N.Y. Rangers: Cheap Shots Taken At Glen Sather's New Team Keep Finding Their Mark

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS: The Opposition Offering Glen Sather's Softies No Quarter, As Still Yet Another Member Of The Blueshirts Receives An Unanswered Elbow to The Head.

The hits just keep on coming, don't they?

There is still Rick Nash to account for, who has not played since the third game of the season.  He  remains out of action, recovering from a concussion caused by a first period elbow to the back of the head way back on October 8th, administered by San Jose Sharks defenseman Brad Stuart.

If Derek Stepan suffered what was then characterized as an inadvertent hit to the head by the Washington Capitals Troy Brouwer, then Anaheim Ducks Bryan Allen's high elbow to Stepan's head was certainly and blatantly more obvious.  Both incidences happened well away from the puck and went unacknowledged by the men in stripes.

Most recently on November 7th, Taylor Pyatt took an elbow to the head from the Columbus Blue Jackets Fedor Tyutin.  Pyatt soon left the game, did not return, and was scratched from Sunday's game against the Panthers with a concussion.

All these incidences continue to occur free of retaliation from the Rangers.  For as long as they do, I will continue to note and remind everyone in protest, of each infraction committed against Rangers players that lack a proper response.

I've already repeated myself two or three times since first writing the following:

• Last February, within a seven game stretch, Boston's Milan Lucic boarded Rick Nash, Ottawa's Chris Neil viciously boarded Brad Richards, then Montreal's Max Pacioretty  took yet another  run, boarding Ryan McDonagh.  At no time did any Rangers player stick up for their team mate - not one; no response.  Shortly after those three incidents, the Canadiens crashed Marty Biron, which again, inspired no response from the Rangers.

• I'll also say this again and again and again.  Two season ago, after the Rangers defeated the Sharks in San Jose early in the season, Joe Thornton called the Blue Shirts the softest team he ever played.  The Rangers then went on to lead the entire NHL in fighting majors.  They didn't stop there.  They also led the league in fighting within the first five minutes of a game!  That's what you call setting the tone(!) and sending a league wide message that the Rangers aren't putting up with any crap.  It doesn't take rocket science to figure out physical teams want to exert their dominance somewhere between early in the game and right away.  And so, that's eerily within the same first five-minute time frame San Jose's Brad Stuart took his run at Rick Nash this season.

Is it a coincidence Rick Nash received his concussion against the Sharks?  Most likely, but still inexcusable.

This is a partial consequence of Glen Sather's dismantling, and retransformation of the team that went to the Eastern Conference finals two seasons ago.  With no current toughness to speak of, cheap shots keep finding their marks and costing the Rangers dearly.

They've managed to outlast injuries to Carl Hagelin and Ryan Callahan, and despite their increased lack of physicality, the Rangers continue to turn their early season woes around.  With Sunday's 4-3 victory over the Florida Panthers, the Rangers now own a 9-8 record, and have broken the .500 mark for the first time this season.  They have gone 7-2 in their last nine games to recover from a 2-6 start.

The Rangers have also upped their offensive output, averaging 3.4 goals in their last 7 games, scoring 24 times.  They've scored four or more goals in four of their last five games.  With a goal against the Panther, Brad Richards now has six goals this season.

The goals and wins are coming, but something still does not compute.




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers: Devils Dance To First Victory

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

 

A King Under Siege

NEW YORK RANGERS: Peter DeBoer's Four Lines Too Much For Depleted Rangers.

New Jersey's collective blue-liners were sporting a horrible +/- rating right up until the Rangers came along, and single handedly turned around many a Devils' defensemen season.  The riches of a 4-0 victory were spread throughout the team though, as no Devil registered better than a plus-two.

Early in the opening period, the Rangers got out-hustled by a Devils forecheck, who cashed in on the game's first goal.  The Rangers meanwhile had one shot on goal in the first ten minutes of play. Then Adam Henrique slapped a screaming puck from the left circle past through Lundqvist for a 2-0 lead. Two more New Jersey goals later, and Devils goalie Cory Schneider took care of the rest.

It is hard to explain how, or why Brian Boyle was the best Rangers player on the ice, yet didn't lay a single hit on anyone.  He led the Blueshirts with four SOG, and won 9 of 13 face-offs.  But some-where in Coach Peter DeBoer's full usage of four lines which challenges the Rangers depth is your answer.  Four different forwards scored for New Jersey.

It is worth noting that Boyle, Derek Dorsett, J.T. Miller, Benoit Pouliot and Derek Stepan were all +/- zero.  Thrust into hasty action, Miller had three shots on goal and threw his body around a little bit.  Taylor Pyatt's night wasn't as good.  He was a minus-one, with only one shot on goal in more minutes and shifts than Miller.

