Battle Of Hudson

Emotionless Rangers Get Humiliated by Sabres

Posted on November 8, 2024 by Derek

The tape for this one should be burned. The Rangers got exactly what they deserved. A lack of intensity caused them to get humiliated 6-1 on home ice by the Sabres at what sounded like a library. Or a funeral home. They gave the fans nothing to cheer about. It was as lopsided as the final score indicated.

It didn’t help matters that Igor Shesterkin had an off night. He allowed a soft call to Rasmus Dahlin just 26 seconds into the game. It didn’t get any better. He was beaten five times on a dozen shots. That included a dominant stretch by the Sabres in which they scored three straight goals over a 2:11 span during a four-goal second period explosion to chase Shesterkin. He couldn’t cover for his teammates’ mistakes.

https://twitter.com/BuffaloSabres/status/1854678773662392469

There were again too many defensive breakdowns. It really showed in an uncompetitive second that silenced Madison Square Garden. After K’Andre Miller failed to get the puck out of the zone, Jack Quinn and Zach Benson combined to set up Dylan Cozens in the left circle for a shot that beat Shesterkin glove side to make it 2-0. After Miller lost his stick, Mika Zibanejad stood at the blue line like he was frozen and watched Cozens get into position and fire home his second of the season at 2:45.

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It was another poor showing for Zibanejad, who dragged linemates Alexis Lafreniere and Artemi Panarin down. Lafreniere wasn’t much better. Even Panarin wasn’t quite himself despite recording his 800th career point on a secondary assist in the third period of a Will Cuylle goal. He only registered a single shot.

Even the Rangers’ power play was a non-factor. The Sabres successfully killed off four. As usual, most of it was due to the first unit, which overstayed shifts. They hardly tested Ukko-Pekka Lukkonen until the final one in the third when Cuylle had a Zac Jones backhand deflect off him. Lukkonen made his biggest save of the game when he robbed Chris Kreider on the doorstep to dash any hopes of a comeback.

The first period was perplexing. Following Dahlin’s goal on the opening shift, there wasn’t much going on. The Sabres used their team speed to attack the Rangers during shifts. There wasn’t much pushback. They seemed to go through the motions. That was despite holding an 8-6 edge in shots.

Ironically, the strongest shift came when Kaapo Kakko initiated contact with Bowen Byram in the corner to try to keep a forecheck alive. However, he grabbed Byram to go to the penalty box. At least he was noticeable. Most of the top six wasn’t. That included Zibanejad, who continues to be catered to by another coaching staff. He continues not to produce at five-on-five. You hardly noticed him. But he wasn’t benched. Coach Peter Laviolette decided to make an example out of Lafreniere. He was demoted to the third line and didn’t take many shifts in the final period. He finished -2 with no shots in 13:01 of ice time.

Ever since Laviolette reunited his old defensive pairs, the defense has gotten worse. Miller and Jacob Trouba were on for three goals against. Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox were victimized on two. The only pair that held up their end of the bargain was Jones and Braden Schneider. They each were on for Cuylle’s goal and were a +1 in the loss. If Jones comes out of the lineup on Saturday, something’s wrong.

In the second, with the Rangers trailing by two, they failed to capitalize on a Beck Malenstyn delay of game minor. Kreider had the only shot which Luukonen handled easily. The second unit came out with 28 seconds left. Jones missed high off a faceoff. That was it.

Tage Thompson increased the Sabres’ lead to 3-0 with 8:21 left. On a play started in transition by Connor Clifton, he sent J.J. Peterka into the Rangers’ zone. With Reilly Smith chasing the play, Peterka fed Thompson for a high riser that beat Shesterkin. Miller and Trouba were back in coverage. Thompson beat Smith to the spot for the goal.

On the next shift, Lindgren lost a puck battle to Jason Zucker in the corner. That allowed Zucker to come out with the puck and easily find Jordan Greenway for a tap-in that made it 4-0. The goal came 30 seconds later. It was a pitiful effort from Lindgren. He looked slow. Fox didn’t bother to cover Greenway. As much criticism as Lindgren and Miller receive, Fox deserves some as well. He hasn’t looked like the same player. His skating isn’t as good. He’s getting beaten a lot more defensively. It’s becoming a growing concern.

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Less than two minutes later, Peyton Krebs and Malenstyn combined to set up Sam Lafferty. After Malenstyn blew by a flatfooted Adam Edstrom, he passed across for Lafferty, who tucked in a backhand to end Shesterkin’s night. Trouba did the snow angel on the goal. It never works. I wish more players stayed on their feet.

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The Sabres scored three goals on three consecutive shots. It doesn’t get any better than that. Unless you’re the Rangers. Laviolette never took his timeout. I would’ve after Thompson’s goal made it 3-0. He needed to slow down Buffalo’s momentum. At that point, Jonathan Quick came relieved Shesterkin.

When the third period began, the Rangers finally showed some signs of life. After taking a Panarin feed, Jones skated into the slot and sent a backhand towards the net with Cuylle in the area. The puck deflected off him to make it 5-1 with 15:39 remaining. It was Cuylle’s fourth of the season. He continues to be a consistent player in his second year. He stayed on a line with Panarin and Vincent Trocheck during the third.

https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1854709363308740751

On the very next shift, the Rangers were all over the Sabres. They had the puck on a string. It finally led to Krebs taking a hooking minor. That sent them to the power play. If they’d scored there, things could’ve gotten interesting. Kreider was all set up in front. But Luukonen made a clutch pad save to deny him of a sure goal. He was that close to making it a 5-2 game.

With the power play winding down, Jones made a nice move around the net to find an open Kakko in front. But he somehow missed high and wide. All Kakko had to do was hit the net. Finishing plays doesn’t come easy for him. It was a golden opportunity. The Sabres survived the Rangers’ best punch.

On a play in the neutral zone, Sam Carrick boarded Malenstyn from behind. It was a bad penalty. Kreider took a similar one back in the first period. Carrick’s penalty proved costly. Alex Tuch sent Jack Quinn into the zone. He then found Zach Benson all alone for a tap-in that made it 6-1 with 8:05 remaining.

In a rarity for the Sabres, all 12 forwards recorded at least a point. It was the first time that happened since Jan. 17, 1994 when they defeated the Capitals 7-2. Congrats to the Rangers on helping the Sabres make history. At least they accomplished something.

I listened to some of Laviolette’s postgame on MSG Network. I didn’t agree with his assessment. While they didn’t give up as many high danger chances, like the past couple of games, the defense again struggled. He was correct in his assertion that his team didn’t go after the Sabres’ defense enough. They didn’t attack until they were down five goals in the third period. Not to mention Buffalo had a sixth goal wiped out due to the play being offside.

It was a lousy game. They performed as badly as Kamala Harris did on Election Night. They had three days off. Trouba felt like they weren’t prepared from the get-go. How is that possible? One team was skating and winning battles all over the ice. The other was a half-step behind and chasing the game. There isn’t anything else to say.

Posted in Column, NYRangers | Tagged Adam Edstrom, Adam Fox, Alexis Lafreniere, Artemi Panarin, Beck Malenstyn, Braden Schneider, Chris Kreider, Dylan Cozens, Igor Shesterkin, J.J. Peterka, Jacob Trouba, Jason Zucker, Jonathan Quick, Jordan Greenway, K'Andre Miller, Mika Zibanejad, Peter Laviolette, Peyton Krebs, Rangers, Rasmus Dahlin, Reilly Smith, Ryan Lindgren, Sabres, Sam Carrick, Sam Lafferty, Tage Thompson, Ukko Pekka-Luukkonen, Vincent Trocheck, Will Cuylle, Zac Jones, Zach Benson | Leave a comment

Which Rangers and Devils Would you Vote for?

Posted on November 6, 2024 by Derek

On a very warm November day in New York City, it’s the day after the election. A new President was chosen on Tuesday night, Nov. 5. Historically speaking, the 47th President of the United States was elected. Of course, this space doesn’t cover the polarizing topic of politics.

We are a hockey blog that covers the unique rivalry between the Rangers and Devils. Separated by the Hudson River, a ride from Newark to Penn Station is only a Path train away. Or vice versa. Once, it was Exit 16 W to go see the Devils play in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

When I interned for Stan Fischler, I’d frequently take the Lincoln Tunnel from Upper Harlem to work home games as a production assistant. Sometimes, we’d take the George Washington Bridge to the Devils’ practice facility in South Mountain. That was fun. Once, I even asked the well-respected Devils coach Larry Robinson a question following the morning skate. Afterward, Fischler informed me that I wasn’t supposed to. It was a good learning experience. Robinson answered the question. So. It couldn’t have been that bad.

Sometimes, I miss the glory days of those games at The Meadowlands. There was the memorable 1-0 shutout that featured Dominik Hasek outdueling Martin Brodeur on Feb. 22, 2001. Hasek made 24 saves. Brodeur stopped 16 of 17. The only goal came from Dave Andreychuk. A trio of Hall of Famers.

That game also featured Scott Niedermayer, Scott Stevens, and Patrik Elias. Elias, who may one day get inducted. If only they’d select Alexander Mogilny. He too, was on that team. The 43 goals is still fresh in my memory. Mogilny was an exciting scorer who played with Scott Gomez and Sergei Brylin. That was considered the second line. It was 1B. The A Line was 1A. It was centered by Stanley Cup hero Jason Arnott, who had remarkable chemistry with Elias and Petr Sykora. Imagine that Bobby Holik centered the third line. John Madden was the fourth line checking center. Now, the salary cap era doesn’t allow for such teams to exist.

What I remember most about that game was how it ended. Robinson had lifted Brodeur for an extra attacker. The Devils thought Brian Rafalski had scored the tying goal at the buzzer. When we looked at it in the production truck, it was obvious that the puck didn’t cross the goal line until the clock was at 0.00. Rafalski had his goal waved off. The Sabres won the game by that 1-0 score.

Looking back, those were the two best teams in the Eastern Conference. The Sabres didn’t have much star talent. An aging Doug Gilmour was on the roster. Their best goal scorer was Miroslav Satan. If ever there was a player with a name that should’ve been a Devil, Satan was it. It used to be a running joke on the old NJDevs message board. It still is up and running. I was a rival fan who certainly had my share of heated debates with the regulars that included the one and only Hasan. It’s a good community made up of passionate diehards who bleed red and black. I’m glad it’s still around. Brad Smith is the genius behind it. He deserves a lot of credit for keeping it going.

When I reflect back, maybe some of the stuff I posted was misguided. Even though it was never my intention to rile up fans I knew by name. However, what were we fighting over? The plight of our hockey teams. It doesn’t seem that important anymore. Back then, the rivalry was one-sided. If you rooted for the players who represented the big city, there was nothing to look forward to. Those games were torture. Believe me. I sat through some real stinkers. When you had even Devils fans after the game coming up to you saying, “I feel bad for you,” it spoke volumes. Those were the Dark Ages for Rangers fans.

