Battle Of Hudson covers the Rangers and Devils, who's intense rivalry heated up in the 90's. With fresh faces added, they battle for supremacy in NYC and NJ..
On Thursday night during a Devils’ 5-2 loss at the Canadiens, an incident took place with 18 seconds left in the first period between Kyle Palmieri and Carey Price. With the game tied following Adam Henrique’s goal in which he crashed into Price once the puck was going in, the Montreal number one goalie had had enough.
Late in the period, Palmieri made a nice move around Montreal defenseman Jeff Petry to get in on Price. He was stopped by Price, who didn’t take kindly to getting bumped into by the Devils forward. On the play in question, Petry gave Palmieri a shove from behind which left him no choice. He was going to run into Price.
A furious Price let loose pummeling Palmieri with a series of rights with his blocker against a defenseless player. Ben Lovejoy finally came in and things cooled down. It definitely was a reaction to Henrique’s goal. The refs allowed two controversial goals in the first which could’ve been reversed on challenges for interference.
On one side, you had Price, who was tired of being run. Something that stems back to Chris Kreider knocking him out of the 2014 Eastern Conference Final when he was pushed from behind. As the Montreal netminder stated in the post game, he was just standing up for himself.
The end result was Palmieri receiving a goalie interference minor penalty while Price got the extra two for a roughing double minor. To be honest, I don’t think Palmieri merited a penalty. There was nothing he could do to avoid contact. On the Devil side, some pondered if Price should’ve been ejected. But as opposing netminder Cory Schneider said, he’s a goalie and they can get away with that. If it were a skater, they may have been given a game misconduct.
So, what to make of all this. Not too much. We’ve seen goalies do similar when they felt they were being run. In this one, chalk it up to Price going Patrick Roy. Palmieri isn’t a dirty player. It was just an unfortunate play which resulted in him not being able to defend himself. He caught the brunt of Price’s anger.
Is it good for hockey? Sure. I like it when goalies respond to such stuff. Even if Price went overboard, he sent a message. I kind of wish Henrik Lundqvist would do similar. But it’s not in his nature. Fiery goalies who don’t take crap are fun. Even Martin Brodeur showed his other side when he got into it with Sean Avery. Other examples are Billy Smith, Ron Hextall, Ed Belfour, Felix Potvin and even Dominik Hasek. Ryan Miller is probably as tough as they come in today’s game.
It definitely adds some spice to the game. As for the next match-up, the Canadiens don’t see the Devils again until January 20 in the new calendar year at The Rock. Circle the date.
In the Video of Day, respect was shown between goalies Antti Raanta and Scott Darling following a well played game between the backups for the Rangers and Blackhawks. It was Raanta- the former Blackhawk- who got the win stopping all 26 shots in a 1-0 overtime win against his ex-team. But Darling was splendid too finishing with 36 saves.
Former AHL teammates, they recognized each other during the Game’s Three Stars. Mutual respect shown between two friends.
Antti Raanta turns aside Artem Anisimov in a 26-save shutout as the Rangers won 1-0 on Nick Holden’s overtime winner over the Blackhawks. AP Photo via Getty Images courtesy NYRangers.
With the Rangers visiting Chicago for a pivotal back-to-back Original 6 showdown between two good teams, coach Alain Vigneault rolled the dice. Liking what he saw from steady backup Antti Raanta, he went back to the former Blackhawk. Raanta made him look like a genius in backstopping the Rangers to a well earned 1-0 overtime shutout of the Hawks at United Center.
The 27-year old Finnish goalie who was tossed aside by the Hawks for current backup Scott Darling turned aside all 26 shots in improving to 7-1-0 on the season. Considering that it came on the heels of a 17 save performance in a 2-1 win over Winnipeg, Raanta got the job done in consecutive starts while a slumping Henrik Lundqvist rested. It would be earth shattering if he wasn’t back in net for the Devils this Sunday night at MSG.
Normally, Vigneault will have his two goalies split back-to-back situations. But he went with his instinct and it proved correctly. As much as I get him for in game decisions, let’s give the coach some credit. He made a move that some were skeptical over. However, they must’ve forgot about the time when the same coach in his first year behind the Ranger bench played Cam Talbot for a few starts due to a similar slump from Lundqvist.
In truth, there is nothing wrong with giving Lundqvist some time to work with goalie coach Benoit Allaire. His game hasn’t been consistent. Besides, Vigneault doesn’t want to start the franchise netminder more than 60 games. That might even be pushing it. With Lundqvist getting older, he’s hinted at wanting to keep his number of starts in the mid-50’s. A fresh Henrik is the Rangers’ best shot next Spring.
At the moment, it’s no secret he’s been fighting it. A 2.55 goals-against-average and .912 save percentage aren’t King-like. Neither have some of the goals he’s been giving up. Sometimes, a mental break is needed. Lundqvist has always proven he can respond with improved play. It’s why he’s considered one of the game’s best.
When I found out Vigneault was sticking with Raanta, I wasn’t that upset. Maybe it’s just intuition. Since replacing Talbot as the backup, Raanta has proven fully capable of filling in for Lundqvist. This season, he’s been at his best. In winning again, his GAA is down to 1.83 and save percentage up to .939 with his first shutout this season.
One thing Vigneault pointed out in the post game was that in this league, you need two goalies to be successful. Somewhat astonishingly, Ranger backups have posted a higher win percentage since the start of 2011-12, which also happened to be Lundqvist’s best when he won the Vezina. That season under former coach John Tortorella, he posted career bests in wins (39), GAA (1.97) and save percentage (.929) while leading the Blueshirts to the East’s best record. He carried them to the Eastern Conference Final before losing to the Devils in six games.
With Lundqvist backing up for a second straight night, Raanta gave a great show along with former AHL teammate Darling. Neither allowed a goal in regulation. Darling was the busier of the two making 36 saves. Raanta was just as good finishing with 26 including a couple of big ones against the vaunted Hawks’ offense. One highlighted included a sprawling stack of the pads on a dangerous chance while another was a header late in regulation to deny gifted Russian Artemi Panarin.
A nice development has been the strong play of a newly formed checking line. Centered by Oscar Lindberg with Jesper Fast and Marek Hrivik, they put together a second straight good performance. The cohesive trio are defensively responsible with Vigneault able to trust them enough to keep sending them out as one of three lines he rolled after cutting down in the final period. They had some excellent shifts with strong puck possession and forcing Darling into some difficult stops like a Lindberg high riser that caromed out to Fast, who had his stick lifted. Lindberg and Fast combined for 13 shots. Hrivik registered one shot and had four attempts.
