Rangers Vs. Kings Game 5 Recap: It Was One Heck Of A Run
The New York Rangers magical run came to an end tonight with a 3-2 double overtime loss the Los Angeles Kings.
This is easily the hardest post to make every single year, especially with how deep of of run the New York Rangers had, one which had them just three wins shy of hoisting the Stanley Cup. With the way the season started back in early October, I'm sure everyone would have signed up had we told you that the New York Rangers would be in the Stanley Cup Final come June. This team put it all out on the line during this run, showed they can hang with the best in the league, and at the end of the day, that's all you can really ask for.
Sure, it sucks to fall short, but with the way this team played all season long, it's hard to not swell with pride. This team will be back, and this can only be looked as a step in the right direction. I'll rattle off some final thoughts before we officially close out the season (man, this really sucks), and move into off-season mode.
- I think it's safe to say that this was the last game Brad Richards has played for the New York Rangers. He started off with a decent post-season, but it slowly started declining along the way, and finally hit rock bottom in the Stanley Cup Final. Glen Sather has been contemplating this move for quite a while, so I'm sure he has already made his decision. The buyout period is coming up here pretty soon, and it will be interesting to see what the Rangers do.
- Speaking of off-season work, Glen Sather will have a ton of work on his plate when it comes to free agents. Derick Brassard, Chris Kreider, Mats Zuccarello and John Moore are all restricted free agents, while Brian Boyle, Benoit Pouliot, Dominic Moore, and Anton Stralman are all unrestricted free agents come July 1st.
- I guess the only bright spot out of reaching the Stanley Cup Final is the fact that off-season is that much shorter. The NHL Draft is coming up here in a few weeks in Philadelphia, and we'll quickly transition into even more madness that is the free agent frenzy. We will likely have a ton of posts coming up with draft previews, possible free agent targets, and much, much more. Be sure to stick with us, and we thank all of you guys for the support this year!
