Hot News: Was Montreal Canadiens' fatigue to blame for Game 4 loss to New York Rangers?

New York - P.K. Subban was tired. Of answering questions.

They coached rival teams in junior hockey 20 years ago, and they worked together in the same NHL organization before branching toward the paths that led them here today: Trying to marshal their surprise Eastern Conference finalists to the Stanley Cup final.

The result has been an entertaining display of gamesmanship, with Alain Vigneault, leading the New York Rangers, and Michel Therrien, with the Montreal Canadiens, trading threats and barbs and messages in a manner not usually seen in the third round of the NHL playoffs.

'Last question,' he announced from his dressing room stall.

The Montreal Canadiens defenceman was just out of his equipment after a 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Rangers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final. No skater had logged more ice time, with Subban on for 33 minutes 16 seconds in defeat.

'I felt like I could play another game out there,' he said shortly before leaving his post-game scrum with reporters. 'I didn't feel tired, at all.'

In the third round of the NHL playoffs, it stands to reason that many players are tired or injured, or both. Subban might not feel tired, but fatigue appeared to play a major role in the sequence of events that led to the winning goal on Sunday night, with the Canadiens trying and failing to clear the zone three times before the puck found its way to danger.

With several Canadiens clustered around the puck, Rangers forward Martin St. Louis had half of the offensive zone to himself. He had time to walk through the faceoff circle, pick his spot, take wind measurements and complete the necessary calculus before shooting on Dustin Tokarski.

'We're not tired,' Subban insisted. 'When you're playing for your life, you find energy.'

Subban has been in this position with the Canadiens before, during his rookie season. The Canadiens beat the Washington Capitals in the first game of their conference quarter-final in 2010, but lost the next three games. Montreal lost Game 3 and Game 4 by a combined score of 11-4.

The Canadiens won the next three games, holding the Capitals to only a goal in each, to take the series.

They had their chances on Sunday. Montreal went one-for-eight on the power-play - the struggle included allowing a short-handed goal - and hit a crossbar late in the game, the puck dancing off the line after Alex Galchenyuk beat Henrik Lundqvist.

'That's playoff hockey,' Subban said. 'That's all it takes. It's one bounce. It's one inch. That's the difference in a game.'

The Rangers have come back from a 3-1 deficit this year. The Los Angeles Kings have been down 3-0, and are now playing for a berth in the Stanley Cup final.

'I think we just believe in our group, we don't need to see other people to know that we can do it,' Subban said. 'We believe in our group, we believe in each other, and we know that we can win. This series is long from over, that's for sure.'

Post By http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/05/26/was-montreal-canadiens-fatigue-to-blame-for-game-4-loss-to-new-york-rangers/