N.Y. Rangers: Draft Will Confirm Who's Really In Charge

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

Talking Tough Is One Thing; 

Drafting Tough Is Another

New York Rangers: David Quinn Named New Head Coach.

I'm not going to pretend I know anything about David Quinn, because I don't.

Nor do I care ...

I'm more concerned with the upcoming June entry draft.  Because if Jeff Gorton selects another bunch of Smurfs, then David Quinn is going to coach Smurfs.  If Jeff Gorton selects a bunch of gargoyles, then David Quinn will coach gargoyles.  If he drafts big tough two-way players with requisite speed, then Quinn will coach such players in a relative manner.

I will simply say Quinn sports a fine resume, and that I welcome a new start with a fresh face.

He becomes the 20th head coach I remember well.  I came to learn of Emil "the cat" Francis only after the famed coach's run with the Rangers ended.  The very first head coach I care to recall is Jean-Guy Talbot, whom otherwise left no real lasting impression upon me.

Fred Shero was head coach when Ron Greschner and the Rangers advanced by the hated New York Islanders en route to the 1978-1979 Stanley Cup finals.  He only lasted two seasons behind the bench (blame Barry Beck), but is worthy of an honorable mention.

Herb Brooks brought his authoritarian style - not to mention his Olympic gold medal - to Madison Square Garden in 1981 and becomes the first head coach I genuinely rallied behind.  Developing a bunch of college kids into TEAM USA and defeating the mighty Russians in 1980 earned Brooks a ton of respect.  Not unexpectedly, though, his taskmaster tactics wore thin with established NHL veterans and would be replaced by the same person he himself succeeded as head coach, i.e., Craig Patrick.

Seemingly out of nowhere, in steps Ted Sator whom astonishingly takes the original cast of off-Broadway Smurfs all the way to the conference finals.  Just as quickly, though, he also steps through and disappears beyond the Eighth Avenue steam pipes.

Fast forward ... Roger Neilson is the first Rangers head coach to win the President's Trophy.  However, like Mark Messier I couldn't stand the guy nor his system.  The Rangers clearly were in need of a major kick in the posterior, and Mike Keenan was the absolute right guy to administer just that.  But because Rangers head coaches traditionally have the lifespan of a fruit fly, Keenan left after just one (Stanley Cup) season.

Rangers fans were for the most part behind his successor, Colin Campbell.  It's just that general manager Neil Smith started making some ponderously awful trades for sake of prolonging an increasingly futile run for another Cup.

Enter the Glen Sather era ...

His body of work spanning 2000-2004 on its own should have qualified as a fire-able offense.  Unfortunately in the eyes and mind of James Dolan, the omniscient Sather can do no wrong.

John Tortorella's arrival finally marks the first time Sather starts taking seriously actual NHL level player development.  I believe now as I did back then that Tortorella slammed the brakes on Sather's impatience regarding young inexperienced players and prospects.  I'm convinced Torts did indeed hold sway over Sather, by effectively taking charge of an emerging group of players (drafted by Jeff Gorton), letting them develop together, and giving them a sorely needed identity.  If left to his own device, Glen Sather very likely would have traded many eventual endearing players, away.

However, due to his already obnoxious and increasingly erratic behavior, Torts absolutely earned his dismissal.

Shame ... (Rick Nash really let him (us) down).

Tortorella is then replaced with the diametrically opposite Alian Vigneault, whom I wanted fired the minute he was hired.  If the Canadiens didn't want him, and the Vancouver Canucks fired him in an effort to increase toughness, then I certainly didn't want Vigneault coaching the Rangers.  Let's be clear - he took Tortorella's team to the Stanley Cup finals.  But that team then underwent considerable changes to better suit Vigneault's style, of which Glen Sather was all in.  And where did that get Tex's Rangers?

Hence the genesis of today's condition.

Rewind back to the organization's statement announcing a change in direction.  My untrained ears heard Jeff Gorton wanting to gut this pig.  But I also heard Glen Sather in the background whining about wanting to rebuild while staying competitive at the same time (which we know is complete garbage nonsense).  I think Jeff Gorton recognized this as well, and may have gone so far as calling out Sather over his repeated attempts at tomfoolery (as I suspect Tortorella once did).

While serving as both assistant and interim general manager for Boston, Gorton played a large role in building up the Bruins as we know them today.  Yet, he was dismissed from Boston and hired by Sather with haste to replace Don Maloney (whom accepted the general manager's position with the Phoenix Coyotes) as head of scouting and development.  Gorton, therefore, has been a front row witness to Sather's follies for the past twelve years.  And at this juncture in his career I believe he can get an NHL job anywhere there's a need for a qualified general manager.

Therefore, why wouldn't Gorton issue Sather an ultimatum, i.e., either the rebuild goes according to his plan, or he seeks employment elsewhere.  After thinking the situation through, my fantastical scenario says Sather gave Gorton his blessings to proceed forward.

And, he did ...

• February 20: Nick Holden remarkably traded to Boston in exchange for defender Rob O'Gara and Boston's third round pick 2018 draft.  I wouldn't have given the NYR three pucks and a roll of tape ... but that's just me.  Rob O'Gara is 24-years old, 6'4" 215 lbs.

• February 23: Michael Grabner traded to rival New Jersey Devils in exchange for defender Yegor Rykov and Newark's second round pick 2018 draft.  Yegor Rykov is 20-years old, 6'1" 205 lbs.

• February 25: Rich Nash traded to Boston in exchange for three players (Ryan Spooner, Matt Belesky, and prospect defender Ryan Lindgren), plus the Bruins first round pick 2018 draft, and their seventh round pick 2019 draft.  Ryan Lindgren is 20-years old, a stocky 5'11" 203 lbs.

• February 26: Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller traded to Tampa Bay Lighting in exchange for forward Vladislav Namestnikov, prospects Libor Hajek and Brett Howden, the Bolts first round pick 2018 draft, and a conditional second round pick 2019 draft.  Defenseman Libor Hajek is 20-years old, 6'2" 196 lbs.  Centerman Brett Howden is 19-years old, 6'2" 193 lbs.

The 2018 NHL entry draft is less than thirty days away.

With an eye towards the future, Jeff Gorton spoke of becoming a more physical team.

With his mind on the present, David Quinn spoke of being a physical team.

Fine.

Now we find out who's really in charge.

Talking crunch is one thing; drafting crunch is another.  If it turns out being the latter, then Gorton is calling the shots.  If it turns out being the former, then we know Sather is still firmly in charge.

N.Y. Rangers: Shouldn't Always Give Players What They Want

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS - Glen Sather Set A Bad Precedence.

YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GIVE PLAYERS WHAT THEY WANT

I am not at all interested in having Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Wayne Gretzky or Adam Graves become the new bench coach of the New York Rangers  - none.  I would consider Adam Graves as the new GM though.  But we know that isn't happening any time soon.  Nor do I want ex-Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff - the change would not be as dramatic as needed.  For some reason, when I think Mark Messier as coach, I think Phil Esposito.


