Game 5 of the Rangers’ second-round series against the Hurricanes Monday night had an eerily similar feel to Game 5 of their first-round series against the Devils last year.
A 4-1 loss in a game that represented a second attempt at closing out an opponent, however, doesn’t exactly equate to a 4-0 defeat in a series-swinging game after they had blown a two-games-to-none edge.
But it sure as heck looked like the same listless effort from a Blueshirts team that can sometimes lose its sense of urgency.
That brings us to this week’s mailbag, which Samuel Franco led off by inquiring what changes we can expect to see in the Rangers lineup and line combinations and if the power play gets changed.
Other than the inconsequential switch for the 12th forward — from among Matt Rempe, Jonny Brodzinski and Filip Chytil if he is available — I’m not expecting anything dramatic.
If you think Peter Laviolette is going to upend the Presidents’ Trophy-winning lineup and one of the most consistent power-play units of the regular season and postseason, you haven’t been paying much attention to how the first-year Rangers coach has operated this year. Or for that matter, how much success this group has had with so much continuity this season.
“We’re looking at it with regard to what we need to do to be better,” Laviolette said on a conference call Tuesday afternoon of how he weighs the prospect of making changes versus sticking by his team.
“Like I said [after Game 5], it comes, I think, in a lot of different ways that we can try to do that. … The games I go back to, we’ve got a lot of confidence I think as a group, as well. There’s been games this year where we haven’t played well and the guys responded with a much better effort the next game.
“There’s some history there. And we’ll look to take the day today to rest, get in good work tomorrow and then be ready to play. There’s a lot of history with our group that we can sharpen up and be ready.”
If anything, I could see Laviolette reverting to the original defensive pairs with K’Andre Miller back alongside Jacob Trouba and Braden Schneider back alongside Erik Gustafsson.
Looking at the bigger picture, reader Gerard Mayerhofer wants to know what the Rangers’ mindset is after “literally freezing” in Game 5 and if I’m confident they will bounce back.
From the sounds of it after Game 5, the Blueshirts know they put themselves in a position where they could afford a couple bad games after going undefeated through the first seven games of the postseason.
I am confident in their ability to bounce back, just because it’s something this Rangers team has done all season long.
Mailbag
And now let’s get to some more questions — submitted via my Texts from the Blue Seats conversation — about the Rangers as they head into a somewhat pivotal Game 6 …
Any chance Blake Wheeler draws into the lineup for a Game 6 spark?
— Jim Moon
Laviolette said Tuesday they are working to get Wheeler up to speed after the 6-foot-5 forward shed his red non-contact jersey for the first time on Monday. The Rangers head coach reiterated a couple times that Wheeler had only just graduated to a regular jersey, so I don’t anticipate him being available for Game 6.
Jack Roslovic’s turn-and-run non-play on Dmitry Orlov was anything but playing “hungry” hockey. Didn’t even think about contesting the puck. Led to the Jordan Staal goal that opened the door for the Canes. Do you think there’s a chance Laviolette sits him if Chytil is ready to go?
— Paul Palmer
It was a bad play, there’s no question about it. Scratching Roslovic wouldn’t be totally out of left field, especially considering Laviolette did so on April 7 against the Canadiens. But that was also during a time when the Rangers needed a lot more from the 27-year-old wing. I think Roslovic has elevated his game tremendously since the playoffs began, which was something that needed to happen considering the rate he was going through his 19 regular-season games.
I imagine Rempe will be the 12th forward in the Game 6 lineup, so if Chytil is available and that’s the route Laviolette wants to take, I believe the 6-foot-8 ½ forward would be the odd man out.
Do you think the team will work with Rempe on a skating program over the summer? I’m sick of defending him to naysayers who think he’s only a fighter. I think he will eventually be an effective fourth-liner.
— Joseph Landolfi
I have no doubt the Rangers will put a lot of time and effort into shaping Rempe this summer. They may even invite him to stay in New York and work with their staff in the offseason.
If the Rangers get to the conference finals, would they prefer to play the Bruins or the Panthers?
— William Moss
I think the Blueshirts have a more favorable matchup against the Bruins. The Panthers are a lofty task. That’s probably the one series in the East in which I would consider the Rangers to be slight underdogs.
Who is the “leader” in the [locker room]? Is there one voice that is respected more than others, or is it a committee of voices?
— Randall Bingham
My understanding is that it is definitely a committee of voices. They didn’t name six alternate captains — Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Jacob Trouba, Barclay Goodrow and now ex-teammate Ryan Strome — in 2021-22 just for fun. Since Trouba was named captain, the other four, as well as Adam Fox, still serve as alternates. All of them play a role, as well as goalie Jonathan Quick, who has stepped up as a leadership voice as well.
Before the second overtime in Game 3, Quick spoke up in the locker room. Before overtime in Game 4, Panarin spoke up. Whoever feels inclined to speak at a particular moment is given the floor. They all share the responsibility.
Is Laviolette willing to open the power play with the second unit since the first has fallen back on bad habits?
— Richard LePetri
I think I can count on one hand the number of times Laviolette has deployed the second power-play unit first. This is a trait that has followed every Rangers head coach the past few years. They have seemed to identify the dominance that the first unit is capable of and end up relying on it heavily. Not every aspect of the Rangers’ game can be perfect all the time. The power play, despite being one of the team’s greatest assets, will have peaks and valleys. It’s been a couple games without any success on the man-advantage, but does that diminish all that it has accomplished this postseason?
Would you switch goalies? Give Igor Shesterkin a rest? Quick has been extraordinary this year!
— Rick Schwartz
No doubt Quick had an extraordinary year, but that’s Shesterkin’s net.
