Sabres shutout Ducks behind Johnson’s 44 saves

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Derek
Andrew Cogliano, Chad Johnson

Chad Johnson turns aside Andrew Cogliano en route to a 44 save shutout for the Sabres in a 3-0 win over the Ducks. AP Photo by Gary Wiepert/Getty Images

It was a good night for the Sabres at First Niagara Center. Especially for goalie Chad Johnson. The journeyman made 44 saves to shutout the Ducks in a 3-0 Buffalo win.

That allowed the Sabres to bounce back from 2-0 shutout loss to the Devils. They’ve won three of four. In each game, a Buffalo netminder has allowed two goals-or-less. Johnson was also splendid in stifling the Red Wings in a 2-1 come from behind win at Detroit.

”Usually when you start thinking about it is when something bad happens or it goes in,” Johnson said regarding his fourth career shutout and first since May 21, 2014 when he was a member of the Bruins. ”For me it was just next shot and trying to get to the end.”

Johnson’s 44 saves were a Sabres’ franchise record for saves in a shutout during regulation. That included stopping all 19 shots he saw in a busy third period.

”I can think of six times in the first and second periods where they had a good look at him from a good shooting spot with some good player shooting the puck and never looked like it was going to get by him,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. ”I’m glad we buckled down and got the shutout for him.”

”We’re playing a lot better defensively in front of the crease and boxing guys out than we did at the beginning of the year and you see the results,” Johnson added on his teammates who he credited.

Following a scoreless first, rookie Jack Eichel set up Evander Kane for the game’s opening goal. Both entered in slumps. Eichel without a point in five straight while Kane was scoreless in six. But on a good play started by Eichel’s strong skating and puck possession, he got the puck back from fellow rookie Sam Reinhart and took a wrist shot from the left point that Kane was able to redirect past Anaheim starter John Gibson at 2:36 of the second.

With Johnson repelling all 11 shots in the stanza, Buffalo was able to increase the lead to two thanks to a Jake McCabe bomb from long distance. After some strong work behind the net from Nicolas Deslauriers, Cal O’Reilly came out and set up an open McCabe for a one-timer that beat Gibson making it 2-zip at 13:35.

To help Johnson record the shutout, the Sabres killed off two penalties. One spanned the second and third while the other came just 3:08 into the final period with Josh Gorges in the box for tripping. The Ducks had some good looks but were unable to bury them against the stingy Johnson. That led to criticism from perturbed coach Bruce Boudreau who was behind the Anaheim bench for his 300th game.

”Quite frankly, when your best players aren’t your best players you’re not going to win the game,” he said which was in clear reference to stars Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. Both of who have struggled with Getzlaf in particular mystifying. He entered with only one goal. ”And that’s the bottom line. And on a too consistent basis, our best players aren’t our best players.”

The Ducks captain Getzlaf was also very vocal afterwards about the scoring issues for the league’s worst ranked offense. They only have 58 goals in their first 30 games.

”We don’t have enough hunger, we don’t have enough drive,” he admitted. “Everything I think right now it feels like we’re almost there. It was almost a nice play, it was almost, and in this league that’s not good enough.”

Jamie McGinn closed the scoring when he was able to get to a fanned shot of teammate Rasmus Ristolainen and beat Gibson in front with 6:10 remaining in the contest. For Ristolainen, that was his 17th assist. The third-year defenseman is tied with Ryan O’Reilly for the team lead in helpers. He’s having an All-Star year with 24 points. Nineteen have come in the last 20 games making him the first Buffalo defenseman since Garry Galley to accomplish that. Only 21, the former 2013 first round pick (8th overall) is realizing his potential.

That rapid development along with defensive improvement has the Sabres two games under .500. They improved to 14-16-3 with 31 points. That’s still seventh best in a competitive Atlantic Division. However, six total points separates wild card leader Ottawa (fourth) from them with Florida (5-1 winners at New Jersey) and Tampa Bay sandwiched in between. Real progress for a rebuilding team.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Cal O’Reilly, Sabres (assist was his first point in NHL since ’11-12 when he had a helper in 6 games with the Pens)

2nd Star-Evander Kane, Sabres (1st point/goal in seven-game-winner, 5 SOG, 8 attempts, 6 hits, +1 in 24 shifts-19:09)

1st Star-Chad Johnson, Sabres (44 saves for 4th career shutout)

Quotable:

”A pretty special moment, especially being on a team with my brother. ”For a while I wasn’t sure if I’d ever play in the NHL again. The Sabres organization gave me a chance and it’s pretty special.”-Cal O’Reilly on his assist while playing with younger brother Ryan.

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Hello New York Puck

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Pan Karalis

Hey everyone! My name is Pan, and I am the newest contributor here at New York Puck. I wanted to write a quick post introducing myself and telling you guys a little bit about who I am. I recently graduated from Temple University with a Bachelor’s degree in Geography & Urban Studies, and although I have set up a home here in Philadelphia, I am a lifelong Devils born and raised in Toms River, New Jersey.

My role here is far from set in stone, but it is likely most of what I will be posting will have something to do with the Devils. It has been an exciting season for the red-and-black faithful, and I look forward to adding my comments on this surprising season.

My journey into hockey began long before I remember. I am the first of my American family born outside of New Hampshire, so I was always surrounded by hockey fans, players, and countless UNH alumni who never miss a Hockey East tournament. I will never know for sure how I became a Devils fan; in my immediate family, hockey was not on the television growing up, and I was not in Devils onesies or making trips to the Meadowlands as a young child.

I do have a suspicion my devotion to the Devils began with NHL ’94, toggling through the teams until I stumbled on what would eventually become a source of such happiness and heartbreak for me. I remember being in New Hampshire one summer and excitedly running up to my grandmother telling her that we had a hockey team back in Jersey. I managed to get to my first game at then Continental Airlines Arena when I was seven, a few months before Jason Arnott planted the idea in my head that the Devils were supposed to win the Stanley Cup every year.

