Battle Of Hudson

When the Rangers host the Penguins tonight at 8 PM, Dylan McIlrath won’t be in the lineup. After playing his first two NHL games since being recalled from Hartford, he’ll be a healthy scratch.

Instead, Alain Vigneault has decided to dress Arron Asham. Nothing against Asham, who’s a solid fourth line energizer. But sitting out McIlrath fresh off his first fight that helped spark a win over the Flames doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Granted. The Pens are an explosive opponent that features league-leading scorer Sidney Crosby. Even without Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and suspended forward James Neal, they have capable scorers including Pascal Dupuis, Chris Kunitz and Jussi Jokinen.

Given their penchant for allowing goals to obscure fourth liners, it’s even more reason to question Vigneault’s decision. I get that he isn’t comfortable going with seven defensemen. But why bench the one tough guy they have against a team known for cheap shots? It’s not like the Pens don’t have physical players who can run roughshod. Tanner Glass is their enforcer and Deryk Engelland is a legit heavy. Robert Bortuzzo is also tough.

Why not dress McIlrath? Vigneault praised his courage for battling Brian McGrattan. Big Mac even was rewarded the Broadway Hat recognizing his contribution. So, he’s rewarded by being scratched? If that doesn’t sum up Vigneault’s first year behind the Ranger bench, I don’t know what else to tell you. This is a coach who entering Game 35 has yet to settle on line combinations. A detail that former bench boss John Tortorella was criticized for. Apparently, it’s epidemic.

The Rangers attempt to win two straight for the first time in nearly a month. That came against Dallas and Nashville (11/21-11/23) on the road. They can at least take solace knowing they beat the Pens in the only meeting on 11/6. A 5-1 drubbing. Henrik Lundqvist gets his seventh consecutive start. Figure Marc-Andre Fleury to be in net for the Pens. He’s having a great season boasting a 1.98 GAA. Oddly enough, the Rangers scored five on 25 shots in last month’s win.

Happy Hank: Henrik Lundqvist finally can celebrate after stopping Mikael Backlund in the shootout.
Getty Images/Jason DeCrow

It really had come down to this. Could Benoit Pouliot pick up Henrik Lundqvist in the seventh round of the shootout? The much maligned enigma delivered with a Forsbergian one-hander past Karri Ramo. After failing twice to shutdown Calgary, Lundqvist kicked out a Mikael Backlund try to finally clinch a 4-3 shootout win over the Flames. A relieved Lundqvist raised his arms and looked to the heavens. That’s how challenging it’s been for the Rangers to win on home ice.

”It was just a big relief to get two points,” Lundqvist echoed after clinching the Rangers’ first win at MSG since Nov. 30 against Vancouver. ”I had a chance to close it out twice and I didn’t do it. Finally we ended the game.”

The game was a microcosm of the season. Defensive breakdowns led to the Flames scoring twice before the Rangers got untracked. Following an early power play failure, Chris Kreider was called for a mysterious interference. Off a clean faceoff win, Backlund redirected Kris Russell’s point shot over Lundqvist from Mark Giordano. Following a Giordano penalty, Curtis Glencross steered home a Jiri Hudler feed at the goalmouth for a two-goal Calgary lead at 15:00. Brad Richards failed to take him in front.

With the Garden already in a foul mood, Derek Stepan awoke the crowd when he took a Rick Nash pass and beat Ramo 25 seconds later from Dan Girardi. Girardi made the defensive play clearing the zone for Nash, who dished for Stepan, whose shot went off a Flame skate. It was a huge goal that ended a 10-game drought for the struggling center. Entering the contest, he had only five goals. Oddly enough, when he registers a point, the Rangers boasted a 12-3-0 record. Perhaps it was a good sign.

The game got chippy during the second. John Moore exchanged matching roughs with Lance Bouma. He took exception to a hit post scrum. During the same shift, recently recalled former 2010 first round pick Dylan McIlrath wanted a piece of Calgary veteran enforcer Brian McGrattan. But refs Chris Rooney and Brad Watson stepped in. It would foreshadow what was to come. That kind of edge has been lacking. It was nice to see and brought energy to the building.

