N.Y. Rangers: Everything Is Deteriorating According To Plan

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

TEX's RANGERS: UNDER RENOVATION

New York Rangers: Jeff Gorton Trades Rick Nash; Extracts Two More Draft Picks From Boston Bruins.

MONDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE:

Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller Traded to Tampa Bay Lightning

Three cheers for another loss ... this time against the Detroit Red Wings.  That makes seven in a row, and gives the Rangers a sorry-ass 2-10-1 record for February.

Hey!  Hey!  Hey!

It's just a shame it had to happen on the same night Jean Ratelle's sweater was hoisted to the rafters at Madison Square Garden.

They'll nevertheless finish out the month with one last game against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday.  After which, less than twenty games will remain in the regular season.

As of close of business Sunday, the Rangers 60-points are seventh worst in the league.  Eleven points separate them from the 30th ranked Buffalo Sabres, while fourteen points separate them from the 31st ranked Phoenix Coyotes.

And, yet, there's still hope this can get worse.  Jeff Gorton, fans like myself, and the future of the next Cup contenders are counting on these guys to really suck down the stretch.  So, just keep them losses coming, fellas, and let's hope a little draft lottery luck comes our way.

In the meantime, Jeff Gorton's deconstruction seems to have gained momentum.  Hopefully there are a few more transactions coming before Monday's trade deadline.  And the more draft picks Gorton acquires, the better.

So far, he's reeled in a nice catch.

• February 20: Nick Holden remarkably traded to Boston in exchange for defender Rob O'Gara and Boston's third round pick of the 2018 draft.  I wouldn't have given the NYR three pucks and a roll of tape.  But that's just me ...

• February 23: Michael Grabner traded across the Hudson River to rival New Jersey Devils in exchange for defender Yegor Rykov and Newark's second round pick of the 2018 draft.

• 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 of the 2018 draft, and their seventh round pick of the 2019 draft.

But Gorton also did a good job acquiring three young defensemen.

• D - Rob O'Gara is 24-years old, 6'4" 215 lbs.
• D - Yegor Rykov is 20-years old, 6'1" 205 lbs.
• D - Ryan Lindgren is 20-years old, a stocky 5'11" 203 lbs.

The Captain, Ryan McDonagh, continues missing games (as a precautionary measure in the event of another deadline trade).  Like I've said, I'm not buying into his upper-body injury jive.

I'd like to think Mats Zuccarello, J.T. Miller, Kevin Shattenkirk, and perhaps a few other Rangers could and will garner some interest.   But it's very unlikely Henrik Lundqvist goes anywhere, that is unless a team is willing to take on the full brunt of his contract.

Let's put it this way ... the only players I want the Rangers retaining are Pavel Buchnevich, Mika Zibanejad, and Brady Skjei.


UPDATE:

• 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 of the 2018 draft, and a conditional second round pick in the 2019 draft.

Vladislav Namestnikov was selected by Tampa in the first round (27th) of the 2011 draft.  A natural center, the 25-year old is listed at 5'11" 180 lbs.  He is in the midst of his best season with 20 goals and 24 assists through 62 games.

• D - Libor Hajek is 20-years old, 6'2" 196 lbs.
• C - Brett Howden is 19-years old, 6'2" 193 lbs. 

The Rangers now own three number one picks; a pair of number two picks, and two number three picks for the upcoming 2018 June entry draft.

N.Y. Rangers: General Manager Jeff Gorton Orders An Off-Broadway Recast

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

CONSTRUCTION ZONE: BEWARE OF FALLING BLUESHIRTS

New York Rangers: Does Jeff Gorton really have this much autonomy, or is this just another day at the office for Darth Sather?

The last time these Rangers offered any glimmer of hope for being a playoff contender came back on New Year's day.  They have achieved just four regulation time victories since then.

(As of Tuesday morning they've won two more).

And so, Glen Sather and Jeff Gorton released a statement earlier this week saying, "We will be focused on adding young, competitive players that combine speed, skill, and character.  This may mean we lose some familiar faces ...." - blah, blah, blah - "commitment"  - blah - "building the foundation for our next Stanley Cup contender." 

Blah, blah, blah ...

We heard similar things the day they hired Alain Vigneault.

That being said, are we being led to believe this was Jeff Gorton's idea, and that Glen Sather signed off on it?

I would like to think so.  I would like to believe Jeff Gorton has autonomy.

But I doubt it.

Glen Sather has been part of the Rangers decision making process since 2000, where as Jeff Gorton has been general manager for only 32 months (under Glen Sather).  Meanwhile, Jim Dolan makes it crystal clear that Sather is here for as long as he chooses to be.

Now put all John Tortorella's antics aside for a moment and let's objectively consider his impact on the team during his four seasons as head coach.

Do the Rangers retain a majority of the club's young, upcoming talent, then actually exercise the required level of patience needed for developing a core group from which to build around had it not been for the influence I strongly believe John Tortorella exerted over Glen Sather?  I think not.  I believe John Tortorella indeed convinced Sather into suspending his otherwise nonsensical wheeling and dealing, and made him finally commit to a grassroots rebuild.

And they did - Tortorella and Sather; Sather and Tortorella.

And Tortorella gave this otherwise unknown group of youngsters a sorely needed identity.  They not only became one of the league's elite defensive teams, physically speaking, they quite literally threw down the gauntlet.  In the absence of an elite scorer at his disposal, that's all Torts had to work with.

Marian Gaborik wasn't willing to play in the grittier portions of the ice.  After which, Sather was never able to piece that situation together as Brad Richards and a few others resulted in epic fails.

Even Rick Nash was perhaps acquired one year too late.  I admit that I wanted him badly.  At the time, I thought Nash was the exact kind of player this team needed.  Unfortunately, he failed to provide Tortorella with playoff pop during their only post-season together - which not incidentally has remained Nash's Achilles heel throughout his years playing off-Broadway.  In 73 playoff games with the Rangers, Nash has produced just 14 goals and 24 assists for 38 points.

Moving forward, Alain Vigneault merely advanced what was essentially John Tortorella's team into the Stanley Cup finals.  To be fair, playing the L.A. Kings that season was like running into a buzz saw.  The Kings were that good; very talented.  They were big, physical, tough!

Just ask the Devils.

Which brings me to my next point.

Sandwiched around John Tortorella's tenure are former coach Tom Renny and present head coach Alain Vigneault.  With each coach, the conversation invariably turns to speed and skill.  Sather, Renney, and Vigneault, clearly seem to have have more in common with each other, than either of them have with Torts.  And that's why I believe Tortorella in fact influenced Sather to the extent I do.

When I think Tom Renny, I think back to a Season Lost and the NHL Lockout.  I think about the institution of a salary cap and how that forced Glen Sather away from his usual wanton spending on aging, fractured, dysfunctional players of former renown, and made him focus more on actual player development, team building, and overall management.

One can not talk about Tom Renny and Glen Sather in the same sentence, though, without including Don Maloney, the former Rangers VP of player personnel from 1996 through 2007, whom served for seven seasons under Glen Sather.  And when I think back on Don Maloney, I can't help but recall Smurfish players such as Petr Prucha.

Yeah, I went there.

In 2007, Don Maloney moved on to became general manager of the Phoenix Coyotes.  Sather replaced him with Jeff Gorton.

Name me the beefcake drafted by either Don Maloney or Jeff Gorton.

I'll wait ...

BRB ...

And so I ask what makes the combination of Maloney, Renny, and Prucha, any different from Gorton, Alain Vigneault, and Mats Zuccarello, all these years later?  And, no, I'm not comparing Prucha to MatsZucs.  That would be silly.  But like I've said many times, when MatsZucs is your leading scorer four out of the last five seasons - with this roster of players - you have a major problem on your hands.

But my overall point here revolves around Glen Sather.

