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.

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.

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.

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.

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Rangers’ Third Line Erupts in Blowout Win over Canadiens

Posted on October 23, 2024 by Derek

The early returns on the third line have been good. Despite not producing much during the first five games, things looked promising. It took the sixth game for the third line to deliver a big performance. They erupted in a 7-2 blowout win over the Canadiens on Tuesday night at Bell Centre.

Prior to the game, the Montreal Canadiens honored their past legends from the 1970s Stanley Cup championship teams. If you had MSG Network on, they showed nothing. Apparently, it’s too much for them to show a great ceremony for one of sports most storied franchises. I opted to watch the game on TSN via my laptop. I caught the tail end, which included the anthems.

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Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko, and Will Cuylle combined for two goals and five assists to highlight the Rangers’ latest victory. They swept a three-game road trip by overmatching a young, rebuilding Montreal. Since losing a 6-5 decision to Utah HC in overtime on Oct. 12, they’ve won four in a row. Over that stretch, they’ve outscored opponents 20-6. Excluding the six goals they allowed to Utah HC, the Rangers have outscored opponents 26-6 in their five wins.

Nobody has had a better offense to start the season. The Rangers are averaging 5.17 goals-per-game. Of the 31 goals they’ve scored, 20 have come at 5-on-5. A nice improvement from last season. They’re getting contributions from everyone. In a fast-paced game that saw the Canadiens use their speed to generate quality scoring chances, it was the role players who excelled for the Blueshirts.

At least for one night, the top line was quiet. Alexis Lafreniere saw his five-game point streak to start the season end. Vincent Trocheck was held off the score sheet and was the only minus of the Rangers’ 18 skaters. Artemi Panarin picked up a secondary assist on Mika Zibanejad’s goal that opened the scoring to extend his point streak to six.

On a play in transition, Panarin moved the puck over for Adam Fox in the Montreal zone. Fox quickly found Zibanejad open for a one-timer in the slot that beat Canadiens starter Sam Montembeault at 54 seconds.

It took them 71 seconds to double the lead. On a innocent looking play, they took advantage of a mishap by the Canadiens. Braden Schneider sent in a puck behind the Canadiens’ net. Both Logan Mailloux and Jayden Struble thought it was icing. They stopped skating. That allowed a hustling Adam Edstrom to get to the loose puck and center in front for a Johnny Brodzinski goal. By the reaction of Montembeault, he probably thought the same thing as his defensemen. The gift gave the Rangers an early two-goal lead 2:05 in.

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Following Brodzinski’s first of the season, the Canadiens turned up the pressure. In particular, Hutson had some excellent offensive shifts in the Rangers’ zone. A first-year player who played for Boston University in 2023-24, the offensive defenseman used his skating to create some opportunities for teammates. That aggressive mindset can sometimes lead to mistakes. Earlier in a shift, he had a shot blocked by Trocheck. Coming out of his zone, Hutson got stripped by Reilly Smith. That led to Smith coming in and beating Montembeault on a breakaway for an unassisted goal at 6:40.

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Rather than take a timeout, Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis watched his team fall behind even further. With Josh Anderson off for cross-checking Trocheck, the Rangers went to work. It was the second unit that produced a power-play goal. On a play started by Kakko, Smith found Chytil open for a shot in front that made it 4-0. That chased Montembeault from the game. He allowed four goals on 10 shots.

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The Canadiens got a lift from backup Cayden Primeau. They picked it up to get back in the game. On a night they honored past Montreal Canadiens legends for the 1970s Stanley Cup dynasty, it was captain Nick Suzuki who broke the ice on Igor Shesterkin. David Savard and Josh Anderson combined to set up Suzuki in front for his first of the season with 7:08 left in the first period.

Ryan Lindgren was too late on the coverage. It was his first game. He wore a full protective mask due to having surgery on his jaw. He was a step behind throughout. He played 17:20 while on the third pair with rookie Victor Mancini. That included 2:17 on the penalty kill.

Following the Suzuki tally, the Habs nearly made it 4-2. But Shesterkin denied Jake Evans’ bid. That was a big save.

With the Rangers ahead 4-1, Kakko had an active shift. Battling for position in front, he got into it with Evans. The two went back and forth, leading to a scrum. Each were sent off for matching roughing minors. It’s rare that we’ve seen Kakko play with that much intensity. He was dialed in.

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During the 4-on-4, Suzuki came close to getting his second of the period. But he had his wrist shot go off the goalpost. When the teams returned to full strength, Chytil also sent a shot off the goalpost. He was flying throughout.

When they attacked the Rangers, the Canadiens caused havoc. Their top forwards were dangerous. That was evident in the second period. Kirby Dach had two shots stopped by Shesterkin early on. For a player who missed most of last season due to a torn ACL, he looked good. He’s been a bit unlucky with injuries. The Habs need him to stay healthy. He’s a good player. Dach was involved on Suzuki’s second of the game.

Adam Fox was sent off for hooking Brendan Gallagher. It didn’t take long for Montreal to capitalize on the power play. Dach and Mike Matheson combined to work the puck over for Suzuki at the right point. He then skated past Lindgren and made a nice move to beat Shesterkin on a forehand, backhand deke that made it 4-2 at 5:35. On the play, Jacob Trouba was tied up with his man in front. Lindgren let Suzuki go. With Trouba preoccupied, it became a one-on-one between Suzuki and Shesterkin. He scored a nice goal to get the Canadiens back in the game.

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With the crowd alive, Mailloux searched for more. However, he had a couple of shots blocked by Trocheck. When he isn’t scoring, Trocheck’s doing the little things to help the Rangers be successful. That’s why he’s their best center. When they need a key draw won, he’s taking it. Like Zibanejad, he is excellent on the penalty kill. It’s Trocheck who centers the Rangers’ best line. Where would they be without him? Give Chris Drury credit. When Ryan Strome left, he signed Trocheck away from the Hurricanes. It’s been a great fit.

On a rush, Lafreniere came close to extending his point streak. But his shot rang off the goalpost. He’s a lot more dangerous. Opponents can’t just zero in on Panarin anymore.

If there was a turning point, it came courtesy of Braden Schneider. On a strong shift from the third line, Chytil made a nice cross-ice feed for Schneider, who was able to beat Primeau from the left circle with a snapshot upstairs. That goal took the energy out of Bell Centre. It was a crucial moment.

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The Canadiens weren’t the same team after that. The Rangers outplayed them for the remainder of the period. They outshot the Habs 13-6. Primeau made some good saves to keep the deficit at three.

In the third period, Trouba delivered a thunderous check on Justin Barron that sent him flying to the ice. Barron was skating into the Rangers’ zone when Trouba came across and leveled the Canadiens defenseman. It was a high hit that caught Barron’s chin. Matheson immediately responded by going after Trouba. The Rangers captain had no choice but to drop the gloves for another clean hit.

