Game #65 Flyers dominate undisciplined Rangers on special teams to deal a big loss, Strome benched, Comeback falls short

Posted on March 1, 2020 by Derek

Newest Flyer Derek Grant shows off his two pucks after scoring his first goal and assist as a Flyer in a 5-3 win over an undisciplined Rangers, who wasted a big opportunity on Sunday. AP Photo credit Flyers via Getty Images

Any loss at this point of the season is bad. That’s understood. The Rangers weren’t ready to play hockey today. They got what they deserved. An ugly 5-3 loss to the Flyers, who swept the home-and-home series at MSG.

By losing again to the Alain Vigneault and Kevin Hayes Flyers, they’re now 0 for 3 against them having allowed five goals in each loss. That’s sad. Even sadder were the special teams. The Rangers took some very undisciplined penalties to cost themselves a golden opportunity. The Flyers made them pay by connecting for three power play goals and even a gut wrenching one shorthanded that really hurt.

It was so bad that Ryan Strome got benched by coach David Quinn for the entire third period after his second awful penalty led directly to a Travis Konecny power play goal. That made it 5-1. It took all of five seconds for Jake Voracek to set up Konecny. Strome never saw the ice again. He earned his seat.

In the first start by Henrik Lundqvist in nearly a month, it was an unmitigated disaster. After he made a first save to cheers from the supportive home crowd, it turned ugly real fast. A very bad Ryan Lindgren hooking minor 23 seconds into play guaranteed that. Before two minutes had been played, Matt Niskanen tapped in his eighth from Nicholas Aube-Kubel and Travis Sanheim at 1:52.

Even though the game remained 1-0 Flyers for a while, you never got the sense the Rangers were in it. They misfired on some chances during a power play drawn by Brendan Lemieux. The first unit held the puck for a long time by patiently moving it around. But Mika Zibanejad missed on a great opportunity that would’ve tied it. That would cause frustration later in the period.

The Flyers did a good job limiting Ranger shots. While they were willing to test a rusty Lundqvist from everywhere, the home team didn’t get enough shots on Carter Hart early. They let him get comfortable. He’s been playing well. By not being more aggressive shooting the puck, it only hurt themselves. They needed a better start with Lundqvist not sharp.

A tacky Strome penalty for hooking Voracek, who embellished it, didn’t help matters. While I hated the call, the penalty kill barely tried. They seemingly gave the Flyers too much space and watched them move the puck around until Voracek wisely threw a low shot at Lundqvist that he gave up a bad rebound on right to Sean Couturier for a tap in at 11:19 that made it 2-0.

Even if I didn’t like the penalty on Strome, it was another example of him taking an unnecessary minor in the offensive zone. He takes a lot of them due to being lazy with his stick. A bad habit that must be corrected the last 17 games for the team to have any chance at the playoffs. By losing, they now most hope Vancouver can go into Columbus later and keep them reeling. I wouldn’t bank on it. The Rangers have their own issues with the Blues coming in Tuesday.

Prior to Hayes tripping up Brendan Smith, the afternoon crowd were all over the refs for a missed stick hold on Julien Gauthier. However, Hayes went to the box for tripping Smith. This was a chance to breathe some life into the building. Instead, the top unit stayed out too long and gave up a draining shorthanded goal to noted sniper Michael Raffl. This was embarrassing. They lost the puck at the Flyers blueline and allowed a two on none with Derek Grant passing for Raffl, whose backhand beat Lundqvist for a 3-0 lead with 2:07 left.

What a disastrous period. Not only were they abominable. But they didn’t exactly help out Lundqvist in his return. You don’t get a penalty 23 seconds in from one of your best defensemen, who doubles on the penalty kill. And you certainly don’t kill penalties like you’re allergic to the puck and the opponent. This was one of the worst periods of the season. The rebound Lundqvist allowed on the second goal was horrible. It also was predictable.

There were so many things wrong that it really fell apart fast. The second was no better. Before I even got back from a stop at the deli, it was 4-0 Flyers. Apparently, Grant was permitted to go right through the defense and beat a slow reacting Lundqvist, who went for the poke check. That made it a four goal deficit for the Rangers.

Humiliating would be one way to describe it. In a game they needed, there was zero urgency. Why should I rush back to see them mail it in? It was no better when I walked back in. At least I enjoyed my roast beef and hot peppers. It was like they said to Lundqvist, “Welcome back. Hope you missed this.”

I am not going to pin blame on the goalie for this one. He hadn’t played since Feb. 3. They set him up to fail. It would’ve been nice of them to come out sharper. That was the most disappointing aspect. I half wondered if he’ll ever get another game. There are 17 left. Alex Georgiev needed a rest after going three games over four nights. Despite what drunk Mike Milbury said on NBC, he was wrong. This would’ve been start four in less than six nights. Not ideal. How Milbury stays employed while Jeremy Roenick isn’t is one of life’s great mysteries.

The bottom line is the Rangers took a risk. They can’t start Georgiev in every game. Lundqvist wasn’t up to the challenge. But this was a piss poor effort by the team until the third period. Why they waited so long to finally play is better left for them to answer. Chris Kreider or no Chris Kreider.

I didn’t care for the officiating. In a reputation call, they sent Brendan Lemieux to the box for 12 minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct and a tacky misconduct. How dare him challenge Aube-Kubel with his team looking like they saw dead people. That put the Blueshirts a man down. They managed to kill a penalty. Miraculous in itself.

The Flyers gave them opportunities to come back. Zibanejad drew consecutive penalties on Nate Thompson (hi-sticking) and Sanheim (tripping). On the first one, it took Zibanejad all of 13 seconds to neatly deflect an Artemi Panarin pass by Hart for a career high 31st goal that cut it to 4-1 with 7:26 left in the second. Tony DeAngelo added a secondary helper.

On the second, they were unable to cash in. Had they, things could’ve gotten interesting. The best chance came from Pavel Buchnevich, who had some room in front. But instead of taking the puck to the net and trying a backhand, he passed it instead to no avail. He was in the spot Kreider usually occupies. Buchnevich is a different style player. But he is getting better at playing a more involved game for offense. Something we saw later.

Following the Flyer penalty kill, then Strome took his ill advised slash on Robert Hagg. This came nine seconds following the power play. What happened next was so predictable, it was like they saw their shadow. Off a face-off win, they watched Provorov and Voracek combine to setup Konecny for a tip in front for his 23rd to restore a four goal lead at 15:34. That gave Voracek six assists in the two game series. It was way too easy.

As soon as Strome got back to the bench, his day was done. He did it to himself. At that point, the Flyers were 3-for-4 on the power play and one other goal came shorthanded. They only had one even strength goal which was early in the period on a defensive breakdown. There was so much not to like about the Rangers game, it was too much to list. They only got five shots in the second. Pathetic.

In the third, they decided to try. After getting outshot 20-14, Quinn mixed up his lines. Strome was never seen again. Filip Chytil centered the second line. Panarin was teamed up with Zibanejad. Howden got bumped up.

Buchnevich drew a interference minor on Niskanen. He got rewarded for drawing the penalty when he was able to redirect a harmless DeAngelo wrist shot by Hart from Zibanejad only 12 seconds in for his 15th goal. That cut the deficit to three with 14:27 remaining.

Kaapo Kakko, who much earlier was robbed by Hart, drew a tripping minor on Thompson with 8:31 left in regulation. This time with Howden taking Strome’s place on the top unit, he kept the puck in the zone with some hustle. Panarin then passed for an open Zibanejad in front. One on one with Hart, he had a sweet finish going forehand, backhand top shelf for his 32nd goal at 12:39. It was the third power play goal of the game for the Rangers and gave Zibanejad three points (2-1-3). Panarin picked up his second assist to reach 90 points for the first time in his career.

With still 6:21 left in regulation, there was enough time. Suddenly with the momentum, the Rangers attacked the Flyers at every turn. A great move by Buchnevich behind the net and terrific pass in front nearly resulted in a hat trick for Zibanejad. But Hart made the biggest save of the game to deny his bid. Had he scored there, who knows what could’ve happened.

The Blueshirts would generate more chances in by far their best period by outshooting the Flyers 12-6. They just couldn’t get the one goal they needed to make it interesting. Even with Lundqvist pulled for an extra attacker with over two minutes left, they threatened but couldn’t get the one shot by Hart to make their opponent sweat.

Philadelphia did a good job keying on Panarin. They took away his big shot and even limited Zibanejad, who spent a lot of time behind the net. Despite all the puck possession and no Flyers empty netter, the Rangers would fall short in their comeback attempt.

It was too little, too late. Now, it’s time to regroup. These last two games were a bust. Nobody from Hartford was recalled for Kreider. We’ll see if that changes by Tuesday. One thing that must change is Strome and his bad penalties. He really cost the team. So did Lindgren. You can’t do that against good opponents. They’ll make you pay.

Right now, the Flyers have won six in a row and sit a point out of first place in the Metro. The Caps play later. The way Vigneault has his team playing, would it surprise anyone if they won the division and made a run? They’re getting good goaltending from Hart, improved team defense (not kidding) and balanced scoring. They have strong special teams and are deep at center. They’re a threat.

While the Rangers try to figure their way out in the wildcard race, the AV Flyers could wind up reaching the Conference Finals. Especially the way the Caps and Pens have struggled. I knew they’d be good. Maybe not this good.

Somehow, some way, the Rangers better figure it out. There’s still a great opportunity to do something here in a mediocre conference. It won’t get any easier.

Battle Of Hudson Three 🌟

3rd 🌟 Mika Zibanejad, Rangers (2 PPG for new career high 32 goals plus 🍎, 6 shots, -1 in 23:56)

2nd 🌟 Jake Voracek, Flyers (2 primary assists on two power play goals, 6 assists in the 2 Flyer wins)

1st 🌟 Derek Grant, Flyers (game-winner for 15th plus 🍎, +2 in 14:37)

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HARD HITS: The Hart Race nobody wants to acknowledge

Posted on March 1, 2020 by Derek

Last night in a big 3-2 win over the Jets, Oilers center Leon Draisaitl scored twice and picked up an assist to help move Edmonton into second place in the Pacific Division. The power play goal he scored in the first period allowed him to become the first player to reach 100 points for the season.

With three points including his 38th and 39th goal along with his 62nd assist, Draisaitl leads the league in scoring with 102 points. His 10 game-winners are tied with Bruins power forward David Pastrnak for tops in the league. Pastrnak got his NHL-leading 47th goal in a Bruins 4-0 shutout at the Islanders to spoil Butch Goring day. He ranks second in scoring with 91 points (47-44-91). Nobody has more power play goals (19) with Draisaitl’s 15 second best.