The Rangers were terribly weak at center then; the Rangers are no less weak at center today.  They were getting pushed off the puck after the lockout; theyret still getting pushed off the puck just as easily today.
Their forwards never could score that one clutch goal for Henrik Lundqvist before; they haven't been able to score that one key goal for Henrik Lundqvist ever.

And therein lie the Rangers two constants since 2005: Henrik Lundqvist and Glen Sather.

Who do you suppose I hold more responsible for the Rangers inability to hoist the Stanley Cup?

Therefore, say what you will about John Tortorella.  He certainly earned his dismissal.  But, for a short time he was able to leash Glen Sather long enough to allow the Rangers to grow into a young competitive team.  Moreover, Torts demanded his team protect Henrik Lundqvist at all costs.  The Rangers have since devolved under Glen Sather minions Jeff Gorton and Alain Vigneault, whom criminally allows Henrik Lundqvist, and his team to be beaten, battered, and bruised.

I want to know whether the front office is actually tearing this down to the ground and starting over from scratch, or, if they're simply blowing smoke up our posteriors.  Are they retooling on the fly, or are they merely aiming to alleviate themselves of three or four players in exchange for a clutch of younger, unproven, less costlier speed guys?  Because nowhere in the Rangers press release did I read the word rebuilding.  Towards that end, anything less would be a colossal mistake.

I'm already on record saying, gut it.

I'd be agreeable with retaining Mika Zibanejad, Pavel Buchnevich, Brady Skjei, and maybe .. maybe, J.T. Miller.  Everyone else can and should be moved out with haste.  And I do mean everyone.

Personally, I am not interested in recouping bodies, per se.  Top rated prospects are one thing, but I want draft picks.  And perhaps the only Rangers player capable of securing a worth while number one pick is obviously Henrik Lundqvist.  Otherwise, the market among interested teams will set the price for players like Ryan McDonagh, Rick Nash, Marc Staal, Michael Grabner, Mats Zuccarello, et al.

But what the Rangers need most are draft picks; many draft picks.  Between 2013 and 2016, the Rangers did not own a number one draft pick because they were all traded away.  And then the front office wonders why they find themselves in last place of the Metropolitan Division.

If Gorton and Sather are really committed to rebuilding, then the Rangers need to completely hit rock bottom.  That's something this organization has never been willing to do.  In order to maximize the odds of selecting premier talent in the draft an organization must be smart, yes, but also willing to pay the ultimate price in the standings first.  In my lifetime, the Rangers have only ever fallen below a .400 winning percentage once, and only twice since the 1965-66 season - a year before I was born.

Look around the league.  Teams which draft elite franchise players do so only after first suffering through years of gut-wrenching futility.  And by that I mean losing 65% of regular season games.  That's what happened with Pittsburgh whom wound up drafting Sidney Crosby and Ivgeni Malkin.  That's how Washington was able to draft Alex Ovechkin, and how Chicago was able to draft Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.

The Islanders and John Tavares ... the list goes on.

Even after decades of mismanagement, the Toronto Maple Leafs have passed by the Rangers under the stewardship of Lou Lamoriello and Mike Babcock.

Speaking of old Lou, look no further than the New Jersey Devils.  The team that defeated Tortorella's Rangers in the 2010-2011 conference finals has since committed to rebuilding, stripped it down, and have now passed by the Rangers as well.  The Devils have earned 62-points as of this post, and are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings with less than thirty games to play.

However, they're in this position because they paid their dues in the standings first, then followed up with effective drafting.  Last year New Jersey won the draft lottery, and with the first overall pick of the 2017 entry draft, selected center Nico Hischier.  He presently has nine goals and 22-assists for 31-points.  That's more points than any Rangers center not named J.T. Miller.

The Rangers, meanwhile, presently reside in last place of the Metropolitan Division, and eleventh place in the conference.  Their (then) 57-points are the tenth least in the NHL.  Said another way, they are a bottom third team.

They have only won five division titles over the last fifty years.  That means they qualify for the post-season as a mid to lower seed more often than not.  That sort of consistent mediocrity, again, no doubt hampers their drafting, as they're usually stuck with mid to low round selections in any given year.

So, how low are the Rangers willing to go with this?

If I had my way, I'd be spending the next two weeks ensuring the Rangers become the worst team in North America.  Then right after the trade deadline, kindly show Alain Vigneault the door.

Then again, why wait?


*Updated, Tuesday morning.

N.Y. Rangers: Rick Nash Has Entered The Building

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

Rick Nash Spearheads Victory Over Flyers;

Rangers Regain Top Eight Standing.

New York Rangers: If nothing else, the trade to acquire Rick Nash also gave us Pavel Buchnevich.

Buchnevich came via the Blue Jackets' 2013 3rd round draft pick ...

Much was expected of the now 33-year old Rick Nash, who is in the final year of his contract with the Rangers.

At this point, nothing short of winning a Cup will change his New York narrative.

Watching Rick Nash play for the Columbus Blue Jackets, I remember thinking at the time he was exactly what the Rangers so desperately needed - a big, physical, top line scorer.  And upon his acquisition, I was sure he was going to start throwing his body around, and get this team over the top.

I also recall Blue Jackets fans saying, "You'll be sorry."

What?

Here I am thinking the Rangers finally landed their man, and Columbus fans are offering Nash a lift to the airport?

Granted, he only made the playoffs once (2008-2009) during his nine seasons with the Blue Jackets, and they wound up getting swept in the first round by the Detroit Red Wings.  For his part, Rick Nash registered a goal and two assists in four games.

Over his nine seasons with the Blue Jackets, he averaged 74 games, 32 goals/28 assists/60 points.

Therefore, I wasn't interested in their dismay.


His first and third seasons with New York are his best as a Ranger to date:

• (2012-2013) 44 games; 21 goals; 21 assists; 42 points.
• (2014-2015) 79 games; 42 goals; 27 assists; 69 points.

However, the rest of his work has indeed left much to be desired:

• (2013-2014) 65 games; 26 goals; 13 assists; 39 points.
• (2015-2016) 60 games; 15 goals; 21 assists; 36 points.
• (2016-2017) 67 games; 23 goals; 15 assists; 38 points.

Since his arrival no other Ranger has taken more shots on goal.  Yet, it's been little Mats Zuccarello leading this team in points in three of the last four seasons, and leading again this year.  I love me some MatsZucs, but that shouldn't be the case with Nash on the roster.

With Columbus, Nash also averaged 9.2 power play goals per season (double-digit ppg four times; led NHL in 2003-2004 with 19 ppg).  He averaged just 4.6 ppg during his first five seasons with the Rangers, and so far this season has only two.

Then there's the playoffs ...

The Rangers have qualified for the post-season in each of Rick Nash's first five seasons with the Rangers.  Unfortunately, when they've needed his scoring most, he's been at his most ineffective.  Sadly, his post-season line reads no differently than any of his three least productive seasons with the Rangers.

• 73 playoff games: 14 goals/24 assists/38 points.

With a pair of goals against the Flyers on Tuesday, Rick Nash helped the Rangers slam the brakes on their three game skid, and avoid a further drop in the Eastern Conference standings.  On a personal note, it was Rick's first goal since scoring on Dec. 15 against the Kings.  What followed was a ten game stretch in which he failed to score even a single point.  Finally, he registered an assist this past
Saturday against the Islanders.

After playing quite literally pointless hockey since Dec. 16, Nash now has three points in his last three games.  He is now tied for eighth on the team with 20-points.

I wouldn't say I'm sorry.  I wanted Rick Nash in a Rangers uniform two years before the trade was even made.  He is still a good hockey player, whom does everything else quite well.  I'm not taking that away from him.  His career as a Ranger is no less ponderous, though.  So let's just call it being really disappointed.

