Jets 4, Rangers 3
They offered a valiant third-period effort, but the New York Rangers lost their fourth consecutive game Tuesday night by dropping a 4-3 contest to the Winnipeg Jets. For a full box score of the game, head over to Yahoo! Sports.
- I warned earlier today on Twitter not to take the Jets lightly, who were coming off a win vs. the Devils and were playing better hockey heading into tonight.
- Aside from a bad second period, the Rangers' effort was better. The third period should be a template for how to play offensively going forward (even though I felt Winnipeg stop competing).
- Ryan Callahan played incredibly. Had another brilliant shot-blocking sequence in the first period and single-handedly tried to will his team back in the second period with a goal.
- Saturday night it looked like Dan Girardi lost his ankle to a PK Subban shot, but doesn't miss a beat. His regenerative skills are remarkable.
- Olli Jokinen: still a Ranger killer.
Keep on reading for my thoughts on Lundqvist's game, my concerns with Gaborik and the important contributions from Stralman and Eminger.
- Not the sharpest night for Henrik Lundqvist, but he's going to have games like that. To say tonight's loss is on him at all is completely outlandish.
- I watch Carl Hagelin fly and use his legs to create havoc, and I wish Marian Gaborik would do the same. I don't see enough urgency to his game.
- Seems like Brian Boyle takes a crippling penalty every game he plays, no?
- Anton Stralman: underrated savoir? Third goal in his last seven games and continues to play a steady, solid defense. With the defense corps taking a hit with injuries at the moment, Stralman becomes that much more important.
- Staying with defense, I came away pleased with Steve Eminger's game. Had an assist and didn't look out of place in 20:33 of ice time. I would give him the nod to play over Bickel once McDonagh, Del Zotto return.
- Just 4:33 for Chris Kreider. If Nash is ready to go Thursday, it's time to send down the rookie and let him play down in the AHL. Does him no good to ride shotgun on the fourth line.
- Some stats: fourth loss in a row (season high). Also, first three-goal game in the last five games. With how tight the East is at the moment, not finding a way to get at least a point out of this game hurts.
- Second game of the four-game home stand continues Thursday vs. Lightning.
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The fact this team didnt respond to cally is asinine . Im not sure how hank let in both of kane's goals, especially the second, last year I feel like he has both. The rangers let the jets kill their momentum every time. The rangers have to work on not getting caught in their zone so much. Once again the rangers win 2 of 3 periods but lose the game.
Maybe it was my eyes, but didn't the first Kane goal go off our defenseman's leg(Stralman I believe) and bounce over Lundqvist....very similar to what happened to Biron last game. I was watching the game online with horrendous quality so I'm not 100% sure.
I've said it before and gotten a bad reaction, but Torts is GREAT. I love his personality (fits NY). He is a great lightning rod for this team. I really feel like he's in charge and can handle the critics (in his own way). BUT his system requires everyone to buy in and they are not. This is his 4th year as coach. He coached this team for 2.5 years creating a very mediocre team. Last year they went far and showed signs that his system works really well but we were all but dead. Seems to me like not everyone is interested in that style any more and I think Torts is figuring out how to improve upon it. That said, there's a disconnect in the room. No question. Between coach and players and players and players. None of us on this blog have the solution, but I find myself wishing we played a more up temp game sometimes and really used our speed for more than just getting in the corners first. A more offensive minded team with the worlds best goalie to back us up.
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I'm so glad I decided to put Cally on my jersey. He epitomizes what a captain of a team is all about. The rest of the team should think about drinking some of his blood to ramp up their toughness and spark.
Signs of life . . .
This team tried a little harder last night. They got a decent start and played some good minutes in the first period and played some better minutes in the third. It's disappointing not getting at least a point out of this one, but that's a reminder that they'll have to work that much harder. Again, they need a 60-minute effort from everybody. Settle down and get back to work Thursday.
They just have to work through this. A bunch of roster changes is not the answer. They are slowly climbing out of this funk. Some guys are having more trouble than others (Richards, Gaborik) and it effects the team. It also helps team that they were able to net a few. Even though they couldn't get a point, scoring a few goals and finding some of that puck pressure is going to help the mindset of the team moving forward.
Also note:
Kreider has not been "ruined" (if that were remotely true, he wasn't worth much in the first place).
Despite the string of atrocious penalties, Boyle is still contributing.
Every time Richard you you touches the puck it's a turnover. Hags is flying and puts out 100% effort every shift, one of the few.
OK all the Boyle haters... Really?! Common you want someone sat? Sit Richards. What the hell has he done lately? Where did he contribute? Or how about Gabby? He does nothing good except turn the puck over in our zone. He sucks at defense. He dodges getting hit at all costs. ANd he never throws one either. People take your blinders off. It is our top line with the exception of Hags who is killing us. No scoring, nothing productive from those 2 guys. Maybe a 3 day sitting for them might wake them up like it did Boyle. At least he plays with heart.