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The NHL Situation room later clarified why it wasn’t a penalty – backing up the decision from refs Brandon Blandina and Kendrick Nicholson. Trouba received five minutes for fighting. In addition to the fighting major, Matheson was assessed an instigator and misconduct for starting it. It was understandable why he defended Barron. Trouba hits hard. Players can get hurt when he comes across and delivers such a big check. It didn’t help that Barron was in a prone position. He moved the puck and got walloped. Fortunately, he returned for the third.

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The Rangers didn’t score on the power play. However, they controlled most of the play. Primeau was peppered. They outshot the Canadiens 19-6. The difference was how they attacked. Having a stronger supporting cast helps. In addition to the stellar play of Chytil, Kakko, and Cuylle, the fourth line was very effective. Brodzinski, Sam Carrick, and Edstrom dominated most of their shifts. Carrick continues to make things happen. He looks like a steal. Credit Drury for that.

With over four minutes left in regulation, Carrick was involved in front with Cuylle. As both poked away at a rebound, that allowed Chytil to deposit it past Primeau for his second of the game. That put the game out of reach.

On the next shift, Kakko scored his first of the season. Mancini moved the puck up for Cuylle, who then passed across for Kakko at the Montreal blue line. He skated into the right circle and had his wrist shot go through Primeau to make it 7-2 with 3:41 remaining. It gave him a three-point game (1-2-3). He’s had several two-point games in his career. I believe that was the first three-point game of his career. It’s the best he’s looked. Kakko is up to a goal and four assists for five points. That line is coming together.

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The Rangers return home to take on the Panthers on Thursday. Florida was blown out 5-1 at home by the Wild on Frozen Frenzy night. They should be in a foul mood. It’ll be the first meeting since the two teams battled in the Eastern Conference Final. It’s a step up in competition. Exactly the kind of game you want to see them play. We’ll see how it goes.

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Lindgren Returns for Rangers

Posted on October 22, 2024 by Derek

The New York Rangers conclude a three-game road trip with a visit to the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre later tonight. After defeating the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, they look to sweep three straight road games.

They bring a 4-0-1 record into play. The Rangers are one of four teams that remain unbeaten in regulation. The other three teams include the Calgary Flames (4-0-1), Minnesota Wild (3-0-2), and Winnipeg Jets (5-0-0).

NHL Frozen Frenzy

All 32 teams are in action on a busy Tuesday night. Oct. 22 is NHL Frozen Frenzy. It’s the only day that will feature 16 games this season. The fourth ever in league history.

ESPN will be hosting the frenzy by featuring different games on their family of networks (ESPN-Plus) at staggered times. The Philadelphia Flyers host the Washington Capitals at 6 EST. That’ll be followed by the Colorado Avalanche visiting the Seattle Kraken at 8:30 EST. If you’re still awake, ESPN has you covered. The late game will be a Pacific battle between the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights at 11 EST.

While the Rangers renew a classic rivalry with the Canadiens up in Montreal, the New Jersey Devils will host the Tampa Bay Lightning at 6:45 EST. It should be an exciting game. Former Lightning forward Ondrej Palat faces off against his ex-teammates. The Bolts are coming off an ugly 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night. The Devils bring a 5-2-1 record into play. They’ve still struggled on home ice. So far, they’re 2-1-1 at The Rock in Newark.

Lindgren Set to Make his Season Debut

Ryan Lindgren is set to make his season debut. After missing the first five games, the defensive defenseman will finally appear for the Rangers tonight. He was injured in a fight with New York Islanders’ defenseman Scott Mayfield during a preseason match. Lindgren is ready to go.

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Affectionately known as The Warrior, the 26-year-old Burnsville, Minnesota native plays the game with reckless abandon. A player’s player who’ll sacrifice for the cause, Lindgren provides the nuts and bolts for the Blueshirts. It’s that gritty, physical style that made him a fan favorite. He’s well-respected by coaches and teammates. They know No. 55 is going to leave everything out on the ice every shift.

He entered the season on a one-year contract worth $4.5 million. Fair market value for a player who provides hustle and leadership. It’s a big year for Lindgren. Either he’ll remain a New York Ranger or test the open market next summer. That’ll depend on how he performs in a contract year.

Without him, the Rangers are off to a good start. However, they’ve had some struggles in the defensive zone. Getting Lindgren back could help clean it up.

Mancini to Partner with Lindgren

Normally, Lindgren plays with Adam Fox on the top defensive pair. They’ve been inseparable since playing together for Team USA. Instead of being reunited with Fox, Lindgren will start on the third pair with rookie Victor Mancini.

Mancini remains in the lineup over Zac Jones, who’ll sit out a second straight game. The 22-year-old Mancini has impressed with his size and skating after making the roster out of camp. He has a goal and assist with a +3 rating in five games. Lindgren will be his third partner. He played with Jones in the first four games. Chad Ruhwedel worked with Mancini at Toronto. Now, he’ll work with the more physical Lindgren.

For the time being, Fox will remain partnered with K’Andre Miller. Braden Schneider will stick with Jacob Trouba on the second pair. With Schneider shifting to the offside, he’s done a respectable job adjusting to the change. The results have been positive. Despite that pair starting mostly in the defensive zone, their possession numbers aren’t bad. Schneider has a 47.9 Corsi and Trouba has a 48.3 CF. Trouba enters tonight’s match with four assists. Schneider has a goal and a helper.

Brodzinski Back in For Rempe

Jonny Brodzinski is back in for Matt Rempe. It’ll be his fourth game of the season. In three games so far, Brodzinski has an assist with a +2 rating. His 60.0 CF makes him a better option than Rempe, who in two games is a team low 22.2 CF in limited duty. Perhaps Laviolette hinted at what’s coming when speaking with the press earlier today.

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With it being the Rangers’ sixth game, Jimmy Vesey becomes eligible in two weeks. He must sit out four more games due to being on the long-term injured reserve (LTIR). If he’s ready by Nov. 3, then he’ll be activated against the Islanders.

Laviolette also might be considering sending down Rempe to the Hartford Wolf Pack. If he’s barely going to play, then it would be beneficial for him to get more ice time in the American Hockey League (AHL). He’s still not a finished product. It makes sense for the 22-year-old to further develop with the Wolf Pack.

If they make the move, Brett Berard could be recalled. In four games, he leads the Pack in scoring with four goals and two assists for six points. Brennan Othmann missed the last game against the Bridgeport Islanders due to a wrist injury. His status remains uncertain.

If Berard gets the early call, he could make his NHL debut pretty soon. We’ll see what the organization decides.

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Berard Off To A Fast Start With Wolf Pack

Posted on October 20, 2024 by Derek

On a beautiful October Sunday in the Big Apple, the New York Rangers are unbeaten in regulation through five games. A 4-1 win last night over the Toronto Maple Leafs up north improved their record to 4-0-1.

