Ryan McDonagh #27 of the New York Rangers takes a shot as Matt Carle #25 of the Tampa Bay Lightning defends in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2015 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 16, 2015 in New York City.Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi have been getting the top defensive assignments for the New York Rangers for years.
In the opening round of the playoffs, they were asked to shut down Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Alexander Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom of the Washington Capitals came in the second round.
In the Eastern Conference final against the Tampa Bay Lightning, they have drawn "The Triplets," instead of the more well-known line featuring star Steven Stamkos.
Scratching your head? Don't. The line of Tyler Johnson, 24, centring Nikita Kucherov, 21, and Ondrej Palat, 24, has combined for 18 of the Lightning's 35 post-season goals, and Palat had the Bolts' only score, on a power play, in a 2-1 loss in Game 1 on Saturday.
"They've been their best line so far," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said Sunday, a day before the teams returned to Madison Square Garden for Game 2 on Monday night.
"Not to say that the Stamkos line is not a big threat also, but throughout their first series, Johnson's line has been the more effective. So for that game last night we decided to go that way. Doesn't mean we're going to go that way tomorrow."
Don't expect a change. McDonagh and Girardi have been very good. They limited Crosby and Malkin to two goals – both by Crosby – and held Ovechkin and Backstrom to three goals in seven games – all by Ovechkin. Joel Ward was playing on that line in Game 1 when he tallied a late winner.
The other reason not to change is that Marc Staal and Dan Boyle were outstanding against Stamkos, Valtteri Filppula and Alex Killorn, limiting them to six shots, one by Stamkos.
Johnson was impressed playing against McDonagh and Girardi on Saturday.
"They can move, they can skate," said Johnson, whose eight post-season goals lead the NHL. "It is always tough when you are playing against defenceman that can skate. They make smart plays and they are going to be a good matchup for us."
McDonagh, meanwhile, says the kids are quick.
"We got hemmed in our zone a couple of times," the Rangers captain said. "We understand that they have some ability on the rush, that's a big strength. With these guys too, their cycle game, their third guy gets lost up high, so we had a couple of looks where we got spread away from our net.
"We have to key on the high side guy so he can't get off a good shot. They have great chemistry, too. They don't need to see where a player is, they can throw it to an area and know he is going to be there."
It's the same with McDonagh and Girardi on defence. They communicate well, and they know instinctively when they can either jump into a play, or swarm and create a loose puck or when they need to back off and reset.
"Things happen quick out there and you have to trust your instincts and your structure," McDonagh said Sunday. "It helps having good communication with your forward lines, too."
Lightning defenceman Anton Stralman played the past three seasons in New York before signing with Tampa Bay as a free agent. He was a top-four defenceman and got to watch McDonagh and Girardi do their thing.
"I think the key for them is they usually go in with a really strong mentality, a lot of grit and determination to defence at whatever cost," Stralman said.
"I think that is what makes them so successful. They block shots, they do whatever it takes for the team to win. They basically put it on the line every night."
Lightning coach Jon Copper said his team has to control the puck better in Game 2.
"If you're going to go into zones and be one and done like we were last night, we have no chance," he said. "So we have to possess the puck more. It's been a big part of the reason why we're here, and if we're not going to do that, it's going to be a long night, short series."