True, this is a local blog but we do around the league stuff occasionally, and it’s always fun when a goalie scores a goal. Especially when he actually shoots the puck in to do it. This goal by Mike Smith of the Coyotes last night was unique for two reasons. One, he got the shot off quickly and in traffic…and two it barely beat the buzzer by half a second. Enjoy (courtesy of NHL YouTube):
Tonight from 12 midnight to 1 AM, I’ll be hosting New York Puck on the HARD HITS NETWORK. It’ll be a one-hour live hockey show on Blog Talk Radio. The first of many. I’m going to shoot for every Saturday and Monday during the season.
We’ll talk about the first Battle Of Hudson going to the Devils. What’s wrong with the Rangers? Plus the Islanders and Sabres each struggling. And whatever else I can get to. I may or may not be joined by THW Live’s Chris Wassel or co-hosts Brian Sanborn, Rob “Kraze” Davis or Justin “JNF” Felix. We’ll have to see. It’s the first show. So, it should be fun.
To call up, please dial 347-677-0684. If you just want to listen, either click the link above or the one below.
Helpless Hank: Henrik Lundqvist watches the Devils celebrate their fourth goal.
AP Photo/Julio Cortez
In a word, humiliating. Embarrassing would be an appropriate way to describe the Rangers tonight. Facing a previously winless Hudson rival, they went through the motions at Prudential Center. How else can you explain losing 4-0 to the Devils? This was one of the worst games I’ve seen from this team in a long time. It was so bad that it reminded of the listless losers when Glen Sather first took over.
Zero passion. Little effort. Dreadful defense. And no goaltending. That’s right. Henrik Lundqvist was awful. At one point, he gave up four goals on 14 shots. After that, the Devils just sat back and trapped. They didn’t even have to earn their first win. It was handed to them by a punch less, gutless team that couldn’t be bothered. It’s bad enough Coach Clueless had Taylor Pyatt on the top line. Neither Patrik Elias nor Damien Brunner played for the other side. They weren’t needed. If the Devils had as much skill as the Sharks, it could’ve been nine. The four still were an accomplishment for a team that hadn’t been scoring.
It was understood that without Ryan Callahan, the Rangers were going to have to play a low scoring, tight checking game. Instead, they tossed pucks away and couldn’t complete tape to tape passes. The end result was a humiliation from a struggling Hudson rival that desperately needed jolt. The Rangers provided it along with comic relief for Devil fans who are still upset about the goal song. They got to celebrate White Stripes “Seven Nation Army” four times.
Andrei Loktionov started the scoring thanks to an awful rebound from Lundqvist. A John Moore giveaway at the blueline led to Devil defenseman Anton Volchenkov firing a harmless slapper on Lundqvist. He let out a juicy rebound right to Loktionov who buried his first at 7:22. The other defenseman out was Justin Falk, who was having an active shift until the cruel ending. No one took Loktionov. Over five minutes later, Adam Henrique caught Lundqvist napping from the left circle with an unscreened shot short side. Dan Girardi was caught flat footed inside the Devil zone. Jaromir Jagr cleared the zone to Rotislav Olesz, who fed Henrique for his second.
The only positive from the lifeless period was a big hit delivered by Benoit Pouliot. Upset that Andy Greene caught teammate Mats Zuccarello with his head down, Pouliot retaliated with a clean check on Bryce Salvador that knocked the Devil captain down. His momentum carried him into the boards making for a scary moment. He had to be helped off the ice. Fortunately, he was able to return. Pouliot showed some edge throwing a couple of hits. But remains stuck on zero points in seven games. The same output as Zuccarello. Unacceptable.
A Dominic Moore penalty for a face-off violation led directly to the Devils’ third goal. It took them all of 18 seconds to take advantage with Michael Ryder connecting from the point for his third. They moved the puck around with Jagr combining with Marek Zidlicky to find Ryder, whose shot dipped beneath Lundqvist. I could care less if Joe Micheletti made an excuse saying he was screened in front. It was another stoppable shot. The Devils made it 4-0 when Dainius Zubrus was allowed to get to another loose puck and chip a backhand past Lundqvist. Fittingly, Salvador assisted on it showing toughness. Zidlicky drew the other assist for his second point. Both the elder Czechs (Jagr and Zidlicky) had two assists. That should tell you something.