How do we say - Henrik Lundqvist was not good.  The Devils owned a 4-0 second period lead with a total of sixteen shots on goal.  Henrik only faced nineteen all night.  Henrik is now 2-4-0 this season, and far away from his career percentages.  His current 3.45 goals against average is light years away from his career 2.27 mark, while his current .890 save percentage is well below his .920 career mark.

The New Jersey Devils are winless no more, while the Rangers road trip to ruins continues full steam ahead.  Victories over Los Angeles and Washington still appear to be nothing more than isolated moments of clarity.



Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers vs. N.J. Devils; Battle Of The Hudson - Game One

From the desks of:  RAISE GRESCHER WITH THE GREATS  and  THE BRICK CITY DEMONS

2013-2014

BATTLE OF THE HUDSON

 

TONIGHT

 

NEW YORK RANGERS

vs.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

From

THE ROCK

Brick City, New Jersey

 

 

 

NEW YORK RANGERS: With Callahan And Nash Sidelined, This Is Brad Richard's And Derek Stepan's Team Now.

We can't even start to truly find out how heavily a new system, adjusting to a new coach, and opening on the west coast weighed on the Rangers.  While a return back east garnered a well played all-around victory over the Capitals, not having Rick Nash and Ryan Callahan moving forward fails to lend any clarity to the Rangers early plight.  Carl Hagelin has yet to hit the ice as well.

Ryan Callahan continues to catch one bad break after another.  He missed camp stemming from off-season shoulder surgery, took a puck to the mouth against the Kings, and then suffered a broken thumb against the Caps, all the while, still literally doing everything for the Blueshirts.

Next on the forward lines are J.T. Miller and Taylor Pyatt.  Feel free to contribute at any time boys.

The Rangers are currently headlined by some good news, but mostly bad news.  In the early going, Alain Vigneault apparently has improved the power play.  The Rangers rank 13th overall - uncharted territory under Tortorella.  After five games, they have scored on the power play in three games, and have been shut down twice, and are 4 for 20 overall.  The now injured Ryan Callahan had two goals, Brad Richards and Marc Staal each have one.  On the other side of the coin, the Blueshirts rank 21st on the penalty kill, something they did exceedingly well under Torts.

If it's not one thing, it's another with this team.  Brad Richards is so far playing with marked improvement, however, Marc Staal's game is suffering after starting out strongly in the first two games of the season.  Coach Vigneault took away Staal's tradition partner against the Caps, and will most likely pair Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh on the top line again tonight against the Devils.

Entering tonight's game, the Rangers are likely to only dress five skaters who've scored a goal this season.  At least Brad Richards has four of them.  Otherwise, they rank 28th in the league in scoring, with still no sign of Chris Kreider.  Derek Stepan has yet to score a goal, but still leads the team with five assists.  So, his game seems to be coming along after holding out and missing camp.  The Rangers are battling attrition as well as the competition, so the time has come upon Stepan to take a larger leadership role and help stabilize the team.

Defensively, they rank a putrid 29th, however, enter tonight's game on the heels of a shutout victory over Washington.  Their goals against average is still inflated due to a 9-2 drubbing suffered against the Sharks, followed by a 6-0 wipeout against the Ducks.  Outside of the those two games, the Rangers have scored ten goals, and allowed ten goals.

The Rangers aren't home yet, but playing in Jersey is the next best thing - maybe not.  We'll find out later tonight.


NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Situation Getting Hot For Coach DeBoer And His Faltering Demons.

Maybe the new Devils owners can do something to prevent the next Brian Gionta, Zach Parise, David Clarkson or Ilya Kovalchuk from leaving town, although Kovalchuk's exit was unique, if not odd,  because he left a large sum of money on the table.  But these are certainly the most recent and frustrating departures that have slowly brought down the Devils.  This was a team that just two seasons ago played for a Stanley Cup, and is now in full blown transition.  Today, the Devils remain the lone team in Hockey not to have won a game this season.

The "old guard" is still led by the team's all-time scoring leader Patrick Elias.  While Travis Zajac, Bryce Salvador, Andy Greene and Dainius Zubrus are the remaining elders of the clan.  The group of players complimenting them is where I start to question (sacrilege, I know)) Lou Lamoriello's  direction from this point forward.

They are currently led in points by thirty-six year old defenseman Marek Zidlicky.  That already smells like trouble.   Forty-one year old Jaromir Jagr is presently averaging 17:03 minutes in October, but what about February?  Although Michael Ryder has two goals, he's thirty-three years old - not that old by any stretch.  He scored sixteen goals in forty-six games last season, which seemed promising, but can he be a 30-goal scorer for the Devils like he was for the Habs and Dallas?

Goals will certainly come at a premium this season.  So far in seven games, the Devils have scored thirteen times for a 1.8 goal per game average, and are a woeful 2 for 22 on the power play for a rate of 9.1% efficiency.

But so far scoring isn't New Jersey's biggest problem - it's their defense that looks extremely un-devilish this season.  Adam Larsson and Peter Harold can't seem to do anything right.  Having allowed twenty-six goals to date, or 3.7 per game, the Devils are uncharacteristically ranked 26th this season in goals against.  The have allowed the second most in the Eastern Conference, and rank third worst behind Edmonton and Florida in the entire NHL.

While the Devils are still in search of their first victory, goalie Martin Brodeur is still stuck on #669.  Devils fans no doubt would like for both to achieve a victory against the Rangers tonight at The Rock.




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers: Big Win Over Caps Overshadowed By Bigger Loss Of Ryan Callahan

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

 

Rangers Fans Get "Thumbed" In The Eye

NEW YORK RANGERS:  That's One Big Win For Tex's Rangers, But One Giant Loss For Blueshirts Kind.

The Rangers looked and played like they were happy to be back in familiar surroundings Wednesday night, even if it was in Washington.  The enigmatic Capitals turned out to be a welcome elixir for the beleaguered Rangers, even though the Caps have more problems than a math book too.  That should not take away from the kind of game the Blueshirts played though.  They've shown incremental progress of late.  But the Rangers still have a long way to go before proving anything.

My attitude hasn't changed much.  In fact, very recent attempts to play man-to-man defense looked very keystone cop at times.  Overall, the defense still finds themselves in places on the ice Henrik is not used to, and as a result is facing a wider range of shots he's likewise not accustomed to.  Three cheers go out to John Moore for scoring a goal however.  I'm still not over an increasing lack of toughness, but it was nice to see Justin Falk mix it up in the first period, and the Rangers actually out-hit the Caps by a wide 35-21 margin.  That's a tangible positive.

Certainly not last, Ryan Callahan was already being tasked with having to do too much.  He easily led ALL forwards Wednesday night with twenty-eight shifts and 22:06 minutes of ice time.  Alex Ovechkin took twenty-two shifts.  Callahan also led ALL forwards with five hits, and led the Rangers with six shots on net.  Only Alex Ovechkin took more shots, but Callahan had the only goal by a forward.  Oh, and he was asked to kill penalties too.  Now, Ryan Callahan will miss the next several weeks with a broken thumb.  He'll join Rick Nash and Carl Hagelin on the list of players the Rangers can least afford to lose.

Here is more evidence that Alain Vigneault is just as guilty as the previously ousted coach when it comes to shortening the bench.  While Callahan topped everyone with 22:06, Ovechkin saw 21:40 minutes, but no other player surpassed twenty-one minutes.  Derick Brassard and Brad Richards were the only other two Rangers forwards to clock twenty minutes.  The Caps had five different forwards eclipse twenty minutes.

It is now J.T. Miller's and Taylor Pyatt's big chance to shine.  In fact, Glen Sather's newly assembled crew is all together now.  Miller, Pyatt, Brassard, Derek Dorsett, Benoit Pouliot, Jesper Fast, Dominic Moore, John Moore, Darroll Powe, Justin Falk are all Glen Sather's bright ideas to improve a club that went to the Eastern Conference finals two years ago.

All we need now is for Chris Kreider to become the next Manny Malhotra - the Rangers former number one pick of the 1998 draft, and the seventh pick over all, whom the Rangers wound up trading to Dallas for three sticks and a bag-o-pucks.




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers: Sizing Up The Blueshirts

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS: The Big Blue Glacier Has Melted.

It's time to drop the puck again, but the Rangers will be doing it without Ryan Callahan and Carl Hagelin, as both are still working back from shoulder surgery.  I wonder how Callahan really feels regarding John Tortorella's departure?  After all, Torts made him the model to follow; the ideal player; and the Captain.  He basically spent three seasons building around Ryan Callahan.  Moving forward, at least Carl Hagelin won't have to play looking over his shoulder anymore.

I guess we need to welcome back center Dominic Moore.  Remember the HMO Line; Halweg, Moore, and Ortmeyer?  You might say Glen Sather outlasted Derek Stepan and his agent, as the Rangers center signed for closer to the club figure than their own proposal.  Two years from now, we'll have to renegotiate all over again.  I'm looking forward to a hefty contribution from Derick Brassard.  I like J.T. Miller and of course it's always good to see Brain Boyle.  Brad Richards is the lone center man with any accompanying baggage.