Although, it became apparently clear the exit interviews didn't go well, I still do not necessarily believe you should give players what they want.  John Tortortella needed to change, but he kept the team accountable, and on edge, and I like that.  That's not to say Mark Messier wouldn't as well.  Even though he and Glen Sather are joined at the hip, I strongly believe this is hardly the time for head coaching experimentation.  Of the leading candidates, Dave Tippett interests me the most, followed by Alain Vigneault.


The Rangers took a considerable step back this last season.  The team was glaringly void of last year's toughness, and stripped of its depth.  The power play was completely defective.  Some players woefully underachieved, and injuries took their toll.  For all that, fair or not, Torts paid a stiff price.  I'm still not convinced this was in the best interest of the team.  Okay, the players got a coach fired - what happens to the next guy now?  Glen Sather set a bad precedence.



Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers: All The King's Horses And Men Show Up In Game Seven

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

2012 - 2013

National Hockey League Playoffs 

Quarter Finals

RANGERS WIN SERIES 4-3
I - WAS 3; NYR 1
II - WAS 1: NYR 0*
III - NYR 4; WAS 3
IV - NYR 4; WAS 3
V - WAS 2; NYR 1*
VI - NYR 1; WAS 0
VII - NYR 5; WAS 0
*overtime

New York Rangers Advance To Eastern Conference Semi-Finals
 

NEW YORK RANGERS - Blueshirt Rising.  Team Goes From Eighth Seed, To Sixth Seed On Last Day Of Season, To Defeating The Three Seed.

BRING ON THE BRUINS!

At some point in the series, Henrik needed to steal a game for his mates.  While I hoped Henrik's larceny would come on the road in Game Five, Lundqvist waited until the team faced elimination in Game Six at home.  Part of the delay was Henrik's own doing - letting two soft goals get through Friday night.  Otherwise, most of the blame fell on an obnoxious lack of offensive scoring on the road.


There is no secret, that within Henrik Lundqvist's ability to stop pucks, lies the Rangers best chance to win the Stanley Cup.  Games five and six proved time was of the essence.  In the not so distant past, there once was a day when Henrik Lundqvist would have already stolen two games.  Henrik Lundqvist turned thirty-one years old this past March - still technically in his prime.  Although, his joints and cartilages might intimate they feel slightly older than that.  Just keep in mind, time stands still for no one, and the years spent carrying this team on his back are perhaps taking their toll.


Hank made twenty-nine saves Sunday.  The Rangers desperately and literally needed every one to stave off elimination.  With the series tied, the teams headed back to Washington for Game Seven - an offensive house of horrors.  In a number of ways, and for a few years now, Henrik and the Rangers had been there before.  But even today I ask, how many more times can The King successfully defend the crease without the support of his horses and men?


In Game Seven, Arron Asham answered right away.  There are several items of note regarding Asham's opening goal.  Thirteen minutes into the first period, Coach Torts was using his forth line.  The shot itself, came A) - off the high right wing, and B) - it was a quick decisive shot - no second guessing.  Washington took aim at Henrik Lundqvist with thirteen shots in the first period.  The Rangers had nine.


The Rangers did an excellent job softening up Braden Holtby during games three and four at the Garden.  Quickly into the second period, the Rangers landed a stiff left jab and a straight right.  Taylor Pyatt scored 3:24 into the second, off beautiful feeds from Dorsett and Eminger.  Two minutes later, Michael Del Zotto scored again from Brassard and Nash.  Yet, Washington pressed Lundqvist with another thirteen shots, while the Rangers had eight.  But the Capitals knew they were effectively done, right then.


New York went on to dictate the third period, closing out the series on a very strong note.  Ryan Callahan punctuated the night when he picked off a neutral zone pass, and scored unassisted at just 0:13 of the final period.  At 6:39, Matts Zuccarello sent the Washington fans scurrying for the exits.  The Capitals season was over.  For many of the Rangers newer players however, life had just begun.


Henrik stopped thirty-five shots without allowing a goal - his second consecutive shutout victory over the Caps.  He didn't need to steal this game.  Game Seven was safely in hand after Asham's goal in the first.  That's all the King needed from his horses and men.  After all, Lundqvist is still in his prime.


His horses and men were tough, not the way they used to be, like fighting tough.  They were resilient tough, and 'laid the body' tough.  They took big hits as well, ask Ryan McDonagh, but kept playing, and continued keeping the Capitals scoreless over the final two games.  In also keeping the Tasmanian  Ovechkin off the scoreboard with superlative defense, the Rangers blue liners contributed mightily to the offensive effort as well.


Even Coach's biggest detractors must give Torts his due.  Over the course of the series, he relented on his mandate to keep the puck low, and allowed offense to flow from the circles and above the dots.  Good passing should be complimented as well.  And Torts additionally gave his third and fourth lines quality minutes.  They rewarded him with a pair of goals, one from each line.  And wouldn't you know, Chris Kreider assisted on Arron Asham's first period goal while playing on the fourth line.  The goal started the Rangers off right.


Last season, the Rangers made it to the Eastern Conference finals without the services of Rick Nash.  So far this season, the Blueshirts have won a first round series without the services of Rick Nash.  Much has been made of the way the Rangers shut down Alex Ovechkin.  Then what do we make of Rick Nash?  He was off to a roaring start in Game One despite the Rangers loss, taking eight shots.  When compared with the contribution of his mates, Nash virtually disappeared afterwards.  He assisted on a goal in Game Four, then a second time in Game Seven.  Otherwise, between Games Two and Seven, he took just 3, 4, 2, 2, 1, and 2 shots on goal respectively.  That's twenty-two empty shots on goal.  Luckily for the Rangers, Derick Brassard decided he was going to be a leading forward, while taking half as many shots on goal.  The new Rangers center had eleven SOG for the series,  scored two goals and assisted on six others.




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers: Connecting The Dots - Game Four Tonight

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

2012 - 2013

STANLEY CUP

Eastern Conference Quarter Finals

 

Washington Leads Series 2-1

I - WAS 3; NYR 1

II - WAS 1; NYR 0*

III - NYR 4; WAS 3

*overtime

 

TONIGHT

 

GAME FOUR

 

Washington Capitals

vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

FROM

 

 

NEW YORK RANGERS - What Does A Coach Do When His Team Can't Grunt Its Way To The Net?


Defensively, the Washington Capitals played a horrible Game Three.  They did.  The Caps couldn't cover the man in the slot.  Now..., was the Rangers offense clicking that well, forcing Washington out of position?  Or, was Washington's defense really that bad?  In turn, is the Rangers defense that bad, when teams streak down the slot and score on us?  I know in which direction most of us will lean, however, the truth lies somewhere in between.


When that happens to us - when the Rangers can't cover the man in the slot - like we couldn't cover the high man during overtime of Game Two, we say - They (We) Suck!  Forget the fact the game winning puck deflected off Stepan.  You know what I mean.


I have to go back to something I said on April 25th after we beat Carolina.

"THAT'S IT!" - Charlie Brown.

