Dubinsky should shut up about Tortorella

Posted on March 22, 2024 by Derek

When a former player retires, they can become part of the media. They can provide a unique perspective due to having played the game.

We’ve seen plenty of examples of ex- players who make good analysts. Kevin Weekes tops the list. The affable former goalie can be seen on NHL Network and also on ESPN, where he calls games. His great personality shines while he gives good insight.

Former Ranger Henrik Lundqvist has already become one of the better hockey analysts. He can be seen on TNT for their national telecasts. When he isn’t there, he is also a frequent guest on MSG Network, breaking down Ranger games with Steve Valiquette. It seems that King Henrik is as good at analyzing as he was between the crease.

Not everyone is going to stand out talking puck following their career. One example is Brandon Dubinsky. A former Ranger and Blue Jacket, who had a solid career as a middle six center, Dubinsky can sometimes come off biased. Especially when it comes to former coach John Tortorella.

He played for Tortorella both in New York City and Columbus. They had an icy relationship. During 2011-12, Dubinsky was a player who sometimes saw his role decrease in the Big Apple.

A year removed from being part of a homegrown first line that featured former Rangers’ draft picks, Artem Anisimov and Ryan Callahan, he lost some playing time due to key additions, Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik. As a center, he didn’t fit on the top two lines – leaving him to play a checking role.

Following the season, Dubinsky was packaged to Columbus for Rick Nash. Ironically, Tortorella would take over the Blue Jackets bench a bit later. The franchise had its only success under the fiery coach. He guided them to the postseason four straight times between 2016-17 thru 2018-20.

That included a mammoth upset of the Lightning in the first round in 2019. They swept the President’s Trophy winner to advance to the second round for the only time in franchise history. Dubinsky was part of that roster, playing a checking role under Tortorella. An area he excelled at. During that era, he was frequently matched up against Sidney Crosby whenever they faced the Penguins. It was an intense rivalry.

Unfortunately, injuries derailed Dubinsky’s career. As it turned out, he played his final game during the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was done at 32.

Since then, Dubinsky has become more vocal in the media. When it comes to his former coach, there’s no love lost. Recently, he criticized Tortorella for healthy scratching Flyers captain Sean Couturier. Couturier has been struggling to contribute on a team in playoff contention.

With the stakes high, Tortorella opted to sit out Couturier against the Maple Leafs earlier this week. The Flyers responded by winning the game 4-3. They earned a point in a 3-2 overtime loss last night against Carolina. Couturier didn’t play again.

Still holding a grudge over how he was handled by Tortorella, Dubinsky sounded off on the situation in Philadelphia.

Maybe Dubinsky needs to take a timeout. If a player isn’t getting it done, that doesn’t make them above being sat out. Couturier is well-respected in the Flyers locker room. It hasn’t been an easy year for the center. Unfortunately, Tortorella had to make a tough decision. That’s why he’s the coach.

Currently, the Flyers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points. That’s four more than the Capitals, who have two games at hand. It’s six clear of the Islanders and seven up on the Devils.

Entering the season, the Flyers weren’t expected to compete for the playoffs. Nobody told Tortorella or his players. They are in the race because they’ve overachieved. It’s a credit to Tortorella, who finds ways to motivate his players.

Somehow, Dubinsky thought it was a good idea to rip into Tortorella for benching Couturier. I guess he didn’t look at the standings. If the Flyers make the playoffs, it’ll be similar to what Tortorella did with Dubinsky’s former team in Columbus.

Next time, maybe he should not say anything.

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Panarin’s hat trick helps Quick tie for the most wins all-time by an American-born goalie

Posted on March 21, 2024 by Derek

It was a memorable night in Boston for Artemi Panarin and Jonathan Quick. In what proved to be a statement game, the Rangers took down the number one overall Bruins 5-2 at TD Garden on Thursday night.

Facing their old Original 6 rival, they defeated them for the third time to sweep the season series. In three games, the Rangers outscored the Bruins 14-6. They were the better team in each matchup. Whether that translates to the postseason, time will tell. A lot can happen between now and then.

By prevailing over the Bruins, the Rangers maintained their two-point Metropolitan Division lead over the Hurricanes, who refused to lose by edging the Flyers 3-2 in overtime. It looks like the race for first place will go down to the wire.

The Bruins are in a close race for first in the Atlantic Division. They still lead the Panthers by three points. Florida lost to the Predators 3-0. Boston leads the league with 97 points. That’s one more than the Rangers, who are in contention for the President’s Trophy.