How bad were the Rangers? They barely could penetrate a Devil D that had struggled protecting leads. There was no sustained fore-check pressure. Not much of anything. Cory Schneider may as well have had a lounge chair in Point Pleasant. He made 19 saves for his first shutout as a Devil. Probably one of the easiest games of his career.
Taylor Pyatt had probably the best chance but typically missed an open side when it was still close. How bad is it when Pyatt is on the top line? Brad Richards hardly had the puck. The ice was choppy for both sides. But it was like the Rangers never played before. I’ve already echoed that and we’re seven games in. Derek Stepan was invisible. Girardi struggled as did Marc Staal. The only forwards who were noticeable in garbage time were Brian Boyle, Derek Dorsett and Jesper Fast. Fast drew a penalty and finished a check. Dorsett and Boyle gave max effort. But it’s their fault the team sucks.
No Ranger did anything to change the momentum. Without Callahan, they’re very soft. An easy team to play against. The highlight of the night was MSG showing Carl Hagelin practicing. Then they showed the bridges, which will take up half the arena. As if anyone cares. This is what Dolan cares about. Not a winning product. That’s why Sather still keeps his job. He brought the media darling to coach this club. All he does is chew gum aimlessly. Never bothers to use a timeout. Why even bother? Listening to Alain Vigneault’s press conference is enough to make you puke. He referenced how they only gave up eight chances. Did he watch? There was zero disdain. The guy’s a puppet. Imagine if they lose to the Flyers and Red Wings before the home opener. They could be 2-7-0 with fans wanting AV gone.
Without Callahan and Nash, this team is severely lacking talent. Hagelin can help. But how much should be expected? If Lundqvist doesn’t perform, they’re a lottery team. Tonight, he may as well have been promoting shampoo. At least Hartford won.
For the Devils, it looks as if Patrik Elias will miss tonight’s game with the flu, and Damien Brunner is questionable with a shoulder issue, while for the Rangers Michael Del Zotto will sit out for a second straight game coming back from the flu himself.
Devils lines and d-pairings:
F: Olesz-Henrique-Jagr, Tedenby-Zajac-Ryder, Zubrus-Josefson-Brunner/Loiktionov, Carter-Gionta-Bernier
D: Salvador-Zidlicky, Greene-Fayne, Volchenkov-Harrold
Scratches: Elias (flu), Loiktonov, Larsson, Injured: Clowe
Rangers lines and d-pairings:
F: Pyatt-Brassard-Richards, Miller-Stepan-Zuccarello, Pouliot-Boyle-Dorsett, Powe-Moore-Fast
D: McDonaugh-Girardi, Staal-Stralman, Moore-Falk
Injured: Callahan, Hagelin
Goaltending matchup: Schnieder (NJD) vs. Lundqvist (NYR)
Other than the Devils’ home opener on the 4th, neither us or the Rangers have played a game in the tri-state area this season. While the Rangers are still in the midst of their season opening nine-game road trip during the finishing touches of MSG’s gagillion-dollar renovation, the Devils return to their arena after their own five-game trip into the Twilight Zone. The left/north coast wasn’t kind to either team, as the Devils remain the only winless team in the NHL after seven games while the Rangers started 1-4 (being outscored 25-9 in the process) before their now-typical manhandling of the Caps in a 2-0 shutout. Still, the Rangers have issues with captain Ryan Callahan again on the shelf – this time with a broken thumb. Callahan and a rejuvanated Brad Richards are the only Rangers with multiple goals to this point as the Alain Vigneault high-tempo offense hasn’t really upped the team’s goal total so far with just eleven in six games.
Going by the old axiom your best players have to be your best players, the Rangers have come up short in that area (Callahan aside), with defensemen Marc Staal and Dan Girardi combining for a -13 and just one point while Derek Stepan is goal-less with a -7 in six games – though he does have five assists. It doesn’t help that forwards Rick Nash and Carl Hagelin are also on the shelf. Perennial Vezina nominee Henrik Lundqvist has ugly numbers too – a 3.33 GAA and .902 save percentage, and that’s after his shutout Wednesday. At least he still has a job unlike former caddy Martin Biron, who was given the axe after two subpar games.