Connor McDavid picked up two assists on both Draisaitl power play goals yesterday. The Oilers superstar is up to 58 assists along with 31 goals to give him 89 points in 59 games. The 58 helpers rank second behind Draisaitl. Third in scoring despite missing six games, the former MVP ranks second in power play points with 41 (11-30-41). That trails Draisaitl (15-27-42) by one. Pastrnak’s 36 (15-21-36) are third.

Many observers would point to these three players as the front-runners for the Hart Trophy. They’re the three top point getters as Doc Emrick likes to say. All are dynamic talents who make their teams better. The dynamic duo of Draisaitl and McDavid is scary while Pastrnak is featured on the best line that includes the overlooked rat Brad Marchand along with the well respected two-way pivot Patrice Bergeron.

Before you nominate these three for league MVP, Artemi Panarin is fourth in scoring with 88 points (32-56-88) for the Rangers, who are chasing the wildcard. The 32 goals and 88 points are new career highs for the Bread Man, who doesn’t play with a superstar at five-on-five. He’s mostly done it with Ryan Strome and Jesper Fast on the second line. Somehow, Panarin leads everyone in even strength points with 67. Twenty-five of his 32 goals are even strength along with 42 of his 56 assists. He’s 7-14-21 on the power play despite playing with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider until he got hurt on Friday.

Signed last summer by the Rangers for a huge salary that has an average cap hit of $11.64 million per season, the 28-year old Russian left wing boasts two point streaks of 10 or more in the same season. With an assist in Friday’s 5-2 loss to the Flyers, it made his current streak 12. Over that span, he’s got five goals and 12 assists for 17 points. While he’s certainly put the biscuit in the basket, perhaps the highlight of his first year on Broadway was the extra effort he gave to make this unreal pass for a Zibanejad rocket to beat the Islanders Tuesday.

The sheer hustle and recognition that he had run out of time due to three back checking Isles, demonstrated how brilliant he is. Not many players would make that play. He’s not only supremely skilled, but smart too. There haven’t been many off nights for Panarin, whose 88 points are 26 better than Zibanejad (62) and 30 more than linemate Strome (58). His plus-35 rating tops all NHL forwards and ranks second behind former Rangers draft pick Ryan Graves (+44).

Panarin deserves to be included in the Hart discussion. He’s been dominant for a team that wasn’t expected to make the playoffs. They might still not. Injuries to Igor Shesterkin and Kreider threaten to spoil a great run. The Rangers enter today’s afternoon return match against the Flyers two points behind Columbus for the second wildcard. They’re at 74 points with 18 games remaining on a tough schedule that includes one more home game versus the Flyers along with three big match-ups against the suddenly slumping Pens. It will not be easy to beat out the Blue Jackets, Hurricanes and Panthers.

Without Panarin, it wouldn’t be possible. He doesn’t rely on the Rangers top center Zibanejad, who’s over a point-per-game. However, they should see more time together down the stretch with Kreider out due to a fractured foot. Maybe they can create more magic together like the huge tying goal Zibanejad scored from Panarin to spark a four goal third period comeback at Montreal on Thursday.

For now at least, the Bread Man will stay with Strome and Fast on the second line at today’s start. For how well he’s played overall, it says here that he merits serious consideration for MVP. A more complete player than scoring machines Draisaitl or McDavid, if he can get this team in, it would be like what Taylor Hall did for the Devils.

We’ll see what happens in the final month plus.

Body Checks:

It comes as no surprise that David Quinn will go to Henrik Lundqvist for today’s important game. It’ll mark his first start since Feb. 3. With Alex Georgiev having worked extremely hard the last three starts over four days, it makes sense to go to the proud veteran. A day from turning 38 tomorrow, let’s see if Lundqvist can turn back the clock and deliver in front of what should be a supportive home crowd at noon.

When both Quinn and Tony DeAngelo point out that Adam Fox is overlooked for the Calder due to less points than Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar, they’re right. Fox has a plus-21 to go with his 35 points (7-28-35) while forming great chemistry with rookie partner Ryan Lindgren. Maybe he won’t be among the three candidates which could also feature Hawks sniper Dominik Kubalik. But Fox is a complete player. He could be special.

The trade for Jean-Gabriel Pageau was a good one by GM Lou Lamoriello for the Islanders. Pageau already has two goals in three games. He improves the Isles center depth that includes Mat Barzal, Brock Nelson and Casey Cizikas once he returns. But while Pageau is a solid addition, the Islanders are still struggling to score goals. It’ll come down to Anders Lee, Jordan Eberle, Anthony Beauvillier and the struggling Josh Bailey. It can’t just be about the centers with Nelson pacing them with 23 goals and Pageau, who is more finisher than playmaker.

Barzal has a tendency to hold onto the puck too much and over pass causing turnovers. He hasn’t been scoring much. A complaint we’ve started to see from Islander fans. A great skater and pass first center, he needs to shoot the puck more. He has no goals in his last 13.

The Stars and Blues played another excellent game last night that was reminiscent of their seven game second round series last year. John Klingberg forced overtime with 18 seconds left in regulation. Following a good overtime, it went to a shootout where Ryan O’Reilly got the only goal in the shootout to give St. Louis the win. They look pretty tough without Vladimir Tarasenko, who could be their big pickup once April hits.

With the Blues, Avalanche and Stars all in the same division, it’s a shame. Only one will advance out of the Central into the Western Conference Final. Meanwhile, you have the Golden Knights thanks to an eight-game winning streak a couple up on the Oilers for the Pacific with the Canucks third. Then it’s the Flames and Coyotes hanging around in the crazy playoff race that includes the Jets, Predators and Wild. The format needs to be changed.

Tough loss for the Lightning losing captain Steven Stamkos for six to eight weeks. That means they’ll likely have to get through the first round without him. With Nikita Kucherov back in MVP form, Brayden Point quietly having a big second half and Andrei Vasilevskiy in net, they should still advance. But it’s looking like they’ll finish second behind the Bruins, who should have home ice for the postseason.

I like the additions of Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie for Boston. Both should fit in well. Especially Ritchie, who plays the no nonsense physical style Bruins fans appreciate. Tuukka Rask should win his second Vezina. Charlie McAvoy remains one of the best kept secrets defensively. Charlie Coyle is a handful. They’ll be a tough out.

Can the Leafs continue to win games despite not being equipped defensively? The offense that featured 45 goal man Auston Matthews and the more consistent William Nylander should continue to produce.

Another blown third period lead by the Canadiens last night. They led the Hurricanes 3-0, but once they scored in the second period, it spelled trouble. Sure enough, Carolina rallied for two in the third including a clutch game-tying redirect from Justin Williams. That earned them a point in a 4-3 overtime loss. Jeff Petry won it for the Habs. Still, isn’t it about time Montreal cleans house? Does GM Marc Bergevin have a job for life due to two trades? At least Claude Julien finally played backup Charlie Lindgren. He got the Carey Price experience. Yes, he’s the brother of the Rangers’ Ryan Lindgren.

I don’t see why NBC has these early noon starts. It’s a inconvenience for fans who go. But whatever.

The Caps don’t look to have the goaltending to go far unless Ilya Samsonov supplants Braden Holtby, who’s been unsteady. The Pens are very strange. Can the Flyers make a run led by Carter Hart?

David Ayres is a big hero in the hockey community for coming in to relieve Carolina duo James Reimer and Petr Mrazek in a unreal Canes win at Toronto. His team he practices with while working for the Marlies as a Zamboni rider. But the NHL can’t acknowledge how good a story this is. It doesn’t fit the narrative. A 42-year old local became the most popular hockey player due to being an emergency goalie that won a game. He went on big shows and became a celebrity as well as a hero in Carolina. Only the NHL would not like this story.

Mackenzie Blackwood is an excellent goalie for the Devils despite being on a bad team.

Jack Eichel is elite on the Sabres, who remain mediocre. Get him some help.

I am not sure how you lose at the Ducks and then get shutout by the Sharks and Martin Jones as the Pens just did. This is all too confusing. They lost all three games in California including to the Kings, who compete hard for Todd McLellan. It’s a strange game.

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Looking forward in a lost season

Posted on February 29, 2020 by hasan4978

 

With just over a month left in the regular season, the Devils not only have the most unappetizing (re: meaningless) games down the stretch of the season, but also a brutal March schedule that all but guarantees some ugly nights for the die-hards who’ll be at and/or watch every game.  Sure there are things to look forward to on the big club – you hope #1 overall Jack Hughes takes a step forward in this final quarter of the season the way he really hasn’t so far, or that Nico Hischier starts putting up points like a top-line center again, though his early February injury seems to have derailed his scoring touch.  Certainly Mackenzie Blackwood is the brightest spot to this point of all the younger players, I could make a catty comment that he’s the only #1 overall I haven’t mentioned so far, but he is also older than Nico or Hughes.  Even Blackwood can only do so much to keep this sinking ship afloat game after game though.  Thankfully it seems like at least interim GM Tom Fitzgerald was willing to commit to Kyle Palmieri as a main cog for the next few years by not dealing him at the deadline and alluding to a possible extension down the road.

Other than those four players – the first three of which were specifically named as the building blocks of the next Devils core – you really don’t have a lot of assurances going forward as a Devils fan, especially since we’re still unsure whether it’ll be Fitz or someone else at the head of a ‘collaborative process‘ (with apparently more influence by franchise legend and EVP Martin Brodeur) making the decisions.  Certainly there are pieces already in the system, as well as upcoming draft picks – perhaps as many as three first-rounders this year – who can add to or supplement the core down the road.  Really that’s all you can look to as a Devils fan in these last few forgettable weeks of the NHL season, taking stock of the future at all levels of the organization.  I’d be lying if I said I gave it more of a passing thought till now, but this blog will probably help me as much as the reader in gaining some insight to our prospect pool.

First, at the AHL level you have a playoff chase with Binghamton to keep your eye on.  After a slow start for the baby Devils (7-15-4 in their first twenty-six games), they’ve turned it on in part due to additions both Fitzgerald and predecesor Ray Shero made in-season to bolster both the farm team and the Devils’ prospect stock.  Two of the pieces from the Taylor Hall trade are current Bing forwards Nick Merkley and Nate Schnarr.  Merkley in particular has made an impact with eight goals and eleven assists in 22 AHL games, already earning one promo to the NHL club and will likely be back with New Jersey before the season’s over.  Janne Kuokkanen, the centerpiece of the Sami Vatanen trade, should also help the AHL team’s stretch run…or perhaps join the Bing-NJ shuttle down the stretch himself.  Others who could potentially make an impact down the road are winger Nathan Bastian and recent callup Mike McLeod, if the latter can find a scoring touch.  Not to mention Jesper Boqvist whose first stint in the NHL didn’t go well, but he’s starting to show why he was such a highly regarded prospect heading into camp since his demotion to the AHL.