They have nine points in their first five games and are currently second in the Metropolitan Division. Only the New Jersey Devils have more. Boosted by playing eight games, they are up to 11 points following a 6-5 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals. It’s probably a good bet that the close Hudson rivals will be battling for the division all season long.

With Artemi Panarin and Igor Shesterkin leading the way early on, the Rangers remain one of the league’s best teams. Alexis Lafreniere continues to improve while playing with Panarin and Vincent Trocheck on the top line. With a goal on Saturday night in Toronto, he has recorded a point in every game. He’s up to three goals and three assists for six points. Panarin is tied for the league lead in scoring with a dozen points (6-6-12). Trocheck has two goals and five assists for seven points.

In four starts, Shesterkin is 3-0-1 with a 1.97 goals-against-average (GAA), and .935 save percentage. His push for a goalie record contract extension is looking good. He stoned the Leafs by making 17 saves in a busy third period. Time and time again, he shut down the league’s best finisher, Auston Matthews. He finished last season with 69 goals. Matthews was able to beat Shesterkin once. But it was due to him overpowering Adam Fox to get to the front and snipe. There wasn’t much the Rangers’ netminder could’ve done. He prevented several other opportunities against the ever dangerous Leafs captain.

The Rangers conclude their three-game road swing with a visit to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, Oct. 22.

Berard Starts Well for Hartford

Meanwhile in Hartford, Brett Berard is off to a fast start. The 22-year-old Providence, Rhode Island native continues to impress in his second pro season. After a strong training camp that earned praise from Rangers coach Peter Laviolette, Berard has four goals and two assists for six points in three games for the Wolf Pack.

In Saturday night’s 6-5 overtime win over the Bridgeport Islanders, he scored twice and had six shots. Berard notched the winner in overtime on the power play. Setting up in the right circle, he buried a Casey Fitzgerald pass on a one-timer that beat Islanders goalie Marcus Hogberg short side. Benoit Oliver-Groulx drew the secondary assist. He led the Pack with four points (2-2-4) in their second straight win.

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“We had a couple of set plays we were trying to run,” Berard told reporters following the game. “There really are no positions at that point of the game. Just trying to find a lane and get the puck on net. And that’s what happened at the end there. My teammate [Fitzgerald] gave me a perfect pass. … It hit a stick on the way in. But a goal’s a goal. So. It was pretty exciting.”

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With four goals in his first three games, Berard can’t explain why he’s scoring. “I say it all the time. I’m not really focused on points. It’s nice seeing the puck go in. I guess it’s my game but not really my game. I’m trying to play fast down low. I have to use my size to my advantage. Quick and elusive behind the net and make plays. Luckily so far, the puck’s been able to go in the net. … I’m a big believer that if you do the right things, good things will happen.”

That approach has definitely helped Berard in his development. Not the biggest in stature, he’s five-foot nine, 165 pounds. But his strong work ethic is evident. An effective player with good speed and grit, the former Providence College product is still looking to crack the NHL. Teammate Brennan Othmann debuted last season for the Rangers. He appeared in three games. The 2021 first round pick didn’t register a point. Othmann has two goals and two assists for four points so far in his second pro year with the Pack.

Unlike Othmann who went 16th overall in 2021, Berard wasn’t a high draft pick. He was taken in the fifth round with the number 134 pick in 2020. Instead of playing juniors, he took the collegiate route with the hometown Providence College Friars. He played under coach Nate Leaman in Hockey-East.

Berard spent three years at Providence honing his skills. In 91 games, he finished with 33 goals, 39 assists, and 72 points. His best season came in 2021-22 when he paced the Friars in scoring with 38 points (18-20-38). Following the 2022-23 season in which he ranked second in team scoring with 24 points (10-14-24), he signed with the Rangers. Berard got into three games for Hartford as a 20-year-old.

Since, he’s become a staple on the Pack. He led them with 25 goals and added 23 assists for 48 points last season – ranking third in team scoring. Berard added a goal and five helpers in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Hartford lost in the second round.

Represented Team USA

Berard also has international experience. He twice represented Team USA at the World Junior Championships. He played in 2021 and 2022. He was part of the gold medal winning roster in 2021. Playing a checking role on the third line, Berard had a good tournament, finishing with a goal and four assists. He got to play for Leaman.

Team USA was led by Trevor Zegras, who led all skaters with 18 points. It was the big line with Alex Turcotte and Arthur Kaliyev that were at the forefront of USA’s gold medal victory. Berard was a key penalty killer. An area he excelled at due to his speed and hustle.

Watching him back then, I saw a player who looked like a third line player that could kill penalties. That looks like his ceiling. There once was another Rangers’ draft pick that wasn’t taken too high. He also represented Team USA at the World Juniors.

Ryan Callahan had a similar role on the 2005 USA roster. He played mostly on the third line and penalty kill. Although they didn’t have the same success as a team finishing fourth, Callahan had a goal and two assists. A 2004 fourth round pick, Callahan became a classic overachiever. He went from being a third liner to making it all the way to the top line, even becoming the Rangers captain.

His gritty style made him a fan favorite. Callahan spent eight years as a Blueshirt before moving to Tampa in a memorable captain for captain trade at the 2014 trade deadline. Martin St. Louis came back in return. He was the driving force behind the Rangers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final. Callahan wound up doing well for the Lightning, setting career highs in assists (30), and points (54) in 2014-15. He was part of a team that reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2015. Callahan finished with eight points during that run.

Injuries derailed his career. However, he was very successful. In 15 seasons (NYR, TBL), Callahan had 186 goals and 200 assists for a total of 386 points in 757 games. Affectionately known as Captain Cally, he’s still fondly remembered as a Blueshirt. These days, you can’t miss him on TV. He’s usually calling games with John Buccigross on ESPN. Callahan has become an excellent analyst. It’s nice to see him have success in the booth.

If Berard can wind up with a similar career path, he’ll become another beloved Ranger. At some point this season, his NHL debut on Broadway awaits. When it happens, there’ll be some palpable excitement. Hopefully, it comes soon.

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Shesterkin Stones Matthews-led Leafs To Preserve Rangers’ Win

Posted on October 20, 2024 by Derek

For at least two periods, the Rangers had to love the position they were in. They played a good game against a quality opponent in hostile territory. They got rewarded with a two-goal lead. Then, came the third period.

In what can best be described as rope-a-dope- an expression former Hockey Hall of Fame commentator John Davidson made famous – they held on for dear life to pull out a 4-1 (2-1) victory over the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Hockey Night In Canada.

They won due to the goalie. When the chips are down, you can count on Igor Shesterkin to carry this team to victory. Facing a Leafs’ barrage, he made countless clutch saves to stop them in their tracks. Auston Matthews kept firing away. Despite cutting the deficit to one with over 16 minutes left, he and his talented teammates couldn’t beat Shesterkin again. He wouldn’t allow it. He stopped 17 of 18 shots in the frantic third en route to a brilliant 34 save performance.

