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Closing out Penguins in Rare Short Series Boosts Rangers' Stanley Cup Quest

Published by Bleacher Report on Sat, 25 Apr 2015


NEW YORKSweeter words were never spoken, at least not to the ears of the New York Rangers."See you guys Monday," Alain Vigneault said.When Carl Hagelin's spinning wrist shot found the back of the net with 9:08 remaining in overtime for a 2-1 victory, there was the obvious reason for joy. The Rangers had won not only the game but the best-of-seven series with the Pittsburgh Penguinsin front of a jubilant crowd at Madison Square Garden. That's plenty of reason to enjoy a postgame adult beverage and a slice of pizza.What made it particularly special was this series ended in Game 5. It didn't go six. It didn't go seven. For the first time since 2008, the Rangers won a series in fewer than six games, which means the Rangers won't have to touch the ice at MSG or at their practice facility in Greenburgh all weekend.For a team that played two seven-gamers and a six-gamer before losing in the final in 2014 and two seven-gamers before losing in six in the conference finals in 2012, this could mean a world of difference for the top-seeded Rangers.Right'"I'm not sure yet," Derek Stepan said. "I'll let you know later. How about that'"It's true. Stepan has no idea what a short series can do for the team's long-term chances of winning a Stanley Cup. Since joining the Rangers in 2010-11, he has been part of seven series victories: this year's five-gamer, last year's six-game win against the Montreal Canadiens in the conference finals and five series that went the distance.The Rangers went on two deep runs in recent years and appeared to run out of gas at the end."Last year, we had one stretch where we played six games in nine days, end of Philly and beginning of Pitt," said Marc Staal, recalling the Rangers' first two rounds last year. "It was the hardest stretch of hockey I ever played in my life, physically. Not having to do that, I think it's a benefit."This is such a rare occasion for this group that most players in the locker room truly don't know what the time off early in the postseason can do for them."You really don't know," Dan Girardi said. "You want to say yeah, but at the end of the day, if there's rest, it's a great thing to have."The Rangers need this break right now, especially in the short term.Mats Zuccarello left Game 5 with an undisclosed injury in the first period and did not return. Kevin Klein has been on the cusp of returning from a broken arm for what feels like an eternity. Keith Yandle has been skipping morning skates for "maintenance," which may have something to do with a nagging injury or the fact he played 84 regular-season games because of his midseason trade from Arizona, or both.Think about what five days off would mean for you at your job. Now imagine what five days off can do for people that have physical punishment inflicted upon them just about every other day for six months."Our goal before the game tonight was to win it in five," Hagelin said. "We know how hard it can be down the stretch if you play seven-game series throughout the whole playoffs."Needing seven games in Round 1 is historically a bad sign, but the 2014 Kings and 2011 Bruinswon their first-round series in seven before winning the Cup. But the Bruins beat a Canucks team that also played seven in the first round and the Kings beat, as you may recall, an equally exhausted Rangers team.Before the 2011 Bruins, the last team to win a Cup after playing seven first-round games was the 1992 Pittsburgh Penguins.The Rangers need the rest. The Capitals will provide a much stiffer, more physical test in the second round should they close out the Islanders on Saturday, which seems likely considering the depleted state of the Islanders blue line. The Penguins were in every game in this series, but they never felt like a threat. That will change in the second round if it's the Capitals the Rangers are facing.Zuccarello, Klein and Yandle at full strength will be necessary for the Rangers to get back to the conference finals for a third time in four seasons."Any time you can close out a series and heal some bumps and bruiseswhich we certainly have a fewit's a good thing," Vigneault said. "We will take the next couple days here to recuperate and recover and we'll get right back to strategizing for the next series and get ready."All statistics via NHL.com.Dave Lozo covers the NHL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter: @DaveLozo.
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