Rangers make smart move swapping Joey Keane for Julien Gauthier, Lindgren takes high road on Marchand, confusing playoff system, awful Leafs and Canadiens

Posted on February 19, 2020 by Derek

A minor trade that could help the Rangers at forward could impact what happens with Chris Kreider (seen above with Derek Stepan).

Much earlier on Tuesday, the Rangers decided to make a trade that could immediately impact the future. In fact, it could signal what the organization decides between now and next Monday’s Feb. 24 trade deadline.

In the second trade between the Rangers and Hurricanes with the first being acquiring Adam Fox last summer, they swapped defenseman Joey Keane for forward Julien Gauthier. In sending the 20-year old Keane to Carolina and picking up 22-year old Gauthier, who has a good resume, it looks like the Rangers are preparing for the worst in five days.

On the subject of an interesting deal, they traded from an organizational strength. Even with Keane putting up good numbers with eight goals and 22 assists for a total of 30 points in 49 games for Hartford, it was obvious that the first-time AHL All-Star was blocked due to the excellent depth the team has at defense. Only 20, it’s a good opportunity for Keane, who will continue his first pro year with Charlotte in the AHL.

The issue was that the Rangers had Fox, Jacob Trouba and Tony DeAngelo ahead of him on the right side. With a key decision still looming on leading D point getter DeAngelo soon, and Nils Lundkvist possibly coming over next season as a 20-year old right defenseman, there is no room for Keane, who hopefully will continue to progress and become an NHL regular.

Factor in K’Andre Miller and Matthew Robertson as part of the future left side of what should be a revamped blueline by 2021-22, and the Blueshirts are in good shape. The biggest weakness is lack of forward depth. Even with Vitali Kravtsov in his first pro year along with rookie Kaapo Kakko, the truth is they lack a lot up front. Particularly on the wing where they should at least have Kakko, Pavel Buchnevich and superstar Artemi Panarin penciled in.

The thing is they invested in Panarin for top dollar knowing this realistically wasn’t a playoff team. They spent 22 million on the salary cap for both Panarin and Trouba. You don’t do that unless you’re serious about improving quickly. The last thing they want to do is waste the prime of the Bread Man, whose 78 points (29-49-78) have him on pace for a 100 point season.

If they have come to a decision on Chris Kreider, who has plenty of interest from four teams including the Bruins and Islanders, then they must add NHL ready talent to the roster. In acquiring Gauthier, who’s scored a combined 69 goals in the AHL for the Checkers the last three years, the former 2016 first round pick of the Canes seems to check all the boxes.

He’s got the size and strength the Rangers need. Listed at 6-4, 227 pounds, the big right wing represented Canada twice at the Under 20 World Junior Championships. In 2017, he had five goals and two assists. His pro career has been similar. Gauthier has 69 goals and 34 assists. That includes 26 goals and 11 helpers in 44 contests this season. He’ll join the Rangers in Chicago for Wednesday Night Hockey against the Blackhawks. He’ll wear number 12.

In five NHL games this year with Carolina, Gauthier has an assist with six penalty minutes. Now, he’ll get a chance with the Blueshirts. We’ll see what kind of first impression he can make tonight. It’ll be interesting to see where they slot him.

On the front of the Original Six match-up that seems to always be nationally televised by NBC no matter how crazy it’s become, we’ll know more later in regards to DeAngelo and starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin. David Quinn said he expects DeAngelo to play on the road trip which also includes a stop in Raleigh on Friday.

They will then return to The Garden Sunday for the Sharks. By then, we should have a clearer idea of the organization’s plans for Kreider along with trade candidates Jesper Fast and Ryan Strome.

Considering how the coach has handled the net with Alex Georgiev playing the last three games while Henrik Lundqvist is reduced to a helpless spectator, I don’t think Georgiev is going anywhere. Despite all the contrived crap from other spaces, it seems that they’ve made up their minds. That could lead to a split by the summer between Lundqvist and the Rangers. It doesn’t make sense to keep him around as a third wheel for that cap hit of $8.5 million.

There’s this false narrative that the Rangers have to be loyal to Henrik for the whole duration of the contract. Not if he’s not playing. It’s too much of a distraction moving forward. So if they do decide to buyout the franchise leader in victories and shutouts, it’s going to still save some money. Albeit not a lot due to the dead space. He needs to find a new home where he can go play out whatever is left of his brilliant career.

If Glen Sather can treat the franchise’s greatest player in Brian Leetch like crap by not even informing him he was being traded on his birthday to the Maple Leafs, then they can part ways with Lundqvist in the pressure packed salary cap era. These aren’t easy decisions. But it’s about logic. Even Larry Brooks can see it.

Next order of business. On Sunday as you know, Brad Marchand trash talked Ryan Lindgren following the couple of run-ins they had on Hockey Day In America. After his crosscheck to the back of Lindgren during a scrum, Pavel Buchnevich came to Lindgren’s aid by knocking down Marchand from behind. As well as he’s played since the second half began, this was Buchnevich’s finest moment as a Blueshirt. It showed character and the kind of passion that’s been critiqued in the past. He’s finally getting it.

It would’ve been very easy for the younger Lindgren to fire back at Marchand after The Rat called him a solid defenseman that he didn’t see having a long NHL career. Instead, the 22-year old poised rookie took the high road. Here is what he told New York Post reporter Mollie Walker:

That’s exactly the kind of response you want. There’s no reason to get into a war of words with the master troll. Marchand is a top 10 player who seems to take great joy in mastering the art of agitating, talking and making fools out of fans who run their mouths on social media.

That’s who he is. He’s the type of player you love if he’s on your side, but hate if he isn’t. I rather get a kick out of him. He might talk, but he can back it up. Too bad there’s no more games versus the Bruins on the schedule.

Finally, a parting shot at the confusing NHL playoff system. When they first announced the move to the divisional format for the first two rounds, it made me flashback to the good old days in the 80’s and early 90’s. However, back then it worked better due to way fewer teams. There also wasn’t any free reward for reaching overtime. Either you won, lost or tied. If you won or lost, it was still a four point swing if it was a game inside your division. Two points or none.

That’s the real issue. All the free point does is reward mediocrity. The Islanders have less wins in regulation than the Rangers. So do the Maple Leafs, who gave another pathetic effort in a lopsided 5-2 loss to the Penguins on NBCSN. They remain in third place in the soft Atlantic Division where as long as you finish in the top three, you automatically qualify for the postseason.

How do you think fans of the Flyers, Blue Jackets, Islanders or Hurricanes will feel if say their team doesn’t make it. But the Leafs or Panthers do even if they wind up with less points or the first tiebreaker of regulation wins? Someone could get screwed.

Heck. If the Rangers played in the other division, the playoffs would be a real possibility. What does that exactly say about the current system? It isn’t working. They have to go back to seeding it 1-8. Then the tiebreak would be easier. I still point to the cheap reward of a brownie point for getting past regulation. Three-on-three is nice to watch. But it’s not hockey either. They should go back to four-on-four.

Make it harder. No free point. You play for two in the overtime. Forget the shootout. It should be two points, one or none. Separate the contenders from the pretenders.

Toronto is a fraud. They don’t play any team defense. They don’t backcheck. Defense optional. They leave both Frederik Andersen and Jack Campbell out to dry. They remind me of the early 2000’s Rangers teams that were all offense and zero structure. The Panthers are similar despite similar top tier talent. They overpaid for Sergei Bobrovsky and he’s been abysmal.

Someone has to get third in that mediocre division. The same one the lowly Red Wings swept Montreal for the first time ever. The same one the Senators put up a touchdown and extra point on the Sabres in when a win of any kind would’ve meant they’re back in the race. Instead, they gave up three goals within a 1:14 span up two and four straight to end the first period down 4-2.

I can’t believe I took the Leafs to the Cup. Good god. What was I thinking? I really thought it could all line up for Toronto. All that talent. Adding Tyson Barrie and Alex Kerfoot for Nazem Kadri. It turns out he was more important than previously thought. Ask Colorado. The defense is so bad without Morgan Rielly, you would think he was a world beater in his end.

The coaching change might’ve worked initially. However, not even replacing Mike Babcock with Sheldon Keefe can cover for how defensively inept the Leafs are. It doesn’t matter how skilled they are led by Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares. They’re still too easy to play against even with the wise addition of the edgy Kyle Clifford.