....Not the fact that the Rangers blew a 2-0 lead, (Good Grief!), and came back to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes in overtime, and in doing so clinched a playoff spot - I'm talking about Carl Hagelin's first period pass from the left circle to Derek Stepan filling the slot. I haven't seen that particular set up from Torts' Rangers, it seems like in...forever. The play looked similar to the crazy-ass open skating style of western conference hockey. Yech!
 

Like Coach Tortorella, I only say things a few times before I get pissed off.  First, I think my seven followers know I am still unequivocally in his corner.  I know the following could hypothetically curl Tortorella's nostril hairs, but, let's face it, his Rangers have been very uncreative.  First, let's give credit where it's due.  The man (Coach) mentored two rounds of call-ups.  The team had no stars to speak of, so Torts gave a group of kids a system and named one of them captain.  He turned them all into grunts who together surged forward with the power of a glacier all the way into the Eastern Conference Finals last season.  Along the way, we saw all that Coach created, and said it was good.  However, then, like now, we couldn't score.  As mystifying as it is, we get that.


Besides Glen Sather reducing Tex's Rangers from four lines to 2.5, torpedoing the team's toughness and overall balance, here is where things also went wrong - Tortorella's stubbornness.  Coach took his skill players and tried turning them into grunts too.  To date, that has translated in a bus ticket out of town for Marian Gaborik, a welcome mat into the offense of horrors for Rick Nash, and a failure to report by Brad Richards, who has been MIA throughout.  As that relates to right now, sometimes you just have to let scorers score, skaters skate, and well...let fighters fight.  No worries on that last count however, because we have no semi-skilled pugilists left.  Otherwise, I think we all can agree Coach is a rigid dude.  We get that too.  John Tortorella has been ultra-stubborn in defending his philosophy and system.  But I think even he is starting to realize sometimes you just have to take your chances and win ugly.


For the moment, we are no longer a desperate team, so there is no pressing need to over-pinch from the blue line, etc.  Easing off the original plan though, means defense gets somewhat sacrificed.  All we need is understanding and clarity.  Simply outworking teams, means simply out working teams.  It's very straight forward.  But if you don't ramp-up the offense by taking more calculated risks, there is no way of putting the opposing defense, in compromising situations.  Playing in pursuit of the perfect 1-0, or 2-1 lock-down put us in precarious situations before, and at present, we aren't out of the woods yet.  Tex's Rangers need to defend their home they way they did Monday evening - the way the Islanders almost did twice in Long Island against the Pens - with controlled, yet rabid abandon.


I've long argued that when you can't successfully GRUNT your way to the net, then offense needs to be generated from the dots.  Monday, from just outside the left circle (high on the dot) during the second period of Game Three, MattZuccs fed Derick Brassard streaking down the slot, who converted for a PP goal.  In the third period, this time from the right corner, Rick Nash fed Derek Stepan who came streaking down the slot and scored - similar to the way Stepan came down the lane against Carolina on clinching day.


Most of Washington's goals come predominantly off shots taken in open ice - specifically the high point and mid-slot.  Or, Alex Ovechkin handles on the wing, and when he reaches the dot, takes a hard cut into the middle.  So instead of playing like a bunch roaches along the boards in Game Three, the Rangers appeared to have fought fire with fire.


If you start your decent upon the net at the dots, or the general circles, you give your skilled players the time and space they need to be skillful and creative.  Think geometry - taking hard right angles from the dots, whether be it by pass or skate, creates offense.  Ovechkin does it all the time.  On the occasion the Rangers play like that, they always quickly revert back to the turtle and roaches theory within a game or so.  Torts considers that sticking to the plan.  This season, I've characterized it as stubbornness and rigidity.


Unless Rick Nash suddenly dons a red cape, or Brad Richards reports as ordered, this is an X's and O's series - Coach Torts versus Adam Oates, who has great first hand knowledge about how to get the puck into open areas of the ice.  This Rangers team needs more open ice to perform against the Caps as well, because, unfortunately, The Big Blue Glacier of last season has long melted away.


Was Game Three really by design?  I sure hope so.  We'll find out this evening.




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers: Game Three - Keep This House In Order

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

TONIGHT

 

Game Three

 

Washington Capitals

vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

FROM

33rd Street at 8th Avenue

N.Y.C.

 

 

 

NEW YORK RANGERS - Unleash The Hounds!

 

N.Y. Rangers Fall In O.T. - Coach Plays Power Play Blame Game

N.Y. Rangers Need To Clean Up Their Act

Rangers vs. Capitals - We Meet Again

One way or another, the puck stops here, in Madison Square Garden.  If the Rangers plan on saving this series, their season, and maybe even their coach's job, they need to make sure their house is in order, then take their chances in a Game Seven scenario.  This is what life off-Broadway has devolved into.


John Tortorella will have the Blueshirt Nation at his back, home ice, and the last change advantages on his side this evening.  So, now is probably the best time to get Rick Nash some more favorable match-ups.  At some point, hopefully really soon, it would be nice to read his name in a boxscore.  The Rangers need goals, they need players to start scoring now - any player, and stop making Braden Holtby look like Tony freakin' Esposito - because he's not!  He's been having an ultra-easy time in net.  He said so.  That means it's time for the Blueshirts to shatter some of his confidence.


On the power play - if we go on the power play, stop playing catch at the point, and start shooting pucks on net.  Period!  Shoot from every angle.  Try to bank pucks off Holtby's ass.  Shoot them right into would-be shot blockers, and make them think twice about doing it again.  But just friggin' shoot the damn puck, and stop trying to be so damn cute.  And it just might be time to get Brad Richards out of the point too.  At this point, I wouldn't let him quarterback a pick-up game in the school yard for me.


At even strength, stop trying to hug the boards like a bunch of roaches!  Get into open ice, and shoot, while two other goons crash the net.  Give Holtby an ice bath when the opportunity presents itself.  Whatever the Rangers do, it has to be different from what they've done so far.  It hasn't worked.  So it's best if they just suit up tonight, shoot possessed, and fight for rebounds like a bunch of dogs.  Sometimes sloppy works.  Tony Esposito's brother Phil made a Hall of Fame career out of it.



Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers Fall In Overtime; Coach Plays Power Play Blame Game

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

GAME TWO FINAL

Rangers   0

Capitals   1

overtime

 

Capitals Lead Series 2-0

Rangers vs. Capitals - We Meet Again

New York Rangers Need To Clean Up Their Act

 

 

NEW YORK RANGERS - Even I Can Not Let Coach Pass The Blame Regarding His Power Play Unit.  The PP Futility Has His Name Written All Over It.


The numbers do not exactly inspire me to run out and play the lottery.  In fact, they suck.  In Game Two, the Washington Capitals overwhelmingly out-shot the Rangers by a 38-24 margin.  The Caps were additionally 1 for 2 on the power play, which happened to include the game winning goal in overtime.  For all sixty-eight minutes of Game Two, the Rangers failed to score a goal against Braden Holtby, to include three power play opportunities.  Nor did the Rangers have any shots on goal during overtime, while the Caps had eight.  Rick Nash and Brad Richards combined to take seven shots on net.  New Blueshirts forwards Derick Brassard, Derek Dorsett, Darroll Powe, and Taylor Pyatt all combined for another four scattered shots on goal.  Newbie defenseman John Moore added one shot too.  That's twelve shots by the previously mentioned players.  Washington on the other hand was served by Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson who both posted seven shots on goal each.  And the biggest number of them all - the Rangers have scored one goal in the last 128 minutes of playoff hockey.


