Alain Vigneault is so predictable

Posted on November 20, 2016 by Derek

Before I leave for tonight’s game against the Panthers, I wanted to get a couple of things off my chest.

1.Alain Vigneault demoting leading scorer J.T. Miller to the fourth line is ridiculous. Miller had a bad game the other night. It happens. Funny. I don’t see Jesper Fast suffering the same punishment when he had an equally hideous turnover that also led to a Columbus goal. This is the coach you’re dealing with. One who plays favorites and picks on certain guys. Just ask Chris Kreider.

2.Predictably, Josh Jooris is back in the lineup while Oscar Lindberg sits. After playing 7:25 the other night, the writing was on the wall. When Lindberg takes a penalty, he is severely punished. Even when he doesn’t, AV gives him no chance at succeeding only using him minimally at even strength. Just asinine. How did Lindberg go from his hot start last year to barely playing? Granted. He probably isn’t that offensive minded. But come on. The coach is to blame for his mishandling.

3.Adam Clendening sits again. He has become the new Dylan McIlrath. Speaking of which, he might actually play for Florida tonight in his return. He’s played the last two for them and gotten real ice-time. The kind Vigneault was unwilling to provide after a good cameo his rookie year with once again teammate Keith Yandle.

Vigneault is so frustrating. He is so stubborn, it is sickening. Sure. The team is having success. There’s not much to dislike. A 13-5-0 record and first place so far. But the way he handles certain guys is mind boggling.

So too is the team doctors who butchered Pavel Buchnevich, who now will undergo an MRI for his back. God forbid they get something right.

Posted in Battle News | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Devils weekly recap: California nightmare

Posted on November 19, 2016 by hasan4978

2d1685c865b67a54

Just a few days ago things were looking up for the Devils as they won their fifth game in a row in Dallas with a hard-fought 2-1 OT win.  Since then however, the team has hit a collective pothole starting with the Taylor Hall meniscus injury that’s going to shelve the star winger for about a month – somewhat inconveniently the month where the Devils are playing 17 of 21 on the road.  Even without Hall the Devils played well in Anaheim and stormed out to a 2-0 lead looking to get a sixth straight win for the first time since the end of the 2011-12 regular season.

However, the trip if not the season itself changed when the Devils’ lead melted away in seventeen seconds late in the second period and then the game itself was lost late in the third in the team’s second game this season where they turned a 2-0 lead into a game where they got zero points out of.  Perhaps that game carried over to this afternoon’s effort, or lack thereof against the Kings in the first two periods of a rare West Coast matinee.  You name the player, they pretty much didn’t compete – Cory Schneider gave up two bad goals including a disgustingly soft rebound goal by Jeff Carter, captain Andy Greene was culpable on a bad pinch in the third period that started the fatal 2-on-1 which gave the Kings a 3-1 lead in the third period, Kyle Palmieri‘s looking dangerously like a one year wonder and Adam Henrique is well, pulling his usual inconsistent act where he dissapears for two months before racking up points over a two-week stretch.

If this seems like a post veering into unneccesary rant territory well this team can’t take squat for granted.  Especially in a brutally tough Metro division which has three practically sure playoff teams in the Penguins, Capitals and Rangers and a young, dangerous Blue Jackets team that’s beaten some stout competition this year.  When you’re lacking your top offensive player for your biggest travel month you have to bring effort every night and this team looked like it left its heart in Anaheim.  At least until the third period today where the team finally gave a too little, too late rally and Nick Lappin‘s late goal made the game undeservedly close before Jake Muzzin‘s defensive zone clear wound up being an empty-net goal.

Former Devils coach Pete DeBoer used to say that your best players have to be your best players.  This is both true and shows the extent of the problem facing the Devils right now.  Other than Hall their best players have not been their best players for long stretches this season.  Although Cory started out good enough, in the last two games he’s given up backbreaking goals he quite frankly can’t afford to give up with the state of this team right now.  Greene moved to third on the Devils’ all time list for consecutive games played behind Travis Zajac and Ken Daneyko but he certainly needs to be better than he was today.

However, the forwards are a bigger issue now.  Yes, Henrique and Palmieri combined for the winning goal in Dallas but by and large they’ve both been dissapointing this season with a combined six goals and 15 points in 33 games.  From two guys that both scored thirty last year, more was certainly expected.  That’s not even including Mike Cammalleri who played twelve games but only scored in one of them (the hat trick in Carolina before his sabbatical to attend to an unspecified family issue).  Perhaps whatever’s caused Camm to miss the last few games weighed on his mind early in the season?  Doesn’t explain everyone else’s struggles though.  Lappin who’s played eleven games with limited minutes has as many goals as the last three players I mentioned, all thirty-goal scorers in this league.  Ironically one of the few things I DID like about today’s game is coach John Hynes‘ willingness to even punish his best players (Henrique and Palmieri) for lack of effort by benching them for long stretches.  I don’t think I’ve seen that kind of blanket accountability since Jacques Lemaire‘s first tenure, or the late Pat Burns.

Speaking of former coaches, the Devils’ next game involves another reunion with ol’ Pete although with the dramatic turnover in the last eighteen months few players remain even from the end of Pete’s tenure.  With the way things are going I’m fully expecting a California whitewash at this point, especially assuming backup Keith Kinkaid will play since coach Hynes initially said he’d get in one game on this trip.  Even with the defending Western Conference champs struggling I’m fully expecting the Sharks to find their mojo for Tuesday.  As such it’ll be the only game on the trip I probably won’t watch past the first period – I’m still paying for staying up on Thursday to witness the Hindenberg disaster that was our last twenty-five minutes.

On the brighter side at least the Devils will return home for a couple of games next week, where they still haven’t lost a regulation game yet.  It’s not as if the schedule is lightening up all that much though, with the Devils playing at the Rock both before and after Turkey day against an improving Leafs team and the Wings looking to make the playoffs for their 10000th consecutive season.  And that leads right into the Bataan Death March of our next road trip – which starts in Pittsburgh Saturday for our third game in four nights, followed by trips to Winnipeg, Chicago and Nashville.  Yippee.  Hopefully I’ll at least be in a more festive mood after a four-day weekend this week and going to two home games.

Posted in Battle News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Game 18: Calvert’s emotional shorthanded goal the difference for Blue Jackets in 4-2 win over Rangers

Posted on November 19, 2016 by Derek
cxmjm5puuaebijg

Matt Calvert celebrated an emotional shorthanded goal for the game-winner after taking 36 stitches following a Nick Holden shot to the head in the second period of the Blue Jackets’ 4-2 win over the Rangers, who weren’t at their best Friday night. AP Photo via Getty Images courtesy NHL.

The Rangers saw blue in Columbus. The Blue Jackets ended their three-game winning streak by getting a big shorthanded goal from Matt Calvert in a 4-2 win over the Blueshirts at Nationwide Arena.

