After going up 3-0 in the series, the New York Rangers have lost the last two games and are forced to return to Raleigh, North Carolina, for Game 6 on Thursday night, now leading the series 3-2. They were tied with the Hurricanes late in Game 4, but a power-play goal by former Ranger Brady Skjei got Carolina back into the series. In Game 5, the Rangers had a 1-0 lead going into the third, and they played well until they collapsed in the third period, allowing four unanswered goals and playing the worst hockey of their playoff run so far.
The Rangers have the chance to win Game 6 and move on to the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in three years. However, they won’t be able to do that if they played the way they did in the third period of Game 5. Changes in playing style need to be made, and some lineup changes should be made before Game 6. If the Rangers want to move on, they need to start playing like it while putting the Hurricanes down and not giving them any more life in this series.
Change up the Top-Six Forward Lines
In Games 4 and 5, the Rangers’ top-six forward groups were not very visible when it came to scoring chances. In Game 4, they got goals from their third and fourth lines, and while Alexis Lafreniere got a goal in that game as well, his line with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck hasn’t been producing much together these last two games. The same can be said for the line of Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider and Jack Roslovic. They have gone cold in this series and haven’t produced much offense at all. Zibanejad scored two goals in Game 1 but hasn’t scored since. Kreider has two goals in this series but still isn’t as effective as he should be. Roslovic had an assist in Game 1 and has no points since. Something needs to change with these two lines, and maybe a shakeup is necessary to bring out the best in them.
Changes that could be made include swapping Zibanejad and Trocheck and having Zibanejad with Panarin and Lafreniere while Trocheck goes with Kreider and Roslovic. You could mix and match those four wingers or bring someone up from the bottom six into the top six. The easiest guy to move down the lineup is Roslovic. Maybe you swap him with Kaapo Kakko, or if Filip Chytil is 100% ready for Game 6, you put him on the wing in the top six to provide a spark. He brings speed and has a shooting mentality. Either way, it’s clear that these lines haven’t been working these past two games, and shaking them up could give them the spark they need and could be the key to ending the Hurricanes in Game 6.
Taking Erik Gustafsson Out of the Lineup
It has been evident throughout this series that the defense pairing of Erik Gustafsson and Jacob Trouba hasn’t been working as well as they did in the first round against the Washington Capitals. While Trouba had been on the ice for seven consecutive Carolina goals, he wouldn’t be the one taken out of the lineup. He is the captain of the Rangers, and even if his game isn’t where it needs to be, he still provides leadership to this team. This means that Gustafsson would be the one taken out, and while he might not be as bad as Trouba has been, he still isn’t a positive right now for the Rangers. He has had a plus/minus of minus-one or more in three of the five games and is a minus-two overall in these playoffs. Taking him out right now could be smart for head coach Peter Laviolette. It would show the rest of the team that you are responsible for your actions, and his poor play in this series should earn him at least a game in the press box.
Related: Hurricanes’ Strong Third Period Leads to Game 5 Victory
You would have two options to replace him. That would be Zac Jones or Chad Ruhwedel. If Laviolette wanted to put another veteran into the lineup, Ruhwedel would be the answer. He has playoff experience and won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017. He is another right-handed shooter, so if he were to be paired with Trouba, it would be two right-handed defensemen. However, Jones could be the better option because he is left-handed, so it would be easy to place him in Gustafsson’s spot. He is also a smooth skater with speed who would work well against another fast-paced team like Carolina. He could also quarterback the second power-play unit, as his offensive game is one of his best attributes. He should be the favorite to come into the lineup if Laviolette changes the defensive group.
Stop Sitting Back When Having the Lead
The biggest mistake the Rangers made in Game 5 was sitting back with a one-goal lead. They were up 1-0 heading into the third, and it seemed that they were content just to let Carolina get into their defensive zone, start generating offense, and start shooting on Igor Shesterkin. This strategy would never work against a great offensive team like the Hurricanes. The Rangers should’ve had the mindset that the next goal is crucial, and we need to get it before they do. If they got the second goal and went up 2-0 in the third, it would’ve put more pressure on the Hurricanes and it would’ve caused more mistakes that the Rangers could have capitalized on. Instead, they sat back, and it cost them, and once the first goal went in from Jordan Staal, the Hurricanes never looked back.
Going into Game 6, if the Rangers get the lead at any point, they must stay alert and keep playing with energy and speed. A one-goal lead isn’t going to hold in this series, and now that they have realized that after Game 5, this should be a wake-up call that they can’t sit back against this team. If you get one, go for the next one and put the dagger into the Hurricanes. Game 6 will be as intense and physical as ever, and if the Rangers can overcome what Carolina throws at them and get the lead, they need not let up and keep looking for the next one. It’s what cost them Game 5, and if they lose this series, it will haunt them.
The Rangers have another chance to end the Hurricanes. They came out flat in Game 5, and now, they need to win another game in Raleigh. They need to learn from their past playoff mistakes of sitting back when having a series lead and take charge against the Hurricanes from the first puck drop. The top players need to start playing better if they want any chance of winning Game 6, and if any of these changes happen during that game, the Rangers could have a very good chance of ending this series and beating Carolina in their home once again.