Rangers Dream Run Ends In Heartbreak

*AP Photo

The New York Rangers' 2014 Stanley Cup chase ended the exact way I have dreamed about them winning it for years: a goal in overtime that sends the home crowd into an absolute frenzy. And, boy, did this one hurt.

Perhaps it was bad karma for me to think ahead and dream about a storybook ending. Perhaps it was just coincidence. Regardless, it was undoubtedly the toughest loss I've experienced in my life as a Rangers fan in a season and playoff run that this city has waited for for 20 years.

It most certainly was not your typical bad loss by the Blueshirts. It wasn't a 5-0 blown lead at the Bell Centre. It wasn't a game where a future captain tied it with 6.6 seconds left and then losing in overtime. It wasn't a game in which a trade-deadline acquisition was turned aside in a shootout on the regular season's final day.

It was a game in the biggest series' the Rangers had been in since before Y2K was a thing. It was a game where the Rangers played much, much better than they have in memorable losses of the past. It was a game where the Rangers played up to their competition and nearly stole one on the road (on a few occasions) to bring the series back to Madison Square Garden for a crucial Game 6.

While coming up on the short end in the Stanley Cup Final to the Los Angeles Kings, it's hard to say this team played poorly in the series. The Kings were most certainly the better of the two teams, but the Rangers hung with them in four of the five games as well as any opponent could. After falling 3-2 in overtime in Game 1, I said the Rangers could play alongside the Kings and they proved my point.

Three of the four losses came in extra frames, all games in which the Rangers held a lead. They had four power plays in the five overtime periods played in the series (stop blaming the referees). Henrik Lundqvist proved he is worth every single dollar he's ever earned and, at one point, I thought he had a good shot at becoming the first Conn Smythe Trophy winner in a losing effort since Jean-Sébastien Giguere in 2003.

That's what makes this loss so tough to swallow. Even though the Rangers were playing with house money since their 3-1 series comeback to the Pittsburgh Penguins, they were oh so close to hockey's top prize. The Rangers were right there with the Kings and were a bounce or two away from being up or tied in the series multiple times.

This team is absolutely one to be proud of, however. Players like Carl Hagelin, Dominic Moore, Mats Zuccarello and Chris Kreider all stepped their games up offensively while guys like Brian Boyle, Derek Dorsett and Anton Stralman held their ground in the faceoff circle, fourth line and defensive end respectively.

An offseason full of questions lies ahead for New York with question number one surrounding the contract of Brad Richards. Getting back to the Stanley Cup Final will certainly be another uphill climb.

Sidenote: My favorite three (or four if you count the two in the first clip) goals that I'll remember from this great run:

Kings Take Game One But Rangers Can Play With Them

If it weren't for two costly turnovers, the New York Rangers would be on the opposite end of a 0-1 deficit one game into the Stanley Cup Final.

After burning the Los Angeles Kings with their trademark speed for the first two goals of the Game 1, Derek Stepan failed to clear the puck out of the Rangers' zone. Jeff Carter found Kyle Clifford in front to cut the Rangers' lead in half just 2:30 after Carl Hagelin scored to make it 2-0 in favor of New York.

Clifford's goal was a huge momentum swing in favor of the Western Conference Champions who then tied it in the second period on a gorgeous move by Drew Doughty. If the Rangers go into the dressing room with a two-goal lead after the first, perhaps it would've been a different story in Game 1.

It also didn't help the Rangers that they were dominated by the Kings in the third period as they were outshot 20-3 and couldn't muster their first shot on goal until the second half of the stanza. Los Angeles was relentless in the third and the Rangers survived, again, because of all-world goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

The game was lost on a horrendous turnover by Dan Girardi 4:36 into overtime. Girardi, in his own zone, whiffed on the puck, fell and then coughed it over. Justin Williams found himself in front of Lundqvist, who started to cheat to his glove side, which Williams noticed and then scored short-side. It was a brilliant move by one of the most clutch players in the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Kings made some key adjustments in the first intermission as they were able to take away the Rangers speed, which led to a lot of dump-and-chase hockey which worked in the Kings favor and cut New York's scoring chances dramatically.

One key factor I worried about coming into this series was the style of Los Angeles' play with their big bruisers and it showed in Game 1. The Kings threw their bodies around ferociously landing more than 20 hits in the first period. I love their style of play, unfortunately it comes against the Blueshirts in their biggest series in two decades. They play hard, they play aggressive and they can really skate.

But so can the Rangers. The experts picked the Kings to win this series in a landslide. They may have won Game 1, but it wasn't by a landslide, not even close. It was evident the Rangers can play alongside the Kings despite a horrendous third period. If Girardi is able to get the puck out of their zone, who knows if the Ranges get a bounce their way down in Los Angeles' zone.

I expect the Rangers to answer strong in Game 2 because that's what they've done throughout the playoffs. If they feel the slightest moment their backs are against the wall, which isn't yet, they don't back down. This team has tremendous heart which helped them erase their 3-1 deficit against Pittsburgh. While the experts were singing the praises of the Kings after Game 1, this series is far from over. I still stand my prediction: Rangers in 6.

Rangers Fans: Move on from Game 5

I begin to write this at 6:43 PM ET on the day following the Rangers heartbreaking loss in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden. Since that deflating loss, for the most part, all I have heard are Ranger fans complaining about how poorly they've played and how the season is over.

