Rangers get back to D in 4-1 win over Senators

Posted on December 6, 2015 by Derek
Keith Yandle, Alex Chiasson

Keith Yandle is pumped after setting up Ryan McDonagh for a power play goal in a 4-1 Rangers home win over the Senators. AP Photo by Seth Wenig/Getty Images

It’s been a while since the Rangers played a complete game. They had struggled overall entering play with one win over the last six. Outside of a ugly 4-3 win over the lowly Canes, they haven’t been scoring. They followed up a well played shootout loss to the Islanders with a listless performance in a 2-1 home defeat to the Avalanche.

For once, it felt like old familiar times. A different Rangers team earned a 4-1 home win over the Senators at Madison Square Garden. A better overall effort which had to please coach Alain Vigneault. Derick Brassard scored twice and Ryan McDonagh matched a career high with three points including a power play goal and two assists. The Blueshirts were a perfect two-for-two on the power play. Henrik Lundqvist made 23 saves including some big ones in a busy second for his 14th victory.

The best aspect of the win was the Blueshirts shutting down a good offensive team. They protected a one-goal lead after two periods by holding the Sens to three shots in the third. Ottawa played the night before rallying from two down to beat the Islanders 3-2 in overtime at home. Perhaps they got tired after a strong push in the second where they fired 13 shots on Lundqvist. They beat him once with Marc Methot getting a lucky bounce when his point shot went off Marc Staal past Lundqvist cutting the deficit to 2-1.

Lundqvist was at his finest during and after a Chris Kreider interference minor. He stoned dangerous second-year Senator Mark Stone from in tight. On a wild sequence with the team pinned in, Dylan McIlrath made a diving block of a shot. But an on rushing Dave Dziurynzki got to the loose puck firing a pea which a diving Lundqvist reached out and grabbed for a miraculous glove save. That one was a highlight reel which allowed his teammates to escape the period with a one-goal lead.

Limiting their opponent in the neutral zone with the kind of team defense we haven’t seen, the Rangers stood up at their blueline forcing turnovers. After forcing a turnover, McDonagh handed for partner Dan Girardi who passed back to the Rangers captain. He then sent a seeing eye rolling pass that got through to Brassard who broke in on Craig Anderson and went to a slap shot for his second of the game. His ninth from McDonagh and Girardi gave the Rangers some key insurance with 9:52 left.

Unable to get through an impenetrable Blueshirts defense, the Sens continued to force plays which resulted in turnovers. It was a smart period by the Garden hosts who made life easier on themselves outshooting the Sens 11-3 with Anderson in net. The 12th shot was taken by Jesper Fast, who put in the empty netter with 1:31 left. A nice reward for a hard working grinder who Vigneault trusts late in games.

This was a important win. Just to get some confidence with a big three-game Western Canadian trip coming with stops in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary between 12/9-12/12. It allowed them to move back into first place in the Metro Division one ahead of the Caps. They’ve played three more games (28). But to get a win the right way should help.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Dominic Moore, NYR (3 shots, dominant on face-offs going 12-and-1, +1 in 24 shifts-16:41)

2nd Star-Derick Brassard, NYR (2 goals incl. PPG and insurance marker, 5 SOG, 7 attempts, +1 in 22 shifts-16:30)

1st Star-Ryan McDonagh, NYR (matched career high with 3 points incl. PPG, 2 assists, strong overall, 3 blocks, +2 in 25 shifts-21:04)

Notes: Kreider was more active. Playing on a line with Oscar Lindberg and Rick Nash, he had three shots and eight attempts missing the net on a couple of point blank chances. He had five hits in 23 shifts (16:06). The new line combined for nine shots, 20 attempts and a plus-15 shot differential. … Brassard played with Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes. … Emerson Etem was a scratch with Tanner Glass playing a third straight. He took 16 shifts (8:47) recording three hits with a minus-one on the fourth line.

Key stats: Blocked shots NYR-24 (Girardi 5 Boyle 4) OTT-10 (Karlsson 3)

Faceoffs: NYR 35-and-20 (Moore 12-and-1 Lindberg 12-and-6)

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#Relentless Devils fun to watch under Hynes

Posted on December 5, 2015 by Derek
Cory Schneider, Andy Greene

Cory Schneider and Andy Greene can’t do anything about Matt Read’s shot which was the overtime winner in a tough 4-3 loss to the Flyers. But that’s not the story so far for the relentless Devils. AP Photo by Julio Cortez/Getty Images

The team motto is #Relentless. That’s what the ’15-16 New Jersey Devils are under rookie NHL coach John Hynes. No matter what the score is, a team that was counted out from the beginning continues to battle and claw.

Under the leadership of Hynes, these Devils never stop hustling. They’re a resilient bunch who have proven themselves. Entering the season, I had my doubts. Of course, from the looking glass as a outsider I took one look at the roster and saw what everyone did. Little in terms of offensive talent and a young rebuilding defense with question marks.

Aside from Cory Schneider in net, I figured they would be in the race for Auston Matthews. After four games, it looked like that would be the case. The Devils went 0-3-1 scoring one goal in three of the four. Then came an early visit to MSG for the Hudson rival Rangers. Facing a bitter rival, the Devils were scrappier clawing back from a one-goal deficit on goals from Adam Henrique and Lee Stempniak to win 2-1 in overtime.

That the winner came off the stick of Stempniak who made the team after a pro tryout symbolized what Hynes is selling. If you work hard enough, you’ll earn ice-time. Stempniak was an after thought most of last season for the Rangers before they dealt him to Winnipeg at last trade deadline. Coach Alain Vigneault didn’t have much use for a veteran who’s always been a solid secondary scorer.

