Battle Of Hudson

Backed Out: Marty Biron can’t bare to watch as Blues captain David Backes celebrates a goal.
AP Photo/Bill Boyce

That’s three straight losses. In all three, the Rangers have given up at least five goals or more. They lost to the Blues 5-3 in what at least was an improvement from a competitive standpoint. I’m sure Alain Vigneault is emphasizing the positives along with the MSG spin machine. It’s nice that they showed a pulse offensively scoring three times including two from our beloved captain Ryan Callahan. He scored both on the power play. This isn’t a misprint. Neither is Brad Richards netting his team-leading fourth.

Unfortunately, when you continue to suck at the other aspects, you lose. Right now, the AV Rangers are a losing team who have forgotten how to play in their end. They don’t try too hard on defense and continue to play undisciplined. Coach pet Derek Dorsett took three minor penalties. Two of which resulted in St. Louis goals including Vladimir Tarashenko’s back breaker. For some inexplicable reason, he didn’t miss a shift. Instead, coach clueless rewarded Dorsett with 17 shifts (10:59). Can you imagine this occurring under John Tortorella? He would’ve glued his ass to the bench!

This isn’t the type of hockey anyone pictured when the smoking gun hired his hand picked coach by the media. I could care less how cordial Vigneault is. It’s about WINNING. All we get from him is standing behind the bench chewing gum with the same expression. If your team allowed 9, 6 and 5 during a three-game losing skid that has plenty of fans concerned, wouldn’t you get in some of your players’ faces? Understand he had a much more talented roster in Vancouver. The same one Tortorella is benefiting from. Right now, the Rangers clearly don’t possess the team speed and skill necessary to play his high tempo system. Oh. They gave it a great try. Despite all the mistakes, Richards and Callahan twice pulled them within one. The forecheck was much better the last two periods. But lack of detail and discipline proved fatal.

When you have one of your alternate captains Marc Staal standing around watching guys get to loose pucks and bury them, there’s a problem. Twice, he was beaten. First by Alex Steen, who they turned into an All-Star. He put up four points. The way they spoke of him during the broadcast, you’d have thought Steen was Crosby or Ovechkin. He’s not even as good as his Dad. It’s become a recurring nightmare and we’re only five games in.

The start was predictable with the Blues forming a shooting gallery at Marty Biron getting the first six shots. Eventually, Steen pounced on a T.J. Oshie rebound for the game’s first goal. To their credit, the Rangers came on. After being outshot 10-2, they got nine of the next 11. That included Callahan’s power play goal with six seconds left tying it. On a scramble in front, Derick Brassard set up Callahan who stuffed home a backhand past Jaroslav Halak. Derek Stepan drew the other helper looking better offensively. Defense was another story with a critical giveaway leading to the game-winner by Blues captain David Backes late in the second. You don’t blindly throw the puck back during a four on four. Ever.

These issues continue to plague this team. After a boarding minor in the first, Dorsett took a needless hold for his second penalty. But a Blues bench minor made it even. That’s four on four. It didn’t matter much with Backes taking a Steen feed through center and then going five-hole on Biron from the right circle. A horrible goal. It wasn’t the only one. Trailing 2-1, he allowed a Derek Roy 40-footer to beat him on the power play. Justin Falk was in the box for interference. He was okay the first couple of shifts shoving down that punk Max Lapierre and blocking a shot. But took two minors in 11 shifts (5:16). Well, that was worth it.

Brassard took advantage of a Blues giveaway forcing Halak to leave a rebound which Richards buried cutting it to 3-2. But before we could get too excited, Stepan’s brain cramp killed any momentum. During another four on four in which they came close to tying it, Stepan’s giveaway led to Backes tipping in an Oshie pass at 18:27 restoring a two-goal lead for St. Louis. Just as awful was Staal, who let Backes get behind him and watched. Yet Ron Duguay criticized Jesper Fast. What a joke. What was Staal doing? He’s been dreadful after a good start. The entire D has except for maybe Anton Stralman.

