As Wednesday's final minute of regulation in Game 4 ticked off in Pittsburgh, Dan Girardi gave New York Rangers fans a breathof relief after a heart-stopping moment.The defenseman shoved the puck out of the crease, away fromthe net that was left wide open after goaltenderHenrik Lundqvist went out ofposition to make a save. With multiple Penguins attacking the still puck like children mobbing an ice cream truck, Girardi's quick move prevented a goal that would have evened the Stanley Cup first-roundseries at 2-2.MORE: |Girardi made another selfle s block early in overtime, diving to stop a shot with his calf. He left the ice slowly but told media members after the game: Just hit the calf, the meat.The Rangers went on to win 2-1 and take a 3-1 lead as the series shifts backto New York. They have a chance to close out the Penguins at Madison Square Garden on Friday. Victor Martinez Jersey Faceoff: 7 p.m. ET. TV: NBCSN, MSG, Canada's SportsNet and French-language TVA2.Wednesday's heroics were busine s as usual. Girardi and his teammates put similar plays on display all season with a strong defense corps to complement Lundqvist and the Rangers' fast forwards.MORE: | In the regular season, the Rangers were third in goals against, a typical defensive signifier, allowing 2.28 per game. League-leader Montreal allowed 2.24; fourth-place St. Louis trailed at 2.40, creating a gap between the top three and the rest. The team also had a high penalty kill percentage, taking out 84.3 percent of opponents' man-advantage opportunities for sixth in the regular season.They've been even better in the playoffs. Lundqvist has played every minute and has a 1.74 goals-against average. And while their penalty kill was fair to middling after four games, the Rangers were allowing 23.5 shots per game third best in the playoffs.The Rangers led the NHL in goal differential by a significant margin 3. Matt Moore Jersey 02 goals a game, making for a .74 difference.Lundqvist and backup Cam Talbot were a big reason for that, as the defense provided solid protectionwhen needed (see: Girardi's likely black-and-blue calf) and Jeimer Candelario Jersey set up forwards to get quick transition opportunities.GET TO KNOW: | Girardi is a blocking machine. He tied for sixth in the regular season with 184 blocked shots. He was fifth in hits with 224, if that's your defensive thing.So of course Girardi's playoff numbers were first rate three points, 14 hits, 20 blocked shots, good for second in the league in the postseason.He has had plenty of help, which is what makes the Rangers such a good defensive team. Ryan McDonagh had 139 blocked shots and was among top defensemen with a plus-23. In Game 4, McDonagh was "unreal," a sistant coach Ulf Samuel son told the . McDonagh, the Rangers' captain, had a game-high 24:45 of ice time while the Penguins attacked him without remorse.Lundqvist gets the headlines, but the Rangers' defense corps is proven and tested with Marc Staal, Dan Boyle and Matt Hunwick.", and I think it showed after that first period," said Staal, who was culpable for an early Penguins goal. "We weren't very good. Some teams could have gone the other way and let them take over the game, but I thought we regrouped well and put a better effort on the ice, and it translated into a big win for us."MORE: | Coach Alain Vigneault will have his full top six in action once Kevin Klein returns from a broken arm. It's po Tyson Ross Jersey sible Klein could be ready for Game 5.Wouldn't you know it, Klein was injured in early March blocking an Alex Ovechin shot. He had career highs in goals (9) and points (26) in 65 games, plus 115 blocked shots. Klein is skating with the team.Adding offensive-minded defenseman Keith Yandle at the trade deadline patched the hole left by Klein's injury. Yandle's job is offense; he led NHL defensemen with 46 a sists and was ninth with 52 points. With the Rangers he had twice as many goals (four) and double the shooting percentage in a third of the games he had with the Arizona Coyotes. Yandle Miguel Cabrera Jersey 's contributions on offense help cover his turnovers; a few think he'll take a seatonce Klein return. He has mi sed morning skates with an illne s this week. It's more likely Hunwick will hit the bench as long as Yandle is healthy.The Rangers produce flashy goals and speedy transition, but it's tough and gritty defense set up the attack and keeps the team afloat. There's no way the Blueshirts would have gotten 113 points and Presidents' Trophy without defensive efforts like Girardi made to steal a win in Game 4.There's no way they win the Stanley Cup without similar efforts ahead.Ca sandra Negley is a contributor at Sporting News. Shes currently the sports editor at thein Georgia and writes for the Mets blog,. You can follow her on Twitter,.