Unlike the New York media who somehow elected Mika Zibanejad first star in a recent home win, the Toronto media made sure to vote Shesterkin as the game’s number one star. He faced a combined 17 shots from Matthews and William Nylander. Only one beat him. Matthews overpowered Adam Fox from behind the net and came in front to score his second of the season. That was it. Shesterkin did the rest to give the Rangers their fourth win in five games (4-0-1).

Facing an early litmus test, they started a little slowly. At the outset, it was the Leafs who got pucks in and established their forecheck. In particular, the fourth line of Steven Lorentz, David Kampf, and Ryan Reaves made their presence felt. When they were matched up against the Rangers’ fourth line of Sam Carrick, Adam Edstrom, and Matt Rempe, they had the better of the play on the first two shifts.

If anyone was expecting a rematch of last Mar. 2 between Rempe and Reaves, it never materialized. They stuck to hockey. Each received 11 shifts. Reaves had one active shift when he delivered a couple of big hits early. Kaapo Kakko was on the receiving end of one. Rempe wasn’t much of a factor. But he nearly had Carrick in front for a goal.

If there was a role player who excelled, it was Carrick. The crafty pivot made some subtle plays with the puck both defensively and offensively. He’s a smart player. That’s why the Rangers signed him. So far, so good.

As far as the big matchup, the big line of Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Matthew Knies went head to head with the Rangers’ top line of Vincent Trocheck, Artemi Panarin, and Alexis Lafreniere. It was an exciting battle to watch between some of the game’s best. Matthews tested Shesterkin early. He would later hit the goalpost.

On a routine Reilly Smith shot, Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz gave up a rebound in front. Mika Zibanejad had a good scoring chance, but was denied by Stolarz. He’s the Toronto starter until Joseph Woll is ready. He’s still recovering from off-season surgery.

With less than nine minutes remaining in the first period, the Rangers got the matchup they wanted. On a good shift from the fourth line, Carrick dumped the puck deep to allow the Rangers’ top line to come on for a quick change. Matthews was unable to get on the ice.

The Panarin line went to work. On some strong work from Trocheck, he moved the puck up top for a Victor Mancini shot that Trocheck deflected. With the Leafs scrambling, Lafreniere got to a loose puck in front to bury his third of the season. Mancini picked up the secondary assist for the first of his career. He continues to play with poise. He worked with veteran Chad Ruhwedel on the third pair. There were some scary moments. But Mancini handled the pressure well.

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If the first half favored the Leafs, the second half was mostly Rangers. Following the Lafreniere goal, they picked it up. On a great solo effort, Filip Chytil raced in on Stolarz to get a backhand on goal that was stopped. He drew a holding minor on Pontus Holmberg.

On the power play, the Blueshirts came close twice. First, Panarin had a shot go off the goalpost. Then, a Chris Kreider tip-in rang off the crossbar. They were that close to going up by two.

The first featured some good hitting from both sides. K’Andre Miller had a clean takeout on Knies. He doesn’t always play with that edge. When he does, Miller’s a more effective player. He has been okay with Adam Fox on the top pair.

In the second period, the Leafs had some close calls. Max Domi missed wide on an early opportunity. Knies had a deflection go wide. He created a few chances throughout the game. But he was unable to finish. The Leafs found it difficult to beat the brick wall known as Mount Igor.

If there’s a line that needs to get going, it’s the Zibanejad unit with Kreider and Smith. They were a bit better in this one. On a delayed penalty, they worked the puck around with precision. Panarin came on as the extra attacker. On what was a brilliant passing play, Smith made a touch pass for Zibanejad who then centered across for Kreider who tipped in his fourth of the season to make it 2-0.

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Trailing by two, the Leafs tried to come back quickly. Matthews had two shots in succession stopped by Shesterkin. On a power play thanks to a Panarin slash on Knies, Matthews only got one through. Itt was snapped up by Shesterkin, who was feeling it. The Rangers killed off the penalty. They were aggressive shorthanded with Miller getting a shot right on Stolarz.

With over five minutes left in the period, Domi hit the crossbar. Nicholas Robertson then missed wide. Mancini and Ruhwedel were out there with the top line. As lethal as they are offensively, they need to play better in their end. There are moments where they get caught watching the play instead of checking.

There was a good amount of transition by both teams. Each side has enough team speed to move up the ice and generate chances. The Rangers don’t mind that style. It’s when they get hemmed in their end that things can get dicey. The Leafs are a heavier team. It showed once the third period hit.

With Kaapo Kakko off for high-sticking, John Tavares thought he had one. Set up perfectly in the slot by Marner, he got all of a one-timer. But Shesterkin reached back to make a great glove save to deny the former Leafs captain. Matthews replaced him before the season.

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Back at full strength, Will Cuylle sent a soft shot pass towards Carrick in front. He got off a low shot on Stolarz that led to a rebound. Jacob Trouba was cross-checked to the ice by Domi with less than two minutes left. That put the Rangers back on the power play. On it, Zibanejad got all of a one-timer only to see a diving Chris Tanev make a tough block that left him in pain. After skating slowly to the Leafs bench, he played the first part of the third period before exiting. Tanev is a gritty defensive defenseman who sacrifices. Every team needs that kind of player.

At the start of the third, the Leafs killed the remainder of the power play. Afterward, they went on the attack. Following a Shesterkin save on Nylander, the Rangers iced the puck. It didn’t take long for Matthews to finally take advantage. On some strong work behind the net, he came out with the puck around Fox and worked his way to the front before whipping a wrist shot past Shesterkin. That made it a one-goal game with 16:20 remaining.

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The Rangers managed a few long shots on Stolarz that he handled. On the flip side, you had the Matthews line spending long stretches in the Rangers’ zone. He was denied twice by Shesterkin, who also stopped Marner. Leafs coach Craig Berube wisely got a favorable matchup by having Matthews’ line up against Mancini and Ruhwedel. It was an adventure.

When you’re on home ice, that’s what the last change is for. Berube took advantage. Peter Laviolette couldn’t do much about it. Neither could his team. Whenever Matthews came out, it didn’t matter who was going against them. They dominated their shifts, leading to chaos. Only Shesterkin prevented a Leafs’ takeover.

Matthews drew a tripping minor on Trouba with under eight minutes remaining in regulation. After the top unit struggled during the first half of the power play, Berube sent out his second power play unit. They nearly tied it. After saves from Shesterkin on Tavares, and Robertson, Knies looked like he had him beat. Shesterkin missed on the poke check to leave the net open. But Knies missed wide. That was as close as they came.