At what point does the finger get pointed at the top? Kyle Dubas and Brendan Shanahan are failing. If they were to miss the playoffs, it would be a disaster. Heads would roll.

It seems like Claude Julien will lose his job in Montreal. They routinely blow two and three goal leads in games they should win. He’s also run Carey Price into the ground. Literally. He was last seen melting oh the ice like the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz. Despite having a very talented rookie forward in Nick Suzuki, they’re not good enough to compete.

They’ll blame the coach. When does the GM lose his job, or is that not allowed? It’s the Canadiens. The NHL’s best franchise in league history. The winner of a NHL record 24 Stanley Cups. The last one being in ’92-93 when legend Patrick Roy carried them. That’s also the last Cup a Canadian franchise has won.

https://twitter.com/JessHa6s/status/1229963896490012674?s=19

At some point, the Habs have to stop being a punchline. They’re so much more to the league. Price is now 32 and being wasted. This could be the third straight season he doesn’t see the playoffs. He made one Conference Final in 2014. He was part of the 2010 run too but that was all Jaro Halak. That’s it for the best goalie Montreal has had since Roy.

Here’s a question for fans of the Canadiens and Maple Leafs fans. What does your team need to do to become a serious contender for Lord Stanley?

Posted in Battle News, Column, NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rangers make smart move swapping Joey Keane for Julien Gauthier, Lindgren takes high road on Marchand, confusing playoff system, awful Leafs and Canadiens

Devils’ Sunday makeover and shootout win combine for a wild night

Posted on February 16, 2020 by hasan4978

Coming home to write this blog about one of the wildest days ever as a Devils fan, I figured I’d try to just go through what happened and my feelings in chronological order, and I’m still going to try to do that.  I’m just not sure I can remember everything exactly in order or completely given how the news has been coming fast and furious all night, along with loosely trying to actually watch the hockey game in front of me – at least in the last two periods and OT/SO of the Blackwoods’ shootout win over the Blue Jackets.

Let’s just start with the pregame, I was preparing to eat dinner at home around 4 PM and leave right after that for the Devils’ game against Columbus with a 6 PM start time when I saw the notification surfing Facebook – Devils trade Andy Greene to Islanders for a 2nd rounder and defenseman David Quenneville.  It was another ‘huh?!’ moment.  Not that I was entirely surprised to see Greene dealt, in fact if you had to put odds on it they would have been high that he would get dealt to the Islanders who have a certain GM that knows Greene very well.  Especially given the convenience factor for Greene’s family not having to move or be seperated since he could stay in the area.

I can’t exactly complain about the price either – a 2nd rounder for a depth defenseman seems more than fair although the fact the 2nd rounder is in 2021 instead of this year is meh, but whatever…can’t be too picky given that I’m sure the list of teams Greene would waive his NTC for was probably short and I’m not sure we get a 2nd from a GM that isn’t Lou Lamoriello since Greene was pathetically underrated in hockey circles for years in his prime.  Not to mention over-the-top complaining by Devil fans since his prime, because given the state of our defense he had to remain on the first pair with no better options when he would have been better served as a second-pair defenseman, which he probably will be for Lou’s team.

Perhaps the only thing that bugged me about the deal was the timing.  After all, we already fired a GM and a coach literally around two hours before a home game that same night, now we’re going to trade our captain two hours before a game too?  I know we’re not exactly trying to win, but you can’t reasonably expect your locker room to be completely ready to play a game when you throw something franchise-changing into their lap.  Especially for guys like Travis Zajac, who pointed out simply in the postgame that he’s spent fourteen years with Andy, since both were rookies in 2006.  Not to mention the broadcast team, who’s also known Andy longer than most of the current players.  According to people who were watching, both Ken Daneyko and Bryce Salvador had red eyes in the pregame, no doubt emotional over the Greene trade.  Especially in Sal’s case, the dude actually played with him, and was succeeded as captain on the team by #6.

Honestly this night should have been a proper tribute for a solid player and better person who played over 900 games as a Devil, served admirably in both the good times like the 2012 playoff run, and under trying circumstances like the last couple years.  Greene made himself into a valuable NHL player from being an undrafted free agent signed by Lou in 2006 after four years of college at Miami of Ohio.  It took a few years for Greene to fully break out but he did so in 2009-10 with a 37-point season.  Scoring wasn’t exactly his game though, after all he put up just one assist in 24 playoff games during the team’s 2012 playoff run and his career high in points was during that 2009-10 season, yet was a valuable member of the team nonetheless as a first-pairing shutdown defenseman who was a stout penalty killer.  Surely there’ll be more time for reflection when the Islanders come to the Rock in late March and Greene gets a deserved ovation.

Yet I hadn’t even had much time to process the Greene trade (basically a half hour) when the Blake Coleman rumors started to hit the Twitter-sphere.  My feelings turned from resignation to annoyance at that point.  Even if the initial rumor from Renaud Lavoie of Coleman being dealt to Colorado proved to be incorrect, there was definitely smoke around the rumors when Coleman was scratched from the pregame lineup due to ‘precautionary reasons’ – which is generally code for a trade’s coming.  GM Tom Fitzgerald’s message was basically clear at that point, this was going to be another long-term rebuild if a guy like Coleman was on the block.

Granted, I could understand trading Coleman from the purely theoretical perspective.  He’s a middle six player who’s only got one guaranteed year under control beyond this season before he plays his way into a nice free agent deal.  Still, a guy like Coleman is someone you’d like to keep even if you’re in a rebuild.  He’s 28 which isn’t exactly old, and has become a real heart and soul guy over the last three seasons, being a modern-day John Madden with terrific penalty killing and shutdown ability.  Coleman also improved his offense every year though…from 13 goals and 25 points in his first full season two years ago to 22 goals and 36 points last year, and was set to improve yet again with 21 goals and 31 points in 57 games so far this year including great skill moves like this memorable goal on Opening Night, which proved to be the apex of the Devils’ season.

Arguably Coleman was the team’s MVP this year or at least just behind Mackenzie Blackwood.  It was going to take a big package for me to be okay with trading him.  I didn’t think the Coleman question would be resolved tonight though, in fact I was also annoyed the Coleman rumors kind of put a wet blanket over the Greene departure.  It seems like a guy who’s been a Devil for a decade and a half deserved better than basically an hour or so of attention before the even more attention-grabbing deal hit the wire.  Ironically, Coleman also went to college at Miami of Ohio, so they have that in common besides being traded on the same day – though unlike Greene he was drafted in the third round. Coleman still (like Greene) basically came from being an unheralded prospect to make himself into a solid NHL player.

With all this swirling around I drove to the arena, and did at least luck out by finding a free parking spot on the street that was easy to get into, near where I usually go into my $7-10 lot.  I guess there’s at least one advantage to attending a game on a Sunday night with a holiday the next day (not that I’ll benefit, having to go to work then) since generally it’s a little harder to find parking spots near the arena.  I also got there early enough to get the PK Subban special bobblehead, and to see a couple of friends in the pregame.

Really I paid scant attention to the actual game during the first period and there wasn’t exactly much to watch, to be honest.  It looked like it was going to be another typical Devils-Blue Jackets game where they kicked the hell out of us physically and wasted us on the scoreboard 5-1 or 6-2, especially after trading the captain and scratching one of your better players.  It’s not exactly ideal when 10% of your lineup only knows it’s playing 60-90 minutes before the game.  I saw an acquaintance I’d only met the previous day and when she made a comment about loving Coleman I just…didn’t have the heart to tell her he was about to be traded.

Little did I even know about to be traded meant literally in the middle of the second period.  First, the Devils actually got me back into the game emotionally briefly when a couple of the young guns – Joey Anderson and Nick Merkley – scored in the first four minutes of the period.  These are the kinds of guys who are going to have to pan out if what’s now become officially rebuild 2.0 is going to have more hope of succeeding than former GM Ray Shero’s initial de facto five-year plan.  Or maybe rebuild 2.5 considering Lou tried to rebuild the defense and goaltending but the forwards were a wasteland at the end of his tenure.

Anderson was a third-round pick in 2016 and was highly talked about last year before a gruesome leg injury slowed his progress as a rookie, however he put up 15 goals and 34 points in 44 AHL games before getting called up again, and he’s responded with two goals and four points in 7 games so far.  Merkley on the other hand was thought to be a throw-in of the Taylor Hall trade despite being a one-time first-round pick (2015), and injuries slowed his progress during his first two years as a pro.  However, as a Devil he’s shown fast improvement with seven goals and eighteen points in twenty-one games for Binghamton before getting called up a few days ago, and registering points in each of his first two games as a pro.  Merkley got a nice, deserved ovation for his first NHL goal tonight and eventually second star of the night.