That’s the tricky part of trying to follow an AHL team, the fact you could get prospects called and recalled at a moment’s notice.  In goal for example, the Devils have shuttled Cory Schneider and Louis Domingue between the AHL and NHL all season, but with Schneider back to stay (for the rest of this season) as the Devils’ backup, and Domingue in Vancouver’s organization now, the Devils will let 24-year old Gilles Senn man the crease a lot down the stretch and he’s another to watch, in terms of potentially making an impact at the NHL level as a backup to Blackwood within the next couple of years.  Defensively guys like Dakota Mermis and Josh Jacobs have been called up out of neccesity so Bing’s really going to need the vets down there – including one-time Devil Matt Tennyson – to stabilize the defense.

Really you are watching the young guys when you watch an AHL team though, trade deadline depth acquisitions such as defensemen David Quenneville and Frederik Claesson are nice to help the young guys potentially make the playoffs and take some load off the younger players but you aren’t watching guys like them or AHL All-Star Ben Street if you’re looking at future Devils.  Though team results don’t matter to us in the end, you would like to see the young guys get a shot at some playoff hockey down there – at this moment Bing is three points out of a playoff spot with around twenty games remaining.

Making the effort to pay attention to a non-NHL team generally means either forking down the money for a stream, making the trip to go to a game or just listening on radio (if that’s even still free).  Otherwise you could just follow the team YouTube and Twitter accounts for info.

 

Same goes with the Devils’ various WHL, OHL and college prospects.  At least in the OHL the Devils have a de facto second minor-league team with no fewer than four current draft picks on the powerhouse Ottawa 67’s, headlined by recent acquisition Kevin Bahl (also from the Hall trade).  Bahl and 2019 2nd round pick Nikita Okhotyuk are both defensemen to watch, while 2019 3rd round forward Graeme Clarke had a fast start to his post-draft career (eight goals and thirteen points in eleven games) interrupted due to injury, but his recent return should only help Ottawa in the OHL playoffs.  A possible late bloomer is the fourth Devils prospect, Mitchell Hoelscher – a 6th round pick in 2018, he has 32 goals and 69 points in 57 games…and to give you an idea of how stacked Ottawa is, that point total’s only good for sixth on the team.

In the WHL, the Devils’ clear headliner is Spokane’s Ty Smith – a former first-rounder who dissapointed by not making the big team this year but still has a potentially bright future ahead, and even I have to remember the 2018 first-rounder still just 19 years old.  Perhaps suffering a bit of a letdown after being left in the WHL for a second straight post-draft season, Smith got off to a slow start this year but has picked it up since winning gold with Canada at the World Juniors and showed his talent last night with a memorable eight-point game.

 

Expect to see Spokane’s captain stick in the NHL as soon as next year, and hopefully many more years after that.  Hopefully the same could soon be said of Kelowna’s Nolan Foote (a 2019 1st-round pick), the current centerpiece of the Blake Coleman trade.  Foote has 15 goals and 33 points in 27 games during an injury-interrupted season, but he should help Kelowna’s playoff push down the stretch – and at just 19 years old himself, the future is bright for the big scoring winger as well.

Among the college kids who could be a part of the Devils’ organization in the near future are Providence’s Tyce Thompson (19 goals and 43 points in 32 games), a 2019 4th rounder who could be another late bloomer up front.  Also, Penn State’s Aarne Talvitie could be one to watch up front as a potential bottom six player down the road.  On defense, the Devils are headlined by Harvard’s Reilly Walsh (21 points in 27 games), who former GM Shero presciently told after drafting him that he should enjoy the next three years at Harvard.

 

Given this is his third year there now, he should be approached to sign a pro contract this offseason before it becomes an Adam Fox-type situation.  Boston University’s Case McCarthy could be another one to watch down the road in the stay-at-home mold.

Overseas, it seems like whatever prospects we have are really too far off for the most part to highlight there, not to mention it’s even harder to keep track of them than it is the North American team players.  At least there’s enough to comb through or watch over the next 2-3 months here, if the NHL team is just too depressing for you at this point.

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Game #64 Kreider fractures foot in crushing loss to Flyers, Rangers must respond to adversity

Posted on February 29, 2020 by Derek

Unbrotherly Love: Kevin Hayes celebrates his goal versus his former team in a Flyers 5-2 win over the Rangers, who lost Chris Kreider to a broken foot. The rematch is Sunday. AP Photo credit Flyers via Getty Images

The five-game winning streak is history. It ended in very bad fashion last night in Philadelphia. After getting an early goal from Jesper Fast, it went all downhill for the Rangers, who not only lost 5-2 to the Flyers. But also likely will be without Chris Kreider the rest of the regular season.

At the halfway mark of the first period, Kreider blocked a hard shot from Flyers defenseman Philippe Myers. After coming back for one more shift, he was done for the game. Unfortunately, it’ll be much longer. It was revealed that he suffered a fractured foot on the shot block.

That is a bitter pill to swallow. With 18 games left, the Blueshirts will have to respond to adversity without the valuable power forward, who is more than just his 24 goals and 21 assists for a total of 45 points. They certainly missed the well respected 28-year old veteran for the remainder of what was a sloppily played match by the Rangers. The end result was predictable with the Flyers putting an end to the franchise record nine-game road win streak.

There would be no miracle comeback in the later stages on Friday night. The Flyers aren’t the Canadiens. One of the league’s best home teams, they scored five in a row following the Fast tally to improve to 23-5-4 at Wells Fargo Center. Only the NHL best Bruins have lost fewer home games in regulation. They are a much better team at home in front of the rambunctious Flyer crowd.

The Rangers have learned that lesson twice. Before Christmas, they lost 5-1 to Kevin Hayes, who scored twice on former teammate Henrik Lundqvist, who could only sit and watch as they did the same exact thing to Alex Georgiev. He didn’t have much of a chance on most of the five goals. This was just a butt kicking by a more focused opponent that has been red hot. In fact, combined with the suddenly slumping Pens losing a fifth straight to the Ducks, it’s now the Flyers who sit in second place in the Metro with 81 points.

Former Ranger coach Alain Vigneault has his new team playing good hockey. They trail the Caps for first by only three. Both teams have 18 games remaining. So do the Blueshirts, who stayed two points out of the second wildcard due to the Blue Jackets getting shutout at home 5-0 by the Wild. They only have 16 left. The Hurricanes also were losers in regulation by a count of 3-2 to the Avalanche at home. Colorado used a late goal from Samuel Girard with 2:37 left in regulation to do in a Carolina rally from two down.

Here’s the thing. While it’s obvious that the teams they’re competing with for the playoffs are bruised and battered, it’s going to take a lot for the Rangers to pull this off. Now without their explosive power forward who doubles as the net front presence while having unreal chemistry with bummed out teammate Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich, it’s time for other players to step up in his absence.

I’m looking at you Kaapo Kakko, whose confidence has grown. Now could be the right time to find out what the gifted teenager can do. It will all depend on what Quinn thinks is best during each game. We know he isn’t afraid to tinker with the lines in search of the right combo. He tried Kakko for a shift and even Phil Di Giuseppe and Brett Howden, who’s playing his best hockey of the season. He got his ninth with 26 seconds left to at least end the game on the right note. The big rematch is Sunday at noon on NBC.

If not Kakko, then perhaps we’ll see more of Zibanejad being teamed up with Artemi Panarin and Fast. For Panarin, it might’ve been his worst game of the season. His turnover led to a Claude Giroux goal 2:05 after James van Riemsdyk put home a rebound to give the Flyers the lead for good. The Bread Man did manage to pick up an early assist for his team-leading 88th point. However, he wasn’t a factor finishing minus-two with three shots. His best chance to score came with the game still tied when Carter Hart robbed him on a one-timer.

Another young player who must come to the forefront is Filip Chytil. Moved back to center the third line by Quinn, he only had one shot on goal and lost 10 of 12 face-offs. As a team, the Rangers got destroyed by the Flyers on draws 36-17. In his second year, Chytil has a new career high with 13 goals. One better than last season. However, he needs to find consistency. They’re going to need him down the stretch in order to be successful.

Kreider’s injury also means someone should come up from Hartford. The candidates include Vinni Lettieri, Tim Gettinger, Steven Fogarty, Boo Nieves and Vitali Kravtsov. If I had a early guess, I would expect it either to be Gettinger or Nieves. Both of who have played in games this season. Lettieri is interesting because he leads the Wolf Pack in goals (25) and points (44). But it doesn’t seem like they favor him. In 46 career NHL games all with the Rangers, he’s got two goals and six assists.

For now, Quinn can reinsert 13th forward Greg McKegg. The Keg Man looked good in his return in place of Buchnevich, who missed two games due to the car accident he was involved in with injured starting goalie Igor Shesterkin. McKegg even scored a big goal on a great tip in during the Islander win. He can slide back in and center the fourth line. If they go that route, maybe Howden shifts back to center the third line while they use Chytil on the wing for more creativity. He’s got a scorers instinct. It would make sense.

Losing Kreider also affects the power play. He’s second in power play goals with nine. His job screening goalies is so vital. Last night, nobody did it effectively to distract Hart, who played well in finishing with 26 saves. The Rangers went 0-for-3 while the Flyers went 1-for-3, getting a big one from Claude Giroux on a great tip in off a terrific Jake Voracek pass. That made the score 4-1 following an ill advised Buchnevich hi-sticking minor in the offensive zone. He didn’t get many shifts following it.

The best solution to screen goalies is the ornery Brendan Lemieux. He was used on the second unit later on. An agitating player, Lemieux will need to up his game. He certainly brings an edge and pushes the envelope. How he’s used will be interesting.

In terms of the final score, the Rangers got what they deserved. They became sloppy resulting in poor puck management and costly turnovers that led to Flyers goals. Something Quinn alluded to afterwards. He indicated that he liked their start and felt they were fine in the first half of the second. But the goal from van Riemsdyk seemed to deflate them. It was off a Marc Staal turnover inside the Philadelphia zone. It wasn’t his best game or partner Tony DeAngelo’s. They went a combined minus-five.

Playing for the second straight night coming off an emotional 5-2 win over the Habs, the Rangers got the right start when Fast was able to beat Hart in close for his 12th at 2:49. The goal gives him four over the last five games. He needs one more to match his career high. Panarin had the lone assist.

In a period where no penalties were called, Georgiev made some good saves to keep his team ahead. However, a mix-up behind the net between Jacob Trouba and Brendan Smith, who broke his stick, allowed Voracek to come out and feed Sean Couturier for the tying goal at 16:07. Ivan Provorov added an assist. Couturier beat Zibanejad to the front for the easy put away. It was his 20th. Zibanejad had a night to forget going minus-four.

The Flyers double up the Rangers in shots 16-8 for the period. They also went 10-and-1 on face-offs. Yikes.

For the most part, they had their chances in the second period. With the score tied at one and Myers off for holding Howden, the Rangers moved the puck around well until Panarin was set up for a good shot that Hart got across on to deny him with his stick. It was a huge save.