With Brandon Pirri continuing to see his ice-time reduced, he might become the odd man out when Rick Nash returns. It’s clear that Vigneault doesn’t trust him defensively. If Pirri isn’t producing offense, he’s useless. He continues to fire blanks and had the least amount of ice-time (10:17 in 14 shifts). Nicklas Jensen played his second straight game and was more noticeable going to the net in 16 shifts (11:05) which included 1:25 on the power play.
The Hawks had an apparent goal from Marian Hossa reversed following a successful coach’s challenge from Vigneault. The controversial play happened midway through the third when Hossa beat Raanta with a wrist shot. However, Vigneault felt strongly that it was offside. Replays showed it was much closer. But he was proven right with Hossa’s right skate up in the air just ahead of the play. He couldn’t believe it. They got it right. But you have to wonder if this is why they have the challenge system. It benefited the Rangers.
The Rangers were the more aggressive team outshooting the Blackhawks 13-7 in the third. They went for it more while the Hawks seemed content to play for three-on-three overtime. In the first minute, Derek Stepan made a great read. At the end of his shift with Chris Kreider and Ryan McDonagh, he gained the Chicago zone and waited for McDonagh to change.
On came Nick Holden. Stepan made a backhand turnaround pass that led Holden in on a breakaway. With Kreider on the other side, Holden let go of a perfect wrist shot that beat Darling for the overtime winner at 55 seconds. The Rangers poured off the bench to congratulate Holden, who has turned into quite a steal. It’s hard to believe GM Jeff Gorton only gave up a fourth round pick to Colorado for him.
It was nice to see a good guy who has overachieved in Vigneault’s system get rewarded. Holden sported the Broadway Hat in the locker room. He is up to four goals which leads all Ranger defensemen. A line of 4-9-13 with a plus-12 rating in all 29 games is more than anyone could’ve imagined. He has been a great fit on the second pair with Marc Staal. Gorton deserves plenty of credit for his off-season. He might even be up for executive of the year.
The win moved the Rangers back into first in the crowded Metropolitan Division. With a record of 19-9-1 and 39 points, they’re two up on the Penguins, who have played two less games. With the Blue Jackets winning again (4-1 over Red Wings), they’re up to 36 and are a point up on the Capitals and Flyers. The Devils suffered their first home loss in regulation losing to the Blues 4-1. They remain at 30 with the first Battle of Hudson at MSG Sunday.
BONY 3 Stars:
3rd Star-Nick Holden, NYR (overtime winner at 55 seconds-4th of season, 3 shots, 6 attempts, 2 hits, +1 in 28 shifts-21:12 including 18:55 EV, 1:12 PP, 1:05 SH)
2nd Star-Scott Darling, CHI (36 saves)
1st Star-Antti Raanta, NYR (26 save shutout)
Notes: Afterwards, Raanta and Darling shared a nice moment during the game’s three stars. They shook hands and gave each other kudos. They did play together in the AHL. … Kevin Klein totaled 13:43 in 18 even strength shifts. Brady Skjei got 14:58 in 20 shifts including 43 seconds of power play. … McDonagh led all skaters with 26:33. In 31 shifts, the Ranger captain had seven blocked shots and three hits. Partner Dan Girardi was steady throughout in 21:36 (28 shifts) including four blocks, five attempts and two hits. … Rangers went 0-for-2 on the power play while the Blackhawks were 0-for-1 despite some close calls late in the second. … Teams only totaled 29 hits with the Hawks registering a paltry 10. … Face-offs were 28-28 with Stepan a dominant 15-and-6. Former Ranger Artem Anisimov went 11-and-10 while logging 24:12 in 27 shifts with captain Jonathan Toews still out. Panarin got 23:02 but was caught out with Hossa and Duncan Keith on Holden’s winner.
Cal Clutterbuck agreed to a five-year extension worth a reported $17.5 million with the Islanders. AP Photo via Getty Images courtesy NYIslanders.
In the midst of their best stretch of hockey this season, the Islanders rewarded gritty veteran winger Cal Clutterbuck with a five-year extension. The 29-year old who was acquired from the Wild in exchange for former first round pick Nino Niederreiter could’ve become an unrestricted free agent after ’15-16. Instead, he agreed to remain an Islander with an average cap hit of $3.5 million over the next five years.
Clutterbuck currently is a $2.75 million cap hit in the final season of his current contract. He earns $3.5 million ironically. The new deal is front loaded. He’ll be paid $5 million in Year 1 and $4 million in Year 2. The salary will drop off to $3.5 million in Year 3, $2.5 million in Year 4 and the same in Year 5.
A solid character team oriented player who always is among the league leaders in hits, Clutterbuck leads the Islanders with 89 this season. The 89 hits currently rank fifth in the NHL. His goal production is down. After posting 15 last year on one of the league’s best fourth lines, he has only two in 25 contests along with seven assists and 10 penalty minutes.
It’s been a little different for Clutterbuck and center Casey Cizikas, who are without Matt Martin who signed with the Maple Leafs. Interestingly, Martin signed for a similar amount receiving $10 million over four years. His cap hit is $2.5 million. A million less than Clutteruck, who’s a bit better. Considering the chemistry the trio had, maybe Islander GM Garth Snow should’ve kept him. Replacement Jason Chimera has been fine scoring four goals and five assists while making $2.25 million over this year and ’17-18.
As for giving a fourth liner who plays penalty kill and power play when called upon five years, that seems like a stretch. Clutterbuck will be in his mid-30’s by the time the contract ends. His physical style could wear down.He’s only 5-11 but weighs 218.
There’s nothing wrong with rewarding a hardworking grinding player who will accept any role under coach Jack Capuano. But you do have to wonder why Snow was willing to go five years while he never came close for leading scorer John Tavares’ sidekick Kyle Okposo. He let Okposo go to Buffalo for seven years, $42 million while signing Andrew Ladd for the same seven years but at $38.5 million. Ladd has been a bust so far with six points (3-3-6) while Okposo has been as advertised with 17 points (8-9-17) leading the Sabres in scoring.
One wonders if the Islanders would’ve struggled as much had Snow kept Okposo or retained Frans Nielsen, who is with Detroit. Lately, the Isles have gotten more scoring from key third-year forward Anders Lee. He tallied twice in Thursday night’s big win over the Blues. A game in which Tavares scored a highlight reel goal that’ll be replayed a lot.