Just when I was back into the game and somewhat pumped up over the young guns striking, then word came that the Coleman trade was official…not to Colorado but to Tampa Bay.  It didn’t take long before the return got leaked out, and I have to admit as much of a skeptic as I was over trading Coleman (and as annoyed as I still am that we’re now looking at yet another long rebuild), the actual return surprised me in a positive way.

I vaguely remembered Foote being a good prospect, and sure enough he’s a big left winger who Tampa took in the first round this year, and reports are high on him.  Former Devils social media host and current prospect blogger Julie Robenhymer (among others) offered this glowing review of Foote:

To get essentially TWO first-round picks for Coleman was more than I thought was possible, to be honest.  Especially for one full year of control plus another playoff run.  Certainly Tampa is in go for it mode though, and a guy like Coleman really can make a big difference for their team, which has been accused of lacking grit and toughness.  Coleman will bring both in spades, and pickle juice too.

Image result for blake coleman pickles

Trying to assess the trade and process it, I went back to not paying as much attention to the game and reading the online stuff on the Coleman deal.  Kyle Palmieri did score to give the Devils the lead later in the period but it was almost bittersweet in a way, now that I’m wondering how long I’ll get to enjoy HIM here since K-Palm’s also a free agent like Coleman after next year.  Of course I got his jersey autographed at a recent team event and am wondering if I’ll get to wear that before he gets traded, since my next home game in attendance won’t be till after next Monday’s deadline.  Like with Coleman, I’ll understand a K-Palm deal in theory as part of ‘the process’ (yuck) but that one would hurt even more than Coleman since K-Palm’s a Jersey boy and was one of our biggest rays of hope the last five years after Shero’s first big move was to trade for him at the 2015 NHL Draft, and he grew up as a player and person here.

As if there was any doubt as to ownership’s intentions after the Coleman trade, the below tweet from beat writer Abbey Mastracco that I saw during the third period seemed to confirm that the answer was that, in fact ownership was lying after the Shero firing when they claimed they intended to win now or as soon as possible.  Cynically, I figured this might happen one the season ticket ‘two year loyalty lock’ season ticket plan got advertised, not to mention things had been quiet on the homefront since Shero got replaced.

If the rest of the night was a bit abnormal, our third period was completely normal for the 2019-20 Devils as we again fell back on our heels, again blew a third period lead.  It was only Blackwood who kept us from being bombarded, as despite giving up three goals he made a staggering fifty saves in regulation.  Even though we got outshot 53-23 in regulation, the Calder-eligible netminder somehow took us to overtime.  Although we managed to get the better chances in the three-on-three, we somehow failed to convert then went to the dreaded shootout.  Despite the questionable choices of Damon Severson and Pavel Zacha among the first five shooters in what turned out to be an excruciating seven-round duel, it was Blackwood along with Nikita Gusev and Jesper Bratt who saved us in the skills competition, and the Devils stole a win from a Blue Jackets team fighting for a playoff spot.

Though I was happy over the win, I wasn’t exactly doing the ‘Let’s Go Devils!’ chant out the door like many of the fans were.  At this point in the season, it’s more either contentment over wins and resignation over losses.  I was just glad after a three-hour game it was still only 9 PM with clear roads up to Broad Street and out of Newark.  Then on my drive home, my buddy Rudy was giving me the blow-by-blow of Fitz’s postgame press conference (initial YT above) and when I saw that Fitz said he was hoping to compete in the near future, I just rolled my eyes…this was basically an hour after reading that Abbey Tweet above where Fitz said we weren’t going to be a contender in the next couple years!  I mean is this guy running for public office or something?

Don’t get me wrong, I approve of the return in both deals and would like to see Fitz get the full-time job but my goodness gracious, we’ve been put through the ringer enough for one day already!  If you’re going to attempt to be transparent, at least be honest about it.  As much as I like what I’ve heard about Nolan Foote, is that really enough to move the needle from ‘we’re not going to be competitive for a couple years’ to ‘we’re hoping to compete soon’?  At least I’m glad Fitz managed to get enough of a return for Coleman to not have me hate the trade.  Nor do I hate the idea of rooting for Coleman to be the missing piece for Tampa.

Whew…now comes the attempt to decompress.  Unless the Devils made another trade in the last hour I’ve been writing this <goes to check Twitter>.

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Game #58 Bruins stifling defense ends Rangers win streak at four, Marchand stirs it up

Posted on February 16, 2020 by Derek

Maybe the busy schedule finally caught up to them. Playing for the fourth time in six days, the Rangers didn’t have enough to beat the very tough Bruins. In their first home game since running the table on the road, they fell to the Bruins 3-1 at MSG earlier today.

The tough loss ended their season high win streak at four. It also finished a season series that wasn’t kind to the Blueshirts, who dropped all three games (0-2-1) to the better team in Boston. They proved why they’re one of the league’s best teams. From a defensive standpoint, they limited most if the Rangers’ shots and chances to the outside.

Even though they picked it up late thanks to a Mika Zibanejad power play goal on their fifth opportunity, it wasn’t enough to overcome a 2-0 deficit. Both goals scored by Boston came late in the first two periods. That included a fluky one from defenseman Charlie McAvoy that took a strange bounce past Alex Georgiev at 19:18 of the first period. Coach David Quinn would later indicate that that goal deflated his team, indicating that they didn’t respond well.

Despite being handed a double-minor for hi-sticking after David Krejci drew blood on The Warrior Ryan Lindgren, the Rangers did absolutely nothing on it. It was four wasted minutes that left fans exasperated. From listening to the broadcast on ESPN Radio, I could feel color analyst Dave Maloney’s frustration. Simply put, they were out-executed and outhustled by a disciplined Bruins penalty kill that prominently features Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, McAvoy, Brandon Carlo and Sean Kuraly.

Boston gave them chances. That included this sequence between Marchand and Lindgren which drew an immediate response from Pavel Buchnevich.

https://twitter.com/HeresYourReplay/status/1229164451636576256?s=19

Marchand was the only player penalized. He was assessed a two-minute minor for cross-checking with 2:46 left in the second period. This was another opportunity to draw even. Instead, a mistake from Jacob Trouba during the power play led to Charlie Coyle converting a breakaway for a shorthanded goal with 1:18 left in the period. He broke in and went high glove on Georgiev to increase the Bruins lead to 2-0.

It was a backbreaking goal. One goal down was already tough against the stingy Bruins. Two behind felt virtually impossible. The Rangers weren’t playing good enough. They only mustered right shots in a period they had six minutes of power play time. Plus they gave up a shorthanded goal. Even though Zibanejad would eventually wind up scoring on Ranger killer Jaro Halak, the fact is they broke even on their sixth ranked power play. That’s brutal. It certainly won’t get it done versus an opportunistic opponent like Boston.

Marchand was involved throughout the day. He had a run in with Lindgren back in the first. Then, cross-checked him down to the ice late in the second to earn two minutes of alone time in the sin bin. He drew a tripping minor on Zibanejad with 27 seconds left in the second. Then, had plenty to say afterwards about Lindgren. Here’s some of it:

https://twitter.com/Bmarch63/status/1229194098575319041?s=19

https://twitter.com/Bmarch63/status/1229193134090878976?s=19

https://twitter.com/Bmarch63/status/1229193485569400832?s=19

What these people fail to understand is that by tweeting at him, it only makes them look bad. The Rat owns these trolls. When they decide to go at him, he feeds them their lunch and makes them look foolish. It’s actually entertaining to see a professional athlete have so much fun with these people. They’re idiots. Marchand is a different cat. You’re not going to win.

For the longest time, it felt like the game would be an easy shutout for Halak, who may as well change his name to Jaro Hasek. He owns the Rangers. Just ask Henrik Lundqvist, who’s been reduced to a spectator on the bench. Vince Mercogliano tried to ask Quinn why he started Georgiev, but got the response to his question in the form of the coach liking how well his backup had played.

