FINAL: Rangers 4 Bruins 3 F/OT

11:08PM: The following quotes were sent by the Rangers:

-        John Tortorella on tonight’s game…

“I still think we need to keep on getting to another level. We certainly did in the third period. Step made a huge play for us early on and I thought it gave us some life. They are a tough team and are defending pretty hard. We stuck with it and found a way to win a game. Hank (Henrik Lundqvist) was tremendous and I thought their goalie played really well, too.”

-        Henrik Lundqvist on tonight’s game…
“We did show some character.  It was tough though, probably the ugliest goal I have ever seen turned it around for us, and that’s hockey.  A save or a goal or one shift can change everything.  Tonight, it was an ugly goal.  Sometimes that’s all you need to get us going, to get the building going.  We kind of lowered our shoulders a little bit and started playing our game.  It’s a lot of pressure, these games, and it’s tough when things aren’t going your way.  We’re playing a really good team, but sometimes you just need to feel like maybe you can get one good bounce, and then it just turned around for us.  I thought we played really well the second half of this game.”

-        Derick Brassard on tonight’s game…
“I think the atmosphere of the game was totally different because we had nothing to lose.   We just played tonight, and all four lines and all the defensemen played solid.  Hank was Hank again, and gave us the chance to win.  We just need to play that way all of the time.”

9:56PM: First Period:

Second Period:

  • Nathan Horton 5 (power play) (Assists: David Krejci 12, Brad Marchand 6)
  • Torey Krug 3 (power play) (Assists: Tyler Seguin 2, Nathan Horton 6)
  • Torey Krug 3 (power play) (Assists: Tyler Seguin 2, Nathan Horton 6)

Third Period:

  • Derek Stepan 4 (Unassisted)
  • Tyler Seguin 1 (Assists: Dougie Hamilton 3, Zdeno Chara 9)
  • Brian Boyle 3 (power play) (Assists: Derek Stepan 1, Derick Brassard 10)

Overtime:

  • Chris Kreider 1 (Assists: Rick Nash 4, Ryan McDonagh 3)

Stats:

Screenshot_5_23_13_10_02_PM

Adam’s Thoughts:

  • Tuuka Rask should get the Broadway Hat tonight. He is gaff revived the Rangers and gave them a spark and feeling that they had a chance. They raised their play and didn’t back down from there.
  • There was talk about bounces after the last game and the Rangers certainly got a couple tonight.
  • It was another night where Henrik Lundqvist was outstanding.
  • It seemed like special teams was going to be the story of this game, Boston with two PP goals and the Rangers missing on their chances, but Brian Boyle came through, off a great pass from Derek Stepan, to tie the game on the PP.
  • Chris Kreider was moved up in the last game and starting to play well before he got hurt. He continued to play well tonight and got rewarded by going to the net and converting Rick Nash’s pass.

To read more of this story, click here

Read: Brad Richards Deserved To Be Benched/Marc Savard Says John Tortorella Should Be Fired

Brad Richards:Black ArmadaIn the NY Post, Larry Brooks writes that John Tortorella runs no risk of losing anyone in the Rangers locker based on his decision to bench Brad Richards tonight.

He notes that Tortorella ran a greater risk by continuing to put Richards on the ice and give him ice time that he wasn’t deserving of.

Brooks says that had JT Miller been healthy and still with the team, this move could have come earlier in the playoffs.

While many are saying that benching a player of Richards pedigree in this situation is a bad move, Brooks says that Tortorella can’t rely on the past when trying to win tonight “Hockey can’t be about the past. Games and playoff rounds cannot be won on credit. If it’s not quite a matter of, “What have you done for me lately?” it must be a matter of, “What can you do for me today?” and not, “I will reward you for what you did for me yesterday.”

8:42PM: Savard sent out another tweet, “I’m just mad at Torts because if I recall in 2004 Richards helped him win the cup #connsmythe all I’m saying is live or die with your guy!!!”

Game 4: Rangers and Bruins 7PM CNBC

Game Notes from the Rangers:

  • The Rangers will face-off against the Boston Bruins  at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. — TV: CNBC; Radio: ESPN 98.7), in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series. The Blueshirts trail in the series, 3-0, following a 2-1 loss in Game 3 on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. The loss ended New York’s nine-game winning streak at home, dating back to Mar. 24 vs. Washington. The Rangers enter the contest with a 212-232-8 record all-time in 452 playoff contests (119-89-2 at home; 93-143-6 on the road). New York has posted a 40-32 record all-time in Game 4s.
  • The Rangers are 4-6 all-time in Game 4 when trailing 3-0 in the series

Leave your thoughts on the game in the comments section.

Micheal Haley, Kris Newbury and Roman Hamrlik are all in the lineup.

Chris Kreider is playing as well.

