N.Y. Rangers: Battle of the Hudson Resumes

From the desks of: 

RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS  &  THE BRICK CITY STYX

BATTLE OF THE HUDSON - I

New York Rangers

vs.

New Jersey Devils

FROM

THE ROCK

It's time I welcomed myself to the 93rd season of New York Rangers hockey.  It's also high time the Rangers hoist Ron Greschner's #4 to the rafters!

Thank you very much ...

Even though the front office hastened the rebuild, I enter this season with few expectations.  But, boy, am I a happy camper!  The triumvirate of John Davidson, Jeff Gorton, and David Quinn, along with this collection of young talent, has elevated my enthusiasm to levels not experienced since 1992 (Roger Neilson withstanding).  Sure, they financially capped themselves like a jar of marmalade, but I don't care.  Everyone I want in a blue shirt is present and accounted for right down to Anthony DeAngelo's last minute signing.

DROPPING PUCKS

• I mean Mika Zibanejad no slight, but I like the idea of entering the season without a captain.  The Rangers are in a good place.  Let some of these players distinguish themselves first.  If everyone takes the ice with the characteristics of a captain in mind then eventually one will materialize.  But make no mistake, Zibanejad has a big fan in me.

• Henrik Lunqvist's playing time is a big concern.  At this stage of his career perhaps less is more.  Two seasons ago Henrik started 60+ games for the eighth time in his career.  Last season he was limited to 52 starts.  In March he turns 38-years old.  Not one bit do I mind him chasing down career milestones.  In fact, I'm rooting for him.  But closer to the point, I just want Alexandar Georgiev receiving representative minutes in net.

• What is Chris Kreider still doing here?  He is the last person I expected to survive Gorton's purge.  But since he still dons a blue shirt, how about some consistent play for a change.  If Kreider ever gets his head screwed on straight could be a top forward of the league ... but it isn't, and he's not.

NYR - Kaapo Kakko

(2019 #2 overall draft pick)

vs.

NJD - Jack Hughes

(2019 #1 overall draft pick)

And let us not forget Nico Hischier, the 2017 first overall pick of the 2017 draft.

Point being, the next ten years of metropolitan area hockey is shaping up to be a lot of fun.  Just don't say that too loud.  Newark is off to a ponderous 0-4-2 start, and giving away multiple goal leads like candy on Halloween.  With the return to full duty of Taylor Hall, and the big acquisitions of P.K. Subban and Wayne Simmonds, no one anticipated such a start as this.  All I'll say for now is that coach John Hynes deserves to see this through.

Raise Gresch With The Greats

N.J. Devils: It's Keith Kinkaid or Bust

From the desks of:

NO SLEEP TILL BELMONT  and  THE BRICK CITY STYX

TONIGHT

New York Islanders

vs.

New Jersey Devils

FROM

THE ROCK

The Islanders quit on Doug Weight some time ago evidenced by their 12-21-6 record since New Year's day, and their 3-8-3 record in March.  This from a team that for most of the season ranked among the top five scoring teams in hockey.  Now officially eliminated from playoff contention, they have little left worth skating for outside of playing the role of spoiler.  But that makes them a dangerous opponent, and Newark knows it well.

With only five games left in their regular season, the Devils need every point they can get.  Ninth place Florida is hot on their tail, just three points behind but with six games left to play.  That puts New Jersey in a bind.

For the moment, John Hynes continues demonstrating confidence in goalie Keith Kinkaid, electing to stay with the hot hand rather than handing duties back over to Cory Schneider, and for good reason.  Schneider is 0-4 since returning to action on March 1.  Upon Schneider's return, Coach Hynes initially started Cory and Keith every other game.  But after three starts, Schneider went 0-3 with an .887 save percentage.  He made one other start on March 20 (a 6-2 loss against San Jose), but none since.

The two goalies are almost even in starts now.  Outside of actual wins and losses, there's not much that distinguishes one from the other:

• Cory Schneider - 39 games, 17-15-6 record, 2.88 GAA, .909 save percentage.
• Keith Kinkaid - 37 games, 22-10-3 record, 2.89 GAA, .910 save percentage.

Although Kinkaid was victimized by Sidney Crosby's abrupt game winning base hit in overtime this past Thursday against the Penguins, he is 7-3-1 in March with a .925 save percentage, not to mention the role he played in huge victories over Nashville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and Tampa.

N.J. Devils: Where The Wild Teams Are

From the desk of:  THE BRICK CITY STYX

Home Sweet Home

New Jersey Devils: A Triumphant Return To The Rock.

Catch your breath Devils fans.  This is your last two-day break in the regular season.

Starting Tuesday, they'll have thirteen days left with which to squeeze in their final seven games of the season.  That means they'll be playing every other night from here on out, including a back-to-back set at the turn of the month.

All this leaves little time for reflecting upon their team's achievements to date.  When in truth, they have already embarked on something special.  The rebuilding Devils finished last season with 70 points, and weren't expected to be much better entering this season.  Player development was supposed to be their primary focus.  But a funny thing happened on the way to Spring.  They won their 39th game of the season on Saturday, their most since 2011-2012 when they last qualified for post-season play.  They are also only two points shy of matching their 88 points of 2013-2014.  The last Devils team to achieve ninety points in a season were, again, the 2011-2012 Stanley Cup contenders.  Therefore, with regard to the rest of this season the only lingering question is how far can these young new breed demons take this?

After jumping out to an 8-2-0 start in October, they were still 22-10-6 by New Year's Eve.  However, a 3-6-2 record through the dog days of January suggested the time had arrived for Newark to finally find its true level in this year's standings.  Instead, the Devils regrouped to post an 8-6-0 record in February.  They opened March with an overall 33-22-8 record, and are 6-6-0 to date.

But what a month it has been.  Only now are the Devils finally getting a breather after skating through a gauntlet of top Western Conference contenders, and having to play the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the Eastern Conference top seed Tampa Bay Lightning on back-to-back nights.  And they damn near defeated them all.  After consecutive victories at Nashville, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, they sustained humbling back-to-back losses at Anaheim and San Jose.  On their way back east, the Devils stopped off in Pittsburgh where they defeated the Penguins in overtime on Friday.  Then, after seventeen days away from the Rock, they finally returned home and short circuited the Lightning on short rest.

With 86 points, Newark leads ninth place Florida by three points, but with nine games left on their schedule the Panthers have two games in hand.  And so if the Devils are to stave off Florida, they must open and maintain at least a four point lead before they're done.  Their season ends on April 7, while the Panthers close out their season a day later.

DEVILS

• Home (5): Penguins, Maple Leafs, Rangers, Islanders, Hurricanes.
• Away (2): Capitals, Canadiens.

PANTHERS

• Home (4): Bruins, Predators, Hurricanes, Sabres.
• Away (5); Bruins(2), Maple Leafs, Islanders, Senators.

In any event, this much is clear: The New Jersey Devils are back on top of the three-team NYC metropolitan area division.

They have the best head coach (John Hynes) of the three teams.  And until Jeff Gorton's rebuild at MSG garners similar results, Ray Shero is arguably the better general manager (Garth Snow is easily last).  The Islanders John Tavares is the best center in town, but for how much longer?  Okay, the Isles also have Mathew Barzal.  Otherwise, rookie Nico Hischier is neck and neck in points with the more experienced NYR top center Mika Zibanejad.

Just saying ...