The last time a team rallied from a 3-0 series deficit in the Stanley Cup playoffs was 1975. That's the challenge facing the New York Rangers heading into Thursday night's Game 4 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, with the Blueshirts -105 on the money line (over/under: 5.5) on WagerWeb.com.
However, New York will be without one of its best players and certainly the biggest pest in the NHL in Sean Avery. He will spend the next few days in the hospital after lacerating his spleen during Tuesday night's loss to the Pens and is done for the season.
Avery was injured during Tuesday night's 5-3 loss from a hit, possibly in the first period, but played throughout the game despite worsening pain. Now you know why they say hockey players are the toughest athletes around.
The Rangers were 33-14-10 with him this season and 9-13-3 when he was out with injuries.
In addition, the Rangers might be without centers Chris Drury and Blair Betts. Rangers coach Tom Renney said Betts might have facial fractures after he was struck while blocking a shot in the second period of Game 3. Drury was hampered by a torso injury that also occurred in the middle frame.
"We'll see how they're doing (Thursday) morning as to whether or not they can participate," Renney said.
Only two teams in NHL history have won a series after trailing 3-0 - the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs in the finals vs. Detroit, and the 1975 New York Islanders in the second round against Pittsburgh.Pittsburgh has yet to lose a game in these playoffs, having swept the Ottawa Senators in the first round and now one win from sweeping the Rangers. They are the 11th team in NHL history to win their first seven playoff games (the last team to do it was the 1994 Rangers). Of the previous 10 teams to do it, eight have gone on to win the Stanley Cup.
"When you come into a building like this and play a team like this, you try to win at least one game in their building," Penguins winger Marian Hossa said. "But when you win the first one, you try to be greedy and take another one."
The Pens have now been successful in killing 21 of 23 shorthanded situations this spring.
Though the Penguins were 0-3-1 this year at Madison Square Garden, they have been stellar in New York throughout their postseason history. In three previous playoff series, the Penguins are 6-1 on the Rangers' home ice and currently have a four-game postseason winning streak.
Center Evgeni Malkin recorded his fourth multiple-point game of the Stanley Cup playoffs in Game 3. He recorded only one multiple-point game in the 2007 postseason. Malkin recorded 28 multiple-point games during the regular season.
Still, the team knows Game 4 is not exactly going to be an easy night in New York.
"Game 4 is going to be the hardest game - we know that. It was a big challenge [Tuesday night] and, top to bottom, everyone put their hearts in it and that's all you can ask for," Ryan Malone said. "No one was happy with the way we played in the second, but in the third, everyone bought into it and played hard and smart and made sure we won our battles."
Betting trends: Under is 8-3 in Pens' last 11 games following a win. ... Under is 10-4 in Pens' last 14 overall. ... Under is 7-3 in Pens' last 10 vs. Atlantic foes. ... Rangers are 35-16 in their last 51 Thursday games. ... Home team is 19-7 in the last 26 meetings.
No comments:
Post a Comment