Rick Nash knows he has to score more
Rangers left wing Rick Nash, right, skates around Los Angeles Kings defenseman Willie Mitchell during the first period of Game 1 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final at the Staples Center on June 4, 2014 in Los Angeles. Credit: AP / Jae C. Hong
Rick Nash knows the pressure is on. He has three goals in 21 playoff games, and the Rangers will have a tough time winning the Stanley Cup without more points from him.
"I had some energy and some chances early [in Game 1], but I've got to finish," the big winger said after practice Friday. "I've got to find a way to finish those chances."
All three of his goals came against Montreal in the Eastern Conference finals. Nash, who has scored at least 30 goals in the regular season seven times, had 26 goals in 65 games this season.
On Friday, Nash took some shifts on the power play, replacing Chris Kreider in front of the net on one unit during practice. John Moore was back on the left point with Dan Girardi on the other unit.
The Rangers were 0-for-3 on the power play in Game 1 and are 8-for-46 (17.4 percent) with the man advantage on the road in the playoffs.
Unfamiliar territory
The Rangers are 1-2 in Game 2s in this postseason. They lost to the Flyers, 4-2, at home, lost to the Penguins, 3-0, in Pittsburgh and beat the Canadiens, 3-1, in Montreal. They had led all three best-of-seven series 1-0.
Blue notes
Injured backup goaltender Cam Talbot remains day-to-day, so David LeNeveu will back up Henrik Lundqvist for the second consecutive game . . . J.T. Miller is available if needed, coach Alain Vigneault said . . . Defenseman Robyn Regehr "probably" will play in Game 2, Kings coach Darryl Sutter said . . . Carl Hagelin is the first Ranger since Mark Messier in 1992 to score at least two short-handed goals in the same playoff year . . . Eight Rangers have at least 10 points in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history . . . Garden executive chairman James Dolan watched practice from the stands at Staples Center with president Glen Sather and assistant general managers Jim Schoenfeld and Jeff Gorton.