Maybe what I perceive as gross underachievement is really just dumb-luck.

Maybe not ...

N.Y. Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist Facing More Shots Than Ever

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

EMPIRE STATE

NHL WINTER CLASSIC 

FINAL

Rangers   3

Sabres      2

overtime

Today's game against the Phoenix Coyotes marks the midway point of the The New York Rangers season.  After a poor opening month of October, in which they posted 4-7-2 record, the Blueshirts have gone 17-7-3 since.

With an overall 21-14-5 record (47-points), the Rangers presently reside in fourth place of the Metropolitan Division, and seventh place of the Eastern Conference standings - just one point ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes.  Pittsburgh, meanwhile, unexpectedly finds themselves in ninth place with 45 points.  The tenth place Islanders have 44 points (but are third in the league in scoring).

The Rangers went 8-6-1 in the first half against the other top seven Eastern Conference teams, but are 8-6-3 when back-to-back losses against the Pens and Islanders are added.  They will face the Islanders and Penguins on back-to-back nights again next weekend.

Until then, the Rangers must first get through the lowly Coyotes, and the surprising Western Conference leading Vegas Golden Knights.

They have so far only faced five of the top eight Western Conference teams (Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, Dallas, and San Jose) against which, they've posted a 3-2 record.  They are yet to play Winnipeg, St. Louis, and Minnesota.  However, the Rangers are only 1-3 against the likes of Chicago, Anaheim, and Colorado.

As we Blueshirt fans know well, without a top flight centerman, Rangers scoring is a collective effort, and as such they're eighth in the league, averaging 3.1 goals per game.  Defensively, the Rangers rank tenth having allowed 2.8 goals per game.  Their penalty kill is equally solid - ranked sixth in the league - but the power play is middle of the pack.

As usual, Rick Nash continues to lead the team by a wide margin in shots on goal, yet Mats Zuccarello once again leads the team in points.

Otherwise, everything else falls desperately on the shoulders, glove, blocker, stick, pads, and skill, of Henrik Lundqvist.

Let me know when this stops sounding hauntingly familiar ...!

For three straight seasons between 2007 and 2010, Henrik Lundqvist made at least 70 starts.  He's presently on pace to make 68 starts (or so...) - something he hasn't done since the 2010-2011 season when he made 67 starts.  In 2013-2014, he started 62 games, and two years ago made 64 starts.

Henrik turns 36-years old this coming March.  Entering Saturday's game, he has so far started 34 of the Rangers 40 games.  If this keeps up, Lundqvist could threaten his career high of 39 victories set during the 2011-2012 season.  He won 35 games just two seasons ago.

Here's the problem: he's presently facing more shots on goal than at any other time in his career.

During John Tortorella's four seasons as Rangers head coach, the opposition averaged 28.5 shots on goal against Henrik Lundqvist.  In Alain Vigneault's first season, the Rangers opposition averaged 29.1 shots against Henrik, and in 2014-2015, the opposition only averaged 28.8 shots against him.

The cast of blue line characters has obviously changed since then.  Starting with the 2015-2016 season, the opposition has averaged thirty shots or better per game against Henrik Lundqvist:

• (2015-2016) 30.3 shots on goal
• (2016-2017) 30.0 shots on goal
• (2017-present) 31.7 shots on goal against Lundqvist.

That being said, his 2.58 Goals Against Average is .25 points above his career average, while his .922 SV% is on par for his career.

Or, said another way, the Rangers are barley getting by.  They're younger and faster, but their over reliance on Henrik Lundqvist has only grown through the years.

He's faced 1,078 shots on goal so far this season, with at least a thousand more to come.

Devils vs. Rangers: Battle of the Hudson - II

From the desks of:

THE BRICK CITY STYX  and RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

BATTLE of the HUDSON

Series Tied 1-1

I - NJD 3; NYR 2

II - NYR 5; NJD 2

FINAL

Devils      2

Rangers  5

If you were like me, just hoping the Rangers poor start would result in Alain Vigneault's dismissal, I'm afraid we'll now need to wait a little longer.

After starting the season 4-7-2 in October, the Blueshirts rebounded to post a 9-3-0 record in November.  They are 3-1-0 so far in December, having recently earned six important points against division foes Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Newark on Friday.  That makes the Rangers 12-4-0 since the 2nd of November, elevating them from the bottom of the Metropolitan Division to within five points of the first place Columbus Blue Jackets.

With Friday's 5-2 victory over the Devils at the Garden, the Rangers now own a 16-11-2 record.

The Rangers remaining nine December games will no doubt test their collective mettle.  They'll be hosting the Stars, Kings, Ducks, Maple Leafs, and Capitals, then travel for games against the Senators, Bruins, Devils, and Red Wings.

The Rangers have excelled at home with a 12-5-2 record, and will now host their first games of the season against Dallas, the Kings, and Ducks.  They'll also be looking to avenge a blowout loss in just the second game of the season against the Maple Leafs, and their recent loss against the Capitals.

The Sens, Bruins, and Red Wings, meanwhile, will all be looking to avenge previous road losses against the visiting Rangers, who own a sub par 4-6-0 record on the road.  They will also be visiting Newark for their third encounter against the Devils.

The Rangers have been surging minus the services of center Mika Zibanejad, who Friday missed his fifth straight game (concussion protocol) stemming from a Nov. 24 hit incurred against the Detroit Red Wings.

That being said, if you regularly follow Raise Gresch With The Greats, you know one of my pet peeves is Mats Zuccarello leading the team in points.  It's always been my contention that points to greater Rangers troubles and needs (lack of a top flight center).  I love Zucs, but my point is he shouldn't be leading a this team in points ahead of Rick Nash and Chris Kreider - two of the teams ultimate underachievers.

Rick Nash routinely leads the Rangers in shots of goal.  He leads again with 91 SOGs, yet has only registered seven goals and eight assists to date.  Kreider is second on the team with 74 SOGs, and at least is one of four Rangers with double-digit goals (10), but is nevertheless lagging behind his skill set with 17 points in 29 games played.  MatZucs, on the other hand, has seven goals and 17 points, and it the only one of the three with a positive +/- rating.

Henrik Lundqvist registered his 419th career victory Friday evening, tying him with Tony Esposito for second most wins by a goalie with one franchise.  With four more victories, Lundqvist will also tie Tony Esposito (423) for eighth place on the NHL's all-time career victory list.

*

The Devils for much of the first quarter season have surprisingly jockeyed back and forth for first place of the Metropolitan Division with Columbus.  Newark jumped out to an early 8-2-0 record in October, but have trended the other way with an 8-7-4 record since.  They've recently dipped to third place behind the re-emergent Capitals, but still only trail the first place Blue Jackets by three points.

They are 2-3 in December, after losing two straight against the Blue Jackets and Rangers.  However, Friday's lost against the Rangers at the Garden was only Newark's fourth regulation time road loss of the season.  They're lagging with a 6-5-2 record at home, but own a 10-4-2 on the road.

Prior to Friday's game against the Rangers, Cory Schneider started both games of a home/home series against Columbus.  He limited the Blue Jackets to just one goal on 42 SOGs on Dec. 5, but then allowed five goals on just 28 SOGs three days later.  Keith Kinkaid made his tenth appearance of the season against the Rangers, allowing five goals on 35 shots against.

Since arriving, defensive acquisition Sami Vatanen is leading Newark blueliners with 22:10 average ice time, but is presently a minus-five, with just five SOGs, in five games so far for the Devils.  Centerman Adam Henrique, meanwhile, is thriving with a plus-two, three goals, and three assists, during his five games with Anaheim.

N.Y. Rangers: In the Middle of Nowhere

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

And so ends the 90th season of 

New York Rangers Hockey

I was certain getting through the Montreal Canadiens would be the hardest part about returning to the Eastern Conference finals.  Despite all my reservations, and to my great surprise, the Rangers wound up impressing me with the manner in which they prevailed against the Habs physicality and won the series in six rowdy games.