It was fitting that Stempniak jump started the Devils season. They won four in a row with Stempniak also having a hand in Adam Larsson’s overtime winner. The topper was a comeback win at Ottawa. Trailing by two late in the third, Henrique cut the deficit in half. With the goalie pulled, there was Stempniak steering in the tying goal at 19:28. He would also win the contest in a shootout.

Stempniak’s surprising success continued in Friday night’s 4-3 overtime defeat to the nemesis Flyers at home. Even though they lost, the Devils again rallied late from a one-goal deficit with Stempniak setting up leading scorer Mike Cammalleri with a minute left for a tying power play goal. On a team that doesn’t have a plethora of scoring, Stempniak ranks third on the club with 20 points (5-15-20). To put that in perspective, he totaled 18 points in 53 contests with the Rangers last year. He improved to 10 in 18 games with the Jets helping them make the playoffs.

Astonishingly, the Devils have scored six goals after Hynes has pulled the goalie this season. He’s had the magic wand. Tonight, it was a six-on-four that got them a point. New Jersey is 13-10-3 with 29 points in 26 games. That’s good for fifth in a crowded Metropolitan Division. Two clear of the Flyers who got the extra point on Matt Read’s winner in three-on-three. The Devils are only one behind the Pens for fourth. With a shootout win in Brooklyn, the Islanders have 34 points. The Caps and Rangers are tied for first in points (37) but Washington’s played three fewer games.

Here’s the thing. After a hot start mostly due to the play of Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers have come back down. The Caps are the best team in the division. The Pens have come on thanks to Evgeni Malkin, who has rediscovered his MVP form. The Islanders are right there in their new home at Barclays. Then you have the Devils hanging around.

Jersey’s team is in the mix due to key performers stepping up. Hynes told his guys he expected more from them. That’s resulted in Cammalleri responding with a club best 28 points (10-18-28) including a goal and helper at The Prudential Center tonight. Henrique has also found his form pumping home 12 goals with eight helpers. Stempniak has been a godsend meshing well in a primary role. Not bad for a 32-year old out of West Seneca, New York written off.

New Devils general manager Ray Shero also made some other good moves that have worked so far. He acquired Kyle Palmieri from the Ducks and signed another ex-Ranger John Moore. So far so good for the 24-year old Palmieri who notched his 10th of the season on the power play. On Anaheim, he was buried behind Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and overpriced Ryan Kesler. Palmieri’s career high in goals is 14. A mark he hit last season in 57 contests. Considering their offensive struggles, think the Ducks miss him?

As for Moore, he once was part of the Rangers’ future on the blueline but never got consistent playing time under Vigneault. We’re sensing a theme here. Eventually, Moore was part of a package that included Anthony Duclair and picks to the Coyotes for Keith Yandle. After the Coyotes declined his option, he became a free agent. He’s become a trusted regular on the back end under Hynes. Astonishingly, Moore’s still just 25 and leads all Devils defensemen in scoring with eight points (2-6-8). He was the overtime hero in a 3-2 win over the Canadiens allowing the Devils to take three of four points against the league’s best.

Another player who has found himself is Travis Zajac. No one disputes that the solid two-way center who is superb on the dotted line is overpaid. He has five years remaining earning a healthy $6.5 million average salary the next four with a cap hit of $5.75 million. Zajac is signed thru 2020. A contract former Devils GM Lou Lamoriello signed him to. He was never gonna live up to it due to not being the most offensively talented.

Zajac battled injuries last year turning in his worst season. In 74 games, he tallied 25 points (11-14-25). Most Devil fans wanted him gone. With Lamoriello taking over the Maple Leafs under Team President Brendan Shanahan, rumors floated that Zajac could be dealt to Toronto. Of course, they were unsubstantiated.

It’s been to the Devils’ benefit. Zajac has turned in some of his best work starting out with six goals and nine helpers. He’s combined with Henrique to form a dangerous penalty killing duo who have totaled three shorthanded goals. As usual, Zajac is taking care of business winning 53.9 percent of face-offs. He’s always been a solid overall center. Under Hynes, he has more of a role also matching his ’14-15 total in power play goals with four. He missed tonight’s game due to an “upper body” injury sustained in a 5-1 road win at Carolina. Hopefully, he won’t be miss significant time.

The Devils can ill afford it. After Zajac, no other Devils forward has over five points. Jacob Josefson finally scored one in the win over the Canes. He’s been utilized in a penalty killing role. Hynes has gotten the most out of Bobby Farnham. A waiver pick up, the fourth liner has provided surprising offense with three goals while supplying energy.

Though he was a healthy scratch, Sergey Kalinin contributed early on. The first-year NHLer is still learning. The Devils have also gotten a positive contribution from David Schlemko. With two markers, he returned to action pairing with Jon Merrill. Schlemko has been steadier than Eric Gelinas, who sat out.

Without captain Andy Greene and Schneider, it wouldn’t be possible. Obviously, Schneider’s important is critical to the team’s success. He entered play with 11 wins in 20 starts with a 2.03 goals-against-average, .927 save percentage and a shutout. If he continues to perform, Schneider might finally get some recognition as one of the game’s best goalies.

Greene is in his first year as team captain. He’ll never blow you away offensively. But he’s a steady defensive defenseman who plays his position well. He and Larsson have formed a solid top tandem. Larsson has finally developed into a shutdown D. It took a while. Credit goes to former Cup hero Scott Stevens who now works on NHL Network. Someone who knows a thing or two about great defense.

In order for the Devils to succeed, they’ll need more from Stefan Matteau and Damon Severson. Matteau scored his first in the loss. Severson has seven assists so far in his second year. Eventually, Reid Boucher should get another chance. He’s been scoring in the AHL with Albany notching nine goals in 15 games.

It could be the swan song for Patrik Elias. The proud franchise scoring leader has a goal and three assists since returning. A borderline Hall Of Famer who’s totaled 407 goals and 614 assists for a club record 1,021 points, Elias is coming to the end with the only team he’s known. It should be interesting to see how it finishes for the two-time Stanley Cup winner.

Whatever happens, it’s already been a surprising season in Newark. The credit goes to Hynes and his players who have bought in. It’s the familiar story of the gritty underdog. When the Devils are on the schedule now no one takes it lightly.

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Devils’ maddening inconsistency continues

Posted on December 4, 2015 by hasan4978

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If you go by the old adage of assessing your team in twenty-game blocks, just after twenty games one overriding characteristic of the 2015-16 Devils has already come to the forefront – their ability to play up and inability to avoid playing down to opponents.  For every win (in this case two) over Chicago, Montreal and the Rangers you have two losses to Columbus, losses in Calgary and Edmonton and the disgraceful performances this week against the Avs and Flyers.  In many ways it’s more annoying than beating the teams you’re supposed to beat and just being overwhelmed talentwise by the better teams of the league.  You get teased thinking this Devil team is ready to take a step into being a contender then WHAM! reality smacks you in the face.

Not only do the Devils play down to their competition but lately they have been horrendous at the Rock, winning just five of thirteen home games this year (and three of them in OT/SO games).  With me in the building their record’s even worse with just two wins in the eight games I’ve been to so far, including the sleepwalk against the Avs on Tuesday and another too little, too late performance against the Flyers tonight.  Yes, they got a point in a 4-3 OT loss.  Sure, they got three points in the back to back if you want to look at the glass half full although their 5-1 win at Carolina was the exception this season, not the norm.  Still when you’re playing Colorado, Carolina and the Flyers – three non-playoff teams – coming off an emotional three points out of four home-and-home with the Canadiens I’m sorry, three points out of six just isn’t going to cut it.  You can’t count on always rising to the occasion and beating the better teams, if you’re going to grow as a team and have a shot at playing meaningful games in March you have to beat teams that are on or below your level.

I thought Tuesday’s game against the Avs was bad but tonight trumped that tenfold.  It’s one thing to be outcompeted by some podunk out of conference team that hasn’t been a rival in a decade and a half, it’s another to just be invisible and let yourself get pummeled by the rival Flyers for forty minutes on your home ice.  Even worse, players who are supposed to be leaders and above this like Andy Greene and Patrik Elias looked like they didn’t want to be bothered with the game.  Greene in particular had the worst game I’ve seen from him since he was a fringe guy under Brent Sutter seven years ago, with a pair of bad penalties, multiple horrendous turnovers, and for the coup de grace misplaying the two-on-one in OT that eventually ended the game.  I love Patty, but when you reach for a puck one-handed and let it get by you well I gotta get on you too.  Kyle Palmeri’s second-period penalty was so egregious he earned himself a benching for the rest of the period (and then came back a house a fire and scored on his first shift in the third).  Honestly the only players in the first two periods I felt were competing were the fringe forwards, guys like Stefan Matteau and Tyler Kennedy.

There’s no excuse really for this team’s continued failure to get up for teams behind them in the standings, this team just flat out isn’t good enough to win games by rote like say, the 2000-01 Devils did (and even they paid for turning it on and off in the end).  Nor are they good enough to overcome coaching mistakes like John Hynes putting out the fourth line with our top defensive pairing to open the game.  Predictably the fourth line was pinned in their own end for like the first eighty seconds of the game and you essentially wasted a Greene-Adam Larsson shift in the process.  In fact that shift set the tone early and the Flyers were camped in our own end for the first 3-4 minutes of the game.  Miraculously not only did they fail to score but Flyers goalie Michael Neuvirth gave us a gift when Matteau’s side-net floater somehow got past Neuvirth and gave the Devils an undeserved lead.  I knew that wouldn’t last with the Devils playing the way they were and the PK failed both times that Greene was in the box, with John Moore being a poor stand-in – though it was Larsson who probably misplayed goal #1 more.  Admittedly, I’m off the Moore bandwagon now after his horrendous game tonight, this staff continues to treat him as the #3 defenseman when the shot totals with him on the ice suggest he should be more the #5 or #6 defenseman, depending on whether Eric Gelinas is in the lineup or not.

Despite their horrendous play in the first forty minutes, the Devils still found themselves in the game down 2-1 with a power play to begin the third period.  Predictably the power play threw up bricks, especially predictable considering the forwards on the ice for the first shift of the power play were Matteau, Jordin Tootoo and Jacob Josefson (who had yet another frustrating game where offense immediately went to die).  I’m sorry, putting that line on the ice for a power play down 2-1 in the third period – Zajac or no Zajac – is inexcusable.  It gave me visions of Jacques Lemaire saying screw it and using Colin White on the power play late in the Devils’ ill-fated 2010 first round series with the Flyers.  Yet in spite of that powerless failure, the Devils found themselves back in the game moments later when Palmeri tied the game with a one-timer off a rebound.  For several minutes the Devils finally showed the passion they should have been exhibiting for the entire night and the crowd responded too.  The building was alive again.

And then bang, the Flyers took the lead back and not only deflated the building but seemingly deflated the Devils too, as New Jersey managed just one shot – ONE! – in the final fifteen minutes of the game.  That one shot however was a doozy, coming after Josefson finally did something good and drew a late penalty to give the Devils one more chance on the power play.  After some anxious moments they finally managed to gain control in the Flyer zone long enough to get Cory Schneider off the ice, and Mike Cammalleri’s loose puck rebound finally found the back of the net to tie the game with exactly one minute left in regulation.  Even that goal however didn’t exactly improve the Devils’ play in the OT as the unfazed Flyers continued to skate over and around the Devils.  Somewhat contreversially, Matt Read elbowed Palmeri late in the OT leading to a two-on-one which Greene misplayed and whoever the other forward was (Elias?) was ridiculously slow getting back into the play, leaving Schneider helpless to stop Read’s goal, even if he got a huge chunk of it.

As if the game itself was annoying enough, hearing the players acknowledge en masse that their effort in the first forty minutes wasn’t good enough further infuriated me.  After all the talk earlier this week about how the Devils needed to respond in these type of games they continue to fail to do so.  I mean I guess it’s better than the alternative of not acknowledging there’s any problem at all, like Hynes did to a degree when he essentially took the players off the hook and praised their effort.  Still, even if you recognize there’s a problem if you do nothing to correct it then that’s just as bad as not seeing there’s a problem in the first place.  Doing so against a rival team is doubly bad.  At home is just icing on the cake.  This Devil team is starting to remind me of the Mets the previous few seasons when they would put up inspired efforts on the road, come home and then fall into a malaise.  Or the football Giants, who generally play up and down to their competition.  If this team wants to make anything of this season, they need to get over both hangups and fast.

 

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Okposo shoots Islanders past Rangers on Rivalry Night

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Derek
Viktor Stalberg, Jaroslav Halak, Thomas Hickey

Viktor Stalberg beats Jaroslav Halak at 18:37 of the second tying the score. The Islanders prevailed 2-1 over the Rangers in a shootout. AP Photo by Kathy Willens/Getty Images

Rivalry Night lived up to the billing. For 65 minutes, the Rangers and Islanders battled for every inch of ice at a sold out Barclays Center. Even with the scene changing dramatically from Long Island to Brooklyn off Atlantic Avenue, the Battle Of New York remained as intense as ever.

The first ever meeting between classic rivals needed a skill competition to decide a winner. Kyle Okposo beat Henrik Lundqvist in Round 1 of the shootout helping lead the Islanders to a 2-1 victory over the Rangers. The Isles are 4-0-1 over their last five and closed within five of first place.

Both goalies stood out with the teams combining for 71 shots. Only two got past them. Jaroslav Halak made 33 saves while Lundqvist finished with 36. However, Halak improved to 7-0-0 versus Lundqvist since 2010 by stopping all three Rangers shooters. He turned aside Rick Nash, Mats Zuccarello and Dan Boyle, who went in as slowly as Michael Nylander before missing on the backhand.

Jaroskav Halak, Tanner Glass

Tanner Glass dives in front of Jaroslav Halak for a loose puck. AP Photo By Kathy Willens/Getty Images

From a Rangers perspective, this was a marked improvement from the sloppy hockey they’ve played recently. With Tanner Glass in the lineup on the third line with Oscar Lindberg and J.T. Miller, they played a stronger forecheck game. In fact, the play of Glass, Lindberg and Miller was impressive. They were the team’s best line followed by the fourth line of lone goalscorer Viktor Stalberg, Jarret Stoll and Dominic Moore. Per War-on-Ice, the third line was a combined plus-22 in shot differential.

Glass had good chemistry with Lindberg and Miller, who played one of his best games of the season. They were so effective that coach Alain Vigneault should consider keeping Glass in for tomorrow versus the Avalanche. That would mean Emerson Etem sitting out again due to illness. Not something I want to do often. I’d prefer him play over Stalberg. But he had a good game going to the dirty area to score the tying goal late in the second.

Both teams came out hitting. The Islanders started their grinding fourth line of Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck. They were their usual feisty self with the trio combining for 21 of the team’s 52 hits. How competitive was it? The Blueshirts also had 52 hits meaning the bitter rivals combined for a hefty 104. Miller recorded a team best eight while Glass chipped in with five as did Derick Brassard.

It was the kind of hockey you’ve come to expect when the Rangers and Islanders do battle. Maybe that’s why the Rangers cycle game was revitalized. They came with better energy chipping pucks in and working the Isles’ D. They out-shot the Isles 13-6 in a well played first period. Despite a territorial edge and shots edge, they were unable to get one past Halak. That included a missed power play chance despite good puck movement.

Kevin Hayes drew a hooking minor on Josh Bailey during the second giving the Blueshirts another opportunity. But they were unable to capitalize. The game turned following a Keith Yandle hooking minor. Yandle, who was easily his team’s best defenseman flying all night- was in the box when Dan Girardi sent a puck out of play. That handed the Isles a 53-second two-man advantage.

Islanders captain John Tavares made it count by walking out and beating Lundqvist for his club-leading 12th from Okposo and Johnny Boychuk at 12:22. The Rangers three-man alignment was hideous. With Marc Staal impeded by Brock Nelson, Jesper Fast backed in giving Tavares too much time and space for an easy finish upstairs. The lack of execution drew the ire of Lundqvist. He made some big stops on the second half of the power play to keep his team within one.

With the period winding down, Vigneault made a switch double shifting Hayes. Playing in place of Jarret Stoll who made a critical diving block, Hayes let a Dominic Moore back pass go through to an open Staal at the left point. He let go of low wrist shot which took a funny hop towards Stalberg in front. He was able to send a low backhand past Halak for his third to tie the score with 1:23 left. A gritty play from a hard working player.

Due largely to a icing and consecutive power plays, the Isles held a 16-9 shots edge in the second. The terms were more even in a closely fought third. Tight checking and no penalties allowed the teams to go back and forth five-on-five. For the Blueshirts, there were some close calls with Staal falling down causing a Isles chance which Lundqvist bailed him out on. Staal struggled in his end most of the night. He was minus-eight in shots differential. Oddly enough, the top line also struggled with Rick Nash a game worst minus-12. But those three don’t play much D. They did get chances in transition.

For two periods, Chris Kreider had another forgettable night. He wasn’t doing enough during his shifts. In the third, that changed. He was the Rangers’ most dangerous forward. Using his game breaking speed and instincts, he had some excellent chances but recorded only two shots. In order for them to survive without Derek Stepan, they need more consistency from Kreider. It’s been a lackluster year so far.

With neither netminder budging on 18 more combined shots with the Isles outshooting the Rangers 12-6, it went to 3-on-3. The sellout crowd of 15,795 got what it wanted. The Isles’ second sellout and first since the home opener against the Blackhawks resulted in the very exciting prospect of 3-on-3.

Unfortunately, a Isles’ bad change handed the Rangers a 4-on-3. With a chance to win it, they twice set up Boyle for one-timers. But they missed the target. Brassard also took a shot with Kreider screening in front but Halak got a piece of it.

Islanders coach Jack Capuano had Tavares serve the minor penalty. When he came out, they got the puck to him. He got off a contested tough low shot on Lundqvist who covered up. Tavares was dangerous most of the night finishing with a goal on four shots. Defenseman Calvin de Haan had a strong game getting three shots on Lundqvist while showing offensive instincts.

The final minute of 3-on-3 disappointed. The Blueshirts’ strategy was confusing. For some inexplicable reason, Jesper Fast was out and basically killed time before hustling to the bench for Nash while Boyle held onto the puck. It made no sense. Since preseason, they have yet to score a goal at 3-on-3.

Even though it went to a shootout, it was a exciting game. The difference was Okposo, who made a fancy deke before going high glove on Lundqvist. Most puzzling was Mats Zuccarello’s poor attempt right into Halak. That about explains it from the Ranger side. After Lundqvist denied Tavares in the top of the third, Boyle deliberately skated in so slowly Halak looked confused. He had him beat with a nice deke but was unable to steer a backhand into an open side giving the Isles the win.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-J.T. Miller, NYR (5 SOG, 8 hits, very involved on forecheck)

2nd Star-John Tavares, NYI (PPG-12th of season, showed why he’s Isles best)

1st Star-Keith Yandle, NYR (5 shots, 8 attempts, 4 blocks, looked like a classic #2 at times on the rush)

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End of 1st period Shot chart

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Derek

At the end of one period, there’s no score between the Rangers and Islanders. Surprisingly, it was the strong play of the new third line for the Blueshirts that dominated the action. Look at the performance of Tanner Glass, Oscar Lindberg and J.T. Miller at even strength. It’s not a misprint. They were the best line.

Notice too Dylan McIlrath at the top of the chart with a plus-10 shot differential. He is usually on the plus-side of the ledger. While I’m not a big Corsi advocate, it doesn’t lie. What you watch with your own eyes is pretty accurate.

NYR NYI 1st period

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Glass on 3rd line

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Derek

In a bit of a head scratcher, Tanner Glass will start on the third line for the Blueshirts in tonight’s Islanders game on Rivalry Night. Yes. You read right. Glass is expected to skate with Oscar Lindberg and J.T. Miller.

The fourth line will have Viktor Stalberg with Jarret Stoll and Dominic Moore. I know Stalberg has been brutal since a good start. But Glass on the third line? Holy moly. It is a rivalry game. So, we’ll see how Tanner performs against bruisers Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin.

The rest of the NYR lines:

Nash-Brassard-Zuccarello

Kreider-Hayes-Fast

Glass-Lindberg-Miller

Moore-Stoll-Stalberg

As expected, Dylan McIlrath is with Keith Yandle while Dan Girardi moves back to the top pair with Ryan McDonagh. Dan Boyle works with Marc Staal.

Face off is approximately 8:08 PM at Barclays Center.

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Battle Of New York: Rangers vs Islanders in Brooklyn

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Derek
Ryan McDonagh

Ryan McDonagh (far side) scores the first of two with Tanner Glass and Dominic Moore screening in front last year at Nassau Coliseum. The rivalry is renewed in Brooklyn at Barclays Center tonight. AP Photo by Kathy Kmonicek/Getty Images

For the first time in their history, the Islanders will host the Rangers in Brooklyn tonight on Rivalry Night. Two bitter rivals renew the rivalry at 8 PM on NBCSN. The Battle Of New York moves from Nassau Coliseum and Long Island to Barclays Center and downtown Brooklyn. From the Belt Parkway and Southern State to the Long Island Railroad and Subway.

As a fan who appreciates history, it’ll be odd to see these two teams do battle in a basketball arena. As most have observed, Barclays isn’t your classic hockey rink. Unlike the Coliseum which had great sight lines, there are obstructed views and overpriced seats. I’ll be curious to see if this is a sellout. The Islanders drew 15,795 for their home opener against the Blackhawks. They also drew 15,171 for the Canadiens on Nov. 20. So basically they’ve had one sellout in 14 home games.

Astonishingly, this is the first meeting of the season between the Rangers and Islanders. They also meet Jan. 14 in Brooklyn. The Islanders visit MSG twice on Mar. 6 and Apr. 7. That’s what you get with an unbalanced schedule. Not great when it comes to a classic rivalry. Somehow, there are no home and homes between these bitter rivals.

In their new building, the Islanders are 8-4-2. After a slow start, they’ve played better lately. Winners of three of their last four (3-0-1), they’re fourth in the Metro Division with 30 points. Tied with the Pens in points with one more game played, they enter 13-8-4 trailing the first place Rangers by six. Following a hot stretch that saw them reel off nine straight and 10 in 11, they’ve dropped three of four. Even Monday’s 4-3 win over the Hurricanes was ugly. They lost defenseman Kevin Klein to a strained abdomen muscle. He’ll miss between two to four weeks.

