With every goal and highlight, Rick Nash continues to state his case for the Hart Trophy. While he’s up against some stiff competition as we highlighted in this previous post, he again demonstrated why he’s in the MVP discussion. Tonight’s Video Of Day installment is another highlight reel goal from Nash, who got flat out Nashty beating Tuukka Rask with a sweet deke and backhand finish that had MSG going wild.
The Rangers improved to 19-6-0 when Nash scores a goal in 2014-15.
Rick Nash continued his Hart Trophy candidacy scoring his league best 32nd in a 3-2 win over the Bruins.
AP Photo by Kathy Willens/Getty Images
On Rivalry Night, the Rangers finally got the best of the Bruins. A thorn in their side the past few years, Boston again looked to get the better of New York. But after they scored two goals in a 1:52 span to close the first period up one, the Rangers responded with a big second scoring twice to pull out a hard fought 3-2 win at MSG.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak in the regular season to the Bruins. In fact, dating back to Boston’s five-game series win in 2013, it was the Rangers’ first victory in regulation against them 3/4/12- a 4-3 home win. That’s how long it’s been since they defeated the Bruins in 60 minutes. Their other wins came in overtime and a shootout. To say this was important for team psyche would be accurate.
They did it by outskating the Bruins with superior team speed and world class skill. As usual, Rick Nash was front and center scoring another breathtaking goal 5:50 in on a breakaway. His league-leading 32nd was a beauty. After Kevin Klein cleared the zone, Martin St. Louis made a perfect outlet sending the Hart Trophy candidate in on Tuukka Rask. Nash patiently waited before deking and tucking a sweet backhand in.
For a good portion of the first, the Rangers dominated with their speed. They were the better team outshooting the Bruins 10-2. Only Rask prevented further damage robbing Carl Hagelin, who was set up perfectly by budding rookie Kevin Hayes. The 2013-14 Vezina winner kept his team in it.
The Bruins were able to capitalize on two glaring mistakes from struggling top tandem Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi. On the first one, Alain Vigneault kept his fourth line out against Boston’s top unit. The end result was David Krejci and Reilly Smith combining to set up Milan Lucic for his 11th evening the score at 13:37. Even though the fourth line was victimized, it fell on Girardi and McDonagh who didn’t take Lucic. Lately, this has been a common occurrence.
Further illustrating it, Loui Eriksson took advantage of a St. Louis giveaway blowing through the neutral zone and setting up a wide open Patrice Bergeron for an easy finish past Cam Talbot giving Boston a 2-1 lead with 4:31 left. Again, it was the inability of McDonagh and Girardi to take Bergeron leaving too much of a gap. At some point, Vigneault must break them up. The Rangers are winning in spite of them. Even though they’ve won three in a row, they won’t go anywhere until our captain and Danny G straighten out.
Despite a bad finish to the period, they were able to respond with a strong second outscoring the Bruins 2-0. Getting back to their greatest asset, the Rangers pushed the pace. Able to take advantage of their slower more deliberate foe, they turned the game around.
One of the keys was Mats Zuccarello. Since Vigneault switched lines, he’s been more noticeable. On a line with Derick Brassard and Chris Kreider, a good forecheck from Zuccarello allowed Kreider to recover a puck and feed an open Brassard in the slot for his 13th evening the score at 6:41. It was Brassard’s first goal in six. With an assist, that extended Zuccarello’s point streak to three (1-3-4). Kreider also extended his to four with a goal and three helpers.
The Bruins came back with some chances of their own but were thwarted by Talbot. In for an injured Henrik Lundqvist, who’s day-to-day with a neck injury, he was solid making 18 saves. About what you’d expect from one of the NHL’s best backups. Even though he wasn’t peppered, Talbot made timely stops allowing the Rangers to counter.
One of those quick counters led to the game-winner. On a rush started by Girardi, Nash gained the zone drawing defenders before passing for an open Derek Stepan, whose wrist shot from the left circle beat Rask at 16:56. A pretty passing play completed by the team’s number one center. When Stepan hits the score sheet, it’s usually a good sign.