Capuano has settled on Brock Nelson and Josh Bailey to play with Tavares. Both former centers have fit in. Nelson is second in scoring with 17 points (6-11-17) while Bailey ranks third with 16 (4-12-16).
If there is a difference with this year’s team, it’s the scoring they’re getting from the blue line. Thus far, eight Islander defensemen have combined to score 19 goals. Johnny Boychuk, Nick Leddy and Dennis Seidenberg all have four.
They can still use more production from the other forwards. Cizikas has done his part with 3-8-11. Shane Prince has nine points as does Chimera and Clutterbuck. Rookie Anthony Beauvillier is 2-5-7 in 19 games. Nikolay Kulemin has played mostly with Cizikas but has contributed only two goals and three helpers. This is a player who earns over $4 million and is signed thru 2018. Figure him to be left unprotected for the expansion draft next summer.
At the moment, the Islanders have recovered from a poor start by winning five of six. They’ve recorded points in all six including an overtime loss to the Red Wings. In beating the Pens, Caps, Rangers and Blues during a 5-0-1 stretch, they’ve proven they can compete with some of the league’s best. As Capuano said, it’s all about working hard and showing resiliency. Something they didn’t do the first two months.
With the Islanders at 11-10-5 with 27 points in 26 games, they still have some work ahead of them. They remain 10 points behind first place Pittsburgh and second place New York while ranking last in the Metropolitan Division. A point behind Carolina for seventh.With six teams already up to 30 points or better, the Isles must continue to push.
They’ll get tested at stingy Columbus on Saturday. We’ll see if they can keep it going.
Purple Hayes: Kevin Hayes celebrates his game-winning power play goal with 1:09 left to highlight a nice Rangers 2-1 win at Winnipeg. AP Photo via Getty Images courtesy NYRangers.
What would my birthday be without hockey? Well, I didn’t see much of it and for good reason. Turning 40 has its purposes. Celebrating life for 40 years is pretty special. Doing it with family and close friends at a beautiful restaurant in Brooklyn Heights is priceless. No pun intended to my Devil buddies.
I must say this because it’s important to get the message out. Every day spent here is a blessing. For now 40 years, I can count mine. Dinner was unreal, amazing and delicious. I would recommend Henry’s End to anyone if they want great food and are in downtown Brooklyn over by Cadman Plaza. It’s been a while since we went. But the place’s charm hasn’t changed. Make a reservation.
As for the walking wounded, the Rangers didn’t do too badly at Winnipeg. Despite no Rick Nash, no Jimmy Vesey and no Matt Puempel, they gave me a nice present in the form of a well earned 2-1 birthday win over the Jets in one of the league’s loudest buildings. It is no small feat to go into Winnipeg and come out on top. Even though they have been up and down despite one of the game’s bright young stars in Calder front runner Patrik Laine and rising star Mark Scheifele, the Jets can be tough to play on home ice.
Kudos to the Blueshirts for turning in a strong performance. They held the Jets to only 18 shots with capable backup Antti Raanta finishing with 17 saves in a well earned one-goal victory. A nice bounce back win following Tuesday’s disappointment against the Islanders. It came at a good time allowing them to keep pace with the Penguins (5-1 winners over Panthers) and the red hot Flyers, who won their seventh straight in a 6-5 victory over the Oilers. With the division so tight, every game counts even on December 8 two weeks before Christmas.
They won it with special teams. A sore spot in the 4-2 loss in Brooklyn, the Rangers scored twice on the power play and killed all three Winnipeg man-advantages. They even prevented Laine from registering a shot. He only entered with 17 goals right with Sidney Crosby, who of course scored again. Laine missed the net twice including on the final Winnipeg power play which the Rangers killed off with Michael Grabner off for high-sticking. A crucial kill that kept the game tied.
It was the power play that delivered twice. Once in the first period on some great passing between Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan to set up Chris Kreider on the doorstep at 8:02. It was Kreider’s seventh. He’s quietly been playing well by putting up points. Even though the goals aren’t where you’d like it to be, don’t forget he missed six games due to neck spasms. He has 18 points (7-11-18) in 22 contests. A nice pace for a player who continues to drive hard to the net and screen goalies while looking for deflections.
Stepan is up to 19 points. He’s quietly picked it up with Mika Zibanejad out. That is a trend that must continue. He is counted on for production and trusted by Alain Vigneault, who uses him in all situations including power play and penalty kill. Zuccarello also got a helper. Hopefully soon, he’ll find the back of the net. He’s been stuck on seven goals for a while.
The Jets were able to tie the game midway thru the game when Stepan was unable to check a bigger man in Scheifele, who put away a pass from Paul Postma at 9:51 of the second. Dustin Byfuglien drew the other assist. Speaking of the big dangerous defenseman, he hit one of three goalposts for Winnipeg. So, Raanta had help from his best friend. Andrew Copp also rang one off the bar. The Rangers hit one post against Michael Hutchinson.
The odd thing about this game is there weren’t a whole lot of shots. The teams combined for 42 total and even attempts were down. The Rangers outshot Winnipeg 24-18 and out-attempted them 47-36. Even hits were low with the teams combining for 43 (Jets 22 Rangers 21).
As it turned out, the difference was a Kevin Hayes power play goal with 1:09 remaining. With Drew Stafford off for high-sticking, J.T. Miller got the puck to Ryan McDonagh, who made a brilliant pass down low for an open Hayes for a tap in. Just a real good read by a superb defenseman who continues to lead this team. McDonagh’s 14 assists are tied with Stepan for the team lead. A workhorse who logged the most ice-time with 23:50 in 29 shifts, the captain leads all Blueshirt defensemen in points with 15. He’s continued to be a constant which has the Rangers up to 18-9-1 in their first 28 games.
Returning from Austria to be with his family for the burial of his grandmother, Grabner reunited with Hayes and Miller on a cohesive line that didn’t miss a beat. As Hayes pointed out to John Giannone in the post game, they could’ve easily scored more goals.
With it being the first of a back-to-back with a visit to the Blackhawks on Friday, Vigneault didn’t hesitate to use everyone. Oscar Lindberg played a key defensive role late helping protect the one-goal lead with Grabner, Jesper Fast along with old hat tandem Marc Staal and Dan Girardi. Both did a phenomenal job limiting the Jets down low. It was like old times. They got plenty of help from Lindberg, Fast and Grabner.
