More »

Hello, this is a feature that will run through the entire season and aims to recap the weekend's events and boils those events down to one admittedly superficial fact or stupid opinion about each team. Feel free to complain about it.

There's been a lot of talk about what this season has meant for the Washington Capitals in the hours leading up to, and then immediately following, their final game of the remarkably eventful 2011-12 season.

Wysh had a pretty good recap of the reasons the Capitals felt this little run to a pair of one-goal Game 7s against the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in the Eastern Conference — both having been heavy favorites — vindicated the Dale Hunter system of everyone playing defense and collapsing to within three inches of the crease, and it's perfectly reasonable for people to feel that way.

Certainly, no one expected these Capitals to do much damage in the postseason given that they frittered away a division they were picked to dominate. But the thing that everyone seems to forget is that, again, they were picked to dominate the Southeast, be a superpower in the East and the League at large.

If the team tuned out Bruce Boudreau, and it appears they did, then wasn't his replacement, whoever it happened to be, more or less expected to get this far?

Therefore, it becomes a question about what changed, and really, what didn't.

Let's not forget, Boudreau came in originally and let guys like Alex Semin, Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green have their run of the rink. Two-minute shifts? Sure! Goals aplenty? You bet. But in the end, what did it get them? Bounce-outs, and if you believe the talk, disappointing ones at that. So Boudreau changed the style, focusing more on defense, tethering Ovechkin and Co. to an extent, and … getting the same amount of success. Under each of the two clearly definable Boudreau regimes, the team lost in the conference quarter- and semi-finals.

Which is of course notable because the latter is exactly how far Hunter got in his first chance at the tiller, despite doing everything in his power not to: like limiting Ovechkin to fewer than 20 minutes a night in every game in this series save for Saturday's Game 7 and the three-overtime Game 3, in which he played 35:14 — or, if you prefer 17:37 per three periods of play. This therefore vindicates Hunter only as far as it vindicated Boudreau; which, with a roster like this, and given the "choker" label being hung liberally on the former Caps coach this time last year.

The philosophy changed radically under Hunter, and worked only as far as it did for Boudreau. Why?

(Coming Up: Team USA, international ass-kickers; getting stupid about Patrick Kane's drinking; Parise's future; Could Brad Stuart return to the Sharks?; Kevin Lowe says Ryan Murray is the top player in this year's draft class; Suter/Weber questions; Pancakes Penner's revenge; Bruins pumped for Dougie Hamilton; Alfredsson retirement watch; Leafs/Penguins trade?; Lundqvist is King; Alex Burrows runs and hugs a goalie; and Winnipeg Jets fans are burning Coyotes jerseys.)

Read More »

As the final buzzer sounded during the New York Rangers' 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals to advance to the Eastern Conference Final against the New Jersey Devils, the similarities to their Stanley Cup run in 1994 continued to grow.

In 1994, the Rangers finished atop the Eastern Conference with 50-plus wins, just like this year.

In 1994, the Rangers had an All-Star Game MVP in Mike Richter, just like this year with Marian Gaborik.

In 1994, the Rangers defeated the Capitals to advance to the conference final, just like this year.

[Related: Judging level of success for Capitals]

And in 1994 the Rangers met the Devils in a memorable conference final that ended thanks to a Stephane Matteau wrap-around.

It remains to be seen how things will end this time around, but if you're a Rangers fan looking for some sort of cosmic sign that this is their year, well, history does have a way of repeating itself.

Read More »

The top-seeded New York Rangers and the No. 7 seed Washington Capitals meet on Saturday night at MSG in another one-goal game.

OK, that's just an assumption about Game 7, but when 10 of the Rangers' 13 postseason games and 12 of the Capitals' 13 playoff games were all decided by a single goal, it seems like a pretty decent prediction.

Less predictable: Who will play the hero in Game 7? We know that either goalie Henrik Lundqvist or Braden Holtby will likely earn the chance to be called the hero by virtue of winning an elimination game, but they can't win without a goal.

Here's a look at seven skaters that might make the difference in Game 7 for the Rangers and Capitals.

