SUNRISE, Florida — When it was over, Vincent Trocheck wrapped his arms round goaltender Igor Shesterkin. Mika Zibanejad took a knee alongside the boards, watching Florida have fun. Another members of the New York Rangers stared blankly, simply ready for the handshake line to type.

The most effective staff within the common season is not going to the Stanley Cup Closing – once more.

This time, that might be the Rangers. There hasn’t been a Presidents’ Trophy winner to double up with the Stanley Cup in 11 years, and New York is the most recent staff to seek out itself on the fallacious finish of that curse. The Rangers – the No. 1 total seed after ending with essentially the most factors within the common season – misplaced to Florida 2-1 on Saturday night time, dropping the Jap Convention remaining in six video games.

“There is a disappointment that units in. We’re coping with that proper now,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette stated. “No person was anticipating to be on this finish of it. We had been anticipating to return right here tonight, win a hockey recreation and convey it again to (Madison Sq. Backyard) for a Recreation 7. So, there is a disappointment.”

The margin was so small; a six-game collection and 5 of them had been one-goal video games. New York allowed Florida solely 16 targets within the collection. Downside was, the Rangers solely scored 12.

It was a goalie duel and New York’s Shesterkin was absurdly good – 2.25 goals-against common, .930 save share. However Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky matched him – 1.89 goals-against common, .921 save share.

“He is been our greatest participant ever since he placed on the Rangers jersey,” Rangers ahead Chris Kreider stated of Shesterkin. “We have been extremely fortunate to have him. … He offers us an opportunity to win each night time.”

Till Saturday, this East title collection adopted a script that ardent Rangers followers know nicely and would have finished something to see totally repeated: New York loses Recreation 1, wins Video games 2 and three, loses Video games 4 and 5, then goes on the street to win Recreation 6 and maintain the season alive.

Such was the precise order of occasions within the 1994 East remaining, when the Rangers beat New Jersey in double extra time to win Recreation 7 after which went on to snap a 54-year championship drought by beating Vancouver within the Stanley Cup Closing.

Not this time.

There have been six video games on this collection; 5 of them completed as one-goal video games, and Florida received the final three of them – 3-2, 3-2 after which 2-1. A bounce right here, a bounce there, the entire thing might need been very totally different for New York.

“Not a whole lot of solutions proper now,” Rangers captain Jacob Trouba stated. “No person gave up. The trouble and compete was there. We simply got here up brief.”

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