Stop it.

Get over Game 5. There's nothing you can change about anything that happened in Game 5. Let's move past the poor passing, the extinct power play and Chris Neil's hit on Brian Boyle. Enough. Move on.

While you're at it, quit saying the season is over. If you want to write this team off before they are actually eliminated from the postseason, I don't want you rooting for this team anymore. Go root for the Devils. Seriously, go.

Have you forgotten what took place across the river just a short while ago with my beloved Giants? Throughout the entire season I was asked the same questions every week: "Why do you keep going to games and rooting for that team?" "Why are you wasting your time and effort with that team?" "You can't be serious thinking they're going to win."

That same team I was told to stop rooting for won the goddamn Super Bowl.

Two seasons ago, the Bruins had a 3-0 series lead on the Flyers. Flyers won and went to the Cup Final.

Look, I get it. The Rangers aren't playing their best hockey right now. They haven't scored in five consecutive periods plus 2:42 of overtime. They're on the brink of elimination trailing 3-2 in the Cup quarterfinals. Things look a bit bleak.

You don't stop rooting when you're a fan. If you do, you can't call yourself a fan. There's a reason they put up 109 points in the regular season: they're a good hockey team.

If they lose tomorrow, they lose and I'll be heartbroken. But don't be negative about them now. Have some faith.

Rangers in seven.

Carl Hagelin Suspended 3 Games for Hit on Daniel Alfredsson -- This Is My Head Exploding

In one of the most mind-boggling moves in recent NHL history, the league has suspended Carl Hagelin for three....yes THREE games for this hit on Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson:

It was most certainly a dirty hit and Alfredsson was injured on the play (no word as to whether Alfredsson will play in Game 3 tomorrow). But while Brendan Shanahan slammed Hagelin with a three-game ban, what Shea Weber did to Henrik Zetterberg a few nights ago in Nashville warranted a mere slap on the wrist:

Watch each of those again and tell me what you think is worse. Weber did not commit a hockey play. Instead, Weber grabbed Zetterberg's head and slammed it against the glass like it was a turnbuckle at Royal Rumble. What was Weber's penalty? A fine of $2,500. That's it. This is an embarrassment.

I am more than just angry with this decision. This is a complete joke. Yes, Hagelin warranted a suspension, but to compare these two incidents and say Hagelin's is worse is more of a crime and you give him three games? Seriously?

Shanahan gave his reasons for Hagelin's suspension but I disagree wholeheartedly about the length of it. Because Alfredsson suffered injury and Zetterberg walked away that made it worse? If Zetterberg had suffered a concussion would Weber have been suspended? It should be about the act of the penalty, not completely based on the severity. What Weber did to Zetterberg was disgusting and he'd be in jail if he did it out in public (and I'm a huge, huge Shea Weber fan).

Shanahan also goes on to say that Hagelin has never been fined or suspended for an illegal act committed on the ice either. I find myself again asking why he received three games. Why such a lengthy suspension in the playoffs for a player not known for being dirty.

Meanwhile, Matt Carkner, a guy that's known to be an enforcer, goes out of his way to pummel Brian Boyle's head in and gets one game. ONE GAME!

Carkner was on the wrong side of the ice from his defensive positioning. Carkner personally assaulted Boyle who was unaware that Carkner was attacking him and gets one game. That is NOT a hockey play. That is a personal attack. Hagelin finished his check, albeit illegally. But that was a hockey play.

Carkner's sole intent on that "play" was to inflict injury on Boyle. There was no other reasoning behind it. He gets less of a suspension than Hagelin. My mind is blown.

I can't wait to see what Shanahan gives to two members of the Penguins who went out of their way to inflict pain on the Flyers today.

After Brayden Schenn delivered a punishing, legal hit to one of the Penguins, Arron Asham, a known dirty player, comes in an cross checks Schenn right across the jaw. How many games will Asham be suspended?

Later in the game, James Neal leaves his feet and charges Sean Couturier and no penalty was called:

Neal seeked Couturier out and delivered a punishing blow. Couturier looked very woozy when he skated off the ice as well. How many games will Neal receive?

This is a complete joke of inconsistency and I'm heated.

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UPDATE: 9:48 pm - 4/15/12 - RANGERS STATEMENT:
The New York Rangers accept the NHL’s three-game suspension of Carl Hagelin and will not pursue an appeal.  However, we are thoroughly perplexed in the ruling’s inconsistency with other supplementary discipline decisions that have been made throughout this season and during the playoffs.  We will have no further comment on this decision.
     ....good for the Rangers to speak out on this. Let's be consistent, eh?

UPDATE: 10:41 am - 4/16/12 - ALFREDSSON SKATING:

Reports all over the net are saying that Alfredsson is on the ice in morning skate. This is a surefire bet that Alfredsson will play tonight in Game 3.

     ....the Rangers need to retract their statement and appeal the suspension asap. If Alfredsson misses no time in the series and the punishment is based on the severity of the injury and NOT the intent like Shanahan said, Hagelin should miss no time and get the exact same fine that Weber received. This makes the suspension look so much worse. Much, much worse. Hagelin is not a dirty player and Shanahan recognizes this. He even said on WFAN this morning that Hagelin is "a good kid." To give him three games in a playoff series, Alfredsson had to miss time. But he's not. If the suspension is reduced to one game, or two max, I'd be OK with it.