• Nicholas J. Cotsonika: Capitals goalie Braden Holtby making the most of his opportunity

Brad Richards, New York Rangers

This is the $60 million moment for Richards. When the Rangers signed him last summer, it was to bring a Conn Smythe-winning veteran savvy to a championship run — to be the guy who creates the key goal that's eluded the Blueshirts in recent postseasons. He's already done his part, posting five points in six games vs. the Caps, setting up Marian Gaborik in triple-OT and scoring the game-tying goal with seven seconds left in Game 5. But he was scoreless in Game 7 against Ottawa, and scoreless in Game 6 against Washington. They need him to come through, on the power play in particular.

Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Ovechkin has dispelled a few myths in the 2012 playoffs. His nine points in 13 games, including five goals, should quiet critics of his postseason output. His ability to handle the fluctuating ice time from Dale Hunter without carping has been admirable (so far, at least). He has goals in two of his last three games, and was outstanding in Game 6. Can he play the hero in Game 7, earning a chance to join his friend Ilya Kovalchuk in the conference finals (and don't think for a moment that opportunity is lost on Ovi)?

Read More »

WASHINGTON, DC — The four-minute power play giveth, and the four-minute power play taketh away.

The New York Rangers had a chance to eliminate the Washington Capitals in D.C. on Wednesday night because Joel Ward drew blood from Carl Hagelin for a high-sticking double-minor late in Game 5; Brad Richards scored with 7.6 seconds left to tie the game; and then Marc Staal won it on the back end of the power play in overtime.

In Game 6, Jeff Halpern of the Capitals high-sticked John Mitchell at 12:05 of the second period, drawing blood and a double-minor with Washington leading by two goals. The Rangers managed three shots on goal, stopped by goalie Braden Holtby. They missed two more and had another two blocked.

They came up empty, as they would in five power plays overall in Game 6, losing to the Capitals by a 2-1 count and forcing a Game 7 on Saturday night at MSG.

"It sucked. It kills you. It sucked," said Rangers Coach John Tortorella on the momentum-sapping four-minute power play.

Read More »

• Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, is quite confident about the Devils this year.

Game 6 Preview (Rangers lead series 3-2): New York Rangers at Washington Capitals, 7:30 p.m. Facing elimination tonight at Verizon Center, Washington will try to once again bounce back after an overtime loss to the Rangers. After Marian Gaborik's goal sunk them in the third overtime a week ago, the Capitals took Game 4 on Saturday 3-2. Will they recover from being 6.6 seconds away from going up 3-2 in the series only to end up losing on a Marc Staal overtime goal? For the Rangers, a win means their first trip to the Eastern Conference Final since 1997 and a date with the New Jersey Devils, who they faced in a memorable series in 1994.

Check out previews and updated scores for all of today's games on the Y! Sports NHL scores and scheds page. For tonight's starting goalies, check out Left Wing Lock.

Evening Reading

• Listen to today's Marek Vs. Wyshynski here.

• Saku Koivu will return to Anaheim after he and the Ducks agreed to a one-year extension worth $3 million plus bonuses. [Ducks]

• According to Mike Heika, Bob Gainey is returning to the Dallas Stars after taking on a role as consultant with the team. [DMN]

• Elliotte Friedman takes a look at the situation in Chicago, plus his 30 thoughts. [CBC]

• Mike Haviland is out of work now that he's been fired by the Chicago Blackhawks. Would the Dallas Stars make a good fit for him? [Defending Big D]

• Looking at the Phoenix Coyotes' and Los Angeles Kings' six matchups during the regular season. [Five for Howling]

Puck Daddy Reader Comment of the Day: "FleetingGame2000" on the Winter Classic ticket lawsuit:

"This is symbolic of what the Winter Classic has become. A cash cow for the teams and a marketing gimmick for the league and it's sponsors. Nothing wrong with either until the greed takes over and the fans get punished. It's heading down the path of irrelevancy for the fans, just like the all star game."

Bold Prediction: Rangers end it 3-2.

Read More »