Hockey has always been my favorite sport, and no team has been more important to me throughout my life than the Devils. I played until I was sixteen, and I have been trying to get myself back on the ice for the last couple months. It is pretty difficult without a ton of disposable income. I do watch other sports, and I can be entertained by almost anything except for football. I play soccer as frequently as I can (I am a goalkeeper, so I use the term “playing soccer” pretty liberally), and the time I am not spending running around outside between April and October, I am probably pulling my television out of my window to watch baseball in my backyard. I love participating in any sporting activity, having also played basketball, rugby, and run track at different points in my life.
I always pictured myself going to a Hockey East school in New England, but I ended up in North Philly at Temple. I absolutely loved it there, and although my one complaint was the lack of Division I hockey, there is something about college basketball that is hard to top. I have been to playoff games at Prudential Center, MLB games at a number of parks including a walk-off at Fenway, MLS games that feature 90+ minutes of chanting and song, NBA buzzer beaters, you name it; but the loudest sporting event I have ever attended was a Temple-St. Joe’s game at Liacouras Center. There is something magical about the Big 5, and if you ever find yourself in Philadelphia while there is a Big 5 game going on, get a ticket and go.

Although I do not live in the Garden State right now, I am a proud New Jerseyan and firmly believe there is no better place in the world. I do keep myself within the distance that I can see Camden if I jump high enough (and that is not always an exaggeration). I am opposed to teams within state lines using “New York” identification, and believe the NBA and MLB should immediately relocate or expand to Jersey. The Nets moving to Brooklyn is one of the greatest injustices in North American sport since the turn of the century. I dislike our governor for a number of reasons, but the biggest indictment of Christie is his traitorous allegiance to the Rangers.

If you have made it this far, thank you for reading me ramble on about nothing too exciting. I hope I am able to bring a new angle and perspective to New York Puck, and I certainly look forward to hearing feedback from our readers. Let’s Go Devils!

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Wild Disappointment: Rangers no match for Wild

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Derek
Mikko Koivu, Antti Raanta

Antti Raanta cannot stop Mikko Koivu from scoring early. AP Photo by Ann Heisenfelt/Getty Images

I honestly didn’t expect much. Maybe that’s because I knew better. The Rangers don’t do well against solid fundamental teams. So, the end result was an all too predictable 5-2 loss to the Wild. They have now lost nine of their last 12 and continue to struggle without Derek Stepan. The second line center took the morning skate and hinted if there were no setbacks he could be back for tomorrow night at Winnipeg.

Stepan missed his 10th consecutive game due to broken ribs. That he actually might be ready is surprising. That’s is a testament to his toughness and willingness to get back. Hopefully he’s not rushing. They definitely need him. Not coincidentally, they’re 3-5-2. In five of those defeats, they’ve scored two-or-less goals. The only two they completely stunk in were the awful display at Edmonton and Calgary when they allowed a combined 12 goals.

Without Stepan, coach Alain Vigneault has yet to find the right combination for Kevin Hayes or Chris Kreider. Each continue to struggle with consistency. Though he showed some life with a highlight reel goal and two assists over last weekend, Kreider still hasn’t gotten hot. He was fairly quiet in the home win over Edmonton and wasn’t noticeable against an air tight Wild defense that shutdown the top line. Hayes has been worse. Despite creating chances, he is without a goal in 12 straight with only two helpers. The growing pains of the Boston College duo is plaguing the team.

It’s up to the coach to find a solution. He must push the right buttons. Of course, the players must perform better. Maybe it clicks when Stepan returns. Part of it is Vigneault figuring it out. If that means making Hayes accountable, so be it. Something he’s been reluctant to do with both Hayes and Kreider while mixing and matching with J.T. Miller and Emerson Etem. Interestingly, Miller was in between Kreider and Jesper Fast tonight. He and Fast set up Ryan McDonagh for a goal that cut the deficit to 4-2. It was too late with the game’s number one star Mikko Koivu cashing in on a McDonagh turnover for his second goal and third point of the contest 80 seconds later.

Henrik Lundqvist didn’t play well either. That he played was a story in itself. He relieved backup Antti Raanta who left the game in the first period woozy after taking a hard Marco Scandella slap shot to the mask. It didn’t look good with Raanta clearly struggling with help from Rangers trainer Jim Ramsay as he went back to the locker room. He probably went to the dark room for concussion tests. If he’s out for tomorrow, the club will have to summon either Magnus Hellberg or Mackenzie Skapski from Hartford. With Raanta going down during the game, Minnesota resident Santino Vasquez was the Rangers’ emergency reserve goalie.

Of most concern was their overall game which wasn’t good against a quality opponent who takes advantage of mistakes. Keith Yandle had a penalty shot in the first minute. But he was unable to beat Wild starter Devan Dubnyk, who made a nice glove save on Yandle’s attempt. Only Dan Boyle has converted on penalty shots this season doing so at Vancouver in a 2-1 loss on Dec. 9.

When Lundqvist relieved the injured Raanta, they were already down 1-0 with Koivu getting his first from Thomas Vanek and Zach Parise at 8:27 of the first. A Viktor Stalberg giveaway in the neutral zone allowed the Wild to take the lead with Koivu able to beat Raanta in front.

 

A Dan Boyle hooking minor allowed the Wild to go up by two late in the second. Matt Dumba was able to legally bat a Nino Niederreiter rebound out of mid-air past Lundqvist for at 17:30. Mikael Granlund drew the other assist.

Some hustle from Tanner Glass allowed Etem to find Dominic Moore in the slot for a big goal with under nine seconds left that cut the deficit to 2-1. The fourth line was one of the few bright spots. Glass outworked a Wild player to a loose puck freeing it up for Etem who dished for Moore. Moore made a great shot to beat Dubnyk scoring against one of his former teams. He played for them in part of ’06-07 and ’07-08.