Two decades later, both teams are good again. The names on the backs of the jerseys have changed. For the Blueshirts, it’s Shesterkin who’s replaced Lundqvist as arguably the league’s best goalie. For the Devils, Hughes gets the most ink. That would be Jack. But Hischier is their best player. His hot start has finally given him the attention he deserves. I’m talking about Nico Hischier. A top five shutdown center who’s the Devils captain. He’s a complete player. Who would you rather have now? Elias Pettersson or Hischier. It’s a no-brainer.

Before we reached this point, you once had Henrik Lundqvist going up against Brodeur. A pair of legendary No. 30’s. Of course, it’s Marty that remains at the top with the most wins (691), shutouts (125), games played (1,266), and minutes played (74,438:25) in NHL history. He was the backbone of the Devils’ three Stanley Cups (95, 00, 03). There were four Vezinas over a five-year span. At 40, he even backstopped the Devils past the Rangers in a closely fought six-game series to take that team to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012. It was his revenge for 1994. As good as he was, the name Henrique remains etched in Devils’ lore. Game 6 overtime hero Adam Henrique still plays for the Oilers.

I always looked forward to those goalie battles. It reminded me of the 1990s between Mike Richter and Brodeur. While Brodeur was the better goalie, Richter won the biggest matchups head-to-head. If only he didn’t break down due to how poorly constructed the Rangers were after Mark Messier bolted for Vancouver in 1997. He still won over 300 games. A mark that the brilliant Lundqvist easily surpassed by setting a franchise record with 459 wins. He also owns the most shutouts (64) in Rangers’ history. It’s hard to picture Igor Shesterkin reaching those marks if he stays. The days of starting netminders being ironmen are gone.

The current Blueshirts are a good team that’s yet to play for the Cup. Twice, they’ve been one step away. Do Panarin, Zibanejad, Kreider, Fox, Lindgren, Lafreniere, Trouba, Trocheck, Miller, Chytil, Kakko, Cuylle, and Schneider have what it takes? They are the core. It was in 2023 that most of them failed miserably in a crushing seven-game first round defeat to the Devils. Peter Laviolette replaced Gerard Gallant, whose message had become stale. He’s been somewhat dissatisfied with his team’s defensive play so far. Despite an 8-2-1 record, they haven’t played well.

The Devils made changes to their roster over the past summer. Jacob Markstrom replaced 2023 first round hero Akira Schmid. Paul Cotter came over from Vegas to add much needed grit. He hasn’t disappointed. Tomas Tatar returned. So too did Stefan Noesen. Brett Pesce is being counted on to improve a blue line that struggled. Brenden Dillon adds physicality. There still are some familiar names. Hughes. Bratt. Hischier. Mercer. Meier. Haula. Siegenthaler. Bastian. Hughes’ younger brother Luke is a key piece on the back end. The goalies went from Schmid and Vitek Vanecek to Markstrom and Jake Allen. The results have been mixed thus far under new coach Sheldon Keefe. They’re 8-5-2. If they find consistency, they should finish in the top three of the Metropolitan Division.

The Rangers and Devils meet four times this season. Their first meeting isn’t until Dec. 2 at Madison Square Garden. The follow-up is right before Christmas on Dec. 23 at The Prudential Center. The third matchup is Jan. 9 at 33rd and 7th. The final regular season meeting is Apr. 5. So. We get three exciting rivalry games in just over a month. Then, we must wait until it’s almost spring for the fourth meeting. Assuming both teams make the playoffs, who knows. Maybe they play each other on a bigger stage again. At least, that’s the hope.

If we were to poll fans of each team, which player would they vote for depending on the category? Isn’t that what makes following one of the best rivalries in hockey fun? You can have sports bar debates over who’s the better leader. Messier or Stevens. If you’ve sat up in the Blue Seats, it’s Mark Messier.

The Hall of Famer led the Rangers to the Cup in 1994. His Game 6 Guarantee remains the stuff of legend. With their backs against the wall, facing elimination in the Eastern Conference Final, No. 11 believed that his team would go into enemy territory and win to force a deciding Game 7. When they fell behind 2-0 against the Devils, it looked like the 54-year curse would extend for another year. Late in the second period, Messier dropped the puck for Alexei Kovalev, who beat Brodeur to get them back in the game. The third period remains one for the ages. Messier tied the game on a backhand and then steered in a rebound to put the Rangers ahead. He later sealed it with an empty netter from his own zone to record a natural hat trick.

The Rangers still needed to go to double overtime before Stephane Matteau had his wraparound bank in off the skate of Slava Fetisov past a stunned Brodeur. They couldn’t even win their first championship since 1940 without making it interesting. They blew a 3-1 series lead against the Canucks. Vancouver was a good team that featured the ever-dangerous Pavel Bure. Bure remains the most electrifying finisher that I’ve ever seen. Game 7 went down to the wire after Canucks captain Trevor Linden scored his second goal of the game. There were a couple of goalposts. Luck was on the Rangers’ side. They held on to celebrate on Garden ice. Brian Leetch became the first American-born player to win the Conn Smythe.

All Stevens did was lead the Devils to three Cups in less than a decade. He wasn’t very outspoken. He led by example with his strong defensive play on the ice. A year later, he did his talking with some memorable hits, including one that shook up Slava Kozlov in the Stanley Cup Finals. While Stevens provided the physicality that he became well known for, Claude Lemieux scored in the clutch. That included his series winner in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Flyers. Lemieux won the Conn Smythe.

Stevens continued his dominance against opponents during the Devils’ run to a second Cup in 2000. Most notably, it was Game 7 against the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Final that is remembered by hockey fans. In a tie hockey game, with the series up for grabs, Stevens caught Eric Lindros with a vicious open ice hit that knocked him out unconscious. Lindros had his head down when Stevens came across his own blue line and leveled him with a shoulder to chest hit that ended his career as a Flyer. The image of Lindros shaking remains one of the scariest. He suffered another concussion that would keep him out for the entire 2000-01 season.

With over two minutes left, Arnott set up Elias for the series clincher before a stunned Flyers crowd. The Devils came back from a 3-1 deficit to take the series. They’d go on to defeat the Stars in six games for their second championship in five years. Elias set up Arnott in double overtime for the memorable Cup winner. For his part, Stevens won the Conn Smythe. He was the driving force behind that team winning it all.

The Devils last won in 2003. Even at 39, Stevens remained the leader of the red and black. While there was more attention given to Niedermayer and Brodeur for their postseason performances, it was the Devils captain who was the constant on the blue line. In what proved to be his final year as a player, he played through a concussion after taking an errant slap shot to the helmet from Pavel Kubina in the second round against the Lightning. The Devils survived a strong Senators team to win Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final at Ottawa. Jeff Friesen scored the series clincher late in regulation. They defeated the Ducks in seven to capture their third Cup.

Although Jean-Sebastien Giguere won the Conn Smythe for the losing Ducks to his brilliant postseason, he wasn’t as dominant against the Devils. It was a rare series when the home team won every game. That included a 3-0 shutout in Game 7. Mike Rupp became an unlikely playoff hero with a goal and an assist to highlight the victory. Ironically, he’d later play for the Rangers and be involved in a line brawl against the Devils in 2011-12. A game I attended. The energy at MSG for that game was through the roof. You even had John Tortorella screaming at Pete DeBoer as Rupp, Stu Bickel, and Brandon Prust fought Cam Janssen, Ryan Carter and Eric Boulton.

If you’re picking one player to start your franchise with, who are you selecting? Is it Messier for the Rangers? Or Leetch? Or maybe you prefer Lundqvist or Shesterkin. Panarin or Fox also are options. The choice is similar for the Devils. You can choose Brodeur, Stevens, or Niedermayer. Would any Red and Black Army fan select Elias, Hughes or Hischier? It all depends on your perspective. For me personally, I’m old school. I probably would go with Messier over Leetch because he changed the way the Rangers played. If I were to choose one Devil, I would probably lean towards Stevens for a similar reason. But Brodeur is an obvious choice for most. They’ve never had a goalie like him since.

What about most exciting? Kovalev was a player who could bring you out of your seat. So too, was Leetch. Was anyone more fun to watch than Jaromir Jagr during the Rangers’ rebirth after the lockout? Jagr almost singlehandedly willed the 2005-06 Rangers back to the playoffs. He still holds the franchise single season records with 54 goals and 123 points. Too bad they robbed him of the Hart that season. Panarin would get a lot of votes. He’s the greatest free agent signing in franchise history. Both Lundqvist and Shesterkin would be popular. Mogilny was that player for the Devils. He and Scott Gomez electrified crowds. Elias too, had that quality. But he wasn’t as explosive as Mogilny, who eventually bolted for Toronto. Brodeur could be chosen as well. Niedermayer might also poll well. Currently, it’s Hughes. Gone but not forgotten is Taylor Hall, who carried the 2017-18 Devils to the postseason. He’s the only Devil to ever win the Hart. He put up 39 goals and 93 points, with many coming in the clutch.

What if you could select a First All-Star Team? Who’s your center, left wing, right wing, two defensemen, and goalie? I’ll give you mine.

NEW YORK RANGERS

C Mark Messier

LW Chris Kreider

RW Jaromir Jagr

D Brian Leetch

D Adam Fox

G Henrik Lundqvist

Let the debate begin. Why Kreider over Panarin? Kreider’s been a better playoff performer. I factored that in. He’s also the greatest Rangers finisher since Adam Graves. He matched Graves’ then single season franchise record of 52 in 2021-22. His 26 power-play goals beat Jagr’s record. I took Lundqvist over both Richter and Shesterkin. Rangers fans aren’t spoiled with much. but goalie has been incredible. I keep going back to King Henrik’s record in Game 7’s. Clutch.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

C Nico Hischier

LW Patrik Elias

RW Petr Sykora

D Scott Stevens

D Scott Niedermayer

G Martin Brodeur

From my perspective, it’s hard not to go with classic Devils from the championship era. I easily could’ve picked Arnott as the center. But I feel like Hischier has a chance to become their best center. He is an exceptional five-on-five player who is superb on the penalty kill and wins faceoffs. He’s good on the power play. There aren’t any holes. The younger generation can make the argument for Hughes. It’s justified. He will put up over a point-per-game. If he stays healthy, he’ll become the first ever Devil to top the century mark in a season. He still needs to improve defensively. He’s not there yet. The only other right wing I’d consider is Brian Gionta, who scored a franchise single season record 48 in 2005-06. That remains a remarkable achievement.

There’s so much more you can do. There could even be a category for best quote. Messier and Lundqvist top the list. Graves certainly was always available following games. Along with Lundqvist, they’re probably the nicest Rangers. Graves remains the most charitable. Brodeur and Gomez were those guys for the Devils. So was Ken Daneyko. If we’re talking coaches, it’s Tortorella for me. He had a way with words. Ask Larry Brooks. I’d go Pat Burns for the Devils. They don’t win that third Cup without him. He was the perfect hire.

Funniest player? Tony DeAngelo. Some of the skits they used to run with him were classic. Derek Stepan was also pretty good when it came to the off-ice shenanigans. Who would be that player for the Devils? I’m not as familiar with them. Any classic pranksters?

