The Rangers get a rest today, as also do the Penguins as they prepare for tomorrow’s Game 5 in Pittsburgh (2:00pm – Eastern).
The Rangers wouldn’t be the same next year without Jaromir Jagr according to Bergen Record writer Tom Gulitti. Gulitti is one of a growing number of writers who’ve been jumping on the Jagr bandwagon.
Penguins coach Michel Therrien is confident going into Game 5, and he probably should be given the fact the Rangers have only won once out of six visits to Mellon Arena this year. He does however want a better performance from his team than in Game 4.
The Penguins were obviously frustrated at the end of the game, with Sidney Crosby ending up in the box late in the game, for retaliating against a Dan Girardi hit, and Evgeni Malkin joining him on that occasion and then finishing with a game misconduct.
Maxim Talbot might make a return to the Penguins line-up tomorrow despite having broken his foot blocking a shot in Game 3.
For the Rangers, Chris Drury gave his all to play through a rib injury in Game 4. Remarkably, Drury was 65% in the faceoff circle, despite not being able to finish Game 3.
The Rangers handed the Penguins their first loss, and perhaps their first self doubts this postseason. The Penguins don’t want to come back to New York for a Game 6 and play against the momentum. Regardless, a Game 5 does have a financial benefit for the Penguins.
Larry Brooks praises (for the most part anyway) the way that Game 4 was called, saying the Rangers need the refs to not call a penalty every time Sidney Crosby falls over.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has been doing a daily “burning question”…for today they ask if a Rangers’ comeback is crazy.
The Penguins failed to get their second sweep of these playoffs, but historically it has been hard to beat teams four straight
The Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin will not receive any penalty from the league for his slewfoot, but the Rangers were more interested in why Dan Girardi was called for a penalty shot for pushing Malkin. The laws as they’re written do not expressly forbid it, but the general feeling (outside of New York) is that they don’t want to allow this to happen in the future.
Big brother Eric Staal is not taking sides with either of his brothers for the series.
NYR
CAR
NYI
WSH
NJD
PHI
PIT
CBJ