It took a fifth Boston penalty for the Rangers to finally figure it out. Rather than go with four forwards and Adam Fox as the lone defenseman, Quinn went with five forwards. This time, it worked. Zibanejad took a Artemi Panarin pass and was able to beat Hasek Halak for his 25th goal with 10:08 remaining. Ryan Strome continued his turnaround by adding a secondary assist.

Buoyed by the Zibanejad goal, the Rangers finally applied real pressure on Halak. They came close to scoring the tying goal a couple of times. It sounded like Halak robbed them. He denied Phil Di Giuseppe on one try and was equal to the task on the other late chances. He wound up with 25 saves including eight of nine in the third period.

Eventually, Georgiev went to the bench for an extra attacker. However, the Bruins gave up nothing. Eventually, Marchand got the puck to Bergeron for the put away with 13 seconds remaining.

A player the Rangers missed was Tony DeAngelo, who sat out the second game in a row due to a tough hit he delivered. He was badly missed on the power play and in transition. He had some choice words for Marchand.

https://twitter.com/TonyDee07/status/1229220155126882304?s=20

Something tells me you haven’t seen the end of this rivalry. Though it might be one-sided right now, the Rangers showed that they’re not a pushover like they were the first time they lost to them in November. A game so miserable, we left with eight minutes left. They weren’t good enough today. However, the way they fought to the bitter end is a good sign. This team doesn’t quit.

They’re learning. The process will continue on Wednesday night against the Blackhawks. A winnable game. We’ll know more about Igor Shesterkin by then. Hopefully, he can return to the net soon.

Battle Of Hudson Three 🌟

3rd 🌟 Charlie Coyle, Bruins (shorthanded goal for game-winner at 18:42 of 2nd, +2 in 15:57)

2nd 🌟 Jaro Halak, Bruins (25 saves to continue his mastery over NYR)

1st 🌟 Charlie McCoy, Bruins (goal, 3 blocked shots, 2 hits, +1 in 24:52)

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Devils trade Coleman to Lightning for Nolan Foote and first round pick

Posted on February 16, 2020 by Derek

In a trade that just broke, the Devils have sent forward Blake Coleman packing to Tampa Bay. Darren Dreger broke the news on Twitter. The details quickly followed.

That’s a haul for a good player which Coleman is. He definitely should help the Lightning, who have been on fire lately. They’re going for it. So, it makes sense. They parted with forward prospect Nolan Foote. Only 19, he’s one of the sons of former NHL defenseman Adam Foote. He had three goals and two assists for Canada in winning the gold medal at the World Junior Championship.

The Lightning took the younger brother of defense prospect Cal Foote in the first round of last year’s NHL Draft. He went number 27. The Devils did quite well today getting a first round pick, a second for Andy Greene, and a former first round draft pick in Foote for Coleman.

They have just sped up their rebuild. Coleman is on a great contract with an average cap hit of $1.8 million through 2021. The 28-year old has totaled 43 goals when you combine last year and this one. He had 21 goals with 10 assists in 57 contests this season. A solid penalty killer, Coleman has nine shorthanded goals since ’17-18. He has three this year.

Coleman definitely is a good addition for the Lightning, who seem more equipped to win the Stanley Cup this time. Adding the hard checking Coleman to Anthony Cirelli, Ondrej Palat, Yanni Gourde, Pat Maroon and Cedric Paquette makes them much tougher to play against. With headliners Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point, Victor Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy, the Bolts now look like the clear favorite to win the Cup.

It’s a great job from interim Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald and Martin Brodeur to get the strong return they did for two expendable players that weren’t going to be in Newark long-term. My guess is they’ll look to lock up leading finisher Kyle Palmieri this summer and make him the next captain. If not, they can get a lot back for him. Especially if Lou Lamoriello comes calling for either him or Travis Zajac.

I’m sure Hasan will have more. The Devils lead the Blue Jackets 3-2 after two periods.

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HARD HITS: Hockey Day In America

Posted on February 16, 2020 by Derek

It’s Hockey Day In America. Well, really it was kick-started last night with the big outdoor game played between the LA Kings and Colorado Avalanche at the U. S. Air Force Academy’s Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The Stadium Series was won by the Kings 3-1 over the Avalanche. Tyler Toffoli scored the game-winner with 55 seconds left in regulation. He also scored into an empty net to become the first player to record a hat trick in an outdoor game.

The NHL has been playing these games for over a decade. Nobody ever had one. Think of all the talent too. Crosby. Malkin. Ovechkin. Kane. Toews. Pastrnak. Marchand. Bergeron. The list goes on. Toffoli is a good player who’s been part of a Stanley Cup with the Kings. He’s quietly had a nice season with 18 goals. Many expect the 26-year old forward to be available this trade deadline. He could have a new team in eight days.

Speaking of celebrating American hockey, nothing quite says celebration like NBC having the Penguins whip the woeful Red Wings 5-1 on national TV. Patric Hornqvist had three points (2-1-3) as the Pens chased poor Jimmy Howard, who fell to 2-22-2. The game should’ve been played at a neutral site. At least it might have given Detroit a better chance.

Why the Red Wings continue to be on NBC or their other network is insane. It’s like featuring the Knicks on ABC/ESPN or TNT. You just don’t do it or avoid doing so as much as possible. Outside of Pittsburgh, who’s going to watch? No disrespect to Hockeytown. But even they gotta be sick of seeing their inept team. Here’s hoping Alexis Lafreniere can save them. It’s not even a lock due to the lottery. Watch the Devils win again or Montreal somehow defy the odds.

Next on tap is an Original Six match-up between Boston and New York. The Bruins are trying to hold off the red hot Lightning for the league’s best record. They lead Tampa by a point coming into MSG for the third and final meeting with the Rangers. The Rangers have won a season high four in a row. They still have wildcard hopes despite playing in the wrong division. A win of any kind puts them up to 66 with 24 games remaining. That would put some more pressure on the Blue Jackets, who play later at the Devils. They and the Flyers each have 71 points. The Hurricanes trail by two and host leading scorer Leon Draisaitl and Edmonton.

The race is a crazy one. While you have as many as seven teams in the crowded Metro fighting for five spots, the Atlantic only has two playoff locks in the Bruins and Lightning. The Maple Leafs are third with 70 points. Four clear of slumping Florida. At this point given their latest blown three goal lead last night, you’d have to figure Montreal is out of it with Buffalo. The Habs are overusing Carey Price and continue to lose. They’re not good enough. The Sabres are a one man show thanks to American star Jack Eichel. He is a dynamic player that makes everyone better. If only he had more help.

There are other games taking place later today. That includes a rematch between the Predators and suddenly slumping Blues. Nashville got a big win yesterday 4-3 at St. Louis. They’ve played a little better under John Hynes. I wouldn’t be shocked if they found their way in. A classic home-and-home series between division rivals is always good. The Blues are trying to hang onto first place with the Avalanche and Stars on their tails.

Eichel and the Sabres host rival Toronto tonight. That’s always interesting. Can Eichel continue his hot streak versus American sniper Auston Matthews? Matthews is tied for the league lead with 42 goals. He and David Pastrnak each are up to 42 while Alex Ovechkin is stuck on 40 as he chases 700. Maybe he wants to do it at home.

The last game on a busy Sunday slate is the Blackhawks visiting the Jets. Both teams are out of the playoffs right now. Winnipeg is three points out with two games at hand on Arizona. Chicago trails the Coyotes by six with three extra games left. They blew out the Flames 8-4 in Calgary last night. The Flames are vulnerable due to no defense. They’re missing both Mark Giordano and Travis Hamonic. Neither David Rittich or Cam Talbot could save them from a Hawks onslaught. They are tied with the Coyotes in points (66) for the wildcard. They’ve played one fewer game. So, they’re in the first wildcard.

The Western race should continue to be unpredictable. With Nashville, Winnipeg, Minnesota and Chicago still alive for the playoffs, only the three miserable three California teams (Sharks, Ducks, Kings) are out of contention. The Sharks lost Erik Karlsson for the remainder of the season due to thumb surgery. Joe Thornton is expected to be moved in what’s likely his final season. Wouldn’t it be something if he went to a team and won a Cup?

While they continue to celebrate how far American hockey has come almost 40 years to the Miracle On Ice (Feb. 22, 1980), enjoy the stars that have emerged out of Team USA. From Patrick Kane, who could one day top all American players in goals, assists and points to the unreal hands of Matthews, who’s vying for the Rocket Richard, there’s a lot of talent to appreciate.