There weren’t many penalties. Each side had two power plays with the Bruins given one big opportunity early in the third when Carl Hagelin off for a slash. Despite several good looks, they were unable to cash in. Partially due to hustling Blueshirts who got out to block shots or intercept passes.
The Rangers had their own chance when Dougie Hamilton went off for interference. But they also couldn’t increase their lead despite some close calls. Notably St. Louis who might’ve grazed the post.
For the most part, they protected the one-goal lead well defending solidly. The Bruins got one dangerous scoring chance on a point shot with traffic but a sharp Talbot kicked it out. One of the differences in the win was Boston was unable to get to rebounds and crash the crease. That’s always been part of their strategy against us. The Rangers did a good job boxing out.
With under a minute left, someone missed an empty net. I forget who. It might’ve been Brassard. Thankfully, there were only 24 seconds left and the Rangers defended perfectly to preserve the win.
NY Puck 3 Stars:
3rd Star-Chris Kreider, NYR (assist, 2 SOG, 4 hits, +1 in 18:09-another strong game)
2nd Star-Derick Brassard, NYR (goal-13th of season, 5 shot attempts, 3 hits, +1 in 18:22-very active)
1st Star-Rick Nash, NYR (league-leading 32nd, assist, 4 SOG, +1 in 15:41-MVP caliber)
Notes: Rangers improved to 19-6-0 when Nash scores a goal. … Bruins dominated faceoffs winning 30 of 45 (67 percent). Bergeron went 17 for 23. Hayes was the Rangers’ best winning 5 of 9. … Rangers outhit the Bruins 34-26 led by Jesper Fast’s seven. Chris Kelly paced the B’s with seven. … The Original Six rivals combined for 38 blocked shots with the Bruins holding the slight edge 20-18 led by Adam McQuaid’s five. Kevin Klein blocked four the New York.
… Rangers (30-15-4) are up to 64 points but remain third in division. They trail the Islanders by one and the Penguins by two. Pittsburgh moved back into first with a 2-0 win over Edmonton. … They are off the next two days before a big weekend back-to-back with a visit at Nashville Saturday and back home for Dallas Sunday. Nice schedule. 😛
Heroic Henrik: Henrik Lundqvist is tended to by Rangers medical staff as concerned teammates look on. He was fine leading the team to victory over the Hurricanes.
AP Photo by Mary Altaffer/Getty Images
As it turns out, the puck Henrik Lundqvist took to the throat might be more serious than originally thought. During the Rangers’ 4-1 win over the Hurricanes, he was injured when a Brad Malone shot caught him in the throat due to Ryan McDonagh accidentally lifting his helmet. Lundqvist stayed in the game and made 31 saves.
Able to start the next game- a 6-3 victory over the Panthers- he showed no ill effects making 33 saves for his 25th win of the season. However, as often happens with injuries there’s an virtual unknown that can alter how a player feels. The New York Post’s Brett Cyrgalis tweeted an update with Lundqvist suddenly a scratch for tonight’s Rivalry Night against Boston.
He did experience dizzy spells in the third period of the Carolina win on 1/31. Curiously, there are unconfirmed reports that the Rangers medical staff did not fully test Lundqvist afterwards. If true, that is irresponsible. Given how uncertain injuries are, it’s always better to be safe and use caution. If Lundqvist is out for a extended period, they have no one to blame but themselves.
As for tonight’s match against the Bruins, it’s an opportunity for Cam Talbot and the team to step up against a tough opponent that dominated them 3-0 in their only meeting. MacKenzie Skapski is an emergency recall from Hartford and will back up.
Hart Worthy? Rick Nash’s big season has him a likely candidate for league MVP.
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It’s been a while since the Rangers had a Hart winner. Jaromir Jagr came close in ’05-06 shattering single season franchise records in goals (54) and points (123). He finished second behind Joe Thornton, who produced 92 points in 58 games after being traded to the Sharks to win the Art Ross with 125 points. It’s one Jagr deserved for carrying a team into the postseason for the first time in nearly a decade.
