The set-up: The Rangers lost a hard-fought Game 1 in Ottawa but then just "gave away" Game 2. They held a two-goal advantage with less than 3 1/2 minutes remaining but Jean-Gabriel Pageau took over, scoring three straight goals, including the game-winner at 2:54 of the second overtime. The Rangers will be anxious to get back on the ice Tuesday for Game 3, especially since this series receiving an extra day off between games.

Ottawa: Pageau became just the second player in playoff history to cap a four-goal performance with an overtime winner. His four-goal effort was also the first in the postseason since Game 4 of the 2010 Western Conference semifinals, when Detroit's Johan Franzen tallied four times against San Jose. Head coach Guy Boucher had been playing the underdog card since before the New York Rangers came to town for Game 1 but it's time for Boucher to acknowledge his team might not be as over-matched as he'd like people to believe.

NY Rangers: Michael Grabner and Derek Stepan scored short-handed goals in Game 2, helping New York tie the franchise record for most in a playoff game. Still, it was not enough. A key issue for teh Rangers has been poor defrensive paly and it seemingly isn't improving regardless of who is in the lineup. Lundqvist bailed out the Rangers in holding Montreal to four goals as the Rangers won Gams 4, 5 and 6 to take that series. He stopped 84 of 88 shots (.955) in the last three games vs. the Canadiens, then turned away 41 of 43 (.953 SP) in Game 1 vs. Ottawa. However, it caught up to him in Game 2, as SIX of Ottawa's 34 shots got past him (SP of just .824).

The pick: Yes, Ottawa is up 2-0 but the Senators won Game 1 when captain Erik Karlsson's bad-angle shot bounced off the head of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and in Game 2, they were just minutes away from losing until Pageau turned into Wayne Gretzky! Make the Rangers an 8* play.