Most talkative? Holik would be the answer for both sides. He didn’t pull any punches. That was part of the problem when he was in the Big Apple. He still was a good player. It was a bad fit. In New Jersey, his style worked much better.

Most stylish? There’s only one King Henrik. He remains impeccable as a studio analyst. He isn’t quite Clyde Frazier. But his personality along with his clothes makes him look like GQ. I’m not sure who that is for the Devils. Brodeur?

That’s going to do it for this fun edition. Both teams return to action on Thursday night. The Devils host the Canadiens. The Rangers host the Sabres.

Posted in Battle Of Hudson, Column | Tagged Adam Fox, Alexander Mogilny, Alexei Kovalev, Alexis Lafreniere, Artemi Panarin, Battle Of Hudson, Brenden Dillon, Brett Pesce, Brian Leetch, Chris Kreider, Claude Lemieux, Column, Devils, Eric Lindros, Filip Chytil, Henrik Lundqvist, Hudson Rivalry, Igor Shesterkin, Jack Hughes, Jacob Markstrom, Jacob Trouba, Jason Arnott, Jesper Bratt, Jonas Siegenthaler, K'Andre Miller, Luke Hughes, Mark Messier, Martin Brodeur, Mika Zibanejad, Mike Richter, Nico Hischier, Patrik Elias, Paul Cotter, Peter Laviolette, Petr Sykora, Rangers, Ryan Lindgren, Scott Niedermayer, Scott Stevens, Sheldon Keefe, Stefan Noesen, Stephane Matteau, Timo Meier, Will Cuylle | Leave a comment

Concerns Remain For Blueshirts Despite Successful Weekend

Posted on November 4, 2024 by Derek

With another victory on home ice over the Islanders, the Rangers continue to win games. Despite not playing their best hockey, they’ve won eight of their first eleven to sit atop the Metropolitan Division

It was a successful weekend. After hanging on to defeat the Senators, they played well enough in the third period to pull away from the Islanders to take the first of four regular season meetings against their crosstown rivals.

The Islanders skated without five regulars. That included star forward Mat Barzal, Anthony Duclair, Adam Pelech, Alexander Romanov, and Mike Reilly. The roster they played with gave a great effort. At times, they dictated the terms with a strong forecheck, which caused the Blueshirts problems in their end.

In a game that saw each side take turns generating high-quality chances, both goalies shined. Off the ice, Igor Shesterkin and Ilya Sorokin are best friends. On it, they’re competitors who are the backbone of their teams. The Russian netminders faced a combined 76 shots on Sunday. They stopped 70, with Shesterkin a bit better. He made 35 saves on 37 shots. Sorokin stopped 35 of 39.

The difference in the contest proved to be special teams. As much as the Islanders did to establish a consistent forecheck at five-on-five, it wasn’t enough to come out of Madison Square Garden with a victory. Their power play was miserable. They went 0-for-5 and allowed a shorthanded goal to Chris Kreider early.

With Jacob Trouba off for holding the stick of Islanders captain Anders Lee, Kreider came out with Mika Zibanejad to create a two-on-one. Kreider finished off a diagonal Zibanejad feed for his second shorthanded goal of the season at 3:44.

https://twitter.com/BR_OpenIce/status/1853139417445147083?t=1cVFK81IjvHEABi-aPdiwA&s=19

Since the start of 2021-22, Kreider has scored the most shorthanded goals with 11. Sidekick Zibanejad has usually been involved. As much as they struggle at even strength when they’re together, they remain one of the league’s best forward duos on the penalty kill. Their chemistry together is why. They know what each other is going to do.

For the first time this season, they were split up by coach Peter Laviolette. Looking to shake things up after two inconsistent performances against the Capitals and Senators, he had Zibanejad with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Kreider played with Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko. Vincent Trocheck was between Will Cuylle and Reilly Smith. The changes helped spark an offense that was nonexistent at even strength in the previous two games.

They also got back Jimmy Vesey. He made his season debut by joining Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom on the fourth line. Vesey played 8:28 in his first game. He didn’t kill penalties. Cuylle remained there instead.

Those weren’t the only changes to the lineup. Laviolette decided to reunite his top two pairs. Ryan Lindgren was back with Adam Fox. K’Andre Miller worked with Jacob Trouba. Neither pairing was spotless. Each had some issues with the Islanders attacking below the dots. Shesterkin was there to bail them out.

Zac Jones returned after sitting out two straight games for Victor Mancini. He was back with Braden Schneider on the third pair. Coincidentally, they were the best defensive tandem for the Blueshirts.

Leading by a goal, they nearly doubled up on the same penalty kill. Smith thought he had another shorthanded goal. But Sorokin got across to make a great pad save to rob Smith. Afterward, Brock Nelson had a shot go off the crossbar.

On a quick rush through transition, Chytil came close to increasing the lead. But his shot hit the goalpost. The speed with which he plays makes him a dangerous threat for the Rangers. He’s the fastest skating forward they have.

After stopping Kyle Palmieri on a prior shift, Shesterkin denied Noah Dobson in tight. He made 10 saves in the first period to keep the Islanders off the scoreboard.

Sorokin made key stops on Panarin late in the period to keep his team within one.

The second period was hectic. The teams combined for 34 shots, with the Islanders holding an 18-16 edge. It was the Rangers who took advantage of a mistake by Islanders defenseman Samuel Bolduc to go up by two.

Following a Bolduc giveaway, Smith set up Trocheck from behind the net to put the Rangers up 2-0 at 1:21. The goal was Trocheck’s 200th of his career. He continues to be productive. The new look with Smith and Cuylle on his line worked. They were noticeable during most shifts.

Over three minutes later, the Islanders broke through on Shesterkin. On a play in transition, Simon Holmstrom sent Pierre Engvall in for a routine shot from the left circle that Shesterkin fumbled for a bad rebound. Casey Cizikas beat Smith to put the loose puck in for his first of the season at 4:38.

The Islanders had a great chance to tie the game. With Kreider already in the box, Fox took an ill-advised delay of game minor to give the Islanders a five-on-three for 36 seconds. After Shesterkin stopped Lee, Nelson hit the goalpost. Still on the power play, Lee took an undisciplined interference minor on Trouba to end it.

Following an abbreviated four-on-four, Trocheck drew a hooking minor on Ryan Pulock. That gave the Rangers a two-man advantage. After the Islanders killed off 14 seconds of a five-on-three, Panarin converted on the power play for his team-leading eighth to make it 3-1 with less than nine minutes left in the period. Fox and Zibanejad combined to set him up for a wrist shot that went between Trocheck’s legs past a screened Sorokin. It was well executed.

Trailing by two, the Islanders responded quickly. Palmieri nearly made it a one-goal game. But he was turned aside twice by Shesterkin. The remainder of the second favored the Long Island rival. They tilted the ice with their aggressive forecheck.

Eventually, the hard work paid off. On a dominant shift spent in the Rangers’ end, Lee found Palmieri, who then cut around a diving Trouba and sent a shot pass across for Nelson to tip in with eight seconds remaining for his fifth. That cut the deficit to one headed to the third period.

On an early power play, Trocheck looked like he had another goal, only to see Sorokin make a clutch save to thwart him. The second unit also came close. But Kaapo Kakko was denied by Sorokin. Lafreniere set up Chytil for a good chance in the slot that Sorokin gloved.

In what proved to be the save of the game, Shesterkin turned away Bo Horvat on a breakaway. That proved to be the turning point.

A bit later, Edstrom had a Schneider point shot bank off his back and took a strange bounce in midair that went towards the Islanders net. Carrick looked like he stuffed it in. The replay showed that the puck had already crossed the line. Thar gave Edstrom a well-deserved first goal of the season. He gets chances every game. He finally got rewarded.

With the Rangers ahead 4-2, Fox took another bad delay of game minor. He still hasn’t been himself. He’s made more mistakes than usual. Fortunately, the penalty kill delivered.

Edstrom got another opportunity. But Sorokin stopped him on the backhand to keep the Islanders alive. Patrick Roy lifted Sorokin with over four minutes left. The move backfired.

https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1853454827252019277

Panarin sealed it with an empty netter that came with 3:23 remaining. He’s up to nine goals in the Rangers’ first 11 games. Last season, he scored a career best 49. He shows no signs of slowing down. Ever since Laviolette emphasized shooting the puck more, the Bread Man has. He’s become a better player by getting more involved on the forecheck. That was a big reason for the success he had with Lafreniere and Trocheck in 2023-24. Lafreniere is strong on the wall and he’s a puck hawk. He came back hard defensively during a shift yesterday to steal the puck and start a play in transition.

It remains to be seen if they can unlock Zibanejad at even strength. Zibanejad finished with a season high three assists. They came shorthanded, on the power play, and on Panarin’s empty netter. He still doesn’t have a goal at five-on-five. That must change.

Although Laviolette was pleased with his team’s effort, they’re still giving up too many shots. The defense remains an issue. There were too many instances when the Islanders had both Lindgren and Fox and Miller and Trouba pinned in their end chasing the play. That can’t continue.

Schneider was tried with Trouba before Lindgren returned. They had some success with Schneider playing the left side. Miller remains an enigma. At times, he has strong shifts where he uses his size and reach to make good defensive plays. Then, there are shifts where he makes bad decisions that cause issues. He had better metrics with Fox than Trouba, who seems to get dragged down when they’re together. Trouba worked well with both Schneider and Lindgren.

If there was a positive to come out of the win, it was the steady play of Jones. He belongs on the third pair. The problem is Mancini isn’t on the roster to sit in the press box. If that becomes the case, he should go down to Hartford. Matthew Robertson is off to a good start for the Wolf Pack. Depending upon what Laviolette decides, that’ll determine if Mancini stays. He has shown poise and promise. But he’s a true rookie at the pro level. Will there be an adjustment period?

The Rangers have the next three days off. David Gilmour is booked at MSG tonight, tomorrow, and Wednesday. They wrap up the three-game homestand against the Sabres on Thursday, Nov. 7. Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is two weeks later.

The Blueshirts lead the Hurricanes by a point for the division. They’re 8-2-0. The Capitals are 8-3-0. The Devils are 7-5-2. They all have 16 points. New Jersey visits Edmonton later tonight. They look to bounce back from a 3-0 shutout loss at Calgary. Gametime is 8:30 EST.