In their rich history, the Rangers only have one Hart winner in the last 54 years (’04-05 lockout excluded). Stanley Cup winning captain Mark Messier won the award in ’91-92 after leading the club to the NHL’s best record with 35 goals and 107 points. He became the first Ranger to win it since Andy Bathgate in ’58-59. However, the ending was bittersweet with the Penguins eliminating them in six games during the second round. Two years later, Messier led the Rangers to their first Cup in 54 years.
In 2014-15, Rick Nash is trying to become the second Blueshirt to win the award since Bathgate. During Monday’s exciting 6-3 win over the Panthers, he scored twice including a highlight reel shorthanded goal that tied him with Tyler Toffoli for the most shorthanded goals (4) in the league. His empty netter gave him number 31- tying Alexander Ovechkin for the league lead. Nash has played in two less games (48) compared to Ovechkin (50). Tyler Seguin ranks third with 28 in 49. Joe Pavelski and Steven Stamkos each have 27 in 51.
Currently, Nash has 31 goals and 15 assists totaling 46 points in 48. He leads the Rangers in goals (31), points (46), shorthanded goals (4), game-winners (5) shots (179) and is tied with Kevin Klein for the team lead in plus/minus (19). In games Nash scores, the Rangers are 18-6-0. In fact, they’ve won their last nine when Nash lights the lamp. For the season, they’re 22-7-3 when Nash registers a point. When he doesn’t, they’re 7-8-1.
On a team that doesn’t have many double digit scorers, Nash stands out. His 31 goals are 17 more than Martin St. Louis (12). Derick Brassard (12), Chris Kreider (11) and Carl Hagelin (10) are the other players to hit double figures. As a team, the Rangers have scored 143. Nash has accounted for 21.7 percent of their offense. For comparison, Ovechkin has 21.2 of the Caps’ offense. Pavelski comes in third at 19.1 on the Sharks.
In terms of value, the statistics support Nash’s candidacy. He drives the offense and has been equally as valuable defensively. Not only is he an MVP candidate but could draw inclusion for the Selke handed out to the league’s best forward. What works against him is that he isn’t a center. The award usually recognizes two-way play of centers who perform offensively and defensively. Recent examples are Pavel Datsyuk, Patrice Bergeron and Jonathan Toews. Jere Lehtinen is the last wing to win the Selke doing so three times with the Stars.
In order to be considered, Nash must continue to perform at a high level. If he can approach 50 goals and win the Rocket Richard while leading the Rangers to a higher place in the standings, he should get serious consideration. At the moment, there’s plenty of competition from Ryan Getzlaf, Kane, John Tavares, Vladimir Tarasenko, Mark Giordano, Pekka Rinne and Carey Price. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin shouldn’t be discounted and neither should Ovechkin. It’s hard to gauge Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux unless the Flyers miraculously make the postseason.
I’ve never been a fan of giving the Hart to a goalie. We’ve seen Henrik Lundqvist nominated in 2011-12 due to his sensational Vezina season that included a division title and the East’s best record. In a year where there’s no clear cut favorite, plenty of observers are pushing for Price. His play has been brilliant. So has Rinne prior to an injury that sidelined him. Giordano merits inclusion if the Flames make it. The Norris front runner is having a special season.
Consistency is one factor. Strong finishes are another key. They can often sway voters. Look no further than Thornton after Boston traded him to San Jose. He turned their season around and went past Jagr for the scoring title. Corey Perry took home the award in 2010-11 with a tremendous finish. Ovechkin’s third Hart in ’12-13 was due to a similar torrid stretch.
As we get into the home stretch, that’s where the contenders will separate themselves from the pack. Like a marathon, some won’t be able to keep up. Thus far, Nash has given Ranger fans a lot to smile about. Finally healthy, he’s having a memorable year. A Rocket Richard and Hart would be a nice reward. Like his teammates, he has eyes on the ultimate prize.
Ryan Malone was placed on waivers by the Rangers today.
