Ross McKeon at Yahoo! Sports dissects trouble for the remaining eight teams left in the Stanley Cup Playoffs...
New York Rangers:
The Rangers worked almost exclusively on special teams during Tuesday’s practice. Even though they had success on the power play against the Devils (4-for-17, 23.5 percent, fourth best in the first round), New York feels like Pittsburgh will pose more problems, and converting chances will be of utmost importance.
That thought goes even more so for the penalty kill, because the Rangers face a far more potent power play in Pittsburgh than posed by the Devils, who went 5-for-24 in the first round.
New York’s power play was below average during the regular season. The Rangers ranked 22nd at 16.5 percent, better than only one other final-eight team (No. 28 Colorado), but their penalty kill was solid at 84.5 percent to rank sixth.
Facing a Pittsburgh power play that clicked at better than 26 percent in the first round, the best penalty kill for the Rangers is not to take many penalties, which is easier said than done. The Penguins were content to hit the New York blue line, chip the puck in and play a forecheck game.
...the Rangers special teams seemed to flip in the first round. During the regular season they were awful on the power play and great on the pk. But in the first round it was the opposite.
...if the Rangers can't figure out the pk this is going to be a quick series. Especially with all the ticky-tack calls Cindy Crosby's going to get.
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