Winnipeg didn’t come close to tying it. When your team which has struggled lately with shots allowed and double digit chances only permits 18 shots and keeps most to the outside, that is a big time positive. For whatever reason, they play better in front of Raanta. We’ll see what happens when Henrik Lundqvist goes back in tomorrow at Chicago.
BONY 3 Stars:
3rd Star-Antti Raanta, NYR (17 saves)
2nd Star-Ryan McDonagh, NYR (primary assist on Hayes’ winner, 5 attempts in 29 shifts-23:50 including 16:13 EV, 4:45 SH, 2:52 PP)
1st Star-Kevin Hayes, NYR (game-winning power play goal with 1:09 remaining, 4 shots, 5 attempts in 25 shifts-16:38 including 12:18 EV, 2:24 SH, 1:49 PP)
My brother Justin and me as I get ready to attend my first Rangers game on my 19th birthday.
I’ve had my share of birthdays. The ones that stand out are 17, 21 and 30. To be honest, they’re all filled with great memories. Ones I’ll never forget. Sitting here speaking to my Mom, I’m pretty reflective about my years spent in this place.
I feel pretty lucky. I’ve always had great support from my loving parents, my awesome brother and wonderful friends. Today I turn the big 4-0! Honestly, being 40 is kinda funny. I don’t feel any different. I am still the same happy go lucky nice guy I have always been. I will always be the funny one with the keen sense of humor. A relaxed person who can’t really believe it’s finally come.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop to look around once in awhile, you could miss it.”-Ferris Bueller
I think that quote from the cool Matthew Broderick sums it up in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Funny enough, it was on a week ago. Of course, I had to watch it. There are so many great parts. I especially love when he dedicates a song to Cameron, who insists he hasn’t seen anything good yet. Another Broderick classic was on Sundance with Ally Sheedy. It’s ironically Hasan’s favorite. His go to War Games when things get bad for the Devils. DefCon 1 hasn’t been reached quite yet for our teams. So, that’s a big positive.
Even with the Rangers turning into a comical version of the walking wounded for tonight’s game at Winnipeg. What do they have? Like five starting forwards out. Don’t worry. They got the Jets right where they want them. With Hartford reinforcements. So, it’ll be a mix of core guys and AHLers. Fun.
I won’t be around to catch it. We’re about to go out for a special dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in The Heights. It’s gonna be a lot of fun. It’ll definitely bring back memories because we haven’t been there in so long.
I guess that’s when it dawns on you. I really am 40! Time moves fast. It doesn’t stop for anything. Though I must admit my 30’s were pretty cool. I made a lot of new friends. I had a lot of great times. I even saw the Rangers clinch against the Canadiens in Game 6 to make their first Stanley Cup since 1994. I had the video too. It’s on my YouTube channel somewhere. That was pretty special.
I guess what I am trying to say is I feel pretty lucky to have so many people that care about me. Life isn’t so bad. I have noticed that time has slowed down for me. What I mean is if I do something really fun with friends, it feels like time stands still. Savor those moments. They truly will last a lifetime. Sorta the infamous words of Sam Rosen after the Blueshirts won the Cup when I was an excited 17-year old senior in high school at Staten Island Tech. A wonderful school that I still take pride in.
Turning 40 isn’t sad. It’s a time of celebration. Also a time of reflection. I’ve had it pretty good. So, I guess my advice to the younger souls out there is to live. And when you do hit 40 if you’re so fortunate, cherish it forever.
It doesn’t change anything. It just means I’m a little older and wiser. Enjoy tonight’s games! 🙂
Following last night’s game, the Rangers lost two forwards to injuries during a 4-2 defeat to the Islanders in Brooklyn. Both Matt Puempel and Rick Nash left the game and sustained injuries that will keep them out of action for the time being.
Puempel suffered a concussion on a Brock Nelson high-sticking double minor. According to coach Alain Vigneault, he will undergo concussion protocol. What that means is it’s anyone’s guess how many games he could miss. Head injuries are tricky. Considering how he was helped off the ice and wobbly, I would be shocked to see Puempel any time soon.
As for Nash, he left the game when he cut a shift short in the second period. After about 10 seconds, he went to the locker room and didn’t return. Later, Vigneault revealed that he tweaked a groin. After underdoing an MRI, it revealed that he’ll miss a week of action.
Hopefully, that is all because he’s been the Rangers’ hottest player lately. Considering that they’re already without Mika Zibanejad (broken fibula) and Pavel Buchnevich (back), their depth is being severely tested. The injuries have hurt the production of Mats Zuccarello, Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller. All have seen hit scoring slumps. Meanwhile, feel good story Brandon Pirri has disappeared completely. He enters tomorrow night’s game at Winnipeg with no points in the last 10. It basically coincides with Zibanejad’s injury. He’s out another month.
With the team depleted up front, the Rangers recalled forward Nicklas Jensen from Hartford. With Marek Hrivik already up and playing last night along with Oscar Lindberg seeing an increased role with 15 minutes, it looks like the Ranger lines could be very different. Vigneault will have to get very creative with his bottom combos for the third and fourth lines.
At least leading goalscorer Michael Grabner is expected to return. He is gonna meet the team in Winnipeg. He missed last night’s game to be at his grandmother’s funeral back home in Austria. Our deepest condolences to the Grabner family.
It will be up to the leaders who have been around to step up. Derek Stepan is right at the top along with Zuccarello, Miller, Hayes and Chris Kreider. The interesting part is you have some third-year players who are part of the core. That includes Jesper Fast. It’ll be interesting to see how they respond.
Henrik Lundqvist has struggled with consistency this season. If the Rangers are to be successful, they need better play from their rock. AP Photo by Nick Wass/Getty Images
I don’t usually sound off the alarms this early. Following Tuesday night’s 4-2 loss at the Islanders, the Rangers remained tied in points (35) with the Penguins. Pittsburgh moved into first due to playing one less game. The Rangers have played 27 compared with 26 by the Pens. They’re still in good shape with their 17 ROW (regulation/overtime wins) leading the East.
Lately, they’ve been alternating wins and losses. They’re 4-4-0 in their last eight. If you go back to a 4-2 loss at Columbus on Nov. 18 followed by a 3-2 shootout loss at Florida Nov. 20, the Rangers are a mediocre 4-4-2 over 10. A far cry from the team that started by winning 13 of their first 17 (13-4-0). At 17-9-1, they have done well with their 35 points tied with the Pens for second most in the conference trailing only the Canadiens (37), who also have been inconsistent following a hot start.