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Earlier this afternoon, Ryan Malone requested the Rangers place him on unconditional waivers so he could retire. The 35-year old veteran left wing was signed by Glen Sather during camp for one-year $700,000. He got into six games before the team designated him for Hartford. Malone is earning $100,000 with the Wolf Pack. In 24 games, he has four goals and six assists with 29 penalty minutes.
A declining forward who once scored at least 20 goals in five seasons, Malone was given another chance by the Rangers following an arrest for DUI and 1.3 grams of cocaine possession. He was bought out by the Lightning.
If this is indeed it, Malone finishes his NHL career with 179 goals and 191 assists for 370 points with 693 PIM in 647 games. He was on the ’07-08 Penguins who lost to the Red Wings totaling six goals and 10 assists with 25 PIM in 20 postseason games. Drafted by Pittsburgh in Round 4 115th overall out of St. Cloud State, he had a solid career eventually landing a seven-year $31.5 million contract with Tampa. He was productive the first four years totaling 81 goals and 97 assists for 178 points. Injuries and personal issues is how it ended. At least he got one final chance to go out on his own terms.
The move frees up cap space for the Rangers. Considering that they appear to be in talks with the Coyotes after GM Don Maloney visited MSG for last night’s game against the Panthers, a move could be on the horizon. Whether it’s to finally address a gaping hole at center by acquiring Antoine Vermette or Martin Hanzal or to actually upgrade sixth defenseman with Keith Yandle and Michael Stone available, that remains to be seen. With the trade deadline less than a month away, Sather should be busy.
Zucc Celebrates: Mats Zuccarello is congratulated by Ryan McDonagh and Chris Kreider after his goal.
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To put it mildly, it’s been a struggle for Mats Zuccarello. The popular feisty Norwegian hasn’t produced consistently. Perhaps coach Alain Vigneault switching lines could be the boost he needs. Zuccarello broke a 10-game goal drought scoring a key insurance marker while setting up another in the Rangers’ 6-3 win over the Panthers at MSG.
”I can feel pressure from everyone around to score some goals, so obviously I’d like to score some more,” he said after his two-point effort gave the Rangers their second straight win.
For a second game in a row, it wasn’t pretty. A poor start allowed the Panthers to hop in front with Aleksander Barkov scoring 4:09 into the contest. Entering eight points behind the Rangers in the standings, Florida came out desperate. Their speed and forecheck gave our struggling defense fits.
In particular, the slumping tandem of Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi. Neither played well with McDonagh caught out of position frequently and Girardi forced to take two penalties due to poor positioning. It might be time for Vigneault to flip Girardi with Kevin Klein. Especially with Marc Staal delivering another big game. He scored a goal and was solid throughout.
As usual, Rick Nash was at his best scoring his team-leading 30th and 31st goals to tie Alexander Ovechkin for the league lead. The first was a beauty shorthanded. With Girardi off for tripping, Nash forced rookie Aaron Ekblad into a bad turnover at the blueline. He easily intercepted a loose puck and then broke in and beat Roberto Luongo with a nasty forehand deke and tuck tying the score. His fourth shorthanded goal tied him with Tyler Toffoli for the league lead.
Zuccarello drew a hooking minor early in the second. That led directly to him setting up rookie Kevin Hayes for his first NHL career power play goal. After Zuccarello took a McDonagh feed, he dished across for a wide open Hayes who buried his seventh at 2:51. He hasn’t gotten much power play time but Vigneault trusted him and it paid off.
Jesper Fast also had a strong game. The improving rookie made a smart play in the neutral zone and then found an open Staal for a wrist shot that deflected off Sean Bergenheim to make it 3-1 at 9:28. Carl Hagelin drew the other helper.
Before they got comfortable, the Rangers had a mental lapse in the second part of the period. First, Staal lost his coverage on Dave Bolland, who was able to bank in a loose puck off a crossbar from Bergenheim and Jussi Jokinen. The fourth line failed to clear the zone. Dan Boyle also was an adventure during that shift.