In pondering the Rangers next opponent, my preference was to play the Boston Bruins because (like Montreal) at least I knew what to expect from them, and also knew they were a compromised team on defense.

Conversely, I really had no idea what to expect from Ottawa (not that they're an unfamiliar team or foe).  However, knowing the Rangers enjoyed little success against the Sens during the regular season, I was nevertheless sure that a somewhat less formidable opponent lay ahead for the Rangers in Round Two.

And therein lies the rub ... doesn't it?

An age old cardinal mistake ... I know.  But I think we fans all feel the same way: the Rangers should have won that series hands down.

But opponents gets paid to compete and win as well.  So before delving into the Rangers failures, I'll render Ottawa their due respect first.

The Senators are indeed an exceptional counter-punching team.  I heard that term used in describing their style on radio prior to Game One, and they confirmed it by eliminating the favored New York Rangers.

• The Sens tied the Rangers at a goal apiece in the second period of Game One, then won on Erik Karlsson's late third period goal.

• Losing 4-2 through two periods in Game Two, Ottawa eventually tied the game at five in the third period, then won in overtime.

• After convincing Rangers victories in games Three and Four at New York, the Sens returned home where they overcame 0-2 and 3-4 deficits to win Game Five 6-5 in overtime.

Just as they knocked off Boston in six, the Sens did not allow the Rangers to linger, eliminating them with haste in Game Six at Madison Square Garden.  Said another way, their trip to the Eastern Conference finals is well earned.

Ottawa captain Erik Karlsson, while playing with a fractured foot, was the best skater throughout the series.  In fact, he has scored points in all eight of the Senators playoff victories (two rounds) to date.

Lastly, Craig Anderson was no doubt solid in net, and made some nifty saves.  Overall, however, he was not besieged to the extent Henrik Lundqvist was.  The Rangers may have peppered Anderson with more shots on goal, but far too many were taken from the perimeter, or from plain old bad angles.

That, by the way, will be my only mention of Henrik Lundqvist.  Very simply, he deserves better. There's also much to be said of the Rangers beaten and battered defensive unit.  However, my main focus is on the forwards.  I hold them most responsible for this year's post-season elimination.

They let this team down, or just aren't good enough.

Rick Nash: The Big Blue Enigma

The Columbus Blue Jackets selected Rick Nash with the number one overall pick of the 2001 draft.   During nine seasons with the Blue Jackets from 2002 through 2012, he averaged 32 goals and 28 assists (60 points).

The 2008-2009 season was his finest, and also marked the team's first and only playoff appearance during his years in Columbus.  He posted 40 regular season goals and 39 assists that season for a career high 79 points.  Nash then posted one goal with three assists during the Blue Jackets' only four playoff games.

The thinking back then was players of his size, physicality, skating ability, and proven NHL scoring record are not easy to come by, much less one entering the prime years of his career.

Desperately lacking that very type of player, the Rangers acquired just that ... a 28-year old Rick Nash.  Many or most Rangers fans (myself included) expected Nash to instantly become that unique top line forward capable of both distributing big hits and wielding TKO scoring potential.  He was going to make us fans forget about the previously failed ventures into Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Brad Richards, et al.

That being said, at the time of the trade many Blue Jackets fans were forewarning our sorrow.  I thought that was Columbus fans just exporting sour grapes.  It made me curious as hell, though, but I really wanted the Rangers to make that trade.

Keep in mind that after registering just 39 points in his rookie season, Nash never totaled less than 54 points over his remaining eight seasons in Columbus, and that between 2007 and 2011 he scored no less than 64 points in four consecutive seasons.

His off-Broadway career gets off to a brilliant start with 41 points in only 44 games during his first (NHL shortened) regular season with the Rangers.  His second season - not so much; Nash ties his career low with 39 points.  He follows that up in 2014-2015 with (a career high) 42 goals and (a second best) 69 points.  The year after, Nash establishes a new career low with just 36 points (in 60 games).  He reaffirms that mark with another 38 points in 67 games this season.  That translates to 25 goals and 44 points per season (without prorating the 2012-2013 shortened season) over his five year career with the Rangers.

Unlike with Columbus, Nash has played post-season hockey in each of his five seasons with New York under both John Tortorella and Alain Vigneault.  In four post-seasons previous to this year's, Nash registered an eerily sounding and no less inspiring 11 goals and 33 points through 61 playoff games.

... and has been well criticized for it during his years here.

Depending on your point of view, Rick Nash arguably played very well through two rounds of this year's playoffs.  He was one of the very few Rangers forwards causing traffic in front and crashing the crease with any regularity.  Throw in his defensive effort on the back-check, and I'd say he played very well indeed.

Unfortunately, his inexplicable dearth of post-season scoring remains ongoing.  Nash led the Rangers during these playoffs with 44 shots on goal in 12 games.  Of the Eastern Conference final four teams (NYR, OTT, PITT, WAS), only Washington's Alex Ovechkin (49 SOG in 13 games) took more shots than Nash through the first two rounds.  And out of that same pool of players from the final four teams, 17 scored more goals through the first two rounds than Rick Nash, whom finished with just three.  Three of those players were his team mates, one being defenseman Brady Skjei.  Otherwise, the other 16 were all forwards.

It's been reported that Nash played hurt during the second round.  Perhaps ... but he still managed 44 opportunities on net.  Did injury prevent him solely from finishing plays?

Traditionally speaking, his prime years are now behind him.  Rick Nash turns 33-years old in June, and has one more season remaining on his contract.

Centers of Inattention

I'll again refer to the pool of players among the Eastern Conference final four.  Seven of the eight skaters to register ten or more points through Round Two were forwards.  Ottawa's Erik Karlsson was the lone defenseman on the list with 13 points.  To no one's surprise, none of the other seven players wore Rangers jerseys.

Pittsburgh's top three scorers through Round Two are their centermen.  Two of Washington's top three scorers were also their centermen.  All five of these centermen registered double-digit points through Round Two.

Mika Zibanejad led the Rangers with a team high seven assists and nine points overall.  He was their lone legitimate threat up the middle.  Otherwise, the Rangers were woefully inadequate and inconsequential at the center position.

This may have been Derek Stepan's most ponderous performance to date.  The man was just awful from start to finish.  And depending on Alain Vigneault's mood, Oscar Lindberg and J.T. Miller remained relative non-factors as well.  Together, the three accounted for five goals and eight assists for a paltry 13 points.  Comparatively speaking, Washington's Niklas Backstrom accomplished that by himself!  And you can forget Ivgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby.  Penguins center Jake Guentzel has not only outperformed the aforementioned trio's collective effort, but leads the Pens with nine goals.  That's more than the combined total of all four Rangers centers.

Broken Wings

Does mighty Mats Zuccarello have to do everything around here?  Apparently, the answer continues being an overwhelming Yes!

I would have appreciated Jesper Fast getting some more ice time.

Chris Kreider may have enjoyed his finest regular season as a Ranger, but this playoff will go down as one of his worst.  Three goals and an assist in 12 games is now inexcusable coming from a young man with his skill, size, and speed.  He teased us with rare and fleeting moments of potential brilliance, but nothing more.  So lets just call it like we see it: he spent most of his time skating with his head up his posterior.  He does that a lot.  It's annoying.

And where the hell was Kevin Hayes?

These playoffs were supposed to be Kreider's and Hayes' time to shine and light up Broadway; time to elevate their respective levels of competition and lead the Rangers to higher ground.

Together, they couldn't lead a dog to a tree.


I said back in October this team wouldn't amount to much.  In this instance, I do not necessarily enjoy being right.  And just for giggles, I'm still an Alain Vigneault antagonist.

