With 10 seconds remaining in Monday night's Game 5 against the Washington Capitals, the New York Rangers were facing a 3-2 series deficit. Three seconds later their fate was altered and the series took on an entirely new complexion, with New York improbably pushing Washington to the brink of elimination.
Joe Fortunato of the SB Nation blog Blueshirt Banter explains how much changed after Mike Richards scored with seven seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime, and Brad Richards tallied the game-winner in the extra session.
Think about it. The Rangers were 10 seconds away from dropping a game they dominated and looking at a 3-2 hold going back to Washington. The Rangers were 10 seconds away from walking out of the Garden as losers, confidence shattered, moral all but gone. Then Brad Richards scores a goal and boom, he may as well have flipped the world upside down. Confidence is pouring from this team, the Garden is rocking, people start believing again. And then Marc Staal lights the lamp in overtime and all hell breaks loose. It's one thing to win a big playoff game, it's another thing to win like that. Just wow.
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