Even a hockey Captain can not lead if he does not have and army of skaters behind him.  Outside of the blue liners, Ryan Callahan logged in the most overall ice time for the Rangers.  He also led the team with five shots on net, and a team high eight hits.  So where does that leave a king?  Or rather, what more does Henrik Lundqvist have to do?  Score a hat trick?  Instigate a fight?  Clear his own crease?  Go down ice and take out Braden Holtby himself?  Because for the second consecutive playoff series against the Blueshirts, the Caps goalie is putting on a clinic.  Holtby has now recorded his first career playoff shutout, and has stopped fifty-nine of sixty Rangers shots on net.  Meanwhile, I believe the game winning goal deflected slightly off Derek Stepan - Henrik never had a chance against an otherwise straight forward slap shot from the slot.  He'll still receive crap even though he stopped every shot in regulation, and eleven more in overtime.  That's why this game was ultimately destined to incur misguided blame - see below.


Life under John Tortorella has evolved into a one mistake affair - don't make one.  It is no secret that a single mistake is all it takes to ruin a whole night's worth of grunt work.  Washington's PP goal  eight minutes into overtime was just the latest example of that.  Tex's Rangers took it on the chin because of a delay of game penalty against Ryan McDonagh.  Too many mistakes doomed the Blueshirts in Game One, and one huge gaffe ruined them in Game Two.  That delay penalty was like taking a too many men on the ice penalty to start Game One - Ponderous!  I empathize with Coach Torts to a point.  These aren't infractions committed by brutish players behaving badly.  Instead, these are mind numbingly stupid penalties.  For a team that probably couldn't even score in a woman's prison with cartons of cigarettes in hand, and for a team that has less goals than Paris Hilton, mistakes are far more destructive to the Rangers than they should be.

"We're just too stagnant," New York coach John Tortorella said. "We're almost paralyzed." - ESPN
 

That came in response to a question regarding being 0 for 7 on the power play after two games.  While Coach's assessment may be true to a certain extent, there is only so much he can pass off on the players.  Rangers fans, including myself are familiar with the unit under Torts, so there is no blowing smoke up our posteriors.  Even staunch Coach Torts disciples like myself will admit the problem comes partly from a lack of originality on Tortorella's part.  The fact that numerous players have been in and out of his system over the years, and the results remain the same point towards the coach.  He has been the constant variable in a consistently horrific power play.




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers: Captain Callahan Leads Blueshirts Through Hurricanes

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS - The Captain Leads. Ryan Callahan's Overtime Goal Propels Blueshirts Onto Postseason.


"THAT'S IT!" - Charlie Brown.


....Not the fact that the Rangers blew a 2-0 lead, (Good Grief!), and came back to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes in overtime, and in doing so clinched a playoff spot.  I'm talking about Carl Hagelin's first period pass from the left circle to Derek Stepan filling the slot.  I haven't seen that particular set up from Torts' Rangers, it seems like, forever.  The play looked similar to the crazy-ass open skating style of western conference hockey.  Yech!


Captain Callahan got credit for the secondary assist on Stepan's goal.  In overtime, Captain Callahan scored the game winning goal on assists from Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh.  If that sounds more like a blast from the past, it should.  And that's the way it needs to be from here on out.  With many new players joining the fold, the Rangers garnered vastly different results this season.  The playoffs are the playoffs however, where good teams win, and lesser teams get weeded out.  If these Rangers are as good as last year's Rangers, throw the regular season aside, for the post-season will tell us.  But until this team reaches the Eastern Conference finals, the debate over departed players versus the imported ones will continue.


Brad Richards scored the game tying goal on a power play with three minutes left in regulation.  It was a huge score for him personally, and the team as a whole, considering their pathetic loss to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, and that Winnipeg was ahead 2-1 over the Canadiens this evening, until Montreal pulled away.


Tuesday's loss by the way, was brutal - just brutal.  I'm glad I kept my mouth shut.  I can not say after today however, no harm done.  I disagreed with how Coach played Henrik.  I would have given Henrik Tuesday off.  Had the Rangers won, I would have given him off Thursday as well.  He started forty of forty-six games heading into Carolina.  This is all academic now.  Henrik will no doubt sit out Saturday's season finale against the Devils.



Mike.BTB

New York Rangers Can Help Themselves By Eliminating New Jersey Devils Today

From the desks of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS & THE BRICK CITY DEMONS

BATTLE of the HUDSON - III

 

 

 

 

Series Tied 1-1

I - NJD 3; NYR 1

II - NYR 3; NJD 2

 

TODAY

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

FROM

Madison Square Garden

33rd Street at 8th Avenue

N.Y.C.

NEW YORK RANGERS - Protecting A One Point, Eighth Place Seed, With No Identity, Will Be No Easy Task, And Even Harder To Predict.

 

NEW JERSEY DEVILS:

FOR THE DEFENDING EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPS,

IT'S WIN OR BE ELIMINATED!

 

This has no doubt been a tumultuous season for Tex's Rangers.  And it is far from over.  From reaching the conference finals last season, they are merely clinging to playoff aspirations one year later, for the Blueshirts still maintain a precipitous hold on the eighth seed with four games remaining in the 2013 lockout shortened regular season.  A recent offensive outburst by the Rangers has been a welcome omen for better times ahead.  But if they really want to end their regular season the right way, and set the tone for a possible and prosperous playoff run ahead, they can start with exorcising last year's demons by repaying the New Jersey Devils a favor - eliminating them from contention today.

Despite the Rangers fall from conference leaders to eighth seed hopefuls, Madison Square Garden should be raucous today, even though Sunday afternoon games have usually been known as kid's day for years.  In today's particular situation, parents will either have to cover their kinder's ears, let it be, or keep them home and give their ticket to a die-hard drunkard buddy.

I'm sorry, but in my opinion, the Rangers, these Rangers, do not have an identity yet.  Beginning today, they have four more games to figure one out.  Fourteen goals in two games against the lowly Florida Panthers, and a rebuilding Sabres team should, for the most part, be ignored.  I am more interested in which team shows up today, and which team takes the ice over the final three games.  With fifty points, Winnipeg is only a point away with forty-nine.  A season which could potentially end with the New York Islanders in sixth place, and the Rangers missing out would be nothing short of a calamity.  While that would indeed be unacceptable, in Glen Sather's universe lacking oversight and free of accountability, he might be inclined to pass the buck, and fire John Tortorella.  But that's putting Glen Sather's cart way ahead of Tort's horses.  Let's beat the New Jersey Devils first, and free up their month of May for vacationing.



Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers: The Smurfs Are Back

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS


NEW YORK RANGERS - Three Boarding Incidents Within The Last Seven Games Draw No Response From Blueshirts.