If only the more talented Blueshirts had shown up. It was a nondescript game for the trio of Rick Nash, Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello. None were involved offensively combining for an ungodly two shots while going a combined minus-four. Zuccarello was caught out for Kevin Porter’s back breaker 40 seconds following a Jason Pominville power play goal that made it 4-1. That one was on Lundqvist who allowed one of his worst goals. Fooled by Porter who threw a no angle backhand, he didn’t guard the post and had it bank off him.

Previously, Pominville’s goal came with Minnesota native Brady Skjei off for holding. His first penalty resulted in Pominville taking a Koivu feed and beating Lundqvist. The other rookie Dylan McIlrath wasn’t sharp either getting beat along with McDonagh, who had a rough night. With the rookies, at least it’s expected. They’re still learning. I can’t explain why McDonagh’s been so inconsistent. Are the injuries still nagging him?

The Ranger captain did get his fifth off a nice cross ice feed from Miller making it 4-2 with 3:37 left in regulation. But just as quickly as he did something positive, his turnover resulted in Koivu’s second of the game from Ryan Carter and Charlie Coyle.

For the Blueshirts, there’s no time off. They will face a rested Jets team Friday. One that loves to take the body and plays well in front of the loudest crowd in the league.

Devan Dubnyk, Keith Yandle

Keith Yandle is denied by the glove of Devan Dubnyk on a penalty shot in the first minute of a disappointing Rangers 5-2 loss to the Wild. AP Photo by Ann Heisenfelt/Getty Images

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Emerson Etem, Rangers (assist, 4 SOG in 5 attempts earning 20 shifts, +1 in 11:50)

2nd Star-Jason Pominville, Wild (power play goal-4th of season, 4 SOG including 1 goal post, even in 22 shifts-16:08)

1st Star-Mikko Koivu, Wild (2 goals and an assist, +1 in 26 shifts-19:03-dominated)

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Underachieving Ducks biggest disappointment before Christmas

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Derek

Hagelin

On a busy Thursday night for the NHL, there are 11 games. Twenty-two teams are in action including the Devils, Islanders, Rangers and Sabres. The Devils and Sabres both are at home with 7 PM starts. New Jersey hosts the Panthers aiming for two in a row following a 3-0 shutout of Buffalo. The Sabres play host to the surprisingly woeful Ducks.

The Rangers visit the Wild at 8 PM where they’ll get to greet Jarret Stoll. The checking center was claimed off waivers by Minnesota. Ironically, his first game for his new team will be against the team that dropped him. He had a goal and two helpers with over a 57 percent faceoff win percentage in 29 games. Good for him that he gets another chance. There was more than one team interested. Stoll goes to a playoff team back in the West.

The Islanders visit the Avalanche at 9 PM. They look to bounce back from an ugly 5-1 home defeat to the Panthers.

Let’s go back to the main theme of this post. The Anaheim Ducks. Entering the season, they were expected to contend for the Stanley Cup. In the off-season, they acquired Carl Hagelin from the Rangers for only Emerson Etem and a draft pick swap that allowed New York to move up in the second round and select Ryan Gropp. Adding a speedy two-way forward like Hagelin was a no-brainer. It was an upgrade over Etem who continues to be in Alain Vigneault’s doghouse. If he ever gets ideal ice-time, maybe the former 2010 first round pick will figure it out. And we don’t mean fourth line duty either.

Astonishingly, the Ducks enter tonight’s game at the rebuilding Sabres with a worse record. Somehow, through 29 games the Ducks are 11-13-5 with a West worst 27 points. How bad are they? They have scored only 55 goals with a roster that features Ryan Getzlaf and former Hart winner Corey Perry. Perry is the only player who’s performed admirably pacing them in goals (10) and points (19). Getzlaf has only one goal which was an empty netter in 25 contests. He does lead Anaheim with 17 helpers. But has way under performed.

Even with Hagelin struggling to fit in under coach Bruce Boudreau with just two goals, seven points and an uncharacteristic minus-eight rating, the Ducks find themselves only three points out of a playoff spot. That’s due to the division they play in. The Pacific is the worst in the NHL. The Kings lead it with 40 points. They’re the only team that’s over regular .500 with a 19-9-2 record (19-11). The Sharks are 15-14-1 (15-15). They have 31 points. Arizona, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver are all tied with 30. So, there’s plenty of time for Anaheim to turn it around.

The Ducks have gotten strong netminding from former USA World Junior Championship hero John Gibson. Since being recalled, he’s won four of seven starts posting a 1.74 goals-against-average with a .934 save percentage and two shutouts. Starter Frederik Andersen has yet to find his groove. He just returned from “illness” replacing Gibson in a 5-1 home defeat to the Hurricanes. Prior to that, Gibson had won three of his previous four including home shutouts over the Canucks and Sharks. Gibson gets his eighth straight start in an hour.

Anaheim has gotten little out of Ryan Kesler. In the final year of a contract that pays him $5 million, he signed a huge extension that’ll allow him to make an average cap hit of $6.875 million over the following six seasons which would go thru 2022. That’s if he lasts. It was a curious move considering that he’s already over 30. The 31-year old American posted 20 goals and 27 helpers in his first year after coming over from Vancouver. He had a good postseason notching seven goals with six assists in a run to the Western Conference Final. Thus far, he’s been a big disappointment with three goals and 12 points with a team worst minus-12.

It isn’t so much a question of the kind of player Kesler is. A superb faceoff guy who is 53.5 percent over his career and 56.7 percent for the Ducks, he is considered that second line big pivot that they lacked which is why they traded for him. Offense is a necessity. A six-time 20 goalscorer who once reached 41 with the Canucks under Alain Vigneault in ’10-11 when they made the Stanley Cup Final, Kesler should be better than this. But scoring has plagued the Ducks in the first half. Richard Rackell ranks second with six goals. Jacob Silfverberg only has three. Chris Stewart, who was brought in to replace Matt Beleskey (signed with Bruins) has five. The aforementioned Hagelin has three as does Andrew Cogliano. Shawn Horcoff has four. They’ve also gotten nothing out of Patrick Maroon or Jiri Sekac with the latter returning against the Sabres following an ankle injury.