The game got a little strange when they made a bad call on Adam Fox for holding Voracek. I hated it. It was a nothing call. Even Joe Micheletti joked about it to Sam Rosen. Less than a minute into the power play, Provorov interfered with Howden, who went down at his blueline. But despite this, they actually called Howden too for hi-sticking while he was off balance in the air. Just brutal. What was he supposed to do? He was the one that got knocked down illegally.

Following the chaos created by the refs, Staal fired a bad shot right into the Flyer defense. They quickly transitioned the opposite direction causing Scott Laughton to pass for a good low shot from Nicholas Aube-Kubel that Georgiev leaked out right to van Riemsdyk for a rebound into an open side at exactly 13:00. DeAngelo was out of position on it.

Over two minutes later, a lazy Panarin turnover inside his zone allowed the Flyers to maintain control. Eventually due to the forecheck pressure of Voracek and Couturier, the Flyers center setup an open Giroux for a one-timer that beat Georgiev high glove for a 3-1 lead. It was a good shot, but definitely one he would like to have back.

A foolish Michael Raffl hooking minor into the hardworking Howden handed the Rangers a big power play opportunity with 1:56 left. But rather than cash in and make things interesting, they over passed the puck. Hart didn’t have to do too much here. That allowed the Flyers to essentially kill the penalty and take a two-goal lead to the locker room.

Following the power play expiring at the start of the third, Buchnevich reached around with his stick on the forecheck and got defenseman Travis Sanheim 1:39 in. It was one of those mindless stick infractions in the offensive zone Quinn has no use for. It took the Flyers 57 seconds to methodically move the puck around until Voracek made a great pass underneath Ryan Lindgren for a Giroux tip in at 2:36. It was his second of the game increasing to a 4-1 lead.

Starting to become frustrated, Fox went back at Hayes following a clean check to go off for cross checking. It was that kind of night. Even though they killed the penalty, they couldn’t take advantage of a Voracek delay of game a few minutes later. Panarin hit the crossbar on one end. Then, the Flyers came down the other and scored. Hayes put it out of reach by converting a Voracek cross ice feed for his third goal in two games versus his former team. A sliding DeAngelo had initially stopped Laughton, but Voracek recovered the puck and picked up his fourth assist of the game.

Nearing the end, Lindgren had enough of Laughton taking him off the ice for matching roughs with 1:15 remaining. That’s the way Lindgren plays every shift. On a good late shift, Fox took a Buchnevich feed and fired a shot off Hart right to Howden, who got rewarded with his ninth goal at 19:34.

Even though it was just bookkeeping, it was a good way to finish a tough loss. Maybe they can build upon it tomorrow. That’s one of those dreaded noon NBC starts. They better set their alarm clocks and get it in gear. It’s a must win.

Who goes is the question? Will Quinn stick with Georgiev despite the heavy workload? Or is this the right moment for Henrik Lundqvist to come in in front of the home fans and deliver a big game? I could see it considering that it’s at MSG and you know the crowd will be very supportive. It could be one of his final starts at home. That’s up to Quinn.

Lundqvist hasn’t started since Feb. 3. You know he’s chopping at the bit to get back in and contribute. If Quinn does go to him, there will be pressure. We’ll see what happens.

What we do know is no Kreider for the next month at least if not more. What a bummer. Especially the way the week started with him re-signing. Now, it’s up to the rest of the team. They are still in this. They have a lot of character. We’re about to find out how much.

Battle Of Three 🌟

3rd 🌟 Sean Couturier, Flyers (20th of season plus 🍎, +1 in 17:45 and 5-for-8 on draws)

2nd 🌟 Jake Voracek, Flyers (4 assists including 3 primary with his best the setup for Giroux PPG, +2 in 14:42)

1st 🌟 Claude Giroux, Flyers (2 goals for numbers 18, 19, 13-for-16 on draws, +1 in 14:42)

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Game #63 Fox sparks unreal third period comeback in huge Rangers win at Montreal, bottom lines play key role, Georgiev 32 saves, Quinn pushes right buttons

Posted on February 28, 2020 by Derek

Alexandar The Great: Alex Georgiev made 32 saves to allow the Rangers to come back from a two-goal deficit and win 5-2 over the Canadiens at Bell Centre. AP Photo credit New York Rangers via Getty Images

You want to talk about a gut check. For almost two periods, the Rangers looked dead in the water. Well, in this case, the Montreal ice. Literally speaking, they were melting away like the Wicked Witch at Bell Centre.

Nothing was going right. Badly outplayed, outskated and falling behind by two goals after a beauty from Tomas Tatar on a breakaway at 17:01 of the second period, they needed something. Alexandar Georgiev had already given them plenty with a miraculous recovery following a giveaway behind the net. He had stood on his head throughout in a brilliant 32 save performance that gave the Blueshirts a chance.

In a game they had no business being in, Adam Fox supplied the spark needed to turn it around. His primary assist to set up Phil Di Giuseppe for what amounted to a must have goal before the period expired, provided the impact play that swung the momentum.

From that point, it was the determined Rangers who took it to the fragile Canadiens, who again blew a two-goal lead on home ice. In a rousing third that was both exciting and shocking, they outscored the Habs 4-0 to make it five unanswered goals in a remarkable 5-2 win that inched them closer to the playoffs.

Up to 74 points, they trail the Blue Jackets by two with two games at hand. Even better, with the Blues coming back on the Islanders to post a 3-2 overtime win, they’re within four of the first wildcard. Things are so hectic that with the Pens on a losing streak, second or third in the Metro Division is up for grabs.

It’s all there for the suddenly streaking Blueshirts, who won a season high fifth in a row to make it nine of their last 10. They’re now 12-3-0 since the break and increased their franchise record road winning streak to nine. It took an unreal final period to do it. That’s how flat they were. It was as if they were abducted by zombies wearing Ranger jerseys. Or perhaps Chris Kreider gave some teammates the flu.

Even Steve Valiquette called them out during the second intermission by observing that they were sleeping. As he strongly put, you can’t lose to teams like the Canadiens if you want to make the playoffs. The shot total might’ve said Montreal 25, Rangers 20 through two periods, but anyone who watched knew better. They looked horrible.

With the exception of the bottom two lines, Fox, Ryan Lindgren and Georgiev, they got absolutely nothing from the top two lines. Coach David Quinn had seen enough. Late in the second, he finally started to change the lines in a desperate attempt to snap them out of it. Eventually, he took my suggestion of putting together Artemi Panarin with Mika Zibanejad for the rest of the game with Jesper Fast. Ryan Strome worked mostly with Kreider and Filip Chytil, who eventually was replaced by Di Giuseppe. Another big move that worked.

To hear Quinn tell it in a pointed postgame with no bs, he ripped into the top six for the same lackluster effort that forced him to switch it up. He praised the play of the third and fourth line. But made sure to note that if they get nothing from the top two lines, they aren’t going to be successful. Fortunately, the new lines came out much more engaged for the biggest period of the season. Something Joe Micheletti mentioned after the team’s third comeback win following the second period after trailing this season.

This was all about heart and guts. The character they have defines this together scrappy bunch. They’re never going to give up. Not under Quinn, who’s gone from a question mark to exclamation point in a month’s time. They have always played hard for him. Now, it’s all coming together.

No matter what happens, this is the most excited I’ve been about a Rangers team in over a decade. It’s because nobody thought this was possible and they are exciting. The league’s youngest team is the likable underdog without the bravado of Tyson Fury. They just find a way in these games.

The Canadiens played about as well as they could for better than 35 minutes. I was worried about this game and didn’t feel good about it prior. Before you blinked, Max Domi banked in a shot off Fox to put the Habs ahead 1-0 at 3:12 of the game. Jeff Petry and Tatar helped set it up for assists.

After the slow start, the lethargic Rangers took two penalties less than five minutes apart. They first had to kill off a Fox interference minor. Montreal had good setup time and got some good shots through on Georgiev, who was sharp. He had to be. Especially the way the Canadiens moved the puck around and got bodies in front.

It was his goaltending that was the difference. He made 12 big saves in the period that included an iffy Fast tripping minor which Joel Armia sold. Boy. Was Fast mad when he went to the box. Fortunately, both Georgiev and a solid penalty kill that featured a gritty Brett Howden (six blocked shots) got it done. As a team, the Rangers blocked 25. That also included five from the Warrior, Lindgren who played a great game. The 22-year old partner of Fox recorded his second consecutive two assist game.

If not for that number one pair (they really are), the Rangers would’ve been toast. Interestingly enough, when Howden was interviewed between periods, he said they were lucky to only be down one and praised Georgiev. He also noted that they had some things to clean up. He nailed it. They may have gotten nine shots on Carey Price, but none ever felt like they were going in. The Habs had the better chances and easily could’ve led by three.

While the second was more bland and defensive minded with Montreal sitting back, there still wasn’t much from Zibanejad and Panarin, who couldn’t even get a shot on goal. He was bottled up with Shea Weber and the attentive checking Habs limiting time and space. With Kreider again looking like a ghost due to the flu which obviously is ailing him, the first line did nothing.

Filip Chytil struggled and nearly finished off his own team with a blind giveaway that Georgiev bailed him out on later. Georgiev would also be forced to come out of his net due to Brendan Smith and lose the puck to Brendan Gallagher. Gallagher centered for what felt like a sure goal only to see a scattering Georgiev scramble back and commit highway robbery. He saved himself.

While the top six struggled, it was the play of the third and fourth line that generated opportunities off the forecheck. Howden centered the third line with Di Giuseppe and Kaapo Kakko, who continued to show improvement. He had two good shots on Price that he stopped. Meanwhile without Pavel Buchnevich for the second straight game, Greg McKegg again played a solid game anchoring the energy line that included Brendan Lemieux and Julien Gauthier. They did some splendid work. Eventually, Quinn bumped up Lemieux and Gauthier at key moments.

Flirting with danger throughout the middle stanza, the Rangers did a good job to kill off a bad bench minor. However, they were unable to grab the momentum. Instead, a poor pinch by Jacob Trouba trapped him. Phillip Danault and Gallagher combined to send Tatar on a breakaway where he made a terrific move by faking and then going double deke to the backhand past Georgiev for a 2-0 Habs lead with 2:59 left.

It felt like game over. The way the Habs were checking and Price was playing, it looked bad. However, the tandem of Lindgren and Fox had other ideas. On a rare strong shift, Fox made a great move and centered for a cutting Di Giuseppe, who finally scored his first goal as a Ranger.

Funny enough, I had felt he had been working hard and deserved a break. Go figure. His first goal of the season was huge. It made it 2-1 with 1:26 left and was the crucial response the Rangers needed. If he didn’t score, I think the Canadiens win. For as bad as they played, they only trailed by one. One good period and they could pull this out.

