The type of defensive-zone structure the Rangers showed Sunday afternoon against the powerful Caps and have adopted for the most part since the All-Star Game is the way playoff series are won.
“They had the puck a lot in the second and third periods, but I thought we had real good net-front presence, the way we have lately in other games,” Ryan McDonagh said following the Blueshirts’ 2-1 victory at the Garden on Mats Zuccarello’s winner at 8:37 of the third period. “We’re letting Hank [Lundqvist] see the puck and clearing rebound chances. I think it’s a good sign for us.”
McDonagh had a terrific game at both ends of the ice in 23:33, scoring the opening goal from the slot in the first period after lugging the puck the length of the ice to gain the zone. The captain received able support from partner Dan Girardi in their matchup against the Alex Ovechkin-Nicklas Backstrom-T.J. Oshie line that mustered only five even-strength shots against Lundqvist.
The Marc Staal-Nick Holden tandem rebounded after a difficult night in Brooklyn on Thursday, while Brady Skjei was outstanding at both ends paired with Kevin Klein. Not for the first time, the Rangers’ perceived weakness was a strength.
“We’ve been in position, putting pucks where we can get to them before they do, putting rebounds in the corner or just swallowing them when we need a break,” Staal said. “I think it’s been like that the last couple of weeks.”
Indeed, it has. In the nine games since the All-Star break, the Rangers have yielded only 17 even-strength goals, with six of those recorded by the Blue Jackets in the first game following the recess. In the last eight games, the McDonagh-Girardi pair has been on for only two goals against (though Girardi missed two games with an injury); the Staal-Holden tandem has been on for two and the Skjei-Klein unit on for three.
“The defense is letting me see the puck a lot more,” said Lundqvist, beaten only when Ovechkin’s power-play left-wing one-timer nicked Holden’s stick and fluttered by to tie the score 1-1 at 17:24 of the second. “It’s easier for me, and I think it’s easier for them, too, because they don’t have to decide between boxing out and blocking the shot. They have one decision.”
Remember, the work of the defense is juxtaposed against the March 1 trade deadline. The more stable the unit, the more dynamic Skjei becomes, the less chance general manager Jeff Gorton would consider surrendering an integral asset up front in order to get a blue-liner.
The Blueshirts played this one at breakneck speed throughout the first period, making the Caps appear like plow horses. The Rangers created numerous glorious opportunities off turnovers in the offensive zone and neutral zone forced by pressure and off quick puck movement off the rush.
If not for the splendid work of Philipp Grubauer in nets, the Rangers would have been up by multiple goals rather than one. The goaltender shined in facing 19 shots, many from around the net, and particularly in denying Kevin Hayes off a 2-on-0 with J.T. Miller at 6:50 of the opening period.
“We knew they had played the day before, so we tried to have a good start,” McDonagh said, referencing the Caps’ 3-2 shootout defeat Saturday in Detroit, where Washington’s six-game winning streak ended in the team’s first game back from the bye-week. “We did and I think it helped everybody gain confidence.”
The Derek Stepan-Rick Nash-Jimmy Vesey unit did its job in concert with the McDonagh-Girardi duo in the match against Ovechkin, Backstrom and Oshie. Night after night, game after game, Stepan, Nash and their other winger go against the opposition’s top guns, and their success as checkers sure mitigates the fact Stepan hasn’t scored a goal in 13 straight.
Mika Zibanejad, meanwhile, also went his 13th straight without a goal, but the center’s left-faceoff victory over Jay Beagle, on which Chris Kreider jumped to win the puck before feeding Zuccarello for the winner, was instrumental in the victory.
It was a little thing that wasn’t little at all in the big scheme of things — just like what happens in the playoffs.