Read: Henrik Lundqvist On Tonight’s Game

“If we don’t’ have desperation now, we’re never going to have it. This is a game where you lay it all out there and you see how far it takes you.”

Henrik Lundqvist to Brett Cyrgalis of the NY Post

Note: Roman Hamrlik Is Likely Playing Tonight

With Anton Stralman unavailable, Roman Hamrlik is likely to enter the Rangers lineup in his spot.

Hamrlik has played 12 games for the Rangers since being claimed off of waivers but last played on April 1.

Hamrlik’s ice time in his last four games was:

  • 4/1: 4:30
  • 3/30: 16:06
  • 3/28: 12:45
  • 3/26: 4:19

Prior to that four game stretch, Hamrlik played between 10 and 11 minutes in five straight games.

Hamrlik told Ranger Rants that he needs to keep things simple, not do anything fancy, and keep his shifts short.

Read: It Seems Like The Rangers Future Includes John Tortorella

Tortorella 24/7In the NY Times, Jeff Klein writes that while there is no official confirmation that he will return, all indications seem to be that John Tortorella will return next season to coach the Rangers and will do so even if they are swept by the Bruins.

Klein notes that unlike in 2009 when the Rangers fired Tom Renney, there have been no signs from the organization that Tortorella’s job is in jeopardy.

He says that because on the Rangers success last season and the comeback series win over Washington in the first round, Tortorella has probably guaranteed that he will start next season as Rangers coach.

Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun tweeted “Is tonight John Tortorella’s last game as NY Rangers coach? Could be.”

THIS SECTION is all about the notion of Tortorella probably losing his job.

Tortorella’s press conference from today

Read: The Impact On The Brad Richards Healthy Scratch

Earlier today, after confirming to the media that he would be a healthy scratch, Brad Richards told Katie Strang at ESPN NY that he doesn’t know if he is surprised at being a healthy scratch but said he is disappointed.

Richards said that John Tortorella called him while at home this morning to tell him that he won’t play tonight. He added that his plan is to work hard so that this never happens to him again in the future.

Pat Leonard wonders in the Daily News what impact this will have on the locker room and the players feelings on John Tortorella.

Aaron Asham spoke with Leonard and said that this is the way things go sometimes and that everyone is in this together as the team tries to get back into the series against the Bruins.

Bob McKenzie noted yesterday that one of the absolute top reasons that Richards signed with the Rangers was because of Tortorella.

Larry Brooks of the NY Post tweets “Impossible to justify giving Richards any ice or any role at this point. Parallels to ARod last October (as a player) continue.”

Adam Rotter: There is a lot being written today about how the Rangers are scratching the guy they signed for nine-years and $60 million and while that is true, Richards has pretty much been scratched since being put on the fourth line. There was a real feeling that he was hitting his stride over the last few games, that he was finally getting the bounces and he was about to play a big role in the playoffs. That didn’t happen, Derick Brassard and Brian Boyle started to play better and Richards fell to being a power play specialist on a power play that can’t score.

I think that being scratched and getting bought out have nothing to do with each other and that the buyout decision (yes or no) has already been made. Scratching Richards is about trying to do something to push this series back to Boston and likely re-inserting Richards and see if sitting out helped him see the ice better and make better plays.

Read: Things Sometimes Change For Marc Staal When He Gets On The Ice

Marc StaalMarc Staal met with the media today and said that he has had a few good days in a row but things sometimes change when he stops on the ice.

He added that doctors have told him that his vision issues will get under control, but since each instance is unique to that person, they don’t have a specific timeline.

Staal has only played in one game since March 5th when he took a puck to the eye.

2:30PM: Staal told Ranger Rants that the week after game three he had some ups and downs and didn’t skate for a few days so things could settle down.

He said he has felt better the last two days.

Read: Rick Nash’s Goal Scoring Issue

Rick NashIn the three games against the Bruins, Rick Nash has:

  • Game One: 6 shots on goal and 3 shots blocked. 1 assist
  • Game Two: 4 shots on goal and 1 shot blocked. 1 goal
  • Game Three: 3 shots on goal, 6 shots blocked and 1 that missed the net.

Nash has one goal and three assists in ten playoff games.

Elliotte Friedman wrote at CBC about why Rick Nash has had trouble scoring in the playoffs. He said that when he was in Columbus, Nash could only depend on himself to create offense and would exploit space when he had the chance. In the playoffs, where space is hard to come by, Nash has had some struggles adapting to playing with guys who can get him the puck. Friedman wonders if things will be different next season when there is a training camp, exhibition games and more time for Nash to practice and adapt.

In the NY Post, Larry Brooks writes that the Rangers “lusted” after Nash because they felt he could be a “transformative” goal scorer in the playoffs, the kind they lacked last year when they scored two goals or fewer in 13 of their 20 games.

This year in the playoffs, the Rangers have scored two goals or fewer in 7 of their 10 games.