Rangers @ Penguins (Game 27)
The New York Rangers (13-11-2) visit the Pittsburgh Penguins (20-8-0) at CONSOL Energy Center starting at 1:00 p.m. For a preview go to Yahoo! Sports.
TV: MSG; Radio: ESPN Radio (97.8 FM), XM 97
Live Stream (Don't click on ads in stream, may download virus):
http://www.firstrow1.eu/watch/175153/1/watch-pittsburgh-penguins-vs-new-york-rangers.html
Probable Lines:
Hagelin-Richards-Nash
Gaborik-Stepan-Callahan
Pyatt-Boyle-Miller
Haley-Halpern-Powe
McDonagh-Girardi
Del Zotto-Stralman
Hamrlik-Eminger
Goaltenders:
Henrik Lundqvist - 11-10-1, 2.27 gaa, .920 sv%, 0 so.
Marc-André Fleury - 14-5-0, 2.58 gaa, .905 sv%, 0 so
Opponent Notes:
- The Penguins have won seven straight.
- Pittsburgh has outscored the Rangers 25-8 in winning the last six meetings
- Sidney Crosby has 21 points (4g, 17a) in his last 10 games.
- Chris Kunitz has 17 goals and 18 assists over his last 21 games.
- Marc-Andre Fleury, 12-3-0 since the start of February, has gone 4-0-0 with a 1.25 GAA in his last four meetings with the Rangers.
- James Neal has 20 points (10g, 10a) in his last 16 games.
- Evgeni Malkin is out with an upper body injury.
- Kris Letang has 12 assists in the last seven games.
2013 Season Series:
Jan. 20 Rangers 3, Penguins 6 at MSG
Jan. 31 Rangers 0, Penguins 3 at MSG
March 16 Rangers vs. Penguins at Pittsburgh
April 3 Rangers vs. Penguins at MSG
April 5 Rangers vs. Penguins at Pittsburgh
Opponent Blog:
The Pens Blog
Remember to follow me on Twitter & Facebook or e-mail me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
1 Like
Brooksie is arguing on Twitter that Torts' system is not causing individual Rangers to make terrible plays. True, but I think the system has demoralized the team. It is simply not a coincidence that this team cannot score every year, regardless of the players. Nash was supposed to solve our offensive woes. And he hasn't because he's been plugged into Torts' scoring is death philosophy. No new players or awesome trades is going to solve this problem. Torts has to go.
Has anyone looked at our remaining schedule? Rough to say the least. This team used to be fun to watch and there used to be a feeling that we could come back from a goal deficit, where has that gone I miss it. Ughhh.
Would hate to see Rangers blown up. Leave team as is with Torts. Make a couple of depth moves during summer or trade deadline & see if they can win under normal circumstances.
If it doesn't workout this season or next, Gabby is gone next summer, buyout Richards and start over with Nash as focal point.
1 Like
Hey Kev,
Dugay said it best earlier..."its one thing to lose...but go down swinging".
He was talking about the passion level...the chippiness...the physicality...and its just not there.
I know I sound like a broken record....but the Rangers need to play a more physical, chippier brand of hockey. And if some players dont want to play that way...get them out...bring guys in who will.
Haley plays that kind of game...but its not enough. We need another forward or two....and another Dman who plays that way. Aggressive, tough players. Players who will rough up an opponent's best player. Players who finish every check on every single shift. And when your team comes out flat on occasion, these players will bring the others into the fray....by causing scrums on the ice....fighting....it raises the team's passion level
It's up to Sather....get a few more of these "passionate" players into the line-up......things will change dramatically..
@KevinDeLury I'd leave the team as is, but NOT with Torts. This isn't the NFL where the coaching staff needs certain guys to play key roles in a certain coach's system. Firing Torts is not "blowing up" the team.
@KevinDeLury Well if he's sticking around, Torts needs to re-work his approach at coaching this team. There is a lot of very good talent being wasted out there. Here's a start: Safe is death.
