Rangers vs. Penguins, game 4 starts tonight at 7:30 P.M. Eastern Standard Time and you can watch all of the action streaming online live by clicking on the link at the bottom of this article. While it may be early to say that New York is desperate, it’s certainly fair to say that they need to pick up their game if they want to stay alive in this Penguins vs. Rangers series.
The Pittsburgh Penguins bring a 2-1 series lead into game 4. After dropping the first game at home to the Rangers, Penguins’ goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has not allowed a goal as Pittsburgh has skated to a series lead. The last time the Rangers were shut out in two consecutive playoff games, there were only eight teams in the NHL. Yes, you read that right. Eight teams – it was before the NHL pared itself down to the Original 6 with the folding of the New York Americans and the Montreal Maroons. The United States was embroiled in the Great Depression at the time.
The New York Rangers find themselves in another Great Depression of sorts – a great depression of goal scoring.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, on the other hand, seem to be just hitting their stride. Sidney Crosby finally managed to light the lamp in game 3. Despite being the NHL’s leading scorer during the regular season and the presumptive league MVP , Crosby hadn’t scored in the opening round of the playoffs or the first two games of this Rangers vs Penguins series.
An AP report quotes Penguins’ defenseman Kris Letang crediting Fleury for Pittsburgh’s success int he playoffs so far:
“He is 10 out of 10. For the guys in the dressing room, Flower (Fleury) has always been our go-to guy that shows up every night and gives us a chance to win. Since the playoffs began, he has been our best player.”
The Penguins aren’t the only ones who recognize Fleury’s importance. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault had this to say about the hot goaltender:
“Like (Pittsburgh Penguins owner) Mario Lemieux told Ulfie (Samuelsson, Rangers’ assistant coach) yesterday, anything Fleury can catch he will catch. Maybe if we stay away from that middle a little bit, our chances might become better.”
One thing is certain. If the Rangers hope to advance past the Penguins vs. Rangers series, they need to find a way to get the puck past Fleury – and fast.
You can watch all the action in tonight’s Rangers vs. Penguins game 4 streaming online live tonight here.