Everyone in that building knew about Montreal and their third periods. They have repeatedly blown games with awful thirds. Most have come on home ice where they have a losing record. Imagine that. In front of those loyal fans, who are loud and find any reason to get excited. They can’t win consistently at the Bell Centre. One of the best home ice advantages in hockey. I’d be shocked if coach Claude Julien survived. But GM Marc Bergevin assembled this team. How long can this go on up there? He should be held accountable.

The Rangers have been a good third period team. Especially since they returned from the break. It was like a different team in the third. Like a switch went off along with probably a few expletives from Quinn between periods, they came out determined to come back.

In particular, Fox was like a one man wrecking crew. He dominated shifts the way an elite defenseman can. This kid is something special. There was one shift where he patiently held the puck and moved in and tried to fake out Price, who didn’t go for it. He made the save. In fact, Price suddenly was making the acrobatic saves including a robbery on Zibanejad off a backdoor feed. The crowd got behind him. Let’s put it this way. It’s not his fault that team is so bad. They run him out every game. He’s starting to break down.

Gallagher took a pair of awful penalties in the offensive zone. First, he put his stick into Fox and tripped him up along the boards with Montreal attacking. Even though they didn’t score on it, the first part of the power play was good. I have no idea why Quinn had both Lemieux and Trouba out for the second half. Nothing got done. It was frustrating.

With Quinn putting together Zibanejad, Panarin and Fast while moving up Di Giuseppe with Strome and Kreider, they really started to work the puck below the Montreal circles. Suddenly, it was the Blueshirts cycling the puck effectively and creating chaos. They set up some very good chances. At first, Price handled the shots with his defense scrambling to help him out.

However, off a rush started by Gauthier, he slipped the puck to Panarin, who then backed up two Habs. They gave him too much space. Panarin wisely dished for a quick Zibanejad wrist shot that beat a slow reacting Price to tie the score with 8:54 left in regulation. The excitement I had over the goal was like old times. I knew as soon as Panarin passed it over to Zibanejad, he was scoring. It was his 30th of the season to give him consecutive 30-goal years for the first time in his career. Clutch. Gauthier also picked up his first point as a Blueshirt with the key secondary helper that made the big play possible.

Now with the game even, it was like a heavy weight lifted off their shoulders. On a great forecheck from Strome in which he nearly scored, the valuable second center kept the play alive by moving the puck to Lindgren at one point. He passed it across for Fox, who surveyed the situation and let go of a innocent looking point shot. It seemed to have eyes and take forever before sneaking past Price for the exhilarating game-winner 1:15 after Zibanejad tied it.

He didn’t do a lot. But without Kreider screening in front by occupying Ben Chiarot, Price sees the shot easier and the goal never happens. That’s the grunt work he provides when he’s not on the score sheet. The intangibles that some fans ignore. That’s why they re-signed him. He found a way to distract Price, who let the puck go through him. The replay showed why. It was a lot harder than it looked.

Now leading 3-2, the Rangers got a key stop from Georgiev, who didn’t have to do anything special in the third. But he did stop all nine Habs shots to make a strong case for another start on Friday night at the Flyers. In fact, with him playing well, I’d run him out again over Henrik Lundqvist. Go with the hot hand. Confirmed.

It was then that Gallagher lost his discipline again at an inopportune time. With the Canadiens pressuring for the equalizer that forced Georgiev to cover up after a good low save, he cross-checked Lindgren for no reason. The obvious interference minor penalty was called following the whistle. Boy, did they make Gallagher pay for his foolishness.

Needing a power play goal to get insurance, they were patient with the puck. With Panarin working it to DeAngelo at the point, he fired a wrist shot that Strome perfectly redirected for number 17 by Price for a 4-2 lead with 4:37 remaining. I celebrated like it was 2007. That’s how fun it is watching this team.

What a gutsy third period. It was gritty, gutty and showed so much heart and character. Following Julien lifting Price for an extra attacker, Strome scored an empty netter for his 18th. Ironically, it came in game 63 just like last year with this team. The only difference is he has an additional 25 assists for a career best 58 points. But yeah. It’s only due to Panarin. He hasn’t accomplished anything. Eye roll.

It was nice to see Georgiev pick up an assist on the fifth goal. He deserved it for how well he played. Marc Staal also got a rare assist. When the buzzer sounded, the Rangers had their biggest win of the season. Happy Birthday JD!

They will now play the first of two enormous games against the Flyers in an old fashioned home-and-home series. The first is later tonight at Philly with the rematch at The Garden Sunday at high noon. These will be playoff caliber games like the overtime win over the Islanders. It should be fun.

Battle Of Hudson Three 🌟

3rd 🌟 Phil Di Giuseppe, Rangers (easily could be Lindgren or Strome, but it was his play and goal that provided the spark for the big third, +3 in 10:34)

2nd 🌟 Alex Georgiev, Rangers (32 saves including some absolute thefts to steal the game)

1st 🌟 Adam Fox, Rangers (goal number 7 and 🍎 giving him 27 assists and 34 points with a +19 rating, Foxy stuff from the emerging Calder hopeful)

https://twitter.com/TonyDee07/status/1233081199184076801?s=19

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Game #62 Panarin and Zibanejad save the Rangers in an emotional 4-3 overtime win over gritty Islanders, Georgiev stands on head, McKegg and Howden score

Posted on February 26, 2020 by Derek

No words. Just a great photograph. AP Photo credit New York Rangers via Getty Images

Sometimes, you gotta be lucky. Whether it’s in life or whatever venture, luck being on your side is good. The Rangers were lucky to win last night’s big game over the gritty Islanders before a wild environment at Nassau Coliseum.

They didn’t really deserve the two points, but it doesn’t matter how. They got it done in a emotional rollercoaster of a 4-3 overtime win to close within four points of second wildcard Columbus. With 20 games left, their playoff hopes hang in the balance. By finding a way to win this game, it allowed the Blueshirts to set a new franchise record with an eighth straight road win.

Up to 72 points with both the Blue Jackets and Hurricanes losing, they have a chance to continue their strong road play with a visit to Montreal on Thursday with the sizzling third place Flyers on deck Friday. No matter what happens, Henrik Lundqvist should get one of those games. Preferably the Flyers where he’s had more success than at the House of Horrors up north. I would give Alex Georgiev that start versus the Canadiens (4-3 overtime losers to Vancouver).

Speaking of which, the Rangers don’t get any points without the brilliance of Georgiev. He was up to the challenge by stopping 42 of 45 Islander shots. The Isles dominated large portions of the game. They out-attempted the Rangers 84-48. Total shots on goal favored the Long Island hosts 45-28. They were the better team at even strength winding up with 39 shots to 24 if you include four-on-four in regulation.

The difference was the Rangers were opportunistic due to their superior skill. They scored three times on the 24 shots while the Isles only got two by Georgiev on their 39. If you get technical, the Islanders needed an extra man to come back from a two-goal deficit in the last five and a half minutes.

Playing for the first time since trading away defenseman Brady Skjei to the Hurricanes, the Rangers were on their heels from the outset. Also minus Pavel Buchnevich (day-to-day) and obviously Georgiev starting in Igor Shesterkin’s place, they moved Filip Chytil up in place of Buchnevich to play with overtime hero Mika Zibanejad and a less than 100 percent Chris Kreider.

Coach David Quinn decided to have Brett Howden go back to center a third line with Phil Di Giuseppe and Kaapo Kakko while reinserting Greg McKegg to play on the fourth line with Brendan Lemieux and Julien Gauthier. It’s ironic that it was the play of the supporting cast that played a huge role in the win. Both McKegg and Howden scored on superb deflections that helped them build a 3-1 lead in Uniondale.

Without those contributions, they would’ve been sunk. That includes Skjei replacement Brendan Smith, who overcame some shaky play in his end to pick up a big primary assist on Howden’s tip in that put them up two with 10:26 remaining in regulation. In 26 shifts, he logged 18:25 back on defense while hanging in there despite a heavy Isles forecheck.

Skating could be an issue with Trouba, who delivered the hit of the game by cleanly leveling Michael Dal Colle in the third period. That led to newest Islander Jean-Gabriel Pageau instigating a fight with Trouba. The Ranger killer who of course got the first Isles goal on a crazy bounce, was assessed 17 penalty minutes including a misconduct for hockey. Overkill.

Even with Pageau off the ice, no Dal Colle (concussion protocol) and down one defenseman in Andy Greene, the Islanders showed a lot of determination to rally back and force overtime. Even after having an apparent goal waived off due to a questionable ruling for interference on captain Anders Lee which coach Barry Trotz challenged to no avail, they controlled play.

Whatever the reason, the Rangers sat back too much and leaned on Georgiev, who was stopping everything. The Isles could’ve set up a tent in front of his net. It was bad. They gave the Isles way too much space and backed in. It was too easy. A undisciplined tripping minor on Ryan Strome evened it back up 14 seconds into a Ranger power play. He has a tendency to take those unnecessary penalties in the offensive zone. Recently, he hadn’t.

What resulted was a brutal four-on-four where the Rangers let the Islanders dictate the play. They got the only two shots. With the crowd back in it, off a face-off win, Eberle came out of the box for a 12-second power play and took a Mat Barzal feed and faked out Howden and Marc Staal by going to a beautiful backhand top shelf on an already committed Georgiev for his 14th at 14:23. Ironically, Lee helped set it up. Justification for such a bad call that disallowed the previous Islander goal.

Even my Dad, who went and sat mostly with Ranger fans in Section 214, thought it was a bad call. Those are always 50/50. In this era of replay with video review from Toronto, they didn’t overturn it. If you’re an Isles fan, you’re steamed. You probably think they should’ve won in regulation. They should have. I don’t know how much it would’ve changed anything. They wound up on the power play and Eberle scored anyway.

There just wasn’t enough urgency shown from the Rangers. It was like once they got ahead 3-1, they thought the game was over. It’s never over. Especially against the Islanders, who never think they’re out of a game under Trotz. They’ve pulled off five comeback wins after trailing. I’ve seen them get games tied with the goalie pulled to force OT. It’s usually at home where they feed off the energy of the crowd.

That’s exactly what happened. After the Eberle goal, the Islanders pressed and pressed for the equalizer. The Rangers weren’t able to forecheck, opting for clearing their zone and a couple of dump ins. Token resistance.

The disappointing aspect is they played well in the first half of the third. Nursing a 2-1 lead on a nice McKegg tally from Lemieux and Adam Fox, they responded to the strange Pageau goal late in the second by doing a better job offensively and defensively. Both the third and fourth line generated pressure.

