Rangers looking to fix futile power play as series swings to Florida

SUNRISE, Fla. — The Rangers found what they needed at five-on-five on Friday night to beat back the Panthers and tie the Eastern Conference Final at 1-1 before heading south.

But they have yet to gain any traction at all on the power play through six attempts in the series — a necessity if they are to move onto the Stanley Cup Final.

The power play buoyed the Rangers through the first two rounds of the playoffs, as they went a collective 11-for-35 (31.4 percent) against Washington and Carolina.

An 0-for-4 performance Friday that included 1:25 at four-on-three, however, was cause for worry.

“They’re coming with all four guys. It’s hard,” said defenseman Erik Gustafsson, who has occasionally taken Adam Fox’s spot on the top unit. “We gotta make fast, quick plays, otherwise it’s not gonna be pretty. Putting the puck to the net is not a bad option, even if it’s just a wrist shot from the blue line or the corner or whatever. We have one of the best guys in the netfront [in Chris Kreider].

“When they’re forechecking so hard, I think we have to put a little bit more pucks to the net. I think the breakouts can be a little bit better.”

The Rangers had opportunities in Game 2, spending 7:14 total on the power play, including the four-on-three.

Per Natural Stat Trick, however, they had just one high-danger chance at 5:49 in Game 2 — the same number they recorded in Game 1.

“We’re playing a team that’s been really good and they’ve been aggressive,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “We’re looking at it and trying to make small adjustments, [trying] to do things a little bit sharper, a little bit crisper make some adjustments. And we’ll get with the guys and get that information to them.”

Last round, the Rangers went three straight games without scoring on the power play before making adjustments in time for Kreider to tie Game 6 at five-on-four.

It might take similar adjustments this time around for the Rangers to get things moving.

The Rangers have never played a playoff game at Amerant Bank Arena.

When these teams last faced off in the postseason in the 1997 first round, they split the first two games at Miami Arena before Esa Tikkanen won the series for the Rangers with an overtime goal in Game 5 at the same venue.

Barclay Goodrow’s overtime winner broke a 12-game overtime playoff winning streak for Sergei Bobrovsky and an 11-game playoff overtime winning streak for the Panthers.

Bobrovsky is tied with Patrick Roy for the longest OT winning streak for a goalie in playoff history.

Neither team held practice Saturday as both made the trip to Florida.