To be honest, I don’t care about it. While clinching home ice for the entire playoffs is nice, there’s no guarantee it’ll work out. As evidenced by the record-breaking Bruins last year, it meant nothing when they were upset by the Panthers in the first round.

There’s plenty of pressure on whoever earns the number one overall seed. It’s better to be healthy and to be  playing well going into the postseason.

For the Rangers, who are without Jacob Trouba and Ryan Lindgren, they continue to win games. Credit must be given to both Zac Jones and Chad Ruhwedel for how well they’ve played since entering the lineup. Jones has especially opened some eyes with his mistake free hockey. He’s making a case to be in the lineup full-time.

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette will have to determine if they’re better off with Jones over his favorite veteran, Erik Gustafsson. Gustafsson has had a good season. He picked up a primary assist on Adam Fox’s go-ahead goal in the third period, which answered a Justin Brazeau goal 40 seconds earlier.

The assist gave Gustafsson 30 points in 69 games this season. While he’s been a reliable player who stepped up to pair with Fox in Lindgren’s absence, there’s a case to be made that Jones might be the better overall player. His defense has improved. Sometimes, Gustafsson has some hiccups. But he’s part of the second power play unit that now features Alex Wennberg, along with Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, and Jack Roslovic.

While all of this is interesting, the biggest story was Quick tying Ryan Miller for the most wins by an American-born goalie all-time with the 391st of his career. In particular, he was especially good during the first period when the Bruins had the better of the play.

Quick stopped 13 of 14 shots in a busy opening period. A few came from directly in front. He also delivered in the clutch to deny Brad Marchand on a one-timer from the slot with the Bruins trailing by one in the third period. That pad save helped ensure that he would tie Miller for the American record. He finished the game with 24 saves.

Where would the Rangers be without Panarin? Certainly not as high in the standings. He continues to score at a high clip. By netting his third hat trick of the season, Panarin eclipsed the 40-goal mark for the first time in his career.

That included him getting a pair during a better second period by the Rangers. After falling behind on a Jake DeBrusk goal following a Bruins power play with 11:56 remaining in the first, they picked up their game in the middle stanza.

Starting to use their speed and skill to dictate the terms, they outshot the Bruins 13-6. The puck mostly belonged to the Rangers. They were quicker to pucks and generated better attack time.

Unlike the first when the only line that was visible was the third line of Alex Wennberg, Kaapo Kakko, and Will Cuylle, there were fewer passengers in the second. That produced better results.

If there’s one observation to make from this recent stretch, it’s that both K’Andre Miller and Braden Schneider are flourishing. Since being put together, they’ve been a staple on the blue line. Miller works better with Schneider, who’s a quicker skater than Trouba. There’s a serious case for them to remain intact when Trouba returns in a couple of weeks.

Still down by a goal, Schneider made an instinctive play that led to Panarin getting his 39th goal. His pinch kept the play alive in the offensive zone. Lafreniere tipped the puck in the direction of Panarin, who finished the play in front to even the game.

With the game still tied and less than a minute left in the period, an aggressive Wennberg made a subtle play that forced a turnover behind the Bruins’ net. That allowed the puck to come right to Panarin, who had his centering pass bank in off DeBrusk for number 40 with 35 seconds remaining to put the Rangers ahead 2-1.

Early in the third period, the Bruins got the equalizer. On some hard work behind the Rangers’ net started by Jesper Boqvist, Marchand moved the puck towards the net where Brazeau positioned himself on Miller to steer in a rebound past Quick at 3:17.

The tying goal came with the fourth line stuck out. It marked the return of Matt Rempe. He was effective in limited action (5:11), even nearly setting up a goal on a power move. However, he was caught on with Barclay Goodrow and Jimmy Vesey for Brazeau’s goal. In truth, it was a good play by the Bruins’ trio of forwards.

Before you could look up, Fox put the Rangers back ahead just 40 seconds later. On a good forecheck from Jack Roslovic, he moved the puck to Mika Zibanejad. Zibanejad then passed it to Gustafsson. He then fed a pinching Fox, who fooled Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman by firing a wrist shot short side for a new career high 13th goal. His previous best was 12 last season.

The Bruins didn’t get many good looks following the goal. They were outshot 9-6. It was more due to how disciplined the Rangers were defensively. They did a great job shutting down David Pastrnak. One of the game’s best players, he was kept off the score sheet. His most dangerous opportunity came when he missed a one-timer from the left circle with his team trailing by one.

Quick wasn’t required to make many difficult stops. The only tough one came when he stoned Marchand in front with a right pad save. That was it.

With over two minutes left in regulation, Swayman went to the bench for an extra attacker. It didn’t take long for Vincent Trocheck and Chris Kreider to combine to work the puck over to Zibanejad for an empty netter. That came with 2:03 left.

When Bruins coach Jim Montgomery lifted Swayman again, that allowed Fox to pass the puck up for Panarin, who sent it into the vacated net for his third hat trick of the season. It’s been a special one. The three goals gave him a career best 98 points. He needs two more to hit the century mark.

Even better, the milestones for Quick and Panarin came in Laviolette’s 1,500th career NHL game behind the bench. It’s been a very successful first season for Laviolette on Broadway. We’ll see if it can get even better.

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The more things change…

Posted on March 20, 2024 by hasan4978

Despite everything that’s gone wrong with the Devils this season, one thing that (as of yet) has been unchanged from the last few years is their head-scratching dominance against the Pittsburgh Penguins, particularly at the Prudential Center. Granted, it’s not like this version of the Penguins has been any better than us this year with their own high-priced disappointment of a team well out of the playoff hunt. Still, even given the team’s unlikely chances of even staying in the playoff race until April it’s always nice to see a win at home, and a mostly stress-free 5-2 game at that.

Last night’s game has certainly been a rarity at home where they’ve won just sixteen of thirty-five games and their countless number of losses to teams even below them in the standings are the main reason they won’t be in the playoffs. Yes they’re ‘six points back’ of Detroit for the last wild card spot, with an asterisk since the Capitals are also five points ahead with two games in hand. Even with the rest of the East playing down to the so-called competition for a playoff spot, time’s still running out for the Devils. It surely won’t prevent us from running Jake Allen into the ground making start after start the way we did Nico Daws, and it won’t prevent us playing a clearly injured Jack Hughes until the bitter end.

I can’t say I really expect any different from an interim staff coaching for their jobs, but it still comes off as a bit of a mixed message organizationally when you trade guys like Tyler Toffoli and Colin Miller (both will be back in town tomorrow when the Jets come in ironically) at the deadline on the one hand, but on the other hand act like you’re still in a playoff hunt. If you really wanted to use the last twenty games to play for the future and load management guys till next year you wouldn’t have a coach who is clearly looking for another chance to get back behind the bench next year overseeing it.

To be fair, at least Travis Green did one good thing last night that predecessor Lindy Ruff did not – giving Alex Holtz a chance on the Hughes line and not even benching him after a poor turnover in the third period that reportedly had broadcaster Ken Daneyko apoplectic on the air, I didn’t even notice it to be fair, but I didn’t notice Holtz at all for most of the game so I was down on him regardless – until he got himself in the right place at the right time and scored the key third goal early in the third period last night. Holtz’s goal gave the Devils some breathing room against the Penguins after a sloppy first two periods where both goalies Allen and Tristian Jarry made some fine saves to keep the score at 2-1.

While the Devils’ dominance over the Penguins hasn’t changed, and neither has their current position in the standings, there is a lot different now since my last blog. Last night’s game was the first full game I’d been to or even watched since the home embarrassment against the Rangers. With the Devils on the outside looking in at the playoffs and even Tom Fitzgerald acknowledging the playoff odds were at like 13% when answering why he did the Toffoli trade at the deadline, their trade deadline was more about next year. Not only did Toffoli and Miller go packing to Winnipeg for draft picks, but there were also belated goalie moves starting with acquiring Allen from the Canadiens for a conditional third-rounder, and also dealing off the injured Vitek Vanecek to San Jose for Kaapo Kahkonen and his expiring contract.

For Vitek, it was a sad but quiet ending after a mostly promising first season when his 33 wins in the regular season were the most by any Devil goalie in over a decade, since Martin Brodeur was still between the pipes. We all know about the playoff breakdowns last spring, and he never really found his footing again this year (to put it mildly), though Vitek somehow compiled another 17 wins in 32 games despite a 3.18 GAA and .890 save percentage. On top of not playing well, he picked up an injury a few weeks ago that after the trade Fitz admitted publicly might keep him out the rest of the year. After Daws got overused and short-circuited in recent weeks, the Devils clearly needed other bodies in net to protect their young netminders from going down with the ship.