Eichel. Kane. Matthews. Those are the headliners followed by John Carlson, Kyle Connor, JT Miller, Max Pacioretty, Sean Couturier, Blake Wheeler, Johnny Gaudreau. Jake Guentzel would be near the top of he didn’t get hurt. He’s a great finisher. Chris Kreider is finally putting it altogether. This could be the year he hits 30 goals. Will it be as a Blueshirt?

Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes and Tony DeAngelo are emerging stars representing the stars and stripes. You have old reliable guys like Keith Yandle and Ryan Suter. Plus the always overlooked TJ Oshie, who came up big to help Ovechkin and the Caps win the Cup two years ago. Bryan Rust and Brock Nelson are emerging players. Even though he plays on a bad team, Dylan Larkin will be heard from. Torey Krug remains a underrated defenseman on the Bruins. Kyle Palmieri is on the Devils and remains a player that can get 30 goals. Wait till Jack Hughes matures.

Zach Werenski has had a great year for low scoring Columbus. His 17 goals pace all NHL defensemen. When he and fellow American teammate Seth Jones are healthy, that’s quite a tandem. Alex DeBrincat isn’t having the season he had last year, but he’ll rebound. Christian Dvorak is one of the most improved Coyotes. Eventually, Brady Tkachuk will be a household name in Ottawa. He’s tougher than brother Matthew, who is hated by many players.

As for goalies, Ben Bishop is as good as anyone. He got robbed last year for the Vezina. They gave it to Andrei Vasilevskiy, who’s an ace in net for Tampa. Connor Hellebuyck has to do too much for Winnipeg. John Gibson is one of the better puck stoppers. However, his team is awful. Jonathan Quick has the hardware with two Cups and a Conn Smythe.

American hockey is in great shape. Happy Hockey Day In America!

Body Checks

With Alex Georgiev playing again for Igor Shesterkin, the rumblings are growing louder that Henrik Lundqvist could waive his no trade and become a former Ranger a lot sooner than anyone expected. It makes sense. He’s not playing. It’s time to move on. Go elsewhere and chase a Cup.

I’ve said before that Anthony Cirelli has been a real key to the Lightning revival. He’s having a good season for Tampa. He’s the kind of gritty player they’ll need to go far this Spring. He won’t win it, but Cirelli should be up for the Selke.

Mackenzie Blackwood deserves mention for how well he’s played recently for the Devils. He pitched consecutive shutouts and allowed one goal in three starts. He’s another young netminder to watch. The clear-cut starter in New Jersey, Blackwood will need help from a blueline that remains sketchy.

Having been shutout in consecutive losses at Nashville and Vegas last night, the Islanders have to know they need to make a move by Feb. 24. There isn’t enough offense. It can’t just be Mat Barzal skating around in circles passing pucks to noted snipers Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield. When you’re counting on those kind of D along with Devon Toews for offense, that’s bad. Jordan Eberle gets a lot of chances, but isn’t finishing consistently. Josh Bailey is more playmaker and Nelson leads the team in goals yet wasn’t out there down a goal with Semyon Varlamov on the bench. Kieffer Bellows is a rookie.

Adam Fox is a American name that should rise on that defense list. He gets better and better each game for the Blueshirts. The pair featuring him and Ryan Lindgren is their best. Both will only be 22 entering their second year in the Fall. There’s still lots of season left.

Bruce Boudreau became the latest coaching casualty following a shootout loss to the Rangers. A game his Wild led 3-1 in with under 10 minutes left. How did they respond? By getting shutout to world beater Martin Jones and the Sharks on Saturday. It’s not just the coach there. Bill Guerin has his work cut out. Getting Karill Kaprizov signed out of the KHL would dramatically help the offense. The former fifth round pick in 2015 is 27-27-54 in 53 games for CSKA Moscow.

In a move that’s not surprising, the Devils moved captain Andy Greene to the Islanders for David Quenneville and a 2021 second round draft pick. He’s in his last year. So, the Isles D adds depth. Greene likely will supplant rookie Noah Dobson, who isn’t ready yet.

Hart Race:

1. Leon Draisaitl

2. David Pastrnak

3. Artemi Panarin

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Game #57 Kreider’s big game-winning goal late gives Rangers season high four-game win streak, Georgiev makes 36 saves to beat Blue Jackets

Posted on February 15, 2020 by Derek

A pumped up Chris Kreider celebrates his 23rd goal of the season with Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox. It was the the winner in a 3-1 Rangers win over the Blue Jackets. AP Photo credit New York Rangers via Getty Images

For most of the deciding period, nothing was separating these teams. In a hotly contested divisional match-up, the Rangers had to rely on the hot goaltending of Alex Georgiev. They also did a solid job checking in front of him despite giving up 37 shots without a banged up Tony DeAngelo. Good thing Marc Staal was able to return from the flu. They likely don’t win without him or the effort Brendan Smith gave in his second straight appearance on defense.

The difference proved to be special teams. In the second period, the Rangers successfully killed off a double minor on Pavel Buchnevich for hooking and unsportsmanlike conduct. A questionable call that wasn’t nearly as bad as the phantom trip they made on Eric Robinson in the first which had John Tortorella fuming. He would have good reason to be upset with less than four minutes left in regulation when Chris Kreider scored as a power play expired to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead over the Blue Jackets.

In their third game over four nights all on the road, the Rangers made it a perfect three-for-three on a road trip by defeating the Blue Jackets 3-1 in Nationwide Arena. By getting the latest clutch goal from Kreider, who’s now up to 23 and 17 since 12/8, the Blueshirts are alive in the playoff race. They took advantage of an undisciplined bench minor on Columbus that had Tortorella letting out a few expletives. While his penalty killing unit kept the top Rangers power play unit to the outside, they ran out of gas at the end.

Mika Zibanejad had just enough time to find Kreider in his office for a quick one-timer that beat Elvis Merzlikins with 3:11 left. It seemed like the entire two minutes were spent passing the puck around. Artemi Panarin heard it from the crowd as he passed up two good opportunities to shoot. Instead, he passed for teammates. The timing was off. It looked like it would be a missed chance. I wondered why Buchnevich wasn’t out there. They could’ve used another lefty shot, and he had the only goal for the guests up till that point.

That’s precisely the moment Kreider scored the big game-winner to give the Rangers a season high four-game win streak. With Merzlikins off for a extra attacker, Ryan Strome won a key face-off and was the recipient of a good pass from Hartford recall Phil Di Giuseppe that allowed him to seal the victory into an open net with 1:11 remaining. His 14th goal gave him points in four straight. As he’s come back to life, so has the team. That’s five points (2-3-5) in four games during the winning streak.

Strome is Panarin’s center. It was important for him to get going after a slump. Up to 49 points including a career high 35 assists in 57 games, two more points will give him a new career best for a season. Previously, he recorded 50 points (17-33-50) with the Islanders in ’14-15 as a 21-year old in his second year. Back then, he was a former fifth overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft with higher expectations. The last year and a half has changed him for the better. Getting moved from Edmonton for Ryan Spooner was a wake up call. He’s been a good Ranger producing at a respectable level. Up for salary arbitration this summer as a restricted free agent, will he be part of the future?

It all depends on how things shake out. It won’t be an easy decision for Jeff Gorton or John Davidson to make. DeAngelo is having a career year with 43 points (13-30-43) before missing his first game with a shoulder injury due to a hit he delivered last night at Minnesota. Both are extremely close and in line for significant raises.

Given the situation with Kreider, who’s now on a tear as he is on the verge of unrestricted free agency, the Rangers have a difficult choice to make. The chemistry between the trio of Buchnevich, Kreider and Zibanejad is unmistakable. Not just on the ice, but off it. They are a legitimate top line when Buchnevich asserts himself the way he has been. That’s why he’s been scoring goals. He’s turned his season around by listening to the coaching staff. He’s not giving away shifts like before. That includes defensively and physically where he’s been much more engaged.

While it’s a good development, this win isn’t possible without the brilliance of Georgiev. He was really locked in. Playing a second consecutive night against a team he’s had success against, he made plenty of key saves to make sure his team came out on top. It was a good goaltender duel between Merzlikins and Georgiev. Each had to make difficult saves throughout. But it was mostly Georgiev late due to facing a Jackets onslaught the final two periods. The only goal he gave up came on a fluky shot from the dangerous Oliver Bjorkstrand.

