There is a fine line of being physical in the playoffs and going overboard, and it seems as if Chris Kreider is straddling that line almost every game.
The Rangers’ power-winger took a costly penalty in the first period of Game 6 on Tuesday in Tampa Bay, the end of an altercation with Steven Stamkos that started when the Lightning captain had a borderline hit-from-behind on his Rangers counterpart, Ryan McDonagh.
Coach Alain Vigneault said he thought McDonagh’s back was turned — thus the numbers on the back of his jersey were showing — and Stamkos slammed him into the boards after taking a couple of strides.
“I mean, I think 98 percent of the people watching that hit, the numbers are there, five or six strides, face into the boards,” Vigneault said Wednesday morning at the team’s Florida hotel, his team readying for the decisive Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final on Friday at the Garden. “You’ve got to play through that at this time.”
The play continued with Stamkos taking a run at Kreider, and Kreider eventually cross-checking Stamkos in the back. Derek Stepan then got in the face of Stamkos, and all three were sent to the penalty box, with Ryan Callahan scoring for the Lightning on the ensuing power play.
“At some point, you’re happy that a player protects their teammate,” Vigneault said. “At this time, not knowing what the [officials] are going to call, I mean, I’m more tempted to say ‘Turn the other cheek and let’s play.’ ”
There is an extra day off between Games 6 and 7, with a Billy Joel concert scheduled for Thursday night at the Garden. The little bit of added time to rest before the biggest game of the season is something the Rangers are relishing.
“It’s going to be good for our team, just to have a chance [Wednesday] to not think about hockey, not go to the rink and rest our bodies,” Derick Brassard said. “Come Friday, it’s going to be fully energized with a lot of energy.”
The Rangers had two days off before Game 7 of the second-round series against the Capitals, and they won that game at home with a Derek Stepan overtime goal.
Tyler Johnson hasn’t scored in the past three games, picking up only two assists on the two meaningless late goals Tampa scored in Game 6. Vigneault has tried to match Stepan’s line against Johnson’s line — “the Triplets” — as much as possible, and it’s starting to pay off.
“I think he’s played really good hockey through this series, so I’m not so sure that he’s that frustrated, maybe a little bit [in Game 6],” Stepan said. “But two days to regroup yourself and it comes down to one game. So both teams are going to bring their best, and I don’t expect anything but Tampa’s top guys’ best game of the year.”
A couple of Lightning players have been dealing with a virus, possibly the same one that made defenseman Braydon Coburn vomit on the bench during Game 5. One league source said players have been quarantined at times, but coach Jon Cooper declined to discuss it.
“You know what, maybe after it’s all said and done, more things will come out of what’s happened in our room,” Cooper said. “But we’re putting [out] the best lineup we can as possible.”