Rangers 2, Hurricanes 1, SO
The New York Rangers (14-12-2) defeated the Carolina Hurricanes (15-11-2) by the score of 2-1 in a shootout, tonight. For a box score go to Yahoo! Sports.
...i hate to say one play during the course of a year might have saved the season, but that's exactly what that stop by Lundqvist in the second period might have done. Changed the momentum of the game and obviously led to the victory. And with just 20 games left, I'm not sure they would have been able to recover from another loss to a team they're fighting with for a playoff spot.
...it's absolutely baffling to me how this Rangers team can watch Ryan Callahan make things happen time and again by going to the net and no one else follows his lead.
...while I always knew Stepan was going to be a solid NHLer, he's been a point per game player for over a month. Never expected that kind of production
...was awesome seeing Marc Staal in the house tonight. Very unexpected, as I assumed he was still stuck at home with a bag of frozen peas on his face. And seeing the Rangers defense scrabbling for most of the night, he can't get back soon enough.
...was Gaborik better tonight? Sure. But I don't think I saw him fight for one puck out there. Which isn't good for his trade value, especially when there where 17 scouts at MSG for the game.
...obviously going to be lots of focus on Miller's shootout winner (man that was the ugliest shootout goal ever), but the kid played one hell of a game before that, bringing a physical element that has been missing from this team. Got to get him off that third line though.
...as we all look for reasons as to why this team struggles, I think tonight showed that the definitive answer is confidence. When the Rangers finally broke their shutout streak, they looked like a different team. They began to skate, had actual puck possession, which led to scoring chances.
...every Eastern Conference head coach just officially penciled in their back-up goaltender to start against the Rangers for the remainder of the year.
...according to good friend of the blog Scotty Hockey, Richards has now played over 90 minutes of power play hockey without scoring an extra man goal. Good thing the Rangers signed him to fix the power play.
...if Nash does anything but deke during the shootout or a breakway for the rest of the season he should be benched. Filthy.
...i dare someone to give me a reason to keep Pyatt in the line-up.
...tonight is why I've been so vehemently against the Rangers trading Del Zotto. The skill is there, he just needs to find consistency.
...no player other than Callahan or Stepan has scored for the Rangers in the last 12 periods.
...when you're mired in a slump you're never going to just breakout with a seven goal game, so while this win was far from being perfect, I'll take the two points and get ready to take on the Devils at the Rock aka "MSG South" tomorrow night.
Game highlights...
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I agree that Miller's been playing like a top-6 guy, but the question there is who you bump off the top 6? Richards and Gaborik have been playing terribly, but have no business playing on a checking line. Torts tried it earlier with Gaborik and he just looked lost. And the other four (Nash, Cally, Step, Hags) have all been playing great hockey and shouldn't be demoted.
I'll also use this opportunity to give Hags some love. Is it just me or is he everywhere? Really need to reunite Step-Hags-Nash line. Maybe Cally will put some spark back in Richards and Gaborik if he gets put up on the top line with them?
@TheNYRBlog Don't think Pyatt played badly. Worked hard along the boards and did get the forecheck going with Boyle and Miller.
@NiklasNHLkollen Rangers need some scoring from bottom six and he's providing no offense.
@TheNYRBlog Have to agree with you on that point, but who's gonna solve that problem? Have to reassign Kreider again then.
@TheNYRBlog He will probably be recalled if the team continues to struggle. Hughe game tonight, like yesterday.
@TheNYRBlog Yeah I like the kid but I also like the idea of him getting his game back at the Whalers.
@NiklasNHLkollen I'd like to see Kreider recalled and put on that third line with Miller and either Boyle or Pyatt. It's a risk tho.
It's remarkable how poor the lower 6 forwards are on this team. After the top six, there is a tremendous drop off in scoring.
Here's an interesting fact. There are three forwards in the league to have played in at least 28 games this season without scoring a goal. Phoenix C Boyd Gordon, Pittsburgh LW Tanner Glass (30) and Rangers C Jeff Halpern (28).
@ShreddyMercury Powe and Halpern have been very effective this season actually....I'm glad we have them.
@ShreddyMercury -- no scoring, yes, but that doesn't necessarily make them "poor" ... I think Halpern and Powe are actually quite good at what they do. I'd love it if they would score too, but they do help the team in other ways.
@AG_Blue I agree they are role players and that's all well and good, but this team has scored 2 regulation goals in the last four games. That's downright pathetic.
WWSAD?
@AG_Blue @ShreddyMercury I guess I'm one of the few who think Avery is an immature, unprofessional douche - the team doesn't need that, or anythiing like Claude Lemieux or Dale Hunter...