While it’s true the Rangers have lost key players with forwards Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich both remaining out, they have enough depth to win games. Averaging 3.59 goals-per-game which ranks first in the NHL, they remain one of the league’s explosive offenses. In a year where general manager Jeff Gorton added Michael Grabner, Brandon Pirri, Buchnevich, Zibanejad and key rookie Jimmy Vesey, things have gone right with defenseman Nick Holden fitting in.
With improvements from Kevin Hayes, Chris Kreider, J.T. Miller and rookie defenseman Brady Skjei, there’s a lot to like. Ryan McDonagh and Marc Staal have come back stronger and healthier. So, it’s not all negative. As much as the Dan Girardi detractors want to kill him, he’s also been more consistent for the most part. Outside of a couple of games where he struggled, Girardi hasn’t been the number one issue on the back end. It’s been Kevin Klein, who has continued to be up and down. Following a good performance in a win after sitting out a game for Adam Clendening, he had a tough night along with Skjei in the two-goal loss in Brooklyn.
While the defense remains a sticky point for Garden Faithful, it’s been the inconsistent play of franchise goalie Henrik Lundqvist that is most troubling. After getting off to a slow start, he picked it up and was playing much better. For a while at least, things seemed fine. However, he’s unraveled lately. In allowing four goals on 32 shots last night, at least two were his responsibility.
The Isles’ first and third goals were each a case of Lundqvist not being in the right position. On Scott Mayfield’s goal, he wasn’t square to the shooter and allowed a sharp angle shot to beat him short side. We’ll excuse him for Jason Chimera’s goal which really was the direct result of Ranger mistakes following an empty four-minute power play. However, Andrew Ladd’s tally which came 1:22 after Vesey’s goal in the second period was a bad one to allow. It was a play where he overplayed to the right and fell making it a gimme for Ladd, who entered with only two goals in 24 games.
It was the kind of momentum killing goal we’re not used to seeing from Lundqvist. While the team did its best to fight back with Staal scoring on a beautiful passing play from Miller and Kreider, it wasn’t enough. John Tavares would add a power play goal with under nine minutes left in the third to seal it. One in which Lundqvist had no chance on.
The problem as I see it is he’s giving up more and more questionable goals. A lot of it has to do with positioning. There have been too many instances where an off kilter Lundqvist has taken himself out of position by falling to the ice. In a 4-2 win over the Hurricanes, he was better in stopping 26 of 28 shots. However, he did allow a stoppable shot to Victor Rask from the point which tied it. Kreider tallied twice in the third to win it.
In a disappointing 4-3 loss at Buffalo, Lundqvist gave up a hideous goal to Johan Larsson from the red line. In his defense, the puck went off his skate and took an odd bounce. With the Rangers clinging to a one-goal lead with under eight minutes left in regulation, he was beaten by Sabres’ phenom Jack Eichel high glove side on a power play. In truth, it was a deadly shot by a future star. However, Eichel’s game-winner that came 1:43 later was another one he would’ve liked to have back.
On it, a variety of things went wrong. Evander Kane blew past Girardi creating a odd-man rush. With teammates scrambling to get back, Lundqvist fell down and had Eichel’s centering feed for a vacated Kane go off Mats Zuccarello and in. Had he not over committed, the goal doesn’t happen.
One assessment that can be made is that the 34-year old franchise leader in wins (386) and shutouts (60) is under stress. For a second consecutive year, the Rangers are allowing more shots (29.8) than they’re getting (28.6). However, they’re fast paced skating transition game emphasized by coach Alain Vigneault doesn’t emphasize team defense. It’s mostly about offense. With the team successful leading the league in differential (28) at 97 goals for and 69 goals allowed, it’s easy to conclude the style is working.
But in such a system, you also need good skating D and the forwards on the same page. Something that didn’t happen in the second half of last season. No goalie faced more shots than Lundqvist. He succumbed to the pressure in a five-game first round loss to the Penguins. A lopsided series that saw him pulled in the final two games allowing 10 goals on 41 shots. In Game One, an injury forced him out in favor of Antti Raanta.
If there is a difference between last year’s roster and this one, it’s the Rangers’ improved depth with all four lines capable of contributing. With more injuries threatening the team including Rick Nash leaving yesterday’s game with a groin issue and Matt Puempel suffering a concussion, that depth is being tested. After a promising start, Pirri has been invisible. He is without a point or goal in the last 10. A trend that’s coincided with Zibanejad going down.
Though he played better in the last two netting two assists against Carolina and attempting 10 shots last night, Zuccarello is without a goal in 10 too. The Rangers have been getting strong performances from Nash. Stepan has also picked it up following a slow start. Kreider has pitched in playing a better overall game. Hayes has too killing penalties. But he’s slowed down with just one goal over the last seven. Miller is also without one in seven.
The most surprising player has been Grabner. His 13 goals lead the team. He missed last night’s game due to returning home to Austria for his grandmother’s funeral. He netted number 13 in a two-goal win over the Hurricanes.
With production for some players slowing down, the losses of Zibanejad and Buchnevich are being felt. The power play has still clicked at 21.0 percent ranking ninth. But it hasn’t been nearly as effective. Take away that big right shot of Zibanejad from the off wing and it becomes predictable. When Vigneault inserted Clendening at Buffalo, that gave them a right-handed point man. He contributed an assist on a power play goal. However, he took a questionable holding minor that allowed Eichel to tie it up.
With Stepan being primarily a trigger on the left half wall, he isn’t thinking shot like Zibanejad. That makes defending the power play easier for opponents because they don’t have to worry about that lethal one-timer which can create problems. With Buchnevich skilled on the other side, it gave them more options and led to better spacing which can be attributed to Zibanejad.
The thing about the Blueshirts is they aren’t always going to score three-or-more goals. In games that are closer, they need Lundqvist to come through. He’s done it consistently for 12 years. With a career .920 save percentage and a 2.29 goals-against-average entering Tuesday, he’s been the backbone.
Since debuting in ’05-06, Lundqvist has only failed to lead the Rangers to the playoffs once. Without his splendid goaltending, they don’t sniff the Stanley Cup Final in 2014 or two Final Four appearances in 2012 and 2015. A future Hall of Famer, Ranger fans should appreciate what he’s accomplished. Don’t take it for granted.
