Rangers Win 3-1 – Go Up 3-1
Two days after seeing the puck deflect into his own net off his skate, Marc Staal gained redemption, scoring the game winner to put the Rangers in a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Devils.
Staal appeared to carry no baggage from the Sunday loss, leading Jagr to joke after the game that the rookie defenseman didn’t know he scored Sunday, and probably didn’t know he scored last night.
Diving: The Real Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Much has been written and said about Sean Avery‘s power play antics in front of Martin Brodeur during Game three. Whether it made you laugh, or disgusted you, the ruling by Colin Campbell was definitive, and appropriately timed, and will ensure that the Stanley Cup playoffs do not turn into a farcical game of charades each time the puck ends up in the offensive zone.
With that said, the amount of bitterness and caustic comment directed toward Sean Avery is both disingenuous and reeks of hypocrisy. While many commentators were rightly amused, some went so far as to say his actions hurt the league’s image, perhaps more effectively representing their opinions of Sean Avery the individual than what he did.