The Ducks are anchored by Sami Vatanen and Cam Fowler. Vatanen has performed well with five goals and 11 assists. His 16 points rank third in team scoring trailing only Perry and Getzlaf. Fowler has three goals and seven helpers but is a minus-10. A superb puck moving skating defenseman who can contribute offensively, the 24-year old from Windsor, Ontario who represented Team USA at the Olympics and World Championships has posted at least 30 points in three seasons including the past two. However, his defense at times can be a bit challenging. He was taken two spots after the Rangers took Dylan McIlrath in the 2010 Draft. McIlrath has taken much longer to develop but at 23 is starting to look like a player recording his first NHL goal in a recent win.

Hampus Lindholm had two great seasons to start his career. The 21-year old totaled 64 points and a plus-54 rating in his first 156 games. A solid two-way stay at home blueliner who can contribute offensively, he also has struggled in ’15-16 with seven points and a minus-four in 28 contests. He was excellent during last postseason tallying two goals and eight assists for 10 points.

Perhaps the Ducks miscalculated by letting Francois Beauchemin go to Colorado. Beauchemin has always been underrated. A integral part of the Ducks Stanley Cup in 2007, he’s a solid stay at home type who also can contribute offensively. While he has 17 points for the Avalanche, replacement Kevin Bieksa has struggled so far with three assists and a minus-seven rating. The former Canuck plays a more physical style as evidenced by his 40 penalty minutes and team-leading 76 hits. But that style is taxing. The 34-year old is a righty shot who once put up over 40 points in Vancouver but is no longer that kind of player.

Anaheim has been without Simon Despres most of the season due to a concussion. The former Pen only got into four games. He was acquired last season for Ben Lovejoy.

The bottom line is the Ducks are the biggest disappointment before Christmas. A preseason Cup favorite that doesn’t score enough to win consistently. Ironically, that sums up the Pens who got Mike Johnston fired. They’ve scored one total goal in two losses under Mike Sullivan. They have 33 points and are fifth in the Metropolitan Division and out of the playoffs.

One thing about hockey. It’s a long season. For the Ducks, there’s a lot of season left. We’ll see if they figure it out. If they don’t, Boudreau will be next coaching casualty.

Posted in NHL | 3 Comments

McIlrath’s first NHL goal highlights Rangers win over Oilers

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Derek
Oilers Rangers Hockey

Dylan McIlrath is congratulated by Emerson Etem and Dominic Moore after scoring his first NHL goal in Rangers’ 4-2 win over Oilers. AP Photo by Julie Jacobson/Getty Images

It was a night of firsts at Madison Square Garden. On a night 21-year old rookie defenseman Brady Skjei made his NHL debut, another rookie blueliner had a first of his own. Dylan McIlrath scored his first NHL goal highlighting a Rangers 4-2 win over the Oilers Tuesday night.

The 23-year old former 2010 first round pick is starting to prove why the Rangers went off the radar selecting the big physical defenseman 10th overall over the likes of Cam Fowler and Vladimir Tarasenko. For the longest time, doubts surrounded whether McIlrath would ever see the light of day in the NHL. Given the setbacks he went through in Hartford, the hard work and dedication has paid off.

So has the Rangers’ patience. Sticking with a project who has improved his skating becoming a more well rounded player under the tutelage of Hartford assistant coach Jeff Beukeboom. McIlrath’s development finally has coaches, teammates and fans excited. A behemoth of size and muscle, the defensive defenseman has not looked out of place in his first NHL season.

The confidence is there for the Winnipeg, Manitoba native. Ever since Kevin Klein went down to a oblique strain, it’s forced Rangers coach Alain Vigneault to play McIlrath. Finally getting consistent minutes while former a good partnership with Keith Yandle, he’s excelling. Tonight, Rangers assistant Ulf Samuelsson even had McIlrath play with Skjei for some shifts. Even though they were at the bottom in terms of shot differential combining for a minus-21 per war-on-ice.com, each had good games. McIlrath scoring his first goal while Skjei showed he belonged by making strong defensive reads to get pucks out.

There was a lot to like. Unlike the nightmare in Edmonton when the teams combined for 12 goals with the Blueshirts losing in epic fashion, the Garden rematch was a lot more close to the vest with the teams combining for 41 shots. The Rangers held a 21-20 edge and came out on top.

Mats Zuccarello scored the lone goal in the first period. On an extended shift thanks to some great puck possession, Rick Nash and Yandle combined to find an open Zuccarello at the left circle. He didn’t hesitate whistling a perfect wrist shot top shelf past Edmonton starter Anders Nilsson. A night after former Ranger backup Cam Talbot stifled the Bruins in overtime, Nilsson was back in net for Talbot’s return. Nothing storybook to tell.

The Rangers killed off two penalties in the first including a McIlrath hi-stick to take a one-goal lead to the locker room. Sharper to start the second, the Oilers drew even on another Ranger penalty. Oscar Lindberg took a hooking minor negating a scoring chance for Lauri Korpikoski, who had a hat trick over the weekend. Lindberg’s second minor resulted in the red hot Taylor Hall ripping home his 15th from Leon Draisaitl and Teddy Purcell. A sniper’s goal with Hall finding the five-hole on Henrik Lundqvist to tie the score.

It only took a couple of minutes for the Blueshirts to respond. It came as a result of a strong shift from the fourth line. Dominic Moore continued his strong play winning a battle to get the puck back to Yandle, who threaded the needle for a perfect McIlrath one-timer that found its target at 7:54. A pumped up rookie was mobbed by Yandle and excited teammates. A feel good moment.

Late in the second, the Oilers drew even thanks to a breakaway goal from one of the game’s most exciting players, Jordan Eberle. A Ranger turnover in the neutral zone allowed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to send the dangerous Eberle in on Lundqvist. He made no mistake going top shelf at 18:20.

