Mashinter Watch: Game Winning Goal; McIlrath Stands Up for Teammate (Updated: Mash is Recalled!)
Update, 12:14 p.m.:
Brandon Mashinter, recalled from #CTWhale with Darroll Powe out, on the ice at #NYR practice.
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) February 18, 2013
...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Original Post:
Brandon Mashinter scored the game winning goal on a perfect give and go with Brandon Segal as the CT Whale defeated Manchester 3-2 yesterday.
Mashinter now has 5g, 6a and three fights in the 14 games since joining the Whale.
...with the Powe injury, there's an outside chance we might actually get to see this kid real soon. Not sure what else the Rangers want to see from Mashinter. He'd be a perfect fit for the fourth line.
Mashinter goal is at the 4:27 mark of the below video.
Meanwhile, Dylan McIlrath proved once again why we all love him as he came to the aid of teammate Mike Vernace and absolutely man-handled Anthony Stewart (1:45 mark)...
...a lot of Rangers fans were upset when no one stood up to Lucic when he face planted Nash into the glass last week. I can assure you that won't be the case when McIlrath is patrolling the blueline for the Blueshirts. Unfortunately that might not be for another year or so.
Steve Eminger also scored in the second game of his conditioning stint.
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Can we not get a 6th defenseman who can play more than 5 minutes? Our top 5 will be gassed by end of season.
@slapshot13j @jslnyr1102 Truth! But DZ and Gilroy had some shifts where they couldn't clear the zone last night. Rough to watch.
@GLENsatherVSglennDANZIG @slapshot13j @jslnyr1102 Since Gilroy's been back he's only had less than five minutes one time. The Del Z/Gilroy pairing does worry me a bit having two offensive minded guys out there. Del Z had 4 minutes of PP time and almost 3 minutes of PK time. It's weird.
@GLENsatherVSglennDANZIG @slapshot13j @jslnyr1102
and MDZ had the most ice time on the team! i know, PP time but still.
That was such a nice goal by Mash. How good is he!? How often do we trade for someone and they actually meet let alone exceed expectations...NEVER!?
@GLENsatherVSglennDANZIG I've obviously been promoting this guy pretty hard, but doing at the AHL level and at the NHL level are two different animals.
@KevinDeLury @GLENsatherVSglennDANZIG
Can Mashinter mix it up? We don't have every game enforcer.
@JoshKaye @KevinDeLury @jslnyr1102 @GLENsatherVSglennDANZIG -- Mashinter can definitely fight, but he can do too many things for me to think of him as an enforcer, but it would be great to have his toughness out there.
@JoshKaye @jslnyr1102 @GLENsatherVSglennDANZIG Here he is fighting Bickel: http://youtu.be/7ww9mGtjyic
@jslnyr1102 @KevinDeLury @GLENsatherVSglennDANZIG Masher has three fights down in the AHL. He's no McIlrath but he will protect his teammates.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eHQVYSzG3C8
Masher fighting Parros in 2010, his rookie season. Kids tough. Holds his own. Unfortunate ending but that's not the reason I'm showing it. Held his own against one of the best fighters in the game.
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@KevinDeLury @GLENsatherVSglennDANZIG the least he can do is provide some grit for our team, and stand up for the star players and actually fight.
@KevinDeLury @slapshot13j I'm just saying he came here with kinda this hohum trade feel to him and now he's nearly a point per game. I'm really hoping he can contribute if not this year than next year.
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Should be Kreider's position to lose. Sather brought him up for Nash because he felt he was the best option, how does that change a day later? Also, why does Torts refuse to split up that third line. It has been awful since it was put together. Get Kreider on that line with Miller and Pyatt or Callahan, and Boyle down to the 4th.
It changes a day later since with Nash it was short term and he would have probably preferred to have someone who has already been on the club and could maybe contribute. With Powe, we're losing a physical, hard working player who will hit, get into the tough areas, block shots, kill penalties, etc. Nash and Powe are two different types of players, which is the same as Kreider and Mashinter. Mashinter to me would fit in the bottom six better than Kreider at this moment in time. Mashinter was producing in the AHL and was fighting and standing up for his teammates. Kreider hasn't been producing in the NHL or AHL. Yes he had one sick shot but ever since, he has been invisible. Losing Powe means we lose grit. We get some grit back with the inclusion of Mashinter.
@JoshKaye But don't you think he hasnt been producing because he has never been in a consistent position. Hurt at the beginning of the year, then he comes back and plays well for three games and we win all three. Then he is sent down for 1 night, then brought back up and doesnt play. If he, and many others on the Rangers, have the time to build some chemistry instead of moving around all the time this team becomes a better hockey team.
@slapshot13j He wasn't producing in the AHL either. In 34 games down there he had 12 points. Masher in 14 games with the Whale has 11. Maybe Masher's numbers are solid since the club is getting on its feet (they did struggle early in the season.) This Rangers team is undergoing a transition period and they're still getting used to each other. I think Kreider, being in a different environment, one consistently set up for him to succeed, will be better for him. And I think we'll be seeing that call down sooner rather than later.
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@JoshKaye Agree with Josh. It's all about need. Kreider doesn't fill what is lost without Powe.
