NHL Playoffs Round 2 Highlights: Rick Nash Scores Wrist-Shot In Rangers’ 4-1 Win Vs Senators

After losing the first two games of the Eastern Conference second round series, the New York Rangers rebounded to defeat the Ottawa Senators 4-1 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.

NHL Playoffs Round 2 Highlights: Predators Top Blues 2-1 in Game 4

Four different Rangers scored, and among the best goals was Rick Nash’s. As New York led 2-0 in the second period thanks to goals from Mats Zuccarello and Michael Grabner, Nash took a pass from Derek Stepan on a two-on-one at 12:21 and fired a wrist-shot from the left circle to beat net-minder Craig Anderson and put the hosts up 3-0 with his third goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Oscar Lindberg then gave the Rangers a 4-0 lead by one-timing a feed from J.T. Miller across the crease at 1:43 of the second for his first NHL postseason goal.

The Rangers trail the Round 2 series 2-1. New York squandered a two-goal lead late in the third period of Game 2 in Ottawa on Saturday to lose 6-5 in double-overtime.

Henrik Lundqvist made 26 saves for the Rangers, who will host the Senators again for Game 4 on Thursday at 7:30 pm EST. Anderson also stopped 26 shots.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored the Senators’ lone goal, his sixth of the playoffs, 32 seconds after Lindberg found the back of the net. Pageau received a backhand pass from behind the net by Bobby Ryan and one-timed a shot past Lundqvist.

Ryan left the game with 12:37 remaining due to a lower-body injury.

Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators defeated the St. Louis Blues 2-1 at home on Tuesday to take a 3-1 Western Conference Semifinals series lead. James Neal scored the game-winning goal with 6:57 remaining, and Pekka Rinne finished with 32 saves for the Predators, who are just one victory away from reaching their Conference final for the first time in franchise history. Nashville won its eighth straight postseason game at home.

Ryan Ellis gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 5:09 of the third period with a power-play goal. Ellis shot the puck off a rebound following a scrum for the puck near the goal.

Joel Edmundson netted the Blues’ lone goal with 3:49 remaining. St. Louis coach Mike Yeo pulled net-minder Jake Allen late, but the Blues were unable to score again. Allen had 23 saves.

Nashville’s P.K. Subban was handed an embellishment minor after Edmundson struck him in the head, leading Subban to crash into the boards and fall to the ice, where he lay for a few moments. Subban’s helmet flew off, while Edmundson also tumbled to the ice but quickly got back up.

The Blues will host the Predators for Game 5 Friday night.

NEW YORK, NY – MAY 02: Rick Nash #61 of the New York Rangers scores against the Ottawa Senators at 12:21 of the second period in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 2, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena