3-for-35?!?!?!?!?!
Yes Rangers fans, after last night's 0-for-5 on the power play, the Blueshirts are 3-for-35 with the extra man on the season!!!!! That's a success rate of 8.6%, good for last place in the NHL.
Of those three goals, Ryan Callahan has two of them and Taylor Pyatt has one.
That's right, Brad Richards, Rick Nash and Marian Gaborik have combined for ZERO power play goals in the first nine games of the season and have just three power play assists between them.
Meanwhile the Rangers "power play quarterback" Michael Del Zotto has just one assist on the power play.
So after another dreadful showing, John Tortorella must have had this team practicing the power play all day today, right?...
#NYR Tortorella also not on ice. Jim Schoenfeld leading practice
— Katie Strang (@KatieStrangESPN) February 6, 2013
it is an optional practice for #NYR...Girardi, Richards, and Staal all not on the ice...everyone else is out there...
— Jim Cerny (@JimCerny) February 6, 2013
...you can't make this stuff up.
...listen, I get that players need their rest with such a compact schedule, but how does Torts justify not having a power play heavy practice after last night's abomination? Last year they were somehow able to win despite the failings with the extra man, but this season it has finally caught up with them.
...it's actually gotten so bad it's almost like they don't know what to do out there. How is that possible for guys who are veterans in this league?
Torts was at least kind enough to address the power play after the optional, telling Andrew Gross at the Bergen Record that the players need to make plays, but the coaches need to find a way to make it work.
He then adds this (ESPN.com)...
"We're in a jam and we don't have a lot of time to work ourselves out of it."
...if you don't have a lot of time, why would you waste today?!?!??!.
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The only way to fix this power play is to look at the teams that have a solid PP and base it off theirs. Also if something doesnt change soon, Sullivan needs to get the boot. First take a guy like Boyle and Pyatt and plant their big ass in front of the goalie and tell them to be physical, screen the goalie and look for rebounds. This is gonna take a defenseman to have try and get him out of the way creating another screen. This opens up a 4v3 on the outside and more room to just shoot the puck. Shooting is obviously the key on the PP but its not gonna work if the goalie can see every little thing that comes his way.
Symbolically this has to be Torts taking some kind of responsibility for the abysmal PP. Who knows, maybe its crazy enough to work.
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Why is Sully still behind the bench?? Accountability includes coaching staff. Where's our PP Specialist???!!
I don't remember who was on the second unit of the power play when Staal took the shot and Marty made that lucky save, but that's how the power play should look. I think Miller and Kreider were on the ice for that power play. Quick passes that eventually lead to a scoring chance near the net. The line of Del Z, Richie, Nash, Gabby, and whoever else, all they do is pass the puck around the outside and then it bounces away from Del Z. You have to take chances, pass it through guys and either get to the slot for a solid shot or push the puck in. We can't always rely on the dirty goals by Cally in front of the net, which is all we have been doing the past couple of seasons. We need to push, make plays from every area on the ice and score. Stop trying to make the outside work and put pressure on the inside. We have the skill. Just not the coaching it seems to go with it. I think we say byebye Sully.
f**k torts,they need to get rid of hm he is the problem.you cant keep on changing the lines,he needs to set lines and keep them set for a few games and i would also bring back AVERY cause they really miss him more then they think.when sean was in the line up every player on the team played like they were 6 inches bigger and 40 lbs heaver so tell DOLAN to take his head out of his ass and fire torts already cause we all know as long as torts is the coach AVERY will not be back.WE WANT AVERY
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8 minutes of PP time in the first period - devils had more shots short handed than we did.
it was a complete joke to watch Sully diagraming a"play" down 2 goals with a few minutes to go. if he can't get the special teams to function on a 5 minute major or 2 man advantage why even bother diagraming anything down 2 goals with a minute to go?
we need a shake up behind the bench not just juggling lines every few shifts
@chrisD need a list of possible candidates. Would you want a graves coming back to coach? Or someone from outside?
@slapshot13j @chrisD forgot who was assistant under Renny- 2006 - this was the last time we had a productive PP Shanahan, Jagr, Nylander, Straka, Pruka
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It doesn't matter who is at the point or what kind of shot they have, if you make 3 passes get a shot (assuming best case for this team) and then the puck is cleared, you will never get a goal. They need someone that can keep the puck in the zone, tire out the defenders and get some rhythm going. Not sure what that is, but that's what a good PP does.
I know its not likely to happen but I would like to see McIlrath recalled at some point, especially if Danny G is out .I think he would be OK and better stay at home D than Gilroy or Emmy, he has played OK when he was in exhibition games B4. MIght make it easier for Hank.Big Mac Truck could definitely use the minutes in CT- However- Rangers could def use someone who can clear the crease effectively and protect Lundqvist-maybe it would help Hanks confidence.Heck maybe everyone's confidence.Gabby or Steps for example might not be hesitating if they knew Big Mac had their back all the time.
@farlands2012 If McIlrath wasn't coming back from a knee injury and had been playing in the AHL from the start, I'd agree. But it's just that. He's only played in about 15 games in the AHL. He needs more time.
not looking good. I was Stepan off the team though.... missing a wide opean net on the power play? Makes no sense how a NHL player can miss that
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Practice while torts hold a loaded shot gun at them. If you don't score...someone dies. I think this would be VERY motivational.
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Need to change the system and yes, we need a pp qb.....McDonough on the point makes sense
I'd prefer Stralman, hes got a sickk shot and can recover quick enough if the play gets broken up
The key to the power play is the qb and lets not kid ourselves dz has no business being there. I have three options for the new rangers qb. 1. Ryan McDonaugh- he has a hard slapshot, is defensively responsible and can move the pick efficiently and with speed. This would be my first choice being that he also knows how to play defense and will not overcommit. 2. Rick Nash- he was up there for a little but yesterday, and I liked it. He sees the ice extremely well has a very nice shot, and can make passes. I would rather have him on the wing though but he is solid anywhere in our power play. 3. JT Miller- this is a very risky move. However, last night it really looked like he sees the ice extremely well. Doesn't have the best shot, but can create passing lanes with his vision. Also he is a very good two way player and will not forget his defensive responsibility. I don't see this happening but could be an interesting move if the pp continues to struggle...
@homer119 onbviously inwudnt just throw him up there, he would have to get some practice first, and learn how to play the point. The Rangers also don't have a true point player because they don't have a Zedno Chara or Sergei Gonchar. So nothing is going to be a perfect fir
@slapshot13j Del Zotto definitely proving he has has no business running this power play right now. Someone mentioned it in a previous post, where are the one-timers? Got to be able to run a play to set that up, no?
@KevinDeLury my ideal pp would be McDonaugh, staal, Nash, kreider, Gaborik/miller. Also Richards could substitute for staal occasionally. And if Gaborik is as invisible as he has been then you can put miller in for him.
@KevinDeLury no one on our team is really known for that though. Gaborik has always been a guy with a great wrist shot, same for Nash. However, if we put staal or McDonaugh on the pp they can start bombing away with the one timers. Also, got to have someone in front and without Callahan, I think Pyatt is the guy I would like in front, but Kreider could definitely be an option too