On the wing, I like Jesper Fast.  I think he can be an effective, physical two-way player, who also skates with speed.  If he and Carl Hagelin can share a line together, their combined speed can create problems for defensemen.  I liked last year's acquisitions of Taylor Pyatt and Derek Dorsett.  Along with Rick Nash, Pyatt in particular gives us good size on the forward line.  I can't get myself to shake pom-poms over Aaron Asham and Benoit Pouliot though.  Lastly, we know the deal regarding Mats Zuccarello.

When Michael Del Zotto has his head screwed on right, the Rangers can skate two defensive lines that rival any in the league.  Of course that also depends if Marc Staal continues to fully recover from a lengthy concussion.  Slowly but surely we started getting back the old Staal last season.  I'm hoping this season, he's back on his game for the entire haul.  I like John Moore.  He and Justin Falk instantly became our two biggest defensemen.  Moore weighs in at 214 pounds, while Falk is listed at 215 lbs.  At 6'5", Justin Falk is also an inch taller than Marc Staal.  Anton Stralman is the littlest blue liner - coming it at 5'11" and only 190 pounds.  The Rangers are going with seven defensemen to start the season.

Henrik is the King.  What more is there to say, other than the club better get him signed to a contract.  On the ice and between the pipes, Coach Alain Vigneault's system is going to create a whole new condition for Lundqvist.  He will see more pucks and they will be coming from more angles than he was used to.  His mates won't be blocking nearly as many shots this season either.  Marty Biron is back to caddy Henrik.  In last year's shortened season, Biron was never able to fully establish himself in his role as back-up.  The schedule didn't allow for very well planned out breaks for Lundqvist.

What I really want to know is, when a member of the opposition takes their first run at Lunqvist, who will be sticking up for him?  Granted, the Rangers added much needed size, but the toughness remains to be seen.  Circling back to John Moore, that's why I like him.  He can take care of himself and doesn't seem hesitant to mix it up.

Two seasons ago, the Rangers led the league in fighting, and in particular, led in fights within the first five minutes of a game.  They dictated the play more back then by imposing themselves and their style.  The key player in all that was Brandon Prust.  In his absence, the Rangers sorely lacked that effect last season, and it showed!  As a team, they spent far too much time getting pushed off the puck.

There's a new sheriff on Broadway, and his name is Alain Vigneault.  His hockey style is western. The Rangers spent three years moving forward with the power of a glacier, then met some resistance last season, and so Glen Sather started changing things up.  Now the plan is to skate with speed like - wind driven snow?

What's done is done.




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

New York Rangers: Fans To Devils - "Season's Over!"

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

 

BATTLE OF THE HUDSON

 

Rangers Lead Series 2-1

I - NJD 3; NYR 1

II - NYR 3; NJD 2

III - NYR 4; NJD 1

IV - Saturday

NEW YORK RANGERS - Win Over Devils Gives Blueshirts Three Point Lead Over Winnipeg Jets For Eighth Seed.


I was there Sunday.  There was no revenge factor for me - just winning.  Regardless, MAAR-TY! was the anthem of the night. And it was fun.  Sunday's chant started a little earlier than most, thirty-four seconds into the game actually.  That's when Captain Callahan put the Rangers on the board, and sent the Blueshirts on their way.


The game was a bit unusual to watch as Rangers/Devils clashes go.  Neither team seemed to play with any aggression to speak of, towards each other.  It was more like a - Pardon me, Excuse me type of game.  In fact, Coach DeBoer was the most agitated person in the Garden last night.  And for good reason.  His Devils were in the midst of being eliminated from this year's playoff race, and going down without a fight.  If you remember, by this time last year, Coach DeBoer and Coach Torts were already exchanging slings and arrows.  This year, Sunday, Coach DeBoer vented on the stripes for good reasons, team motivating reasons, and no reason at all.  It's all he had left.  SEASON'S OVER!  SEASON'S OVER!  Coach DeBoer was reminded over and over by the crowd.  Not so much for him, but for me, there was a great atmosphere at the Garden, in an otherwise conflicting season.  The Rangers now have three games left to secure this eighth seed, or, their season will be over as well.


Tex's Rangers have now scored eighteen goals in the last three games.  Last night, the Captain scored the first and last goal of the day.  Derek Stepan continued his strong season with a first period goal, his sixteenth, and Taylor Pyatt added his fifth.


