“If there’s one sport where the home side’s advantage may not be as influential, it’s our sport.” “John Cooper, Tampa Bay Lightning.”
Before the New York Rangers left Tampa, their early series of momentum was a distant memory of what suddenly became the best of the three, all of whom cited home ice as an advantage.
Madison Square Garden.
In the most famous arena in the world, before the most famous base of fans of the NHL playoffs, the blue shirts managed to put their opponents to a record 8-1 in the playoffs. Igor Shesterkin was extinguished in the city, which never sleeps. The center of Stud Mika Zibanejad had a series of six games that revolved around the home and would not be burdened with that annoying Anthony Sirelli, who haunts him all night.
Ranger Rental Andrew Kopp had already felt the impact of his new home. The latest change would help, of course. Adherents who drank beer and invented chants could choose them if they stumbled, raise them higher if they stood up. And then there was something psychological about the game, confidence woven into the darker sweaters.
“The host teams have to win overall,” Kopp told reporters. “For some reason, MSG was a good home for us.
They say that no series really starts until someone loses at home. So, with the 3-1 victory of Tampa Bay Lightning in enemy territory on Thursday, this series could be completed on Saturday night.
If the noisy, star-studded barn was not enough, the Rangers were boosted by the return of not one but two strong center-right players, Ryan Straw and Philip Chitil.
And a second boost when tough defender Ryan Lindgren passed a puck with a high block past Andrei Vassilevski to give the hosts a 1-0 lead in the middle of the event.
Once again, the Rangers seemed to be using their own barn to their advantage.
“How are we going to deal with this?” Lightning coach John Cooper wondered. “Are we going to stick to what we know works?” Will we be able to fight through inspections? Will we be able to fight through the noise of the crowd? These are the things you need to do if you want to win the Stanley Cup.
“It will take everything we have – and probably more – to win a game on the road.”
The champions cut the noise and trampled the troubles without disrupting their game plan.
Remember that Lightning did not have homemade ice in circles 1 and 2. They are used to it.
“We knew it was going to be a low-scoring game and the team that would just keep going to win the most (win),” said Stephen Stamkos. “When you stick to it long enough, you usually get a reward.”
Defender Mikhail Sergachev leveled the game with a low-scoring event with a wrist with a seeing eye from the point that unlocked seven bodies from his blade to the net, the latter belonging to Shesterkin.
Corey Perry was the last screen, an intrusive, disgusting pillar in Shesterkin’s field of vision.
“It’s a matter of tearing off his eyes. The point is to be there, but not in the blue, “Perry explained.
“When (the tournament) gets deeper, goals are harder to score. You have to work a little harder. They won’t always be those great passes. These will be fights or tips – and these goals are scored right in front of the net. So someone has to go there.
“He is a great goalkeeper. If he sees the puck, he’ll stop it. “
This is a game that Corey Perry can have some influence on. He will involve boys in the battle by reaching the net and will be a pest.
– @ Bobbyry5409
– NHL (@NHL) June 10, 2022
The fight in defense in game 5 seemed to continue until Sergachev’s second shot through the traffic (only six bodies this time) deflected Ondrey Palat’s leg for the winner with 110 seconds left on the clock.
“I don’t think I’ve experienced anything like this before,” Sergachev said after his whole body trembled with joy.
Brandon Hagel sealed it.
“It doesn’t matter where we play,” said Victor Hedman of Tampa. “If we play on a pond outside or at MSG, we want to win the game.
Now Lightning will lead 3-2 series and some stacked odds back to Tampa Bay, back under those flags, with a chance to win its 11th straight series on Saturday.
Homemade ice will benefit Tampa. Same with math. Seventy-nine percent of the teams that win Game 5 of the Draw advance.
But this is no longer a Homer series.
“We’ve had 3-2 in every series so far,” Kopp said. “We have to have a level of despair. I think the confidence of doing it before is greater and better than having to do it again. I think there is faith in the room.
The speed of the fox 5
• When was the last time two selected players from the first draft dropped their gloves in a playoff match?
“That’s what great captains do,” Palat said. “And he is.”
• Brayden Point (lower body) missed his ninth consecutive game. The intrigue will again hover over the availability of the star center on Saturday for Game 6.
“We are looking forward to it,” said teammate Ryan McDonagh. “You have to go out there and be effective, not just make moves. This is playoff hockey. It is different from the regular season. It’s faster, more intense.
“So you have to be honest with yourself and put yourself in a position to only help the team, not hurt the team. And we believe in Pointer.
• Andrew Palace cleverly presses Jacob Trouba’s flying chicken wing:
• Rangers scored only four goals (and only one in equal strength) for Vassilevski during this three-game failure.
• Plenty of celebrity sightings.
NHL host Kenan Thompson wore the OutKast T-shirt I’d like for Father’s Day, please.
And Rangers / Islanders fan Jimmy Fallon apparently eats hot dogs with the same strength that Lindgren eats puck.
Jimmy Fallon spends the time of his life.
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