But just when Edmonton seemed on track, a bench minor handed the Rangers a power play with under a minute left. Rick Nash took full advantage when he stuffed one home past Nilsson for his 10th from Zuccarello and Derick Brassard- giving them a 3-2 lead after two.

The Rangers gave the Oilers chances in the third. Marc Staal took two penalties and J.T. Miller also took one. But they escaped trouble due to strong penalty killing. That included McIlrath taking some key shifts with McDonagh. Skjei also got some time logging 2:15 shorthanded.

Lundqvist made timely saves. But didn’t have to stand on his head turning aside all seven Edmonton shots in the third on his way to 18. He picked up his 15th win.

Jesper Fast added an empty netter from Moore and Viktor Stalberg at 19:56. A nice reward for a hard working guy. Fast has become the Carl Hagelin of this year’s team. Hags specialized in empty netters. Now it’s Fast who got his second to close an opponent out.

Notes: In his NHL debut, Skjei received 21 shifts (14:54) including 12:39 at even strength. He finished minus-one with a shot, three takeaways and two blocked shots. … McIlrath got 29 shifts logging 18:38 recording his first goal with two hits, a blocked shot along with a plus-two rating. The breakdown was 13:56 even strength and 4:42 shorthanded. … With a goal in a third straight, Zuccarello now leads the Blueshirts with 14. Four Rangers recorded two points including Nash (PPG, assist), Yandle (2 assists) and Moore (2 assists). … As a team, the Rangers blocked 23 shots (McDonagh, D. Boyle-4 each). The Oilers had 16 with 3 apiece from Andrej Sekera, Eric Gryba and Nugent-Hopkins. … With a victory, the Rangers moved a point ahead of the Islanders who lost to the Panthers for second. They travel to Minnesota Thursday and face Winnipeg Friday for a tough back-to-back.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Dominic Moore, NYR (2 assists, 5 attempts, 9-and-5 on draws-Dom is steady)

2nd Star-Rick Nash, NYR (PPG-10th of season, assist, 4 SOG, +1 in 29 shifts-18:38-much more involved)

1st Star-Dylan McIlrath, NYR (1st career goal-Big Mac continues to improve)

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Skjei recalled for tonight

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Derek
Brady Skjei

Ranger prospect Brady Skjei and USA teammate Connor Patrick. zimbio.com

With defenseman Dan Girardi ailing with a knee injury, the Rangers recalled Brady Skjei from Hartford for tonight’s game against the Oilers. For the 21-year old Lakeville, Minnesota native who was taken in the first round in the 2012 NHL Draft, it’s a chance to show what he’s got on Broadway.

It’s definitely exciting for Skjei and for Blueshirt fans to finally see what Skjei can do. Following a strong camp and preseason, he was sent down. In his first pro season, there’s no reason to rush him. That’s why he’s played with the Wolf Pack learning under Hartford coach Ken Gernander and former defenseman Jeff Beukeboom who did a great job with former 2010 first rounder Dylan McIlrath.

After spending three seasons playing for the Minnesota Golden Gophers in college, Skjei has two goals and nine assists totaling 11 points with four penalty minutes and a minus-nine rating in 27 games for Hartford. The 11 points pace all Wolf Pack defensemen as do the nine helpers.

It’ll be interesting to see how Rangers coach Alain Vigneault deploys him. This is a young player who will be making his NHL debut at the World’s Most Famous Arena. With Girardi out, does Vigneault try McIlrath on the top pair with Ryan McDonagh or will he go with someone else? It’s hard to figure out. Dan Boyle has played better lately. Vigneault has rewarded him with more minutes.

With Kevin Klein still recovering from an oblique strain and Girardi finally getting a night off, it’s a bit of a dilemma for Vigneault and assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson. Do they break up Keith Yandle and McIlrath? Figure Samuelsson to mix and match for shifts.

What that means for Skjei remains to be seen. He’s definitely got the skill set. A strong skater and puck mover, he should aid the Rangers from a possession aspect. Will there be nerves? Maybe the nervous energy will help once he gets in a couple of shifts. It should be fun to watch.

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Stoll lands in Minnesota, A criticism of Vigneault

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Derek
Alain Vigneault

Alain Vignault has been part of the problem with the Rangers who have several key players miscast. http://www.cbc.ca

A day after being put on waivers, center Jarret Stoll found a new home. The Minnesota Wild are the team who claimed him. So, he goes with Fox sideline reporter girlfriend Erin Andrews from Broadway to St. Paul.

Signed by the Rangers in the off-season for one year at $800,000, Stoll was excellent on face-offs winning nearly 58 percent (158-and-115). But the face-off ace whose career winning percentage is 55.4 percent did little else. Sure. He killed penalties. But he had just a goal and two assists while looking out of place due to Dominic Moore.

The signing never made sense. Especially with the development of rookie Oscar Lindberg. They probably should’ve cut him after camp. Instead, they held onto him for roughly one-third of the season with coach Alain Vigneault struggling to figure out his role. It’s laughable that for one game on that awful Western Canadian road trip, he had Moore centering the third line and Stoll the fourth. He was overusing the checkers at the expense of Lindberg, J.T. Miller and Kevin Hayes.

Vigneault has not had a good season. He’s mishandled the lines. With Derek Stepan out, he hasn’t settled on a second line. Hopefully, with Tanner Glass reemerging on the fourth line, he’ll realize that Jesper Fast is miscast in a top nine role. Viktor Stalberg has been decent in a secondary role. But once Stepan returns, he should be on the fourth line. Emerson Etem should play on the third line with Hayes and Lindberg when Stepan is back. That would allow Lindberg to take the draws. It would also give the team better balance.

For now, Vigneault can mix and match with Lindberg anchoring the second line and Hayes the third. He tried Chris Kreider with Hayes and Mats Zuccarello before reuniting the top line. There’s no reason to split up Zuccarello, Derick Brassard and Rick Nash when they’re easily their best unit. Granted. Nash has been disappointing with some lazy defensive play. He must be more consistent production wise and overall. Nine goals and 21 points in 29 games isn’t what they pay him for. Neither is his dramatic slip defensively.