With over a minute to go in the second period, Bjorkstrand had a loose puck come right to him with Jacob Trouba right there. He snuck a backhand through traffic by Georgiev for his team-leading 19th to tie the game with 68 seconds left from Gus Nyquist and Scott Harrington. It was a smart play by a good player. The same guy who sniped two past Igor Shesterkin at The Garden including the winner with 34 ticks left in regulation during the last meeting.

Despite being badly outshot, the Rangers knew if they played better and could win a period versus a shorthanded Columbus team that doesn’t have much offense, they would come out with a win. That’s exactly how it played out.

Until the Jackets took the bench minor, it had the look of another closely fought one goal contest that would require overtime to decide a winner. The Rangers didn’t play great by any stretch. They relied heavily on Georgiev, who made some dandies including a big leg save on a Nyquist rebound point blank to keep it tied. He made Quinn’s decision to go back-to-back with him look good.

In the first, it was a Buchnevich tip in off a Trouba point shot that gave the Blueshirts an early 1-0 lead just 22 seconds in. His 13th goal gave him goals in two straight and extended his point streak to three (2-2-4). Since Jan. 21, Buchnevich has six goals and four assists totaling 10 points over the last 10 games. He’s a different player. Now up to 34 points, he has a chance to get 50 for the first time. His career high is 43 (14-29-43) coming in ’17-18. Last year, a strong finish resulted in a career best 21 goals (7 PPG) and 38 points in 64 games. By playing well, he’s boosted his value which I think means he’ll stay put. He doesn’t turn 25 April 17.

It was during the second that Columbus applied the pressure on the Rangers. They had a few good shifts and forced Georgiev into some tough stops. Then came the iffy Buchnevich hold on Zach Werenski that lead to an upset Buchnevich getting an extra two for arguing the call. Fortunately, the penalty kill got it done. They’ve quietly improved under assistant Lindy Ruff. When he got out of the box and to the bench during a stoppage, he gave Ruff and the killers a thumbs up. A sign of a maturing player.

It took some extra effort for Bjorkstrand to tie the game up with 68 seconds remaining. On a strong shift, a Harrington shot that Nyquist deflected went off Georgiev. The puck took a favorable hop to Bjorkstrand, who whirled around and threw a tricky backhand upstairs into the top of the net with Trouba on him. It seems like he and Brady Skjei are always out for these goals. I’m not going to kill them here. It was one of those plays. It took a lot of hustle for Bjorkstrand to score.

In the third, the Rangers cleaned it up by not taking any penalties. The only one they got was the four minutes on Buchnevich they killed. For the most part, the game was interesting due to it being mostly played at five-on-five.

Columbus definitely came out more aggressive looking for the go-ahead goal. It never came due to Georgiev. He was the number one star in my view. I haven’t looked at the official box score because the site is down. He got a break when Boone Jenner hit the goalpost on a shorthanded break. I don’t think it ever was going in due to Georgiev challenging him. But it still was oh so close. He credited the defense overall afterwards.

There were a couple of instances where Buchnevich created opportunities either for himself or teammates. But Merzlikins played well as he has since taking over the starting job on Dec. 27 for Joonas Korpisalo. He’s close to returning. Merzlikins finished with 25 saves.

It took a ill advised too many men on the ice penalty to beat Elvis. Even though they were unable to get much set up due to the stingy box the Blue Jackets played, the Rangers kept the puck in and continued to maintain possession.

That led directly to Adam Fox getting the puck over to Zibanejad, who centered for Kreider’s winner at 16:49. Fox played top unit with DeAngelo out. He’s now up to 31 points (6-25-31). He won’t be up for the Calder due to Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Merzlikins And Victor Olofsson. But he’s been brilliant. Fox is a future star on the blueline who will be a top pair guy for a long time.

His rookie partner Ryan Lindgren flies under the radar due to the nuts and bolts. He took a puck to the mouth and kept playing during a huge defensive shift. They’re the best pair this team has. Ironically, they’re birthdays are six days apart. Lindgren AKA The Warrior turned 22 on Feb. 11 while Fox blows out 22 candles on the 17th. How’s that for irony?

Following the empty netter for Strome, Kreider drew a penalty on Nyquist. They passed the puck around until the final buzzer sounded giving them a well deserved victory.

At 30-23-4 (really 30-27) with 64 points, they find themselves seven points out of the wildcard. Columbus and Philadelphia are the teams they’re chasing. Carolina won 5-2 over the Devils to move up to 69 and pull within two. They still have another game to make up.

The issue for the Rangers is the division they play in. The Metro is so much better than the Atlantic. That’s why the stupid wildcard doesn’t work. No matter what, whoever finishes in third place in that god awful division automatically gets in. Even if the Rangers were to somehow finish with the identical amount of points or better and more regulation wins than say Toronto, it won’t matter. They have to beat out the teams ahead of them. Great system.

In terms of what they have coning up during President’s Week, there are the very tough Bruins visiting Madison Square Garden Sunday at 3:30 PM on NBC. Then Wednesday Night at the Blackhawks for another game on NBCSN. They then visit Carolina next Friday and go for the four game sweep. Is that a game Henrik Lundqvist plays in considering his mastery over the Canes?

They have one game remaining with the Blue Jackets on my Dad’s birthday, March 24. They lead the season series 2-1. They have a home-and-home series at the Flyers Feb. 28 and then in MSG Mar. 1. The last meeting is on April Fools Day at The Garden. Whether or not it comes down to that depends on the next five weeks.

Battle Of Hudson Three 🌟

3rd 🌟 Pavel Buchnevich, Rangers (13th of season, led team with 5 shots, +1 in 16:49)

2nd 🌟 Chris Kreider, Rangers (23rd of season at 16:49 for winner plus 🍎 giving him 29 points-17-12-29 in 28 games since 12/8)

1st 🌟 Alex Georgiev, Rangers (36 saves to win a second consecutive night)

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Georgiev to go again with Shesterkin out

Posted on February 14, 2020 by Derek

When they drop the puck in an hour on Valentine’s Day at Columbus, it’ll again be Alex Georgiev starting for the Rangers. With coach David Quinn updating the status of new number one goalie Igor Shesterkin due to a minor ankle injury he suffered in a win over the Jets, he’s opted to give the prized rookie extra time off.

It makes sense. They don’t want to take any chances. Make sure Shesterkin is ready to go before bringing him back. He’s won six of his first seven starts and proven to be the best of the three goalies. If they feel he’s ready for Sunday’s matinee versus the Bruins, I have to believe he’ll be back in net.

For now, it appears Quinn is more comfortable with Georgiev as the backup than Henrik Lundqvist. This has all been covered before and it’s becoming annoying. I actually am surprised Lundqvist isn’t starting tonight considering it’s the second game of a back-to-back. Maybe it’s a signal of where things are for the soon to be 38-year old. He turns it on March 2.

Going with Georgiev a second consecutive night in a row is interesting. He was okay in last night’s come from behind win at Minnesota. He didn’t have much work finishing with 23 saves. However, Georgiev made some key stops including on a couple of breakaways. An area Lundqvist used to be money at.

Apparently, that 4-3 shootout win signaled the end for Wild coach Bruce Boudreau. He was given his walking papers today. He becomes the eighth coaching casualty. Yikes.

So, it’ll be Georgiev versus Elvis Merzlikins. The Blue Jackets are tied in points (71) with the Flyers for the wildcard. By virtue of three more ROW, they are in the first wildcard. Both teams have 23 regulation wins and 24 games left.

With their second three-game winning streak of the season, the Rangers enter with 62 points with 26 games remaining. They’re nine points out. So if they’re to have any chance, they need to win this game in regulation. The last one was the disappointing one goal home loss in which Oliver Bjorkstrand scored with over 30 seconds left at MSG. A game I was at.

The Jackets are without Cam Atkinson and Seth Jones. They’re trying to get in despite all the injuries they’ve had in an ultra competitive Metro Division. I wouldn’t write off the Hurricanes yet. But they’re clearly struggling since the loss of top defenseman Dougie Hamilton. They lack a true number one goalie. Lately, it’s been James Reimer over Petr Mrazek. Is that good enough to squeak in?

As for any crazy rumors of the Canes and Blueshirts talking about Lundqvist, I’ll believe it when I see it. Basically, I don’t believe it. I don’t see him getting moved.

