The Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Rangers are set to face off in Round 1 of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs (the full schedule can be found here). It marks the first postseason meeting between these teams since they played each other in three consecutive seasons from 2014-16. The Rangers emerged victorious that first year before the Penguins eliminated them twice in a row en route to winning back-to-back Stanley Cups.
2022 Round 1 Series Storylines: Penguins vs. Rangers
After the Penguins topped New York 1-0 in their first meeting of the season on Feb. 26, the Rangers went on to win the remaining three games of the series. The last one got heated, with the teams coming together after the buzzer sounded at Madison Square Garden. And while the Penguins haven't forgotten what went down that night, Kris Letang said the Penguins aren't focusing on it too much.
"I think we focus on the fact that we didn't bring our A game, and we have to erase everything that we did against them all year," the defenseman said. "Start with a clean slate and just show your true self… we want to prove that we still belong in the dance, and it's a great challenge for us to actually prove that."
Here are some of the biggest storylines to keep an eye on as the series progresses.
EXPERIENCE VERSUS HUNGER
The two teams are in vastly different positions heading into these playoffs. One is nearing the end of a journey, while the other's is just beginning.
The experienced Penguins have a sense of urgency around their 16th consecutive postseason appearance, which is the longest active streak in all of the major North American professional sports leagues.
It's an opportunity that no one in that dressing room is taking for granted, as they have an appreciation for just how hard it is to win enough games to make it to this point every year and then to continue on, as the Penguins haven't advanced past the first round since 2018.
"You need so many things to go right to give yourself an opportunity to play in the playoffs," Sidney Crosby said. "It's not given to you. You see how tight the league is, it's not easy. So you appreciate those opportunities, you work hard, everybody works hard to give ourselves a chance to do that. And you understand that as quick as you can have that opportunity, it can be gone quickly, too. So I think you can't waste any time."
Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang's contract situations add another layer to that. As of now, both players are set to be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season. Crosby said as much as you don't want to think about the possibility that this could be the core trio's last ride, that's the reality of the situation.
"But I think you just try to enjoy it as much as you can and try to take it all in, because you know that it's not something that's going to last forever," the captain said. "Whether it's this year, down the road a little bit more - I mean, you only get to play for so long. So, I think just trying to enjoy it and just be grateful for the opportunity that we have to do it again."
Letang said if anything, they see it as a chance to solidify what they've accomplished here in Pittsburgh by adding another championship to their legacies, and just keeping this incredible run of success going.
"There isn't a more accomplished core group of players in the game than this core group that's here right now," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "These guys are battle-tested. They've been through a lot. They've had a lot of success, but they've also had their disappointments. I think the experience that you gain through those can only help you in the challenges that you have moving forward."
Meanwhile, from New York's perspective, they haven't had an opportunity like this in quite some time. They have not played in a best-of-seven series since 2017, with the Rangers sending a letter to fans in 2018 informing them of their plans to continue reshaping the team with young, competitive players that combine speed, skill and character, which meant saying goodbye to some familiar faces.
Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad are the only two players remaining from that Rangers team eliminated by Ottawa in the Second Round five years ago. They've since morphed into a fast, deep and balanced team with elite talent, elite goaltending and a dangerous power play, and one that's ready to make some noise.
"It's been very difficult sitting there and watching other teams play playoff hockey," Kreider told NHL.com. "You want to make the playoffs and you want to accomplish that goal of winning the Stanley Cup. I think it made this group incredibly hungry and incredibly focused. It's just the first step."
When asked about the benefit of experience, Sullivan and Letang both referenced the importance of managing emotions in a playoff series and dealing with the ebbs and flows of a game from shift to shift, period to period, game to game. Letang said it's critical to stay calm and focused, and not get carried away with the crowd, penalties and things of that nature. It's something the Penguins know how to do, and something Rangers star forward Artemi Panarin hopes his team can do.