The Rangers are already without Derek Stepan (broken ribs). Tanner Glass was recalled from Hartford. Forward Emerson Etem is sick. So, Glass could make his return. He played two games before being sent down after clearing waivers. In 17 games with the Wolf Pack who are bad, Glass had two goals and three assists with 23 penalty minutes and a minus-11 rating. Brady Skjei and Adam Tambellini each are minus-7 in their rookie seasons. Ryan Graves is Even and Calle Andersson is minus-four.

The Islanders are led by captain John Tavares in scoring with 11 goals and 21 points. In 31 career games versus the Rangers, he’s 11-17-28. Kyle Okposo (6-14-20) and Frans Nielsen (9-10-19) are off to good starts in contract years. The Isles will be hard pressed to keep one.

After being recalled from Bridgeport, Ryan Strome has come back up and played well. He has four points in three games including a goal and helper in a 5-3 home win over the Avalanche. He struggled early to the point where he agreed with coach Jack Capuano that a assignment to Bridgeport could give him a kick in the butt. So far, so good.

Jaroslav Halak gets the start. In 13 starts, he’s 6-4-2 with a 2.02 goals-against-average, .921 save percentage with two shutouts. Henrik Lundqvist will oppose him. He’s allowed 12 goals in his last three starts. He permitted three to Carolina on 36 shots. A game that saw the Rangers defense struggle mightily. They continued turning over pucks and were out-possessed by a NHL doormat. They basically hung on.

Despite a 17-6-2 record, the Blueshirts have struggled with puck possession. Their puck management has been shaky. Most of the season, Lundqvist and backup Annti Raanta have covered up for mistakes committed by Dan Girardi, Marc Staal and others. While most of the focus has been on Girardi and Staal, Ryan McDonagh has had his own issues getting beaten by Chris Terry for a breakaway goal on Monday.

It’s not just the back end that’s struggled. They have gotten inconsistent performances from Chris Kreider (4 goals in 25 games) and Kevin Hayes (6-9-15). J.T. Miller has also been up and down. He has his moments but still commits bad turnovers that get punished by coach Alain Vigneault. It would be nice if Vigneault did the same to other forwards when they screw up. Jesper Fast took a bad penalty in a Bruins loss. Kreider has been mystifying. He did score against the Canes thanks to Cam Ward, who was asleep. Kreider is the player they expect better from.

Mats Zuccarello leads the Blueshirts in scoring with a team best 11 goals and 22 points. After going without a point in four straight, he scored a power play goal on Monday. Along with Rick Nash (8-8-16), he’s been the catalyst. Derick Brassard (7-10-17) had a goal and helper in the win over Carolina. He has improved on face-offs (55.0 percent). The top line still can be lazy defensively. There are moments where they get caught watching.

It’ll be interesting to see what the second and third lines are. Hayes should center the second while Oscar Lindberg anchors the third. The fourth line should be Jarret Stoll anchoring Dominic Moore and Glass. As for the D, Girardi will slot up with McDonagh in place of Klein. Dylan McIlrath is back in. Gotta figure he’ll be with Keith Yandle while Dan Boyle works with Marc Staal.

The Islanders are healthy entering. Here are the projected lines:

Nelson-Tavares-Okposo

Lee-Nielsen-Bailey

Kulemin-Grabovski-Strome

Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck

Leddy-Hamonic

de Haan-Boychuk

Hickey-Zidlicky

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Game Preview: Boyle in, McIlrath out against Canes

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Derek

The Rangers enter tonight’s game against the Hurricanes on a three-game losing streak. After getting outclassed by the Habs on Turkey Eve, they fell apart at Boston on Black Friday and were brutal against the Flyers Saturday.

With Derek Stepan out four to six weeks with broken ribs stemming from Matt Beleskey’s late hit that of course wasn’t punished by a hypocritical league, the Rangers finally face some adversity. We’ll see if they can “man up,” as coach Alain Vigneault pointedly said following the Flyers loss.

One player who must do that is Chris Kreider. Following Saturday’s disappointment, the slumping third-year left wing admitted to New York Post scribe Larry Brooks that he’s been terrible.

“I go into every game with a clean mind but sometimes there’s little stuff that happens and I start to second-guess myself,” Kreider said of a poor start that’s seen him score just three goals in 24 games. “I should just be more instinctual.”

“To me, it’s harder because you know you’re not contributing to the wins and you’re not a part of everyone else’s success,” he noted when asked about the team’s hot start prior to the recent slump. “It’s bad either way. When you underperform the way I have, it hurts.

“Up until now, I don’t think things could have gone any more poorly.”

While Kreider tries to figure it out playing on a new line with Oscar Lindberg and Jesper Fast, Vigneault has decided to reinsert veteran defenseman Dan Boyle back in the lineup for rookie Dylan McIlrath. While most of the blueline struggled in the last two losses, McIlrath didn’t. He dropped the gloves twice showing that mean streak standing in for Stepan by pummeling Beleskey. On Saturday, a huge hit injured Flyers defenseman Nick Schultz which resulted in Luke Schenn taking up for his fallen teammate. McIlrath dominated their fight.

Aside from the successful bouts, McIlrath was fine in his end while making good reads jumping in offensively. He continues to improve. It makes on wonder what if injuries hadn’t held him back the past two years. Be that as it may, Vigneault will continue to give McIlrath spot starts. Citing the power play, AV wants to get Boyle back in. He’ll pair up with Marc Staal.

Vigneault changed all his D pairs. Back on the top pair is Kevin Klein who replaces Dan Girardi. Girardi moves down to the third pair where he’ll work with Keith Yandle. A pair we suggested during Girardi’s struggles at season’s start. They paired up last month. Ryan McDonagh teams with Klein who at this point is the team’s most consistent righty D. Though he is coming off his worst game with two neutral zone turnovers causing Flyers goals.

As we’ve seen, the defense has been a sore spot. Given all the game play and minutes Girardi, Staal and McDonagh have seen the past few years, it’s understandable. The wear and tear is showing. Particularly with Girardi and Staal, who have had some shaky moments. Their minutes must be managed.

Here’s a question for Vigneault. One he doesn’t want to face. At what point does he consider resting Girardi or Staal for McIlrath? The 82-game schedule is long and taxing. Keeping them fresh is more critical than starting them every night. Even McDonagh could use a blow. But that’s not something you’re gonna see any time soon.

I wonder if Vigneault would fear the media overreaction to sitting one of his core D. It’s not an easy answer. Right now, he’s trying to get the team back on track. With the Canes in tonight and then the Rangers’ first visit to Barclays Center for Rivalry Night against the Islanders Wednesday, it’s important for the team to respond.

The forward combinations remain mixed up. With the exception of the top line, here is what it looks like:

Nash-Brassard-Zuccarello

Kreider-Lindberg-Fast

Miller-Hayes-Stalberg

Moore-Stoll-Etem

Henrik Lundqvist gets the start against Cam Ward.

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Devils take three points from Montreal in successful weekend

Posted on November 29, 2015 by hasan4978

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Maybe it’s a stretch to suggest this Devil season was at a crossroads after losing four out of their previous five games heading into last night’s contest at the Bell Centre, three of those losses to outside the playoff bubble teams in Calgary, Edmonton and Columbus.  Certainly however, this home-and-home with the Canadiens over the previous two nights felt like a bit of a litmus test series, even if all-world goalie Carey Price is on the shelf yet again, their backup goalies have certainly proven capable at different times of getting the job done.  Losing Friday night after blowing a 2-0 lead was bad enough, falling behind last night by that same 2-0 score in the third period looked ominous.

However, this Devil team refuses to buckle under and they turned the tables on Montreal with their own two-goal comeback on the road after Kyle Palmeri’s dramatic goal in the final seconds tied the game, and John Moore’s stunning OT winner off a feed from Adam Henrique gave the Devils both points in a 3-2 finish that nearly took away the voice of play-by-play man Steve Cangialosi.  If I could still post YouTubes here I would but a still shot of the goal will have to suffice for a highlight for now.

Winning goaltender Cory Schneider was grateful for Moore’s goal and had words of praise for the defenseman afterward:

“I think he’s shown a lot this year. He’s a great skater. He’s got offensive instincts,” Schneider said. “He didn’t hesitate to jump up into the rush and Adam made a great play finding him.

“Johnny has been great for us this year. A lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm. He does all the little dirty things so it’s great to see him get rewarded and to get a big goal for us.”

Moore’s been one of many success stories thus far for GM Ray Shero and coach John Hynes with Palmeri being another one after a surprise draft-day trade brought the Jersey native home, and with the promise of a much bigger role than he had in Anaheim.  Palmeri’s thrived even beyond expectations so far with eight goals and seventeen points in 23 games including two game-winning goals and last night’s game-saving one with twenty-two seconds remaining and the net empty.  Palmeri rifled a one-timer just outside the faceoff circle past Mike Condon that was a bit (dare I say it?) Kovalchukian.

I feel like I’m repeating myself with constantly praising the offseason moves but how can you not, guys like Moore, Palmeri, camp signee Lee Stempniak and bargain basement FA David Schlemko have all been key contributors to the Devils’ surprising start.  Ironically Schlemko’s presence was never more missed than in the previous few games with Eric Gelinas’s utter nightmare of a game (two bad penalties, getting torched for a shorthanded chance in OT, losing coverage on the first goal) proving costly on Friday and bringing me to my wit’s end with Gelinas once and for all.  It was at one point thought that the Devils’ big four of young guys on defense was Adam Larsson, Damon Severson, Jon Merrill and Gelinas but at this point it seems like Moore’s replaced Gelinas in that equation – and Schlemko will no doubt replace Gelinas in the lineup after returning from paternal leave – considering Moore’s barely 25 years old himself.

Of course behind them all (and stabilizing force Andy Greene) is the rock of Cory, who even when he has bad games and bad moments still seldom seems to give up more than two goals a night.  Whether it’s keeping the team in the game during the first period on Wednesday night when nobody else showed up, making two highlight-reel robbery saves in the first period on Friday or staying strong in a third game in four nights last night at Montreal becoming the first Devil goalie in seemingly forever to win a game at the Bell Centre not named Brodeur.  In the Devils’ first 23 games, only two have been decided by more than two goals – well really three but one of the two-plus goal games was an empty-netter we scored late in a 4-1 win over the Flyers.  And another was a 5-1 blowout loss in Edmonton with Keith Kinkaid in net.  So literally every game Cory plays with no margin for error, especially with an offense that’s top heavy.

If I’ve said this before too it also bears repeating, there’s a huge dropoff from the top six forwards to everyone else.  Palmeri, Stempniak, Adam Henrique, Mike Cammalleri and Travis Zajac all have at least fourteen points with Cammalleri pacing the group with 23 in 23 games.  After that group of five, the next few high scoring forwards have four points.  Essentially the Devils have one borderline first line, a second line and two fourth lines, which is still an improvement from last year when it was a second line, a third line and two fourth lines.  Of course Patrik Elias’s return will help and round out the top six quite nicely, and Elias also had a big goal in the third period last night to get the Devils back in the game.  If anyone in the top six gets hurt – a distinct possibility – the Devils could be boned unless Reid Boucher’s AHL revival is for real or Joe Blandisi comes up and provides a spark.  At least unlike prior season the Devils have viable options to turn to although you have to wonder how long they can go with a non-factor of a third line without calling one or both up?