If there’s a criticism of Vigneault, it’s that he hasn’t been patient enough with Etem. Brought in from Anaheim for Carl Hagelin in a deal that allowed the Rangers to move up in the second round and select Ryan Gropp, Etem has only gotten into a dozen games and has two assists. While it’s true a poor camp contributed to him being a healthy scratch to begin the season, Vigneault has done a poor job finding a role for the 23-year old. It’s time for Etem to sink or swim. When Stepan went down, it was the perfect opportunity. Now with Stoll gone, he’ll play. Though I’d prefer him on the third line and not the fourth.

Vigneault has also bounced Miller around. In his second full year, he’s still looking to establish himself. From a consistency standpoint, the former 2011 first round pick can be better. But it’s clear that Miller is an effective fore-checker who adds energy and a net presence. Areas that have been lacking. I still believe he should be the right wing on the second line with Stepan and Kreider. But AV prefers Hayes even though he is more effective at center. But Hayes doesn’t use his size from a physical standpoint. If he’s not scoring, it’s a waste.

The thing with young players is it takes time. Hayes is 23 and only in his second year. He’s experiencing the same growing pains Anders Lee is with the Islanders. As for Kreider, he should be more consistent by this point. Given all the playoff games since 2012, he should have figured it out by now. He shows flashes. Five goals in 31 games doesn’t cut it. The Blueshirts need better production.

That’s the issue when you subtract key leadership from a President’s Trophy roster. Even though he hasn’t fit in Anaheim, Hagelin was perfect under Vigneault. His speed and gritty style made him a strong possession player who was always a threat in transition. The style Vigneault loves. Hagelin also was superb as a penalty killer. Ironically, the Rangers still don’t have a shorthanded goal. Part of it is Nash under performing and their best penalty killer Stepan remaining out. That’s a disappointment.

Say what you want about him. But Martin St. Louis was a valuable leader who brought a lot to the table. Even in his final year, he still wound up tied with Kreider for second in goals (21) and fourth in scoring with 52 points. His skill allowed Kreider more time and space to finish. Vigneault has yet to find a suitable replacement. It’s probably one reason why Kreider has struggled. The coach hasn’t settled on Miller or Hayes yet. His decision is delayed until Stepan returns which likely means not till the next calendar year.

For the Rangers who play host to the Oilers and Cam Talbot tonight, it’s about finding more consistency. The coach has some responsibility. Ultimately, it’s up to the players to deliver. That includes doing a better job in coverage with Nash and Hayes guilty parties in losses to Edmonton and Calgary. With the cushion they had almost gone, it’s time for the team to come together.

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Islanders move past Rangers

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Derek
Johnny Boychuk, Casey Cizikas, Matt Martin

Islanders goalscorer Matt Martin celebrates with teammates Casey Cizikas and Johnny Boychuk during a home win over the Devils. AP Photo by Kathy Willens/Getty Images

In their first year at Barclays Center, the Islanders were overlooked due to the Rangers’ hot start. At one point, they trailed their arch nemesis by 11 points in the standings. While the Manhattan tenants got out to a 16-3-1 start, it took the closer Brooklyn rival a little time to get settled in.

Given the set of circumstances in a new arena with players traveling through Long Island Rail Road and New York City subway lines to Atlantic Avenue, maybe it should’ve been expected. The Islanders also had to deal with adjusting to life in the city that never sleeps.

Starting goalie Jaroslav Halak missed the start of the season. It was the play of backup Thomas Greiss that kept them afloat. Even now, with the team back on track having made an express leap past the Rangers, Greiss and Halak have split time under coach Jack Capuano. Each has won nine games while providing the Isles with consistency. In fact, Greiss recorded his fourth career shutout in a 4-0 home win over the Devils on Sunday. He has a 2.03 goals-against-average and .933 save percentage. Halak checks in with a 2.02 GAA, .926 save percentage plus two shutouts. With both performing, it’s a good partnership.

One of the best developments for the team has been the steady play of Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen. Each are due to become unrestricted free agents next summer. What that means for their future with the club remains to be seen. However, it hasn’t been a distraction yet. Okposo leads the Isles in scoring with 26 points (8-18-26). He was the 3-on-3 overtime hero in a 3-2 road win over the Blue Jackets. A two-on-none set up by Josh Bailey. Nielsen has been just as good ranking second behind Tavares in goals with 12 while adding 10 helpers for 22 points.

Ironically, it’s the Islander captain who hasn’t hit his stride. After missing three games with a mysterious illness, he hasn’t gotten hot. However, on a team that boasts scoring balance he hasn’t needed to. In Sunday’s victory, he ended a four-game scoreless drought by finishing off a Okposo feed for a neat deflection. Tavares entered with just two points in six. That goal could be the one that gets him on track like a express locomotive.

The turning point for the Isles came on a successful three-game Western swing in California. They took two of three defeating the Sharks and Ducks sandwiched around a 2-1 loss at the Kings. Only the Atlantic Division-leading Canadiens put a halt to the turnaround sweeping a home-and-home series between Nov. 20-22.

Since that point, the Isles have recorded a point in 10 straight going 8-0-2. They’re 4-for-4 in regulation and 4-0-2 in overtime/shootouts. That included a hard fought emotional 2-1 shootout win over the Blueshirts in their first meeting at Brooklyn. They followed that up with another win in the skill competition over the Blues. Following a disappointing OT loss to the Senators who came back to beat them, they outscored the Flyers in the skill competition and then posted a 3-2 OT win over the Jackets and blitzed the Devils.

During this stretch, the Isles have gotten right back in the race for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division. With hard times finally hitting Broadway with the Blueshirts slumping to just two wins over the last 10 (2-6-2), the Islanders have quietly moved into second in the division. Boasting a 18-8-5 mark which is good for 41 points, they’re a point up on their bitter rival for third and trail the first place Capitals by three. The Caps continued to roll spoiling Mike Sullivan’s coaching debut in a 4-1 road win at the Penguins. Washington is 21-6-2 with 44 points having played two fewer games than either New York clubs.

