Carpiniello: Rangers in familiar spot, tied 2-2

NEW YORK – If nothing else, the Rangers know about being tied 2-2 entering Game 5. They've been here before in so many different ways, with so many different results.

The Rangers are tied heading into Sunday's noon Garden game because they lost Game 4, just as they lost Game 2, after twice taking a lead in the series; just as they have lost nine consecutive games after taking a one-game lead in a series, going back to 2009; just as they have lost a Stanley Cup playoff-record 11 straight games when leading a series.

So, as Captain Obvious might say, this is a pretty critical juncture in the series — the winner going up 3-2 with a chance to close it out Tuesday in Philadelphia.

But that's not how it always works with the Rangers, who won Games 1 and 3 and lost Games 2 and 4 in all three of their 2012 series, and lost Games 1 and 2 then won Games 3 and 4 in their first 2013 series.

To review, the Rangers lost Game 5 to Ottawa in 2012 and to Washington in 2013, then won Games 6 and 7 in both series. They won Game 5 against Washington in 2012, then lost Game 6 and won Game 7. They lost Game 5 to the Devils in 2013, then lost Game 6, too.

Thus, the series won't necessarily be over no matter who wins Game 5.

"You try not to think too much about the consequences right now," goalie Henrik Lundqvist said Saturday. "You try to focus on the game and what you have to do, and enjoy and tell yourself it's fun, because it is — when you're winning."

Lundqvist chuckled when he said that, understanding that sometimes it isn't fun, especially on that Amtrak ride home late Friday.

"So you just have to make sure to do whatever you can to focus on your game," Lundqvist continued. "Then the consequences, hopefully, will be good and you'll have a good result. If you start thinking about 'what if?' or go too far ahead, I think you'll lose focus on what you have to do."

What the Rangers need to do is what they obviously haven't done in so many games with a lead in the series — play with the urgency of a team that can't afford to lose, as the Flyers did in Games 2 and 4.

As Brad Richards said, not wanting to pin everything on desperation levels, "There's 100 ways to lose a hockey game.

"Every game you go in a series gets upped and upped, and the teams that win Cups are the teams that have that urgency all the time. It's impossible to have Game 1 like a Game 7. I've never seen it. But the quicker you can up it in a series, the better. Like I said, I don't think we went out and laid an egg (Friday), which I think you've seen that in the past maybe in Game 4s. But we didn't win, so it's not good enough."

So they go to the Garden, probably the quietest arena in these playoffs, where they were under .500 during the season. Home teams in the West, which is like the NBA, were 16-2 before Saturday. Home teams in the East were 7-9.

The venue, you'd think, won't be a factor, and you wonder if Rick Nash is ever going to be a difference maker beyond Game 82 of a season.

But the Rangers have something on which to hang their helmets.

They have been here before.

Twitter: @RangersReport

Series schedule

Game 1: Rangers 4, Flyers 1

Game 2: Flyers 4, Rangers 2

Game 3: Rangers 4, Flyers 1

Game 4: Flyers 2, Rangers 1

Game 5: At New York, Today, noon (NBC)

Game 6: At Philadelphia, Tuesday, TBA (MSG)

x-Game 7: At New York, Wednesday, TBA (MSG)

x- if necessary

On the Web

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