This doesn't help.

N.Y. Rangers: Forwards March

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

GAME THREE 

FINAL

Senators  1

Rangers   4

Senators Lead Series 2-1

I - OTT 2; NYR 1

II - OTT 6; NYR 5*

III - NYR 4; OTT 1

*overtime

NEW YORK RANGERS: All The King's Horses Propel Blueshirts to First Victory Over Sens; Centermen Finally Do Their Jobs.

After Facing 77 SOG Through Game Two, 

Blueshirts Lighten Henrik's Load; Faces Only 27 SOG

MatsZuccs to the rescue, again!

But at least the other lines showed up.  So, let's here it for the Rangers center men, finally!  Mika Zibanejad assisted on MatsZucc's opening goal.  Derek Stepan assisted on Rick Nash's goal.   And even J.T. Miller (who needs to stay the hell out of the penalty box) assisted on Oscar Lindberg's goal.

Now if they can start winning a few more face-offs ...

Tanner Glass finally skated for the first time since Game Three against the Habs.

About that ... see how wishy-washy Alain Vigneault is?

At least he had the wherewithal to realize the team needed an increased physical presence against Montreal, and thus started Tanner Glass in Game One.  Outside of Henrik Lundqvist, Glass was perhaps most responsible for the Rangers opening victory despite only eight minutes of ice time.

But because things went awry after the second period of Game Two (Glass nonetheless accounted for 10 hits), and again in Game Three against Montreal, Glass was scratched for the remainder of the series.

Fast forward - the Rangers get woefully outplayed during their first two games in Ottawa.  I'll take it a step further: Vigneault was getting beaten at his own game.  Vigneault adjusts by shortening his bench in Game Two.  When that doesn't work, Coach lengthens his bench again, reverting back to four lines featuring Tanner Glass in Game Three, whom initiates three hits, and registers a secondary assist on Oscar Lindberg's goal.

And if I may, how about giving Jesper Fast just a little more ice time?  Take away some minutes from a very inconsequential Kevin Hayes.

Just saying ...

N.Y. Rangers Desperately Needing Home Improvement

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

Home Not That Sweet Home

Overall Record at Madison Square Garden

23-17-4

Senators Lead Series 2-0

I - OTT 2; NYR 1

II - OTT 6; NYR 5*

*overtime

NEW YORK RANGERS: Ottawa Senators Beating Alain Vigneault At His Own Game.

I just don't get this coach these guys.

Montreal finished ahead of the Ottawa Senators for a reason, right?

I mean ... the Habs were one of five Eastern Conference teams this season to crack 100 points, and the only one to do so from the Atlantic Division.  Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Division registered a league high four teams with 100 point seasons.  The Rangers 102 points, incidentally, ranked least among the five, but whose complaining ...

The Habs also finished first in the Atlantic Division with a +26 goal differential.  The Rangers finished the regular season with an even better +36 differential.

The Ottawa Senators?

They placed second in the Atlantic Division and sixth in the Eastern Conference, finishing the season just under the century mark with 98 points, and posted an abysmal -2 goal differential.  Just to be clear, that's minus two.  In fact, they are the only team in this year's Stanley Cup playoffs with a negative goal differential.

Now consider that Ottawa's best forward, Erik Karrlson, is playing on a fractured foot.  Then ponder how a guy whom scored 12 goals all season, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, should suddenly net four goals in Game Two.

Want more?

The Rangers 27-12-2 road record was the best in all the NHL.  Yet, they're fresh off two straight losses at Ottawa, and are now 2-3 in five playoff games played north of the border.

What the hell else do you want me to say?!

All I know is this team gave up a two goal lead with three minutes left in regulation.

Whether at even strength, or on the PK, I still see a lot of Rangers just standing around and playing on their heels.  The Ranger forwards' collective back-checking has been particularly embarrassing.

Therefore, I'll say this very plainly: this team which elevated itself to the level of Montreal's physicality, which played with grit, high intensity toughness, and inspired passion against Montreal, is laying down to the Ottawa Senators.

The Rangers are down 0-2 in this series, and to a large extent I hold Alain Vigneault responsible for reverting back to his more preferred finesse style.

Problem is the Ottawa Senators are beating Vigneault at his own game.  It is the Rangers getting out-skated.  It is Ottawa winning the face-off battle by an 81-67 margin.  It is Ottawa controlling the neutral zone; winning time of possession; consistently getting the puck down low in the offensive end; creating better scoring opportunities.

Circling back to Erik Karrlson, he easily leads the Sens with over 66 minutes of ice time.  Did I mention he has a hairline fracture in his foot, and that he still finished games One and Two with a plus-one?  Am I to believe the Rangers do not have a top two line forward capable of at least nudging him out of the way?

Mats Zuccarello has just three SOG in two games against Ottawa.  Can no one else step up?  This is my point exactly when I say MatsZuccs can not, and should not be the Rangers best forward.  I love Zuccs, but you know what I mean - not on a team with Nash, Kreider, etc.

• The Rangers have killed 7 of 8 penalties against Ottawa, but have yet to score in eight opportunities. Their power play is now just 2 for 23 through eight playoff games.  The Rangers PK has allowed four goals in 28 opportunities.

Man up!

N.Y. Rangers: Broadway Bullies Oust Habs in Six

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

Rangers defeat Canadiens, 4-2

I - NYR 2; MON 0

II - MON 4; NYR 3*

III - MON 3; NYR 2

IV - NYR 2; MON 1

V - NYR 3; MON 2*

VI - NYR 3; MON 1

*overtime

NEW YORK RANGERS: MatsZuccs!  Smallest Blueshirt Bearing Heaviest Load.

Tex's Rangers Prove Too Tough for Montreal Canadiens

I've used many an unkind adjective in describing these Rangers throughout Alain Vigneault's tenure in New York, with soft, cute, and smurfy, topping the list.

But in truth, the Rangers played the Montreal Canadiens tough ... real tough ... astonishingly tough ... impressively tough.

I didn't think they had it in them, and was certain they would suffer a first round elimination.  In light of Saturday's series clinching victory over the Canadiens, I'm therefore only too happy being wrong.   It's only a first round victory, and well, the Rangers have been there and done that.  But this was nevertheless the grittiest, most physical performance they've ever put forth under this head coach.

Eliminating the Habs in such fashion still does not prevent me from pondering how Alain Vigneault called off the dogs in Game Seven against the Tampa Bay Lightning (Eastern Conf. Final).
With regards to his style, I've always said you can pirouette your way through the regular season playing the mean competition, but you can't do that in a short playoff series.  This series against Montreal only confirms that (for me).  After falling in the first round last year to the Penguins, maybe, just maybe, Vigneault has finally learned his lesson.

Stubborn as I am, I can't help but wonder if the Rangers overt physicality was inspired by Vigneault himself, or was born of the players' own collective and respective personal resolve.

In any event, they got it done.

Montreal mounted 206 shots on goal against Henrik Lundqvist, and scored 11 times in six games.   Meanwhile, the Rangers took 25 less shots on goal (181), yet tallied 14 goals against Carey Price.

More importantly, they answered any and all questions regarding their ability to compete against a bigger, and seemingly more physically oppressive opponent.

The Rangers and Canadiens combined for 533 recognized hits, for an average of 88 body checks per game.  While Montreal registered 50+ hits in games One, Two, and Five, the Rangers levied a series high 74 hits in Game Two, and out-hit the Habs overall by a 285-248 margin.

Into the Void

If Max Pacioretty scores just one timely goal at any time during games three through six, perhaps the series takes on a completely different complexion.  The Habs top forward and regular season scoring leader led all skaters in the series with 29 shots on goal, yet managed just one assist and finished with a minus-one.