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The Rangers were a little better after that crucial penalty kill. They were able to get some chances. Edstrom had an effective shift with Chytil and Kakko. He sent a shot wide. Kakko forced Stolarz into a key stop to keep the game within reach. Trocheck also was able to get a good wrist shot right on Stolarz later. Zibanejad also forced Stolarz into a save.

When Berube lifted Stolarz for a 6-on-5, Nylander was stopped and Matthews missed. After Zibanejad missed on the empty net to lead to an icing, the Rangers sealed it thanks to some stellar defensive work. With the Leafs desperate to get the puck back, Smith moved the puck for Zibanejad, who found Kreider for the empty netter with a minute to go. Panarin added an empty netter for the final margin.

In the frantic third, the Leafs outshot the Rangers 18-11. Shesterkin was the difference. In one period, he stole the show. Stolarz was good for Toronto, finishing with 25 saves. Shesterkin was better. There’s a reason why he’s considered the league’s best goalie. Pretty soon, he’ll be paid like it.

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Jones Sits For Ruhwedel Against Leafs

Posted on October 19, 2024 by Derek

Fresh off a 5-2 win over the Red Wings that was highlighted by the eighth hat trick of Artemi Panarin’s career, the Rangers pay a visit to Toronto for an Original Six battle with the high powered Maple Leafs.

Panarin scored twice on the power play and once at even strength. Six of his eight hat tricks have come since joining the Rangers in 2019-20. Ironically, his first two three-goal games came against the Rangers when he played for the Blackhawks and then the Blue Jackets. All eight have involved the Blueshirts in some capacity.

Panarin entered Saturday as the league’s leading scorer with five goals and six assists for 11 points. In 22 career games versus the Leafs, he has seven goals, 17 assists, and 24 points. He went 1-3-4 in the three-game season series last season.

While the Bread Man continues to carry the offensive load, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette has decided to make a couple of lineup changes for tonight’s game. One includes sitting Zac Jones for Chad Ruhwedel. A move that makes no sense.

This isn’t a knock on Ruhwedel. A savvy veteran who knows how to play the game, the 34-year-old former Penguin filled in admirably last season when an injury to Jacob Trouba sidelined him. In five games, he was solid but unspectacular. That means he didn’t make any glaring mistakes. It’s a compliment to the work Ruhwedel put in.

Laviolette’s reasoning behind inserting Ruhwedel is that he wanted to get everyone involved. Ruhwedel has been out for a bit. He liked how he played last season, emphasizing the physicality he brings.

In four games this season, Jones has an assist with a +4 rating while averaging 15:45 of ice time. He was paired up with rookie Victor Mancini. Mancini scored his first career NHL goal in the second period of Thursday’s victory over the Red Wings. He took a Kaapo Kakko feed and beat Cam Talbot with a one-timer from the point.

If there’s been a revelation, it’s been the way Mancini’s handled his introduction to the NHL. The 22-year-old 2022 fifth round pick plays with poise. He doesn’t look overwhelmed playing against the world’s best players. For a young player who doesn’t have much pro experience, that bodes well for the future.

Once Ryan Lindgren returns from the injured list, Mancini will be sent back down to the Hartford Wolf Pack. Lindgren practiced with Jones as the extra pair during Saturday’s morning skate. He was eligible to return on Thursday. But he isn’t ready yet.

Without Jones in the lineup, Mancini will team up with Ruhwedel on the third pair. Laviolette has kept the top two pairs together. K’Andre Miller remains with Adam Fox on the top pair. Braden Schneider continues to adjust well to playing the left side while working with Jacob Trouba. They’ve been on for three goals for and two goals against.

Once Lindgren is back, it’ll be interesting to see what Laviolette decides to do with the defense. The assumption is that he’ll be reunited with Fox – bumping Miller back down to the second pair. If that happens, will it be with Trouba or Schneider? Jones is more familiar with Schneider. It remains to be seen if they’ll have Trouba play on the third pair.

Rempe Returns for Reaves

The other move for tonight’s match is one that’s been expected. Matt Rempe makes his return to the lineup.

He will be in for Jonny Brodzinski, who’s off to a strong start. If you go by his metrics, he’s been an effective player at 5-on-5 with newcomer Sam Carrick. You can’t argue with their early corsi numbers. When they play with Adam Edstrom, all three are 54.0 CF or higher. That’s as good as it gets for a fourth line.

This will be Rempe’s second game of the season. He received less than four minutes in last Saturday’s home opener against Utah HC. The Rangers lost 6-5 in overtime. Laviolette cut down to three lines due to the team playing from behind. Edstrom was ejected for being the second participant in two fights. That more than anything resulted in Laviolette prioritizing the top nine.

When it comes down to it, Rempe’s return coincides with a familiar opponent. It was last season that he and former Ranger Ryan Reaves collided in the third period of their first meeting at Scotiabank Arena on Mar. 2. They battled to an entertaining draw with each landing heymakers.

It isn’t hard to imagine a rematch. Rempe and Reaves both provide the same thing for their respective teams. They bring energy, physicality, and toughness. Reaves is the well-respected cagey veteran who’s been through the wars. Rempe remains the new kid on the block. He brings a youthful enthusiasm to his shifts.

While not every hockey fan loves fighting these days, it’s still a key element to the game. Rempe has been very outspoken about wanting to improve his play. He worked hard during the summer on his skating and also trained with former enforcer Georges Laraque. If he does battle with Reaves, it’ll be interesting to see what he learned.

We’ll see how many shifts Rempe gets. Since the second round of last postseason, Laviolette hasn’t shown much confidence in him. It could be that his days are numbered. Jimmy Vesey has to sit out five more games after tonight. He can be activated from LTIR by the Rangers on Nov. 3 against the Islanders.

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Laviolette Showing No Confidence In Rempe

Posted on October 17, 2024 by Derek

When the New York Rangers visit the Detroit Red Wings later tonight to complete a home and home series, it’ll be the same lineup from Monday night’s 4-1 home win. That’ll exclude Matt Rempe. He’ll be a healthy scratch for the third time in four games.

If there’s been something to question Rangers coach Peter Laviolette on, it’s the lack of confidence he’s shown in Rempe so far. The one game he played was against the Utah Hockey Club last Saturday, Oct. 12. The 22-year-old rookie forward received only 3:40 of ice time while playing on the fourth line. When asked about it, Laviolette mentioned that he went down to three lines following the automatic ejection of Adam Edstrom for fighting after Sam Carrick.

In a high scoring game that saw the Rangers chase the game, it was an understandable explanation. Laviolette felt like going with his best nine forwards. It paid off thanks to Will Cuylle, who had an Adam Fox rebound carom off him to force overtime. Utah HC took it in overtime. At least they earned a point.

When Rempe doesn’t play, it’s dependable veteran Jonny Brodzinski, who is more trusted by Laviolette. Brodzinski is a versatile depth forward. He can sub in for Carrick on faceoffs. There’s nothing wrong with him playing on the fourth line. He knows how to play the game.

