Joe Micheletti On WFAN: Rangers' Season-Long Defensive Woes Caught Up To Them Vs. Penguins

NEW YORK (WFAN) -- Rangers TV analyst Joe Micheletti appeared on Mike Francesa's show Monday to give his "post-mortem" after the Blueshirts were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Pittsburgh won the series 4-1, with three of their victories coming by three or more goals.

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"There wasn't any area of that series that was really close," Micheletti said.

Micheletti said there were a couple of telling statistics that indicated the Rangers were not playing up to the high standards they set over the past couple of seasons: The Blueshirts ranked 16th in the NHL in defensive play (down from third two years ago) and 26th in penalty kills.

"When you go a full season and you don't ever get to a point where you're defending well and you know how to protect leads and you have to rely strictly on your goaltender to do that, then that's a dangerous area to be in, and it really showed up in the first round against Pittsburgh," he said.

Francesa asked Micheletti if he thinks the Rangers can get three or four more strong seasons out of goalie Henrik Lundqvist.

"I think that's achievable," Micheletti. "I don't question that at all, Mike. Just in being around Henrik Lundqvist and the way he trains and the way he works and the way he prepares, the way he practices, which is something that really affects the other players in watching him, the way he goes about his business. And he just 34 ... there's other goaltenders that have had excellent years in their late 30s. So at age 34 ... I don't think that that's an issue. His attitude is not going to change."

To listen to the full interview, click on the audio player above.