Power Play Rolling
After showcasing what could have been the worst looking power play in the history of the NHL the first 18 games of the season, the Rangers have finally shown some life with the extra man and it's translating into victories.
They have scored at least one power play goal in each game of their four game winning streak, going 5-for-15 in that span. They have also climbed out of the cellar for power play futility and are currently tied for 21st in the league with a 15.4% success rate. It was under 10% just a week ago.
Where the extra man seemed to kill momentum for the Rangers earlier in the season, it is now sparking their play and even winning them games as seen on Long Island last night.
I hate to bring it up, because the guy is ailing, but I find it interesting that the power play woes seem to instantly disappear as soon as Richards was taken off the ice after the Patrick Kaleta hit.
Coincidence? Absolutely, but God forbid the Rangers start to struggle again when he gets back in the line-up.
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Thought last night was the worst they looked on the 5 on 4 powerplay in a couple games... The 4 on 3 looked very good. Just saying their two regulation power plays looked terrible
call me crazy but even though the PP % has improved lately I still wouldn't say it's rolling. I humbly disagree there. And I think that the problems go deeper than Richards. Anyone see the two atrocious regulation power plays last night? Richards wasn't in the line up then. Over passing - not finding a way to get shots through - not enough going to the net. Yes Gabby scored on the 4 on 3 but this team has a very long way to go to become a good consistent power play performer (alliteration!). If you wanna be an elite team you have to have that PP playing MUCH better on a consistent basis. They are moving in the right direction - I hope they get the balance right.
It would also help if the refs gave the opposition no PP time for the rest of the season!
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I don't think it's a coincidence. I mean look at the 5-min major when he got hurt. The Rangers scored two quick goals then I don't think they had another shot the moment he came back. With him there, the guys wait for him to tell them what to do and since he constantly loses the puck, they end up just standing around or skating the length of the ice to get the puck. Without him, they actually have to make decisions and that seems to be working. I do hope he gets back soon but hopefully he stays off the PP.
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I don't think its a coincidence at all. Problem #1 is he's been a turnover machine, and problem #2 is that everyone is trying to get him going so they willingly pass it to the turnover machine.
I don't see the harm in putting BR on the second unit when he comes back. If it aint broke, don't fix it. Last night with 30 seconds left in one of the PPs Torts baiscally put the 3rd line out there. Is that really much better than what we had to watch for the first month??
PP Unit #1 - Cally, Step, Hags, Nash, DZ
PP Unit #2 - Miller, Richard, Pyatt, Girardi, (insert another d-man here), I'm thinking Richards takes the face-off then moves to the wing, Pyatt gets in front. If Richards is going to keep turning the puck over, you have to at least move him down into the zone so he has support. His turnovers are magnified when he's at the point bc it leads to shorthanded opportunities.
@TheNYRBlog I thought Gaborik looked great on the point firing away even before the winner. Keep Stepan down low.
@TheNYRBlog it was looking good before he went down too. They got 2 PP goals on right after he got hurt. I like him on the Pp