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First off,I have not seen enough ice time out of Mashinter yet to judge.He was playing well with the whale.I really did not expect Kreider to struggle so much.I guess its time for him to go down.Tonight a few more Rangers showed up,hopefully its a sign of things to come.But time is running short.They need to win games now.
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the horror.....the HORROR
exterminate them ALL
ok keep Cally -and Hank - trade everyone else and start fresh. #SUCKING
Although I don't have the Montreal game to compare this one to (planned on watching late due to other engagements, but found out the score and said not worth my time), there was much more effort today than the last few games I've watched. Richards and Gaby have been HORRIAWFUL lately. Richards healthy scratch Thursday. Maybe?
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Kevin, What I am about to say please don't get angry, and ppl don't post to tell me how much of a NY Ranger Fan I am Not. Krieder has been ruined by Coach Tort's. If he let this kid play and get his confidence back then slowly after practice spend some time going over coverages, and systems(Tort's Systems are not a hockey systems) then this kid would be productive. Don't stick this kid on a 4th line with role players to learn a Tort's system. This kid all of a sudden does not know how to score, shoot, pass? Where did he lose these skills. It's complete BS that a player has to go thru a process. What process are we talking about the process of failure. The reason that JT Miller is staying with the club is he probably had a bitch fit and told Tort's to shove it where the sun don't shine. This kid JT Miller won't stand for Tort's BS. Don't believe me. Ask around the NY Rangers without that little guy( PR man) John Rosaccato being around. Word from the top is JT Miller better play. Who do you think made that choice? Fact Chris Krieder does not have the personality that JT Miller has. Chris is a passive personality and Tortorella prides himself on eating their young. My point is Tortorella's shelf life is coming to it's expiration date. You read it first here. I guaranty it.
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@RicanRangerFan -- Wrong on all points. And, btw, if Miller had a "bitch fit" he wouldn't be here, just ask Sean Avery. That's no way to stick around. Miller is here because he has more professional experience, not just college, and plays a more aggressive game. Look for the hockey explanation, the soap opera explanation doesn't fly.
@AG_Blue I am sorry to say but I have reliable sources on the previous rant. I don't usually post such information as it is hard to explain a point to a fan who is passionate, knowledgeable, and loves the game like yourself. However I KNOW for a fact of what I stated before. I don't post gossip like Spector, or other yahoos. I don't write blogs,I don't get stimulated by caps and numbers.However I understand your reply. Your comparison to Sean Avery is not a good example. Sean Avery never had the upside as JT Miller or Chris Krieder. Sean Avery was a hockey fans either nightmare or dream. He was a hockey PR firm trying to buck an institution of old timers hockey. See my latest rant and judge for yourself you can call me a heretic or lunatic but hockey is in my blood not koolade
@RicanRangerFan There was nothing to ruin with Kreider, he was just really overrated... Like I've been saying for a while now, he's making the same stupid mistakes now that he did during last season's playoffs, except now he's not even producing goals. He's not top line material yet, and he's done nothing to earn any confidence in his ability to play big minutes.
@coontzbloontz Thank you very much for your reply. OverRated? Has a good Agent? Who drafted Chris Krieder? Over Rated by who the fans? Is your profession a scout? An Agent with Hockey players in your stable that would like to be in next years Draft? If so please chirp @RicanRangerFan . I may have a connection to get those players in next years draft. Child please don't state that any professional hockey player playing in the NHL is overRated unless you are a Scout for an NHL team. It's your opinion I respect that as a fan but don't insult a NHL scout, NHL player with Overated unless you are in a Hockey Rotisserie League and are making a purchase of said players.
Thinking about it you have to look back at this game and see it as a missed opportunity. It would have been HUGE for this teams confidence if they could have gotten a point out of this game, and maybe even 2 going into the 3rd down 3-1. But they could not pull it off and we are back where we started before tonight, with one less game to play.
@slapshot13j Somebody buy this guy an NHL team to coach so he can tank it already.... never seen so much bandwagoner griping from one person.
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Also find it extremely sad that this far in Anton Stralman has more goals than Brad Richards, and the same as Rick Nash... Injuries or not that is embarrassing.
Bring Ferriero back up and send down Mashinter, and send down Kreider and put in Nash when he is healthy. I really hope we can also find someone to replace the worst player on our team, Brian Boyle, and we should be fine. Mashinter and Kreider both have some kinks to work out still. Boyle has no place in the NHL at this point and time, he does nothing but throw his body around and that is not what the Rangers need on the third line...
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@slapshot13j I really dont get the hate towards boyle. He has been good since being demoted. He is a 3/4 line player who can grind and last year he played very well, not to mention he was our best forward at times in the playoffs last year. The team is not playing well, lay off boyle. It's just silly to say he sucks and doesn't belong in the NHL. Makes you sound ignorant.