The loss also halted the Rangers’ consecutive streak of scoring three goals or more at nine. It was the first game they failed to reach the magic three since an Oct. 28 3-2 road defeat at Carolina exactly three weeks ago. All good stretches come to an end. The Rangers have been scoring at such a ridiculous clip that eventually they were bound to slip up.

To be honest, I wasn’t surprised they lost this game at Columbus, who have been flying under the radar in a great division. They entered play on a six-game home win streak. Coach John Tortorella’s team has quietly been going about their business playing good hockey. Following a strong start on unassisted tallies from William Karlsson and surprising top finisher veteran Sam Gagner (7th), they recovered from blowing a two-goal lead, improving to 9-4-2 in only 15 games. That gives them 20 points to pull within six of first place.

Having played the fewest games in the league, the Jackets have only lost four times in regulation. It’s easy to forget they dropped their first two both on home ice. Since, they’re 9-2-2 having won seven in a row in Columbus. The reason for the improved play is former Vezina winner Sergei Bobrovsky. Unlike last year where he couldn’t stop anything, he’s been on fire. In improving to 9-4-1, his goals-against-average is down to 2.20 with a save percentage of .932.

The Jackets have also gotten a huge contribution from rookie Zachary Werenski. The 19-year old defenseman who Columbus took in the first round in the ’98 NHL Draft is tied for third in rookie scoring with 13 points (5-8-13). There’s no question he’s legit. Tortorella plays him in every situation. He went plus-two in 32 shifts leading all skaters with 24:46 including 20:02 at even strength.

Interestingly, they haven’t gotten much out of ex-Blueshirt Brandon Dubinsky or Boone Jenner. Brandon Saad hasn’t finished much either. They’re getting contributions throughout the lineup with young players like Karlsson and Alexander Wennberg coming through. Plus captain Nick Foligno is having a bounce back year. Cam Atkinson is also doing his part.

Most impressive is they’re having success without top defenseman Seth Jones. Since he went down, Werenski has carried the blue line with help from partner David Savard (plus-three), Jack Johnson and Ryan Murray. The top four all played over 21 minutes. Bobrovsky made 25 saves including a tough Chris Kreider deflection with 15 seconds remaining to preserve the win. Kreider finally returned from neck spasms and was effective in 24 shifts logging 19:11 with four shots, seven attempts while helping create the Rangers’ second goal off some strong work down low.

Hopefully, Kreider won’t miss anymore time. He has missed six games all due to neck spasms. He got to play with Mika Zibanejad, who was able to score the game-tying goal in the third period off a brilliant feed from budding rookie defenseman Brady Skjei. Skjei continues to excel in an increased role recording his 11th assist. Zibanejad quietly has gone 2-3-5 over the last five. So, it’s not all negative. It’s imperative for the former Senator to become more consistent. He’s headed in the right direction.

The issue for the Rangers in this one was sloppy play. A couple of irresponsible turnovers and shoddy goaltending from the normally reliable Henrik Lundqvist let them down. The first such mistake came when J.T. Miller threw a pass up the middle right to Karlsson, who then beat Lundqvist from distance for the game’s first goal with 3:26 left in the first period. Miller didn’t have his best outing, also partly responsible for Calvert’s shorthanded game-winner.

With Columbus up one, they again took full advantage of another dreadful error. Like Miller, Jesper Fast is normally responsible in his end. However, that wasn’t the case on the Jackets’ second goal. With two Jackets shadowing him, Fast made a very poor choice going up the middle. Unfortunately, the puck found Gagner who let go of a routine wrist shot that went off Lundqvist’s glove and in for a 2-0 Columbus lead at 5:38 of the second.

In both cases, you would expect your goalie to come up with the big save and bail out his teammate. It didn’t happen for Lundqvist on Friday night. He had come in playing very well with his save percentage back up to .920. In this one, he gave up three soft goals on 23 shots. All stoppable. It happens. He just didn’t make the big save we’re so used to seeing.

One thing about this ’16-17 Blueshirts version. They’re never out of a game. Extremely dangerous offensively, they can strike at any moment. Michael Grabner continued his amazing start by getting the Rangers on the board with his team-leading 11th on a clean breakaway. Forcing Murray at the left point into a turnover, Grabner broke away and came in and went forehand deke to beat Bobrovsky, cutting the deficit to 2-1 with 8:56 left in the period.

Still trailing by one in the third, Zibanejad drew them even. Following a big penalty kill of an Oscar Lindberg cross-checking minor, a relentless forecheck led to Nick Holden feeding a pinching Skjei, who skated down drawing Columbus defenders while threading the needle to Zibanejad for his fourth. The goal tied the game with 11:28 remaining.

Listening to it on ESPN Radio, I felt good about their chances. This team has given fans no reason to feel otherwise. When a penalty was drawn on Savard with 9:25 left, I figured they’d either score or it would go to overtime. A win win situation. But as I returned from the bank, I was dead wrong. There you had Don LaGreca and Dave Maloney discussing Calvert’s huge game-turning shorthanded goal. A crusher.

In itself, it was a great story. It was during the middle of the second that the gritty Calvert found himself on the opposite end of an errant Holden shot that cut his face. From the discussion on Twitter, fans were very concerned. I wish this sentiment could be echoed for the state of our country. Fortunately, it wasn’t that serious. He’s a hockey player. So, he got stitched up and returned for the final period. Afterwards, Calvert revealed that he needed over 30 stitches including a bandage he wore to cover his forehead.

”I think when something like this happens emotions just kind of take over,” Calvert said after playing his 200th career game. ”You’re riding on adrenaline. I made a shot and it was great to see it hit the back of the net.”

As fate would have it, a poor Miller back pass resulted in a Blue Jackets odd-man rush. Murray worked the puck to Karlsson, who got it to Calvert. He let go of another shot that Lundqvist normally stops. I don’t know if maybe a sliding Ryan McDonagh fooled him. Regardless, it went through him at 11:35 to give the Jackets a 3-2 lead. A great moment for Calvert. But one the Rangers and particularly Lundqvist would rather forget. Ditto Miller, who missed some shifts due to his off night. He still got nearly 16 minutes but went minus-two.

”You can’t script it any better that he comes back and scores the winner for us,” Gagner pointed out. ”That’s just an unbelievable teammate and it gives every guy on the bench a huge shot when he comes back.”

To their credit, the Rangers didn’t fold. They continued to push the attack. But in a third where they got 11 shots through on Bobrovsky including Zibanejad’s game-tying goal earlier, they were unable to beat the Russian netminder again. A stingy D and one last tough stop with Kreider doing some work in front were enough to give the Jackets a well earned victory.