The Blues tried their best to keep the Rangers in it taking bad penalties. A Roy hold early in the third led to Callahan netting his second PPG. Stepan fed Richards at the point whose shot caromed high in the air. A flying Callahan got a piece of it showing the determination you expect from the captain. It was a bizarre goal that should’ve lifted them to victory. Instead, bozo the clown (Dorsett) took a third minor (hi-stick). By then, Henrik Lundqvist was in and was the victim of a Vladimir Tarasenko laser. It took just six seconds. Dorsett did a great job for the other side.

Notes: The Rangers were abysmal on face offs losing 34 of 60. The main culprit was Brian Boyle, who went 3 and 10. Brassard was an even (9-9) and Dominic Moore won 8 of 13. Along with two goals, an assist, a plus-three rating, Backes went 8 and 5. What a leader. His line flanked by Steen and Oshie combined for nine points (3-6-9). There was no answer. … In a losing effort, Callahan (2 PPG), Stepan (2 A), Richards (G, A) and Brassard (2 A) each had two points. … By getting outscored 5-3, the Rangers are now 0-5-1 in games Rick Nash misses. Dating back to last year, opponents have outscored them 23-9. … Rangers (1-4-0) get three days off and come home before headed to D.C. Wednesday to face the Caps (1-4-0). Then visit other struggling division rivals the Devils (0-2-3) and Flyers (1-5-0).

So much for keeping any line the same. Alain Vigneault has opted to dress Justin Falk. He’ll make his Rangers debut in an hour. Falk replaces Arron Asham. That means seven defensemen are playing and only 11 forwards.

Vigneault hasn’t been pleased with John Moore’s play, who admitted he needs to pick it up. Everyone was anointing him in camp as the guy to watch. But it’s easy to forget Moore is a young player without much NHL experience. Maybe we should’ve expected him to take a step back. It’s only four games in and the new coach wants to have an extra D opting for defense over offense. Maybe AV is starting to realize the personnel isn’t suited for his up tempo style. Well, at least not yet.

The team’s depth is already in question. While the prospects develop at Hartford, he’s stuck icing a stale lineup. That means the Rangers have to win the old way. By out grinding and outworking opponents. Against a strong team in a hostile environment, this has the recipe of a disaster. Guess we’ll see how it works out.

Marty Biron hopes to be all smiles in camp battle with Johan Hedberg.
http://www.metro.us

Nothing has gone right the last two games. Having been outscored 15-2 in San Jose and Anaheim, the Rangers pay a visit to St. Louis tonight. The latest challenge during a grueling nine-game road trip that has them off to a 1-3-0 start. The Blues have won their first three outscoring opponents 14-4. They’re looking to make franchise history by starting 4-0 for the first time.

With Henrik Lundqvist pelted for six by the Sharks, Marty Biron gets the call tonight. He made an appearance in relief allowing five goals. That included rookie Tomas Hertl’s exclamation point that still has the hockey world a buzz. If Alain Vigneault is looking for a spark, he’s banking on the team to play more inspired in front of the popular backup. Either they’ll lift their play and rally around him or continue to look like they’ve never played organized hockey. This from a group mostly intact following the dismissal of task master John Tortorella.

“We’re being tested as a group, being challenged, and it’s up to me as head coach to get this team to play well and that’s what I’m going to do,” Vigneault said of a struggling roster playing their fifth game in nine days on the road.

Maybe the coach can do a better job managing what he’s got. They’ll again be minus Rick Nash, who is back in New York with a concussion. For a second straight game, he’s changed the lines. Derick Brassard centers the top line with Brad Richards and Ryan Callahan. In the most eye opening move, Brian Boyle has replaced Derek Stepan as the number two center where he’ll play with Benoit Pouliot and rookie Jesper Fast. Stepan moves down to the third unit with Taylor Pyatt and Mats Zuccarello. The fourth line of Dominic Moore, Derek Dorsett and Arron Asham remains intact.

The numbers are ugly. Pouliot and Zuccarello don’t have a point. In three games since returning, Callahan is also without a point and minus-five. Stepan is minus-seven and was disappointed with his performance labeling the recent loss “the worst of his career.”

“There’s just no pride going on right now in our defensive zone,” Callahan scolded. “I think turnovers in the neutral zone cost us pretty big, especially against a team that can create so much offense in transition. Once again, we weren’t good enough.”

