HOLD THE DOOR!!!

Posted 1:30 PM ET | Comments 7

It may be over. It may have been over after Period 2 on Friday when the Rangers allowed the Penguins to score two late goals to cut the lead to one. It may have ended when Matrin Straka's apparant goal was disallowed. However, if and when it ended will not be revealed until this series ends. The Rangers are not dead yet, though they may be on life support.

Game 3 is a do-or-die game. Game 4 is too. Even of the Rangers win those two contests at MSG, Game 5 is as close to a deciding game as you can get. But the Rangers are used to these playoff situations, having faced the exact same situation last postseason. The Rangers are facing the favorite to win the Eastern Conference again. They fell behind 2-0 in the series again. And they have a huge hole to dig out of again. Last year, the Rangers climbed to 7.7 inches of the top, before free falling into oblivion. This time, however, the Rangers have the executioner on their side. They have the Mr. Clutch who can pull the Rangers out of the hole instead of pushing them back in.

So it is not over. The Rangers have a fighting chance, but will need to fight hard to seize it. They cannot give up 5 goals. They cannot score 0 goals. They must play the confident, winning style that shut down the Devils. They must get that late goal or that huge save to win. They must take no penalties, make no errors, and score on every shot. The margin of error is gone, but the window of opportunity is not. The elevator door is closing and the Rangers are not in it. Someone needs to step up. Someone needs to hold the door open. Or else remain on this floor. The floor of failure.

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Filed Under: Rags2rcihes rags2riches rangers penguins opportunity

CAPMESS11

April 28, 2008 1:36 PM ET | Delete
Rangers are home now! Now we can boo Sid the kid. Shanny needs to get in this too. I hope the Garden gives Piitsburgh HELL

sm623181

April 28, 2008 3:22 PM ET | Delete
end the madness...i could not be more sick of hearing about how great a player Crosby is...as if he's the only talented player in the playoffs. There are four players tied for points with him (including Jagr) and two with more points. Please please please, rangers, start acting like the team and kicked Jersey out like it was no problem.

Phigment

April 28, 2008 3:54 PM ET | Delete
It will be interesting to see how the matchups work now. I think that in order to get to Sid, you must POUND him everytime he touches the puck. The problem is that this kind of play does not work well with Malkin. He loves the contact and actually feeds off it. That is why he is the real leader of the Pens.

loomis78

April 28, 2008 4:38 PM ET | Delete
with regards to the comments: It's nice to see how jealous other fans of their respective teams are of Sidney Crosby. This begs one question: if he were to be on your team would you bash him just as much. By the way if you think that Sidney Crsoby doesnt like contact then you dont watch enought hockey.

nyr21135

April 28, 2008 6:09 PM ET | Delete
I wish my team had no Sidney Crosby esc players but Alex Ovechkin esc players. Sid has all the talent around him and Ovechkin still takes him to school.

txflyer

April 28, 2008 6:44 PM ET | Delete
loomis78, fair question. Something tells me if Crosby were a Flyer and acted the way he does, he would be booed out of town. Malkin and/or OV would be much more appreciated.

wereallislanders

April 28, 2008 11:39 PM ET | Delete
Ovechkin is the best player in the world. He just happens to not be Canadian... which means that Sidney Crosby is the best player in the world. I'd still love to have him on my team though...

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