It’s not like things are a bowl of cherries for the Devils either…in fact they’re actually worse. While the Rangers have two wins and four points after six games, the Devils are still stuck on zero wins and three points through seven games. While we’ve played our majority of the games on the road too, we were supposed to have the easier West Coast trip compared to the Rangers’ California to St. Louis gauntlet. Our BC-Alberta-Ontario swing didn’t exactly help though, as the Devils lost multi-goal leads in a pair of games (the only ones we even got a point on during the trip!), and the whole trip was an exercise in Murphy’s Law – whatever could go wrong did. We lost a close game we were dominated in and a blowout where we outshot Ottawa by nearly twenty. A shootout loss, an OT loss, and a loss where we had a contreversial disallowed goal go against us at a key point in the Calgary game. I’m just tired of talking about it all.
Hard to believe these are the same two teams that met in a stirring Conference Finals just eighteen months ago. Or that the landscape of the NHL has changed to the point where another such meeting is extremely unlikely in the near future (thanks to the new division-weighted playoff system). To be sure, both teams have changed significantly in the last year and a half…in our case we’ve had to try and pick up the pieces after the stunning twin departures of Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk in successive offseasons, while the Rangers’ changes were mostly of their own doing – first dealing for Rick Nash, then dealing away Marian Gaborik and finally axing coach John Tortorella after a second-round exit last spring. If both teams don’t pick it up soon I’m sure more changes will be made, although in the Rangers’ case there’s not a lot that can really be done apart from the Biron and Aaron Asham cuts the other day. Vigneault is not getting fired, though he may have to adjust his system to fit the talent on his team (and they may have already started to do that in Washington).
New Jersey may be facing the bigger changes though, with the questions getting louder about Pete DeBoer‘s job security after the Devils’ slow start combined with a terrible finish last year that equals a mere eleven wins in forty-two games. Although the team is still trying for the most part – which is half the battle for a coach in keeping his job – the personnel decisions remain bizarre and slanted. DeBoer’s blind adherence to the ‘left on left, right on right’ way of stacking his wings and defense pairings have led to us continuing to ice a nightmare third defensive pairing of Anton Volchenkov and Peter Harrold, while Mark Fayne and Adam Larsson continue to get yo-yoed in and out of the lineup. Volchenkov probably won’t get benched because heaven forbid we play a right-handed guy on the left side, while Harrold probably won’t get benched because heaven forbid we play Fayne and Larsson over a career AHL/fill-in defenseman. Ostensibly, Harrold serves as a point on the power play and provides offensive punch but he hasn’t put up a single point in seven games – even the cement-footed Volchenkov has two.
In defense of the head coach, it’s not like our best players have been our best players for the most part either. Patrik Elias and Damien Brunner are our only forwards with as many as four points through seven games. Despite all the changes up front and touting depth over stars, the Devil offense continues to struggle with or without Kovalchuk and Parise, putting up just thirteen goals in the first seven games. In a big surprise to no one, former Ranger Ryane Clowe is already out of the lineup, being placed on IR for ‘precautionary reasons’ after getting a headache following a hit to the head last Sunday in Winnipeg. Maybe it’s just as well he get some time off since Clowe has only one assist and a -5 in six games anyway, showing that maybe his lack of offensive production last year may be the new norm rather than an abberation…a scary thought considering the tough Newfie is signed for the next five seasons at big money.
Our goaltending has also been a mixed bag, with Cory Schnieder (2.65 GAA, .908 save) playing well but not getting support offensively or defensively in his three games while Martin Brodeur (3.40, .865) has been dreadful in his four games. Essentially they’ve been rotating to this point, perhaps until one finally wins a game. Tonight is Schnieder’s ‘turn’, which is noteworthy in itself since it’s been a while from the time a healthy Brodeur was benched against the Rangers. We’ll see how the team responds for Cory tonight, after his not-so-veiled anger with his teammates over a clear lack of effort in Winnipeg.
Another interesting aspect of tonight’s game is the crowd…and no I don’t mean the percentage of Ranger fans to Devil fans, although with the Rangers not having a home game for most of the month it’s reasonable to think there might be more blue than usual in the regular season, especially with a Saturday night start time. Devil fans aren’t happy about a lot these days – stars leaving, the team’s play, increasing ticket prices, and also losing Rock and Roll part 2 as a goal song. A few days ago, the team sent out a letter finally spelling out in no uncertain terms that the goal song would be changing and because people complained about the ‘you suck’ part of it. Despite the fact that they’re letting fans vote on the new song (I voted for ‘Raise Your Hands’ from Bon Jovi but don’t expect it to win), Devil fans are incensed and many are vowing to boo every single goal song until RR2 comes back.