Fire John Tortorella?  Stop Yourselves!

Fire John Tortorella?  Is that where we're taking this?  If you're one of those saying that, do you really mean it?  Or, are you just upset with the way things are going so far?


When Boston's Milan Lucic boarded Rick Nash, and when Ottawa's Chris Neil took a run and boarded Brad Richards, and when Montreal's Max Pacioretty took another run against the Rangers and boarded Ryan McDonagh, at no time did a Rangers player stick up for their team mate.  Not one.  No response.  When the Canadiens crashed Marty Biron - nothing.  At least Mike Rupp would have answered.  And you know what I already think about losing Brandon Prust.  The Pruster would have fought anyone and everyone.  By now it is well known the Rangers led the league last season in fighting majors.  But did you know the Rangers led the league in getting into fights within five minutes of the start of a game?  It's true.  That's what you call setting a tone.  That's what you call sending an early message to your opponent that the Rangers aren't getting pushed around.  But that was last year's message.  This season the Blueshirts are getting pushed off the puck like a house dog gets pushed off the sofa.  Yeah, I'm still hung up on Brandon Prust because he's what this team needs.  His work on the forecheck, and being physical enough to not get knocked off the puck, and maintaining possession have very real value to me.  Just not to Glen Sather.  Additionally, J.T. Miller, Darroll Powe, and Chris Kreider find themselves in an unfortunate condition.  At the moment they are not the ideal players that can camp in front of the net.  That's on Glen Sather.


John Tortorella has made a big adjustment this season.  Problem is, it did not come on the ice or behind the bench.  It came in front of a microphone.  Torts is being much more tolerant of the media, and has even offered them coherent post-game analysis, minus his disgust for fielding questions, and impatience for what he perceives as hockey ignorance.  But in truth, I would rather have the grumpy Torts back, if he would please make adjustments to his style.  An equal reason the New Jersey Devils are in first place this season is because they can play two, and three different styles of hockey, and still beat you.  You can talk system all you want, but on this side of the Hudson, the Rangers have  only one style of hockey.  John Tortorella wants his team to play one way - like grunts.


Style and implementation - it is time for John Tortorella to play with set forward lines.  He takes his six top forwards of the game, and rides them through the night.  I said his six top forwards, not his two top lines.  He did this in Tampa as well.  He rode Lecavalier, St. Louis, and Brad Richards into the ground in order to win a Cup; not relying on too many other skaters along the way.  So this is old hat for Coach Torts.  But it is indeed time for Coach to set lines, and let them grow accustomed to one another.  He must be a little more tolerant of mistakes, and slow the traffic of players coming in and out of his dog house.  Sometimes, you just have to win games by a 5-4 score, or a 4-3 score.  Sometimes you just have to let your guys play, and outperform their mistakes.


John Tortorella gave two waves of young Rangers prospects a system to work with.  But the coach has skilled players now who need to be released like hounds.  I don't believe Rick Nash, Brad Richards, and Marian Gaborik were meant to be grunts.  It is a very limited system to play in which one costly mistake can ruin a whole game's effort.


A change is clearly needed.  But firing John Tortorella is not the answer.  Coach is part of the solution.  But yes, he needs to evolve his thinking, and make philosophical adjustments.  Make them quick, for the Rangers forecheck has all but faded away.  They also consistently over-commit behind the red line in their own zone and get burned time and time again for it at the other end.  And the power play is 7 for 63 this season.  That kind of stuff is on Torts.




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers; Drop Islanders Early and Often

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

The Rivalry - Game One

 

THURSDAY FINAL

Islanders     1

RANGERS  4

 

 

Game Two - February 14th

VALENTINE'S DAY

...no love lost.

 

 

 

NEW YORK RANGERS - Coach Torts Has Been Pushing Rookies Since His Arrival.

 

 

First, it warrants saying, John Tavares was the best skater on the ice Thursday night.  Okay Islanders fans, that is all.

 

 

The Rangers made a symbolic leap forward Thursday night.  They arrested third place from the Islanders with a convincing 4-1 win at the Garden.  And for a night at least, it looked as if Coach Torts successfully arrested the Blueshirts situation and corrected their way.

 

 

For the moment, J.T. Miller is making Coach Torts look good.  His ice time is coming at the expense of Brian Boyle, who apparently landed in the doghouse.  In just his second NHL game since being called up from Connecticut, Miller scored the game's opening goal after only 1:29 minutes of play.  The Islanders were defeated right then.  The Rangers rookie also gave the power play a jolt with a second period goal, which in effect makes his coach look even smarter on two fronts.  Say this about John Tortorella.  Where many coaches cringe at the mere sight of rookies, Coach Torts challenges them and throws them into the fire.  He has done that since his arrival.

 

 

On a side note, give continued credit to the Rangers Gordie Clark for the now years long and steady stream of prospects flowing through the Rangers system.  Twenty-one year old 2009 #1 draft pick  Chris Kreider and nineteen year old 2011 #1 draft pick J.T. Miller are merely the latest to arrive on the off-Broadway ice.

 

 

But consider what really happened Thursday.  Ryan Callahan returned, and Marian Gaborik scored his sixth goal of the season.  Those are clearly good things.  But the Rangers needed J.T. Miller to be the difference against the struggling Islanders.  Just ponder that for a moment.

 

 

 

Mike.BTB

Rangers vs. Devils - Battle Of The Hudson - I

From the desks of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS  &  BRICK CITY DEMONS

BATTLE OF THE HUDSON

 

TUESDAY NIGHT
Game One of Four

 

NEW YORK RANGERS

vs.

New Jersey Devils

From

The Rock,

NEWARK



 

 

The rematch is upon us.  Lets get ready to rumble..!  And for Coach DeBoer and Coach Tortorella, it's hello douche bag!  Good to see you again.

 

After last season's Eastern Conference championship round, the Rangers/Devils rivalry should be full steam ahead again.  For now, the Devils hold sway.  As of Monday, Newark has eleven points and sits in second place of the Atlantic Division behind Pittsburgh.  The Rangers have eight points and find themselves in fourth place just ahead of Philadelphia.

 Since 1982-1983, the Rangers and Devils have met 218 times during the regular season.

The Rangers enjoy a slight advantage in the all-time series.

N.J. Devils; W-90 L-94 T-27 OL-7 Pts.-214 Goals-659

N.Y. Rangers; W-101 L-84 T-27 OL-6 Pts.-235 Goals-722

 

 

 

New York Rangers: Mike Rupp Exiled To The Wild of Minnesota for Pair of Younger Forwards.


It's a new season.  But I'm sure there is no love lost between the two coaches.  Only now Torts has a problem on his hands.  The former Devil, Mike Rupp, is now a former Blueshirt as well.  The New York Rangers parted with their second top fighter from last season.  Mike Rupp was traded to the Minnesota Wild.  It was a good pick-up by the Wild, as Rupp will give them size and toughness at no real tangible cost.  The Rangers get younger, but not much else.  That leaves Coach Torts with Stu Bickel and Aaron Asham as his top glove droppers.