Another player who had been noticeably absent is Carl Hagelin. After scoring five goals early following shoulder surgery, the pesky Swede needed one in the worst way. He finally netted his sixth when he stuffed home a wrap around to tie it at 7:29. Pouliot made the play with an aggressive forecheck. Dominic Moore was also instrumental adding a helper. Since being reinserted by Alain Vigneault, he’s been more active scoring his first in the Columbus game. He’d also factor in during the shootout.

With the Rangers finally carrying the play, McGrattan sought out McIlrath. It was a date with destiny. The 21-year old rookie took his lumps against one of the league’s toughest but did alright. He had a bloody right cheek but got kudos from McGrattan when it was over. In his second game, McIlrath took 11 shifts (5:08) while splitting time with Justin Falk. For the first time all season, Vigneault went with seven defensemen. McIlrath received a couple of shifts in the third. He was nabbed for a dubious hi-stick with Mike Cammalleri pulling a classic vet move Jamie Langenbrunner was known for.

The Rangers killed it off to stay in a game they trailed by one. Earlier in the stanza, Calgary 2013 first round pick Sean Monahan chipped home his 10th from Glencross and Hudler. It was a goal that took a funny bounce over Lundqvist’s goal stick. One of those goals that happens when you’re going bad. After killing off McIlrath’s penalty, they badly needed a goal to avoid losing the first five of a record nine-game home stand. Kreider provided the clutch goal when he parked himself in front of Ramo and backhanded a Stepan rebound in for his eighth. It was Stepan’s 100th career assist. Brian Boyle started it with a defensive play working the puck to Stepan, who patiently waited before getting a tricky shot that Ramo couldn’t control- allowing Kreider enough time to finish with 7:53 left in regulation.

Interestingly, the Rangers had a great opportunity to win it. Following a Cammalleri rough of Mats Zuccarello, Ramo batted a rebound over the glass leading to a delay of game. It handed the Blueshirts a five on three for 1:20. But they couldn’t capitalize. Just as Cammalleri’s minor expired, Kreider accidentally hi-sticked Chris Butler. He tried to bat a puck out of mid-air but caught Butler who was bloodied leading to a double minor. A strong penalty kill led by Girardi, Ryan McDonagh (31:01 TOI, 6:51 SH), Hagelin and Moore allowed them to reach overtime.

After nothing was decided, the game went to a shootout. Amazingly, it was the Rangers’ first in Game 34. In Round 1, Zuccarello (high glove) and Joe Colborne (forehand deke) traded goals. Ramo and Lundqvist stifled the shooters the next two rounds. In Round 4, Richards beat Ramo stick side. But Lee Stempniak went high glove on Lundqvist extending it. Following misses from Derick Brassard and Cammalleri, Vigneault selected Dom Moore. An odd choice, he once beat the Rangers as a member of the Lightning to conclude the infamous Anisimov Shotgun game. Moore made him look like a genius also going stick side. But Lundqvist again failed to seal it, allowing Paul Byron’s flub to slip five-hole. Pouliot came out and made a beautiful move pulling Ramo to one side before tucking home the puck in the top of the seventh. This time, Lundqvist was equal to the challenge denying Backlund for the win.

”I just had a feeling that if we don’t win this one, I’m not going to be a happy guy,” he added. ”It’s a big win for us. Right now, you have to look at it as taking baby steps in improving and start winning. You can’t turn this around right away.

”You start with one period, then two periods, then a game. Then you start feeling good about yourself.”

The win was only the Rangers’ second when they allow the first goal. They improved to 2-15.

”That’s a picture we’ve seen,” Vigneault said. ”We stuck with playing a pretty solid defensive game. We weren’t giving them much, and we spent a lot of time in their end.

”We got a couple of goals and just kept plugging away.”

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Ryan McDonagh, NYR (SOG, 4 blocked shots, a warrior in 33 shifts-31:01)

2nd Star-Carl Hagelin, NYR (6th of season, 4 SOG, 2 hits, strong PK work in 16:17)

1st Star-Derek Stepan, NYR (6th of season, assist for 100th career helper, 3 SOG, 12 for 23 on draws, +2 in 22:43)

Matt Calvert and the Blue Jackets celebrate his goal 38 seconds in.
AP Photo/Jason DeCrow

The losing continues. For a fourth straight game on home ice, the Rangers weren’t good enough to win. They fell to the Blue Jackets 4-2 at a quiet transformed MSG. Quiet is probably the best way to describe the performance of Rick Nash. Facing his former team, he did absolutely nothing. As in no shots and a minus-two rating. Unthinkable.