On a last second face-off, Jenner sent the puck into an open net at the buzzer. It counted for the final margin of 4-2. Window dressing for Columbus, who are proving they could be for real this year. If they are, the Metropolitan Division becomes that much tougher.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Sam Gagner, CBJ (unassisted goal-7th, +1 in 17 shifts-13:02)

2nd Star-William Karlsson, CBJ (goal-3rd, assist, 3 shots, 5 attempts, +1 in 20 shifts-14:34)

1st Star-Matt Calvert, CBJ (game-winning shorthanded goal for successful return, +3 in 17 shifts-12:39)

Notes: After having only one goal in his first 13, Zibanejad has scored twice in his last five. … It’s an odd night when neither Miller nor Kevin Hayes are a factor. Miller going minus-two with two mistakes that led to goals against. Hayes with no points in 18 shifts-16:33. … Mats Zuccarello was held off the score sheet with a minus-two rating. … Grabner scored his team best 11th finishing plus-one in 17 shifts-10:31. … Lindberg barely played logging only 7:25 in 12 shifts. What is the point of playing him if the coach doesn’t like him? … Faceoffs went in favor of Columbus 34-24 with Dubinsky 11-and-7. Derek Stepan was the Rangers’ best going 10-and-11 but losing a big draw late. … A booing target all night, Rick Nash was held without a goal for a fourth straight game. He has one assist over that stretch. Eleven points from Nash and Stepan isn’t enough. They both can be better. … Rangers (13-5-0) remain two points up on the Caps and Pens, who both won. They host the Panthers Sunday night. Dylan McIlrath could play. He went minus-two in a blowout loss the other night.

Posted in NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Battle News: Hall injured for Devils, Kreider to return for Rangers

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Derek

c6fe8bb12655eea1

On a busy Thursday night in the NHL, here are some news and notes regarding a couple of Battle teams. Injuries have been a hot topic around the league. Some teams have been hit hard.

The biggest one is Tampa captain Steven Stamkos, who is expected to miss two up to four months due to a torn right meniscus in his knee. He has had some awful luck. He already underwent surgery. The latest injury occurred four days prior to the three-year anniversary when he broke his fibula. A freak injury where he collided with the goalpost at Boston. Of course, he also missed significant time last year which kept him out of almost the entire postseason. The Lightning made the Conference Final without him but lost to the Penguins.

The Flames also took a hit with star Johnny Gaudreau, who will be out a while due to a broken finger. He underwent successful surgery. They’re already a bad team. Without Johnny Hockey, yikes.

The Devils have lost leading scorer Taylor Hall for three to four weeks. Fortunately, his meniscus surgery won’t keep him out long term. He was tied for the team lead in scoring with 12 points including five goals, which tie him with P.A. Parenteau. Without him and Mike Cammalleri (personal issues), the red hot Devs will need continued scoring from overtime hero Adam Henrique, Kyle Palmieri, Parenteau, Travis Zajac and Damon Severson. Cory Schneider and Keith Kinkaid have provided quality goaltending.

In the mean time, they recalled forward Blake Pietila. He is a solid energy guy who can play in a supporting role and kill penalties. The Devils also get back defenseman Jon Merrill, who will make his season debut when they visit the Ducks tonight. Yohann Auvitu comes out. The first change to their D this season.

The Rangers got some good news on Chris Kreider, who returned to practice Thursday. After missing the past couple of games with a “secret injury” it looks like he’s good to go for tomorrow night’s road match at Columbus. To make room for him, rookie Cristoval Nieves was sent back to Hartford. Pavel Buchnevich remains day-to-day with back spasms. If he is out for tomorrow, Oscar Lindberg remains in.

With a condensed schedule plus a five-day vacation for the NHLPA, the injuries will continue. It’ll be the teams with the best depth who survive.

Posted in Battle News | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Game Review: Rangers 7 Canucks 2

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Derek
cxxs44nuoaeima0

The Rangers continue to score at a ridiculous clip averaging 4.24 goals-per-game. They defeated the Canucks 7-2 to sweep the Western Canada part of their road trip. AP Photo via Getty Images courtesy NYRangers.

If you stayed up late on the East coast and caught last night’s game, the Rangers avenged last Tuesday’s 5-3 home loss to the Canucks by hammering them 7-2 in Vancouver. Despite the score, they weren’t perfect. But opportunistic enough to continue scoring goals at a ridiculous clip.

They’re averaging 4.24 goals-per-game. Almost a goal higher than their next opponent Columbus (3.36). That’s not a misprint. When you can score at such a high rate, you’re going to win more than you lose. And so, the Rangers so far are three for three on a four-game road trip outscoring Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver 14-4.

Yet they haven’t played their best in each victory. They’ve given up 113 total shots which averages out to over 37 a game. The big difference is the goaltending of both Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta. Similar to last year, they’ve stood on their head during the Western Canadian portion of the trip. After Raanta stoned the Oilers with 38 saves in a 3-1 win, Lundqvist followed suit by making 36 last night.

Honestly, without some remarkable saves in a lopsided first period dominated by the Canucks, we could be discussing an entirely different result. Playing their third in four nights, the Rangers were flat. It resulted in spending long shifts pinned in their end. Both Daniel and Henrik Sedin had their way. The Twins did everything but score along with some of their teammates. Lundqvist wouldn’t allow it. He stopped all 17 shots thrown his way.

That included consecutive penalty kills of two ill advised Oscar Lindberg minor penalties. Given the chance to play with both Pavel Buchnevich and Chris Kreider out, he hasn’t distinguished himself. The second-year Swede’s play has been disappointing. Even though he did pick up an assist in 18 shifts (11:09), Lindberg can play better. Granted. It’s hard to get into a rhythm when you’re the odd man out.

It was also the NHL debut of Cristoval Nieves. He centered the fourth line and looked okay. Boo Nieves took 17 shifts receiving 11:44 of ice-time with it almost exclusively at even strength. He struggled on face-offs losing 7-of-10. He went minus-one and didn’t record a shot. With Buchnevich day-to-day and Alain Vigneault unable to provide any kind of clear update on Kreider, Nieves should be in the lineup again on Friday. Whether he’s still here for Sunday against Florida and a pivotal home-and-home series against the Penguins Monday and next Wednesday remains to be seen.

When you are really struggling and your goalie is bailing you out in a period, usually you wind up scoring on the opposite end. I don’t know what Joe Micheletti had before the game. But coming off Sam Rosen’s Hall of Fame induction in the broadcasters wing, he was on. He called the Rangers’ first goal before it happened. J.T. Miller redirected a Mats Zuccarello feed at 18:42 for the first period’s lone goal. Rosen teased Micheletti about it.

The second period was better. Each team had eight shots. Three goals were scored. The first two off Ranger sticks with Kevin Hayes and Brandon Pirri tallying. As bad as he was last year is as good as Hayes has been this year. Whatever he did in the off-season has paid off. Suddenly, he’s scoring daily and is responsible defensively. With the Canucks backing off, Hayes skated in and did the smart thing firing a slap shot past Jacob Markstrom. I don’t think anyone expected him to shoot. It caught Markstrom off guard. Jesper Fast picked up an assist. He’s really played well in this stretch with five points in the last five games.

