Rangers Routed Lightning 5-0 at St. Pete Times Forum Friday

The New York Rangers kept their playoff hopes alive but taking the game to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 5-0 rout. The Rangers are 4-0-1 in their last five games since that horrible game in Boston. Brandon Prust opened the scoring with a wraparound goal at 3:09 in the 1st period. The Blueshirts fourth line dumped the puck in and had the forecheck going all game. The Rangers controlled the puck and the Lightning had trouble getting out of their zone, allowing 4 goals in the 1st period. Marc Staal came down the left side and scored a Brian Leetch type goal less then 30 seconds later, Rangers up 2-0. Vinny Prospal scored at 11:21 in the 1st period, almost jumping out of his skates after the goal, Rangers up 3-0. Prospal enjoyed his homecoming. Brandon Dubinsky added a power play goal at 14:55 in the 1st to give the Rangers a 4-0 lead. The first three goals were deflected off of Tampa Bay players but good things happen when you get the puck to the net. They are the type of goals that the Rangers were giving up earlier in the year. The Lightning pulled their goalie after the 1st intermission after a tough night. Aaron Voros scored the final Ranger goal at 13:50 in the 3rd period, Rangers up 5-0. Voros has been a healthy scratch the past couple of months and it was good seeing him get that goal. Henrik Lundqvist had 30 saves in his 4th shutout on the season but was tested only a handful of times. I wonder if he’ll start at Florida tonight or get the rest. With this victory and other teams losing the Rangers are in 9th place in the Eastern Conference and 2 points out of a playoff spot.