That being said, Rangers blueliners Nick Holden, Marc Staal, Ryan McDonagh, Brady Skjei, Brendan Smith, and Dan Girardi in particular, are the primary reasons why Pacioretty was rendered ineffective.

Enter Jeff Beukeboom, whom was added to Alain Vigneault's staff after last season's disappointing first round playoff loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins.  As a former defenseman for the Oilers and Rangers, he brings Stanley Cup playoff experience and first hand knowledge in the stay-home tradition - minimizing traffic in the crease, keeping shooting lanes clear, with less attention on stick work and more emphasis on initiating and exerting a physical presence, and above all keeping Henrik Lundqvist safe.

For the first five periods of the series, the Rangers played with speed, while matching Montreal's all out physical blitz hit for hit.  I was indeed proud how they answered the opening bell in Game One and through the second period of Game Two.  Despite overall numbers finishing overwhelmingly in Montreal's favor, those were nevertheless five periods of hockey they should be commended for.

But because the Blueshirts hadn't spent any sustained stretches during the regular season playing at such an intense and relentless level, the Canadiens overall physicality was seemingly already wearing down, and slowing down the Rangers by the third period of Game Two.  It's not so much that Montreal scored the tying goal with just 0:17 left in regulation.  That was inevitable as Montreal dictated much of the period.  In turn, the Rangers were routinely denied timely line changes.  The Rangers obviously went on to lose Game Two in overtime, then got outplayed again in Game Three at Madison Square Garden.

All the King's Horses

The Rangers then reeled off three straight victories led by Mats Zuccarello and Henrik Lundqvist to earn a second round match-up against the Ottawa Senators.

They doubled Montreal's output through the final three games, outscoring the Habs by an 8-4 mark.

Unlike Montreal captain Max Pacioretty's playoff disappearance, Mats Zuccarello led the Rangers in points during the regular season, then led them with three goals against the Habs.  The Canadiens were clearly targeting MatsZucs throughout the series.  But Mighty Mats fought right back every step of the way, even proving himself toughest of all with a pair of in-your-face second period goals in Game Six.

Rick Nash played very well.  He was second among all skaters and led the Rangers with 23 shots on goal.  He was one of the few Rangers forwards truly guilty of crashing and disrupting Carey Price's safe space with any consistency.  Good job!

Otherwise, Henrik Lundqvist saved the Rangers from their overall lack of forward line production yet again.

Center Mika Zibanejad had a fine series.  But Derek Stepan, J.T. Miller, and Oscar Lindberg, are becoming real issues up the middle.  Meanwhile, Chris Kreider and Kevin Hayes are becoming mirror images of ineffectiveness.  In fact, all Kreider did was prove he is still a head case.  And generally speaking, the Rangers fore-check was somewhat appalling.

Before getting into special teams, how about a round of applause for the men in stripes, whom did a superb job of swallowing their whistles and letting play, and the players regulate themselves.  Suffice it to say both teams got away with various and seemingly innumerable infractions.

Montreal went 3 for 20 on the power play.  Two of those led to Montreal's Game Three victory at MSG.  The Rangers went just 1 for 15 on the power play.  On the bright side, it means the Rangers outscored Montreal 13-8 during even strength.

N.Y. Rangers: Smooth as Glass; Blueshirts Take Game One

From the desk of: RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

2016-1017

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

Eastern Conference; Round One

GAME ONE

Rangers      2

Canadiens  0

FINAL

NEW YORK RANGERS: Rough and Tough Tanner Lends Blueshirts a Touch of Glass.

Calling all Forwards ... That's One Win for Henrik ... You Owe Him.

As expected, Montreal tried imposing their physicality upon the Rangers.  Artturi Lehkonen, Paul Byron, Steve Ott, and the rest of the Habs threw their bodies around quite liberally, out-hitting the Rangers for the game by a 53-45 margin.  In turn, those hits created a lot of takeaways.  Those takeaways in turn led to quality scoring chances.

That said, the Habs opened with a furious first period onslaught, peppering Henrik Lundqvist with 16 shots on goal.  It was a very disconcerting first 20-minutes to say the least.  But the Rangers responded with a strong second period, then put twice as many shots on goal in the third period than did Montreal.  By game's end, each team finished with 31 shots on goal apiece.

It was clear to me, the Habs were targeting Mats Zuccarello.  But to the Rangers credit, they leveled some big hits as well.  Brady Skjei and Dan Girardi come to mind.  And I also credit Alain Vigneault for starting Tanner Glass.  I thought it was a smart move, if only because he added toughness.

As it turns out, Glass scored the only meaningful goal of the game on a great backhand shot off the face-off.  Dare I say brilliant even ... because he didn't get cute and just put the damn puck on net!

Speaking of brilliant, Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves en route to recording his tenth career playoff shutout.  And simply put, the Rangers do not escape the first period unscathed without his old school King-like performance.  Throughout the game, and particularly during that first period, our liege made several outstanding saves in heavy traffic against second chance opportunities.

Off Side:

Montreal played an undisciplined game.  After the Rangers withstood their best shot in the first session, the Habs clearly became frustrated.  However, numerous and obvious Canadien infractions went uncalled.  Lets see how the stripes potentially let this bleed into Game Two - or not.

But Montreal losing their cool didn't necessarily lead to Tanner Glass' goal.  In fact, Glass only played eight even strength minutes all night thanks to four Rangers power plays and another six minutes spent on the penalty kill.

The Rangers went 0 for 4 on the PP by the way.  But the fact Tanner Glass scored and some other forward didn't, makes me wonder...

• Five Rangers defensemen (Marc Staal, Brendan Smith, Ryan McDonagh, Nick Holden, Brady Skjei) together mustered 13 shots on goal.  

• Now take away each of Rick Nash's and Mika Zibanejad's 3 SOG, and Michael Granber's shot on an empty net, and the rest of the Rangers forwards (Kevin Hayse, Chris Kreider, Mats Zuccarello, JT Miller, Derek Stepan, Jimmy Vesey, Oscar Lindberg, Jesper Fast) only totaled nine shots on goal.

Just saying ...

The NHL's best road team this past season came through.  For the moment, home ice advantage shifts into Rangers hands.

Well done boys.

N.Y. Rangers: Eye of the Paper Tiger; Game One

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

2016-2017

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

EASTERN  CONFERENCE

Stanley Cup Playoffs

ROUND ONE

NEW YORK RANGERS

vs.

MONTREAL CANADIENS

ICYMI:

The Slides of March
You can pirouette your way through the regular season against the NHL's mean competition,
but you can't do that in a short playoff series.  Yes, AV, I'm talking to you.

New York Rangers: What 102 Points Gets You at the Metropolitan Division Exchange Rate.

Mike ... why are you so down on the Rangers?

Go back and read the Slides of March.  The upcoming series will either prove me right, or dead wrong.  That remains to be seen.

Otherwise, my answer is because all was never as pretty as it seemed to begin with.

Let's start with the competition ... shall we?

There's no coincidence in the fact that Washington, Pittsburgh, Columbus, and Montreal all finished ahead of the Rangers in this year's Eastern Conference standings.  During the regular season, the Rangers posted a sub par 6-10 record against them.

The Rangers additionally sputtered to an 8-11 record through the Slides of March (and four games in April).  Three of those games were against the Habs, Penguins, and Capitals.  The Rangers lost them all by an overall 10-4 margin of disparity.

Tex's Rangers were once again winter marvels, though, posting a regular season record of 48-28-6 (102 points), scoring the fourth most goals in the league, and recording best road record in the NHL.   Despite their proficiency, they only placed fourth in the Metropolitan Division and fifth in the conference.

So, let me know when this all starts sounding familiar to you ...

In the mean time, the Rangers are just 11-19 in their last 30 games at home, and generally do not play well in Montreal.