Pirri scored on the power play. Off some wonderful passing, he was able to steer in Mika Zibanejad’s rebound for his fifth making it 3-zip. The play was made possible by Ryan McDonagh. He made a great diagonal feed for a Zibanejad one-timer that Markstrom couldn’t control. That led to an easy Pirri tap in. McDonagh now has 11 assists. He continues to play extremely well and is having a big bounce back season. The kind the captain needed.

To their credit, the Canucks kept coming. They finally got on the board when Brandon Sutter’s shot went through a perfect Henrik Sedin screen past Lundqvist to cut it to 3-1 with 41 seconds remaining. It was another relentless shift by the Sedins, who really were tough to defend all night. They’re so fast, elusive and skilled that the puck magically sticks to them like glue. Eventually, Daniel Sedin set up Sutter’s goal which Lundqvist had no chance on. Luca Sbisa drew the secondary assist. He was a pest throughout.

While many Garden faithful worried about that late goal changing the momentum, I didn’t. I was perfectly relaxed. Maybe it’s how this team responds when they’re scored on. Or maybe it was the intermission. I just never felt the Canucks would come back. Sure enough, the Rangers came out like a house on fire with Hayes and Miller each scoring their second of the night on consecutive shifts.

Fast stole the puck at center and sent Hayes in on a clean breakaway. He pump faked and then scored on a forehand deke top shelf for his eighth at 1:49. On the next goal, it looked like the Rangers were on a power play. Only they weren’t. Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello combined to set up Miller in front for his seventh at 2:31.

With the score 5-1, Nick Holden accidentally sent a clear that banked off Markus Granlund for a very odd redirection goal that made it 5-2 with less than seven minutes remaining. The play was so unpredictable that I still can’t figure out how it took the carom it did. It was just one of those freak occurrences. Derek Dorsett and Sbisa drew helpers.

Holden more than made up for it by setting up the next goal and scoring on the power play. His play has gotten so much better that the #NickHolden hashtag on Twitter has taken a hiatus. This time, some great passing between Kevin Klein and Holden allowed Zuccarello to score a gimme within 10 feet. The goal was so easy that Micheletti defiantly said, “That was not a POWER PLAY GOAL,” which got a chuckle from his partner Rosen. The sad part is it looked like one. That’s how poorly defended it was.

Rosen would get to call a second trademark, “It’s a power play goal” when off a Lindberg face-off win, Klein passed across for a Holden one-timer that caromed off Vancouver defenseman Erik Gudbranson past Markstrom with 1:56 left.

Mercifully, the game finally ended for the Canucks, who gave a better effort than what the final score said. Sometimes, that’s how it goes. Especially with the way things have been going for them while it’s been the opposite end of the spectrum for the Rangers. They upped their mark to 13-4-0. Good for first in the Metropolitan Division with 26 points. Their 13 ROW are tied with the Canadiens (13-2-2) for the most in the league. They’re four up on the Pens and five ahead of the Devils, who got some disappointing news with star forward Taylor Hall having surgery to repair a meniscus which will keep him out three to four weeks.

Some takeaways from the game:

-The Rangers played about as poorly as they have all year. Five-on-five, they were brutal for long stretches. A trend that’s led to more shots against. They definitely need to get back to taking care of business in their end. Better opponents will exploit that.

-With them spending more time in their zone, they are blocking a ton of shots. Three instances saw Blueshirts limp off the ice in pain after sacrificing their bodies. The scariest being Derek Stepan, who was in a lot of pain that he needed help getting over the bench and taken to the locker room. Somehow, he returned for the remainder. Hard to fathom. Both Fast and Hayes also made crucial blocks that saw each hobbled. Neither missed a shift. Overall, the team blocked 21 shots making it the third straight game they have blocked over 20. Eleven players registered at least one with Girardi blocking four.

-They were again outshot with the Canucks holding a 38-25 edge. Vancouver out-attempted the Rangers 72-39. It is a concern. This has been going on for a while. Since they swept that weekend against Boston and Winnipeg, the defense has allowed a lot more shots and quality chances.

-The positive has been that this team continues to score even without key players. Kreider and Buchnevich are two of their best skaters who are superb offensively. Particularly Buchnevich, who had scored in four straight and just had a three-point game before back spasms sidelined him again. As for Kreider, he hasn’t scored a goal since Game 3. Perhaps this “mystery injury” explains why his level had dropped. He did play better in his last one. Hopefully, the injury won’t keep him out too long.

-For all the criticism he received for another slow start, isn’t it about time Lundqvist is left alone? How many times has he come through for this franchise since coming over from Sweden in ’05-06? Without him, they’re not even on the radar. There’s a reason he’s the all-time leader in wins and shutouts. He’s unflappable and has so much character. He’s proving it again. Lundqvist is up to nine wins and has his GAA down to .224 and his save percentage up to his career mark of .920. There’s a reason he’s considered one of the best.

-With 17 points and 16 points respectively, Miller and Hayes are now among the scoring leaders. They are a combined plus-31. Michael Grabner leads the team with 10 goals and his plus-16 makes that trio a combined plus-47. Dominant players five-on-five who play more shorthanded than power play.

-With an assist, rookie Brady Skjei is up to 10 helpers. That leads all rookies. He’s also a plus-four and has taken only one minor penalty.

-Skjei (assist), Pirri (goal) and Fast (2 assists) all became the latest Blueshirts to reach at least 10 points for the season. Astonishingly, 13 players have hit double digits in points. That’s how well balanced the scoring is.

-After a slow start, Klein’s play has picked up. He’s up to six assists and a plus-five with no penalties in 14 games.

-With two power play goals, the Rangers now rank fourth overall clicking at 24.1 percent. They’re 13-for-54. They’re also eighth in penalty kill with an 85.1 percent efficiency. They’ve killed off 40 of 47 so far with two shorthanded goals. A marked improvement from last year.

Posted in NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Rangers recall Boo Nieves

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Derek
cxqiotlucaaqiw2

Cristoval “Boo” Nieves will make his NHL debut for the Rangers Tuesday at Vancouver. AP Photo via Getty Images courtesy NYRangers. 

With injuries to forwards Pavel Buchnevich and Chris Kreider, the Rangers have recalled Cristoval “Boo” Nieves from Hartford. He’ll fill in as the 12th forward for tomorrow night’s game at Vancouver.

The 22-year old Baldwinsville, New York native was selected in the second round of the 2012 NHL Draft 59th overall. Nieves spent all four years learning under Red Berenson at Michigan. After finishing with a college best 10 goals and 31 points his senior year in The Big 10, he debuted with Hartford last Spring where he tallied two goals and three assists in eight contests.

Listed at 6-3, 200 pounds, Nieves has the size and skating that coach Alain Vigneault prefers. When he got into preseason games, he impressed the coach enough to consider bringing him back if necessary. Instead, Nieves spent the first month with the Wolf Pack tallying a goal and five helpers in 13 games.