@slapshot13j @coontzbloontz Im not going to argue with you anymore, you can say he is playing poorly but to say he doesnt belong in the NHL and that he sucks is meaningless coming from a fan. It's all emotion. He is playing on an NHL team because people who have more knowledge about hockey than any of us ever will, think he belongs there. You are going to far. I know we are supposed to be emotional as fans, but try to be a bit rational once in a while. Brining up a stat like 1 point in 20 games means nothing. Torts always says its about playing the right way and not necessarily about production, that is a byproduct of playing the right way. Every athlete has ups and downs. He scored 20 last year, if he scores 1 this year, he is probably a 10 goal scorer in the NHL who can grind. Again, ignorant statement saying he sucks.
@coontzbloontz @ivanricov not to mention 2 of the dumbest penalties by any team in the NHL all year, which in my opinion have cost us 2 if not 3 points...
@coontzbloontz @ivanricov 1 point in 20 games is no scapegoat, it is just flat out atrocious.
@ivanricov Boyle is 20 games in and has no goals and 1 point, so yea I say he sucks. He can barely fricken skate. I know plenty of people that are better, skating wise, then Boyle is. To have him just to hit is a joke. Yea he was effective when he had some offense to his game in years past, but he has 0 offensive ability right now. Sit him down and throw Asham back in too over him...
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@ivanricov The "grind" component of last year's team really meant puck possession and keep-away along the boards — they don't have it this year, including Boyle.
@slapshot13j 30,000 ft. view is this team still looks like crap and the Garden is still deadly quiet. Changing Mashinter (who?) and Kreider (kid) for Boyle (sucks)....not changing the identity.
This team is missing a spark. The team is missing a player that will bring the crowd to life at MSG.
Give Haley a shot. Put him on the fourth line. Let him do his thing. His kind of play is infectious.
@McPhee21 @_Jack @slapshot13j Completely forgot about Haley. Don't know if he's the answer but can't disagree with your comment.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fr9gIfjowI
Pretty sure whoever's been criticzing Callahan lately can shove it right about now...
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Didn't all NHL teams have a shortened training camp? That's a poor excuse this "far" into the season. They need to get healthy, find that chemistry and roll four lines
@DieHardBlue How many teams had as much of a roster turnover as us? JT Miller made the 11th player to make his debut with the Rangers this season.
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@DieHardBlue Duh, they all had shortened camps. But some teams NEED the team building and camaraderie and Torts combine, etc. more than others...the Rangers NEED that to be a decent team apparently.
@DieHardBlue It's a reason for the bad play when it was the reason we were beating teams last year... and also, shit happens... hopefully they will find "it" at some point... soon... hopefully...
NYR Blog- Do you feel that the system coach Torts has implemented for these current players is effective & working or do you see a system in failure? Can a run & gun system w/offense first be better suited?
The Rangers effort in the second period was awful... There was one player on the ice and it was cally, but you cant play the game with one player...
This team is listless...Cally is the only Ranger playing with heart. The kids are hardly playing with the passion you'd expect to see trying to make their mark in the NHL. Blame can be placed from top to bottom so far this season, and this lack of scoring continues to hound this team like it has for the last few seasons! Disgusted...
@TheNYRBlog I guess the goal is just to get to the PO's and take it from there.(not close to the results I was expecting....)
With such a short season that effort is not good enough.....we will be lucky to make the playoffs.
@carrlax11 And what was Stepan doing when he tokk the puck below the goal line on two wide open opportunities in front of the net. Needed to one time the 2nd period chance.
@KevinDeLury @carrlax11 trade bait - he can barley get a shot off - whiffs - misses - basically just struggling every time he has an opportunity and where's his play making gone?
The only "Mashinter Watch" I want right now is watching him walk out the door at MSG and keep going till he hits Hartford. Kreider was equally as brutal. Not sure what happened to him but he needs to be with Whale until he figures it out.
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@KevinDeLury How can you continue to critique Kreider when the coach doesn't play him? They are destroying him.
Have to agree with you there Kev. I also wanted Mashinster called up....but he needs to go back down...Kreider can keep him company on the ride back to CT.
I'm still looking for a spark and toughness.....time to start a Haley watch. Would like to see him called up. ..play on the fourth line...hopefully he will bring a high energy spark to the team....while providing needed toughness.
@McPhee21 @KevinDeLury Hey, there were some who just stated that Boyle could not skate, we just traded away @Rupper17 because coach said he was concerned about the speed of the game. Then you want who? Haley ask the FishSticks why they did not sign him?
@McPhee21 @KevinDeLury a haley watch... i dont think so. Would rather see ferriero brought back. Thought he was tough and brought a spark to our team when he was here. Feel like he would play great with Powe