@slapshot13j He's deserved the minutes. Against the Islanders he worked hard, hit a lot, made his own offensive chances. The guy is playing his heart out and I love it. Haven't seen him play this well since the Ottawa playoff series. Last night I noticed him several times crushing guys, which is something he wouldn't have done before. He's playing angry and finally using his size as an advantage.
@JoshKaye @KevinDeLury he has been overplayed. I didn't even notice him last night more than twice, and would not have thought he played more than 10 minutes. Torts has to realize that he is not what he was two years ago.
@slapshot13j @KevinDeLury In his two games back Boyle has gotten 16 minutes and 17 minutes. That right there is why he won't be on the 4th line.
@KevinDeLury @JoshKaye I agree, but I also think Boyle can slide down into that roll, and Kreider fills a better need than Boyle on the third line.
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I say Kreider's position to lose because I feel he earned the opportunity. He played awful at the beginning of the year, no dodging it. I think he knows that after he was sent down. In my opinion, I really believe if he gets a chance tomorrow, he comes out flying at the Garden and creates offense for the 3rd line, and probably plays the best game of his career so far. But, Torts has to put him in a position to succeed... not to fail. Play him with Callahan and Miiller, that line had chemistry, and we won three games with it. I am a big fan of Mashinter, but Kreider should get the nod tomorrow.
McIlrath just needs to stay healthy. Always a worry with a guy who plays as physical and fights as much as he does.
I want the Big Mac so bad. Idk why but I've recently become more into fights. They really get me excited. Maybe it's because I'm getting older and further into my 20s and still haven't been in a fight myself hah. I hated losing Prust bc Asham isnt doing what he did. Mac will make his name known very fast in this league when he drops an established fighter
@DanW He is not ready yet, give him this year and then maybe he can play next year. But he still has to make the team and the 1-5 on the Rangers are pretty locked up as of now.
McIlrath is a guy that will be loved here. Let's hope he's improving in other areas of his game. Also, Christian Thomas with another goal...guys getting hot. If he keeps it up for the rest of the AHL season you have to think next season he may get a legit chance to prove himself NHL ready.
@JoshKaye @KevinDeLury @DanW -- yeah, Bourque's had more than a couple concussions already ...
@JoshKaye Yeah, where the hell is that offense when he's on the Rangers. Oh yeah, he doesn't play. lol
No way this guy gets a shot before Kreider right? What is the purpose of this move? If there is one up the other should go down so that they both get playing time. If the Rangers want Mash then send Kreider down and let him play and visa versa. Having one of them sit every night is not helping their development. This also is a low shot on Kreider. I think he figured with the injury he could prove himself again, not giving him a chance would be a terrible decision.
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@slapshot13j At practice today both are alternating shifts on the fourth line. Makes no sense to have Kreider on fourth line. Just send him to the Whale and get him some game action.
@KevinDeLury I am excited to see Mashinter, absolutely. But in all honesty the position should be Kreider's to lose. If you bring up a player to fill in for someone that you think is injured, and then someone does get injured, why does the game plan change? I don't understand what is going through torts/sather's mind right now. Bringing Kreider up and down every day is the worst thing you can do for his development. Whether it is with the Rangers or the Whale just let him start playing again. In my opinion Kreider should be on the 3rd line tomorrow, and if he doesnt play well, you try Mash on thursday and then decide. But to send Kreider back down before even playing a game just makes this whole decision even more puzzling.
@slapshot13j @KevinDeLury If this screws with his head then he needs a new head. I don't think it will. He's got a good mentality when it comes to the game and his position in the organization.
@JoshKaye @KevinDeLury fine, but then send him. They bring him backup, he definitely deserves a game. What is he supposed to think if he doesnt get a shot? That is the kind of move that screws with a players head. If they had left him down I would be fine with it, but they brought him back up so he deserves his chance.
@slapshot13j @KevinDeLury He wouldn't be in this situation if he has played well. You can't say he's earned a chance when he's played poorly. In a shortened season we can't keep hoping he will impress us. After the playoffs everyone set such a high bar for him. The kids human, the kids 21. He still has a lot to learn. Let him learn that. Send him to the Whale, let him play 15-20 minutes consistently a night.
@JoshKaye @KevinDeLury I think your wrong. He earned this chance. He deserves another shot before he is sent to the Whale. Let him have it and see what this kid is all about. I think he will have his best game as a Ranger, and he will really impress Torts and the fans.
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@slapshot13j @KevinDeLury How would that be helping Kreider though? Having him play one game, him not being good enough and then him set back to just watching? The best thing for Kreider would be to send him to the AHL where the club seems to be doing really, really well. Let him work things out down there. All I seem to be seeing is how players are scoring and the Whale is winning. Maybe with Kreider being down there that rubs off on him and he clicks with the younger guys. He's 21 and don't forget the college game is much different than the pro game, which is where I think the biggest difference is between Miller and Kreider. Miller played in Juniors, Plymouth Whalers. Kreider played in college. I think that makes a huge difference in a players development.
Now will he get the playing time and trust? Hopefully Tort gives him a well deserved shot.
@CEYZILLA The only reason. Huge blow for Rangers. As much as I've pumped up Mash. Would much rather Powe be healthy & Mash with Whale.
@TheNYRBlog Same here man. Loved how he came in and bought immediately into the system. MINN undervalued him with that trade for sure. RIP!