With him turning 35 next March 2, he’s getting older. That means he can’t do it alone. Gone are the days where Lundqvist could stone opponents with regularity. He once was money on breakaways and shootouts. Not no longer. There are more leaks. Shots that didn’t have a chance are beating him. His 5-on-5 even strength save percentage is still a respectable .919. That is way down from the .934 he produced in ’15-16. For his career, it’s .929.
For those critics who say he’s lost a step on the penalty kill, his save percentage on it was never great to begin with. At .885 entering last night, it’s up from a career worst .840 posted last season. Since ’07-08, his penalty kill save percentage is .879.
The thing that’s most concerning is his positioning. He hasn’t looked right. Confidence seems to be lacking for the former Vezina winner. The question is why is he so off balance. He’s been flopping around a lot more than usual. This is something that must be fixed. If it isn’t, his GAA of 2.55 and .912 save percentage could become more the norm. An ungodly thing to say about an All-Star goalie we’re used to seeing more consistency from.
So, is it just a slump? He’s had them in the past and been able to overcome it. Who can forget when Vigneault in his first season played Cam Talbot three straight games? He was able to figure it out and took that team as far as it possibly could go. Lundqvist is responsible for the team rallying from 3-1 deficits against the Pens and Caps in consecutive postseasons. Both coming in the second round.
There’s so much to praise him over. So, this isn’t about blasting him. It’s about what the eyes are seeing. There’s still plenty of season left. If the Rangers are going to be successful, it’ll still be on the broad shoulders of Lundqvist. Vigneault must continue to give Raanta starts so his starter gets enough rest and remains fresh. With Raanta 5-1 in seven starts with a 2.20 GAA and .931 save percentage, there’s no reason not to.
Lundqvist is still this team’s best shot. The offensive improvement is significant. So is the health of a blue line which hasn’t had any big injuries. Can Lundqvist rebound? They’re counting on it.
Jaroslav Halak was the game’s first star stoning the Rangers with 36 saves in an Islanders’ 4-2 win at Barclays Center for the Isles’ fourth win in five. For the Rangers, Henrik Lundqvist continues to struggle. AP Photo via Getty Images courtesy NYIslanders.
As usual, Halak was at his best in backstopping the Islanders to their fourth win in the last five. (4-0-1). They have been playing better of late. That continued thanks to Halak, who defeated counterpart Henrik Lundqvist for the 11th time in the last 12 head-to-head meetings. One goalie was poised throughout while the other was shaky despite making some big stops to give his team a chance.
”It’s always important to win games,” the Isles’ winning netminder said. ”Beating the division rivals, it’s always huge for us, it’s always a four-point game. Coming out with two points against the Rangers is always a fun game to play.”
Halak was more consistent. He was particularly good in a busy first period. He bailed out his team who were shorthanded three times. That included a huge kill of a questionable high-sticking double minor on Brock Nelson. Nelson got his stick up on Matt Puempel, who was going for a big hit. Instead, he wound up injured on the play and stayed down on the ice for a few minutes before being helped off. He didn’t return.
As for the call, the refs gave Nelson an extra two due to the injury. His stick didn’t draw blood. I’ve never seen that called before. It was obviously a mistake. However, the Islanders can thank Halak for killing off both ends of the four minute penalty. He was at his best turning aside Mats Zuccarello and other Blueshirts, who couldn’t get the puck past him. Halak stopped all 16 shots with more than half on the Ranger power play. He took everything away down low.
While Halak took care of his end, Lundqvist gave up a couple of bad goals. Especially the first which came off the stick of emergency call up Scott Mayfield. He played in place of Johnny Boychuk, who missed the game due to flu like symptoms. Mayfield’s goal came from a bad angle. Taking a Anders Lee back pass along the boards, he fired a slap shot that beat an unscreened Lundqvist to the glove side for his first at 7:03. Cal Clutterbuck, who did some good board work, also was credited with an assist following the period.
Despite pressuring the Islander penalty kill for long stretches and forcing Halak into some tough saves, the Rangers were unable to tie the contest. With time winding down on the four-minute man-advantage, a crucial mistake led directly to the Isles’ second goal. Kevin Hayes threw a back pass to a vacated point trapping three other teammates. That left Brady Skjei back to cover two players. He switched to Nelson but was too late with Nelson’s centering pass deflecting off and Jason Chimera for a two-goal Islander lead with 2:36 remaining in the first.
The second was up and down. The Rangers got the start they wanted with rookie Jimmy Vesey getting them on the board in the first minute. Rick Nash fired a tough shot on Halak, who let out a rebound that Vesey pounced on for his ninth at 57 seconds. Nash would not last much longer exiting after tweaking his groin. Figure him to be out for Thursday’s game at Winnipeg. That’s a bad break for the Rangers because he’s been playing some of his best hockey.
Momentum can change in an instant. You can have it and then lose it in the blink of an eye. That’s what happened to the Blueshirts. Following Vesey’s goal, a brutal Islander turnover inside their own blue line allowed J.T. Miller to get a mini-break on Halak. But with him seeming to have Halak beaten, he just missed wide. Not long after, a neutral zone turnover and some more Lundqvist folly allowed Andrew Ladd to score his third into an open net to restore a two-goal lead at 2:18.
The play can best be described as ugly. From a Ranger perspective, they did a lot wrong. Hartford emergency call up Marek Hrivik turned the puck over to Shane Prince. Hrivik was up due to Michael Grabner flying home to Austria for his grandmother’s funeral. For the most part, he played well. But the turnover became a nightmare with Lundqvist falling down and taking himself out of position. That allowed Prince to easily set up Ladd for a lay-up. It was another case of a confused Lundqvist doing too much. His confidence looks shot. He’s been caught off balance a lot.
With Nash leaving the contest and Puempel already gone, that left coach Alain Vigneault with 10 forwards. Forced to juggle his lines, he came up with a winning one by moving Miller back up to the top unit with Chris Kreider and Derek Stepan. The Team USA line combined to set up Marc Staal on what was some textbook passing with Staal sniping his third past Halak to cut it to 3-2 with 11:06 remaining. Staal has been playing some of his best hockey in ages. He’s doing a lot right and is back to jumping in offensively.
Though they were down two skaters, the Rangers had plenty of opportunities to tie the game. The difference was Halak, who denied them time and again. He was tough to beat and continued his mastery over Lundqvist. In their last 12 meetings, Halak is 11-1 with a 1.56 goals-against-average and .954 save percentage. Over that same stretch, Lundqvist fell to 1-10-1 with a 3.42 GAA and .890 save percentage.