Former Rangers Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky were a lot more noticeable. Anisimov scored a goal in his Garden return. Dubinsky centered the Jackets’ top line finishing with two shots and taking two minor penalties. Even though he didn’t get on the score sheet, he had an early impact. It was his line that off to a quick start. Matt Calvert beat Henrik Lundqvist just 38 seconds in from Cam Atkinson and another ex-Blueshirt Fedor Tyutin. On the play, three Ranger forwards were caught up the ice allowing Calvert to blow past the defense and go top corner on Lundqvist.

Inexplicably, the Rangers were outshot 7-1 early. Columbus dominated with its aggressive forecheck. The game also marked the NHL debut of Dylan McIlrath. Recalled from Hartford to provide toughness, the rookie defenseman got taught a valuable lesson. The former 2010 first round pick went for a big hit at the Blue Jacket blueline and missed leading directly to Anisimov finishing off a three on one from Blake Comeau and Boone Jenner. It’s exactly the kind of high risk play you expect from a 21-year old in his first game. He’ll learn. In 13 shifts (8:55), McIlrath was minus-one and credited with one hit. He didn’t see the ice in the third period.

With the crowd already edgy, another defensive breakdown led to David Savard scoring his first at 11:10. Carl Hagelin was the main culprit forgetting to switch coverage leaving Savard alone at the point to fire a shot that deflected off defenseman Mike Del Zotto and in. That chased Lundqvist from net. Since getting his extension, he’s 1-3-1 allowing 15 goals on 126 shots (.881 save percentage). If anyone wants to calculate his goals against, be my guest. I’m not going to bother. He continues to see a higher quality shot. You see the end results. Was tonight his fault? Hardly. The only one I can really get on him for was Calvert because of the lousy timing. It was a quality chance. Hank didn’t play it well giving Calvert too much of an angle.

Alain Vigneault didn’t hesitate to call on rookie backup Cam Talbot. The move seemed to spark the team. They responded by getting back in the game. At the conclusion of a power play, Dominic Moore backhanded home his first from Brad Richards. On due to growing impatience from Vigneault, Moore simply got to a loose rebound by Curtis McElhinney and buried it with Chris Kreider in front. The Rangers continued to pressure evening the shots at 16 after the first. In relief of Lundqvist, Talbot was steady turning aside 13 of 14 shots. He made a couple of big ones and also got lucky with Columbus hitting two posts. However, he gave the team a chance.

The second was particularly frustrating. With journeyman Mike McKenna in relief of an injured McElhinney, the Jackets protected the lead. Playing a tight checking defensive style similar to what used to be seen in these parts, they made it tough on the Rangers in the neutral zone. They did manage 11 shots but none really tested him. That was despite Dubinsky picking up consecutive undisciplined penalties including a hi-stick that McIlrath drew by engaging him. That was a prime example of why he was brought up. To inject energy. Brian Boyle also mixed it up with Nick Foligno. It was a frustrating night for Boyle, who was snake bitten. Ex-Jacket Derek Dorsett had a livelier game taking Ryan Johansen off the ice with him. That kind of edge has been missing.

With nothing happening the first half of the third, coincidental minors to Dorsett and Dalton Prout opened the ice. After Columbus controlled the first part of the four on four, Mats Zuccarello set up Dan Girardi for his first goal in 15. The play was made possible by Del Zotto. He made a good outlet and Zuccarello threaded the needle to Girardi for his second cutting the deficit to 3-2 with 8:53 left. Speaking of Del Zotto, he’s been better since Marc Staal went down. He also came up with a great defensive play to deny Johansen on a breakaway.

The Rangers couldn’t quite get the game tied. They had some chances but only managed seven shots. Vigneault switched the lines moving Nash back with Zuccarello and Derek Stepan. Hagelin played with Richards and Kreider. He also mixed in Benoit Pouliot who was more active in his return. A bad Ryan McDonagh pinch finished off the comeback. Desperately trying to keep a puck in at the blueline, he was caught by Tyutin who pushed the puck ahead for Johansen. Dangerous all night, his wrist shot squeezed through Talbot to make it 4-2 with 1:32 left. A crusher. Definitely one Talbot would want back.