This Rangers dilemma is still evolving.  But I'd still like to think my incessant complaining over Mike Rupp this season precipitated this trade.  As if...but I am definitely enjoying a bit of validation when this blog said A) - this roster needs definite tinkering at forward, and B) - Mike Rupp needed to go.  The ice time he was getting was preposterous.  Last season, Brandon Prust led the team with twenty fights.  Rupp was second on the team with twelve.  Stu Bickel was third with six fights.  Prust, and now Rupp, are gone.
 

 

In return for the big lumbering Mike Rupp, the Wild will be sending the Rangers centerman Darroll Powe and Nick Palmieri.  Powe is six years younger that Rupp, and is a defensive minded forward. As with Rupp, the Rangers shouldn't expect any scoring out of this kid.  He is also about thirty pounds lighter than Mike Rupp too.  Palmieri is twenty-three years old, and plays right wing.  Palmieri most likely seems headed to Connecticut.  And word on NHL Network is Darroll Powe will join him.  Upon the trade, the Rangers also called-up J.T. Miller and Brandon Mashinter.


The Rangers responded nicely to getting beat rather handily by Pittsburgh last Thursday.  The Penguins' effort was in itself unspectacular.  That means the Rangers were down right pathetic suffering through a 3-0 loss.  But then against the Lightning in Tampa, the Rangers held on to a 3-2 lead to give back-up goalie Martin Biron the win in his first start of the season.  Rick Nash scored his second goal of the season and continues to be the Rangers best player.  I want to see him be a little more greedy with the puck and shoot more.  Marian Gaborik leads the Rangers with five goals.  And an unlikely Taylor Pyatt is second with three goals this season.

 

 

 *   *   *   *

 

New Jersey Devils: David Clarkson And Steve Bernier Overshadowing Ilya Kovalchuk.


In the early going of the post Zach Parise era, David Clarkson has stepped up to fill the dreaded scoring void.  He has five goals in eight games, and nine points in all.  Clarkson scored a career high thirty goals last season.  Right now he is operating at an accelerated pace.  I tend to believe as Clarkson goes, so go the Devils.  Steve Bernier is second on the club with three goals.  Ilya Kovalchuk is still stuck on two.  The Devils recently played four straight games that went into overtime.  They lost three times and dropped one in shoot-out.  This is a very short season.  If Ilya doesn't find his form of just two or three years ago quickly, the Devils will find themselves on the losing side of many more overtime sessions to come.  They rank among the bottom fourth in conference scoring.  However, some things about the Devils never change.  Only two Eastern Conference teams have allowed less goals than Newark.  Within the division.., none.


Newark and back-up goalie Johan Hedberg are coming off a shut-out victory over the Islanders - a game which halted a streak of four games without a win.  Prior to the Isles, the Devils suffered their first regulation time defeat of the season to the Penguins.


In game two of the season against Philadelphia, Martin Brodeur extended two of his all-time NHL records.  In addition to earning his all-time leading 658th career win, he also recorded his all-time leading 120th career shut-out.  Also of note, with a goal and two assists in game four of the season against Montreal, Patrick Elias scored his all-time franchise leading 900th point of his Devils career.




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers: Blueshirts Set To Finally Rid Themselves Of Redden

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS


NEW YORK RANGERS - Providing For The Common DEFENSE, And Promoting The Blueshirt Welfare.


"Hey, hey Paula..., I wanna marry you!"


That little diddy was sung by Boone and his girlfriend Katie in the movie Animal House, while they were getting high at their college professor's house.  And that's how I feel right now - high, and with a need to sing.


"Bye, bye Redden..., we're finally through with you!"


The New York Rangers will work out the terms to finally waive useless defenseman Wade Redden, and rid themselves of a financial albatross.  He no doubt had to be one of the highest paid players in AHL history!  In a nutshell, terms of the new collective bargaining agreement allow each team to jettison two costly club mistakes.  This was the big break the Rangers needed.  Damn the cap hit..., the season is a resounding success already.


Six years at thirty nine million dollars....   What the hell was Glen Sather thinking?  Those were the years Sather was possessed by the devil himself; Mike Milbury.  Redden, Scott Gomez; Chris Drury; - need I say more?  By the way, Montreal called, they want their defenseman back.  If I said it once, I said it a thousand times.  If you want to pat someone on the back for turning this organization around, credit Gordie Clark and John Tortorella.  But if you must, credit Sather for hiring Clark after Don Maloney left to work for Wayne Gretzky in Phoenix.  These two have kept Glen Sather on the straight, and narrow, and have made him look far smarter than he deserves credit for.  But hey, that's just me.


With or without Wade Redden, a compressed schedule poses a challenge for the Rangers blue line.  The third and fourth lines are more important than ever.  The onus will be on guys like Stu Bickel, Steve Eminger, Matt Gilroy (who recently agreed to a deal), and Anton Stralman to gain Coach's trust, and share the burden he places on Marc Staal and Dan Girardi.  Meanwhile, the Canadiens are no doubt kicking themselves in le posterior, after handing Scott Gomez a pink slip and watching Ryan McDonagh develop into a blue line star.  And now that Michael Del Zotto is signed, we know the Rangers are confidently three lines deep.  The trick will be in creating a good fourth line pair.  Here's a nice stat that should go a long way.  All eight Rangers defensemen are below the age of thirty.


On a more distressing note, I think Michael Sauer's career might be over.  He is still unable to shake the effects of a concussion suffered back in December 2011 when Toronto's Dion Phaneuf checked him into the boards.  Sauer missed the rest of 2011-2012, and all of last season.


I think the Rangers have the best collection of defensemen in the division.  Sure the Penguins still have Kris Letang.  But without Jordan Staal, I think they are substantially compromised.  Philly's defense corp is unsettled.  They are trying to infuse some youth among a collection of fossils like Kimmo Timonen and returning dinosaur, Chris Pronger.  The Islanders?  No, stop.  Really....  But the Devils are the Devils.  Their defense will be stout and physical.  They played in the finals for a reason.




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers: Farewell Old Friends and Hello Expectations

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS


NEW YORK RANGERS - Time To Don The Blueshirts And Lace Up The Skates.  The 2012-2013 Regular Season is FINALLY Upon Us.

 

First things first.  To the Commissioner and the owners of the NHL - For the simple fact you instigated a lockout for the second time in a decade, you're all a bunch of puckin' idiots!

Thank you very much.

 

 

Welcome back my Blueshirts Brothers and Sisters to "Raise Gresch With The Greats" - the New York Rangers portion of my BrooklynTrolleyBlogger.  Its been a long time since last summer ended on a sad note.....  Can't wait to get started again.

 

 

Thank you Artem Anisimov and Ruslan Fedotenko.  And so long Brandon Prust.  I'm upset to lose Prust like I was upset when the Rangers let Colton Orr get away.  And sadly, bye bye Brandon Dubinsky.  He was one of Coach Torts original core players.  Without a doubt, he helped rebuild the Rangers into the contender they are today.  Inevitably, his last act as a Rangers player was smashing a water cooler on his way off the ice versus New Jersey.  In hindsight, that was a great way to go.  I'll remember him well.  But in the bigger picture, last season was the Blueshirts greatest season in some time.  And so, they will all be missed.

