N.Y. Rangers ~ Travelling In Search of a Win

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS





NEW YORK RANGERS:   Spanning the Globe in Search of Their First Win.   Welcome to Opening Night; Part IV.



OK, make that three games I'm going to ignore now.  The two games in Sweden and Saturday's game on Long Island make eleven periods of Hockey I'd care not to discuss outside of the Islanders game.  Because, who didn't see that coming?  It wasn't a question if being off for a week would affect the Rangers.  The only question was, how?  Then we got our answer.  Saturday's stinker manifested itself in a steady stream of sloppy penalties.


So welcome to Opening Night; Part IV! 



I hope you enjoy your Hockey like your bacon; Canadian style.  The Rangers have four more games in the Great White North before the schedule makers allow the Blueshirts to come home.


In the mean time.... Calling All Forwards!  Calling All Forwards!  Uh...Come in Forwards.  Over? 


The Rangers have scored five goals after eleven periods of combined regulation and overtime Hockey while allowing an alarming nine goals against thus far.  But that's somewhat understandable considering Marc Staal hasn't played yet and Michael Sauer sat out last game with a hurting shoulder.  The Forwards however, have no such crutch to lean on.  And just to rub salt in wounds, they looked pathetic in the shoot-out also.



Part of the short circuit stems from having to kill-off too many penalties to start off the season.  But back in Sweden, when they really could have used a clutch goal in either game, none materialized.  It's a moment, place, and time, that still felt too familiar from last season.  But after just three games, who's really going there?



Defensively, Michael Sauer should be back for Tuesday's game to help Dan Girardi, who's holding down the fort.  Girardi is due to break one-hundred minutes played in just four games if he keeps this pace up.  Last game against the Islanders, he was by far the team leader with twenty-six plus minutes of ice time.


I thought the Rangers were going to start Biron in net against the Islanders.  Guess not.



Being rusty Saturday was expected and it showed in every-one's game.  So now that the season will finally gain a sense of normalcy with this trip through Canada, now it's really, really, really, time to see how well our new star can shine; how well our new Captain can lead; and how much of Marian Gaborik we're getting back.



Aye?

TUESDAY NIGHT

NEW YORK RANGERS

vs.

Vancouver Canucks

From

The Great White North

Mike.BTB