Tonight, the Rangers face a big test in Game 6 with a trip to the conference finals on the line.
I only wish there was an Albert Einstein of Hockey to answer questions that nobody else can answer.
For the life of me, I've spent the last few days trying to figure out why the Rangers played Game 5 as if they were models from Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.
They were home; the fans were insanely behind them; they needed only one win to clinch the series. And they played as if it was an exhibition with the Wolf Pack.
Why? Why? Why did they collapse like a house of cards instead of playing the third period as if the win was in the bag; except the bag had a big hole in it.
Okay, okay; I could understand Big Al Lafreniere laying an egg a game after his grand effort in Game 4.
But I can't – for the life of me – figure that Breadman Panarin. For crying out loud the whole world knows how he stunk out the joint against the Devils last year. Surely he must have felt motivated in Game Five. Surely.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnAK7IpGyKI[/embed]
Nay. Breadman looked like he was making his way out of a bagel oven. He was toast.
What about King Chris Kreider? Zero. Recent hero, Vin Trocheck? Zero. The Marvelous Mika Zebanejad? Nothing.
Captain Jacob Trouba just won The Mark Messier Leadership Award; Nice.
Yet after Game Five fans were telling me that Trouba should be benched and replaced by Zac Jones.
As for tonight's critical clash in Raleigh, Trouba declared: "We'll see what we're made of!" (With special attention to you, pal.)
The Maven's exclusive "Pzzazz Meter" will be trained on the getting-desperate Blueshirts. I fear that "Pzzazz" might fall below zero as it did at The Garden.
"We'll be bringing our best," Trocheck insisted.
With no Einstein around to help, I'll believe Vinnie when I see it!