I already made my feelings known on this matter after the home opener, when this de facto protest started. While I like the goal song itself, many Devil fans have given it a disproportionate amount of importance given the state of the team and how the change was enacted. From afar it’s a fascinating soap opera but now that everyone at the arena is being forced into what’s essentially a political fight, I’m dreading the atmosphere at games until either the team gives in or the fans come to their senses – and not too unhappy that I’m not going tonight. Devil fans protesting the goal song + Ranger fans booing anyway will send a loud message to management (assuming we actually score a goal tonight), though it’ll also embarass the fanbase. Unfortunately, nobody seems to care about how much of a joke this stupid fight will make us into either, so long as we get our thirty-second song back.
As far as the on-ice importance of tonight…yes, it’s still early and most of the Metro division is bad – but if the division remains bad that means only three teams will make the playoffs as opposed to four or five. Either way, the Rangers and Devils have to pick it up if they want to contend for a playoff spot this year. As the Devils proved two years ago, you can’t win a Cup in October and November but you can sink your season in a hurry.
He’s the unquestioned leader of this team. Nobody plays harder than Ryan Callahan. The Ranger captain always gives max effort and does whatever is needed to win games. Whether it’s scoring a gritty goal like the one he batted out of mid-air or laying out to block a shot as he did on a John Carlson shot in the waning minutes of their 2-0 shutout of Washington, he only knows one way to play. All out.
That grinding style has its risks. Not the biggest in stature, Callahan squeezes every ounce out of his 5-11, 190 frame. One of the game’s best hitters, there’s no check he won’t finish. If he has to fight to send a message, he’ll do it occasionally. No one exemplifies what it is to be a Ranger more than Captain Cally. That’s why the latest setback is so damaging for a club already without Rick Nash. The 28-year old Rochester native suffered a broken thumb in Wednesday’s win. He’ll miss three to four weeks.
After working so hard to return from offseason shoulder surgery, Callahan is back on the mend. He’s missed significant time before. In 2011, a broken left hand sidelined him 19 games. He returned to help the team make the playoffs. But took a Zdeno Chara shot that cost him the final two of the regular season and all five of the first round. A broken right leg. Even in his first full year, a knee sprain kept him out of 16 games. There have been lesser bumps and bruises along the way.
This is who he is. A heart and soul type who is a lock for Team USA ‘if’ he stays healthy. Cut out of the same mold as American hopefuls David Backes and Dustin Brown, Callahan is the most important skater on the Blueshirts. If Henrik Lundqvist is their most indispensable, then the former ’04 fourth round gem is the glue. He can always be counted on to log big minutes playing every situation. Not only do they lose what he does on the ice, but what he brings in the locker room. We saw frustration from the fearless leader following consecutive embarrassments to San Jose and Anaheim challenging his team to be better. They responded with more inspired play the last two. Now, they’ll have to do it without him.
In his place, Darroll Powe was recalled from Hartford. Rather than summon Chris Kreider, who’s off to a good start with the Wolf Pack, the organization made the right call. They don’t want a repeat of last year. Playing with Kreider’s psyche is counterproductive. He’s better off staying put until he’s ready. It’s not a shortened season. There’s plenty of time for him to develop. The addition of Powe adds a valuable penalty killer. An area Callahan provided. Powe is a strong defensive forward who showed improvement during camp. He gets a chance to provide a spark. With him likely in a fourth line role, it allows J.T. Miller to have an increased role. He shouldn’t be expected to play top line and replace Callahan. Plugging Mats Zuccarello might be a better option that gets him going. The speedy Norwegian has yet to register a point. But is fearless. They need him to produce.
With Carl Hagelin just cleared for contact Thursday, he’s getting closer to returning. The target date is Oct. 29 against the Islanders following the home opener. They can certainly use his combination of speed and grit. The Swedish version of Callahan should help. He won’t freight train opponents but there’s not mistaking what he brings. A similar hard forward that makes the Rangers tougher. He’s a top six forward on the roster.
