The New York Rangers look to start their trip back to the Stanley Cup Final tonight at Madison Square Garden when they go up against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
How each team got into the playoffs:
The Rangers cruised into the playoffs on the back of great play up and down the lineup, winning their division, conference and the Presidents' Trophy for the best record in the NHL. It is their third Presidents' Trophy, the second-most in NHL history behind Detroit Red Wings six. The last time the Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy was 1994, a year in which they won the Stanley Cup. The Rangers finished with a record of 55-22-7, which gave them for a franchise record 113 points.
That was not the Rangers' only franchise record, however - they also set the franchise record for most wins in a season. The Rangers depth was on display all season long, but none more so then when Henrik Lundqvist went down with a scary vascular injury in late January. The Rangers went 18-4-3 in Lundqvist's eight-week absence, with Cam Talbot deputizing, and the Rangers went from seventh in the Eastern Conference to first. The Rangers would not be where they were this season, however, without the remarkable goalscoring prowess of Rick Nash, who scored a career high 42 goals this year. However, he only finished with seven points in his last 15 games.
The Penguins struggled with injuries all season long after a hot start, losing Pascual Dupuis early in the season due to a blood clot in the lungs. They barely made it into the playoffs, having to beat out the Boston Bruins on the last day of the regular season to clinch a playoff spot. Going into the playoffs, the Penguins are not even fully healthy with Evgeni Malkin suffering from in an injury in the last few weeks. The Pens defense was the most ravaged part of the team with almost every one of their defensemen being out for a stretch of time. In their last 10 games, they went 3-5-2.
Regular season matchups:
This season the Rangers had the Penguins' number, going 3-0-1 against them. The Rangers' only loss was a shootout loss, where they scored the winning goal but it was reversed, and the Pens went on to win.
Past Playoff Matchups:
The Penguins and Rangers have played in the playoffs five times before, with Pittsburgh holding a 4-1 record. However the Rangers beat the Penguins last year in the 2nd round after coming back from 3-1 down, rallying around grieving Martin St.Louis, who lost his mother, France, in May last year to a heart attack.
How each team will win the series:
The Rangers will win if Nash can get back in form and heat up. They will also win if the power play can get on track, and the Rangers can beat Marc-Andre Fleury while on the power play. The Rangers also have to play to their potential and not let the pressure get to them. They can’t get fancy, they have to just put their heads down, skate and play as they have all year. The Rangers will win if they can use their speed to take advantage of the Pens' banged up roster. If the Rangers play fancy and try to celebrate like they have already won the Cup, this will be a short series and they will be watching the rest of the playoffs from their couches.
The Penguins will win if they can beat the Rangers on the special teams. The Pens will also win if goalie Fleury will find the form he had when the Pens won the cup in 2009. If the Penguins embrace the underdog role, and take advantage of the Rangers' turnovers when they happen, they will win the series.