Here is what it will take for the Rangers to come up victorious in Game 6 on Thursday night.
The Carolina Hurricanes are slow learners.
It took them three games to figure out the Rangers and right now they're the smartest team in Raleigh. They converted potential panic into playoff near-perfection.
As for tomorrow, we'll see.
Losing the first trio of contests to the Blueshirts put the Southland Skaters on the brink of playoff elimination. Then, they learned fast what a few heretic, non-New York critics were whispering -- that the seemingly unbeatable New Yorkers could be taken.
Hard as it was to believe at the time, two Canes wins later we see potholes that were well-hidden before. To wit:
1. SHESTERKIN: The Rangers King Igor may have seemed to be indomitable at first, but he sure was domitable in Games Four and Five.
2. DEFENSE: Led by Adam Fox and Jacob Trouba, the New York blueliners throughout the regular season often looked invincible. But Trouba and Erik Gustafsoon lately have looked quite vincible.
3. CENTERS:: The Blueshirts top two centers -- Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck -- are B-Plus-very good, but not great. The Rangers now could use a great one. (Too late. The Trade Deadline is history.)
4. OUTSTANDING WINGS: Artemi Panarin has been great; but certainly not by the last two games. Ditto for Chris Kreider in terms of the last pair of losses. (Open the No-Doz, already.)
5. OTHER FORWARDS: Wennberg, Cuylle, Kakko, Roslovic. Vesey and Goodrow all have been serviceable in assorted ways with Vesey and Roslovic getting the highest ratings.
6. THE REMPE CHALLENGE: The high command still is debating what to do with The Skating Steeple. A. Bench him altogether and play Jonny Brozinski; B. Use Matt for absolutely no more than eight minutes. C. Take the really big gamble and let him loose with Vesey and Goodrow with no restrictions. (Maybe that way he will intimidate the Canes.)
The good news is that the general staff has Game Six in which to experiment.
The bad news is that a third loss in a row could spell P-A-N-I-C.
In theory a seventh game at The World's Most Famous Arena would be hot stuff.
Except, the Rangers might be the ones to get burned!