He gets the call over Marek Hrivik, who leads Hartford in scoring with 12 points (6-6-12). The Pack have struggled so far with a 3-8-2 record for last in the Atlantic Division. A bit concerning but it’s early. Hopefully, they improve and continue to develop under coach Ken Gernander.

With Nieves up, Vigneault can comprise four lines instead of mixing and matching like he did in the 3-1 win over Edmonton Sunday night. It also means extra defenseman Adam Clendening won’t dress for no reason. He didn’t get one shift. Vigneault only wanted to use him exclusively on the power play. The Rangers drew none.

For now, he’s satisfied with his top six which have played well. Clendening will continue to spell Dan Girardi when needed. I don’t necessarily agree with what he’s doing to Clendening. But it’s not my call. Dylan McIlrath must be so glad he’s no longer here. He hasn’t gotten into a game yet for the Panthers but is the extra. The Panthers visit MSG this Sunday, Nov. 20.

Posted in Battle News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Game #16: Shorthanded Rangers Grab two points against Oilers

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Derek
cxm4zemwgaajvlm

The Rangers got another big game out of Michael Grabner who scored twice more in a 3-1 win over the Oilers. AP Photo via Getty Images courtesy NYRangers.

The Rangers continue to roll at the start of the season. Even after learning they would be without forwards Chris Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich, they were able to Grab two points against the Oilers in a 3-1 win at brand new Rogers Place in Edmonton. With an upper body injury sidelining Kreider and back spasms silencing Buchnevich, coach Alain Vigneault went with 11 forwards and technically seven defensemen. More on that later.

They won thanks to another big game out of Michael Grabner. The NHL’s biggest surprise continued his amazing start by scoring twice to hike his total to a team best 10 goals. Amazingly, he’s tied for second in goals trailing only Winnipeg hotshot rookie Patrik Laine (11).

When GM Jeff Gorton signed him in the off-season, I didn’t think too much of it other than a solid addition due to Grabner’s speed and penalty killing. Along with key late addition Brandon Pirri, they solidified the fourth line. However, Vigneault hasn’t been shy about moving Grabner up when the opportunity presents itself. For example, he recorded a hat trick when he was on the third line with Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller.

Tonight, Grabner got the chance to replace Kreider on a line with Derek Stepan and Rick Nash. It didn’t take long for the 29-year old Austrian to take advantage scoring 1:20 in on a rebound of a Kevin Klein shot. Nash set it up to continue his good run.

The first period was a track meet on a great sheet of ice in a beautiful new arena. Let’s face it. Edmonton did a great job putting up the new stadium which was full for the 7:40 start local time. Boasting Connor McDavid certainly helps. The 19-year old captain assisted on the Oilers’ only goal of the night giving him 19 points (5-14-19) in his first 16 games. He’s third in scoring trailing Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele and the Stars’ Tyler Seguin.

Edmonton is still in the learning stages of becoming a winning hockey club. Despite a good start, they’ve cooled off considerably losing their last three (0-2-1). That included a stinging 4-3 loss to defending champion Pittsburgh which saw them blow a two-goal lead. They lost for the second time in over a week to the Rangers, who also prevailed 5-3 on Nov. 3.

In this one, they got plenty of shots (39) and quality chances on backup Antti Raanta. The affable 27-year old Finn was equal to the challenge making 38 saves to earn the game’s second star. He faced plenty of pressure throughout turning aside 12 of 13 shots in the first along with 14 of 14 in the second and the final dozen in the third. A tremendous job by a goalie who can be counted on to give Henrik Lundqvist a rest.

Even though the Oilers got their looks, it was the Rangers who made them count. That included scoring on a delayed penalty. Kevin Hayes centered a pass off Dan Girardi with the puck accidentally banking off his leg for a 2-0 lead at 13:18 of the first. The always visible J.T. Miller picked up a secondary assist to give him a team high 15 points (5-10-15). All he does is perform well. That included a big shift at even strength with Hayes when they needed one during a hectic third where they mostly sat back.

There’s a reason Miller, Hayes and Grabner are a combined plus-42. They are dominant players five-on-five. All 10 of Grabner’s goals have come at even strength which leads the league. Hayes and Miller are used more shorthanded than on the power play. Hayes has really bounced back from last year. He dropped 25 pounds. It’s noticeable with Vigneault able to rely on him defensively. A welcome change.

The only Oilers’ goal came from Andrej Sekera, who scored for the first time in 46 games. Catching the Ranger forwards in a change, the smooth skating left defenseman pinched in and one-timed a perfect McDavid pass by Raanta to cut it to 2-1 with 1:15 left in the period. Patrick Maroon drew the secondary helper.

Despite getting outshot 14-7 and outplayed, the Rangers got the lone goal in the second. Once again, it was thanks to Grabner, who made a great defensive play before breaking in and beating Cam Talbot unassisted at 14:35 for a 3-1 lead.

If there was one issue that didn’t make a whole lot of sense, it was Vigneault’s reluctancy to play Adam Clendening. Reinserted into the lineup as a seventh defenseman with Oscar Lindberg filling in up front, Clendening never saw the ice once. It was mystifying. In a back-to-back situation, you’re telling me Vigneault couldn’t give the solid skating right defenseman one shift in his return to Edmonton where he played last year.

Granted. The Ranger starting six on the blue line were solid throughout. Even though Raanta was forced to make 38 saves, the D did a good job taking away the middle and keeping most of the shots outside. Girardi had another strong game delivering three hits and blocking four of the team’s 22 shots in 32 shifts (22:47). He and Ryan McDonagh were workhorses with the Ranger captain receiving 31 shifts for 22:59. Klein had a second consecutive good outing assisting on Grabner’s first while finishing plus-two in 20:41.

New partner Nick Holden was also strong also going plus-two in 19:56 with three shot attempts, two takeaways and two blocks. He’s been much steadier after a shaky start. Full credit to the former Av. Brady Skjei and Marc Staal weren’t used as much but continued to look good since being put together with Skjei showing good poise on the right side.

Stepan also had a second straight solid night making solid defensive plays while going plus-two in 17:24. Oddly, Vigneault hardly used Lindberg and Pirri. Granted. They were caught on for the goal against. But that was more on Mika Zibanejad’s line which made a slow change.

Sometimes, Vigneault just goes with his guys. So, he shortened up going mostly with nine forwards. I just don’t agree with not playing Clendening or giving Lindberg or Pirri more time. It’s mystifying. It looks like Clendening is the new Dylan McIlrath. It’s peculiar.

The bottom line is they won. It wasn’t a Picasso. But it didn’t have to be. They definitely need to cut down on shots allowed which have been climbing. The next game is at Vancouver Tuesday. We’ll see if they can pay back the Canucks.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Andrej Sekera, Edm (goal-1st in 46 games, 8 attempts in 23 shifts-21:43)

2nd Star-Antti Raanta, NYR (38 saves)

1st Star-Michael Grabner, NYR (2 goals-league leading 10 even strength goals, 4 shots, +2 in 31 shifts-16:03)

Notes: Talbot allowed three goals on 27 shots. He has given up three or more a lot lately. But this was not on him. His team still isn’t great at defending. … Edmonton went 0 for 2 on the power play while the Rangers didn’t draw a single one. Not a habit they want to get into. … Key Stat: Blocked shots NYR 22 (Girardi 4) EDM 10 (McDavid 2). … Faceoffs went to Edmonton 32-28 led by Leon Draisaitl (7-and-5) with McDavid going .500 (10-and-10). Zibanejad led the Blueshirts going 8-and-7 while Hayes went .500 (8-and-8).