When the buzzer sounded, it was the Rangers’ fifth consecutive loss at the “Transformed MSG.” Now 5-9-1 and 0-4-1 this month, they might want to stop mentioning it along with the Chase Bridges. You’re all welcome to jump.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Dominic Moore, NYR (1st of season, 2 SOG, 7 for 7 on faceoffs, +1 in 14 shifts-8:33)

2nd Star-Artem Anisimov, CBJ (8th of season, +1 in 16:08- strong defensive work all while flying under radar)

1st Star-Fedor Tyutin, CBJ (2 assists, 2 hits, blocked shot in 23:06- steady influence)

Ever since his arrival, Henrik Lundqvist has been treated like a king. The crown jewel of the Rangers, Lundqvist signed a mega contract extension worth $59.5 million over seven years that keeps him a Blueshirt through 2020-21. A Vezina winner, the 31-year old Swedish King is closing in on Mike Richter’s franchise record in wins (301). Entering tonight against Columbus, he’s won 285 while posting 47 shutouts- trailing Hall Of Famer Ed Giacomin (49) for the franchise lead.

Lundqvist has an impressive resume that includes seven consecutive 30-win seasons. The most ever by a goalie to start a career. He also won Olympic gold backstopping Sweden to glory in Torino. That also coincided with an impressive rookie year in ’05-06 that saw him win 30 games with a 2.24 GAA, .922 save percentage and two shutouts. Chants of “Hen-rik, Hen-rik” quickly resonated throughout Madison Square Garden.

Among the highlights were a league-leading 11 shutouts in ’10-11 to get the team back to the postseason. They were eliminated by Washington in five games. Thus far, ’11-12 ranks as his best. In 62 games, he set career bests in wins (39), GAA (1.97) and save percentage (.930). Lundqvist finished 39-18-5 with eight shutouts guiding the Rangers to an Atlantic Division title and the East’s best record. With the team playing a responsible defensive system reliant on him, Lundqvist excelled. He carried them to the Conference Finals. That included a perfect 3-0 record in elimination games during series wins over Ottawa and Washington. Unfortunately, the Devils ousted them from the playoffs to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. One goal the team hasn’t achieved with Lundqvist.

Following a second round exit to Boston, the passionate Rangers franchise goalie expressed disappointment referencing the season as a step backwards. That contradiction to Tortorella and trepidation about re-signing with them led to the demanding coach’s dismissal. Clearly frustrated with a style that didn’t produce consistent offense, Lundqvist wanted a change. Though he’ll never admit it, he’s the biggest reason Glen Sather made the switch and brought in ex-Canucks bench boss Alain Vigneault. Vigneault emphasizes a more aggressive style that rewards offensive talent.

So far, it’s been a dud. With only 70 goals through 32 games with a mediocre 15-16-1 record with 31 points, the Blueshirts find themselves on the outside of the playoffs. Due to the new division format, they only trail Carolina by a point. Realignment guarantees the top three spots in each division. Even though the new Atlantic is clearly better, only three teams automatically qualify. With Pittsburgh the only lock, there’s more than enough time for the Rangers to turn it around. They enter in fourth five points behind second Washington. The issue is the more games they lose, the harder they’re making it on themselves. New Jersey has 30 points and is one back while Columbus and Philadelphia have 29. Even the Islanders are still hanging around with 23 following their shootout win at San Jose last night.

A look at Lundqvist’s season and it doesn’t take an expert to conclude that it hasn’t been his best. In 24 starts, he takes a losing 9-13-1 record with a 2.60 GAA and .913 save percentage into tonight. If the season ended, those would be career worsts. He hasn’t performed up to his high standard. With the team in front of him not as committed defensively, his play has suffered. He’s seeing more quality chances and isn’t always coming up with the big saves. That must change.

He’s the Rangers’ MVP. Nobody takes losing more personally than Lundqvist. In fact, he concluded that it’s been his most challenging season to reporters following Tuesday’s loss to Nashville. With Derick Brassard, Ryan Callahan and Marc Staal all out, the Rangers could use a big game from their best. Maybe that could provide the missing spark. At some point, you expect your best to step up. It’s Lundqvist time.