Posted in Column, NYRangers | Tagged Adam Edstrom, Adam Fox, Adam Pelech, Alexander Romanov, Alexis Lafreniere, Anders Lee, Anthony Duclair, Artemi Panarin, Braden Schneider, Brock Nelson, Casey Cizikas, Chris Kreider, Filip Chytil, Igor Shesterkin, Ilya Sorokin, Islanders, Jacob Trouba, Jimmy Vesey, K'Andre Miller, Kaapo Kakko, Kyle Palmieri, Mat Barzal, Mika Zibanejad, Mike Reilly, Patrick Roy, Peter Laviolette, Pierre Engvall, Rangers, Reilly Smith, Ryan Lindgren, Sam Carrick, Victor Mancini, Vincent Trocheck, Will Cuylle, Zac Jones | Leave a comment

Rempe Sent Down to Wolf Pack

Posted on November 2, 2024 by Derek

On Saturday, the New York Rangers sent forward Matt Rempe back down to the Hartford Wolf Pack. He will be in the Wolf Pack lineup later today when they visit the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

For Rempe, this is the best thing for his development. It never made sense for the Rangers organization to shuffle him back and forth, like they did after last weekend. He played in two games for the Pack before coming back up to get into this past Tuesday’s game against the Washington Capitals. All so Rempe could lose a fight to Dylan McIlrath and receive eight shifts for just 5:01 of ice time.

https://twitter.com/BR_OpenIce/status/1851409935042589058

Still just 22, Rempe needs to play consistent minutes to become a better player. He can do that in the American Hockey League (AHL). After surprising many with his energy rubbing off on teammates last season, the 2020 sixth round pick wasn’t trusted by Rangers coach Peter Laviolette. It showed in how Rempe was used towards the conclusion of last postseason.

When Adam Edstrom proved that he deserved a starting roster spot with a strong training camp, that meant Rempe became a part-timer on the Blueshirts. Due to Jonny Brodzinski, whose better skating and versatility made him a better fit for the fourth line, Rempe didn’t see much action. Instead, he was used sparingly in three games by Laviolette. The most ice time he received was against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 19. Rempe took 11 shifts and played 7:37 in a 4-1 win over the Maple Leafs.

https://twitter.com/NYR_PR/status/1852772677540348176

With Jimmy Vesey be activated off long-term injured reserve (LTIR), Rempe was reassigned to Hartford. Vesey is set to make his season debut for the Rangers tomorrow when they take on the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden at 1 EST. A start time that doesn’t make much sense considering that Sunday, Nov. 3 is the day of the New York City Marathon. MSG doesn’t seem to care about the inconvenience. Neither does the NHL, with the first of four rivalry games going head-to-head with the NFL.

Laviolette Shakes Things Up

At Saturday’s morning practice, Laviolette decided to shake things up. Dissatisfied with his team’s play in the last two games, he changed his lines. Most notably, he broke up the top line to accommodate Mika Zibanejad. Zibanejad should get a bump by playing alongside leading scorer Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. If that doesn’t work, then nothing will. Zibanejad remains without a five-on-five goal in the Rangers’ first 10 games. Laviolette wants to get him going.

https://twitter.com/vzmercogliano/status/1852745656550481978

Instead of playing with his normal linemates, Vincent Trocheck will work with Will Cuylle and Reilly Smith. They should be a straight-forward forechecking line who are defensively responsible. An area the Rangers have lacked so far.

Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko will be joined by Chris Kreider on the third line. Despite Zibanejad’s struggles, Kreider ranks second on the team in goals (6). Three have come at even strength, two on the power play, and one shorthanded. He doesn’t have an assist yet. Splitting up Kreider and Zibanejad makes sense. Kreider is capable of scoring on a different line. Adding them to the explosive Chytil and more confident Kakko should work. They already were having success with Cuylle as a reliable line that produced.

Vesey will play with Sam Carrick and Edstrom on the checking line. An ideal fit for the diligent checking forward, who will return to the penalty kill. Brodzinski comes out of the lineup. He’s proven that he’s capable of being a regular. It’ll be up to Laviolette when he wants to sub Brodzinski back in.

Jones Returns to Blue Line

After sitting out two straight games, Zac Jones returns to the blue line for tomorrow’s matinee. It’ll be his sixth appearance. He hasn’t played as much as rookie Victor Mancini. Laviolette seems to prefer Mancini’s size and skillset. In the first nine games of his NHL career, he has a goal and three assists with a +3 rating while averaging 15:21 of ice time.

Jones might be the Rangers’ best skating defenseman. He is very good at transitioning the puck. The 24-year-old is still scratching the surface as a player. He works well with Braden Schneider. With Mancini and Schneider having a tough time on Friday night, it makes sense to go back and see what Jones can bring. While he isn’t known for his defense, his speed can be a real asset. Jones has good offensive instincts. His only flaw is that he’s five-foot eleven, 185-pounds. Mancini is listed at six-foot three, 215 pounds.

Given that he was a 2019 third round pick, Jones deserves more of an opportunity to show what he can do. The only way for the Rangers to find out is by playing him.

The top two defensive pairs remain the same. K’Andre Miller is with Adam Fox. Ryan Lindgren and Jacob Trouba are the shutdown pair. How long that’ll remain depends on what happens over the next stretch.

Light Week Ahead

Following the Islanders’ visit on Sunday, the Rangers will play host to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, Nov. 7. They then will visit the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, Nov. 9 for the final regular season meeting. They took the first two meetings.

Posted in Battle News, NYRangers | Tagged Adam Edstrom, Adam Fox, AHL, Alexis Lafreniere, Artemi Panarin, Battle News, Braden Schneider, Chris Kreider, Dylan McIlrath, Filip Chytil, Hartford Wolf Pack, Jacob Trouba, Jimmy Vesey, Jonny Brodzinski, K'Andre Miller, Kaapo Kakko, Matt Rempe, Mika Zibanejad, Peter Laviolette, Rangers, Reilly Smith, Ryan Lindgren, Sam Carrick, Victor Mancini, Vincent Trocheck, Will Cuylle | Leave a comment

Shesterkin Bails Out Rangers Again

Posted on November 2, 2024 by Derek

Igor Shesterkin continues to be the story for the Rangers. In another lopsided game that saw the ice tilted over the final 40 minutes, Shesterkin made 40 saves to carry the Rangers past the Senators 2-1 at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.

That included him stopping 32 of 33 shots over the last two periods. The Senators outshot the Rangers 33-9 for an overall total of 41-18 for the game. They severely outplayed and out-chanced the Rangers. But they had a hard time beating Shesterkin, who was like a brick wall in the net.

Among the highlights were a glove save to rob Claude Giroux from 10 feet out on a delayed penalty. Giroux thought he had a sure goal. But Shesterkin reached up with his glove from his knees to snatch the puck. It took that kind of focus to bail out his teammates.

There would be other highlight reel saves, including a sequence when he denied Josh Norris twice at point blank range to prevent Ottawa from cutting a 2-0 lead to one halfway through the third period. At that point, it looked like Shesterkin would shut them out.

But eventually, Brady Tkachuk set up Adam Gaudette to make it 2-1 with 7:32 left in regulation. After Braden Schneider broke up a pass, the puck came right back to Tkachuk. He then found Gaudette open in the slot for a shot that beat Shesterkin to break up the shutout.

There was a mixup in coverage between Schneider and Victor Mancini. That allowed Gaudette to get his fifth from Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot. The third pair was pinned in often during the game. Mancini has the size and strength Laviolette prefers over Zac Jones. But he’s still a work in progress in his end. Jones and Schneider work more fluidly due to familiarity. Jones was a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game.

Fortunately, that’s as close as the Senators got. Shestekin turned aside the last eight shots to earn his fifth win of the season. In eight starts, he’s 5-2-0 with a 2.25 goals-against-average (GAA) and .931 save percentage. The only two losses were to the Panthers and Capitals. Both could’ve been more lopsided without Shesterkin. He’s been the last line of defense with the Rangers struggling to establish themselves at five-on-five.

Defensively, they continue to have issues. Last night, it was the Senators’ team speed and forecheck that caused problems. They came in waves at the Rangers, who frequently were chasing the play. It didn’t help matters that they took five penalties. Adam Fox was guilty of two. It hasn’t been the best start for Fox. He hasn’t looked like himself. In an interesting development, he logged only 18:53 of ice time. That included 15:35 at even strength. Partner K’Andre Miller received 18:11 and 22:29 overall. That included 3:31 shorthanded. He helped the Blueshirts kill off five Ottawa power plays.

If there was a positive, it was the strong play of Ryan Lindgren and Jacob Trouba. The new second pair did a good job limiting the Tkachuk line. They took away time and space from one of the premiere power forwards. There were plenty of physical battles during shifts. Tkachuk is a loud player, who plays the game with an edge. He searched for a couple of rebounds on Shesterkin during scrums which drew the ire of the Rangers.

The game didn’t start out badly for the Rangers. In fact, it was the big line that struck early to give them the lead. On an aggressive forecheck from Alexis Lafreniere, he forced Norris into a turnover. His takeaway allowed Artemi Panarin to rip a shot past Linus Ullmark at 3:03. Panarin leads them with seven goals. He has recorded at least a point in nine of ten games.

https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1852490921633357893

Adam Edstrom came close to doubling the lead. He got behind the Senators’ defense for a great chance but was turned away by Ullmark. For a fourth line player who doesn’t get many shifts, he makes things happen. Edstrom is a good skater for his size. When Jimmy Vesey is activated off long-term injured reserve (LTIR) for Sunday’s game against the Islanders, Edstrom deserves to stay in the lineup. If he doesn’t, it would be another letdown.

With Sam Carrick in the box for tripping, the Rangers’ penalty kill limited the Senators power play to two shots. Led by Lindgren and Trouba, they were superb. As usual, the forwards did their part, with Mika Zibanejad turning in some stellar defensive work. As far as his five-on-five play is concerned, it remains an issue. His line with Chris Kreider and Reilly Smith was better on Friday night. But they were unable to produce.

After playing the Senators on even terms, the Rangers were on their heels in the second period. A Kreider penalty negated a power play. During the four-on-four, Tim Stutzle was stopped by Shesterkin. Following an abbreviated power play, they applied the pressure at even strength. Mike Amadio hit the crossbar. It was the second crossbar the Sens hit. Tkachuk also rang one off the bar.

With Fox off for hooking, the Rangers killed off a dangerous Ottawa power play. Stutzle was set up in the slot but sent his one-timer wide. Gaudette later hit the goalpost. When they weren’t hitting the net, they either had wide open chances miss the mark or shots get blocked. As a team, the Rangers blocked 23 shots. Four different defensemen each had four blocks, including Lindgren, Miller, Braden Schneider, and Trouba. It took that kind of commitment to help out Shesterkin.

On a delayed call, it looked like Giroux was all set up for the tying goal. Instead, a lunging Shesterkin made a great glove save to loud chants of “Ig-or, Ig-or!” from the crowd. With Lindgren off for holding, the penalty kill stepped up by blanketing the Senators. Despite outshooting the Rangers 13-4, they still trailed by one following the period.

https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1852533601851572325

At the start of the third, Smith’s hustle drew a penalty on Norris. Despite some good pressure, the Rangers’ top unit was unable to take advantage. If there was a moment that summed up his slow start, Zibanejad flubbed on a good scoring chance. He missed completely. That’s how it’s gone for him. Even though he was more noticeable during his shifts, he only had two shots in 18:19. Later on, he thought he had Kreider for a goal. But Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven made a great defensive play, with a textbook stick check to deny Kreider.