While the Caps continue to be awfully tough to beat in regulation, the Isles have nothing to be ashamed of. They’ve righted the ship improving their playoff positioning in a competitive division that’s seen a coaching change in Pittsburgh and rookie coach John Hynes lead the Devils to a surprising 34 points which is fourth best in the Metro.

The Isles have done it despite getting very little from Ryan Strome. The third-year forward has experienced some growing pains even going down to Bridgeport. After coming back up, he had five points in five games before being held off the score sheet in three straight. He missed Sunday’s game with an “upper body” injury. Figure the club to hold him out when they host the Panthers later tonight.

They’ve also overcome a potential headache. A couple of weeks ago, TSN reported that defenseman Travis Hamonic would like to be traded close to home due to a family issue. The 25-year old shutdown blueliner has continued to perform well despite the request which actually came before the season. The Isles have been unable so far to accommodate him due to Team President and GM Garth Snow seeking equal value for such a key player. Whether it be Winnipeg which is where Hamonic is from or defense-starved Edmonton or Vancouver, eventually he could move. The Isles deserve a lot of credit for how they’ve handled the issue. Both the organization and player have continued to press on as if nothing is happening.

Another subplot to their season has been the surprising play of Czech veteran defenseman Marek Zidlicky. Signed during camp for insurance, the prideful 38-year old who once was traded by the Rangers to Nashville in a package for Mike Dunham has opened some eyes. As he did against his former team Sunday night, Zidlicky can still fire the puck from the point- beating former Devil teammates Cory Schneider and Keith Kinkaid during the second period. The offensive D is second behind Johnny Boychuk among Isles blueliners in points with 10 (3-7-10). Not too shabby for an elder statesman.

Calvin de Haan, Lee Stempniak

The play of Calvin de Haan has solidified the Isles on the blueline. AP Photo by Kathy Willens/Getty Images

The Isles haven’t gotten as much out of Nick Leddy (9 assists). Boychuk also has a dozen points (3-9-12) but continues to be a team leader on the back end. It’s been the development of Calvin de Haan that’s solidified them. A strong skater whose main responsibility is to limit top scorers, de Haan has excelled. He leads the Isles with 78 blocked shots while showing some offensive potential with a goal and four helpers- all coming at even strength.  A strong skater, he should continue to evolve.

After waiting till the deadline to re-up, Brock Nelson quietly ranks fourth in scoring with nine goals and eight assists. The 24-year old pivot still has ups and downs but has points in two of his last three. Anders Lee has struggled to finish in his sophomore year. After getting 25 in ’14-15, he’s stuck at four. With no goals over the last 10, the Isles need him to get untracked.

While the young guns deal with slumps, Capuano knows he can send out arguably the best fourth line. The grind line of Casey Cizikas, Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck continue to deliver bumps and bruises. Cizikas is the perfect compliment to bruisers Martin and Clutterbuck who have combined for a whopping 290 hits. When they’re not thumping opponents, they’ve contributed offensively. The trio has combined for 13 goals with Clutterbuck leading the way with six.

Capuano can also mix in ex-Devil Steve Bernier with third liners Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolay Kulemin. Top to bottom, the Isles are a complete team that just might finally break through next Spring.

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Stoll on waivers, Girardi hurt

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Derek

In a move that could signal another coming, the Rangers put center Jarret Stoll on waivers. Signed by the team for one year at $800,000, Stoll was brought in to improve face-offs. While he was doing the job by winning 57.9 percent of draws (158-and-115), the former King was doing little else to justify keeping him.

In 29 games, Stoll had a goal and two assists. Per TSN’s Scott Cullen, he had the worst CF percentage (38.6) minimum of 300 minutes players 5-on-5. By comparison, Dominic Moore is 43.0 and Jesper Fast 45.0.

The final straw was probably his return to Edmonton. A game where the entire team was awful. After Rick Nash tied the score with a power play goal, Stoll was on for the Oilers winner 12 seconds later. On a play where Ryan McDonagh got caught pinching, Stoll fanned on a clearing attempt causing a 2-on-1 that resulted in Taylor Hall’s game-winner.

Interestingly, Tanner Glass earned his spot back over Stoll. Since returning, Glass has been a more effective forward getting in on the fore-check and causing scoring chances. Hell. He even buried one from Moore that sparked a three-goal comeback to earn a point in Saturday’s 5-4 overtime loss at Calgary. With Derek Stepan still out but skating in a non-contact jersey, Glass remains in the lineup on the fourth line.

With the Rangers clearing room, another move is coming. That much is known with coach Alain Vigneault confirming that struggling defenseman Dan Girardi will miss tomorrow’s game against the Oilers. He’s been battling a knee injury. It’s clearly limited his mobility. Anyone that’s seen him lately probably thinks he’s finished. He definitely needs a break. Here it comes.

With Girardi out for at least Tuesday, the organization will recall a defenseman. It should be Brady Skjei. The 21-year old 2012 first round pick has 11 points (2-9-11) and a minus-nine rating in 27 games for the Wolf Pack. He impressed during preseason before they sent him down for his first pro year.

There is no viable right D option. Raphael Diaz is hurt and Calle Andersson isn’t ready. The only other choice for Vigneault would be to signal Matt Bodie. Another good skating left D who has been okay with Hartford posting a goal and seven helpers with a minus-one rating. But the 25-year old is undersized and not as big on the Rangers radar as Skjei.

With Kevin Klein still not ready, we’ll get to see someone new on the blueline tomorrow. Hopefully, Skjei. With Dylan McIlrath already proving himself and now possibly Skjei on the way, Ranger fans can finally get a good look at the future of the back end. Even with the team scuffling, that’s reason enough to get excited.