More scoring from the defense would help too, Moore’s goal was also an outlier considering the defense combined for just eight goals total on the season including that game-winner, and their leading point-getter is Damon Severson with just seven in 22 games.  Ironically Greene and Larsson are probably the second and third best offensive defensemen on the team but considering their defensive responsibilities and the fact they start 3/4 of their shifts in the defensive zone while the other four typically get the offensive zone starts, offense isn’t really asked of them.

Still, Hynes and assistant Alain Nasreddine have gotten the most out of a young d-core that has limitations offensively to begin with.  And considering our power play has been ranked in the top five for pretty much the whole season you have to give fellow assistant Geoff Ward credit for that too, considering you have guys like Schlemko, Jacob Josefson and Jordin Tootoo playing major minutes on the PP the fact they’re scoring as much as they have certainly shows the staff can max out their assets.  Friday’s power play goal was created from such a high-level display of passing it brought back memories of the Kovalchuk PP goal in the first period of Game 6 in 2012 against the Rangers.  Having Elias back shouldn’t hurt the man advantage either.

Now comes the one bugaboo this team has had this season – playing up (and down) to the level of competition.  Something just doesn’t jive with beating the Hawks twice, taking three points from the Habs and beating the Rangers while losing to the Blue Jackets twice, and losing in Calgary and Edmonton sans Connor McDavid.  With a string of bottom-feeders coming up in the next five games there’s an opportunity for the Devils to get a bit of a cushion right now if they don’t struggle against teams they can beat.  Albeit it’s still too early for me to look at or even care at the standings but wins in November and December are just as important as the ones in March and April as far as the regular season standings go.

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Flyers humiliate listless Blueshirts

Posted on November 28, 2015 by Derek

Now it’s a slump. Playing a listless brand of hockey at home against a bitter rival, the Rangers were badly outplayed for the final two periods in a 3-0 shutout loss to the Flyers at a quiet MSG. It was the Flyers’ first win at The Garden in the last 11. They had lost 10 in a row. The Rangers have now dropped three in a row.

It started out okay. Dylan McIlrath delivered a clean check that injured Flyers defenseman Nick Schultz. The impact resulted in Luke Schenn taking up for a fallen teammate picking up an instigator and the extra 10 in a one-sided scrap with the much stronger McIlrath who gave him a beat down.

The Rangers had a good first period but were unable to beat Steve Mason, whose best save came on Dominic Moore. In on Mason, Moore had the Flyers netminder beat but his backhand was miraculously stopped by Mason’s stick shaft. A fantastic save. The kind that gave his team a lift.

Following a listless first, the Flyers responded the rest of the way by outshooting the Rangers 30-14. After only recording four shots in the opening 20 minutes, they were much more aggressive shooting from everywhere on tough luck loser Annti Raanta (31 saves). They were the aggressors taking advantage of poor puck management from the Blueshirts.

Raanta had already made some big saves on quality chances. But a Kevin Klein turnover in the neutral zone resulted in Wayne Simmonds beating him high glove on a breakaway. Matt Read made the play sending Simmonds in and he finally scored his fourth of the season. It was his first point in seven games. But the big man always does well against the Rangers. With two goals today including an empty netter, he now has 10 career goals versus the Broadway Blues.

It could’ve been a lot worse. The Flyers out-shot the Rangers 18-7 in the second. The theme was a familiar one. Sloppy defensive play. Bad turnovers. Credit the Flyers who adjusted by standing up at the blue line under first-year coach Dave Hakstol. They forced the Rangers into turnovers allowing them to transition the opposite way.

Simply put, there was no adjustment from the home team. They didn’t execute. The Rangers were stubborn continuing to try to carry the puck in. They refused to dump it in and use their speed to get behind a slow Flyers D which was down to five following Schultz’ injury. They made it easy on Philadelphia who improved to 2-0-0 in the season series. When’s the last time that happened?

In the third, it was more of the same. The Flyers with the better chances forcing Raanta into difficult saves. It would’ve been 6-0 if not for the brilliant play of the Finnish backup. He stopped 10 of 11 in the third.

Another uncharacteristic turnover from Klein resulted in the Flyers’ second goal. He was forced into it by Scott Laughton who fed the omnipresent Simmonds who was allowed to drive to the net as three Blueshirts watched. He got off a tough backhand that Raanta kicked out. But Sean Couturier was allowed to take two whacks and finally got just reward increasing to 2-0 with 16:54 remaining.

Trailing by two, they had to kill off a Flyers two-man advantage. With McIlrath off for a hook, Jarret Stoll took a bad penalty swiping the goalie stick from Mason on the penalty kill. It just added more time and allowed the guys in white, black and orange to keep the momentum even though they didn’t score.

The Rangers’ first game without Derek Stepan (broken ribs) wasn’t good enough. There were too many passengers. Coach Alain Vigneault mixed things up trying Chris Kreider with Kevin Hayes and Rick Nash. He also used Stoll a lot with the checking pivot getting 16 minutes and going 7-of-7 on face-offs. Dominic Moore also played nearly 17 minutes. Oddly enough, both checking centers got more time than Nash (15:49, 3 shots).

“We were just on the outside a lot,” Nash told MSG’s John Giannone in the post game. “In the second, we just didn’t respond well to it.”

Slumps happen. During a long 82-game schedule, they’re bound to happen. The Rangers were winning games due to their skill and goaltending. They weren’t playing great hockey. Defensively, there are issues that need correcting. Ditto for the puck management. We’ll see if they can get it fixed for Monday night against Carolina.

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