Rangers get and lose a 3 goal lead - Beat Columbus 4-3 in Shootout

The Rangers had a 3-0 lead over Columbus.  A goal by Hayes and then a pair by the suddenly hot Marty St. Louis (including one impossible angle where he banked it off the goalie) and things were looking good.

But these are the Rangers – and specifically the post-Lundqvist Rangers and so by 15:41 of the third the dreaded three goal lead was a 3-3 tie.

 

The Rangers managed just one shot in the third period and we were headed to overtime.

The extra period was wild - with 9 shots on goal – six by the Rangers but no goals.  So – for the 2^nd Cam game in a row – we were headed to the dreaded (that rhymed) shootout.

On Thursday – the Rangers and Cam did so badly in the shootout that it only took 2 rounds to finish the game.

This time the Rangers were determined to do better.

Marty St. Louis fluttered one between  McElhinney’s arm and leg.  And I’m going to name that a “Baby Hat Trick” (two regulation goals plus one in the shootout)

J.T Miller hit the post and Ryan Johansen tried to become the 4^th consecutive player to score on Cam Talbot in the shootout. 

But the Blue Jacket I call Mark “L’testtube” beat Cam and it was 1-1.

Then J.T Miller hit the post.

And so Ryan Johansen tried to become the 4^th consecutive player to score on Cam Talbot in the shootout.  He beat Cam and Sam Rosen called it a goal – but the crossbar saved us and it was 1-1 after two rounds.

Then Rick Nash tried something everyone else tries – but for Rick it worked.  A simple move to the forehand and a snap shot and the Rangers were up 2-1.

With the Garden fans on their feet cheering on Talbot, Cam Atkinson advanced (yes it was Cam on Cam).  Talbot got aggressive, tried a poke check and  somehow came away with his first real shootout save in 5 tries and the Rangers somehow pulled out another win. 

Uh, A Little Help?  Two assists for Stepan and singles for Staal, McDonagh and Hagelin.

Did Special Teams Determine The Outcome Of This Game?  Why do you keep asking about this?  Rangers were 0-4 on the power play but 3 for 3 on the kill.  If we’d scored on one of the those 4 attempts we could have put the game away.

Where Do We Stand?  It’s an amazing 36-16-6.  (7-1-2 in our last 10).  That puts us at 78 points, just 2 points back of the Islanders for first place with a full three games at hand.  Looking down we are 14 points up on the Panthers – who themselves only lead the streaking Flyers by a point.

Oh My - What Will Happen Next?  Tuesday night its Calgary at MSG.

Non-Sequitur of the day:  Some nice moments for ex-Rangers Asimov and Dubinsky. 

Enjoy this season, Ranger fans, this is a special one.  Dave Pucks out and thanks for reading