Rangers Drop Game 5 to Senators in Overtime

OTTAWA -- It felt like déjà vu for the Rangers in Game 5 in Ottawa.
The Rangers were unable to hold on to a 4-3 lead late in regulation and ultimately lost to the Senators, 5-4 in overtime, and now trail the best-of-seven series, 3-2.
Game 6 is Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.

Derick Brassard tied the game with just 1:26 remaining in regulation, and Kyle Turris scored 6:28 into overtime, dealing the Rangers a similar defeat it had just seven days ago in Game 2.
"We've found a way to lose some games here. That's pretty much it," defenseman Marc Staal said. "We had opportunities to close out some games. We just haven't been able to."
With the game tied, 3-3, after 40 minutes, Jimmy Vesey scored the first playoff goal of his career to give the Rangers a 4-3 advantage with 7:12 remaining in the game.

But like Game 2, Ottawa was able to even the score with their goaltender on the bench. Brassard had the last touch on a scramble in the crease that ultimately went off several Rangers and into the net.
"They shot a rebound and it's just a scramble," said Staal, who was one of the players the puck appeared to ricochet off. "Sometimes those pucks pinball their way in. It's not like we're not trying. We were right there, desperate, battling, trying to keep the puck out of the net. It just found its way in."
In overtime, Turris skated in and attempted a shot on net that Dan Girardi was able to block. But the forward regained control of the puck and was able to beat Henrik Lundqvist on the second opportunity.
"I thought I made a good block," Girardi said. "I think it hit me and went back to him and he went behind me. I think he's trying to shoot high there. I think Hank thinks he's going high and it just squeaks in. Nothing you can do about it. I thought I made a good play, but it just goes right back to the guy."

The Rangers jumped out of the gate with two goals from Jesper Fast and Nick Holden just 1:06 apart, starting with Fast's finish of a Brendan Smith feed on a 3-on-2 4:07 into the contest.

But Ottawa had a quick response of its own when Mark Stone was able to put home a loose puck on a goal-mouth scramble just 50 seconds after Holden's tally to cut the Rangers' lead to 2-1.
The Senators took the lead with two goals in 33 seconds midway through the second. Mike Hoffman evened the score at 8:17 of the middle frame and Tom Pyatt gave Ottawa the lead when he got a piece of Zack Smith's shot from the point that found a way through Lundqvist's pads.
The Rangers evened the score before the second period came to an end on a goal by Ryan McDonagh with 2:11 remaining in the stanza.

Michael Grabner appeared to win the game for the Rangers 4:12 into overtime when he hit the puck out of the air on a breakaway, but the goal was disallowed because it was touched with a high-stick.
Turris' winner came 2:14 later.
The Rangers were able to quickly turn the page on Game 2, and now must do the same for Game 6 Tuesday night.
"You don't have a choice," Lundqvist said when asked how he and his teammates would overcome the defeat. "You have to. That's it. Disappointed, obviously. Frustrated. You just have to go home and regroup like we did last time."
Like Lundqvist, coach Alain Vigneault said his team has no other option than to try and respond quickly.
"That's the only approach we can have right now," he said. "We're down. Can't lose another game. We're going back to New York, regroup. We're going to have 48 hours to get ready for the next game."