I’m definitely curious to see how the Rangers come out. Don’t forget it’s also a back-to-back for the Blue Jackets, who were 4-3 losers at the Sabres due to a gigantic three-point night from star Jack Eichel. He’s unreal. Too bad he plays on such a bad team.

This is the third game in four nights for the Blueshirts. They can actually run the table on the three game road trip. We’ll see if they’re up to the difficult task.

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Some Lundqvist Thoughts

Posted on February 14, 2020 by Derek
The end is nearing for Rangers legend Henrik Lundqvist.

Knowing that the end is approaching for Henrik Lundqvist, I put up a tweet last night that sums up my thoughts on what he’s meant to the Rangers.

https://twitter.com/Kovy274Hart/status/1228118872831778816?s=20

It’s easy to take for granted how great he once was. Henrik has been a special athlete in this city who became a symbol of what we want all our players to reach. All the great moments should never be forgotten. Number 30 was king of the city while other teams were mere afterthoughts. He’s as competitive a person as I’ve seen. That’s why his regression has been hard. Not every fan is handling the reality well.

February 24 is coming soon. Even if he stays due to the NMC, it’s knowing that the situation won’t improve. Igor Shesterkin is the clear cut number one goalie. Alex Georgiev may or may not stay. That depends on what the organization decides is best. Does Lundqvist want to end his career this way? Or is there a chance he will reconsider. A buyout is possible which would again take up dead cap space for two more years.

While we don’t know what the future holds, the all-time franchise leader in wins (459) and shutouts (64) along with games played (885) will one day have his jersey retired. He’ll join goalies Eddie Giacomin and Mike Richter. Two of the best in Rangers history. Only Richter has a Cup. The other two came close, but weren’t as lucky.

In the coming days and possibly offseason, there will be more on Lundqvist. A gem of a seventh round pick taken 205th in the 2000 NHL Draft that made good.

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Game #56 Buchnevich goal sparks Blueshirt comeback over Wild in shootout, Georgiev steps in for Shesterkin, Zibanejad and Panarin deliver

Posted on February 14, 2020 by Derek
Mika Zibanejad beats Alex Stalock in Round One of the shootout to help give the Rangers a come from behind 4-3 win over the Wild. AP Photo credit New York Rangers via Getty Images

Hockey can be funny sometimes. All it takes is one lucky bounce to turn a game around. That’s precisely what happened for the Rangers in a weird but hard fought comeback win over the Wild via a shootout. They mounted a two goal rally with under 10 minutes left in regulation to pull out a 4-3 win in St. Paul.

Considering how frustrating most of the game was against a stingy and disciplined Wild fighting for every point in a very close Western race, let’s give the Rangers some credit. They never quit. Even when things weren’t going their way, they kept pushing forward after falling behind 3-1 following a unlucky second period.

After coach David Quinn revealed that Igor Shesterkin is the number one goalie, they had to hold him out of tonight’s schedule due to the ankle injury he played through in the win at Winnipeg. We’ll see if he gets back in tomorrow at Columbus, who should be steamed over a bad 4-3 overtime loss at Buffalo.

Instead, Alex Georgiev got the call in net. Henrik Lundqvist backed up and took a photo for a lucky fan prior to the game. At this point, he knows what the deal is. It can’t be easy. But it is what it is. The organization has to do what’s best moving forward. I’ll have more on that in the coming days. It deserves its own post. Especially when it comes to the memorable era of Lundqvist for better than a decade.

I know much has been said about it in this space and other spaces. Pro or con, this day was coming. Especially once Shesterkin established himself just like he had at Hartford following an unbelievable time back home for St. Petersburg SKA in the KHL.

Georgiev is now the other young goalie for now in this complex three goalie system. He worked hard to prove himself after a good second half in his rookie year. Even though his numbers aren’t great like Shesterkin, he’s done enough to become the backup. Where does that leave Lundqvist? In a dicey situation. One that looks headed to a resolution sooner or later. Whether it be at the Feb. 24 trade deadline, or this summer with a potential buyout possible, it looks like we’re nearing the end of Henrik’s days in a Rangers jersey. Whatever happens, what the 2000 seventh round steal accomplished should never be forgotten. No great era of Rangers hockey or three deep runs without him.

Upward and onward, Georgiev came into a tough spot and did a good job. He didn’t have to be great, but when they needed the saves to keep them in it, he gave it to them. For the night, he finished with 23 stops. None bigger than the denial he made on Eric Staal on a rebound by getting a toe on the rebound. He also stoned Mats Zuccarello on a breakaway by closing up the five-hole.

For the longest time, they turned Alex Stalock into Brodeur or Hasek. It was quite frustrating. The only goal they had on the Wild backup turned starter was a perfect Tony DeAngelo cross ice pass for Panarin, who rifled home number 29 over two minutes after Ryan Donato had beaten Georgiev with a backhand that looked to deflect off a out of position Brady Skjei. Congrats to Mikko Koivu on career assist number 500. I have his jersey somewhere in here. When is Skjei ever not screwing things up defensively? He and Jacob Trouba have had their issues. Right now, Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox are the team’s best pair.

Most of the play was five-on-five the first two periods due to the refs letting the teams play. That resulted in many battles which was interesting. You had Ryan Hartman and antagonist Brendan Lemieux get into it during a scrum with Lemieux pulling his head back like he was Crosby. That made me laugh. He’s such a punk, but if he’s on your side, you love him. They each got matching minors. That lead to four-on-four. The only time it happened.

It was a little after the penalties expired that the Wild retook the lead. On some good sustained pressure by their checking line, Jonas Brodin took a pass from Jordan Greenway and beat Georgiev with a high one-timer glove side for a 2-1 lead with 3:17 left in the first. It was a good play started by Matt Dumba to Greenway, who was able to find Brodin open for the shot. Filip Chytil didn’t do a good enough job covering him. The puck might’ve deflected. That’s an area he needs to work on.

If the Wild had the better of the play early, the Blueshirts were sharper during a good second period. They definitely tried to use their superior skating and speed to get in on the forecheck. Something Skjei alluded to during a first intermission interview with John Giannone. But nothing was getting by Stalock. Despite Panarin creating good opportunities for his line with Ryan Strome and Jesper Fast, Stalock held the fort. He got lucky too on a couple of saves with a giveaway nearly causing a goal. Chris Kreider also had a rebound for an open net, but a Wild player prevented another goal.

Pavel Buchnevich was very noticeable throughout. He was aggressive again shooting the puck and recovering pucks. However, nobody was having any luck. It just felt like one of those games where nothing goes right. Even with Kaapo Kakko thinking shot more, Stalock denied him. In a period that had some physical edge to it due to how well it was officiated, it was Minnesota who got the only goal when Greenway somehow got free to tip in a Brodin shot at 17:53 for a 3-1 lead. It looked like that would be a backbreaking goal. Brodin had been the best Wild player with a goal and assist.

The Wild defense is good. They have Brodin, Dumba, Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon. A great top four who all played over 23 minutes for coach Bruce Boudreau. It’s strange that they are dangling either Brodin or Dumba with the latter especially good. He missed a ton of time due to injury. But he looks to be rounding into form. I understand they want forwards back. They also can use a goalie.

The frustration continued in the third. Following a big save from Georgiev on Donato, Trouba and the forward got into it. Each went off for matching roughs. Where was that urgency during the shift that saw Donato get behind for a breakaway with Georgiev coming up large? At least a hustling Trouba got some back pressure on Donato late to make the save easier.

Chytil finally drew the game’s first penalty when he continued to work hard in the Wild corner until defenseman Carson Soucy gave him enough crosschecks to earn a minor. As mad as he was, the Rangers sixth ranked power play may as well have declined it. It was hideous. They did absolutely nothing against the 30th rated penalty kill. That in itself was shocking given how the Wild play. You’d think their kill would be better than that. It looked like it. They didn’t allow one shot on goal to Sam Rosen’s amazement.

Zibanejad then interfered with Dumba to put Minnesota on the power play. They weren’t able to make it work. In fact, a bad Skjei tripping minor on Marcus Foligno gave them another crack at it with under eight minutes left. However, the Rangers did a nice job of penalty killing. Even minus a flu-ridden Marc Staal, who Brendan Smith subbed in for, they got the job done to give themselves a chance.