@ShreddyMercury -- AhHahahaha.... that's great. Well, I can guarantee Avery wouldn't be moping around like a few of these guys seem to be. And he'd probably score a frickin goal.
@ShreddyMercury -- i don't know what "WWSAD" means, but yes, that is downright pathetic ... it's also just crazy and weird! I mean, some periods in there they haven't taken many shots, but other times they're really shooting and just can't find the net .....
Gaborik looks like he's hurt. He's scared to make any contact whatsoever, and seems to be doing everything in his power to protect that shoulder. I know playing the body isn't part of his game but makes me wonder if he isn't 100%... maybe it's mental?? He had a few good looks though. LGR!
@Iron Mike -- i saw him throw a pretty good hit in the beginning of the first period before he took that stupid penalty (if he had just kept moving his feet there he didn't have to trip staal). he definitely skated into some areas where he could've been crushed too, so i really don't think he's scared. there is definitely a mental struggle going on with him, and he's not the only one.
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"...no player other than Callahan or Stepan has scored for the Rangers in the last 12 periods."
^That is amazing and depressing at the same time. WTG Cally & Stepan; the rest of you guys, get your shit together.
Bobby Sanguinetti. Wasn't he supposed to be the next Brian Leetch? Just like Del Zaster was supposed to be the next Sanguinetti?
@TheNYRBlog what save? didnt see the game..game highlights didnt show anything to write home about
"...i dare someone to give me a reason to keep Pyatt in the line-up."
Because he works hard along the boards. Ha ha ha ha!!!!!
In regards to Del Zaster, did he hit the net with a shot last night? The move he made, he deeked himself out because he was the one that fell and eventually lost the puck. What a joke!
And speaking of PP goals, when was the last time Del Zaster, our PP "quaterback", scored one?
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@Beckfan5 you really need to give the MDZ hate a rest, he had a fantastic game last night. His offensive game hasn't been great this season but he's really picked it up defensively.
@Beckfan5 The only thing worse than Scotty Hockey is the sad individual who looks up to and tries to be him.
@TheNYRBlog I had to drink pretty heavily to get that win last night. Paying for it today. Haha.
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THe Rangers if they are going to make a trade, should be looking tomove Richards and not Gabby. While Gabby is in a slump I feel he will come out of it, however Richards looks like he done. He is slow as crap in the winter time, can't find the net and can't get the puck to any line mate. But becasue he is a Tortorella favorite he isn't going anywhere and will never be benched. But right now he SUCKS!
@johnpal I think Tortorella just thinks he's in a funk. Tortorella definitely knows him a lot better than us and a lot of other coaches. That's gotta count for something... I hope...
But yeah I agree, from the outside it seems like a combo of a slump and just getting old quick. He probably didn't keep well enough in shape during the lockout, too.
I think the increased media and fan pressure is starting to get to him too. With less pressure on a small market team, he'd probably bounce back from a slump quicker, but he's never dealt with the hostile NY media quite like this yet. Before he played on Tampa and Dallas, pretty low key fanbases.
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Richards was so bad on the PP last night that Torts called Hartford and told them to bench Kreider!!!!!
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This is a not a rhetorical question. What in the hell is wrong with RIchards? He has no vision, no legs and seemingly no desire. Someone out there knows.
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Personally I think Miller fits in fine on the 3rd line. They had a decent amount of offensive zone time, some shots... Boyle played well. Pyatt was definitely the least effective on that line, but why should MIller be bumped up because he had a good game? Haven't you guys been whining about a lack of production in the bottom 6? Well, this game we had a great checking line. That's what it looks like.
@coontzbloontz the third line had a really good game yesterday. lots of hitting and forecheck pressure, I was pleased.
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@coontzbloontz I agree. Miller is a much needed spark plug for the bottom 6. Stop trying to have your cake and eat it too re: 3rd and 4th lines. And although Pyatt had a rough go, I think he's been pretty solid this year. Put Boyle in the booth, bring up Kreider and keep the 4th line the same and I think our bottom 6 will help win us some games.
@Scott_from_Jersey @coontzbloontz Couldn't agree more. Everyone flipped when Gaborik was on the 3rd line, now people are complaining about Miller. Unless there's a way to get more than 6 people on the top 2 lines, someone has to play on the 3rd. The problem isn't that Miller deserves a better title than 3rd line center/winger, its that he deserves better linemates. He's playing with two guys who have rocks for hands. Bring Kreider back up to play 3rd line winger, and give the 3rd line some actual ice time. Would love to see Halpern center the two kids. He continues to be one of the faster, harder hitting guys on our team. Not bad for 36.
