The New York Rangers didn’t put up much of a fight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the NHL’s best team didn’t have to exert much effort in the second half of a game which ended as a 5-3 victory in their favor. Tampa clearly showed why it is one of the league’s best teams, and a Stanley Cup contender. The Rangers clearly showed that they are a team in transition, and the last two games have shown why the three game win streak through western Canada was unsustainable.
A pair of third period goals by Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes technically made this game close, but it was a game they didn’t deserve to win.