LDN - Sports

Lindberg scores twice as Rangers rout Senators

[May 05, 2017] NEW YORK -- In a second straight dominating performance, the New York Rangers defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-1 in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

The best-of-seven playoff series is even at two games apiece, with Game 5 set for Saturday in Ottawa.

"I think it starts with believing in ourselves, in our system, and in the way we've been playing all year," said Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who made 22 saves. "It comes down to execution, focus. But it's 2-2 now. That's all it is. I feel good about what we did here, but now we prepare for the toughest game yet, Game 5."

Fourth-liner Oscar Lindberg sparked the Rangers by scoring a pair of goals, giving him three in the past two games. Goals by Nick Holden in the first period and Chris Kreider in the third sandwiched those by Lindberg in the second.

Rugged winger Tanner Glass picked up a pair of assists, led all skaters with seven hits and fought Ottawa's Kyle Turris in the final minute of play.

"We needed a little spark, and he is that guy," Rangers alternate captain Dan Girardi said of Glass. "He is going to go out there, work his hardest, finish his checks, get to the net, and he created some offense tonight."

Senators goalie Craig Anderson was lifted after two periods, replaced by Mike Condon after surrendering three goals on 20 shots. He was joined by team captain Erik Karlsson off the ice as the stalwart defenseman did not play in the third period.

"He could have come back, but we just thought it was best to keep him out, He's got a lower-body injury," Senators coach Guy Boucher said of Karlsson, who said before the series that he has been playing with hairline fractures in his left foot.

Asked if there was any concern about Karlsson missing Saturday's game, Boucher said, "Not for now."

What is a concern for the Senators is how the Rangers vastly outplayed them the past two games. After winning handily 4-1 on Tuesday night, New York held a vast territorial advantage again on Thursday. The Rangers took a 1-0 lead after one period, 3-0 after two and 4-0 midway through the third before Ottawa finally snapped Lundqvist's shutout bid.

"It's good for us to get a couple slaps in the face here, wake us up," said Senators center Derick Brassard, who is pointless in the series.

The Rangers had a chance to score just 82 seconds into the game, but Michael Grabner was denied by Anderson on a clear breakaway. New York did open the scoring at 14:04 as Holden scored his first goal of the playoffs.

With the Rangers on an odd-man rush, Holden darted past the hobbled Karlsson, accepted a lead pass from Kevin Hayes and beat Anderson over the right pad.

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Rangers left wing Rick Nash (61) passes the puck in front of Ottawa Senators center Derick Brassard (19) during the second period in game four of the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Lindberg then struck twice in the second period as the Rangers put a stranglehold on the game. His first goal came just 2:01 into the middle period, when he buried a Grabner feed on yet another breakaway.

Then, at 15:54, Lindberg somehow floated a soft shot from the left wing past Anderson after a strong forecheck by J.T. Miller and Glass.

"I love his game," Glass said of Lindberg. "He hangs on to the puck, he is crafty when he gets it, and he can shoot it really well."

When the third period started, neither Anderson nor Karlsson was on the ice for Ottawa. Condon performed admirably, stopping nine shots and allowing only Kreider's power-play putback of Ryan McDonagh's shot at 10:45.

Boucher said, "We will be back 100 percent with (Anderson) on Saturday."

Anderson said the Rangers "stifled us" and "limited our offense" the past two games, adding that he understood why Condon played the third period Thursday.

Turris snapped a left-wing shot that beat Lundqvist short side with 6:26 to play for Ottawa's lone goal.

Even though the Rangers skated to a second consecutive victory, coach Alain Vigneault kept the series in perspective.

"What we've done is win another game," he said, "and win at home, which we had to do."

NOTES: The home team has won all four games. ... The Rangers have scored first in each game, while the Senators have led for a total of just 4:11. ... The Rangers have outscored the opposition 14-4 during the second period this postseason. ... The Senators made two lineup changes, with D Chris Wideman and C Tom Pyatt each appearing in his first game of the series, in the place of D Fredrik Claesson and C Tommy Wingels. ... The Rangers did not make any changes to their lineup.

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