Posted in NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What If Kovalchuk Returned?

Posted on November 13, 2016 by Derek
cxajko-vqaendsw

Ilya Kovalchuk continues to star for SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL in the final year of his contract. Will he ever return to the NHL? AP Photo via Getty Images by NHLTradeRumors.

On a busy football Sunday that also features the Rangers getting their second dose of Connor McDavid, Cam Talbot and the improved Oilers with a 9:30 start, I’m just sitting in my room pondering some hockey thoughts.

After watching the Steelers blow an exciting game against the Cowboys and certain Offensive Rookie of the Year Ezekiel Elliott, who should get strong consideration for NFL MVP, I decided to watch some KHL highlights of Ilya Kovalchuk. Remember him? The former Atlanta Thrashers 2001 first overall pick who wowed audiences with his blazing speed and deadly shot for a decade before leaving the Devils to return home and star for St. Petersburg SKA in Russia.

You can still blame the last NHL lockout for Kovalchuk realizing he loved playing back home so much that he no longer wanted to return to North America. An ugly truth Devils fans loathe him for. In reality, he did them a favor by retiring. They gave him a huge contract that would’ve handcuffed the franchise for a long time. Instead, they’re forking over $250,000 to Kovalchuk for the next five years thru 2021.

Besides, if he didn’t want to stay, there was no point in keeping him. The Devils have improved since then adding Cory Schneider, Taylor Hall, Mike Cammalleri, Kyle Palmieri and emerging defenseman Damon Severson to ’11-12 holdovers Adam Henrique, Andy Greene and Travis Zajac. Following a slow start, they’ve played much better lately running the table in consecutive home-and-home sweeps of Carolina and Buffalo to up their record to 8-3-3. Good for 19 points in the Metropolitan Division which ties them with Washington even though the Caps hold the tiebreak due to one more ROW (regulation overtime win) 9-8. If Pavel Zacha figures it out, even better.

These days, New Jersey is more competitive under second-year coach John Hynes, who did a outstanding job keeping them in the wildcard race last Spring until the bitter end. GM Ray Shero has done a good job improving the club adding veterans P.A. Parenteau, Ben Lovejoy and Kyle Quincey. Yohann Auvitu and Nick Lappin have been pleasant surprises too.

It still takes some getting used to not seeing the familiar number 26 in Jersey traditional red and black. Patrik Elias remains unsigned. Did the franchise’s all-time scoring leader play his final game or will he sign late and finish on his terms? That remains to be seen. He won two Stanley Cups and has been a career Devil since the beginning when former architect and current Toronto GM Lou Lamoriello took him 51st overall in the second round in ’94. Elias became the Devils’ best offensive player leading them in goals (408), assists (617) and points (1,025). Now 40, he never has to play another game. His legacy is set. A two-time Stanley Cup winner who helped the team reach four Stanley Cup Finals with the last appearance coming with Kovalchuk in 2012.

Kovalchuk led the Devils in scoring that postseason with 19 points (8-11-19). Zach Parise was also still around finishing with eight goals and seven assists. So was David Clarkson, who came up big in an Eastern Conference Final six-game win over the Rangers. A 40-year old Martin Brodeur outplayed Henrik Lundqvist to reach his fifth Final. Then rookie Henrique scored two of the biggest goals. The first eliminating the Panthers in seven games. The second more memorable as he beat the Rangers in Game 6 with the infamous call from former legendary announcer Doc Emrick, “Henrique! It’s over!” A series that will always be remembered by the Jersey side of the Hudson rivalry, avenging the crushing seven-game series loss in ’94.

Even though he wasn’t consistent during that run, Kovalchuk was a big part of that team. Without his production which included a team-leading 37 goals and 83 points during the season under coach Pete DeBoer, there is no playoff run that was Brodeur’s last dance. In the first part of ’12-13, Kovalchuk spent it back home in the KHL playing for St. Petersburg SKA like many Russian stars during the work stoppage. He got to play with then 20-year old future star Vladimir Tarasenko and eventual Vezina winner Sergei Bobrovsky.

Kovalchuk returned to the Devils in the shortened season totaling 11 goals and 31 points in 37 contests. But it was a disappointing time in Newark with the team underachieving without Parise, who left to play with childhood friend Ryan Suter in Minnesota. It was the beginning of the end for Brodeur, who was inconsistent. He played one final year in New Jersey sharing duties with Schneider, who was acquired for the Devils 2013 first round pick (Bo Horvat) acquired from Vancouver. At the very least, Jersey fans got to see two hockey legends play together with Jaromir Jagr on the same team as Brodeur. Astonishingly, number 68 led the Devils in scoring with 67 points (24-43-67) while playing all 82 at 40 going on 41. He replaced Kovalchuk and lasted 57 more games before they dealt him to Florida where he’s been since.

All this time later, it’s hard to believe while Jagr has since helped the Panthers back to respectability with Roberto Luongo bringing them back to the postseason last Spring, the Devils haven’t been back to the playoffs since 2012. This could be the year that changes.

While New Jersey has moved on from the Kovalchuk Era, it’s been interesting to say the least for the electrifying Russian who left the NHL with exactly 816 points in 816 games for a point-per-game. He left with 417 goals and 399 assists to go play for St. Petersburg SKA. The biggest highlight was when he led them to the Gagarin Cup in ’14-15 finishing with 55 points (25-30-55) in the season and going 8-11-19 to win MVP of the playoffs. Ironically, future Blackhawk Calder winner Artemi Panarin was a teammate who led the team in scoring with 62 points (26-36-62) while adding 5-15-20 that postseason. Kovalchuk handed the award to teammate Evgeny Dadonov, who scored 15 times with five helpers in the Gagarin Cup playoffs.

Last year was a disappointment for the St. Petersburg SKA captain, who after scoring 16 times with 33 assists in 50 games, was suspended by the club for the remainder of the playoffs due to off ice issues disruptive to the team. He had no points in four games before they made the decision. There was talk he wouldn’t return and eventually try to find his way back to the NHL. Instead, he’s back in a big way leading the club with 19 goals and 39 points in 30 games. Pavel Datsyuk now plays for them. He’s 5-11-16 in 18 contests. Rangers goalie prospect Igor Shestyerkin has been the league’s top goalie with a remarkable 16-1-2 record with a 1.39 goals-against-average, .946 save percentage and seven shutouts. The former 2014 fourth round selection doesn’t turn 21 until Dec. 30. The heir apparent to current Ranger goalie Lundqvist, who is signed thru 2021.