That being said, it's north of the border we go for Game One.

Montreal jettisoned some smaller players and got bigger, stronger, and tougher at the trade deadline. They swept all three games of the season series against the Rangers, and enter this series arguably boasting the better goalie, the best defenseman, and the best forward poised to take the ice.

• LW - Max Pacioretty: 35 goals, 32 assists (67 points), +15.
• D - Shea Weber: 17 goals, 25 assists (42 points), +20.
• G -  Carey Price: 37-20-5, 2.23 GAA, .923 SV%

Just saying ...

In Mats Zuccarello We Trust; Think About That for a Moment

• LW - Rick Nash: 23 goals, 15 assists (38 points), +9
• RW - Mats Zuccarello: 15 goals, 44 assists (59 points), +15
• LW - Chris Kreider: 28 goals, 25 assists (53 points), +6

I don't want to be overly disparaging, but, Rick Nash should be ashamed of himself.  Thirty-eight points?  A guy with his size and speed - it's ponderous, I know.  I can't help but recall how Columbus fans told us we'd soon regret the trade.  Did we fans expect way too much of Nash?  I doubt it.

His failures create systemic problems.  Very simply, a team featuring Rick Nash should not be led in any offensive category by Mats Zuccarello.  Yet, MatZuccs did just that ... again!  He can not continue being the Rangers best forward ... if you know what I mean.  He's great.  I love MatZuccs.   He plays smart, and will skate into tougher areas of the ice.  But if he's the best Blueshirt forward on the ice, it means other forward-liners aren't doing nearly enough.

Therefore, Kevin Hayes and Chris Kreider must seize the day.  Kreider had a good season, but now he must lead.  I'm not saying Kreider needs to knock Carey Price into the twilight zone again.  But I am saying Kreider, Hayes, Nash, JT Miller, and Jimmy Vesey, must all get their 200+pound bodies in front of net.

Outside of Shea Weber, they should be able to push their way through, but only if they want to.  This is where I demand more from Alain Vigneault.  I need for him to pull the curtain on his meticulously choreographed ballet, and order his bigger bodies on search and destroy missions seeking out second and third opportunities.  As they say, if Price can see the puck, he'll stop it.  Therefore, chaos in the crease is key.

I've always made size and toughness on the forward lines, or lack thereof, a major point of contention.  But do the Rangers have the blueliners to get this done?

• D - Ryan McDonagh: 6 goals, 36 assists (42 points), +20

No issues with the guy wearing the C on his jersey.  My biggest concern is whether Dan Girardi has one more good run in him?  He's a worn and torn 32-years old.

Next, watch out for trade deadline acquisition Brendan Smith.  I do not like this match-up at all.   When these teams last played, Smith was repeatedly knocked off the puck, and squashed by Montreal's newly acquired beefcake forwards.

And as a unit, the blueliners won't exactly be crunching any Montreal forwards in the corners either.

• G - Henrik Lundqvist: 31-20-4, 2.74 GAA, .910 SV%

The Rangers are asking more of Henrik Lundqvist than ever.  But our liege is 35-years old now, and may not be able to cover all the defensive shortcomings occurring in front of him, and around the net. They do such a deplorable job, and it's because they lack size and toughness needed to push bodies around.  Henrik and Price are essentially the same - if they see it, they'll stop it.  But where the Rangers must alter their style in order to create second and third opportunities, they routinely give them up in the defensive other end.

Please, Henrik, do everything for us ... is no longer an option.  Just like last season, and the one before that, and the one before that, etc., it's incumbent upon the skaters in front of Henrik to do more.  Not the other way around.

*

I tried very hard not to batter you with my prolonged Alain Vigneault rantings, and my lack of size and toughness ravings.  Very simply, I don't like Alain Vigneault.  I don't like his policy of turn the other cheek, and generally speaking, I think he's just plain soft.  I still say he gave away Game Seven against Tampa Bay because he went with cute, instead of tough.

I digress ...

With regard to the lack of toughness on this team ... those old enough to remember the Smurfs (not the TV cartoon, but the smallish Rangers of the 1980s in the years prior to Brian Leetch's rookie season), know exactly what I mean.

I'll do one better:  If Nick Fotiu (pre-Smurfs) played for these Rangers, we'd win the Cup!

Circling back to Vigneault, did I mention the Rangers downward trending since he took over?

But, Mike, the Rangers just posted three straight 100 point seasons.

Yeah, I know.

But I also know they made the 2013-2014 Stanley Cup finals during his first season, gave away(!) the 2014-2015 Eastern Conference finals the following season, then bowed out four games to one during last year's first round against Pittsburgh.

What will it be this season, getting swept by Montreal?

That's not entirely out of the question.

Ryan McDonagh says throw all that regular season stuff out the window.  The Rangers are playoff tested.  They know what it takes.

But can they get it done?

I'm not so sure.

Sorry...

#LGR

N.Y. Rangers: The Coach is ReAL iN

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

No he doesn't.  He's a pacifist.

New York Rangers: He still thinks he's going to win a Cup by turning the other cheek.

Even the Florida Panthers demoted Dylan McIlrath.

Yes, that speaks about his actual talent and abilities as a defenseman, and perhaps why Alain Vigneault had no use for him.  I get that.  But he's still very useful for proving a point.

In a Dec. 13 game between the Florida Panthers and Minnesota Wild, Dylan McIlrath twice reacted in response to perceived indiscretions taken against his goalie, Roberto Luongo.  He threw down gloves in the first period against Chris Stewart, then again in the third period against Kurtis Gabriel.   Shortly thereafter the stripes declared McIlrath's night over.  On his way off the ice and towards the tunnel, Dylan McIlrath received a pat on the back from his coach (interim Tom Rowe) for a job well done.

Two nights later on Dec. 15, the New York Rangers were in Dallas playing the Stars.  This was Henrik Lundqvist's first game back since a Dec. 6 loss to the Islanders.  Midway through the first period, Dallas' Cody Eakin barreled through Henrik Lundqvist while playing a puck behind net.  I believe in physicality, but even this hit went too far.  Lundqvist was forced to sit out more than five minutes until he could regather himself.

Not one Ranger skater challenged Cody Eakin.  Not one.  And for the remaining fifty minutes of the game, Eakin's act continued to go unchallenged.  Keep in mind, the NHL eventually handed down a suspension for the hit on Lundqvist.

But where does that leave Henrik?

Answer ... in the hands of a pacifist name Alain Vigneault.

The Rangers hosted the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.  In a rather disgraceful display, the Rangers collectively allowed the Stars seven goals.  The fact the Rangers scored six of their own deserves little mention - not when you allow that many.

Finally ... and I do mean finally, Chris Kreider challenged Cody Eakin.

Is that the plan, Coach?  To have Kreider fight our battles for us?

Really?

Since I'm going there, the Stars were quite chippy Tuesday.  I watched Jamie Benn and Antonio Roussel take their liberties what seemed like all night.  A slash here and a cross-check there, much less a run at the goalie, are things that generally continue to go unaddressed by this head coach.

Today, what good is leading the league in goals scored if all that gets you is fourth place in the Metropolitan Division?

I wish I had a better outlook.  But I said this many times, and I'll say it again: you can pirouette through the regular season, but you can't do that in the playoffs.

I didn't say fire him.  I'm just calling him a hopeless dove, and that I'm sick and tired of teams taking their liberties against the Rangers because they know they can.

This isn't everything wrong with the Rangers ... just what bothers me.


P.S. Rick Nash threw his body around.  That was nice to see.

N.Y. Rangers: Penguins Push Blueshirts to Brink of Elimination

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

COLOSSAL FLOP

Rangers Lose Pair at Garden

Penguins lead series 3-1

I - PITT 5; NYR 2

II - NYR 4; PITT 2

III - PITT 3; NYR 1

IV - PITT 5; NYR 0

V - Saturday @PITT

NEW YORK RANGERS: Blueshirts have allowed Penguins 19 power play opportunities, or 4.75 per game.  That screams of a lethargic team.

