While the Blueshirts aim for a sweep, the Canes can only weep!
There's going to be a bonanza in "Talking Broom" sales in Raleigh tomorrow night.
All the brooms are saying the same thing: "Sweep, Sweep, Sweep, Sweep."
The sad-faced Carolinians can thank the Rangers for that.
Confronted by the indomitable Igor Shesterkin in goal and the irrepressible Breadman Panarin, the Canes again got conked; only this time last night's overtime was over and done with faster than you can say "Vinnie Trocheck Made The Pass."
Let's face it folks, The Maven is beginning to believe Rangers-many-book-author Sean McCaffrey who keeps telling me that the New Yorkers are "a team of destiny."
After Panarin beat Carolina's sub-goalie Pyotr Kochetkov with as deft a between the legs deflection as you'll ever see, the Rangers are one win away from Broom-Time at Ye Olde PNC Arena.
Mind you, folks, this is the SEVENTH STRAIGHT PLAYOFF WIN for the Seventh Avenue skaters. That, in itself, is in complete defiance of the Law of Averages. And speaking of lawlessness, how about the lad who seems to be stealing every game of this series, His Majesty, King Igor.
"He's the one who's making the difference," Trocheck insists.
Can you believe this: Shesterkin made 45 saves while the other Russian goaliecame up with only 22. That, my analytical friends, is a two-to-one ratio.
And still the Blueshirts won the game.
"We really liked the way we're playing," says Peter Laviolette, who admits he was ever-so-slightly perturbed when the Canes pulled their goalie in the last minute and tied the game.
In the dressing room between regulation time and the extra session, Panarin had a few words for his buddies. "Just stick with it; the next goal wins."
Breadman's OT-winner was a classic case of a pair of superior players taking advantage of a break and exploiting it for the victory. Lavvy had made a line change with Vinnie Trocheck heading toward the action. A strategically-placed Big Al Lafreniere rim-around-the-boards put the puck in the enemy zone.
Somehow Carolina's defenseman Dmitry Orlov couldn't handle the rubber — so Trocheck nabbed it.
"I saw a little bit of daylight," says Vin, "and I saw Bread crashing the net; and it was a great tip-in by him."
Panarin's reaction as the red goal light flashed was priceless: he pretended to kick a three-point field goal. Which was accurate because that was the third and winning goal for New York.
He then spotted a couple of Rangers fans in the front row and chirped, "What's up?"
As The Maven predicted after the Game Two marathon, it would be asking a lot of Iggy to produce yet another goalkeeping gem but, sure enough, he did it; including an extremely rare knob save. But it was a case of heroes galore
And it's about time we recognize that Big Al Lafreniere HAS once and for all reached the "Star" level. He underlined the point with a magnificent game and the club's second goal which almost -- but not quite — was the game-winner.
Big Al has nine playoff points (3-6) and is tied for third in the team's scoring race. Praising Panarin has reached a point where it's like painting the rose or gilding the lily. The "artiste" now has four goals and every one of them is a game-winner.
When you think about it, between, Breadman, Trocheck, Lafreniere, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, Lavvy has a "Murderer's Row" of scorers.
On top of all these assets, The New York penalty kill has been flawless (15 for 15) against Rod Brind'Amour's pop guns. Better still, Kreider delivered another short-hander after Mika sent a perfect saucer pass while Chris drove to the net.
Meanwhile, the Canes are more frustrated than the guy whose bike skidded on an oil patch and took a dive.
"We're not executing very well," admits coach Brind'Amour, "and the Rangers are doing a great job on the penalty kill. I hate it for our guys because we're playing really well. They've done everything we've asked them to do."
Except win.
While the Blueshirts aim for a sweep, the Canes can only weep!