Less than three minutes later, the Panthers took advantage of another Girardi penalty. Bolland set up a wide open Brandon Pirri for a sweet finish in the slot. Brad Boyes netted the secondary assist.
Florida really controlled the play. If not for Henrik Lundqvist, they take the lead. Lundqvist was very strong finishing with 33 saves. That included some crucial ones in the third before his teammates picked up the slack.
Boyle got a reprieve when his harmless shot deflected off ex-King Willie Mitchell past Roberto Luongo to put the Rangers ahead for good with 11:50 left in regulation. It was Boyle’s second straight game with a goal. He has to produce because they didn’t sign him for his defense. He and partner John Moore have shifts that are worrisome. Arizona GM Don Maloney was in the building. It’ll be interesting to see if anything happens between him and Glen Sather. The Rangers and Coyotes have been frequent partners. Antoine Vermette and Martin Hanzal could be potential targets.
Even as the Panthers pressed for the equalizer, Lundqvist wouldn’t oblige. In what’s becoming a trademark, he made another ridiculous glove save. That part of his game has improved. He now sets players up. There’s no doubt he’s at the top of his game with the team not as steady in front of him. If they are to go anywhere, that has to change.
Vigneault again switched things up in the third. Zuccarello was the beneficiary of a nice Derick Brassard feed for a Chris Kreider shot that rebounded right to Zuccarello, who finally got off the snide to make it 5-3 with 4:02 remaining. A couple of minutes later, Nash broke away and scored into a vacated net to seal it.
”We are getting to that point in the season where we’ve got to be desperate for points,” the Hart Trophy candidate admitted. ”Playing in the third, we didn’t have as many turnovers as we did in the first two periods.”
”Even though they came back and they tied it up in the second period, when the game was on the line in the third, I thought we played our best period,” Vigneault added while joking that he wished Mitchell would’ve had a puck go off him during last year’s Stanley Cup Final.
The competition picks up with the Bruins visiting MSG Wednesday. That’ll be our first game since my birthday on 12/8. An exciting overtime win over the Pens. Speaking of which, the Rangers closed to within two points of second place with two extra games left. They’re two clear of the Caps for third with two at hand.
NY Puck 3 Stars:
3rd Star-Marc Staal, NYR (goal-3rd, 2 SOG, 2 blocked shots, +1 in 19:17-our best D since contract)
2nd Star-Rick Nash, NYR (2 goals-30th, 31st incl. 4th SHG-breathtaking)
1st Star-Mats Zuccarello, NYR (goal-8th, assist-3 points in last 2)
Whichever side of the Hudson rivalry you’re on, Martin Brodeur was a huge part of the intense battles between the Rangers and Devils. His retirement last week ended a brilliant Hall Of Fame career that included three Stanley Cups, four Vezinas and Olympic gold. The former goalie holds the NHL record for most games (1,266), wins (691) and shutouts (125).
From his first full season as a rookie when he went head to head with Mike Richter in a classic seven-game Eastern Conference Final, Brodeur was front and center for the Battle Of Hudson. Many of his victories came against the Rangers. For so long, he never defeated them in the playoffs also losing in the ’97 Eastern Conference Semifinals. After backstopping the Devils to three Cups in less than a decade, he finally got the better of the Rangers in a 2006 first round sweep.
Brodeur went from battling Richter to going up against current Rangers’ all-time franchise wins and shutouts leader Henrik Lundqvist. The pair of number 30’s formed a nice rivalry. After Marty came out on top in ’06, Lundqvist returned the favor in 2008 with the Rangers prevailing in five in another first round. However, it was Brodeur who got the final match-up leading the Devils to a six-game Conference Final upset in 2012. At age 40, he was able to outperform Lundqvist helping New Jersey to its fifth Stanley Cup Final appearance.
Despite all their battles, Lundqvist paid tribute in a classy tweet congratulating Brodeur on a great career earlier today.