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Rangers earn a point in overtime loss to Flames

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Derek

In what looked like a repeat, the Rangers found a way to earn a point in a wild 5-4 overtime loss to the Flames at The Saddledome. Even though they lost again, at least they were able to salvage a point in an otherwise frustrating winless road trip.

Trailing by three with 15:03 left in the third period, they staged a three-goal rally against a defensively challenged opponent. Tanner Glass started the comeback by hustling to a loose puck and beating Jonas Hiller for his first of the season. The goal came 16 seconds after Joe Colborne gave Calgary a 4-1 lead. That it was Glass was fitting. Since being recalled from Hartford, he has worked his tail off. A nice reward for a great team guy.

Glass’ goal breathed life into an otherwise dead team skating. After playing a perfect road game for the first 37 minutes, bad habits crept back up. Ahead one on a J.T. Miller put away in the first period from Viktor Stalberg and Kevin Hayes, the Rangers reverted to the careless play that cost them dearly a night before in Edmonton.

First, Keith Yandle gave away the puck to Johnny Gaudreau allowing the dangerous sniper to go top shelf on Antti Raanta at 17:41. Yandle felt pressure from a Calgary fore-checker and gave it away to the wrong guy. On the next shift, the struggling Dan Girardi threw a dying quail for Ryan McDonagh that was easily intercepted by Michael Frolik. It became a two-on-one with McDonagh unable to catch Mason Raymond in time for his finish that gave the Flames two goals in 17 seconds.

Just like that, they trailed. It worsened early in the third. Gaudreau again victimized a sloppy D for his second of the game. Marc Staal got caught pinching and Girardi was way out of the play making a feeble attempt as Gaudreau whistled in on Raanta and went five-hole for a 3-1 lead. The implosion continued when Colborne was the trailer on an odd-man rush in which Hayes failed to pick him up. Kris Russell and Matt Stajan perfectly set him up for another Calgary goal 2:25 later.

At that point, it looked like a lost cause. Alain Vigneault sent out his fourth line. Most of us would ponder what good it could do. But sometimes, your energy line can give you a lift. In this instance, Vigneault was right. Dominic Moore beat out an icing which was controversially waved off. Glass got to a rebound and scored with 14:47 remaining cutting the deficit to 4-2.

Encouraged, the Blueshirts controlled most of the play afterwards. Similar to their comeback against the Oilers, they were able to sustain a fore-check. It paid dividends thanks to some diligent work from Miller and Chris Kreider. Their board work allowed an active Dan Boyle to come around the Calgary net and score on a beautiful backhand with 4:54 left. It was a great move by a skilled veteran defenseman who also has their only successful penalty shot and a cool shootout winner. For as much crap as I give him, he’s been better the past couple of weeks.

With the Flames nursing a one-goal lead, they basically tried to give the Rangers the game back. The worst ranked penalty kill was forced to kill consecutive Ranger power plays. After killing the first, a Markus Granlund hi-stick on an on-rushing Mats Zuccarello put the Flames back on the penalty kill.

This time, the Blueshirts made them pay. Off a clean face-off win from the very reliable Derick Brassard, Boyle got the puck to an open Zuccarello at the left point. Instead of passing, he let go of a long wrist shot that beat a screened Hiller for the game-tying power play goal with 1:12 left. Kreider did the job in front taking away Hiller’s vision which allowed Zuccarello to snipe for a second consecutive game.

After a nice celebration between Kreider and Zuccarello, there was still the matter of the final 72 seconds. Especially on the heels of that awful conclusion a night before. Somewhat comically, Vigneault again had his fourth line out on the next face-off. That included Glass. Following a short shift, he got his reunited top line on. There would be no last second goal.

When it went to 3-on-3 derby, everyone knew how lethal the Flames are. They are devastating. With talented one-on-one players such as Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Jiri Hudler and dangerous rovers Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie, Dougie Hamilton, you figured this would be over quick.

It was a total mismatch. Especially with our team which has yet to score a goal at 3-on-3 since preseason. They’re one win came via a 4-on-3 power play. So, when Gaudreau nearly ended it twice which included a total undressing of Ryan McDonagh before Raanta did just enough to keep the puck out, it was only a matter of time.

Off a Kris Russell outlet, out came Brodie with a full head of steam on Boyle. It was a two-on-one with Kreider doing his best to hustle back. Brodie didn’t hesitate using Boyle perfectly for a great shot against the grain that beat Raanta for the overtime winner at 2:09. I have Brodie in fantasy hockey. He’s done that to other opponents. So, it was another game-winner for my team which leads that category. I also have Gaudreau. It’s part of the reason I’m in first. 

As far as this game, there’s still a lot to dislike. The Rangers continue to look fragile. They played a great road game for nearly 40 minutes. But once Yandle had that giveaway, they imploded. Even with Vigneault telling MSG’s Sam Rosen that he doesn’t think his team is fragile, that doesn’t look like the truth.

Their defensive structure is unraveling. The wear and tear is showing. Girardi looks like a beaten player. He really could use a night off. I don’t know what they’re waiting for. If he does have a knee issue, he can use a break. It doesn’t make sense keeping him in there. Especially with McDonagh.

Updating the two injured players, both Kevin Klein and Derek Stepan have begun skating. Klein can’t get back soon enough. As for Stepan, ditto. Though I wonder what Vigneault will do with the lineup. With Dylan McIlrath continuing to improve, I can’t think of one good reason to scratch him. And what happens with Glass? Does he go back down? Emerson Etem needs to play. He played in two straight. Stalberg returned in place of Jarret Stoll.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Mats Zuccarello, Rangers (team-leading 13th at 18:48 of 3rd, 27 shifts-21:19-the definition of clutch)

2nd Star-Dan Boyle, Rangers (2nd of season, assist, -1 in 31 shifts-22:51-starting to produce)

1st Star-Johnny Gaudreau, Flames (2-1-3, 6 SOG, +1 in 28 shifts-21:54-the heir apparent to Patrick Kane)

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