Stanley Cup Playoffs 2012: What Rangers Must Do to Steal Series

Similar to their first-round series against the Ottawa Senators, the New York Rangers have fallen behind 3-2 in a series. They currently are going into Game 6 against the New Jersey Devils with a win-or-go-home scenario.

The most important thing for the Rangers to do in order to steal the series from the Devils would be to win Game 6. Obviously, they have to win. But if they do win, they get momentum heading back home to Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers have never lost a Game 7 at home. They have won their first two series of the playoffs in the seventh game at home. They obviously have to win Game 6, but that is the key for them to win this series. They will have momentum and confidence as they head home.

How can they win the all-important Game 6?

There are a few factors that will play a serious role in whether or not they will win.

First and most important, Henrik Lundqvist needs to stand on his head for the rest of this series. The Devils have scored nine goals in the last two games. As good as Lundqvist has been this season and in the playoffs, he has not been great the last two games.The way the Rangers play, if he doesn't have an unbelievable game, they will struggle to win.

Another thing that has been an issue for the Rangers all postseason is their ability to put the puck in the net. They have struggled to score goals, and that is a big reason why almost every game has been close and why they have gone seven games in every series.

The Rangers' leading scorer in the regular season, Marian Gaborik, has only five goals in 19 games this postseason. He has only one goal in this series against the Devils.

The Rangers brought in Brad Richards to help get them over the hump and get them back to the Stanley Cup Finals. In the first two playoff series, he has done exactly what the Rangers wanted and led the team.

In this series against the Devils, he has been invisible and a non-factor. Richards was second on the team in points during the regular season and has led the Rangers in points this postseason. He has only three assists and no goals in this series. Richards needs to wake up and make plays if the Rangers are going to win the next two games of this series.

The Rangers got a lift from the return of Brandon Dubinsky and Brandon Prust in Game 5, but they couldn't come away with the win after coming back from an early 3-0 deficit.

Solid defense and goaltending is what made the Rangers the top seed in the Eastern Conference. In order for the Rangers to steal this series, they are going to need their goal scorers to step up, along with their solid defense and goaltending to exist.