The question is what kind of checking line is better suited for the Blueshirts over the long haul. A line featuring Edstrom, Carrick, and Rempe is capable of bringing a heavy forecheck along with physicality. Throw in the size factor. They’d be a handful for opponents to deal with next spring.

When Jimmy Vesey becomes eligible to return to the lineup, he’ll likely replace Brodzinski. Unless Edstrom’s play slips, he should remain in. Vesey can play the right side. He also doubles as an effective penalty killer. He’s a good defensive forward who can contribute offensively. Once he’s healthy, a checking line consisting of Edstrom, Carrick, and Vesey should be effective at even strength.

If Rempe isn’t going to play, then why keep him up with the big club? Until Vesey comes off long-term injured reserve (LTIR), Rempe probably will remain with the team. Brett Berard is also an option. The Hartford Wolf Pack just began their season. Berard scored a goal in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Oct. 12. Brennan Othmann recorded two assists in the game. Both are expected to remain in the American Hockey League (AHL) to continue their development. Each is in their second pro season.

The Rangers know what Rempe brings to the table. Even in a reduced role, he’ll get his jersey dirty. The six-foot nine, 255-pound Calgary native parked himself directly in front of Utah HC goalie Connor Ingram. Victor Mancini thought he had his first career NHL goal. However, it was immediately waved off due to interference. Replays showed that Rempe didn’t make contact with Ingram. Rather, Ingram came out and created it. A video review confirmed it was incidental contact with the goalie due to Rempe’s skate being in the blue paint.

If this all seems confusing, join the club. Are we back in 1999 when players weren’t allowed to have any part of their bodies in the crease? Unless your name was Brett Hull in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Incidental contact is in the rulebook. It isn’t used as often. The complex nature of goalie interference remains a gray area. It’s a judgment call. That is up to the referee to determine. There’s two, plus two linesmen. You also have Toronto when coaches challenge calls, like Laviolette did. If the goalie initiates the contact, they don’t get penalized. Similar to NFL quarterbacks, they’re protected at all costs by the NHL.

Rempe only appeared in 17 games last season. He made a name for himself by battling heavyweights around the league and earning respect. But he also showed an ability to get in on the forecheck and wreak havoc. Rempe doesn’t want to be known as anomaly. He wants to become a full-time regular who can take a regular shift. Teammates love his energy. They seemed to feed off it. The Rangers went 14-2-1 with Rempe in the lineup. In the postseason, he appeared in 11 games, including four in the Eastern Conference Final. The Rangers went 8-3.

There’s something to be said for that. If a young player can have a positive impact, why not play him more? It’s a dicey situation. Rempe’s popularity is through the roof. He became a fan favorite in quick fashion. Fans love the underdog story. Rempe is a 2020 sixth round pick who was a longshot. The organization saw enough to bring him up last season.

Rempe didn’t have the best camp. He was outplayed by Edstrom, who earned a starting spot. Edstrom is a different player. He’s a better skater with a bit more scoring touch. However, when he was asked how he learned to fight last week, he playfully pointed at Rempe in the locker room.

Rempe even has a commercial out for Body Armor. His infectious personality is a home run. What’s not to like? He really enjoys what he does.

When will we see Rempe again? That depends on what Laviolette decides. The Rangers also visit Toronto and Montreal as part of a three-game road trip. Maybe he gets to face the Maple Leafs on Hockey Night In Canada. At the moment, it’s game to game. Eventually, he’ll be sent back down. That’ll be best for his development.

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Rangers’ New Banner Makes No Sense

Posted on October 16, 2024 by Derek

When the Rangers visit the Red Wings tomorrow night at Little Caesars Arena, it’ll be their fourth game of the new season.

It’s been exactly a week since they defeated the Penguins 6-0 in the season opener. They followed that up by losing the home opener 6-5 in overtime to Utah HC. A game that saw the teams combine for seven goals in a sloppy second period. Will Cuylle’s tying goal in the third  earned them a point.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the only topic of conversation in hockey circles. The Rangers unveiled two new banners at Madison Square Garden. One was the 2023-24 Metropolitan Division Champs. There’s nothing wrong with that. They were the best team in the division.

It’s the other banner that continues to be discussed. The Rangers had the league’s best record to finish with 114 points. They won the Presidents’ Trophy. Although they came up short of winning the Stanley Cup, the organization recognized the achievement. The only problem with the new banner is the wording.

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Most teams will have a banner that says Presidents’ Trophy Winner on it. The Rangers decided it was a good idea to have one that reads, “2023-24 Regular Season Champions.”

Whoever decided that should hang their head in shame. It’s an insult to Blueshirt fans. You aren’t crowned champs for winning the regular season. That must be earned. Anything less than a championship is a disappointment.

Past great seasons by the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins were celebrated. Neither won the Cup. The 1995-96 Red Wings lost to the Avalanche in the Western Conference Final. The 2022-23 Bruins lost to the Panthers in the first round. They were bitter endings to special seasons.

In 1991-92, the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy. They lost to the Penguins in the Patrick Division Final. That banner still hangs from the rafters at MSG. It doesn’t say regular season champions.

It’s been 30 years since the Rangers won the Cup. The 1993-94 team backed up winning the Presidents’ Trophy by becoming Stanley Cup Champions. That is the one banner that is still fondly remembered. It remains their only Cup since 1939-40.

When Mark Messier, Mike Richter, Alex Kovalev, or Stephane Matteau are at The Garden, they get well-deserved loud cheers when they’re shown on the video board. That’s how special 1994 remains. Nobody cares that they had the league’s best record. The only thing that matters is that they won a championship.

Someone should tell Garden CEO James Dolan. If he wants the franchise to be the butt of jokes, he’s succeeded. Even with good players that are part of a roster that made two recent Conference Final appearances. The goal is to win the Cup.

The Rangers could finish third in the division. But if they go on to win it all, that’s all that matters. As recent history has shown, you don’t have to finish first overall to win the Cup. Few Presidents’ Trophy winners back up their regular season success. It becomes much more challenging in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

If I were the Rangers, I’d take down that banner and fix it. 2023-24 Presidents’ Tropby Winners sounds much better. That shouldn’t be so hard. For the time being, they’ll continue to get mocked. Hopefully, the 2024-25 Rangers can add another championship banner next June.

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Devils continue strong start with holiday shutout of Utah

Posted on October 15, 2024 by hasan4978

In some ways, yesterday felt like the start of hockey season to me even though we’re already five games into our regular season (while other teams like the Caps just played their opener on Saturday, against us!). Don’t get me wrong, I did get to watch most of the Sabres games overseas – either live or on tape – and the latter half of the game against the Caps a few days ago but I had to miss the home opener last Thursday. That was just as well, since the Devils threw up a clunker against the Leafs, falling behind by three goals before the first period was over and never really getting back into the game.