Prior to that big penalty kill, a fortunate bounce turned the game around. On just a bizarre sequence, a loose puck saw three Blueshirts all in the vicinity near Stalock. With Zibanejad, DeAngelo and Buchnevich all in the area, the puck took a favorable bounce off Buchnevich and into the Wild net for an unassisted goal at 11:51. I’m still unsure what happened. However, the right guy scored the goal. All night, Buchnevich was hustling and getting chances. He put himself in the right spot for his 12th to pull the Rangers within one. He’s been playing his best hockey. Good for him.

Once they got through the Skjei penalty, I wondered if they could somehow get this impossible game tied. Incredibly, they did. Georgiev was pulled with a couple of minutes remaining. On a surprisingly quick play where Fox got the puck to Panarin, he threw a innocent looking shot pass for Zibanejad, who calmly redirected it like a bunt into an open side from the slot. It was stunning. It also was a very skilled play for Zibanejad to pull off. He’s up to 24 goals. That play tied it with 1:06 to go in regulation.

Georgiev had to face one last try from the Wild. The game would go to overtime. In it, the Rangers controlled most of the three-on-three. Quinn rewarded Buchnevich with an OT shift with Chytil, who was denied by Stalock on a rebound. The Wild goalie also robbed Trouba of the game-winner on a give and go pass from Zibanejad. He coolly gloved the high Trouba shot.

Georgiev had his best save on a flying Kevin Fiala. Wow. He was dangerous in the overtime, creating the Wild’s best opportunities. He definitely is starting to resemble the player he was in Nashville before a horrific injury. The Wild should feel good about his development.

Unfortunately, the three-on-three didn’t decide things. It went to a shootout. It was only the third one for the Rangers. They came in 0-2. I thought it would be advantage Wild. But once Quinn sent out Zibanejad, he erased doubts by going to his patented backhand short side top on Stalock. Following a good aggressive stop from Georgiev on Donato, out came Panarin.

Artemi Panarin has Alex Stalock on a string after a series of fakes to score in the second round of the shootout. Was it legal? They counted it. AP Photo credit New York Rangers via Getty Images

In the second round of the shootout, here came the Bread Man putting on the kind of dangling and puck wizardry that would make Sugar Ray Leonard proud. He kept moving until he beat a shocked Stalock on a very patient forehand deke. I wondered like Joe Micheletti if it would count. Did his momentum stop? You’re not allowed to for the goal to count. I thought it would be overturned. Instead, they said good goal to boos and a confused look on Boudreau. Even some friends thought it wasn’t a goal.

At that point, it didn’t matter. The Rangers were ahead, 2 nil needing one more stop from Georgiev. Boudreau went with shootout ace Zach Parise. The veteran made a great move opting for a fake to the backhand and pulled the puck to a gaping net. But it rang off the crossbar to give Georgiev and the Blueshirts the win. That’s how it goes sometimes.

The two points give the Rangers 62 and their second three-game winning streak of the season. The problem is they play in the wrong division. Even after getting trounced 5-0 by the Predators, the Islanders remain in third with 72 points. A Flyers 6-2 win over Florida combined with a point for the Blue Jackets have them tied with 71 for the two wildcards.

That means the Rangers are still nine out. Even with games at hand including a stern test at Columbus on Friday night, they need help. If they played in the Atlantic, they’d be only six behind the Leafs, who were 3-2 losers to the Stars in regulation. They remain in third with 68 points. Florida is blowing all these chances. A win would’ve tied them in points. The Canadiens are more alive than our team. It doesn’t seem fair. But this is the playoff system they set up.

I guess it is what it is. If they continue to win with tough tests in Columbus and at home for the Bruins on Sunday at 3:30 PM, then it gets interesting. The team still has some hard decisions coming no matter what. Let’s enjoy how they’re playing for Quinn. The growth is evident. Twenty-three more points until the 85 I predicted.

Battle Of Hudson Three 🌟

3rd 🌟 Jonas Brodin, Wild (goal and 🍎 with a +1 rating in 23:57, very underrated defenseman)

2nd 🌟 Pavel Buchnevich, Rangers (scored a momentum turning goal for 12th while leading team with 5 shots, a different player)

1st 🌟 Mika Zibanejad, Rangers (game tying goal with 1:06 left in regulation, plus the shootout winner)

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The latest on Bouwmeester, NBC Sports wusses out on Roenick, Buchnevich has fun with TSN, Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame ceremony

Posted on February 12, 2020 by Derek

It’s been a busy day in hockey. At last check, everyone’s thoughts were with Jay Bouwmeester after he collapsed following a shift on the Blues bench. For good reason.

It turns out that the 36-year old well respected defenseman had a heart attack. If not for a defibrillator and heroic trainers, we’d be talking about a horrible tragedy. It’s hard to believe this happened. However, medical emergencies do sometimes even with professional athletes. Thank god they saved his life.

All the best wishes go out to Bouwmeester, his family and the St. Louis Blues. All we can hope is he makes a full recovery and can live a long time spending the rest of his life with his family. That’s all that matters.

The Ducks and Blues made the only decision possible last night. To not continue playing. The game will be made up at a later date.

In different news, it looks like NBC Sports Network has decided to move on from Jeremy Roenick. He was suspended for making unprofessional remarks about coworker Kathryn Tappen.

That happened a while ago. It was in an interview with the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast that he mentioned a threesome with Tappen and his wife Tracy. Of course, he wasn’t serious. But it was still inappropriate and insensitive which Roenick apologized for last month. He called Tappen “one of the most professional sports personalities I know.”

I’m not going to condone what he said. It obviously wasn’t smart. Even if he was joking while on a podcast, it wasn’t the wisest decision. He definitely regretted it and still does. However, for NBCSN to not give him another chance seems hypocritical and thin skinned. They employ Mike Milbury. Here is Roenick’s disappointed reaction to the news that he won’t be back:

Short and sweet. He could’ve took a shot at his former employer, but what good would it have done? This is how it is in today’s PC world. Cancel culture isn’t healthy due to it being reactionary.

People make mistakes they regret. We are only human. It just seems like the way we’re headed is bad. But NYC has no problem freeing hardened criminals back out on the street due to the ridiculous bail reform law.

Roenick will be better off for it and land on his feet. I would guess either FS1 or his own podcast like Don Cherry and Ron Duguay.

During last night’s 4-1 win at Winnipeg, Pavel Buchnevich had some fun with the TSN camera crew. As they were walking off to the locker room between periods, he sarcastically said, “Number 12,” in reference to his name on the silly TSN trade deadline list. Then added, “Number one,” while pointing to teammate Chris Kreider, who told him to shut up in Russian.

Stick tap to Ryan Mead AKA Church of Kakko above for the great catch. Buchnevich doesn’t do interviews with reporters who cover the team. It’s probably due to him not being comfortable. But it looks like be speaks perfect English and has a good sense of humor.

Why not? Things have been going much better for him. Since being reunited with KZB Line members Kreider and Mika Zibanejad, he has eight points (4-4-8) over the last eight games. While still a streaky player, the 24-year old Russian forward does better when he’s more active during shifts. He’s been shooting the puck and taking the body. When he does both, he’s much more effective. I don’t see him going anywhere. He has one more year at a cap friendly hit of $3.25 million.

And finally, for those hockey fans who wanted to see the nice pregame Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame ceremony inducting Thomas Steen and Randy Carlyle, here it is via the official website in a tweet I sent out.

https://twitter.com/Kovy274Hart/status/1227671776953602055?s=19

It’s not over the top because it didn’t have to be. It was a nice thing for the Winnipeg Jets to do. Honoring past greats who actually were original Jets shows appreciation for what those players gave. Thank god we have the Winnipeg Jets back.

A big boo goes out to MSG Network for not airing any of the ceremony. Even if it had nothing to do with our team, they could’ve at least shown highlights of the Jets unveiling the numbers. Instead, you had a useless segment involving Steve Valiquette and Anson Carter talking about nothing.

We already knew the storyline about Jacob Trouba returning to Winnipeg. Sam and Joe also talked over the ceremony without an MSG camera showing the background of it. Brutal. I love Sam and respect Joe, but good god. It was a waste of TV.

I long for the days of classic MSG when you had Bob Page and Mike Crispino hosting SportsDesk. They were true pros and pulled no punches. The Network has gotten progressively worse since they ditched The Vault that showed old games of both the Rangers and Knicks. There is only one small egotistical person to blame.

At least we have social media which can be good for something. Good job by the Jets having the nice ceremony on their site. It was wonderfully done.

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