There wasn’t much power play time left when coach Peter Laviolette stuck his second unit out for a shift. They made the most of it. After Smith moved the puck over to Filip Chytil, he sent a pass in front that a nifty Lafreniere tipped in over the goal line for a power-play goal with over 17 minutes remaining in the third. He’s up to five goals. Lafreniere was very good in this game. He made defensive plays and was in on both Rangers’ goals. With a goal and assist, Lafreniere has 10 points in 10 games. A good start for an evolving player who the Rangers invested in long-term.

https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1852520061690409256

The rest of the period was like an Ottawa power play. They spent so much time in the Rangers’ zone that it looked like they lived there. Shesterkin made saves on Stutzle and Nick Jensen on a strong Senators shift. After a Vincent Trocheck faceoff in the defensive zone, Fox took his second penalty when he took down Ridly Creig. It led to an impressive sequence from Shesterkin. After stopping Tkachuk in the slot, he robbed Norris twice on rebounds. On the same penalty kill, both Lindgren and Schneider had key shot blocks.

It took the Senators nearly 53 minutes to finally beat Shesterkin. Following a giveaway, Schneider blocked two Chabot shots. But Chabot stuck with it by getting the puck over to Tkachuk. After his first pass came back to him, he sent a second one across for Gaudette to finish off to make it 2-1 with 7:32 remaining.

Ottawa continued to apply pressure. With less than five minutes left, Shesterkin made stops on Jensen and Gaudette. Afterward, they were unable to muster much. The Rangers steadied when it mattered most.

With Ullmark off for an extra attacker, Shesterkin made saves on Stutzle and Jake Sanderson to preserve the win. Despite getting outshot 20-5, the Rangers held on to improve to 7-2-1. They were out-attempted 89-34.

They won the game. But there are more questions following it. Why are they struggling so much to establish a forecheck? What happened to the defensive structure under Laviolette? He again reemphasized that they need to play better during the postgame. How many times does he have to repeat himself? Ultimately, the players must perform better. It isn’t sustainable for long-term success.

Posted in Column, NYRangers | Tagged Adam Edstrom, Adam Fox, Adam Gaudette, Alexis Lafreniere, Artemi Panarin, Braden Schneider, Brady Tkachuk, Chris Kreider, Claude Giroux, Filip Chytil, Igor Shesterkin, Jacob Trouba, Jimmy Vesey, Josh Norris, K'Andre Miller, Linus Ullmark, Mika Zibanejad, Nick Jensen, Peter Laviolette, Rangers, Reilly Smith, Ryan Lindgren, Sam Carrick, Senators, Thomas Chabot, Tim Stutzle, Tyler Kleven, Victor Mancini | Leave a comment

Rangers Listless in Loss to Capitals

Posted on October 30, 2024 by Derek

If one were to summarize the Rangers’ performance against the Capitals, it would be listless. They got beat repeatedly to every loose puck and lost countless battles. They also were outplayed severely. The end result was a well-deserved 5-3 loss to the Caps in D.C.

On an emotional night in the Bronx, when the Yankees finally showed some signs of life against the Dodgers to avoid a sweep in the World Series, the Rangers showed little emotion against the Capitals. They were a mess defensively. There were lapses in coverage that led to easy goals against Igor Shesterkin. If not for him, it could’ve been a lot worse. Shesterkin made 41 saves in the defeat. Many were on wide open slot chances.

If there was an early indication of how defensively inept they were, Alex Ovechkin was allowed to roam free for a pair of goals in the early going. The first one came when Capitals coach Spencer Carberry took advantage of a matchup against the Rangers fourth line. Aliaksei Protas and Dylan Strome combined to feed Ovechkin in the slot for a wrist shot that beat Shesterkin five-hole for the game’s first goal at 3:23. Ryan Lindgren was late to arrive on the goal.

Less than a minute later, the third line struck yet again. On a good play from Kaapo Kakko off a faceoff in the neutral zone, he pushed the puck ahead to himself to create a two-on-one with Will Cuylle. Kakko then made a nice backhand feed in front that Cuylle buried for his third of the season. It gave him goals in consecutive games.

Kaapo gets it going + a ~fine~ finish from Cools. pic.twitter.com/YEmD2THUc8
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 29, 2024

But before they could gain any momentum from Cuylle’s rapid improvement, another defensive miscue led to Ovechkin getting his second of the first period. K’Andre Miller turned over the puck to Strome in the Rangers’ zone. He then moved the puck to Protas, who found Ovechkin for an easy finish to restore the Caps’ one-goal lead. This time, Adam Fox reacted too late to close out Ovechkin, who moved within 37 goals within Wayne Gretzky’s goalscoring record.

Heard y'all wanted more Ovi goal highlights pic.twitter.com/vfQwCWXGsA
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 29, 2024

The miserable period continued. Shortly after killing off a Sam Carrick penalty, Taylor Raddysh was able to set up Connor McMichael on the doorstep to make it 3-1. The third pair of Braden Schneider and Victor Mancini got beat on the goal. Mancini was the closest player. There wasn’t much help from Chris Kreider or Mika Zibanejad, who continued to struggle at five-on-five. They were on for three goals against. That line with Reilly Smith has seen their ice time reduced by coach Peter Laviolette. The Chytil line is now being used more. They’re getting rewarded for how they’ve played.

Connor McMichael is ON FIRE pic.twitter.com/sBnKve9z8p
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 30, 2024

After being outshot 19-5 in the first, the Rangers came out and played a little better in the second period. Kreider was able to connect on the power play when he got his skate on a Zibanejad pass to bank the puck past Capitals goalie Logan Thompson 30 seconds in. That pulled the Rangers within one.

However, they again shot themselves in the foot with more defensive breakdowns. During a four-on-four, Protas outhustled Miller to a loose puck in the corner. He then passed it back to Trevor van Riemsdyk, who moved it over for Rasmus Sandin. Protas then beat Miller to the front of the net to tip in a Sandin shot pass to make it 4-2. Miller’s struggles are becoming harder to ignore. Despite strong possession metrics, he makes glaring mistakes that wind up in the back of the net. He’s dragged down Fox, who hasn’t looked like himself this season.

What an effort from Pro here pic.twitter.com/gvQwcccJym
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 30, 2024

During the same four-on-four, the Rangers came right back to pull within one just 14 seconds later. As usual, it was Chytil who got it done. Using his game-breaking speed, he moved the puck over to Mancini, who gained the Caps’ zone. Chytil then cut for the net where he deflected home a Mancini shot pass for his fourth of the season. Chytil has replaced Zibanejad as the Rangers’ most explosive center. He looks primed for a breakout season.

End-to-end, a thing of beauty. pic.twitter.com/zXq6X8nVDE
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 30, 2024

Despite picking it up, the Rangers got into a track meet with the Caps. They traded chances with them in transition. There was no semblance of any defense. It really was left for Shesterkin to fend for himself. He kept them within a goal.

The third period was a collective disappointment. A Zibanejad early penalty seemed to sap the Rangers’ energy. Even though they killed it off, they didn’t apply much pressure on the Caps. Instead, Shesterkin made several big saves to keep it at 4-3.

McMichael was all over the ice, leading all skaters with 10 shots. Laviolette thought he wasn’t ready for the NHL when he coached in Washington. All McMichael has done is prove him wrong. Given the way he’s mishandled Zac Jones, who again had to watch from the press box following a one-game return, you wonder what exactly Laviolette is thinking.

It’s probably similar to the thought process of bringing back Matt Rempe following a two-game cameo with the Hartford Wolf Pack this past weekend. Rempe lost decisively in a fight with Dylan McIlrath early. He took eight shifts for a total of 5:01 of ice time. What’s better for his development? Playing sparingly with the Rangers based on matchups or going down to Hartford to play regularly. It’s puzzling.

The Caps spent most of the third in the Rangers’ end. They had the defense backing up. They outshot them 13-6, creating more chances.

Thompson came up with a clutch stop when he denied Chytil. That was it. There wasn’t much else he had to contend with. Even when they lifted Shesterkin for an extra attacker, it didn’t amount to much. The Caps iced the puck twice. But Pierre-Luc Dubois beat Vincent Trocheck twice. It was an off night for the top line. Artemi Panarin was finally held without a point. Alexis Lafreniere finished with no shots. Trocheck picked up an assist on Kreider’s power-play goal. He almost had one but fanned on an attempt.

Laviolette stuck Chytil out in the final minute. Nic Dowd sealed it with an empty netter. It was fitting that a gritty Cap put the finishing touches on the game. They outworked the Blueshirts to earn the victory.

Posted in Column, NYRangers | Tagged Adam Fox, Alex Ovechkin, Alexis Lafreniere, Aliaksei Protas, Artemi Panarin, Braden Schneider, Capitals, Chris Kreider, Connor McMichael, Dylan McIlrath, Dylan Strome, Filip Chytil, Igor Shesterkin, K'Andre Miller, Kaapo Kakko, Logan Thompson, Matt Rempe, Mika Zibanejad, Nic Dowd, Peter Laviolette, Rangers, Rasmus Sandin, Reilly Smith, Ryan Lindgren, Spencer Carberry, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Victor Mancini, Vincent Trocheck, Will Cuylle, Zac Jones | Leave a comment

Quick leads Rangers past Ducks

Posted on October 27, 2024 by Derek

On Saturday night, the New York Rangers defeated the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 at Madison Square Garden. They bounced back from Thursday’s 4-1 defeat to the Florida Panthers to improve to 6-1-1. The victory allowed them to move past the New Jersey Devils into first place in the Metropolitan Division. Their 13 points are tied with the Panthers for the most in the Eastern Conference.

It wasn’t overly impressive. It was a methodical win over a younger opponent whose future looks bright. Anaheim wore their throwback jerseys. A cool tribute to the original Mighty Ducks logo. It didn’t help them offensively. They only beat Jonathan Quick once on 33 shots. In his second start of the season, Quick turned in another strong performance by stopping 25 of 26 shots over the final two periods on his way to 32 saves. He won his 395th game. He’s five away from 400.

All of the scoring was done in the third period. That was due to the brilliant play of Ducks starter Lukas Dostal. He was particularly sharp in a busy first period that saw the Rangers outshoot the Ducks 18-7. They generated better scoring chances and spent plenty of time in the Anaheim zone. The 24-year-old who represented Czechia twice at the World Junior Championships has emerged over the past year for the Ducks. With John Gibson still injured, he continues to prove that he deserves to be the number one goalie for Anaheim.

If Dostal was good on one end, so too was Quick on the other end. He was challenged more in a busier second period. The Ducks picked it up by outshooting the Rangers 15-8. Quick made a key stop early to deny Jackson LaCombe on a wraparound. He would deliver multiple stops later on.

Less than four minutes into the second, Sam Carrick was leveled by a clean Radko Gudas hit at the Ducks’ blue line. Adam Fox tried to lead him into the Anaheim zone. Instead, Gudas stepped up and caught Carrick with a hard check that sent him down to the ice. He missed a couple of shifts after going to the locker room. My guess is he was in concussion protocol. Fortunately, Carrick returned later in the period.