On a effective cycle, Ryan Lindgren passed across for a Smith one-timer that Howden was able to redirect in for his eighth at 9:34 to make it 3-1. I might refer to him as stone hands. But that was a very skilled play to snap a 10 game goal drought. When you get contributions from your support lines the way McKegg, Howden, Lemieux, Gauthier, Di Giuseppe and Kakko (superb defensively) played, you better win.

They nearly wasted that effort. It’s rare that the bottom six are that noticeable. This team has relied heavily on MVP candidate Artemi Panarin (goal, assist), Zibanejad (OT winner for 29th) with help from Strome, Kreider, Buchnevich and Jesper Fast. They have gotten it from Fox, Lindgren and Tony DeAngelo. Skjei too offensively before he was sacrificed. He didn’t fare well in his Carolina debut. A 4-1 loss to the Stars.

Everyone knows the goalies with especially Shesterkin sparking this turnaround. They’re now up to 11-3-0 since the break. He was 9-1-0 before the car accident that resulted in a non-displaced rib fracture that’ll keep him out two to four weeks. Now, it’s up to both Georgiev and forgotten man Lundqvist to hold them in games. If they’re going to get pelted with 40 shots every night, it’s not a recipe for success. Neither are Shesterkin.

The Rangers know that. They’ll need to be better in the next game at the Habs with the very strong Flyers in their home building. It can’t be retreat mode like we got for way too many shifts on Tuesday night. They’ve won four in a row and eight of nine by playing better hockey. Let’s just say they got away with one. Similar to the lackluster game they found a way in against San Jose.

It was all Islanders early on. They got the game’s first six shots on a sharp Georgiev, who wouldn’t allow his team to fall behind. He made a lot of quality stops throughout. In a period largely dominated by the Isles, the turning point actually came on the only penalty the first 40 minutes. After Lemieux went off for hooking, it was a strong Rangers penalty kill that didn’t give up much. Georgiev was only called on twice as they kept the Isles power play to the outside.

Carrying some momentum from the big kill, the Rangers finally began to find their game. With Panarin on for a shift, some great passing from DeAngelo and Lindgren led to the Bread Man burying his career high 32nd past Semyon Varlamov with 2:58 left in the first. The Rangers contingent cheered the nice play that Panarin finished by going five-hole on a still moving Varlamov. It was a brilliant cross ice feed from Lindgren, who recorded his first two assist game.

Similar to the first, it was mostly Islanders early on in the second. At one point, they led in shots 9-2. However, they still were unable to crack Georgiev. He was up to 24 saves when the Rangers fourth line extended the lead to two.

On a very aggressive forecheck by McKegg, who showed no effects of rust after sitting out the previous three, Fox made a good play in deep to pass for an open Lemieux at the point. He was covering for him. Lemieux fired a good one-timer that McKegg was able to get a stick on to steer it home at 7:48 for his fourth. It was a gritty play by a hardworking player.

With the Blueshirts starting to ramp it up, they had the better of the play for a majority of the rest of the period. In fact, they got 11 of the next 15 shots. But just when it seemed the Isles had nothing going on, Ryan Pulock took a Josh Bailey pass and fired a high riser over the net that took a funny carom. The puck came right to Pageau, who was parked at the side while Georgiev and Staal looked behind. The Rangers killer put in the gift for his first Islander goal to make it 2-1 with 2:56 left. Of course, it had to be Pageau. He owns them.

To their credit, the Rangers responded well. They finished off the second fine to take a one goal lead to the locker room. Continuing their momentum, they were in good position when after killing off a soft Chytil hooking minor, Trouba nearly killed Dal Colle. He never had a chance. The puck bounced on him leaving the forward with his head down. The big shoulder hit was into the upper chest and jaw of Dal Colle, who was shaken up. Following Pageau exchanging fists with Trouba, he was able to skate off to the room. Hopefully, he’ll be okay.

I’ve seen some suggest it should be a suspension. Are these people kidding? Is there head contact? Yes. Was it intent to injure? I don’t believe so. They’ll definitely review it. There are a lot of factors that’ll go into the decision. I’ll leave it at that.

I’m going to use what Sam Rosen said to Joe Micheletti following the scrap that resulted in a instigator and misconduct to Pageau, who his team could’ve used. He’s a great face-off guy and very effective on the forecheck. Rosen pointed out that that’s the part of the game he doesn’t understand. In the old days, a clean hit didn’t cause such a commotion. Now, there must be retribution. I get it. But it was a good hit. End of discussion.

The turning point came with Pageau off and the Rangers on a man-advantage. Some power play. Strome foolishly put his stick into Scott Mayfield at the Islander blueline and he went down. Following the worst four-on-four you’ve ever seen from this team, they lost a defensive draw cleanly. Before you knew it, Lee fed Barzal, who fed Eberle for a power play goal. All in a span of six seconds.

If there continues to be one area that plagues this team, it’s their inability to win key defensive draws. It killed them last night. The last two Islanders goals were due to winning face-offs.

With Chytil unable to get a puck in deep by going one on three (why?), it allowed the Isles to continue to come through the neutral zone and attack. The biggest save Georgiev made was when he flat out robbed Lee point blank. He was alone in the slot one on one with Georgiev and sent a high labeled wrist shot ticketed for the top of the net, only to see Georgiev get a piece of it with his glove and push it out of trouble. That’s the kind of shots he was facing. It looked like a power play.

After Varlamov came off for an extra attacker, the Islanders cycled the puck around until Georgiev made another big save to get a whistle. Out of a timeout by the home team which should’ve helped the exhausted Blueshirts, Nelson beat Zibanejad to push the puck back to the point. At that point, both Jon and I knew they were in trouble. You could feel it coming.

Like parrots, we both thought the Isles were tying it. The Rangers were so backed in, they literally were screening their own goalie on some of these chances. You know how the Lundqvist crowd cries that only he is faced with this chaos. Uh. Bullshit Baloney. Did they not see Shesterkin set an NHL record with four 40-plus save games in those wins? Or Georgiev do similar earlier this season? This is an epidemic that threatens to ruin a possible feel good story.

On the next minute plus, the Islanders moved the puck and retrieved it at least five times. Whether it was from attempts, rebounds or deflections, the Rangers had five chances to clear the zone. They failed to do so. I knew they were screwed when Barzal had the puck. Eventually, he passed it up top to Devon Toews, who fired a bullet shot pass for a great Nelson deflection through a sliding Georgiev with 17.8 seconds left in regulation. It was his 23rd.

That clutch goal forced overtime. I told Jon it wouldn’t last long. I figured the Isles would win at that point. How could they not? The crowd was going crazy. To hear my father tell it, the atmosphere was great. Unlike corporate MSG which feels like crickets. Blame Dolan. He sucks.

Rangers and Islanders is still as good as it gets. For other fans close-by who think they’re the number one rivalry, not even close. Not when both New York rivals are good. This was playoff style hockey. Big points were up for grabs. It was intense. Hard fought. It had everything.

On the opening shift of the artificial three-on-three, Anthony Beauvillier tried to beat Panarin entering the Ranger zone. He didn’t bite. Instead, the emerging Hart front-runner stripped Beauvillier and took the puck the other way. With three Islanders chasing him down, he knew he was out of time. With Beauvillier hustling hard to backcheck, the Bread Man had one last trick up his sleeve.

I’m not sure how he did it. But as he was being checked, he had the presence of mind to push the puck by the three Islanders to an open space. The puck just sat there for an on-rushing Zibanejad to fire past a helpless Varlamov for the unreal overtime winner at 28 seconds. Panarin leaped into Zibanejad as the Rangers poured off the bench to celebrate the big win.

That type of extra effort is what makes Panarin special. He doesn’t dog it. He is a complete player in every sense of the word. That’s why he should be your Hart Trophy winner. If this team makes the postseason, he deserves it over the Oilers twins. I don’t think I have to name them.

Neither plays the five-on-five game that the Wonder Bread Man does. He’s your MVP. The biased Canadian media owes the Rangers for the screw job on Jaromir Jagr 14 years ago. They can take their votes for the Oilers twins and stick it. Panarin is more valuable to his team. Where would they be without him? In the lottery. And Kreider would be gone along with others. I guarantee you that.

It was an incredible game to watch. And it was great. Not just because the Rangers won. But due to the intensity and scrappy nature of the Islanders. It would’ve sucked to lose that. They needed the win. Now, it’s onto Montreal and then Philadelphia.

Battle of Hudson Three 🌟

3rd 🌟 Greg McKegg, Rangers (4th goal on great deflection, really deserves it after missing last 3 games and how well he played)

2nd 🌟 Mat Barzal, Islanders (2 huge assists that got his team a big point, took over the last six minutes of the third, 18-36-54 leads Isles, no goals in last 11 but 10 🍎)

1st 🌟 Artemi Panarin, Rangers (career high 32nd goal plus remarkable 🍎 to set up Zibanejad in OT, 32-53-85 in 61 GP)

Key Stats:

Face-offs Isles 30 (Pageau 10 of 14, Nelson 7 of 13) Rangers 18 (Strome 5-and-8, Zibanejad 7-and-11)

Blocked shots NYR 23 (Trouba/Panarin 3 apiece) NYI 13 (Pulock 4, Toews 3)

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Devils complete flurry of moves on deadline day

Posted on February 24, 2020 by hasan4978

Sometimes it’s never really clear what a team will or can do on the day of the deadline, but with the Devils light years out of a playoff spot having pending FA’s still on the roster there was only one thing left for interim GM Tom Fitzgerald to do…cash out on them and get what you can.  Thankfully the lunacy of trading Kyle Palmieri never materialized although tbh I do have enough confidence in Fitz that if Palm had been traded it would have been for a return you couldn’t argue with.  I just didn’t want that to happen though, that’s a bridge too far with all the guys who’ve already been sent packing and it not being likely to replace many of them in short order.

It’s just bizarre the highlight I found of Sami Vatanen when I was looking at YouTube for one was this play where he saved a goal at one end and helped spring Taylor Hall for a goal at the other in a game against Ottawa last year.  At one point quite recently we were thinking of a future with both of them signed long term, but now…thankfully the biggest name the Devils had to cash out on was done by deposed GM Ray Shero a couple months ago, so I wasn’t quite waiting on pins and needles to find out what we got for Sami and Wayne Simmonds as I would have been if Hall had still been on the market now.  Frankly, I wasn’t expecting much for Wayne at this point and in the case of Sami, his recent injury probably lessened the potential market for him.

Still I think Fitz did what he could given the circumstances, apparently the initial reports on the Vatanen trade were wrong and we didn’t even get a conditional 2nd rounder.  Instead the deal was a prospect Janne Kuokkanen, a 2016 2nd-round pick, AHL/NHL tweener defensive depth in Fredrik Claesson plus a conditional 4th that could go up to a 3rd depending on how many games Vat plays.  Kuokkanen is a 21-year old winger who’s put up 120 points in 160 career AHL games, but still hasn’t scored in his brief NHL career (11 games) to this point.  He’ll probably top out as a middle six playmaker if anything, but you never know with younger players.  Sadly it looks like he’s the biggest part of the return, so hopefully he’ll pan out.