Credit Halak for being better than Lundqvist. A trend that’s continued since he joined the Islanders in ’14-15. He steps up in these big match-ups. Why Lundqvist doesn’t is a mystery. He did win the first meeting in the season opener at MSG on Oct. 13 making 25 saves in a 5-3 win. But that’s it.
”You gotta score those timely goals and we didn’t do it tonight,” Vigneault said. ”We had the looks. I thought we battled hard. We tried to come back but their goalie without a doubt was the best player on the ice tonight and we didn’t finish on our opportunities.”
When the Rangers weren’t getting shots on Halak, his teammates were sacrificing for the cause by blocking 27 shots including a game high seven from Calvin de Haan and six from Travis Hamonic, who robbed Stepan in the first. In contrast, the Rangers as a team blocked six total shots. They outshot the Islanders 38-32 and out-attempted them 77-44. It wasn’t enough to win.
If there was another major difference, it came on special teams. The Rangers were blanked in six power play chances. The Islanders converted on 1-for-2 with both coming in the third period. After easily killing off a Miller hooking minor with Vigneault using different players including Hrivik, Oscar Lindberg and even Zuccarello, Brandon Pirri was sent to the box for a questionable hooking minor. Prior to it, Lundqvist flat out robbed Nelson point blank. He made some great saves including a nice glove stop on Clutterbuck but never seemed comfortable.
On the ensuing Islander power play, they did a great job setting up captain John Tavares, who scored only his seventh to make it 4-2 with 8:48 left in regulation. With the Ranger penalty kill leaving enough room across the box, Nick Leddy fed Josh Bailey, who made a great cross ice feed for a wide open Tavares at the right circle. He stepped in and let go of a laser which beat Lundqvist glove side inside the near goalpost. A terrific shot by a great player who should not have seven goals at this stage. Shame on Garth Snow for allowing Tavares’ linemate Kyle Okposo go. Utterly ridiculous that Tavares has seven goals thru 25 games.
His seventh goal was enough to put the Rangers away. Though they threatened, they never could get back in it. The refs also let a lot go on both sides. Vesey took a vicious slash that went undetected. He stayed in the game. They were too busy calling hooks and giving Nelson an extra two for no reason. This is the substandard officiating you get. The same that ignores a Canuck shoving Travis Zajac from behind into the boards bloodying his nose and then hands Vancouver a two-man advantage in a game the Devils won.
Even after Vigneault rightly pulled Lundqvist for an extra attacker, his team wasn’t aware that there was a delayed call on Thomas Hickey for cross checking Kreider in front. Had they realized it, maybe they would’ve given up the puck sooner. Instead, they were too busy passing and back passing costing valuable time. The pass fest continued with Hamonic off for a slash which handed the Rangers a 6-on-3 with 32 seconds left. They didn’t need one. But two. Instead, all they did was handle the puck like a grenade until the buzzer sounded. Just brutal.
The more determined team won with the better goalie. Don’t believe me? Then you haven’t been paying attention. Something isn’t right with Lundqvist. I’m losing faith. I’m not alone here. It’s getting harder and harder to defend him. He’s been the Rangers’ franchise goalie for over a decade. But his numbers are down. Maybe it’s time for Antti Raanta to play a couple in a row and let Lundqvist work out his issues with goalie coach Benoit Allaire.
He now is down to a 2.55 GAA and pedestrian .912 save percentage. You can’t blame the defense for all of that. Simply put, he hasn’t been good enough. Inconsistency is showing. At 34 and in his 12th season, you have to wonder what’s wrong. He’s been through slumps before. We’ll see if he can figure it out. If not, the Rangers have no chance. Other teams in the division are closing fast. There is no longer much margin for error.
BONY 3 Stars:
3rd Star-Jimmy Vesey, Rangers (goal-9th of season, 4 shots, 6 attempts, -1 in 23 shifts-16:40)
2nd Star-John Tavares, Islanders (power play goal-7th of season, 4 shots, 4 takeaways, 11-and-7 on face-offs in 23 shifts-18:45)
1st Star-Jaroslav Halak, Islanders (36 saves including 16/16 in 1st and all 11 in 3rd to improve to 11-1 with a 1.56 GAA and .954 save percentage in last 12 meetings against Lundqvist)
Notes: Puempel took only five shifts logging 2:52 of ice-time before leaving due to sustaining a concussion on Nelson’s high-stick. Assuming he’s out Thursday, Josh Jooris should be back in. … Nash (assist) finished minus-two in 14 shifts (8:13) with five shots before exiting. … The pairing of Skjei (-3) and Kevin Klein (-2) had a nightmarish game. Klein only played 12:59 all at even strength while Skjei received 14:51 including 2:55 of power play. … Ryan McDonagh led all skaters with 28:03 of ice-time in 27 shifts including 6:27 on the PP. By comparison, Isles coach Jack Capuano gave four of his six D over 20 minutes with Hamonic pacing them with 23:21 including 4:28 shorthanded. Leddy (21:39), De Haan (20:04) and Dennis Seidenberg (20:19) also went over 20. … The game was the Isles’ second sellout of the season. … By going 4-0-1 in their last five, the Islanders are back to NHL .500 with a 10-10-5 record. They’re tied with Carolina in points (25) and trail a wildcard pack led by the Flyers (33), Caps (31) and Devils (30). … Islanders finish a three-game home stand by hosting the Blues Thursday.
Chris Kreider celebrates a goal in the third period of the Rangers’ 4-2 comeback win over the Hurricanes at MSG on Saturday. AP Photo via Getty Images courtesy NYRangers.
For almost two periods, the Rangers were putrid in every aspect. Unable to deal with their opponent’s speed and sustained forecheck, they should’ve been blown out of the building. In a game they once trailed in shots 23-4, they found their way back with a big third period to pull out a 4-2 win over the Hurricanes at MSG on Kids Day.
Let’s be honest. When your team gets so few shots or chances and can’t get out of its own zone, you have to wonder what the heck is going on. These strange occurrences are becoming more and more common. Similar to last year, the defense is struggling to get pucks out. At times, it’s scary.
Somehow, they summoned up the energy to find a way to win again following a loss. I think they’re now 7-0-1 after a defeat. After getting outshot 25-11 thru two periods yet remained tied thanks to some superb goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist (26 saves), they remembered to play the third. The Rangers outplayed the Canes for a change by outscoring them 3-1 and outshooting them 12-3.to hike their league-leading point total to 35. That’s tied with the Blackhawks for the most.