Radko Gudas absolutely NAILED Sam Carrick 😳💣 pic.twitter.com/fQtXQ6Smi3
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) October 27, 2024

During the same shift, Adam Edstrom finished a check on Troy Terry after he was stopped by Quick. Gudas also laid a good hit on K’Andre Miller. The rock’ em sock ’em hockey continued when Filip Chytil got into it with former teammate Ryan Strome during a scrum. Strome got a hit on him earlier in the shift. Chytil then had a backhand denied by Dostal, who got a stoppage. It was nothing more than two players battling hard after the whistle.

The most effective line for the Rangers was the Chytil unit. Along with the gritty Will Cuylle and creative Kaapo Kakko, they continue to establish themselves at even strength. They’re a good forechecking line that creates opportunities off diligent work. In fact, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette played them more at even strength than the struggling Mika Zibanejad line. You have to ride your best players. Eight games into the season, it’s obvious that the third line has outplayed the second line. The top line that features Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexis Lafreniere remains their best scoring unit.

With the game still scoreless, Miller took down Terry to put the Ducks on the power play. They were able to get a few good chances. However, Quick stood tall by denying Mason McTavish in the slot and stopping Terry. When the Rangers needed a big save, the future USA Hockey Hall of Famer delivered.

The Rangers applied some pressure before the period concluded. But Panarin was turned aside by Dostal. So was Zac Jones, who played for the first time since Oct. 17. Reunited with Braden Schneider on the third pair, he didn’t show any rust. Jones used his skating to jump into the rush. He and Schneider had a good night playing together.

In the third period, the Rangers got the all-important first goal. It came from an unlikely source. Ryan Lindgren made a good aggressive pinch to keep the puck moving down low for Trocheck, who got it to Panarin behind the net. He then centered a pass in front that Lafreniere tipped out for a cutting Lindgren to bury past Dostal for his first goal of the season at 4:13. It was a superb play. It was a nice reward for a gritty player who doesn’t get many goals.

Bread with the set up + Lindy buries it.

You just love to see it. pic.twitter.com/en7PzLEgYN
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 27, 2024

The game remained 1-0 until the Blueshirts thought they had another one. On a good Kakko clear off the boards to Chytil, he slid a pass for an onrushing Cuylle who gained the Anaheim zone and thought he beat Dostal for a goal with 11:22 left. But Ducks coach Greg Cronin wisely challenged it for offsides. From seeing the first replay, I could tell that Cuylle was just ahead of the puck when it entered the zone. It didn’t take long for them to overturn the call. It marked the second time that Cuylle lost out on a goal. Pretty unlucky.

A few minutes later, he wouldn’t be denied. On another strong shift from the third line, Chytil set up a Kakko shot that went right to Cuylle in front. He had the puck go off his skate and in. Cronin again challenged for a kicking motion. But the replay showed that Cuylle moved his skate into position as he tried to get his stick on it. It wasn’t a kick. So, it counted. He had his second of the season to give the Rangers a two-goal lead with 8:07 left.

What a sequence. pic.twitter.com/UUChhFvc7u
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 27, 2024

Kakko is playing much better. He is making confident plays with the puck in the offensive zone. He’s looking to shoot more. So far, he has good chemistry with Chytil and Cuylle, who creates all kinds of space for his linemates. Cuylle makes things happen. He’s the sandpaper. Chytil has the explosive speed and skill. Kakko is strong on the wall. It’s becoming a dependable line.

Following the goal, Edstrom hit Alex Killorn from behind. He was going to get the only penalty for boarding. But an incensed McTavish took up for his teammate. He got a roughing minor to negate the power play. It was understandable why McTavish defended Killorn. Edstrom made a dangerous hit. It wasn’t violent. But it was one of those plays he has to avoid. The even up penalties led to four-on-four.

It was the Ducks who took advantage of the open ice. On a play in transition Terry got the puck up for Carlsson into the Rangers’ zone. He then made a nice move around Miller to center a pass for a cutting Zellweger to finish in front. That cut it to 2-1 with 7:22 left. Zellweger beat Adam Fox for the goal. As good as Fox is at providing offense, with his eight assists fourth among NHL defensemen, he’s had some struggles in coverage so far. He and Miller can’t be a defensive pair. Laviolette needs to move Lindgren back to the top pair.

On the same four-on-four, the Ducks came close to tying it. Frank Vatrano flew into the Rangers’ zone searching for the equalizer. But Schneider made a crucial block to deny his bid. If he hadn’t, who knows what happens. Fortunately, he was back in the right position to pick up Trocheck and Panarin.

Grinded it out.

Quickie gets the 🎩 honors. pic.twitter.com/ACla6o6NnJ
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 27, 2024

With the Ducks applying pressure, Cam Fowler came around the Rangers’ net and thought he had one. But Quick came out to deny him. That save was the biggest one he made of the game. He’s been nothing but brilliant since signing in the summer of 2023. Another move Chris Drury gets credit for. Quick earned the game’s first star.

Light Week Ahead

It’s a light week ahead. The Rangers only have one game remaining in October. They’ll visit the surprising Washington Capitals this Tuesday, Oct. 29.

The Caps are off to a 5-2-0 start. They don’t score as much but defend well. That’s how coach Spencer Carberry plays. It’s basically been Tom Wilson and Connor McMichael leading the way. Wilson has five goals and McMichael is up to eight points (3-5-8). Dylan Strome leads them in scoring with nine points (3-6-9).

John Carlson remains their top defenseman. Alex Ovechkin is crawling to the finish line. His two goals have been easy ones. He needs 4o more to pass Wayne Gretzky for the record. He isn’t the same player. The skating has declined. It’s easier for opponents to mark him. There’s little chance that Ovechkin will set the record this season.

Charlie Lindgren remains the Capitals starter. Logan Thompson is the backup. It remains to be seen if the goaltending will hold up.

Following Tuesday’s visit to D.C., the Blueshirts will return home to host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, Nov. 1. It’ll be their 10th game of the season. If Jimmy Vesey is ready, he can be activated off LTIR on Nov. 3 against the New York Islanders. Vesey hasn’t been cleared for full contact yet.

Leschyshyn Called Up

When Matt Rempe was sent down to the Hartford Wolf Pack, that meant the Rangers had to make another roster move. They called up Jake Leschyshyn. He’s an extra. That’s it. Leschyshyn will remain up until Vesey’s ready.

Berard Continues Hot Start

Brett Berard continued his hot start for the Wolf Pack. In a 4-3 overtime win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, he scored his team-leading fifth goal and added an assist. Berard set up the overtime winner from Benoit-Olivier Groulx. In five games, Berard has five goals and three assists for eight points, which lead Hartford in scoring. He remains a player to watch.

BO GROULX OVERTIME WINNER!#RunTogether pic.twitter.com/uxRG26cAQF
— Hartford Wolf Pack (@WolfPackAHL) October 26, 2024

With Brennan Othmann out with a wrist injury, the 22-year-old Berard is on the Rangers’ radar. The Wolf Pack take on the Springfield Thunderbirds later today at XL Center in Hartford.

Posted in Column, NYRangers | Tagged Adam Edstrom, Adam Fox, Alex Killorn, Alexis Lafreniere, Artemi Panarin, Benoit-Olivier Groulx, Braden Schneider, Brett Berard, Cam Fowler, Ducks, Filip Chytil, Greg Cronin, Hartford Wolf Pack, Jackson LaCombe, Jonathan Quick, K'Andre Miller, Kaapo Kakko, Leo Carlsson, Lukas Dostal, Mason McTavish, Mika Zibanejad, Olen Zellweger, Peter Laviolette, Radko Gudas, Rangers, Ryan Lindgren, Sam Carrick, Troy Terry, Will Cuylle, Zac Jones | Leave a comment

Lafreniere Gets Well Deserved Contract Extension

Posted on October 26, 2024 by Derek

Good things come to those who wait. For Alexis Lafreniere, that certainly applies. Coming off his best season, the 2020 top pick knew it was a contract year. The 23-year-old Rangers forward got off to a fast start by scoring four goals and tallying three assists for seven points in his first seven games this season.

Alexis Lafrenière is here to stay.

Extension details: https://t.co/XJktA04iTm pic.twitter.com/k9HiTo2qd0
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 26, 2024

He got rewarded with a well-deserved contract extension on Friday. A deal that was first reported by NY Post columnist Larry Brooks, Lafreniere signed for seven years for a $7.45 million cap hit. It’ll keep him a New York Ranger until 2032. The contract includes an $11 million in signing bonuses along with an eight-team no-trade list over the final five years.

Lafreniere 7 year $7.45M Cap Hit #NYR ext:

Year 1 $2M Base & 8M Signing Bonus
Year 2 $5.5M & 2M SB
Year 3 $8.5M & 1M SB
Year 4 $7.15M
Year 5 to 7: $6M

Years 3-7 include 8 team No Trade List

Rep'd by Olivier Fortier @wassermanhockey https://t.co/1z9h53Dp12 https://t.co/tXeUjtrUJt
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) October 25, 2024

When asked if it was something that was weighing on his mind by MSG reporter John Giannone, Lafreniere said, “I was trying to focus on playing. I’m happy it’s done now early in the year.”

NY Post Rangers beat writer Mollie Walker asked a good question about if he could’ve pictured signing the contract two years ago. He responded by saying, “I would’ve been fired up. I am today. Like I said, it’s great. Long deal. I love playing here. So, it’s really good for me to stay for a long time.”

Alexis Lafrenière speaks to the media after signing a 7-year deal with #NYR pic.twitter.com/rLEqIPHlHo
— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) October 26, 2024

Regarding agreeing to seven years over a shorter term in relation to the cap, he added, “Not really. I think seven years was good. Like I said. There were different options. But that’s the one we liked and we took it.”

When asked if he planned to get any gifts for linemates Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin, he chuckled and said, “Yeah. They’re talking about it. I have to wait until I actually get the money. Let’s see what I do with it.”

Lafreniere’s Growth Under Laviolette

It took Lafreniere a while to become the player he is today. From a tough rookie season during Covid without training camp, to adjusting to playing under former coach Gerard Gallant, who used him on the Kid Line with Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko, it hasn’t been easy. Gallant insisted that Lafreniere couldn’t play his off wing. Lafreniere contradicted him by telling reporters he was fine with the move to the right side.

Following a disappointing first round loss to the Devils, in which he didn’t have a point, Lafreniere was widely criticized. So was Gallant, who got fired due to key players voicing their displeasure with how he coached.

When Peter Laviolette was hired last year, it was to change the culture. He was more open to giving Lafreniere the opportunity to play the off wing on the second line. Originally, Chytil was supposed to center the line with Panarin and Lafreniere. A concussion against the Hurricanes on Nov. 10, 2023 ended that experiment.

Instead, Trocheck took over that role. He adjusted so quickly that it looked like he and Panarin had played together for much longer. Lafreniere was allowed to find good chemistry with his new linemates. Getting off to a good start certainly helped his transition. He scored a goal in four of the Rangers’ first seven games. When Trocheck debuted with the line, Lafreniere produced right away by scoring three goals and adding four assists for seven points in their first four games together.