Bottom line, the line you're on only matters if your coach doesn't use you. If Torts would grow up and roll four lines, it wouldnt matter what line Miller was on.
@KevinDeLury @johnnyb3910 @Scott_from_Jersey Maybe so. It would be badass if they threw him on a line with Nash for at least a couple shifts. I think he could handle it.
@coontzbloontz @johnnyb3910 @Scott_from_Jersey Was definitely one of Boyle's better games, but I still think Boyle and Pyatt hold back his offensive creativity.
@KevinDeLury @johnnyb3910 @Scott_from_Jersey I thought he played well with Boyle tonight... they both got some shots off, forechecked, and had plenty of offensive zone time. Miller wasn't doing it all by himself. However I do agree that Pyatt is much less noticeable in games these days.
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@johnnyb3910 @Scott_from_Jersey @coontzbloontz I don't think people are complaining he's on the 3rd line it's more about his linemates on the 3rd line. They're totally holding him back. Maybe Kreider is the answer.
Basically they can win with tonight's 2nd and 3rd period gamestyle if they step it up more.1.Good goaltending. 2.Keep the opponent to the outside at all times in Ranger's zone and gain possesion. 3.Get up quickly through the neutral zone and maintain possession, get shots to the net and take it to the net. 4. Defence pinch in. 5.more shots on net. They didn't score enough with this style in this game, but if they keep doing this they will start scoring a few more and win a few more.Do they have enough skill to play this way against better teams? I think they can.They just gotta stay focused and not mess up
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Glad we won. Need to build off this. I'm still very uneasy at the thought of our team being blown up due to the insufferable fate of being a .500 team with 20 games left to play.
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BTW any hopes people had for Perry thats over, signed a HUGE extension, so now everyone can turn their attention to Fowler and Ryan from Anaheim
First of all HUGE game tomorrow... Must win.
I said it before, but I don't think it was a great game still incapable of scoring, and the first line with the "Big 3" put up nothing. Need to find a way to score tomorrow night.
The only thing I saw tonight was JT Miller is being wasted. That third line has no talent with Pyatt and Boyle with which he can work with. In my opinion he is a top 6 player, but there is no space on the team for him to be. The answer to me is bring up Kreider and get him on that line to add more talent, and I am still saying bring in Clowe. That would be a third line teams would fear, instead of one that just struggles to stay even with the other team.
@slapshot13j You realize that after every recap you always say that the next game is a HUGE game and a must win?
@ShreddyMercury -- sometimes they are all big games ... especially when you got a team trying to find it's identity ...
@KevinDeLury I just think he has the perfect kind of talent for our team. A Brian Boyle that can skate, and score more consistently. Plus San Jose has said they are trying to move him before the deadline multiple times. He is a UFA at the end of the season...
@KevinDeLury @slapshot13j Sorry, didn't realize the thread went this long. Totally irrelevant statement now.
@slapshot13j @ivanricov @KevinDeLury If you score ZERO goals you do not deserve to be paid $3+ million per season. End of story.
Why not just give Halpern and Powe $3+ per?
@slapshot13j @ivanricov But no one was saying his line was lethal and he wasn't making $3.625 million.
@ivanricov @KevinDeLury @slapshot13j When Brandon Dubinsky had 1 goal, he was still giving something to the team, which is what clowe does... Brian Boyle does not
@KevinDeLury @slapshot13j he just hates Boyle with the burning passion of a million suns. Now at least he is trying to mask it by saying a guy who scores zero goals is better than Boyle because he is a free agent next year.
@JP_70 Again you are talking about a cap hit that disappears after the year, so essentially if you can fit it under it does not matter. And if you go back the year before he was injured he also scored more than 20 goals. He plays like Dubinsky, and could be a great spark for our team (more so than boyle and pyatt) and has the capability of scoring.
@slapshot13j You're comparing Clowe to Boyle, Dubinsky and Pyatt. THe one thing that Clowe has for sure is a serious fucking cap hit.
@KevinDeLury I do know that, and again he will be a UFA this year so not worried about the cap hit in the future. If you havent seen him play, numbers dont tell the whole story (like dubinsky if you will). He might not have the goals, but he is doing everything else for his team. Also, he has 9 assists can you remind me again how many points Boyle has? He has had just around 20 goals his last 4 seasons, Boyle and Pyatt are not even close to that. If you don't like him, everyone has their own opinion. I just think with him, miller and Kreider it makes our third line lethal, as opposed to being a joke that is incapable of scoring
@slapshot13j You know he has zero goals this year, averages under 20 per year and makes $3.625 million this season?