In improving to 17-8-1 in their first 26 games, they did it with smoke and mirrors. I didn’t see much of the first. I missed Derek Stepan’s goal. He had his best game of the season finishing with a goal and two assists. That included an un-Stepan like eight shot attempts. He easily could’ve had more goals missing a wide open chance with a gaping net from an angle. He’s been heating up at the right time. Especially with Mika Zibanejad out.
Stepan got the only goal of the first period despite Carolina holding a significant edge in shots, 15-3. Kevin Klein got the primary assist. In his return to the lineup after sitting out at Buffalo with Adam Clendening subbing for him, he had a better game. More involved in all aspects, Klein finished plus-two with four hits and five blocked shots in 21 shifts logging 16:47 of ice-time. He was better along with rookie Brady Skjei, who used his superb skating to set up a big Michael Grabner goal in the third.
Even though the shots were closer during the second with the Canes holding a 10-8 edge, the Rangers still didn’t play well. They turned pucks over and took penalties to make life difficult on Lundqvist. Carolina was better territorially attacking with vigor and firing shots from everywhere. Despite that, they could only muster one goal on their first 25 shots by Lundqvist.
It was again former Ranger Viktor Stalberg who tallied. Having scored both Carolina goals earlier in the week in a 3-2 loss, this time the hard working Swede was rewarded for his hustle. Hounding Ryan McDonagh, a strong backcheck forced him into a neutral zone turnover. The Canes came the other way with Derek Ryan and Brock McGinn working the puck to an open Stalberg, whose wrist shot from the right circle beat Lundqvist top shelf to even the score at 8:34. Dan Girardi went down which might’ve hurt Lundqvist’s sight.
McDonagh also took a lazy tripping minor penalty later in the period. But his teammates bailed him out with a big penalty kill to keep the game even. Kevin Hayes went off for a slashing minor. Twenty seconds later, ex-teammate Lee Stempniak also was nabbed for a slash. During a shift, Stempniak speared Girardi. How it wasn’t a spear was mystifying. Spearing also should be more than a minor penalty. It’s a deliberate attempt to injure.
The third was much better for the guys in blue. They took the play to Carolina by getting the first eight shots on Carolina starter Michael Leighton. Yes. You read that correctly. The same Leighton who once backstopped the Flyers to within an overtime of Game 7 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final. He’s best remembered for giving up Patrick Kane’s odd OT winner from a bad angle that no one realized was in except for Kane.
It had been a while since Leighton started an NHL game. He got into his last one with the Flyers in ’12-13. Leighton made a relief appearance for the Blackhawks last year allowing one goal on 18 shots. In Saturday’s matinee, he hardly had to do much until the final stanza. In it, he gave up three goals on 12 shots. None are what I’d consider bad. The Rangers finally attacked by using their quick transition to get to Leighton.
The first such play saw Skjei take the puck from Jesper Fast and fly down the left wing to create a two-on-one where he passed for Grabner, who converted a breakaway for his team-leading 13th at 5:54. But the Rangers’ second lead lasted just 32 seconds. Victor Rask was able to sneak one past Lundqvist low and short side from Brett Pesce and Jaccob Slavin for his ninth. Considering it was from distance, it’s definitely one Lundqvist should’ve had.
With the game hanging in the balance, a great shift from Stepan resulted in Chris Kreider burying home a rebound for his fifth to put the Rangers ahead 3-2 with 7:35 remaining. He and Stepan had it going on most of the contest. They had a dominant shift during the second where they pinned the Canes in for a long stretch. But only were able to get one shot on Leighton. That was the sequence where Stepan was set up but missed. Carolina iced the puck but was able to escape trouble.
Stepan and Kreider have always had good chemistry since teaming up to capture gold at the 2010 Under 20 World Junior Championship. Alain Vigneault stuck Mats Zuccarello with them. He was more effective in this one assisting on two goals. Why Vigneault decided to try Fast with Stepan and Kreider remains a mystery. Zuccarello needs to play with a big power forward like Kreider, who can free up space with his physicality. They were on for three goals for at even strength.
With the Rangers nursing a one-goal lead, Kreider put it out of reach by converting a breakaway with a lightning like wrist shot that went off the post and then banked off Leighton and in for a 4-2 lead with 2:49 to go. Stepan started the play and then Zuccarello head manned Kreider who broke in on Leighton and ripped one by him for his second of the game and sixth overall. When he shoots the puck like that, he is scary. Maybe this is the game that gets him going.
Even though it was far from a complete performance, the Blueshirts played one good period to come out on top. That was enough to rebound from a disappointing one-goal loss at Buffalo. They’re two up and two down over the last four and have been win one, lose one recently. It would be nice to see them put together another good stretch.
They finally see the Islanders on Tuesday at Barclays Center. The Isles have won three in a row including consecutive wins over the Pens and Caps. Whenever the Rangers and Islanders get together, throw the records out the window. Following the Isles, the Rangers visit Winnipeg to see Patrik Laine, who is now tied with Sidney Crosby for the league lead with 16 goals. That’s on my birthday too. I might catch some of it out with my family at a nice restaurant in Brooklyn.
I also want to single out Marc Staal. His defensive play has been much better this season. He was really good on Saturday. He’s really bounced back in a big way following a tough ’15-16. He and Nick Holden have formed a solid second pair that can be counted on to move the puck effectively and get out of their zone. Both have contributed offensively with Staal scoring number two the other night. Holden has three goals and has gotten better. Staal was plus-one with two shots in 27 shifts (22:04).
BONY 3 Stars:
3rd Star-J.T. Miller, NYR (no points but 4 blocks including 2 without a stick and a clear that left him hobbled on a change, Even in 17 shifts-11:43 including 9:49 EV, 1:13 SH, 41 seconds PP)
Notes: Oscar Lindberg was a healthy scratch. Josh Jooris returned and centered the fourth line going minus-one with two hits and winning three of four draws. … Matt Puempel received 12 shifts (9:33) all at five-on-five. … Key Stat: Giveaways Canes 17 Rangers 15 … Rangers blocked 21 shots led by Klein’s five with Girardi and Miller each having four. The Canes blocked 15 paced by Pesce’s four. … Carolina controlled faceoffs 26-22 led by Jay McClement (7-and-3) with Rask also 9-and-6. Stepan was 8-and-9 for the Blueshirts. Eight different Rangers took draws. … Power Plays Canes 0-3 Rangers 0-2.
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