When Kovalchuk decided to file retirement papers with the NHL, he signed a four-year contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL on July 15, 2013. This is the final year of his contract. He’ll turn 34 next April 15 on tax day. If he decided to return to the NHL, it would have to be approved by every team. He would still be Devils property for one more year. If he waited until he was 35, he could then become unrestricted and choose his destination.

Why am I writing about this on a cool Fall November night not even a week removed from the most astonishing Presidential Election in recent memory? Because there’s nothing better to do. If you watch the highlight reel of Kovalchuk this season, he still has something left. But how would he perform in the more physically taxing NHL under an 82-game schedule? Scoring is up. The game isn’t as defensive oriented. Imagine Kovalchuk playing in an up tempo system such as the one Alain Vigneault employs. That isn’t even an option. The Rangers have finally gotten younger with KHL import Pavel Buchnevich and Harvard grad Jimmy Vesey.

Who would even consider it? I doubt the Devils would want him back after how he bailed. Granted. It is a different regime who loves marketing the product and is anti-Lou. But come on. Devil fans would probably boo Kovalchuk out of the building. Of all the teams struggling to score goals, the Islanders might be appealing. John Tavares is stuck by himself playing with line mates that are third liners. The Toronto native can become unrestricted in 2018. That doesn’t leave the Islanders much time. They’re in a tough spot in Brooklyn in an arena that has obstructed views and hasn’t improved.

I do wonder if Kovalchuk would want to come back to reach 500 goals and 1,000 points. Both are attainable. How much juice would he have for one last go in the NHL? A look at what countryman Alex Radulov is doing with the Canadiens could be inspiration. Plus Panarin continues to wow NHL audiences with his arsenal of moves and ridiculous finishes.

Will it happen? Only if Kovalchuk decides in the next year or two that he has something to prove. The longer he waits, the less likely it is. It would be exciting to see a return of number 17. What if the Thrashers hadn’t been so stupid trading him? That move destroyed their franchise. He was the gate attraction. Especially after they pawned off Marian Hossa. There will never be NHL hockey ever again in Atlanta. Even though the Thrashers had some cool digs.

What about an expansion team like Las Vegas? That would be some attraction. Who knows. All I do know is I miss watching Kovalchuk fire those lethal one-timers and skate into open space and wire shots. He remains the seventh highest scoring Russian in the NHL. Here’s hoping he considers it.

Posted in Column | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Devils weekly review: Taking care of business

Posted on November 13, 2016 by hasan4978

f8d69030d3ab5ffc

At times it wasn’t pretty, but the Devils did what they had to do this week in sweeping both home-and-home matchups with the Hurricanes and Sabres.  After their easy 4-1 win in Raleigh last Sunday, the Devils rallied on Election Tuesday to send a 2-2 game to a shootout where for once the team actually looked competent enough in the skills competition to win it.  On Friday, the Devils squeezed out a 2-1 OT win in Buffalo with an unlikely finish while last night they thumped the Sabres in a 4-2 game at the Rock that was seldom in doubt – continuing their home dominance early in the season.  New Jersey’s 6-0-1 start at the Rock is their best  home record at this point since 1990 when they started 7-0-1.  Of course back then the third column was a tie, not an overtime loss…but be that as it may the team’s had a home ice advantage early on.

Part of the reason I’ve been doing weekly recaps – especially early – is the fact it’s hard to get into every early-season game while other things were going on, but now with the football Jets’ season nosediving, and an election that gripped the nation finally over with, at least I can pay more attention to the team going forward.  Tuesday in particular I paid zero attention to the hockey, which is why I sold my tickets in advance.  I figured whatever happened, I would be keeping my eye on the returns more than tape-to-tape passes.  As it worked out, I would have been better off going to the game and just not paying attention to the results until the next morning.  Especially since I stayed up late more or less out of shock over what happened, though I could have realistically went to sleep around midnight or 12:30, I only wound up with three hours of sleep that night and have been trying to catch up the rest of the week.

Among the things that chapped my hyde about Tuesday was just how wrong the pollsters were about what was supposed to happen and going to happen.  These guys actually made sports prognosticators and weathermen look accurate.  I guess I should bear this election in mind the next time I get on a talking head or media writer for a dopey prediction.  What I did miss on Tuesday was a compelling game that included Nick Lappin scoring his first-ever NHL goal in the third period to tie the game at 2, while PA Parenteau scored the first goal of the game in the first period and the first goal of the shootout.  I had been curious to see this new-look Devils team in the shootout with Parenteau and star winger Taylor Hall giving the team a couple better options in the skills competition than they’ve had recently…and neither dissapointed, with Hall scoring the clincher in the shootout.

After what felt like forever given what happened on Tuesday, the Devils returned to action Friday in Buffalo, and more or less dominated against the Sabres though they failed to break through against the immortal Devil-killer Anders Nilsson.  Nilsson made forty saves and it took a seeing-eye Yohann Auvitu goal just to send a 1-1 game to overtime.  To be fair to the Devils’ offense, they were without a key cog as Mike Cammalleri left the team due to undisclosed personal reasons, and right after he’d finally gotten going last Sunday with a hat trick at Raleigh.  As I detailed in my video of the day Friday night, the game ended in unique fashion with a penalty shot goal, scored by captain Andy Greene who looked like he could be in the shootout rotation with a nice little deke to score through Nilsson’s legs.

Last night there was little drama in the game, watching it reminded me of how the Mets used to have ‘Taking Care of Business’ as the song they played after every win.  Pretty much the only drama in the game was created by Marcus Foligno, who scored the tying goal early in the second as the Sabres came out of the locker room with their best five minutes of the night to begin the period.  However Lappin continued to make an impact, wisely staying on the ice an extra few seconds when the Devils caught the Sabres on a line change and taking advantage of a beautiful Hall feed to beat Robin Lehner top-shelf to restore the team’s lead less than three minutes after Foligno’s goal.

From there, pretty much my only moment of consternation actually came with the next Devils goal, when Kyle Palmieri scored but the Sabres challenged it for offside.  What annoyed me about the challenge is that coach Dan Bylsma was talking with the officials on the bench, I correctly figured they were looking to challenge for offside but the refs eventually went toward center ice to drop the puck…but only THEN Bylsma called them back over a second time to challenge the play after what seemed like three minutes after the goal.  At a certain point you can’t be allowed to fillibuster to get an extra minute or two to decide to challenge – and on top of that the challenge wasn’t even successful so it was all an unneccesary waste of time.

There was little drama in the third period, with John Moore getting the Devils’ fourth goal – and their fifth by five different defensemen in the last two games.  Matt Moulson did score midway through the third but the Sabres shot down their own chances to win with a couple of late penalties.  Perhaps the best thing about the Buffalo games was the team kept the shot total below thirty in both games, and both goaltenders are still playing well, with Cory Schneider at his usual high level, while Keith Kinkaid‘s gotten off to a hot start and is back to the form he showed two years ago.