Plus there’s the small matter of a surprisingly long Met playoff run that’s still going on, not to mention my Jets’ season being in dire straits (probably pushed over the brink last night) – further splitting my attention over hockey season’s first week and a half. Yesterday however, I was off and I’d already decided to go to the Devils game against Utah in part because I’d missed the home opener.

As a sports fan, yesterday was a rather…unique circumstance with the Devils, Mets and Jets all playing on the same day back to back to back. According to my own research, that particular combination has only happened once before in history on October 18, 2015. And in yesterday’s case, none of the games conflicted – Devils at 1 PM, Mets at 4, Jets at 8:10 (though silly me, I actually thought the Mets game started at 5 so…I missed their whole six run outburst). Perversely, part of me liked the aspect of having all three play yesterday since it is so rare.

Maybe if the Devils had been playing on the road I wouldn’t have bothered to pay as much attention but as it was I’d been pretty blase over following the first four games. As such I won’t recap the latter two, probably the less said about the home opener the better anyway. It was a dud (though probably not as bad as 4-1 late in the second period would suggest), they were probably due to score on every chance they had after being shut out by the Canadiens the night before and we were clearly due for a reality check after two straight comprehensive wins in Prague. At least the stars showed up in that game with Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier getting the goals. From what I heard, it sounded like a…subdued atmosphere at the Rock for the opener. Not a big surprise considering both how quickly the game went south and also the fact the Yankee playoff game was a distraction for quite a number of fans there.

At least Saturday’s game was much better on the ice, with the role players leading the way once again – Seamus Casey scoring the Devils’ first goal after the Caps had opened the scoring, Paul Cotter scoring two more to raise his total to four(!) so far, Tomas Tatar scoring his first of the season which put the Devils back in front for good and Dawson Mercer adding an empty-netter in a game where the Devils were still shaky at times, but at least this game wasn’t a loss like three of our games against the Caps were last year!

In a way yesterday did feel like a different kind of home opener with a ‘sellout’ to boot, although it was clearly a late arriving crowd for a 1 PM game and secondary market tickets were the lowest listable price so it was kind of a soft sellout as far as I could tell…but still a nice crowd for what would normally be an attendance buzzkill if the game wasn’t on a holiday. I certainly didn’t mind going in and out of the arena earlier than normal and having sunlight out, although traffic was clearly of the rush hour variety in and out of Newark both ways because of the odd time of the game and it coming when most people had the day off.

With Brett Pesce still not ready to return, there were no changes to the lineup aside from Jake Allen starting on the front end of a back-to-back (the Devils’ early season odyssey takes them to Carolina tonight for their sixth game against a Canes team who’s only played one so far, go figure). Utah rolled into the Prudential Center with the makings of a high-powered attack after scoring sixteen goals in their first three games – all wins, including a 6-5 OT track meet at MSG on Saturday while the Devils were looking for their first win in New Jersey this year after starting 3-0 away from Newark.

Early on, there wasn’t much action as the two teams combined for only eleven shots on goal, and the best scoring chance for either team was when Bratt got pickpocketed right in front of Allen, but the goaltender stopped Alexander Kerfoot’s point-blank chance in front. Eventually the Devils gained more of a foothold on the contest, and in the second period they came out flying with an early power play, getting on the scoresheet thanks to a rookie who’s personally come out flying early in the season:

Keeping the puck in might have been more impressive than the goal itself, as he used his body for leverage and feeding Nico Hischier before the captain returned the favor on a nice one-two and the rookie did the rest. You could have given Casey a goal and an assist on the same play and not been hyperbolic, but he would assist on someone else’s goal just several minutes later when his point shot got through traffic to Stefan Noesen in front, and the fired-up vet put one in at 8:13, continuing his own strong start to the season:

Through the first five games of the season, Noesen has put up two goals and four assists with a +3 and twelve hits. Showing off their new-found snarl the Devils brought the physicality yesterday, outhitting Utah 28-8 to go along with outshooting them 28-14 in a dominant final forty minutes of the game yesterday. For a long time,the game ground along at 2-0 without much action until another power play in the third period all but sealed it, this time with a vintage tic-tac-toe play from the big names:

Somehow our early success on the power play this season feels infinitely more sustainable than it did last season when we were at 40% before the Dougie Hamilton injury. The puck movement has just been elite on the man advantage though, ironically all it’s been missing to this point have been the Dougie bombs but I’m sure we’ll get that before the season’s over. Ironically the only thing that wasn’t flawless about what turned into a 3-0 shutout was whoever was operating the jumbotron after the game, when it was announced Allen got the first star with twenty saves, someone put up ‘Jacob Markstrom, 33 saves’ on the big board. We happened to have 33 shots on net ourselves, I don’t know what bot or actual human screwed that up as badly as it did but I was so distracted I didn’t even really pay attention to Allen’s on-ice interview, hah.

At least the Devils did what they needed to do in these first five games, get off to a strong start and start to establish good habits in terms of playing within a system and staying disciplined. Once the first line gets clicking, or if changes get made to get production out of more than the 2nd and 3rd lines at even strength, then this team could be a sight to behold. But for now a slight cushion is good, especially with yet another back-to-back trip down to Raleigh from NJ, which seems to be a yearly occurrence. To his immense credit though, coach Sheldon Keefe pooh-pooed the impact of back to backs:

Of course, the back-to-back does mean a likely change in net even off an Allen shutout. Markstrom’s been okay-ish through his first three games but hopefully he can be a wall tonight against a tough opponent.

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Shesterkin Keys Rangers Win Over Red Wings

Posted on October 15, 2024 by Derek

When things break down, the Rangers can count on Igor Shesterkin to cover up their mistakes. In last night’s 4-1 win over the Red Wings at Madison Square Garden, it was the brilliant play of Shesterkin that made the difference. He finished with 31 saves to pick up his second victory of the season in three starts.

If he was a bit off in a high scoring 6-5 overtime loss to Utah HC on Oct. 12, Shesterkin more than made up for it making key saves when the Rangers needed it most. He was particularly strong in a disjointed second period – stopping all 14 shots to keep the game tied entering the third period. That included some critical ones when the Red Wings spent large chunks of time in the Rangers zone, generating scoring chances.

Somehow, the media thought that Shesterkin was the game’s third star. Did they even watch? Without him, the Rangers fall behind in the second period. When the Red Wings pressed the attack, which was aided by a couple of power plays, they forced Shesterkin into some difficult stops. He stood tall on Lucas Raymond and J.T. Compher.

