NY Rangers 2, Tampa Bay 1
When: 1:00 PM ET, Saturday, May 16, 2015
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Referees:
Dan O'Halloran, Steve Kozari
Linesmen:
Michel Cormier, Greg Devorski
Attendance:
18006
By The Sports Xchange
NEW YORK -- This is how the New York Rangers win playoff games.
Center Dominic Moore scored the tie-breaking goal with 2:25 remaining in regulation and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist stopped 23 shots as the Rangers drew first blood in the Eastern Conference finals with a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
Game 2 is set for Monday night in New York.
Seven of nine wins by the Rangers' this postseason have been by 2-1 scores. They won a total of four games in the regular season by that score.
All 13 postseason games played by the Rangers have been one-goal contests.
"I think is a comfortable place for us to be," right winger Martin St. Louis said. "I don't think it's uncharted territory. We've been in tight games all year in the playoffs.
"We're used to it. You have to play the game that's in front of you and play smart. For the most part, we've done a really good job of that."
The Rangers took a 1-0 lead into the third period after center Derek Stepan scored with 12.7 seconds remaining in the second period. There was some mild controversy, as Bishop was without his goal stick when Stepan smacked home a loose puck from near the crease.
Before the goal, Rangers left winger Chris Kreider bumped Bishop, causing the goaltender to lose his stick.
Left winger Ondrej Palat made it 1-1 with a power-play goal at 6:45 of the third period, as he finished a cross-ice pass from center Tyler Johnson with a one-timer under the crossbar.
The Lightning had two more chances on the power play over the rest of the period.
"You look at them two ways; our player was 25 percent (1-for-4), which is really good, or they had two chances to score in the third and we didn't," Lighting coach Jon Cooper said.
"Did we have our looks? Did we have our zone time? That we did. So I can't sit here and blame the power play because if it wasn't for the power play, the game is not tied."
Thirty seconds after the Rangers killed Moore's tripping penalty, Moore scored his first goal of the postseason after a pass by center Kevin Hayes ricocheted off his skate and past goaltender Lightning goaltender Dominic Moore.
"Dom has done a lot of good things for us throughout the season," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "To see him get that goal, benefit of that bounce, had work pays off."
Although the game was scoreless for nearly two periods, the Lightning were on their heels for most of the first period. Bishop was called upon to make 11 saves in the first period, which included a stretching stop on left winger Rick Nash and a glove save on a Stepan breakaway.
That doesn't include a shot by Hayes that rang off the crossbar, all while the Lightning mustered only seven shots against Lundqvist.
"I think we put ourselves in a little bit of trouble in the first period," Lighting defenseman Anton Stralman said. "I think we made them a lot faster than they are, and they're a fast team so that really puts us in trouble."
Added Lightning right winer Steven Stamkos: "We gave ourselves a chance. That was a little bit of a fluky goal at the end, but that's what happens when you throw pucks at the net.
"Not the start we wanted, but hopefully we got our feet wet a little and we know what to expect."
They should expect another one-goal game, probably three goals total.
NOTES: Lightning RW Ryan Callahan played in Game 1 after missing Game 6 against the Montreal Canadiens in the second round. Callahan underwent an emergency appendectomy Monday in Tampa. ... Lightning C Brian Boyle did not play because of an undisclosed injury. The team listed him as day-to-day. ... Rangers RW Mats Zuccarello did not play because of to a suspected concussion. He missed the second round because of the injury. ... Rangers D Matt Hunwick was a healthy scratch. ... Rangers LW Tanner Glass did not practice Friday but was in the lineup Saturday.
Top Game Performances
| Tampa Bay |
|
NY Rangers |
|
Ondrej Palat 1 |
Points |
Dominic Moore 1 |
|
Ondrej Palat 1 |
Goals |
Dominic Moore 1 |
|
Victor Hedman 1 |
Assists |
Derick Brassard 1 |
|
Ondrej Palat 1 |
Power Play Goals |
N/A |
|
N/A |
Short Handed Goals |
N/A |
|
Ben Bishop .933 |
Save Percentage |
Henrik Lundqvist .958 |
|
Ben Bishop 28 |
Saves |
Henrik Lundqvist 23 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
| Tampa Bay
|
24 |
1 |
1-4 |
2-2 |
4 |
30 |
| NY Rangers
|
30 |
2 |
0-2 |
3-4 |
8 |
23 |
Upcoming Games
-
NY Rangers will play their next game at home against Tampa Bay. The Rangers have a W/L % of .654 after a win and .633 after a loss.
-
Tampa Bay will play their next game on the road against NY Rangers. The Lightning have a W/L % of .560 after a win and .688 after a loss.
For more information, contact us