The defense has been so shoddy that Vigneault redid the pairings. Marc Staal and Dan Girardi will play together a second consecutive game while Ryan McDonagh teams with Anton Stralman, who Vigneault singled out as their best defenseman. Mike Del Zotto and John Moore comprise the third pair. In particular, the top four were brutal the last two games. NHL Network broke it down further the other night.

WHERE’S THE D?

Plus/Minus        Giveaways

Del Zotto        -6                            2

Girardi            -5                            1

McDonagh     -4                            1

Staal                -5                            5

“Our puck management is not very good right now,” Girardi said. “We’re just giving pucks away. We’re not getting all the way down under their hash marks and making them go down and get it and try to get it down our end again. We’re making life easy on other teams. They’re playing it whatever they want. They’re just coming out of the zone freely, cycling on us, and we’ve got to find a way to get the puck out of our zone as fast as we can and create some offensive zone pressure, take the onus off the defense a little bit.”

The root of the problem is they’re having trouble adjusting to Vigneault’s system. There have been too many instances where players are caught up ice leading to breakouts. Even worse, the zone coverage has been abominable. When your best players are making fundamental mistakes going to the same player leaving someone open in front, it doesn’t matter who’s in net. Lundqvist has allowed 15 goals so far posting a hideous 4.30 GAA and .879 save percentage. Biron permitted five goals on 21 shots and enters with a laughable 9.78 GAA and .762 save percentage. It can’t get any worse or can it?

Of the current roster, only two players aren’t minus. Boyle and Nash are both even. Unfortunately, we don’t know when the latter will return. That’s our top finisher. When the Rangers were without him for four games last year, they went 0-3-1 and were outscored 12-6. They’re still without Carl Hagelin, who remains on long term injured reserve and won’t be available until Oct. 29 when they visit the Islanders.

Rumor has it this was the latest team that humiliated the Rangers.
fanpop.com

Ducks fly together was Coach Bombay’s slogan in The Mighty Ducks. For at least the NHL version, that’s true. These Ducks also flew together quacking the hell out of the Rangers 6-0 at The Pond. It was a game so uncompetitive that it begged the early thought, ‘What the heck is wrong with the Alain Vigneault Rangers?’

I don’t want to answer it. I’m still a bit dizzy from watching the Giants latest loss and then dazed and confused by the Rangers. Yes. Rick Nash flew back to New York to be evaluated. He’ll miss the game at St. Louis too. Whatever. What difference does it make? When you put out no effort following the Hertl humiliation, what exactly does that say? This team has been out of synch since preseason. For some reason, Vigneault insisted on keeping too many players hurting team chemistry. Now, they’re paying the price.

How do you come off a 9-2 debacle in which nerdy analysts and hypocritical Caps coach Adam Oates are taking unwarranted shots at Tomas Hertl and then respond with another listless effort? I always said the start was going to be tough due to the insane Western trip against quality opponents. But at what point does it end? Who expects this team to go into St. Louis and win? Seriously.

In three defeats, the Rangers have allowed 19 goals. Almost unthinkable for a team that played air tight defense under former coach John Tortorella. Even if you want to use the Vigneault system as an excuse like MSG does, it doesn’t fly. Not when you have the same six defensemen and almost an identical roster. These guys haven’t forgotten how to play hockey? Though by the looks of it, you’d think they were in pee wee. Right now, the AV Blueshirts resemble the Ron Low Rangers. Even the best players are screwing up. I can’t remember seeing Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi beaten so badly.

It doesn’t matter who scored the six Ducks goals. Anyone could have. Bruce Boudreau could have iced the Oreo Line, Charlie Conway, Adam Banks and Aberman. This was unacceptable. Even if Teemu Selanne got one of the six and set up another, it’s past the point of embarrassing. That isn’t a hockey team right now. Ryan Callahan said, “I expected a little more out of this group after San Jose.”

