Friday 13 June 2014

Great day, dinner in the garden and Rangers lose in second OT as Kings become Stanley Cup Champions

Today was a really good day at work. It's just quite possible that it really could be light at the end of the tunnel and not an oncoming train! Finally those winds of change could be moving in. It feels good and I really hope that it will continue into next week and beyond.

Got home and Toni, Pam and I went and sat on the decking and had our dinner out there. Sam stayed indoors as he hates the heat but we really enjoyed it. Papa Johns supplied food and we ate outside on a lovely warm night. After the food we all then say reading. It was really nice doing that.

Game five of New York Rangers v L.A. Kings in the Stanley Cup Finals tonight. Trailing the series 1 - 3 the Rangers know what needed to be done.

Lots of pressure from the Kings at the start of the first period. Rangers successfully killed of a penalty but the Kings too the lead 0 - 1 at 06:04. The worrying was that it wasn't until 07:33 that the Rangers got their first shot on goal! Once again the Rangers power play is absolutely useless. No bodies in front of the net and too much passing rather than shooting. First period ended with Kings leading 0 - 1. Shots on goal were 6 - 7 in favour of the Kings.

Rangers started the second period on the power play but didn't get anything going. Rangers did get a couple of good chances in the first five minutes but it felt like the Kings were more in control of the game. Kings looked like they wanted it more but then they knew that a win for them tonight would see them lift the Stanley Cup on home ice rather than having to go back to New York for game six. With 05:53 remaining the Rangers were back on the power play. At 15:37 Chris Kreider gets a power play and we suddenly have a 1 - 1 game on our hands. Finally the Rangers power play comes good. Kings were back on the power play with 02:13 remaining. Rangers penalty kill did well and then Brian Boyle snagged a shorthanded goal at 19:30 and the Rangers were leading 2 - 1!!! Second period ended with the Rangers leading 2 - 1.Shots on goal were 6 - 10 in favour of the Kings (12 - 17 overall in favour of the Kings).  
Third period was do or die for the Rangers. No time to sit back, needed to extend the lead. Kings however desperately needed that equaliser and played like it. Rangers didn't seem to be pushing too hard offensively although they did defend well in the first five minutes. Rangers call a time out at 12:35 after some dangerous action in front of Lundqvist. Rangers were back on the penalty kill at 07:39 after a slightly questionable tripping penalty. Sadly the Kings made it 2 - 2 at 07:56. Once again the Kings get major help from bad referee decisions, it's been the story of this series. Once again the Kings seemed revitalised and tried to put the Rangers away. Lundqvist was having none of it though coming up with some great saves. With 09:06 the game was still tied at 2 - 2 with the Kings out shooting the Rangers 1 - 10. Rangers needed to up the ante and quickly especially as NBC showed someone polishing the Stanley Cup backstage! Rangers started making some questionable plays and were defending rather than attacking. Not what I wanted to see! Too many turnovers, too many icings. Absolutely shocking. with 04:45 it was still tied at 2 - 2 and I was getting nervous. Third period ended 2 - 2 and so it was into overtime for the third time in five games! Shots on goal were an appalling 3 - 12 to the Kings (15 - 29 overall). This really wasn't good enough and the Rangers won't win the sudden death overtime with that sort of poor offense.        

Overtime. Twitchy bum time! Kings started strongly with a number of shots being turned away by Lundqvist. Rangers were quite poor at the start. Things did pick though and the Rangers had missed a golden opportunity. At 16:06 the Rangers went on the power play. A shot came off the post and a bit of me died inside. It got a bit scrappy after that and the Kings started to look dangerous. Thankfully Lundqvist was on top form. With 09:51 left it's still everything to play for, my head was throbbing and my heart in my throat! Shots on goal are 2 - 6 to the Kings. Rangers managed to get some good offense going. Then the Kings hit the crossbar! Both teams had chances but neither could score. 05:11 and still we go. Kings still looked stronger of the two teams but you could see fatigue setting in on both sides. There was a need for cardiac equipment as I think  my heart must have stopped a few times.... Rangers had a mad flourish in front of Quick with 01:02 left. Kredier had a breakaway chance against Quick but couldn't bury it. First overtime ended 2 - 2. Shots on goal were 10 - 13 to the Kings (25 - 42 overall to the Kings). Into second overtime.....

Second overtime is where the fatigue starts to set in... and millions of fans around the world have major coronaries and lose their voices. That included me! Early pressure was from the Kings. A shot came off of the post. Then the Rangers had a burst. More Kings pressure. Rangers drew a penalty. Some great attempts to finished the game off from the Rangers on the power play. The post was involved again. Kings kill it off. More close calls for the Rangers. Ten minutes in and the Rangers were increasing the pressure. Kings had a few good chances. The tires legs were starting to become evident for both teams. With 05:17 left in the period Kings bang one in. The Rangers dreams die and the Kings become the 2014 Stanley Cup Champions. It was one hell of a game. Shots on goal were 5 - 9 in favour of the Kings and 30 - 51 overall to the Kings.

So proud of the Rangers to have got that far when nobody expected them to. It's a tough way to lose it but they did give there all in this game.

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