Instead, they’re stuck waiting for Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot to find the back of the net. Pouliot’s been particularly frustrating proving why he’s a former top pick that’s bounced around the league. A former ’05 first round pick of the Wild, this is his fifth team (Min, Mtl, Bos, TB, NYR). There are instances where he shows flashes of talent but other moments where you don’t notice him. In six games, he has 11 shots. This is a guy capable of scoring 10-15 goals hitting double digits in three consecutive seasons (’09-10 thru ’11-12). In 34 contests with Tampa last year, he posted eight goals and 12 assists. But played around better talent. There’s still no reason why he shouldn’t be able to contribute. Brad Richards, Derek Stepan and Derick Brassard are the Rangers’ top three centers.
Alain Vigneault must resolve this issue. An improved power play under assistant Scott Arniel is clicking at 20 percent ranking 15th. They’re 4 for 20. Hardly a large sample. However, a more aggressive approach has worked so far with Richards shooting from everywhere. Similar to what he did with Dallas. Vigneault preaches offense. He has to find a way to get the most out of the supporting cast. It isn’t the most skilled. Jesper Fast is still learning and Miller is only 20. He knows what he has in vets Brian Boyle, Dominic Moore and Taylor Pyatt. Derek Dorsett is the team enforcer.
Maybe the defense will have to produce more. He wants them to be more active. The dilemma is early on, they got victimized defensively. Ryan McDonagh, John Moore, Marc Staal and Anton Stralman are all capable of contributing. Moore’s goal the other night was a rocket. Mike Del Zotto is supposed to be the team’s best offensive blueliner. Instead, the fifth year pro remains an enigma posting a minus-six with no points in five games. He missed the Washington game with the flu. Defensively, the team was fine with Justin Falk. At 23, Del Zotto should be improving. Instead, he’s stagnated. This is a big year for him. He’s earning $2.9 million this season. He’s a Group II next summer. Time is running out.
The early injuries provide a challenge. Everyone must step up. No game should be easy. The Rangers visit the Devils tomorrow in Newark. The only remaining winless team would love nothing better than to get their first victory against the bitter Hudson rival. Scoring will probably be at a premium. That means air tight D and splendid goaltending like they got in D.C. We’ll see if they’re up to the task.
The New Jersey Devils once prided themselves on being the best. At least that’s how it used to be under Team President and GM Lou Lamoriello. The architect of three Stanley Cups and five Finals appearances has never taken a back seat to anyone. After the unexpected departure of Ilya Kovalchuk, he vowed to field a competitive roster that could challenge for the playoffs.
So far, it hasn’t gone accordingly. The Devils’ latest defeat against the Senators by a score of 5-2 extended their season winless streak to seven (0-4-3). A rally fell short with Ottawa getting the final two sending the once proud franchise into its Saturday match against the Rangers still seeking their first win. They’re the only team left without a win. Even the Sabres, Flyers and Oilers have wins. It would be easy to point out that they’ve been in most games. They’ve lost once in overtime and twice in a shootout. At least that was the talking point from the official Devils Twitter after the game.
New Jersey Devils
@NHLDevils 35mThe final horn sounds. The scoreboard does not reflect our play tonight, but we still fall to Ottawa 5-2.
#NJDvsOTT
It’s all well and good to accentuate the positive when things don’t go your way. However, at some point reality sets in. You have to look in the mirror. The Devils used to make zero excuses when they lost. That’s been the Devil Way. Not lately. If you follow the Devils on Twitter or tune into the telecast or radio, the spin machine is in full force. In sports, it doesn’t work that way. There’s winning and losing. No in between. Right now, the Devils 0-4-3 record for three points ranks second worst in the Eastern Conference. Only the Flyers have less points (2). Following a 3-0 loss at home, the Sabres are 1-7-1.
There’s an old saying Hall Of Fame coach Bill Parcells always said. “You are what your record says you are.”
Whether they want to admit or not, the Devils are a bad hockey team right now. They’ve been outscored 26-13. A combination of poor offense, shoddy defense and subpar goaltending from future Hall Of Famer Martin Brodeur are the story so far. Coach Pete DeBoer has come under fire for questionable personnel decisions. Even though they competed tonight, there have been disturbing stretches where they’ve seemed disjointed. A recent loss at Winnipeg saw Cory Schneider storm off the ice. That kind of emotion is needed.