 

 

But nothing ventured, nothing gained.  With success come expectations.  The bar has been set.  We've been to the conference finals and lost out by a goal and a game.  Now we want to win round three, and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.  That said, securing a second high profile player in consecutive years also brings expectations.  So hello Rick Nash.  This ain't Columbus chum.  Show me.

 

 

Rick Nash is actually the player the Rangers have been seeking on the wing for for decades, or at least since the days Nick Fotiu played.  Difference being, Nash is a legit scorer.  He is big, and tough like Fotiu was, but a vastly more skilled forward than Fotiu could ever aspire to be.  And he's young.  He is entering his prime years.  Alas, recent years of making mistakes with Scott Gomez and Chris Drury seem like ages ago - perchance to dream.

 

 

Dare we?  Dare we dream of the Finals?  Or do we follow Coach Torts' dictate, and just try to win shifts, periods, and games?  Well, as fans, WE could do all that, and chew gum too.  But what about the Media?  Problem is Staal, Callahan, Girardi, and Lundqvist are no longer considered kids anymore.  They are full fledged vets now, as are Brad Richards and Nash.  Fact is, with a conference final appearance under their belts, Coach Torts has a veteran team now.  The "We're not good enough for..." tact may no longer fly with the scribes.

 

 

One veteran the New York Rangers will have to rely heavily on this season in particular because of the condensed schedule, is back-up goalie Marty Biron.  Damn I'm glad he's back.

 

 

This was my first hockey warm-up.  I'm sore already.  But I'm glad they're all back.

 

 

 

 

 

Mike.BTB

N.J. Devils ~ Coach DeBoer Putting Rangers Through Hell

From the desks of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS  &  THE BRICK CITY DEMONS

GAME FOUR FINAL

N.Y. Rangers   1

N.J. Devils       4

NEW JERSEY DEVILS:  DeBoer's Demons

Playing With Pitchforks High!

NEW YORK RANGERS GET BURNT IN DEVILS' PLAYGROUND

Battle of the Coaches Heats Up ~ Coach Tortorella and Coach DeBoer moved their series feud from the press room to the benches.  The two engaged in a heated third period exchange, which rumor has it, turned personal in nature. 
Both coaches declined to comment after the game.

Game Four Preview; GRUDGE MATCH, and links to all my Eastern Conference Finals posts.


The Devils beat Philadelphia, primarily because the Flyers were terribly undisciplined and because the Devils wouldn't allow themselves to succumb to their level.  Coach DeBoer constantly implored his team to look the other way in the face of any Flyers' transgressions.  They all listened, and after Game Four against the New York Rangers Monday night, New Jersey is again, clearly the more composed and competent team on the ice.


The Rangers put the Devils on the Power Play another six times in Game Four, although New Jersey only scored once.  But for the Rangers, you can't establish a tempo, or flow, and in the Blueshirts case - grind, or mount any kind of offense when you're consistently killing penalties.  Now, here's the worst part of that.  If Blueshirts fans think staying out of the penalty box alone will help the Rangers, WE are all sadly mistaken.  For a team who's forte used to be playing at even strength, the Rangers have scored a mere two goals throughout these four games while playing five on five hockey.


Late in the first period, Mike Rupp authored the Rangers' best offensive rush of the evening; Ruslan Fedotenko's goal aside.  Rupp's attempt didn't get past Martin Brodeur, but he did draw a penalty.  And for a change, that wasn't a bad proposition.  Unlike the regular season, the Rangers have actually been somewhat successful on the Power Play these playoffs.  They are four for eleven this series.  And we all know they didn't have a near 40% success rate during the season.  But unlike the Rangers were doing, the Devils only put the Rangers on the power play this one time.


Let's be clear.  Mike Rupp was the Rangers' best forward Monday night, right up until he wiped out Peter Harrold behind the net, took a swipe at Anton Volchenkov, then punched Martin Brodeur in the chest.  When a melee ensued, Steve Bernier came charging in towards Mike Rupp.  But Bernier made a mistake by leaving his feet and lunging at Rupp.  So, Mike Rupp wiped him out in mid-air too.


That's it.  That's the extent of the Rangers speakable effort from Monday.


While New Jersey's Forwards were busy skating circles around the Rangers and accumulating eight points, the Ranger Forwards looked like they were skating in sand.  Zach Parise scored twice and assisted once.  Travis Zajac scored his sixth goal of the playoffs.  Ponikarovsky, Clarkson, and Zubrus all assisted on those goals.  Then you can figure in contributions they got from their defensemen.  Bryce Salvador's scored the opening salvo of the evening, and they got an assist from Adam Henrique.


The Rangers' blueliners?  Michael Del Zotto had perhaps his worst game of the playoffs.  And Ryan McDonagh can't be tangling with Adam Henrique like that.  The Devils will take that trade off every time.  Especially now, since the Rangers' defensemen represent so much of the Blueshirts' offense.  Which brings us right back to Mike Rupp.


Mike Rupp was indeed the Rangers best forward Monday night, even as he walked through the tunnel on his way to the locker room.  So what does that say?  The same thing I said yesterday.  I'm still waiting for a Rangers' forward line to dominate a game, like Parise-Zajac-Zubrus did in Game Four, and not having us pray for another Lundqvist miracle.


But John Tortorella's usage of Mike Rupp represented everything that went wrong for the Flyers last round against the Devils.  As a matter of fact, Coach Torts' usage of a number of players showed that some old grudges never went away.  But Peter DeBoer and the Devils, just aren't going there.  Or that's what they would have you believe.  They've successfully fought their battles so far through the Media, inside the Rangers zone, and now from the corners of the bench.  Coach DeBoer even snuck in a goon too.  However, the Devils consistently posted four goals a night against Philly because the Flyers played exactly the way the Rangers did Monday night, over an entire series.  So with the Rangers mirroring something from that series, the Devils wound up posting four goals against the Rangers as well.


As the series heads back to the Garden Wednesday night, even I, a self-admitted Torts Grunt, believes he needs to come up with a better plan than the one he unleashed Monday night.  There was something a little desperate looking about Game Four's decisions and efforts, considering it was the Rangers who held a 2-1 series lead, and not the other way around.  Nor in Game Four did the Rangers resemble the team who made adjustments after games two and three of the previous two series.  This lot looked more than just a little bit lost.


After the game, Coach Torts said his team needs to possess the puck more.  That means our forcheck isn't working.  Martin Brodeur's ability to make a long stretch pass to the blue line has something to do with that.  The Devils' quickness and accurate passing has been another factor hampering the Blueshirt forcheck.  And without the puck, that means the Rangers aren't spending much time in the Devils' zone.  Game Four ended with both goalies facing twenty-nine shots each.  But the Rangers shots came in late period flurries, and not through anything sustained like the Devils have created for themselves.