It is refreshing to see our goalie pay respect to a legend who played on a nemesis. Brodeur and the Devils broke our hearts in 2012. He didn’t always say the nicest thing about Lundqvist or our team. But that didn’t stop Lundqvist from continuing to exemplify why he’s so great for hockey. He gets it.
Brodeur will be missed. His competitive fire and will to be the best make him one of the best of all-time. Best of luck to him in the future.
Heroic Henrik: Henrik Lundqvist is tended to by Rangers medical staff as concerned teammates look on. He was fine leading the team to victory over the Hurricanes.
AP Photo by Mary Altaffer/Getty Images
A scary moment turned into a huge sigh of relief. Early in the second period, Henrik Lundqvist took a Brad Malone slap shot to the throat and was down in pain for a few minutes. On the play, Ryan McDonagh accidentally lifted Lundqvist’s mask exposing his chin to Malone’s shot. It looked pretty bad. But after trainer Jim Ramsay came out, the franchise goalie caught his breath an was miraculously able to stay in the game leading the Rangers to a much needed 4-1 victory over the Hurricanes.
”I was getting ready for the shot, and I could feel a stick under my chin pull up my helmet, so I lost vision of the puck,” Lundqvist said after delivering 31 saves to snap a two-game losing streak. ”I had a bad feeling about it because I could kind of see the puck coming, but then I lost track of it.
”When I got hit, it was obviously extremely painful and it was hard to breathe for a couple of minutes.”
It is Lundqvist who’s the leader of this team. He doesn’t need a ‘C’ to prove it. Without him, they don’t come back against the Penguins and make the Stanley Cup Final last year. Nicknamed King Henrik, the popular 32-year old Swede again proved why he’s so beloved. When he was down, I didn’t think there was any way he could continue. He looked so groggy that I feared the worst. Fortunately, it wasn’t as bad as it looked. But for those few minutes, you had to be scared for him.
”You’re nervous for him, and your stomach drops a bit,” teammate Marc Staal said after facing brothers Eric and Jordan. ”Anytime a guy is kind of rolling around and kicking his legs, you know it’s not good.”
”It was just unfortunate timing by me,” McDonagh said. ”I’m trying to box a guy out, and my stick kind of gets his mask up.
If you only looked at the box scores for this Devils team (and I can’t blame you if that’s all you do at this point) and saw the Devils got five of a possible six points coming out of the All-Star break, going 6-2-2 in their last ten games you would think ‘wow, the Devils are playing much better now with the new staff’. If you did not look at the standings you would be delusional enough to think the Devils even at three games under NHL .500 could still make a run at a playoff spot with a home-heavy schedule down the stretch. And if winning was truly everything with nothing else mattering then you don’t care that the Devils have only managed a pitiful 28 shots on goal in the last two games combined. Or that they’ve been outshot 317-203 during this ten-game stretch.
Unfortunately however, reality suggests that the Devils – still thirteen points out of a playoff spot despite this ten-game stretch – don’t have a realistic chance at the playoffs with the top eight in the east clearly distancing itself from the pack, and that this stretch of results is a total illusion considering the Devils are being outshot by over 11 shots a game and have had 20 shots on goal or less in six of the ten games.
Those facts are what make me conflicted over watching this product on the ice during the last couple games (thankfully I did not watch the worst of the three games against the Pens, but did attend the two wins). This Devil team is the ultimate test of whether winning really is everything. It’s one thing to win and look bad doing it on occasion when you’re higher up in the standings, it’s another thing to win and look bad repeatedly when winning does very little other than worsen your draft position. Especially considering this version of the trap the Devils have gone back to is so much of a shell it makes the Jacques Lemaire trap look like a run and gun system. Then again at least you could count on Lemaire teams to hold shots against down too, this Devil team looks like an expansion team being outshot 45-20 and trying to win on the strength of goaltending and keeping the opponents’ shooting gallery stationed on the peremiter of the ice.