For Detroit, Alex Lyon got the start. The backup to former Ranger Cam Talbot, he was good. But there was at least one goal he could’ve had. Following a couple of Shesterkin saves to prevent the Wings from grabbing an early lead, Zac Jones led Artemi Panarin in transition. As he cruised into the Detroit zone, Panarin set up Alexis Lafreniere for a one-timer that beat Lyon through the wickets to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead. He caught Lyon moving. It was his second goal of the season. Lafreniere is up to four points. Every one increases his value.

It looked like they’d take a one-goal lead to the locker room. But the Red Wings had other ideas. After receiving a Patrick Kane feed, Justin Woll pinched down and found a wide open Dylan Larkin for a quick one-timer that beat the buzzer. The goal was scored with less than two seconds left. The Rangers’ top line broke down. Woll made a good move and had enough sense to realize how much time he had to find Larkin for the equalizer. Both Panarin and Lafreniere puck watched. Rookie defenseman Victor Mancini wasn’t in the right position. It was a frustating conclusion to the first period.

The second saw the Blueshirts get into penalty trouble. A Chris Kreider hooking minor led to a strong Red Wings’ power play. Despite having seven shots on it, they were unable to beat Shesterkin. He continued to stifle them when play returned to even strength. He was locked in.

If there’s an area they need to improve, it’s defensively. There have been too many instances during the first three games when they’ve given up dangerous opportunities. Utah HC exposed them. The Red Wings couldn’t due to Shesterkin, who rebounded well from an off start. In the 6-5 overtime defeat this past Saturday, he allowed six goals on 26 shots. It was a sharp contrast on Monday night when he stopped 31 of 32 shots. The goalie is the last line of defense. The Rangers are lucky to have him. Eventually, they’ll find some common ground on a new contract.

With the game still tied, Adam Edstrom drew a high-sticking minor on Holl. It took the Rangers’ top unit only eight seconds to take advantage. After a faceoff win, Panarin moved the puck over to Mika Zibanejad in the left circle. He didn’t hesitate, sending a nice pass past Red Wings defenseman Mo Seider right on Kreider’s stick for a tip-in past Lyon. His specialty. The power-play goal gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead with 2:55 left in the period. Kreider already is up to three goals. He scored twice against the Penguins in the season opener on Oct. 9.

Adam Fox nearly had another one at the buzzer. Following some good attack time from the Zibanejad line, K’Andre Miller sent a shot wide. With time winding down, Fox got to a loose puck and fired a backhand past an unassuming Lyon as the horn sounded. But it was a second too late. It was a smart play by Fox. He almost caught Lyon napping for a goal.

If there was a difference, the Rangers played much tighter defensively in the third period. They also were better offensively. They didn’t spend much time in the Red Wings’ end during the second. That wasn’t the case in the final 20 minutes. It was the Blueshirts who carried the play. They played with more urgency.

Mancini nearly had his first goal again. In the game against Utah HC, he had it negated due to Matt Rempe being in the blue paint, which resulted in incidental contact with Connor Ingram. On an aggressive shift, he made a nice move and fired a good shot that Lyon made a good save on. Mancini continues to impress with his skating and ability to jump into the play. Even though he’ll likely be sent down to the Hartford Wolf Pack, when Ryan Lindgren returns, Mancini has shown a lot of promise. He doesn’t look like a sixth round pick.

On an offensive draw, Zibanejad won it clean back to Reilly Smith. Smith’s quick wrist shot from the circle beat Lyon far side inside the goalpost to put the Rangers ahead by two with 15:09 remaining. Zibanejad has been winning more faceoffs thus far. Any time you can win one like he did for Smith’s first goal as a Ranger, that’s a huge positive. Faceoff plays have become critical in the league. You can create offense off of them. You couldn’t have drawn it up any better.

The Rangers picked up Zibanejad later when he went for taking down Raymond. So far, the penalty kill has been alright. They allowed one power-play goal to Utah HC in four chances. They were a perfect 4-for-4 against the Red Wings. They’ve gone 10-f0r-11 in their first three games. Both Miller and Jacob Trouba continue to excel shorthanded. Braden Schneider has been good so far, getting some shorthanded chances. Sam Carrick has fit in on the penalty killing unit.

The Red Wings lifted Lyon with over two minutes remaining in regulation. They never came close. Instead, the Rangers were excellent defensively. Carrick was used for a shift with Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. On another defensive shift, Trouba moved the puck to Panarin at the Detroit zone. He then dished across for a Zibanejad empty netter that sealed the victory. After going without a point in the first two games, Zibanejad finished with three points, including his first goal of the season. It’s important for his confidence.

Panarin finished with three assists. He is up to seven points. The seven points in the first three games allowed him to become the fourth Rangers player to post multiple points in three straight games to start a season. He joined Mike McEwen (1978-79), Bernie Nicholls (1990-91), and Kreider (2016-17).

Panarin is off to another fast start. It isn’t about what he does now. However, the consistency he’s shown has made him the best Rangers’ free agent signing. He is a dynamic player with remarkable talent. If you subtracted him from the roster, the Rangers would be hard pressed to make the playoffs. He competes extremely hard. His battle level has improved under coach Peter Laviolette. A good example was the strength he showed on a defensive shift with the Rangers protecting a two-goal lead. He warded off a Red Wings’ checker to help kill more time.

Smith got recognized for notching his first as a Blueshirt in the locker room. The Broadway hat looked a little funny on him. You could tell that he was trying to get used to it. He’s a proud veteran and former Stanley Cup champion. If he can score between 20 to 25 goals while playing with Zibanejad and Kreider, then that line should improve from last year. They have to be better at 5-on-5. Hopefully, Smith’s experience can help spark Zibanejad, who is the key to their success.

Brodzinski Replaces Rempe

As expected, Jonny Brodzinski replaced Rempe in the lineup. He took 13 shifts all at even strength, logging 8:11 of ice time. Edstrom received even less getting 7:32 in 11 shifts. Carrick played more because he kills penalties.

If there’s an area I’d like to see Laviolette do a better job on, it’s showing enough confidence in the fourth line. The Rangers must become a four line team. When he cuts down to three lines this early in the season, it’s counterproductive. Carrick looks like a solid replacement for Barclay Goodrow. He knows how to play his role.

Why even play Rempe if he’s going to get less than four minutes? He set an excellent screen on Mancini’s shot that almost was his first career NHL goal. If Rempe’s in for Thursday’s rematch at Detroit, he has to play more than he did against Utah HC.

If Laviolette refuses to play the checking line consistently, he could burn out his best forwards. It’s important to manage the minutes of Panarin, Trocheck, Zibanejad, and Kreider. All four play in every situation. It’s a long season. He shouldn’t overplay his stars.

The third line of Filip Chytil, Will Cuylle, and Kaapo Kakko has shown good chemistry. Along with Lafreniere, Chytil and Kakko don’t receive enough power play time. It can’t be a repeat of the last few seasons. They shouldn’t lean as heavily on the top unit. Finding balance is a key to success.

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