4 game losing streak for Hank, and the rangers have 4 goals in those games... Feel bad for the King
@slapshot13j -- Hank hasn't been that great either, although he's looked better in the last couple games, getting that feeling back and putting together a more sustained effort
1 Like
First of all I'd like to thank the rangers for allowing me this extra time this afternoon to set up for my st Pattys day party tonight. I've tried to avoid it, but I'm getting on the Fire Torts bandwagon now. This team is embarrassing. I don't know if anyone else got stuck watching the Pittsburgh feed on NHLN, but their between the boards guy noted in the 1st period when Nash lost his stick that he went to the bench for a new on, but NO ONE WAS PAYING ATTENTION TO THE GAME so he skated right by and kept playing without one! On the second goal, they cut to Torts dropping F bombs on the bench while his players sat in front of him, completely uninterested. Then they cut to Stralman leaving the box and you could tell he had no interest in finding out from Torts that it was all his fault they were losing. This team is toning him out. Embarrassing....
@johnnyb3910 -- i hear you, brother ... i've been putting it off too, but things are looking bad
@johnnyb3910 I was wondering how on Earth Nash went to the bench and skated back empty handed. What is going on?
@slapshot13j if i'm Sather, i'd fire him today. I have a bad feeling Sather has more "loyalty" to torts than his players for some reason and we end up making shitty trade deadline moves instead of firing the coach.
It's kind of a cop out, but I think not having training camp really killed our season from the start. Torts never established his message to the new guys and there was no team concept from the beginning.
@slapshot13j wouldn't have scored 1 here yet, would still be playing 5 minutes a night because Torts still doesn't "trust" him yet...
... not sure why they haven't cloned Staal ... or maybe they did after the concussion and now the clone is broken
because Girardi is severely injured, they've had to employ his clones of late, and those things clearly aren't as good as the real thing ... get well soon, Dan!
HAHAHA, 13 months between shutouts for Fleury, of course his last one came against us too...
1 Like
it's really a shame to see what this team has become ... i understand expectations were high coming into the season, but those expectations were somewhat justified ... this is a really good team on paper ... it's a shame to watch as they can barely put a game together
@slapshot13j -- that's the thing that's really been killing me and it points to the larger issues we don't see behind the scenes ... you gotta find 60 minutes to play a hockey game, fellas
3 Like
I hope one of the writers has the guts to ask Torts some tough question in post game. Make him totally snap.
@jslnyr1102 Too bad bloggers can't get press credentials. Then you'd really see Torts' head explode.
@jslnyr1102 Nope they will look at the floor and say "how do you feel about the lack of scoring?"
2 Like
this rangers team hasn't only lacked scoring, but their toughness has been questioned from within, and the team's leadership is lacking as the group doesn't show much character or identity at this point. coach, can you explain or at least comment?
Just saying since I bought the Nash jersey, rangers are 0-3 and he has 0 goals.... Sorry guys
1 Like
Dugay absolutely nailing it in the post game....
Have to play with passion....have to be more physcial....have to play chippy out there......be aggressive and nasty
Playing physical and being chippy....is a MENTALITY. Anyone can play that way...but you have to WANT to do it.
And if you have guys that don't want to play that way....ship them out...and bring in guys who will play that way.
For starters...give the Sharks what they want...pay their asking price...and get Ryane Clowe ASAP
i definitely agree that the team concept is not working ... and it doesn't seem to be shaped around the roster and individuals' strengths ... there are a bunch of good guys in this group and i know they could string some wins together, but not like this ...
@jslnyr1102 -- i understand where you're coming from, but i'm sure this is a multifaceted equation ... it's pretty hard to tell what's happening from where we're sitting ... but torts certainly doesn't seem to be the answer ... it's not happening
1 Like
Torts did a nice job leading this team for a few years. I hope Sather has the stones to fire him. Its time.
2 Like
Torts post game press conference should interesting. Lets see if he gives Sam a hard time again.
