Rangers show they're serious Stanley Cup contenders with Game 2 win

NEW YORK -- The narrative surrounding the New York Rangers entering the Stanley Cup Playoffs and through the first two rounds was built on a question.

Are they really good enough?
It was a fair question considering the Rangers had to come back from down 3-1 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference First Round and from down 2-0 and 3-2 against the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round.
They survived both.
But next were the Tampa Bay Lightning, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, and the resilient Rangers were again facing the same question entering the Eastern Conference Final.
Are they really good enough?
They answered that question emphatically Friday.
Yes, they are good enough. Yes, they can win the Stanley Cup.
The Rangers won 3-2 in Game 2
at Madison Square Garden to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 series after winning 6-2 in Game 1 on Wednesday.
RELATED: [Complete Rangers vs. Lightning series coverage]
They ended the Lightning's 17-game winning streak in games following a loss in the playoffs since the start of the 2020 postseason, but they also moved within two wins of reaching the Stanley Cup Final, six from a Stanley Cup championship.
Game 3 is at Amalie Arena on Sunday.
"We heard all year that [we weren't] really going to have playoff success," said defenseman Adam Fox, who had two assists and four takeaways in 25:12 of ice time. "We said it all year, the belief in the room is high and the outside opinions don't really affect anyone. Coming back from down 3-1, down 2-0, and this team obviously had a good playoff streak of not losing back-to-back games, but that's not really in our minds when we're coming to the games. We're not thinking about what streaks teams have or how they have done earlier. It's right now."
The Rangers felt that way when they were down 3-1 against the Penguins too, even after playing what remains their worst game of the playoffs in Game 4, a 7-2 loss. They came back to win Game 5, did the same in Game 6, and then in Game 7 too.
They were not deterred when they trailed the series against the Hurricanes. They won Games 3 and 4 at home. But Game 5 was their worst game since Game 4 against the Penguins. They lost 3-1 and were outshot 34-17.
The Rangers have won four in a row since, outscoring the opposition 20-8. They have won eight in a row at home, the first team to do that in the playoffs since the Los Angeles Kings in 2013.
"We want to battle hard, we want to compete hard, and we've been a tough out so far," coach Gerard Gallant said. "The guys have to rally around that. I think we're a good hockey team. We've played great hockey in the playoffs. We find a way to win games."
They find a way with Igor Shesterkin, who is outplaying Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Shesterkin made 29 saves Friday after making 37 in Game 1. He's 9-3 with a 2.08 goals-against average and .939 save percentage since getting pulled in Game 4 against the Penguins.

Vasilevskiy has allowed nine goals on 62 shots (4.60 GAA, .885 save percentage) in the series.
"Andrei is still the best goalie in the world," Shesterkin said, doubling down on what he said before the series. "You can't forget the series is four wins, so we just have to keep playing."
Mika Zibanejad is playing.
The center scored his ninth goal in 11 games Friday, dating to Game 6 against the Penguins. Zibanejad's goal at 1:21 of the third period gave New York a 3-1 lead.
"He's as good as it gets," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said before Game 2.
The Rangers' "Kid Line" is playing.
Kaapo Kakko got on the board Friday. It was his first goal since Game 3 against the Penguins, but he's had a point in each of the past three games (one goal, two assists).

Filip Chytil had an assist on Kakko's goal that put New York up 2-1 at 17:32 of the first period. Chytil scored twice in Game 1 and has five goals in the past four games.
Alexis Lafreniere had two assists in Game 1 and has four in the past four games.
"We have a lot of faith when they're on the ice," Fox said.
Fox is playing.
He was at his best in Game 2, setting up the goals by Kakko and Zibanejad. Fox has four straight games with at least two points, the longest multipoint streak by a Rangers defenseman in playoff history.
He has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in a seven-game point streak.
"He's played outstanding hockey," Gallant said. "It's both zones, [defensive] zone and offensive zone, he really is the leader of our team."
Forward Chris Kreider had two assists in Game 2 and has points in four straight games (six points; three goals, three assists).
Forward Frank Vatrano had an assist and has points in three straight (four points; one goal, three assists).
Defenseman Jacob Trouba led New York with six blocked shots and 25:14 of ice time.
Defenseman K'Andre Miller scored and has points in three straight games (three points; one goal, two assists).
"Everybody is buying in," Gallant said.

They've changed the narrative. They've answered the question.
"It's really exciting," Fox said, "but we were on the other side of it when we were down 2-0, so I think it's a good lesson for us not to take our foot off the gas."