Honestly, it has been the goaltending that has been the main bright spot lately by far. Whether it’s Cory Schneider giving up three goals with a whopping seventy saves during the games against the Leafs and Penguins, or Keith Kinkaid last night coming within minutes of his first NHL shutout making 26 of 27 saves you can’t say enough about either goaltender on this team. Cory’s finally putting an end to the stigma that ‘yeah, he’s been good but he’s never been good through 55-60 games in a season’ and quieting the doubters who probably still haven’t come to terms with the fact Martin Brodeur’s no longer here, while Kinkaid’s firmly established himself as an NHL goaltender during the last two months with strong play of his own. You could say we haven’t had as strong a goaltending tandem since 2012 when Marty and Moose were both playing well but even then it’s not like the goaltending was making 35 saves a night, it was more like 25.
Leaving the goaltending out of it right now, it’s not a pretty picture. Apart from Adam Larsson who’s developing into a legit top-pairing defenseman, there isn’t much to suggest the coaching change has really helped anyone else. Defensively the shots against are well-documented, they were high earlier in the year and still high now even with Scott Stevens having a freer hand on defense. Yes, there was a little more scoring on the West Coast (of course during the two games I did not watch) but during these three home games post-break the team’s combined for a putrid four non-empty net goals combined. Of course you can’t score if you don’t shoot, or like the famous Wayne Gretzky quote says, ‘100% of the shots you don’t take won’t go in’. Last night was a new low even for this team in terms of getting shots on net when the team managed just four total shots in the final two periods, and one of THOSE was a Steve Bernier empty-net goal, so really it was three shots against a goaltender in the final forty minutes.
Things got so embarassing last night the Devils were mock cheered for putting just one shot on goal in the second period – with mere seconds to go before intermission. In fact that mock cheer was one of the most hilarious experiences I’ve ever had live and the only memorable part of the final forty minutes of last night’s game. Apparently this output embarassed the Devils so much they didn’t even put the shots on goal up on the jumbotron after the second period the way they usually do. Following a good first period, it seemed as if the Devils were content with a 2-0 lead to (using a boxing term) just lay on the ropes and take punches the rest of the night.
And yeah I feel like a bit of a hypocrite complaining about being ultra-boring with a lead while complaining about Pete DeBoer’s leaky system where blown leads were the norm but are these really the only two options available to us? Be ultra-boring or blow every lead in sight? It’s one thing to be boring, it’s another to just hope and pray the goaltending bails you out. At least when Lemaire teams were boring they wouldn’t permit shots on goal. Being boring when you only give up five shots in a period is a little different then being boring and getting outshot 22-4 in the final two periods. So in fact this is actually worse than boring, it’s just begging the goaltenders to bail you out night after night.
I’m not going to get into the draft stuff too much…would it be annoying to have a worse pick at the end of the day because of wins that aren’t really doing a lot for us, yes. That said, I still can’t bring myself to root against the team for the sake of the draft pick (especially in the games I do attend), but talk to me again after the trade deadline – if we move anyone. While it seems an impossibility this team can get back in the playoff race, don’t tell Lou Lamoriello, cause even as many points out as the Devils are they’re still acting like every game is Game 7 of a playoff series with their lineup decisions – i.e. playing the useless Mark Fraser and journeyman Peter Harrold over youngsters Eric Gelinas and Seth Hegelson – and their system of death. So it’s not the fact we’re winning meaningless games that bothers me, it’s the fact we’re not really doing a lot to earn those wins or are getting many positives out of them.
I can deal with winning games and a worse draft pick if you have younger players playing well and any type of system that doesn’t make the prevent defense look like a risk-taking maneuver. All I want to see from the rest of the season are positives, whether they result in wins or not.
Struggling forward Mats Zuccarello can’t beat Carey Price during a Rangers’ 1-0 shutout loss to the Canadiens.
AP Photo by Mary Altaffer/Getty Images
Tonight, the Rangers were shutout by the Canadiens 1-0 in a hotly contested game at MSG. It was their second straight loss out of the All-Star break. In six periods, they’ve scored one goal. That it came against two Stanley Cup contenders isn’t a surprise. The Islanders and Canadiens are two of the East’s best. Along with the Lightning and Bruins, they pose the biggest threats to the Rangers.