The Devils aren’t the only area local struggling. The Rangers are off to a 2-4-0 start having been outscored 25-11. A 2-0 shutout against favorite target Washington may get them untracked. However, they’ll have to do it without captain Ryan Callahan, who is lost for 3-4 weeks with a broken thumb after blocking a shot. Already minus Rick Nash and Carl Hagelin, they have to right the ship regardless. It’s the same for New Jersey. Under a new division format, only the top six are guaranteed playoffs. The remaining two are wildcards. The Metropolitan isn’t strong so far with only Pittsburgh out quick. There’s plenty of time to turn it around.
In my latest edition of symbolic YouTubing, I’m rolling out the Gong Show theme. I never watched the show but it was a late ’70’s talent show satire where you were gonged by the celebrity judges if your act was bad enough. Right now the Devils would be good for multiple gongs a night. I never thought I would say this but it is now getting as bad as the dark days of the John MacLean era all over again. I was a skeptic about this team in the summer but I never thought we would be so bad we’d be the last winless team left in the NHL. While the Devils’ struggles last year were mostly due to a lack of scoring touch and bad goaltending, this year everything’s taken turns breaking down. Worse yet, the effort doesn’t seem to be there the last couple of games which is a sign of players tuning out coach Pete DeBoer. When guys like Stephen Gionta and Mattias Tedenby (!) are among your better players, that screams vets going through the motions. I wasn’t sure Travis Zajac was even alive until he finally managed to score on the tail end of a lengthy 5-on-3 early in the third period. Adam Henrique is still on the back of a milk carton.
Typically, the Devils fell into a rabbit hole early when ex-Sen Anton Volchenkov screened Martin Brodeur on an Erik Karlsson shot – literally seconds after broadcaster Chico Resch said he was talking to Karlsson and the Norris-caliber defenseman was despondent he hadn’t yet returned to his former level after his achilles injury. Talk about a reverse jinx! Less than two and a half minutes later, Bobby Ryan beat Brodeur shortside for a bad goal and the Devils were down two before the seven-minute mark. Seeing the urgency, DeBoer took a timeout and the Devils resumed their usual ‘pepper the goalie with shots into his chest’ and dominate shots on goal without getting any real chances while giving up the best chances. Zach Smith‘s goal late in the second balooned the Senators’ lead to 3-0 despite being outshot 23-11 in the first two periods. At least it wasn’t as absurd as our game with them last year where we outshot Ottawa 33-11 and lost 2-0. Yes, Craig Anderson is a good goalie but let’s face it, we make every goalie look like Anderson.
It’s to the point where I don’t even want to watch these games right now. Of course my mood isn’t helped by my utter lack of sleep/headaches this week. Maybe I’m still paying the price for staying up late for the Vancouver and Edmonton fiasco endings last week. Between the team’s play and the ridiculous goal song booing nonsense, I’m actually glad I let one of my friends buy my pair of tickets for Saturday. Sad to say, the head coach is going to pay for this extended run of bad play with his job sooner rather than later. How can he not? I know we had the Finals run in 2012, but since then the Devils have been a disaster. Eleven total wins (nine regulation) in 41 games is just unacceptable. MacLean was the worst coach in NHL history for me – considering how good the team was in the second half compared to how bad they were in the first half – and he had nine wins in 33 games.
Marc Staal clears a puck as Henrik Lundqvist watches closely.
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Henrik Lundqvist was back to being at his best. The Rangers followed suit by returning to the kind of defensive style we’re used to. The end result was a 2-0 shutout of the Caps. Lundqvist stopped 22 en route to his first shutout of the season. It was his 46th career shutout.
A strong second period is where the game was won. The Rangers followed a solid road period by dominating the Caps in all facets. They outshot Washington 21-6. Most notably, they broke through twice on Braden Holtby. Defenseman John Moore one-timed a Brad Richards feed through for his first. They weren’t done. Ryan Callahan scored his third in two games after a power play expired. With Alex Ovechkin out of the box, the Rangers never gave up the puck. Eventually, Callahan snuck in and batted in a rebound lacrosse style making it 2-0. Richards and Derick Brassard drew the assists. The goals came 1:46 apart.
