Ryan McDonagh, Game 5 hero: ‘Never out of it, no matter what happens’
NEW YORK – Derek Stepan waited with the puck, more patient than could be humanly expected in overtime, in a tie game, with the next goal potentially ending his season.
The New York Rangers center pump-faked, drawing the Washington Capitals defenders closer to him, moments before he fed the puck to a blue comet streaking into the offensive zone named Ryan McDonagh.
“I noticed my winger was changing. I just tried to join the play, maybe be in a spot where the puck would find me,” said McDonagh.
“He kept his ears open, and heard me coming.”
Stepan passed to his captain, who blasted a shot past an otherwise stellar Braden Holtby at 9:37 of overtime. The Rangers had their 2-1 win in Game 5 on Friday night, and lived to play another day – Sunday, in Washington, down 3-2 in the series to the Capitals.
“We’ve been needing some people to step up for sure and score some big timely goals. It’s been tough to come by for sure. But we’re still in this thing,” he said.
It the first goal scored by a Rangers defenseman at even strength in the playoffs, after they scored 33 of them in the regular season.
The edict from coach Alain Vigneault was to generate more scoring from the defense in what’s been an unbelievably tight series and postseason – the Rangers played their ninth one-goal game of the 2015 playoffs.
“You think we overdid it on their first goal?” Vigneault asked to laughter in the postsgame press conference, indirectly citing the pinch from defenseman Kevin Klein that led to Curtis Glencross’s breakaway goal in the third period.
“A lot of our offense has come our back end. We need them to be part of this,” he said.
Defenseman Marc Staal said it was good to see the backline contribute, because it’s not easy against the Capitals. “You have to shoot through six pairs of legs sometimes from the point. You have to make plays like Step makes there [to open it up],” he said.
Holtby (41 saves) said he though Stepan was going to shoot the puck, given his position in the zone. “I lost him a bit with the bodies in front,” he admitted. “I heard it hit a stick, and then that was it.”
Stepan actually made two plays in the game: Setting up the game-winner, but also setting up Chris Kreider’s goal late in the third that tied the game.
“I have a general idea what I wanted to do with it,” said Kreider. “It could have just as easily been blocked. They block everything. It’s just the one puck that got through.”
Kreider said that despite the Capitals scoring first and scoring midway through the third period – and with Holtby in the midst of a 41-save performance – the Rangers bench remained confident.
“It’s a poise from the leaders in the room. They settle the group down,” he said. “Mac plays a lot older than he actually is.”
McDonagh, is just 25 but has 72 playoff games to his credit.
“I had a feeling that someone was going to find a way,” said McDonagh.
The Rangers found a way, thanks in large part to the contributions of their captain on the offensive end and in helping to shut down the Capitals’ top line of Alex Ovehckin, Nicklas Backstrom and Joel Ward. Ovechkin only had two clean shots on Lundqvist; six more were blocked or deflected.
“We still feel we can get better. And we know that our offensive chances will come from that defense,” said McDonagh.
So the Rangers travel to Washington for Game 6 on Sunday with renewed life, renewed confidence and their unending sense that this team can overcome anything thrown its way.
As their captain said: “We’re never out of it, no matter what happens in the game. Our group knows this.”
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