Nothing is lost for the Rangers.  Not by a long shot.  For Blue leaning Fans like myself, the series boils down to them imposing their will upon the Devils.  But Peter DeBoer and the Devils have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, the Rangers better do it smartly.  Reducing the game to alternative hockey will not help the Rangers.  In Game Four, the Devils also proved they can be patient enough to negate many of the Rangers blocked shots.  For Monday night, the Devils managed twenty-nine shots against Henrik, while the Rangers and Devils were tied with only six blocked shots each by the midway point of the third period.


The third period was supposed to be the Rangers' period.  That's how the first three games played out.  The Rangers have outscored the Devils 6-1 in the third period this series.  But not this time.  It is Coach Tortorella's turn to make adjustments now.  The series might only be tied, but after Game Four's performance, Coach DeBeor holds a distinct edge.


The Rangers can not continue to rely on their defensemen for scoring, nor the wily machinations of their Head Coach.  At some point, and it better be soon, the Forward Lines need to start taking control of these games or else the Devils will be playing for a Stanley Cup.


But these are the Rangers, and they prefer to do things the hard way.  They've been in worse positions than this.   After all, we are only headed into Game Five tied at two apiece.  The Rangers have dug down deep before.  They'll know how to dig in again.  But can they?  Or has their system reached it Law of Diminished Returns?


In any case, Coach Torts is right - it starts with possessing the puck.

The Battle of the Hudson Continues...

2011-2012

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE - STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

SERIES TIED 2-2

I  -  NYR 3; NJD 0

II  -  NJD 3; NYR 2

III  -  NYR 3; NJD 0

IV  -  NJD 4; NYR 1

GAME FIVE ~ WEDNESDAY

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

From

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

33rd Street at 7th Avenue

NYC

*Devil's Playground ~ Bushwick Urban Art, BK
Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ Grudge Match; Game Four

From the desks of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS  &  THE BRICK CITY DEMONS

Battle of the Hudson

Game Four ~ Grudge Match

2011-2012

NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Rangers Lead Series 2-1

I  -  NYR 3; NJD 0

II  -  NJD 3; NYR 2

III  -  NYR 3; NJD 0

TONIGHT

GAME FOUR

NEW YORK RANGERS

vs.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

From

THE ROCK

Brick City - Newark

The King Lays Siege to Newark in Game Three

Rangers vs. Devils; Game Three at The Rock

Coach Torts Versus The Media

Devils Pounce On Blueshirts in Game Two

King Henrik Puts The Devils On Ice

Rangers Versus Devils ~ Eastern Conference Finals

NEW YORK RANGERS:

Tonight, We Dance Around The Fire!

The deeper these playoffs have gone, the longer Ranger Fans wait for their forward lines to dominate a game for a change, instead of looking to their goalie for miracles.  Well, that's what I've been doing.  In the mean time, the Rangers have three pairs of defensemen who've been contributing an overwhelming portion of the team's offense.  And the Devils?   They have done everything they've needed to do in order to get plenty of shots on Lundqvist.  But Broadway's liege has stopped them cold, as he's done to all comers in these playoffs.

That almost seems secondary now.  The real battle has just begun.  While the Media kept badgering Coach Torts to talk, he quietly compiled his own list of gripes against the Devils, but never aired them out; until Sunday that is.  He's been refusing to delve into any kind of outward exchange with the opposing coach or the Media.  Conversely, Peter DeBoer and Marty Brodeur continued to air out their grievances in public.  Now, finally, by speaking out Sunday, Coach Torts finally gave everyone what they wanted ~ a grudge match.

In response to Peter DeBoer's "head-hunter" barb regarding Brandon Prust, Coach showed up at his media session Sunday armed with accusations the Devils were setting picks on their power play opportunities, he voiced displeasure with Zach Parise's hit on Michael Del Zotto, and likewise expressed his annoyance with Dainius Zubrus' hit on Anton Stralman.  Coach was going to keep all that in-house, and between him and the League.  But the cat is out of the bag now.

What John Tortorella worked so hard to avoid in these playoffs is now front and center.  Damn if you do, and Damned if you don't, Coach.  The Media wanted it, and now they got it.  The inner beast in Coach has been summoned upon the instigation of a one, Coach Peter DeBoer.  Brilliant!  Remember, I like Caoch DeBoer.  But going forward, whether this becomes his folly remains to be seen.

Game Three ended with both teams feeling a little ill-tempered too.  Upon the final horn to end regulation, a scrum ensued surrounding Brandon Prust.  That won't happen in Game Four.  Brendan Shanahan suspended Prust one game for his elbow the back of Alex Volchenkov's head.  That doesn't mean the bad blood between these teams won't spill over tonight.  We'll see, as we have ill will between teams, dirty hits and other questionable player infractions to ponder, and two coaches finally engaged in a full blown war of words.

But what Coach DeBoer is trying so hard to accomplish in the now, still does not compare with what Coach Torts started working on back in October.   Coach Torts made it his business to make sure Henrik Lundqvist was fresh (fresher) for these playoffs, than in years and playoffs past.  Coach made the reluctant King sit for twenty-one games during the regular season.   They signed Marty Biron precisely to get that accomplished.   Henrik Lundqvist started 62 regular season games this season; his lowest total in six years.  If you don't think there a correlation between Coach Torts' plan and the fact Henrik Lundqvist shut out the Devils twice now in this third round series, you're stoned.

Outside of Chris Kreider, Coach Torts long ago ensured Henrik Lunqvist would be the freshest guy on the ice in Game Four tonight.  That fact continues to go unspoken.  Instead, the Media continues to prod Coach Torts for their columns.  If they just look at his methods and moves over a full season, and not just casually show up in April or May, they'd know full well Coach Torts is in full control of his team and his faculties, and has all his bases covered.  Which points directly to the reason why he treats the Media the way he does.

Instead, it is the Devils who seem rattled.  Their Coach and goalie are the chirpy ones.  On the ice, the Devils are proving to be the chippy ones as well.  And Zach Parise shuns the Media?  Those are the signs of a frustrated team.  Whether or not the Devils really have a sympathetic media on their side remains to be seen.  Coach DeBeor is trying his damnedest.  But Coach Torts seems well prepared to take them both on regardless.

The Rangers can make life very miserable for the Devils tonight.  The Devils know that, and are acting like it.  But if they do have any temerity to them, which I think they do, the Devils will salvage a game at home tonight and tie the series.  The odds say if they keep doing what they've been doing, eventually, some shots will find the net.  If only Henrik Lundqvist wasn't so well preserved by a coach who many think acts and behaves like a troglodyte.  Well, so far the Grunts lead this series two games to one.

But not so fast.  The Rangers are asking for trouble if they let the Devils hang around.  Especially if they are going to put New Jersey on the PP another five times.  Or let the Devils outplay them two out of three periods again.  Or let them take over thirty shots against Henrik Lundqvist again.  All that aside, the Rangers still came out in Game Three and played a much darker shade of Blue.  In order to secure another two wins against the Devils, they'll have to get even darker.  For the Devils will not go quietly into the night.

Tonight, everyone dances around the fire.

Mike.BTB