The Rangers took a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Capitals on Tuesday night, and as the series shifts to Washington for game three, Boomer warns his Blueshirts to stay within their style, and not fall into the type of game the Caps were looking to bait them into on Tuesday at The Garden.
“They want to muck it up, they want to actually fight, push and shove, do this other crap, because they know they can’t keep up with the speed of the Rangers,” Boomer said. “I really don’t want them to get tied up in this, what I call “Meathead hockey.”
There was a skirmish on the ice late in game two after Artemi Panarin’s hit on TJ Oshie, which caused Oshie to leave the game. Boomer says the officials need to find a balance between letting the players play and keeping them safe, especially as he expects Washington to continue dialing up the physicality to combat the Blueshirts’ speed.
“The first game, I thought the referees were way too crazy calling stupid penalties…but when sticks start flying and you’re almost taking people’s heads off, all of a sudden you’re making so many mistakes,” Boomer said. “You’re allowing them to play, but you’re also putting players in jeopardy.”