Unfortunately for Simmonds, I was right that there weren’t many suitors.  It was actually a bit of a surprise to see it was the Sabres – currently six points out of a playoff spot – who traded for Wayne though.  After he only fetched a 4 and roster filler last year at the deadine having a much better season, I figured on this kind of return if the Devils bothered to deal Wayne.  Of course since he had a no-trade, they had to get him to waive it so evidently he’s okay with the deal.  Perhaps it’s mildly dissapointing the 5th rounder is in 2021 instead of 2020 but whatever, either way it’s a 5th rounder.

Beating the gun to make one last move, the Devils flipped goalie Louis Domingue (who cleared waivers and is now back in the AHL) to Vancouver for fellow AHL goalie Zane McIntyre, who’s 27 and not having a particularly great year for Utica.  Almost seems like they were doing Domingue, and Vancouver a favor with this deal – along with saving a little money since Domingue was still getting paid his salary in the AHL.  Oh well, whatever….at least prospect Gilles Senn will be playing more for Binghamton down the stretch in their playoff push.

Can’t say I’m annoyed or excited about anything that happened today, clearly the biggest moves and most emotionally wrenching happened already.  Of the players who left today I obviously had more of an attachment to Vat, given his outgoing personality, the fact he was here longer and helped us get to the playoffs in 2018.  It’s too bad things never really worked out for him here after that, with a series of concussions and this latest foot injury eating into both his icetime and effectiveness.  Plus to be honest, Vat being out of the lineup the last few weeks kind of helped me prepare for life without Sami.  Gotta respect Simmonds for the career he’s had and the person he’s had but he really wasn’t adding all that much on the ice this season, might as well have his spot filled by another younger player for the final month plus of the season.  Domingue had his moments earlier this season but you could see it was over for him here when they demoted Louie and brought back up Cory Schneider to have him play sporadically the last few weeks of the season.

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Rangers trade Skjei to Hurricanes

Posted on February 24, 2020 by Derek

In a move that was just finalized, the Rangers traded defenseman Brady Skjei to the Hurricanes for a first round pick.

I know he had his issues with consistency. But my first reaction is I don’t like this deal. Why break up the chemistry this team has? Sure. They found a way to free up cap space by unloading Skjei’s contract. So, it was probably a necessary means to an end for the Rangers.

By unloading Skjei’s cap hit of $5.4 million, that should give the team the space to re-sign Tony DeAngelo. He’s having a career year with 45 points (13-32-45). Plus he’s arbitration eligible as is key second line center Ryan Strome, who is third in team scoring with a career high 55 (16-39-55) points. Add it up and they could wind up with $10 million combined.

The encouraging news is they should be able to fit them in. My question is what happens with the defense. Even if you’re not a big fan of Skjei, he logged important minutes along with Jacob Trouba. He had decent offensive numbers with eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points while recording 91 blocked shots and 99 hits in 60 contests.

My guess is they’re going to rely heavily on Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox. They’ve proven to be the best D pair. I don’t think breaking them up makes much sense. Who plays with Trouba? Is it DeAngelo, who can slide over to the left side? But he has good chemistry with veteran Marc Staal.

They really are going to use Brendan Smith in the top six? Some other move must be coming from Hartford. It’s definitely interesting. I wouldn’t have pulled the plug yet on Skjei due to key prospects K’Andre Miller and Matthew Robertson not being ready. Are they really sure about Libor Hajek? He hasn’t even been the best defenseman in Hartford.

I guess we’ll have to wait and see what the organization decides in terms of how to replace Skjei’s minutes. At 25, he still has upside. A good skater with some untapped potential, maybe the scenery change to Carolina will work. He has more to give. Under Rod Brind’Amour, it should be interesting to follow. Best of luck to him.

As for what they got back, anytime you can get a first round pick back and free up room, that’s good. I can’t criticize the return. I’m just wondering how the blueline will look the rest of the season.

Here’s the other question I don’t totally understand. What the heck is Carolina doing in regards to their roster and cap space? They also acquired Vincent Trocheck from the Panthers.

Oh well. Not for us to concern ourselves over. Overall, a good day for the Rangers. We’ll see what the final 21 games brings. The fun begins tomorrow at Nassau Coliseum versus the Islanders. What could be better? Two teams battling for the playoffs. Too bad it’s the final regular season meeting.

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Rangers and Kreider Agree! Re-sign power forward for seven years, Shesterkin and Buchnevich injured in car accident thankfully not serious

Posted on February 24, 2020 by Derek

On a morning that started off bleak due to the stunning news Team President John Davidson delivered on a conference call that both Igor Shesterkin and Pavel Buchnevich suffered minor injuries in a car accident last night in Brooklyn, the Rangers also had some good news.

After Davidson revealed that Shesterkin suffered a non displaced rib fracture that should sideline him two to four weeks while noting that Buchnevich is day-to-day, he then positively announced that the team had reached agreement on a new contract extension with Chris Kreider.

Indeed, the two sides worked together and hammered out a seven year deal worth an average cap hit of $6.5 million. The 28-year old left wing has put together his best stretch with 18 goals and 14 assists over the last 32 games since Dec. 8. With 24 goals and 21 assists for 45 points in 60 games, Kreider ranks fourth in team scoring. His nine power play goals place him second behind Mika Zibanejad, who has 10. His five game-winners pace the team. Fifteen of his 24 goals have come at even strength along with 32 of his 45 points.

When all was said and done, the Rangers wanted to keep Kreider, who wanted to stay. The difference had previously been term and money with the Blueshirts unwilling to go seven years. However, by front loading their offer, they were willing to go the extra year to get it done. Both sides deserve credit. They made enough progress to finalize a new contract that could keep Kreider on Broadway through 2027. He was also assured Seattle protection from the expansion draft.

As much as it stinks about Shesterkin, who will need to rehab his injury and hopefully get back before the end of the season, today is a good day for the franchise. They decided they’re better off with Kreider, who’s a top six forward that is not only a key performer on the ice, but a leader off it as well. His leadership has been a big part of the team’s improvement. While the remarkable Artemi Panarin gets much of the credit, both Kreider and Zibanejad have been instrumental during the 10-3-0 run that has them within four points of the playoffs.

Tomorrow’s starter Alex Georgiev had nothing but praise for Kreider choosing to stay. For the 24-year old backup goalie, there’s no time like the present. He now will be counted on to deliver down the stretch along with Henrik Lundqvist. Tomorrow night’s game at the Islanders is pivotal.

The Isles made their own noise by acquiring Rangers killer Jean-Gabriel Pageau from the Senators for a first, second and third round pick. They then signed the gritty two-way pivot to a six year extension worth $5 million AAV.

At last check, GM Lou Lamoriello was working on a potential trade for Zach Parise, who waived his no-trade clause. If they can reach agreement with the Wild and make it work under the salary cap, Parise would be a big addition for a low scoring team that relies on their grit and team defense to win. They are currently in the first wildcard with 76 points. Six up on the Rangers.

Regarding the presser which lasted over two minutes, Davidson was sure to emphasize that both Buchnevich and Shesterkin were wearing their seatbelts and the airbags activated. Thank God they buckled up. It’s crazy to think someone made a U-Turn and banged right into their car being driven by Shesterkin. But if that’s what happened, let’s just feel relieved that both are okay. As JD said, it could’ve been a lot worse.

They’ve been dealt a curve ball. That’s life. It’s also sports. The Rangers now face some adversity. With Buchnevich unlikely for tomorrow’s big game at Nassau Coliseum and Kreider ill, they could be without two-thirds of the top line centered by Zibanejad. If that’s the case, it’ll be interesting to see what David Quinn decides. Does he split up Panarin and Ryan Strome, or move Kaapo Kakko up with perhaps Julien Gauthier or Brendan Lemieux? We’ll see.

I didn’t think Kreider would be back. But I’m sure glad he is. This is an exciting day for the Rangers and their fans. It also sends a message to the players that they believe in this team. Something Georgiev alluded to.

All we can hope for is the best with Shesterkin in his recovery. They’ll reevaluate him in two weeks. Ditto for a shaken Buchnevich. Scary stuff.

As far as other rumors, the Hurricanes were said to have interest in Brady Skjei. But it’s unclear if they were able to free up the cap space necessary to make a deal work. They were said to be offering a first round pick, but obviously needed to dump salary. Jake Gardiner doesn’t exactly excite me. He stinks.

I’d prefer to keep Skjei, who despite his inconsistency, is a more physical defenseman than Gardiner. I like the chemistry the team has. Let it ride. We’ll see where it winds up. No matter what, today is positive.

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Fire up some Russian hockey to heat up trade deadline day

Posted on February 24, 2020 by Derek

I’ll be honest. I can’t sleep. This day truly will be an emotional one. I don’t want to see Chris Kreider go. I’m tired of some of the best Rangers getting dealt on the highly anticipated NHL Trade Deadline day or during the summer.

We’ve suffered enough. Ryan McDonagh and JT Miller, anyone? How did that go? Not so well yet. Hopefully, Nils Lundkvist can change that by 2021. Brett Howden isn’t moving the needle. Libor Hajek is like the forgotten man. If there are still plans for him, then they should move Marc Staal at some point. Notice I didn’t say today. It’s not time.

Ryan Callahan was as popular a Ranger before he became the team captain. A classic overachiever who once scored 29 goals in the Big Apple while becoming the kind of gritty, two-way forward I thought he was watching him play for Team USA in the World Junior Championship, Captain Cally wound up in the exact same situation Kreider is in at this moment. Wanting more term and a little more money along with a no-movement clause, he was dealt to the Lightning along with two first round picks for former Hart winner Marty St. Louis.

As heartbreaking as that was considering how beloved Callahan was, fortunately I was a huge fan of St. Louis. I loved his great story where he went from an undrafted player despite a great four-year collegiate career at Vermont to an astonishing career highlighted by a 94 point season that included two overtime winners including the clutch one in double overtime to prevent the Flames from winning the Cup. The Lightning would come back to win the epic ’04 series in seven on a pair of goals from Ruslan Fedotenko.

MSL as he became known here in his two years, might not have produced at the same high level he did in Tampa. However, he was the emotional leader in that locker room following two awful performances in Games Three and Four of the second round series versus the Penguins. I can still remember walking out of MSG aggravated and disappointed because I felt they had more to give. Despite it being the Pens that feature Crosby and Malkin, I really thought they went into that series with a chance.

Following a closed door players only meeting where both St. Louis and Brad Richards spoke up about the series not being over due to the former Bolts duo’s experience, they then had to deal with more adversity due to the tragic death of Marty’s Mom France. After going into Pittsburgh and winning convincingly, as fate would have it, Game Six would come on Mother’s Day. A day prior, the whole team attended the funeral service.