Offense hasn’t been an issue. However, it could become one due to the lack of secondary scoring. At this point of the season, coach Alain Vigneault hasn’t figured out what his third and fourth lines should be. The juggling of Kevin Hayes, Jesper Fast and J.T. Miller continues. With only Carl Hagelin an established third liner while faceoff ace Dominic Moore is better suited for the fourth line, there in lies the problem. Lee Stempniak and Tanner Glass are role guys who shouldn’t play every night.
What it all means is that the Garden Faithful can’t be too confident about this team’s depth. Gone are Brad Richards, Brian Boyle, Benoit Pouliot, Derek Dorsett and Dan Carcillo. All were key pieces Vigneault could rely on last Spring. Offensively, they were much deeper including at center with Richards supplying offense and Boyle providing a smart defensive forward who could take draws. Pouliot was a perfect fit on the third line with Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello. While Brassard has upped his level, Zuccarello has struggled in a top six role. He hasn’t provided enough offense and is costing himself in a contract year.
Most of the scoring has been provided by the top two lines with top sniper Rick Nash and true number one center Derek Stepan leading the way. Martin St. Louis has been a good mentor for Chris Kreider. Kreider is still learning the ropes. In tonight’s match, he challenged P.K. Subban, who ducked him and laughed in his face. Kreider is still developing. As for St. Louis, the production is fine but he’s been streaky. The former Hart winner was snake bit hitting a post and getting robbed by Carey Price in the third with the game still tied. He’s without a goal in seven straight.
As it is, the Blueshirts don’t have many finishers. Even with Nash doing his part, it is scoring by committee. So when St. Louis slumps and Zuccarello is ice cold, that puts too much pressure on Nash. There is still a learning curve for Hayes and Fast, who Vigneault favors over Miller. The former 2011 first round pick shows flashes but still is mistake prone which is why he doesn’t play every game. At some point, Vigneault must decide what makes better sense. Letting Miller learn from his mistakes or playing Stempniak and Glass over him while risking losing the second-year forward.
In the one-goal defeat, Glass provided toughness battling Brandon Prust to a draw. Not surprisingly, the game had edge. It was expected with the Habs wanting to make a point in their final visit to The Garden in the regular season. Max Pacioretty scored the lone goal catching Henrik Lundqvist napping. Price delivered the message by stopping all 24 shots for a shutout. The Habs’ number one goalie who was injured during last year’s Eastern Conference Final is in line for his first Vezina. That could depend on if Pekka Rinne returns for Nashville.
For the Rangers, it’s back to work for the Hurricanes who visit Saturday. With the Panthers and Bruins also on the horizon, it’s up to them to turn the page. They blew opportunities to gain ground in the divisional race. With 58 points in 46 games, they trail third place Washington by one and are four behind second place Pittsburgh. Even with their loss to Boston, the Islanders remain seven up and already have won the season series. What the Rangers want to avoid is a slump which could allow teams behind them to creep up. They’re still six clear of Florida and the suddenly resurgent Flyers trail by nine with four more games played.
In the mean time, they have to figure it out. Vigneault will continue to toss darts and see if he can miraculously fix the depth issue. With the trade deadline March 2, that gives general manager Glen Sather a month to figure out how to improve his team. A lack of a true third line center who can win faceoffs is a glaring hole. Who are the candidates? Antoine Vermette could be a target as a rental. On a bad Coyotes team, he has 31 points and is over 55 percent on draws. Martin Hanzal has the size and skill they lack but is locked up through ’16-17 on a great contract with an average cap hit of $3.1 million. I don’t see them moving him.
There are other areas Sather might want to address. Upgrading on the blueline is a possibility. Neither John Moore nor Matt Hunwick are regulars with each better suited as extras. Size has also come into play against the Islanders and Bruins. The Rangers aren’t big or overly physical. That along with the being thin at center and depth are legit concerns. We won’t get a definitive answer for a while.
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Derek
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