Pressure makes people do funny things. In the National Hockey League, pressure can make a defenseman whiff as he tries to chip the puck out of the zone, a goal scorer fire a shot high and wide at an open net, or a goaltender blink as a slap shot comes sizzling in from the point. In the NHL playoffs, pressure is everywhere, but some teams feel it more than others. In 2014, the with a Stanley Cup mandate from ownership and the coaching staff’s jobs on the line, the Penguins collapsed under ... Read More
Breaking down the Rangers’ success
When the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Rangers met in the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Penguins were prohibitive favorites. The Penguins had finished with 109 points, second in the Eastern Conference, and won the brand-new Metropolitan Division by 13 points. The Penguins then dispatched the Columbus Blue Jackets in six games in the first round and built a 3-1 series lead against the Rangers. Even with all of that momentum, the Penguins’ season came to a screeching ... Read More
Penguins fall to Rangers, 5-2
Despite the New York Rangers playing their third game in four days, they soundly defeated the Penguins 5-2 in Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon. The Rangers are heating up in the race for the Metropolitan Division and have now won 14 of their last 17 games and are just two points behind the Penguins for second place with a game in hand. The Rangers scored twice in the 1st period. Goals were from Rick Nash just 26 seconds into the first period and Derick Brassard with with 13:52 left. Nash now has ... Read More