Now, they had another elimination game to win. This time at home where they couldn’t let St. Louis, themselves or the fans down. When he got his stick on a loose puck in front of the Pittsburgh net to squeeze it by Marc-Andre Fleury for the game’s emotional first goal, the building shook. I knew in that special moment, the Rangers would win the game and was confident they’d complete their first ever comeback from a 3-1 series deficit.

There certainly were some nerve racking moments in that deciding Game Seven. You had the great effort by Brian Boyle for a breakaway goal followed by the Pens tying it up. In another special moment, it was St. Louis passing for an open Richards for a power play goal in the second period to give them a 2-1 lead.

The third was all about Henrik Lundqvist. He wouldn’t allow the Pens to tie it. They seemed to come at the Rangers in waves. It was extremely anxiety driven if you were watching. Well, yeah. But I didn’t have a panic attack. Despite the madness, Lundqvist came through to give the Rangers their first ever series win over the Pens. In the final three games, King Henrik lived up to his nickname by allowing only three goals on the last 105 shots he faced. It was special.

That’s the best he’s ever played. Though you’ll get some argument for 2012 when he won the Vezina and performed well in elimination games against Ottawa and Washington the first two rounds. 2015 versus the Caps was also clutch.

There is no comeback without the third line of Derick Brassard, Mats Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot. Their forecheck pressure and timely goals helped spark the comeback. It was also Big Game Brass who delivered a Game One win in sudden death. The goal Pouliot made sure was one just in case. It was also Brassard who let fans breathe easier with a huge insurance marker to seal Game Six 3-1. They outscored the Pens 10-3 in the last three games of the Eastern Conference Semifinal and never trailed.

Those Blueshirts would then take the first two games in Montreal thanks to some dominance from Kreider and McDonagh. Without Carey Price, the pesky Habs made it interesting by winning Game Three in overtime and forcing sudden death in Game Four. Luckily, some hustle from speedster Carl Hagelin kept a play alive to get the puck across to a wide open St. Louis. With the crowd anticipating something good, he didn’t disappoint by roofing a perfect laser over Dustin Tokarski’s glove to win the game.

Following a strange wide open Game Five won by the more focused Canadiens 7-4, it made me a bit nervous going into Game Six. No way did I want any part of a do or die Game Seven scenario at the House Of Horrors. To their credit, the Habs played well after losing Price. They rallied around Tokarski, who did a solid job to give them a chance.

The sixth game was tightly contested just like the other two home matches versus Montreal. Being there with family and friends, you could feel the tension. There was a nervous energy in the building. As the game remained scoreless late into the second period, here came Thomas Vanek one on one with Lundqvist. He made a crazy acrobatic save where he did whatever it took to keep the puck out. The crowd went nuts.

Let’s Go Rangers chants followed. On a great forecheck behind the net thanks to a good pinch from McDonagh, who destroyed the team that drafted him, the puck came to Boyle. He was able to elude his check to make a bullet pass in front to Dominic Moore, who quickly fired it past Tokarski with 1:53 to go in the second period. In that moment, we erupted.

I think everyone knew the one goal would be enough with how dialed in Lundqvist was. But even more, it was a total team effort. Truth be told, outside of the miraculous stop on Vanek, Lundqvist didn’t have much to do. He only faced 18 shots including five in a third controlled by the Rangers. They played so well defensively that I think some fans forgot how good that team was. This is where you tip your cap to McDonagh, Dan Girardi, Staal, Anton Stralman, Kevin Klein, John Moore and even former Hab Raphael Diaz.

It helped to have tough checkers such as Boyle, Moore and Derek Dorsett on a real fourth line that Alain Vigneault could trust. Don’t forget Daniel Carcillo’s contribution either in the first round win over his ex-team, the Flyers. Having those guys as the energy line along with the cohesive third unit of Brassard, Zuccarello and Pouliot made them tough. Opponents couldn’t just key in on the top two lines centered by Stepan and Richards. They had the right balance.

Unfortunately, the Kings proved too big, skilled and strong in the Stanley Cup. They were relentless and had more standout players such as Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, former Blueshirt Marian Gaborik, Mr. Game Seven, Justin Williams, Dustin Brown, Mike Richards, Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick, who matched Lundqvist in net. They were the better team.

Even if a couple of calls went against us at annoying Staples Center. Vigneault also sat back too much in the crushing three losses in LA. All games they blew leads in by not attacking. The shots on goal discrepancy and total third period goals in the series was a joke. The Kings outscored the Rangers 4-0 in the series and outshot them 61-25 in the third during the five game series. That includes the Game Three 3-0 shutout loss at MSG where the Rangers outshot the Kings 11-2. That’s how lopsided that period was. Overtime treated them no better.

It’s amazing to think that was six years ago this June. The next year in which they stunned the Caps before losing in awful fashion by scoring no goals the last six home periods to the Lightning was worse. I’d rather have gotten swept. It still stings. It’s hard to believe only a few players remain from that roster. At this moment early in the AM, they’re still Lundqvist, Staal, Kreider and Jesper Fast.

Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes were subtracted last deadline. Rick Nash was sent to the Bruins two years ago in what’s one of GM Jeff Gorton’s best trades to date. He landed Ryan Lindgren, turned Ryan Spooner into Ryan Strome and moved up to select K’Andre Miller. A future left pair defenseman who could change the whole look of the blueline in the future.

Nash didn’t quite have enough of an impact to help the Bruins win the Cup. He retired due to his health. A wise decision given his concussion history. I know he didn’t quite have the affect many hoped for after Glen Sather got him in a trade that sent Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky to the Blue Jackets that also netted remaining key holdover Pavel Buchnevich.

However, Nash had bad luck with injuries. He still was an exciting player who could get you out of your seat while being underrated defensively. Nash played every situation. It’s too bad he wasn’t healthier during his stay on Broadway. He still had 20 or more goals in four of six seasons including a career best 42 in ’14-15. I definitely think Kreider learned from him. Nash was a power forward who would up with 437 career goals and 368 assists for a total of 805 points over 1060 games. He hit 40 or better in three seasons with Columbus and New York and reached at least 30 or more five times. He was an electrifying player. It’s too bad he had to call it quits after his age 33 year.

It’s kinda funny talking about all the players who have come and gone over the last few years. We hardly knew ye Kevin Shattenkirk. At least he’s rebounded in Tampa. Definitely healthier in a better situation. Keith Yandle was a real good player that Vigneault misused on the third pair and second power play. He is still very productive on the Panthers, who are trying to get in. They only sacrificed Anthony Duclair, who’s bounced around more than Rihanna, plus a first and second round pick.

The irony is they used the sixth round pick Florida sent for Yandle’s negotiating rights on Hobey Baker candidate Tyler Wall. Yes. The other young goalie prospect who should be signed this summer. This organization has plenty of goalies in the system. We still don’t know what they’re planning to do with Alex Georgiev. I’m thinking he stays at least until this summer.

I’m still not buying the rumors about Lundqvist possibly waiving his NMC to go to a contender today. I just can’t see it. He’s hardly had any work since Igor Shestyorkin arrived. Georgiev is the current backup. Is this really how Hank wants to end his career?

I don’t know where Kreider will wind up. As usual, its about term and money. History is repeating itself. If he was on another team, they would overpay the way they have in the past. Jacob Trouba. Richards. Gaborik although he was worth it. What an exciting player. It’s too bad his career is done even as he’s still listed as a Senator. Nash although that was what Columbus paid and they picked up some of the tab. If I really wanted to go back, I could.

I’m sure TSN is all jacked up full of caffeine and coffee stains already. No. I’m not going to be locked in all day on NHL Network or Twitter. I’m dreading this day. We could also see Fast move. There’s supposed interest in Brady Skjei. Everyone’s favorite. Staal could also draw interest but he’s got a no-trade. He’d have to waive like Andy Greene and Mike Green, who was moved to Edmonton for Kyle Brodziak and a conditional pick last night. Why?

Ilya Kovalchuk gets to have a Russian reunion with Alex Ovechkin in Washington. Montreal was able to pry a third round pick for 15 good games from Kovalchuk. Come to think of it, the Caps are cornering the market on Russian players with Ovi, Kovalchuk, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitri Orlov and Ilya Samsonov. Why don’t they bring Alex Semin back too? He’s still going in the KHL.

Speaking of Russian hockey stars, I was watching some cool videos of legendary Valery Kharlamov. Wow. He was like a better version of Pavel Bure with a higher IQ. Think Pavel Datsyuk. That’s also who I watched. I sure miss him. He’s probably in his final year in Russia. What a magnificent player. When they talk about puck possession, wizardry that you now get from Panarin, and just flat out overall domination, they don’t come better than the Magic Man.

Here are a few videos of the greatest Russian legend Kharlamov and my favorite Russian center with apologies to Sergei Fedorov. Enjoy.

How did they wait so long to induct him? He tragically passed away in a car accident with his wife in 1981. It’s a joke that the Hockey Hall of Fame didn’t induct him sooner posthumously. They don’t recognize enough great Russian players. If they did, Alex Mogilny would be in already.

Listen to Doc Emrick call the highlights of Datsyuk dominating the Coyotes in the 2011 first round. At one point, he refers to them as the Washington Senators. Haha. Nothing gets by Doc.

That’s in his rookie year victimizing Jaromir Jagr. Wow. Nobody was better at the shootout.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more complete player in all the years I’ve been watching. He takes the cake. From the stick handling to the speed to the playmaking, dangles, dekes, takeaways and sick snipes, Pavel Datsyuk could do it all. He won three Selke Trophies as the top defensive forward and a few Lady Byngs for most gentlemanly. Never won a scoring title or Hart. His most points were 97 which he did twice.

A two-time Stanley Cup champion. Had he been more healthy, I doubt the Pens come back to beat the Red Wings in the memorable rematch in 2009. They still needed a last second save by Marc-Andre Fleury on Nicklas Lidstrom to preserve their third Cup.

There are only a handful of players who come close to Datsyuk overall. His predecessor Fedorov. Peter Forsberg. Eric Lindros. Mike Modano. Patrice Bergeron. Sidney Crosby. Anze Kopitar. Those are great overall centers who can do everything. But nobody did it with as much flair as Datsyuk. He had magic hands and instincts that can’t be taught.

My guy Alex Kovalev was similar in terms of the skating, puck handling, dangles, dekes, finishing and playmaking. However, he wasn’t as complete or consistent. Had he been, I believe Kovalev could’ve been one of the greats. His puck possession style would mesmerize in today’s game with how the rules are. I’m glad he got to show his stuff in Pittsburgh and Montreal. No Cup in 1994 without him.

That’s going to do it for now. I’ll be back later when something crazy happens. I won’t be excited about it. That I can promise you.

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