Even when he went through stretches without producing, Laviolette was patient enough to stick with him. He never broke up the line. It resulted in Panarin having a career season – pacing the Rangers with 49 goals, 71 assists, and 120 points. Trocheck also set a new career best with 77 points (25-52-77). Lafreniere finished with personal bests in goals (28), assists (29), and points (57). It was highlighted by his first career hat trick in an 8-5 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Mar. 30. Lafreniere posted a career high five points in the victory.

A Strong Postseason

A year removed from finishing without a point in the playoffs, Lafreniere bounced back with a strong postseason. During the Rangers’ run to the Conference Finals, he scored eight goals and added six assists for a total of 14 points in 16 games. His eight goals tied with both Trocheck and Chris Kreider for the team lead. All eight came at even strength to pace the Rangers. His 14 points ranked fourth in team scoring.

While Panarin struggled against the Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final, Lafreniere was one of the Rangers’ best players. He scored four goals to pace them in a tough six-game series defeat. That included a two-goal performance in a 5-4 overtime win in Game 3. Lafreniere also scored in Games 4 and 5. Both were one-goal losses. He stood out as the most dangerous player against the eventual Stanley Cup champions.

Trocheck led the Blueshirts in scoring against the Panthers with six points (2-4-6). Panarin finished with a goal and three assists for four points.

Picking Up Where He Left Off

If there were any questions about his confidence entering the season, Lafreniere erased them. He scored a goal and assist in the Rangers’ season opening win over the Penguins on Oct. 9. In fact, he began 2024-25 with a five-game point streak (3-3-6). The only game he didn’t register a point in was against the Canadiens on Oct. 22. He hit a goalpost in the win.

Lafreniere was the lone bright spot in a 3-1 home loss to the Panthers on Thursday, Oct. 24. He scored his fourth goal of the season. It came on a nice setup from Adam Fox. After receiving Fox’s pass in front, he waited for Sergei Bobrovsky to go down before tucking home a backhand. That kind of patience and skill is what makes Lafreniere a good scorer. He has the ability to freeze defenders and finish off plays.

With seven points in his first seven games, it looks like he’s well on his way to an even better season than last year.

Drury Gets Credit for Deal

By getting Lafreniere signed on the dotted line, Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury gets credit for the deal. He got it done. For as much criticism as he receives for other shortcomings, Drury made sure to lock up Lafreniere on a fair contract that should bode well over the long-term.

Lafreniere’s contract is similar to the one Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis signed prior to the season. Jarvis is signed for eight years at a $7.42 million cap hit. A bit more established due to posting a career high 33 goals, 34 assists, and 67 points last season, the 2020 number 13 pick can play both center and the right side. Unlike Lafreniere, he receives first power-play time. That’s the biggest difference.

At some point this season, Lafreniere is going to force his way onto the Rangers’ top unit. Especially if Mika Zibanejad continues to struggle. Lafreniere can add another dimension to the power play. He’s another left-handed shot who can work in the right circle. It’ll be interesting to see what he can add when Laviolette makes the move.

Jones Back in For Mancini

When the Rangers play host to the Ducks later tonight at Madison Square Garden, Zac Jones will return to the lineup. After missing the last three games, he’ll be back in for rookie Victor Mancini.

Jones enters with an assist and +4 rating in four games played while averaging 15:45 of ice time. He will pair up with Braden Schneider. A player he’s familiar with. Schneider had been working with Jacob Trouba on the second pair. They’d worked well together over the Rangers’ first seven games.

Instead, Trouba will be teamed with Ryan Lindgren. K’Andre Miller will stay with Adam Fox. It’s definitely questionable to have Lindgren and Trouba together. While both are their most physical defensemen, they aren’t the most mobile. Facing a younger opponent, that may not be a good idea.

Miller and Fox don’t exactly look like the ideal fit, either. If Laviolette’s smart, he’ll reunite Lindgren with Fox. It’s anyone’s guess what he’ll decide with Miller. He had so many struggles with Trouba last year. With Schneider proving that he’s capable of sliding over to the left side, maybe he should remain with Trouba on the shutdown pair. That would make Miller a third pair defenseman. Whether it’s with Jones or Mancini, who knows.

My guess is that you’ll see the same pairs as last season. Fox with Lindgren. Trouba with Miller. Schneider with Jones, who’s replaced Erik Gustafsson. Mancini should also rotate in.

Quick Gets The Start

It’ll be Jonathan Quick, who gets the start against the Ducks. He made 29 saves in a 3-2 win over the Red Wings back on Oct. 17. Quick is six wins away from 400 for his career.

Posted in Column, NYRangers | Tagged Adam Fox, Alexis Lafreniere, Artemi Panarin, Braden Schneider, Chris Drury, Chris Kreider, Column, Jacob Trouba, Jonathan Quick, K'Andre Miller, Mika Zibanejad, Peter Laviolette, Rangers, Ryan Lindgren, Seth Jarvis, Victor Mancini, Vincent Trocheck, Zac Jones | Leave a comment

Rangers Lose For First Time in Regulation

Posted on October 25, 2024 by Derek

On Thursday night, the Rangers took on the Panthers for the first time since losing in the Eastern Conference Final. It went similarly, with the Panthers using two early goals to hand the Rangers a 3-1 loss at Madison Square Garden. It was their first loss in regulation.

Even without star center Aleksander Barkov, the defending champs controlled most of the action. It took Anton Lundell only 44 seconds to give them the lead. Following a turnover from Alexis Lafreniere in the Panthers’ zone, Eetu Luostarinen started a counterattack. Sam Reinhart got around K’Andre Miller to center for a wide open Lundell, who beat Igor Shesterkin to open the scoring.

https://twitter.com/FlaPanthers/status/1849589903996158235?t=Vm3uvBhtE6bwaBPQl2XnHw&s=19

Adam Fox got lost in coverage on the goal. That left Lundell alone for his fifth of the season. It was a quick reminder of how good the Panthers are. The Rangers started well by taking advantage of flawed opponents. Though they didn’t play perfectly. There were still mistakes being made that Shesterkin covered up.

Before the game was three minutes old, Carter Verhaeghe scored from the left circle on a shot that went high glove on Shesterkin to put the Rangers in a two-goal hole. A Reilly Smith turnover allowed Gustav Forsling to find Verhaeghe, who surprised Shesterkin with a good wrist shot for his first of the season.

https://twitter.com/FlaPanthers/status/1849591613053657111?t=I5WNUIuj_CWteFOW-EElPg&s=19

The bad start was criticized by unhappy Rangers coach Peter Laviolette later. For whatever reason, they weren’t ready to play. It took an early Panthers’ knockdown for them to wake up.

Over two minutes later, Lafreniere got the Rangers back in it with a sweet finish for his fourth of the season. On an aggressive pinch from Fox, he made a great pass in front for Lafreniere, who went forehand backhand to beat Sergei Bobrovsky at 4:44.

https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1849594016419254300?t=mC7vBDG1MHGLt1OU5wgZ2w&s=19

The patience he showed on the goal is what makes Lafreniere a candidate for a big season. He has great hands. His goal woke up the Rangers.

They upped their level, coming close to nearly tying it. Adam Edstrom led Jonny Brodzinski on a breakaway. But Bobrovsky robbed him with a great glove save to keep the Panthers ahead.

https://twitter.com/FlaPanthers/status/1849596470682431824?t=NO8Ii1FdkQBzwJG5_5u52Q&s=19

He became the story. On a night, he won his 400th career game to pass Henrik Lundqvist for the fastest goalie to win 400 in NHL history, Bobrovsky made several critical stops to help lead the Panthers to victory. That included a sequence when he made a toe save to deny Vincent Trocheck on the doorstep after stopping Braden Schneider.

https://twitter.com/BR_OpenIce/status/1849605802929049790?t=E7C2o0-Edg-JnTkp6dcmjg&s=19

After stopping nine of ten shots in a hectic first period, which saw each goalie shine, Bobrovsky only had to make five saves in a second period controlled by Florida. It was the one on Trocheck that prevented the Rangers from tying it. It was a momentum turning stop.

Afterward, it was the Cats who dictated the terms. They forced the Rangers into sloppy turnovers in the neutral zone to apply pressure on Shesterkin. He did all he could to give his team a chance, making a few sparklers when the ice was tilted.

Smith lost a puck battle in the neutral zone that allowed the Panthers to create the key third goal off the cycle. They were able to get their top line out on a line change.

With the Rangers unable to change, both Miller and Fox were caught on with Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Smith. Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk worked the puck up for Dmitry Kulikov, who set up Niko Mikkola for a shot that Sam Bennett tipped in to make it 3-1, with just over 13 minutes remaining in the second.

https://twitter.com/FlaPanthers/status/1849606424453841158?t=J20FPinKNwNfHl-_NWmQrg&s=19

A couple of shifts later, the Rangers’ third pair of Ryan Lindgren and Victor Mancini spent extended time in their end. It was again the Panthers’ top line that generated chances. It took Verhaeghe bumping into Shesterkin to relieve the pressure. He went off for goalie interference.

Instead of getting anything off it, the Rangers failed miserably on the power play. The top unit struggled with the aggressive Panthers’ penalty kill. It was eerily reminiscent of last spring. They were unable to even test Bobrovsky. Instead, Shesterkin was forced to make a shorthanded stop on Luostarinen.

With the Zibanejad unit unable to get anything going, Peter Laviolette tweaked his lines in an attempt to find a spark. Artemi Panarin moved up to play with Zibanejad and Kreider. That meant splitting up their best line. The move didn’t work. All it did was hurt chemistry, with even the very effective third line altered.

In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final, a desperate Laviolette tried something similar. The Rangers were blanked 3-0 on May 22. It didn’t make sense to panic. The line that features Filip Chytil, Will Cuylle, and Kaapo Kakko have had early success. They weren’t as effective last night. But breaking them up didn’t make sense. It’s like having Trocheck and Lafreniere without Panarin. It doesn’t work.

Things weren’t much better in the third. Even an early power play went by the wayside. It was the Panthers that started quickly, like the first period. They peppered Shesterkin, who continued to do his part. That included strong denials on Verhaeghe.

When they did get offense, the shots were from the outside on Bobrovsky. He stopped 10 on his way to finishing with 24 saves to earn the game’s first star.

Even a 6-on-4 with Shesterkin on the bench didn’t muster much. That’s how well the Panthers defended. They gave up nothing over the final three-plus minutes.

Laviolette wasn’t pleased with the Rangers’ effort. He didn’t like anything.

https://twitter.com/MollieeWalkerr/status/1849631413156364410?t=y1jpxMHuQK2CET1CevEM5w&s=19

https://twitter.com/MollieeWalkerr/status/1849632030943740376?t=GXg-IGgUNmUzJXCxAIUryQ&s=19

Chalk it up to being one of those nights. The Panthers were coming off a 5-1 home loss to the Wild on Tuesday. I knew they’d be ready. Even without Barkov, they’re capable of winning games due to their style of play under coach Paul Maurice. He recently signed an extension to stay behind the bench. It’s well deserved.