Playing better defensively, the Rangers focused on keeping Ovechkin to the perimeter. The league leader in shots on goal still managed to get eight on Lundqvist while attempting 13 total. The most dangerous chance came on a five on three during the first with it scoreless. With Anton Stralman already off for a hook, Taylor Pyatt also went into the sin bin for a hook handing the Caps a huge chance. This is the best ranked power play clicking at over 35 percent coming in. Despite passing the puck around like the Globe Trotters, Lundqvist stifled Ovechkin and Joel Ward missed a gimme. The Rangers survived by relying on Hank and doing what they do best. Block shots. The blocked 22. Dan Girardi was a machine getting in the path of four. Stralman also blocked four. Even Mats Zuccarello awkwardly blocked two.
This is who they are. It doesn’t matter who coaches. If the team is going to come together and win games, they must play as a unit. I didn’t particularly care for how they sat back in the third. The Caps had more of the territorial play outshooting the Rangers 8-4. But none were particularly threatening. I never got the feeling they would score. Lundqvist was sharp from the outset playing more aggressive than I can remember. He challenged shooters by coming way out. With the Caps pressing late, that aggression forced John Carlson to go for the corner, which he missed.
Lundqvist has shut out the Caps three straight games dating back to last Spring. That’s 180 straight minutes without allowing a goal to a good offense. Watching Washington overpass the puck with Mike Green opting not to shoot during one sequence is proof that Hank is in their heads. A great goalie can do that even to some of the best players. The combination of our D which included a security blanket from hustling forwards made it impossible for the Caps to get going. They were held to 14 shots through two periods and totaled 22 for the game.
When it was over, the Ranger fans at Verizon Center were left cheering while Cap fans exited. And the best aspect. We didn’t hear that annoying goal horn once except for period’s start. That’s six straight periods that ugly siren hasn’t been heard for Cap celebrations. Music to my ears.
Moore Goals: Defenseman John Moore celebrates his second period goal with Ryan McDonagh.
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
HARD HITS:
-The fourth line of Pyatt, Brian Boyle and Derek Dorsett played well giving the team a boost with some strong shifts. At times, Jesper Fast was on it. They forechecked effectively and injected energy while playing defensively responsible.
-Richards continued to look like a much different player. His two assists added to a team-leading seven points (4-3-7). He spoke during intermission about working really hard. It’s showing on the power play where his decision making is much better. He’s shooting the puck and making intelligent reads. Looks like early vindication for not wanting him bought out.
–Justin Falk was solid in place of Mike Del Zotto. He lost a scrap to Caps rookie Tom Wilson in the first but was okay defensively. He delivered three hits and had two blocks in 15 shifts (8:57) while staying out of the box. Exactly what Alain Vigneault wanted.
-Aside from sacrificing, the Rangers were physical registering 35 hits to the Caps’ 21. Captain Cally paced them with five and Danny G had four. Only two skaters (Stepan, Miller) didn’t have a hit.
-Speaking of the captain, Callahan was a beast not only scoring one of those cool goals that makes 24 number one in Blueshirt hearts. But he was all over the ice leading with six shots and blocking two shots. In 28 big shifts, he was plus-one in 22:06.
-With an assist and a much sharper game back with Girardi, Ryan McDonagh was stellar defensively matched against Ovechkin. In 30 shifts, he recorded his first point and was plus-two in 25:14. To borrow a cheesy line from a 90’s movie, “The Shadow Knows!”
–Benoit Pouliot still is searching for his first point. He has moments where you don’t notice him and then occasional bursts like the late chance he got on a mini-break which Holtby snuffed out. He needs to find the back of the net soon.
-Great hustle from Dominic Moore following a turnover. He came back hard and made a diving block to deny a Cap bid. He had three hits and won 6 of 11 draws. The Harvard man only knows one way to play.
-The Rangers lost the faceoff battle 37-31 with Cap center Nicklas Backstrom winning 15 of 22. Jay Beagle was 6 for 6. Moore was their best going 6 and 5 while Brassard lost 10 of 22. Richards took some early going 3 and 2. Boyle struggled losing 11 of 16 and Stepan was 5 and 7. Coincidentally, Pouliot went 2 and 0.