What’s left? Most disturbing is not once did a coach who took the Canucks to within an eyelash of the Stanley Cup use his timeout. And Henrik Lundqvist played the entire game. For what purpose? Probably as much as icing a roster with Derek Dorsett. I could care less if he scored a nice goal the other night. He is one dumb hockey player. The Rangers don’t need selfish players who are only about themselves. They need guys who play smart hockey. That means back checks and hustling like Mats Zuccarello and Dom Moore, who continued to compete at the end.

Right now, the Rangers are facing their first crisis. They can continue to skate like chickens without heads and return to MSG with a dreadful record. Or they can pick themselves up and stop the bleeding. The choice is theirs.

Hertl’s Night: Sharks rookie Tomas Hertl celebrates a hat trick. His four goals were part of a Sharks 9-2 rout over the Rangers.
AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

If the Rangers were looking to ride momentum, they were hit by a Shark attack. In particular, Tomas Hertl. The 19-year old Czech had a night to remember scoring four goals in San Jose’s 9-2 blowout of the listless Blueshirts. It was a memorable performance by the former 2012 first round pick who lit it up at the Shark Tank. His four goals were the most by a teenager since Jimmy Carson did it as a King in 1988.

Playing in only his third career game, Hertl matched a Sharks franchise record tying Owen Nolan with his four goal outburst. That gives him six so far. Not a bad way to start for the rookie.

From a Ranger perspective, it was a night to forget. They didn’t have it following a solid 3-1 win over the Kings. It started out promising thanks to Brad Richards’ power play goal. After Brad Stuart was in the sin bin for an elbow on Rick Nash that injured him, San Jose was called for a bench minor handing the Rangers a two-man advantage. Richards finished off his third in two nights. A welcome sign. It also came on a 5 on 3. If only they could’ve frozen the game right there. 😛

Unfortunately, the Ranger power play returned to who they are giving up a shorthanded goal to Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Dan Boyle followed suit when his point shot beat Henrik Lundqvist thru a screen. They could’ve been down more but the Rangers snuck out of the first period trailing by one.

With the Sharks coming at them in swarms, they self destructed allowing three goals in 1:23. Consecutive tallies from Matt Nieto and Hertl chased Lundqvist. It got no better for Marty Biron with Logan Couture taking full advantage of a weird carom to make it 5-1. Before the second was done, Hertl notched his second from Joe Thornton. The Sharks outscored the Rangers 4-0 and outshot them 23-8.

Of all people, Derek Dorsett beat Antti Niemi on a mini break finishing it off with a nice backhand deke. It was his first as a Ranger. However, the celebration was short lived. Upset with Stuart for his cheap shot on Nash, Brian Boyle went after him and got an extra for unsportsmanlike conduct. It didn’t take long for Hertl to complete the hat trick getting to a loose puck in front slamming it past Biron. He was left all alone by Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi. They were brutal as was the entire D.

Hertl wasn’t done. He took a Jason Demers feed at center and blew past Mike Del Zotto for a highlight reel goal that’ll make the highlight reel. In a word, remarkable. Hertl shot between his legs beating Biron for his fourth. Awe inspiring stuff from a really skilled young player. I’m still shaking my head. How he was allowed to pull that off is stupefying. Chalk it up to a brutal game from our team. Justin Braun concluded the scoring with another power play goal. He too was left unguarded by our top penalty killers. What were they doing out so late? It was 8-2. Never mind.

”The Sharks were on top of their game,” Alain Vigneault said. ”It’s tough to understand, at this point, how we can play so well last night and play this way tonight. My favorite response from Vigneault was when some foolish reporter asked what he thought of Hertl’s game. In his best Tort impression, he coldly said, “He had a good game,” and stared into space.

A defiant Ryan Callahan told John Giannone there were no excuses. “We got embarrassed tonight. We have to realize that and respond. The effort has to be there and get better.”

There’s really nothing else to say. That’s why he’s the captain. The entire team stunk. It’s nice to see Richards scoring. Nash didn’t sound too optimistic.

”It just didn’t feel right,” Nash said also indicating that he had a headache. ”I could feel it. Any time you get a head shot you’re concerned. It’s not a good feeling.”

Assuming he doesn’t suit up Thursday at Anaheim, does Jesper Fast get back in? The Rangers will heed on the side of caution with Nash. It doesn’t sound good.