A large component of the Rangers’ success during the regular season was a potent power-play unit, which ranked fourth in the NHL at 25.2 percent efficiency.
During their first-round playoff series, however, the Rangers have generated little momentum with the man-advantage. They have two goals on nine attempts through four games, including none in two losses in Pittsburgh that left them trailing the series, 3-1, entering Game 5 on Wednesday at the Garden.
While the Rangers earned just one two-minute power-play opportunity in their 7-2 Game 4 loss, the Penguins finished 3-for-6 on the power play in their two home victories. That gave them a league-best 33.3 percent success rate (4-for-12) through the four games.
“I think last game we get the one chance, the puck hits [Chris Kreider in the neck] and he has to come off and it kind of breaks the flow there,” defenseman Adam Fox said Tuesday at the Rangers’ practice facility in Tarrytown. “We have a lot of pride in that group. We’ve had success all year and I think we want to score and we want to be the difference.
“It’s not always going to work that way, but gaining momentum from your power play also could be big for the group.”
Rangers coach Gerard Gallant sternly replied “not even close” when asked if his team had tested Penguins third-string goalie Louis Domingue enough in Game 4, in which they were outshot 41-24.
“We’ve talked about putting pucks to the net and we’ve showed some good goal scoring that we do around the net. And then we try to get cute and fancy,” Gallant said. “Like I said, it’s a straight, direct hockey game. Keep it going to the net, keep people at the net and quit trying the other stuff.”
Defenseman Ryan Lindgren was not on the ice for practice Tuesday after he missed the past three games with an undisclosed lower-body injury. Gallant offered no details, saying Lindgren is “day-to-day, nothing’s changed.”
Penguins forward Rickard Rakell (upper-body) participated in an optional practice Tuesday, but he still hasn’t been cleared for contact, according to coach Mike Sullivan. Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin (lower-body) did not skate.