-Refs Chris Rooney and Justin St. Pierre missed obvious interference penalty on Troy Brouwer, who inadvertently caught Stepan with a shoulder high. I didn’t think he saw him. He was going for a change. Still worth pointing out Stepan was hurt and missed a few shifts before returning for a power play. Glad he was okay.
Puck Daddy writer Greg Wyshynski had a little more detail on the incident with Vigneault upset with Brouwer feeling it was a head shot. He gave it to Rooney a bit who contested that it was more accidental.
“I just looked at the replay there. If he couldn’t see him, I don’t know what else he was looking at,” said Vigneault, after the Rangers’ 2-0 win. “Obviously the principal point of contact was the head, so we’ll see.”
Brouwer spoke about the incident showing concern for Stepan.
“I was at the end of my shift, [defenseman Mike] Green had the puck and was pulling it out of our zone. I was going for a change and there was a little incidental contact in the neutral zone,” he said.
“I’m glad to see that he came back and wasn’t seriously hurt after it, those can be tough plays and I pride myself on being an honest player and tried to get out of the way without causing as much damage as possible.”
I don’t need to see it again. I don’t view Brouwer as a dirty player. I think it’s exactly what he said. There shouldn’t be any discipline.
After three days off, the Rangers return to the ice to battle the Capitals at Verizon Center. The game doesn’t begin until 8 EST due to it being televised nationally on NBC Sports Network. It’s the first meeting of the season between classic Patrick rivals. As history has shown, they’ve battled four of the last five years in the playoffs splitting each series. Expect the action to heat up.
Perhaps that’s what the Rangers need. Their early struggles have been well documented. So far, they’ve been outscored 25-9 suffering humiliations at the hands of the Sharks and Ducks. After dropping a third straight to the Blues, the organization put Arron Asham and Marty Biron on waivers. In their place will be J.T. Miller and Cam Talbot. Miller will start on the fourth line playing left wing. He scored four times with Hartford. Talbot will backup Henrik Lundqvist.
With Rick Nash moved to injured reserve and still minus Carl Hagelin, it’s up to the rest of the team to step up. Alain Vigneault finally criticized some of the non-producers. Though he didn’t mention them by name, Benoit Pouliot, Mats Zuccarello and Taylor Pyatt are off to bad starts. With Brad Richards doing most of the scoring, it’s up to the supporting cast to contribute. Derick Brassard and Ryan Callahan produced last game. So, the top line got the job done. When you consider they scored three without Nash, that’s a good sign. They need it from everyone.
Whenever the Rangers see the Caps, that usually means Ryan McDonagh against Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin is off to a fast start ranking second in the NHL with six goals and tied for fifth with nine points. Assuming Vigneault reunites McDonagh with Dan Girardi, that would put a familiar match-up in place for the rivalry renewal. They blanketed him during a first round seven-game win holding Ovechkin to one goal. None over the final six. During a Rivalry Special that aired on NBCSN last night, he admitted to how frustrating it was. They likely will repeat it prior to the game. Very interesting dialogue from both sides including McDonagh, who took a hard Ovechkin hit that cut him. A classic battle wound with him noting he’d take that hit every time to win. If Vigneault sticks with Marc Staal, he’ll be asked to limit Ovechkin’s time and space.
McDonagh was paired up with Anton Stralman Saturday. Stralman has been their most steady D thus far. He isn’t flashy. But gets the job done. A player who no doubt improved under Tort. As for the third pair, it’ll have a different element with Justin Falk in for flu-ridden Mike Del Zotto. Falk gets the assignment with John Moore, who must raise his level. He’ll get the opportunity to replace Del Zotto on the power play. An area he was used last Spring with mixed results. Certainly a good enough skater with a booming shot, it should be interesting to see how he does. As for Falk, Vigneault stressed that he wants him to play physical but also must stay out of the penalty box. He took two minors in the St. Louis loss. If he wants to stick, the ex-Wild blueliner must be more disciplined.
With the club finally East for the final four of a lengthy nine-game road trip, let’s see if they can come together as a group. They finally had time to practice and look at video. They aren’t as busy over the next week with two more days off before a visit to the Devils. Then four days to prepare for the Flyers. This is a golden opportunity for them to turn it around. All three are winnable.
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