Henrik Lundqvist has started the last eleven games in a row, and twenty of the last twenty-one Rangers games.  The Blueshirts next game is Tuesday, against the Panthers in Florida.  Even though every point is critical right now, Coach Torts might want to consider giving Henrik the night off.  It would figure to be Henrik's last game off for whatever run the Rangers can muster.  Marty Biron made three starts in February.  He made his next start on March 10th, then his last start came on March 30th.  Henrik started forty games this season, Biron, six.  Henrik currently owns a 2.08 GAA, and a .927 save percentage.  Giving Lundqvist Tuesday's game off is a risk, but one worth taking.  The Winnipeg Jets are currently three points behind the Rangers, in ninth place with forty-nine points.  After Florida, the Rangers play in Carolina, and wrap up the regular season against the Devils again.  IF...Biron gets the start in Florida, and wins, I would give him another start in Carolina, before saddling up Henrik for a potentially, long bumpy ride through the conference.  What say you?




MIke.BTB

N.Y. Rangers: Blueshirts Escape Ottawa With A Point

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS - In Rick Nash's Absence,

Captain Callahan Tried Doing It All, And Almost Did.

Sens Back-Up Goalie Ben Bishop Outlasts King Henrik

During Seven Rounds of Shoot-Out.

 

Blueshirts Still Holding On To Eighth Seed

 

Thursday Final:

RANGERS  2

Senators      3

shootout

Skating without Rick Nash for the second straight game, the Rangers earned a precious point on the road - their tenth in their last seven games.  The Rangers are 6-3-1 in their last ten games, and 8-6-2 on the season.  So why aren't I happier?


The Rangers fell behind early; too early; six and a half minutes into the game early; to the Ottawa Senators, who took the Rangers to seven games in last season's playoffs.  Both teams then continued to do very little other than scar the ice until the third period.  Midway through, Ryan Callahan finally got the Rangers on the board, with a game tying, power play goal.  It was Ryan Callahan's third pp goal this season, and only the Blueshirts seventh of the year.  Roughly one minute after Callahan's goal, Ryan McDonagh put the Rangers ahead.  But hold on there Tex!...  At 13:19, Brian Boyle got whistled for holding.  And you know what comes next.  The Sens Mike Zibanejad scored a power play goal to tie the game at two-all.  Both teams spent the overtime session scarring up the ice some more.  Then into shoot-out they went.  By the time they finished after seven rounds, the Rangers were losers of two out of three shoot-outs in their last five games.


The Rangers scoring only came after Sens goalie Craig Anderson was taken out bowling pin style, by a free sliding Chris Kreider.  One of the league's top goalies left the game with a sprained ankle.  That just added to an already ruinous injury situation for Ottawa.


Marian Gaborik led all Rangers with seven shots on goal in thirty one shifts.  He and Derek Stepan led all forwards in ice time.  Taylor Pyatt was next high man with five shots on goal.  Brad Richards  only managed two shots in twenty five shifts.  Called up from Connecticut to help out, Brandon Mashinter fired off one shot on goal in nine shifts.  In twelve minutes of even-strength ice time, Chris Kreider managed no shots, administered four hits, and eliminated one goalie.


The greatest shoot-out goalie in the known universe has looked normal in his last two extra-curricular challenges. Granted, the Rangers needed to do a better job when you consider it took seven rounds to decide a winner Thursday night.  Six Rangers - Gaborik, Stepan, Richards, Hagelin, J.T. Miller, and Kreider, all failed to score in the shoot-out.  Where was Marek Malik when we needed him?  Ryan Callahan, the Captain, again, was the only Blue-shirt to slip one by Sens back-up goalie Ben Bishop.


Otherwise, King Henrik faced thirty seven total shots, allowing two regulation time goals.  On the game's opening Ottawa score, Dan Girardi fell and buffed the ice, leaving Henrik stranded by himself against Jakob Silfverberg, who converted a short-hand opportunity.  And there ya go.  That upset me most, because this game followed one of the Rangers more pathetic performances of the season on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden against the Canadiens.


On Saturday, the Rangers will face the Canadiens again in Montreal.  The Habs are number one in the Eastern Conference; tied with the New Jersey Devils with twenty four points.  They lead the Northeast Division by two points over Boston.  By gaining a desperately needed point against the Senators, the Rangers maintained their number eight seeding in the Eastern Conference with eighteen points - only one point better than Tampa Bay.  The Rangers will get a chance to clash with the Lightning shortly, this coming February 28th.  In the Atlantic Division, the third place Rangers trail the first place Devils by six points.


* The Rangers still aren't saying what ails Rick Nash.  He missed a practice prior to last week's game against the Capitals, but did in fact play against Washington.  He then missed the last two games against the Habs and Sens.




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.

 

 

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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