"Usually in the playoffs, it's hard to control your emotions," Panarin said. "You're nervous a lot about mistakes, all that stuff. I think winners can control the emotions and do everything that they do before. So I hope we can do this. I'm sure we can do this."
Whatever team ends up doing it better will probably be moving on.
VEZINA TROPHY FRONTRUNNER VERSUS NO. 2 NETMINDER, BOTH UNTESTED IN PLAYOFFS
One of the biggest storylines heading into this season was how Tristan Jarry would respond following
the disappointing finish
to his first year as the Penguins starter.
And the goaltender, who turned 27 on April 29, went on to have an excellent 2021-22 campaign. Unfortunately, Jarry won't be able to carry that momentum into the start of the postseason, as he is expected to miss Games 1 and 2 against the New York Rangers with a lower-body injury that sidelined him for the last six games of the regular season.
That means No. 2 netminder Casey DeSmith will get the nod for Pittsburgh and make his NHL playoff debut in this Rangers series. Louis Domingue will serve as the backup.
"We definitely feel for Tristan, he's had a heck of a year for us," forward Jeff Carter said. "He's been the backbone of our team, and I'm sure he was he was really looking forward to getting back in there. But as far as Casey, I think we have full confidence in him."
Igor Shesterkin, who will be down at the other end in this Round 1 matchup, is the runaway favorite to win the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top netminder. He has been absolutely lights out in his second full NHL season, and Shesterkin is the biggest reason that the Rangers are back in the playoffs - which is why he could also take home the Hart Trophy as league MVP.
FULL STORY HERE.
RANGERS POWER PLAY VERSUS PENGUINS PENALTY KILL
Everyone who has been asked about the Rangers since the matchup was set has mentioned their dynamic power play, which finished third in the league with a 25.2% success rate.
"I think their power play has been a difference maker for them all year," Sullivan said.
It all starts with Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox at the blue line. Interestingly enough, he didn't actually score a power-play goal of his own this season - but the 24-year-old defenseman did collect 33 power-play points, with Sullivan calling him a huge part of how that unit works and operates with his deception, ability to scale the blue line, and get shots through.
"Chris Kreider has had a career year with respect to goals, a lot of them on the power play," Sullivan said. "When you look at the types of goals that he's scored, a lot of them are a foot and a half from the blue paint. And I think Fox is one of the guys that helps deliver the puck there."
Kreider finished third among all skaters with 52 goals, a league-leading 26 of those (!) coming on the man-advantage.
"He's been probably the best player in the league in front of the net. So that's a challenge that we face when he's out there," Letang said. "I think we have to pay attention to him. But they're great players, they move the puck really well and they have good chemistry, so we also have to be ready for that."
Fox lauded Artemi Panarin for his playmaking ability, Mika Zibanejad for his shot and Ryan Strome for his smarts. But it's not like it'll be a walk in the park for that group going up against Pittsburgh's penalty kill, which finished third in the league with an 84.4% success rate.
Teddy Blueger, Brock McGinn, Brian Boyle and Brian Dumoulin have been some of the stalwarts of that group, which has done a terrific job for the majority of the season. However, they have fallen off a little bit as of late in respect to their details, commitment and execution.
"It's been one of the strengths of our team. I think as of late, we haven't been quite as good, but I know we're capable of being a whole lot better," Sullivan said. "We'll identify certain areas specifically with our players and we'll go from there, but I know these guys are a committed group."
PROJECTED LINEUPS
PENGUINS
Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Heinen-Malkin-Rakell
McGinn-Carter-Kapanen
Boyle-Blueger-Rodrigues
(O'Connor)
Dumoulin-Letang
Matheson-Ruhwedel
Pettersson-Marino
(Beaulieu-Friedman)
Like Jarry, forward Jason Zucker
has also been ruled out
for the first couple of games.
RANGERS
Kreider-Zibanejad-Vatrano
Panarin-Strome-Copp
Lafrenière-Chytil-Kakko
Goodrow-Rooney-Reaves
Lindgren-Fox
Miller-Trouba
Nemeth-Schneider