Now with the ‘easy’ part of the schedule out of the way, the Devils gained the cushion they needed and got to 8-3-3 before this next month where the team plays 17 out of 21 on the road starting with the West swing later this week with an appetizer in Dallas on Tuesday night before the California trip.  Fortunately there are no back-to-backs on this trip, but it’ll still be a tough challenge.  Usually I don’t stay up for the West Coast games but I imagine the 8:30 start in Dallas on Tuesday and the weekend 4 PM matinee in LA I’ll be fine for.  Thursday against the Ducks I’ll probably see at least the start of the game.  Monday’s 10:30 game in San Jose when I have to be up early the next day, that’s a punt.  Hopefully the team can somehow get out of this trip with a split though that might be asking a lot.

Posted in Devils | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Game 15 Rangers put out Flames 4-1

Posted on November 13, 2016 by Derek
cxhmtcqvqaaivzw

Chris Kreider is pumped for teammate Derek Stepan after setting him up for the Rangers’ second goal in a 4-1 win over Calgary. AP Photo via Getty Images by SportsCentre. 

Alain Vigneault wanted a better effort. The veteran coach made some line tweaks which worked out perfectly. The Rangers responded well by putting out the Flames 4-1 at Scotiabank Saddledome. All four new lines scored as they got exactly what they needed to start a four-game road trip the right way.

The goalscorers were Michael Grabner, Derek Stepan, Pavel Buchnevich and Jimmy Vesey. Returning to the net, Henrik Lundqvist was stellar finishing with 35 saves. That included turning aside 15 of 16 in a busy third period when Calgary put together a good 20 minutes- earning their one goal on a power play tally from Michael Ferland. The team’s first power play goal on home ice.

Following a disappointing 5-3 home loss to the Canucks on Tuesday, the Rangers got a much needed break to prepare for the Western Canadian portion of a four-game trip that concludes at Columbus. The three days off definitely helped.

Much sharper from the outset, they jumped on the Flames with some good skating and forechecking to create scoring chances. It was a Calgary turnover forced by Jesper Fast in the neutral zone that sent Grabner flying down the right wing where his laser beat Brian Elliott short side for his team-leading eighth at 6:32.

The second goal came 5:27 later when a familiar tandem went to work down low. Stepan and reunited USA line mate Chris Kreider worked a give-and-go resulting in Kreider passing in front for an easy Stepan finish for his second to increase the lead to 2-0 at 11:59. Stepan used his speed to outhustle Calgary defenseman Deryk Engelland which resulted in him beating Engelland to the net for a nice return feed from Kreider.

Calgary came on late in the first period. They continued that momentum into the second. Using their speed and defensemen which include gun slinger Mark Giordano, they forced Lundqvist into some tough saves. The biggest came on former Hobey Baker winner Johnny Gaudreau, who got a breakaway with a minute left in the first. But his forehand shot was turned aside by Lundqvist, who got a leg on it.

Just when the Flames seemed on the verge of getting back into it, their D broke down leading to the Rangers’ third goal. J.T. Miller started it with a real good read. Skating towards the left point, he was able to make a nice pass across to a pinching Ryan McDonagh. The Ranger captain held the puck and centered for Vesey on the doorstep for a neat one-handed deflection for his seventh at 9:26. A well executed play by all three players.

The newly constructed top line of Buchnevich, Mika Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello got into the act a few minutes later. The play can really be credited to budding first-year defenseman Brady Skjei. On a sustained forecheck, he patiently held onto the puck and made a good pass across the ice that led to Zibanejad combining with Zuccarello to set up a one-time and a bang from Buchnevich for a commanding 4-0 lead with 5:38 remaining in the second. That gives Buchnevich a four-game goal scoring streak. The first Blueshirt to do it since Stepan in 2010-11.

Even though they led by four after two periods, shots were dead even 20-20. The difference being that the Rangers took advantage of every Calgary mistake while getting better netminding from Lundqvist. Though it was hard to fault Elliott for the last three goals against. His defense was lousy. That might explain why they entered play with a goal differential of minus-15. It was a rough night for Brett Kulak, who was on for all four goals against while partner Dougie Hamilton went minus-three.

Give the Flames credit for playing a good final period. They never gave up outshooting the Rangers 16-8. The league’s worst power play finally broke through on home ice for the first time on the Rangers’ second consecutive penalty. With Dan Girardi off for high-sticking, T.J. Brodie was able to find Michael Ferland in front for his third at 11:12. Dennis Wideman helped set it up to add another helper.

Calgary kept coming but Lundqvist refused to give up anything else. If not for the Flames’ well executed power play goal, he would’ve gotten the shutout. A nice effort from the prideful 34-year old veteran who entered with a .908 save percentage due to relieving Antti Raanta and allowing two goals on seven shots.

All in all, it was a much better performance from everyone. Offensively and defensively, they gave a stronger effort which resulted in a good win to start the road trip well. As a team, they had 24 blocked shots. Thirteen different Blueshirts got in on it. Girardi, Miller and Kevin Klein each had three.

Now, they’ll visit the other Alberta team tomorrow in a back-to-back. Edmonton remains a first place hockey club in the Pacific. They’re 9-5-1 with 19 points leading San Jose by a point and Anaheim by two. The Oilers had Saturday off after losing to the Stars 3-2 at home. Connor McDavid wasn’t pleased. It should be interesting to see what happens in the rematch from Nov. 3. A game the Rangers won on a late Nash goal at MSG with Miller adding an empty netter for a 5-3 win.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Michael Grabner, NYRangers (tone setting goal for team best 8th with 6 shot attempts, 2 blocks in 21 shifts-12:47 including 10:58 EV, 1:49 SH)

2nd Star-Dan Girardi, NYRangers (really solid effort defensively saving a goal and going plus-two in 26 shifts-17:54 including 15:59 EV, 1:55 SH)

1st Star-Brady Skjei, NYRangers (played very well while partnered with Marc Staal on right side going plus-two with two shots in 23 shifts-18:40 including 17:14 EV, 1:26 PP)

Notes: With an assist, McDonagh leads the team with 10 helpers. Miller and Stepan each have nine along with Skjei. … McDonagh led NYR in ice-time with just 21:01. Credit Vigneault for managing each shift knowing they play again Sunday. … Faceoffs went in favor of the Rangers 27-23 with Zibanejad 9-and-7 and Brandon Pirri 5-of-6. … Klein put in one of his better games logging 20:38 in 25 shifts. … Shots were 36-28 Calgary. The Flames out-attempted the Rangers 70-49. … Gaudreau was held off the score sheet with three shots in five attempts. Sean Monahan also was kept in check despite four shots in seven attempts with Lundqvist making a strong denial on a tough chance. … Rangers (11-4-0) remain in first with 22 points over Penguins by virtue of one more ROW (11-10). Game time against the Oilers is 9:30 PM.

Posted in NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment