Rangers stay alive

Jaromir Jagr and Henrik Lundqvist came through big time for the Rangers tonight to keep their season alive with a 3-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 4 tonight at the Garden.

Jagr played like he knew it might be his last game as a Ranger and had a hand in all three goals, scoring two and assisted on the other, which was scored by Brandon Dubinsky. Lundqvist bounced back from his shaky Game 3 by making 29 saves in the shutout and stopping Evgeni Malkin on a penalty shot in the second period.

By the way, that might have been the worst penalty shot I've ever seen. Malkin went so slow and Lundqvist made an easy save with his glove.

Malkin took out some of his frustration in the final minute by twice kicking out the skates of Rangers defenseman Paul Mara. Mara called it "a classless act by a superstar."

From what I've been told, Malkin will not face any extra discipline by the league for his actions.

The Rangers still have a long way to go come back and win this series, but they get to play a Game 5 now on Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh. If they can somehow figure out a way to win that one, the teams come back to New York for Game 6 the next night. Such a quick turnaround could work in the Rangers' favor because then the pressure will be on the Penguins to avoid letting the series reach a Game 7 after they won the first three games.

Of course, they need to win Game 5 first.

Plus, only two teams in NHL history after come back from a 3-0 series deficit to win -- the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 Islanders. It was 33 years between the first and second time, though, and another 33 years have passed.

Comments

[JMH]

Although, as Devils fans, it would have been sweet to see the Rangers get swept it's certainly better for the league to have this series go to a game five. Especially considering Detroit is about to eliminate Colorado. Now at least there will be one game televised nationally over the weekend on NBC.

[Ben M.]

yeah TG i was gonna say my grandmother coulda stopped that penalty shot.. what was he thinking?

[TG]

I failed to mention that Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa was in the Rangers' locker room after the game tonight with Glen Sather. Not sure why, though.

[Jon]

..............ugggggggg LETS go pens.........you better finish them off in 5.......or els that team will make history..............AND THAT WOULD BE HORRIBLE

[RNCDevil]

I cannot believe Malkin gets off scott free. It really was classless.

[wkmaier]

Quite honestly, I don't think Lundqvist made a "save" on that penalty shot. Malkin sent it right at the glove, and Lundqvist didn't even have to move.

[Mike]

Malkin was trying to throw Lundquist off by moving in fast and then dropping to 1 m.p.h. The shot was a laser. A laser right into the glove of lundquist who didn't move a muscle in his body. LAME! I'm sure he would just try some sort of deke if he had it to do all over again. Hell, that made John Madden's penalty shot look like Gretzky. lol

Is it just me or has Marion Hossa been invisible this series? I haven't heard his name much unless he is getting knocked down.
Maybe I am a conspiracy theorist or something but the Pens sure looked like they threw this one. To dominate the way they did the first 3 games and then look as bad as they did last night. ?? Kind of looks like Pens management would like to fill up their building one more time before the next round starts. There is no way that the Rags had any business dominating the way they did last night after what the Pens showed us in the first 3 games. Last night looked fixed.

[MikeP]

Hossa does have 2G and 1A in the series, but if you look in other forums, many Pens fans are saying the same thing about him, that he's been pretty quite in the series for them. Makes you wonder if he's really worth the $7M+ per year that he'll seek in the offseason. Of course there will be some GM out there to give it to him.

[MikeP]

Hossa does have 2G and 1A in the series, but if you look in other forums, many Pens fans are saying the same thing about him, that he's been pretty quite in the series for them. Makes you wonder if he's really worth the $7M+ per year that he'll seek in the offseason. Of course there will be some GM out there to give it to him.

[TG]

I'm not sure that was a laser. The shot was slow too.

[teech]

Will be good to seen one more national game....stick the fork in kinda thing

[Hard Hat Nick #3]

I honestly think the Pens threw this game to go back to Pittsburgh for game 5. That is just a hunch. And if you need more evidence re-watch Malkin's penalty shot. Penguins in 5.

[RJ Arditti(pens in 5)]

Meh, screw the blueskirts, this way Jagr gets to go out on a high note in front of his home town fans..... i will say he was amazing last night however

[RJ Arditti(pens in 5)]

i am still seriously wondering what it will take to get Marleau from the sharks, and if they would be willing to deal him since its pretty evident that both him and thornton on the same team can;t win a championship

[Mike from Elmwood Park]

Rags fans are hypocrites. They bash Jagr all season but now they chant his name when their team is down 3 games to 1.
Let's hope the Pens finish them off Sunday.

[pando20rules]

By the way, I have sources that tell me Avery's spleen is not as innocent of an injury as it has been made out to be. Rumors are out (and a source I cannot reveal) there that drugs were involved

TG, are you able to confirm if Avery did indeed have surgery on his spleen. If he did not, that would add some juice to the theory...

[RJ Arditti(pens in 5)]

Agreed mike, but we all know how very fair weather they can be don;t we?

[RJ Arditti(pens in 5)]

i want more info about who we can trade for!
I want some new blood in the Devils locker room!

[Mark W.]

RJ give me your definition of fair-weather because MSG was sold-out or near it through 7 straight seasons of no playoffs.

[Mike in Idaho]

I think Marleau would be a great fit for the Devils, I have heard he is a nice guy and he has scored some huge goals in the playoffs. Plus apparently him and the coach don't get along. I would bet though that if the Sharks lose to Dallas (which is probably more a when) that coach Wilson will get fired and the Sharks will keep Marleau.

[pando20rules]

Marleau could be a great acquisition depending on what it would cost us, I can't imagine he come anywhere close to cheap

[RJ Arditti(pens in 5)]

my definition of fairweather mark, is that when they were losing for 7 straight seasons most of the people that are so loudly outspoken about the rangers had nothing to say and DIDDN'T go to games, at least most of the blueskirt fans that i know. its not hard to sell out when your 2 blocks from times square in one of the most popular vacation spots in the world either.

As for Marleau, i think that the players this team need to get aren;t going to come cheap. No impact player ever does, and anything short of a real impact player isn't going to get us any further in winning a 4th stanley cup. the old saying still holds true... "You pay for what you get" if you go cheap your not getting the impact player you think you are, and if you go big you stand a better chance at getting that impact player.

[Mark W.]

Well that is true, there are some obnoxious Ranger fans that did disappear during the dark ages. I was just pissed because I don't wanna get painted with that brush after enduring 7 crap years.

[RJ Arditti(pens in 5)]

i have 2 really good friends who are big ranger fans, and i always get access to tickets, and all of them ALWAYS took the tickets during the dark ages. i am not painting all ranger fans with that brush, but i am painting the majority of ranger fans with that brush

[Ben M.]

not to mention a fan base that isint just 26 years old..