If there’s a criticism of Laviolette, he’s very loyal to his veterans. Zibanejad clearly struggled like he did before against the same opponent that eliminated the Rangers from the postseason. There isn’t as much explosiveness from Zibanejad. That’s a problem. He used to skate into open ice, fly by guys, and unleash his wrist shot. It’s very rare that he does it now.

Laviolette also kept Lindgren with Mancini for the second straight game. They struggled. Lindgren isn’t the fastest skater. It was a bad matchup. I would’ve preferred to see Zac Jones in the lineup. His speed and skating could’ve helped. But the coach won’t do it.

Lindgren is well-respected in the room by teammates. The idea of sitting him when he just returned probably wouldn’t go over well. I understand. If he just came back, he isn’t going to be sharp. We saw that in the first game against the Canadiens.

Why not play the long game? They don’t have to go with the same defense every night. Keeping Lindgren and Jacob Trouba healthy is essential. Trouba has looked much better now that he’s fully recovered from the broken ankle. He works well with Schneider on the second pair. Miller and Fox need to be split up. I’d reunite Lindgren with Fox. Of course, that’s not how they lined up at Friday’s practice.

https://twitter.com/vzmercogliano/status/1849845197686862188?t=utx0LckJGa6liDN5vVIwuw&s=19

I don’t get it. He’s putting their two slowest defensemen together. Jones and Schneider know each other well. That should work. Jones has missed the last three games. He deserves to come back in.

Mancini will sit against the Ducks tomorrow. I don’t have any problem with that. He’s a true rookie, having never played a full season in the American Hockey League (AHL). He’s played all seven games so far. Let him watch from the press box. It’s a learning process.

Rempe Sent Down

After the game, the Rangers finally sent Matt Rempe down. He’ll make his AHL season debut for the Hartford Wolf Pack tonight.

Rempe hardly played in the first seven games, briefly getting into two. Laviolette limited his ice time. He hasn’t trusted him since the playoffs. What’s the point of having him on the roster? It never made sense.

Now, he can go play regular shifts for the Wolf Pack. That’ll be good for his development. He remains very popular amongst fans. But he was clearly beaten out by Edstrom in camp. Edstrom has become a regular.

Jimmy Vesey skated for the first time. He must sit out three more games before he can become eligible to return on Nov. 3 versus the Islanders.

Ruhwedel Clears Waivers

As expected, the Rangers placed Chad Ruhwedel on waivers. He cleared earlier today and was assigned to the Wolf Pack.

https://twitter.com/NYR_PR/status/1849884897806045397?t=wv6YQ5OwajGroAW5gD8AVQ&s=19

Acquired last season from the Penguins, Ruhwedel got into six total games, including five in 2023-24. He appeared in one game against the Maple Leafs this season.

It didn’t make sense to carry eight defensemen. Especially if Mancini is staying for now. Things can always change. We’ll see what happens over time.

Posted in Column, NYRangers | Tagged Adam Edstrom, Adam Fox, Alexis Lafreniere, Anton Lundell, Artemi Panarin, Braden Schneider, Carter Verhaeghe, Chris Kreider, Filip Chytil, Gustav Forsling, Igor Shesterkin, Jacob Trouba, Jonny Brodzinski, Kaapo Kakko, K’Andre Miller, Matt Rempe, Matthew Tkachuk, Mika Zibanejad, Niko Mikkola, Panthers, Paul Maurice, Peter Laviolette, Rangers, Reilly Smith, Ryan Lindgren, Sam Bennett, Sergei Bobrovsky, Victor Mancini, Vincent Trocheck, Will Cuylle, Zac Jones | Leave a comment

Struggling Devils approaching crossroads

Posted on October 24, 2024 by hasan4978

After a strong 5-2 start to the season, the Devils have hit their first mini-crisis (for the moment) after back-to-back home games where they allowed a combined fourteen goals in losses to Washington and Tampa Bay. There’s only so much angst I can feel over the Devils not showing up for two straight games when the fact is I’ve been pretty ambivalent over the start of the season. With the Mets and likely Jets’ seasons both ending last Sunday though, it’s coming up on the time where my attention will be on the Devils starting with tomorrow’s home tilt against the Islanders on Friday, only the second game I’ll have been at this season.

Of course, before then the Devils do have a moderately important game in Detroit tonight – but I likely won’t be around to watch that either due to playing in a sports rec league. I could have easily gone to Saturday’s home game against the Caps but I didn’t feel like wasting one of the last nice outdoor nights of the year at an early-season Devils game, especially against a team they haven’t done all that well against in recent years, so I sold my seat and felt better off for doing so even though the Devils did come back twice from two-goal deficits in a sloppy game to salvage a point before losing in OT after a goal from perennial heel Tom Wilson.

THIS GUY CAN'T STOP SCORING 🤯

Tom Wilson scores the @SUBWAYCanada OT winner for the Capitals! pic.twitter.com/YxMCpbAf4P
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 20, 2024

From what I did see of the game, to be honest one point is probably the most we deserved out of that. At least for nineteen of the twenty players – Nico Hischier basically by himself willed the Devils into overtime, first with two quick goals to put the Devils back on level terms in the first minute of the second period after a dreadful first had them 3-1 down, then with a primary assist on Dawson Mercer’s goal at 3:39 of the third period that pulled the Devils back within one after the Caps had scored the previous two goals. Later in the third, the Devils finally managed to score a goal without Nico’s help after the first real Dougie Hamilton signing of the season with a power play goal at 12:28, the talented defenseman’s first goal of the season in his eighth game back after a long injury absence last year.

Considering Washington is 5-1 maybe we’ll look back on that game later in the season as one that wasn’t as bad a game as it appeared on Saturday night. I’m sure starting goalie Jacob Markstrom will want to do better assuming he starts tonight, after giving up six goals on Saturday. At least he wasn’t as bad as Jake Allen would be on Tuesday against the Lightning though, but more on that in a minute. Once again I opted for good weather over the Devils, though I’d already traded in my ticket for this game to get a credit toward next season’s invoice on my account I did think of swapping another future game to get a ticket and go the other night after opting out Saturday, but again – and this gets back to how blase I’ve been about the start of the season so far – I demurred.

Once again, it turned out to be a better decision for my sanity although even I wasn’t expecting what happened in the second period to happen, especially after Jack Hughes finally showed his superstar form of two years ago (plus the beginning of last season) by scoring on a breakaway at 11:02 of the first period for just his second goal of the season to date. Then just thirty-nine seconds into the second period, Hughes fed Timo Meier in front for Timo Time’s third of the year and the Devils’ second lead of the night at 2-1. Soon after that however, came the evening’s flashpoint moment when Erik Cernak leveled Jesper Bratt with a legal hit.

Here’s Cernak’s hit on Bratt.#NJDevils pic.twitter.com/Q9woo9Rje5
— Daniel Amoia (@daniel_amoia) October 23, 2024

In the ultimate test of cause and effect, the Devils didn’t respond to that (and I’ll say again) legal hit, and then Tampa scored five unanswered goals in the second period basically ending the game as a contest after forty minutes. It was such a pronounced shift that everyone from the game announcers to reporters to fans picked up on it and wanted to make that, and the Devils’ non-response the story of the game. Maybe some of this comes from me not actually watching the game, but I don’t buy it – at least not as a sole reason for the Devils’ collapse. Allen had a bad night and the Devils’ D has struggled in recent games in general. Plus, this team had plenty of no-shows and games where they folded with adversity on the ice last year to really attribute it to that.

Would I have liked to have seen more pushback, yes – god knows other teams usually get after us the minute we hit someone hard (legal or not). Do I care that Sheldon Keefe took a pass and basically pooh-pooed that talking point in the postgame presser? Not yet…I wouldn’t exactly expect him to eviscerate the team’s heart openly ten games in. But I do hope behind closed doors, the message was sent that this is what people think of you and your lack of a response out on the ice tonight.

To his credit, Keefe did take the team to task after each of the last two games for their performances on home ice, which has been an issue year after year with this team. For the moment, that is what matters more than picking a fight with the locker room after less than a month over something that wasn’t entirely cause-and-effect. Would Allen have allowed two or three less bad goals on Tuesday if someone had fought or high-sticked Cernak? Doubtful. Would our defense – which has been struggling – magically play better? Also doubtful. Not to mention it wouldn’t have prevented either a bad penalty call on Mercer which led to the seventh Tampa goal, or a hideously bad break on the eighth goal which was the coup de grace last night in the third period.

At least some of the issues with the defense could be alleviated soon with the somewhat surprising announcement this morning that both Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce will return to the lineup tonight. Weeks ago, it seemed like Pesce would already have been back while Luke was supposed to be out for another few weeks but injury timetables are seldom linear.

#NEWS: We have activated D Luke Hughes and D Brett Pesce off injured, non-roster. pic.twitter.com/NilSm6eB6M
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) October 24, 2024

Despite our depth, it seems clear who’ll be out of the lineup to make way for the returning defensemen. Seamus Casey, after a strong start offensively really struggled both defensively and with the hectic pace of the Devils’ early schedule and was sent down after Saturday’s game (clearly the final red flag was when he didn’t even get a shift in the 3-on-3 OT, where you’d figure you want your offensive D to play) for Daniil Misyul, another rookie playing his NHL debut on Tuesday but he’ll likely go back down to Utica as well with the two defensemen returning.

Though nothing’s official yet it seems obvious both from usage and their level of play that Simon Nemec might actually be the odd man out tonight, instead of Jonathan Kovacevic. While Kovacevic has stepped up, Nemec is suffering a classic sophomore slump, further hindered by his offseason shoulder injury in Olympic qualifying just before camp started. Perhaps he still hasn’t fully gotten past that either. Whatever the reason, I do expect Nemec to at least get a soft reset and we’ll see where the defense is after this weekend.

I doubt all the issues get fixed with just Hughes and Pesce returning however. We need more from Dougie, even though he’s had a point in his last three games they’ve been the only points he’s had all season so far and you need offensive machine Dougie if he’s going to continue to struggle defensively as much as he has. Perhaps both he and Brendan Dillon need a new partner on D, as that pairing has struggled in general but since Kovacevic and Jonas Siegenthaler have been good as a top pairing, Keefe seems loath to break them up even now with Hughes and Pesce initially slotting in as their own pairing.

Hopefully at least this team starts to move back in the right direction this weekend or concern’s going to turn to alarm pretty quickly. After all, if the Devils want to make the playoffs and show they’ll be a perennial playoff team going forward, Detroit on the road and the Islanders at home are the kind of bubble teams they have to beat more often than not. Not to mention, just in a vacuum it’d be pretty alarming if the team didn’t respond after two straight stinkers at home.

Posted in Devils | Tagged Brendan Dillon, Brett Pesce, Daniil Misyul, Dawson Mercer, Dougie Hamilton, Erik Cernak, Jack Hughes, Jacob Markstrom, Jake Allen, Jonas Siegenthaler, Jonathan Kovacevic, Luke Hughes, Nico Hischier, Seamus Casey, Simon Nemec, Timo Meier, Tom Wilson | Leave a comment

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