The longer this series goes, the more poorly Tex's Rangers play.

It's astonishing, really...

If anything, Game Four added insult to Henrik Lundqvist's initial injury (which hastened his removal from Game One).  This time, four unanswered Penguins goals were the cause.  But only Henrik's ego may have been bruised this time.  He faced 18 shots, but made just 14 saves before getting pulled at the 6:04 mark of the 2nd period.

Back-up Antii Raanta finished the game, and allowed one goal for an overall 5-0 whitewashing at the Garden.

GAME FOUR FINAL

Penguins   5

Rangers    0

In truth, ineptness has infected them all - so, please, let's keep Henrik Lundqvist as one of the least troubling items to rage against.  It's the overall play of the interchangeable fruitless five skating in front of him that has been most disturbing to watch, and even more difficult to explain.

How many times have we've seen the same distressed offensive zone set-up attempts result in losing the zone - a turnover - a break away the other way?

Exactly...

It's not Henrik's fault the Rangers led the NHL regular season in least time of offensive zone possession by a considerable margin.  They have chronic difficulty establishing the zone in the first place, then usually manage just one shot on net and done.  The playoffs have been no different.

There is little excuse this season when compared to last, when many blames Mats Zuccerallo's absence from the line-up a reason for Rangers misfortunes.  Kevin Hayse was not on the ice in Game Four?  Eric Staal was.

I offer that as a petty argument.  Point taken...

Nor is it Henrik's fault the Rangers lack a forward who is comfortable, and adept at playing behind the net - a supreme passer behind net is one of the more lethal assets on ice, and key to implementing an effective dump and chase when the neutral zone bogs down.

A game after Derek Stepan expressed displeasure with team strategy over their inability to break through the neutral zone, I saw little change in Game Four.  The same propensity to handle the puck, or the ill advised stretch pass still ruled the night.

Even then, they do not have wingers with booming shots striking fear from the dots, or the bodies willing to battle in the crease - or said another way, they lack forwards capable of wearing down (punishing..) opposing defensemen.  Some on this team can, but usually refrain because it does not fit within the framework of Vineault's system.  That said, I still can't comprehend why Rick Nash is so ... nashy?  Columbus fans warned us!  Now we know why?  Otherwise, getting pushed off the puck is old news.

To the Rangers credit, they have been out-hitting the Penguins.  But their overwhelming sluggishness is killing them.  That's a shame because Pittsburgh's Matt Murray is offering rebounds like cookies, but they're being scooped up by Penguins and carried the other way.

And as far as Rangers crashing the opposing goalie, well, once again, Alain Vigneault believes in a more civilized approach.

All of this leaves Henrik very little time for spectating at the other end.  Like I said in a previous post, this is like playing under Tom Renney again.  We're in a state of regression where everything falls on Henrik Lundqvist.  Moreover, this season Alain Vigneault taxed the King, now 34-years old, unlike any season since his 2010-2011 campaign.

Like I said, point fingers at the five skaters first.  It's evident the Rangers spend entirely too much time in their defensive end.  And when you do that, you're going to commit too many penalties, particularly when your forwards do a piss poor job of getting back on defense.

We also have to recognize Marc Staal and Dan Girardi have put in many long regular and post-seasons together.  They are now performing like beaten, battered, and bruised players - see Dan Girardi.   Time has clearly caught up, and even moved the opposition a step ahead of them.   Meanwhile, Ryan McDonagh is playing with a broken hand.

At the core of my frustration is a coach telling me Kevin Klein should play Game Four instead of starting Dylan McIlrath, or that Kevin Klein warrants 27 shifts?  And I'll ask again - Brady Skjei made seven regular season starts, and gets to start over McIlrath whom made 34 regular season starts and wins the tale of the tape?

Unfortunately, to date, the story remained an old one this season ... the Rangers collectively can not clear sufficient traffic from Henrik's space, and Coach has an aversion to playing Dylan McIlrath.

Why not start both Brady Skjei and Dylan McIlrath?  At this juncture, Alain Vigneault really has nothing else to lose but another game, a playoff series, and his job - but not before he's made to answer why his team got eliminated in the first round.

Seems to me, then, Alain Vigneault needs Dylan McIlrath if the Rangers are to pull off a miraculous three game sweep.  Don't get me wrong, the forwards need to put their big boy pants on, and score.

As noted, the Rangers now must sweep the next three games or make earlier than expected plans for summer vacation.

I just call it like I see it.  Trolley Riders know I've been down on this team all season.  So, I'll only offer this...

I have little doubt Henrik will be on top of his game for Game Five.  So, please, give the man some help in front.  Then, just get shots on goal from any angle, converge on net, and get Matt Murray out of his element.  Then make sure you clean up the garbage.

Yeah, that requires taking a stick in the back at times, and it hurts.  But do it anyway!

• Too Much To Ask For?  With Evgeni Malkin back in the line-up, can the Rangers keep their eyes on him, Patric Hornqvist, and Sidney Crosby?  After four games, so far the answer is no.

• Too Much Too Ask For?  Readers might misunderstand me when I say - if Mats Zuccs continues being the Rangers best forward, they are in big trouble.  That's to his credit, considering Chris Kreider, Rick Nash, Kevin Hayse, etc., are the ones whom should be making headlines.  Can Rick Nash lead the Rangers through a series ... just once?

• Too Much To Ask For?  How about a power play goal, huh?  The Rangers are now just 1 for 16 in four games.  The Penguins have 7 goals in 19 opportunities.  That's a problem Keith Yandle was brought in to address, remember?

N.Y. Rangers: I find their lack of shots disturbing

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

Home Ice Advantage Melts Away After Game Three Loss

Penguins lead series 2-1

I - PITT 5; NYR 2

II - NYR 4; PITT 2

III - PITT 3; NYR 1

IV- THURSDAY

NEW YORK RANGERS: Blueshirt fans have little respect for Marc Andre-Fleury to begin with ... but this inability to put shots on net against second and third string goalies is ponderous!

After going with third string goalie Jeff Zatkoff in games One and Two, the Penguins turned back to second stringer Matt Murray for Game Three at the Garden.

The Penguins and Rangers have now utilized two goalies each.

• PITT has thus far faced 82 shots on goal, made 75 saves, with 7 goals allowed.
• NYR have thus far faced 91 shots on goal, made 83 saves, with 8 goals allowed.

Do the math.

After a scoreless opening period (video review negated a Chris Kreider goal), the 2nd session started out promisingly for the Rangers when the ghost Rick Nash scored a rare playoff goal in the opening minute.

In truth, however, the Pens could have started a circus bear in net, and it would not have mattered.   The Rangers mustered little to nothing in the way of offensive threats, registering just 17 shots on goal all game, and just four in the final period.

Four...

They should have spent all of Wednesday feeling embarrassed about themselves.

After Game Three, Derek Stepan blamed (his word) stubbornness for their offensive malaise, which is a word I've been using to characterize Alain Vigneault for three seasons now.  But where my usage stems from Coach's reluctance to play Dylan McIlrath (whom was a healthy scratch.. again), and his "turn the other cheek" mentality, Stepan was referring to their failure in changing strategy against Pittsburgh's neutral zone play.

Continual stick handling into a brick wall was indeed stubborn of them - but, pretty is as pretty does.   Unfortunately, dump and chase hockey remained a foreign concept.

Moving on, penalties have been a decisive factor.  The Rangers are a mere 1 for 12 on the man advantage, meanwhile, have allowed Pittsburgh 4 goals in 13 opportunities - one in each game played and a pair in Game Three.