Not that Kahkonen is anything great, but I can’t really come up with a rationale for why San Jose wanted to do that deal apart from they wanted a cheap filler guy for next season, and hopefully for Vitek’s sake he can rebound now out of the spotlight. It won’t be easy for him on a rebuilding team though. Even Fitz admitted that trade was about ‘flexibility’ meaning the Sharks took back the extra year on Vitek’s deal and we’ll almost certainly let Kahkonen remain an expiring contract. Of the two goalies, Allen was clearly more of an acquisition both for the rest of this season and for next year as well. Admittedly I’m a bit surprised looking at Allen’s numbers the last two years up north, I knew he’d been bad but sixty-three games with around a 3.6 GAA and .890 save percentage?! Speaks to the state of our goaltending that this guy was looked at as part of the solution.

We were rumored in on Allen for months given the obvious reasons – our need in goal, not to mention his connection with Marty going back to the days when Brodeur was in the Blues’ front office while he was having his best years as a starter there. Maybe Marty does have some secret sauce for Allen, as the early returns on his three starts have been good with six goals allowed and a .946 save percentage. What’s actually galling about the Allen trade is it came a few months too late and it came out after the deadline that he’d been asked to waive his no-trade earlier in the season (for us) and declined. His rationale was that Vitek and Akira Schmid were here and he only saw himself being in the same role he had been placed in with the Canadiens, as an emergency third goalie. From an outside perspective, it’s totally understandable you don’t want to uproot for a perceived similar role.

Of course, anyone who’d been watching the Devils semi-regularly like us fans would have realized Allen would have been at worst #2 the minute he walked in the door with a very short climb to being the 1A, despite his own poor numbers. There was no way he could have really known that the organization didn’t want to have Daws or Schmid playing games up here in the first place the way us diehards who read the team news did. Whatever the reason, his arrival likely came too late to affect this season’s playoff race but he’s starting to give the team and fanbase confidence in at least having him around as the #1B or #2 goalie next year. In the short-term I hope we don’t do to him what we did to Daws and just short-circuit him in a quixotic playoff chase. It’s likely whatever small hope they have will be obliterated tomorrow when the Jets and their ex-Devil contingent comes to town.

Among their last thirteen games (including tomorrow) are three with the Leafs, one with the white-hot Predators – now 13-0-2 in their last fifteen games under former assistant Andrew Brunette – tomorrow’s game with the Jets, and another likely home embarrassment against the Rangers in April. I know the hockey establishment loves this kid Matt Rempe because he’s a ‘throwback’ – re: looking for dirty hits and then turtling and hiding behind the ref when he gets challenged to a fight after the second time he took a Devils player out due to injury in two games. Unlike the Nathan Bastian head-hunting incident when he came back to play the next game, the one with Jonas Siegenthaler was more serious as he hasn’t returned to play yet after getting a concussion in that game at the Garden a couple weeks ago.

I doubt Rempe’s four-game suspension will be enough to curtail his reckless nature, especially when we refuse to make the Rangers pay after he gives us five-minute majors in back-to-back games! I hate going eye for an eye, but if the hockey poobahs continue to wink and nod this stuff and the refs prevent any type of so-called retribution fight, there’s only one nuclear option left to answer back with. We’ll see if that button gets pressed in early April, unlikely given the Devils’ passivity to this point although if they’re out of the playoffs by then, it might be more likely to see an ugly situation that could have been prevented if the neanderthals who run hockey and cater to that segment of the fanbase weren’t not-so-secretly happy this kid is making goonery ‘cool’ again.

Anyway, if those six games don’t eliminate us from the playoff hunt the Devils will likely find a way to do it themselves. Two games against the Senators? Why not lose to yet another garbage team, it would fit right in with the rest of this season. Game at Buffalo? Maybe earlier in the season it would have been easy since we actually put up a couple of touchdowns against them in two home games earlier this season, but that was a long time ago. Two games against the Islanders including the regular-season finale at the Rock? Wouldn’t that be fitting to see Lou Lamoriello’s team either put us out or clinch a playoff berth at our expense, although that scenario’s getting less likely as their own losing streak grows. I doubt we’ll be alive long enough for that game, or the previous game in Philly two days earlier to matter. At least we get one more chance to beat up on the Penguins at home in a couple weeks, yay for one disappointing team beating another.

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Rangers stoned by Hellebuyck in tough loss to Jets

Posted on March 19, 2024 by Derek

A couple of days removed from a resounding victory over the Islanders, the Rangers ran into a hot goalie in what amounted to a tough 4-2 loss to the Jets at Madison Square Garden.

Ultimately, the difference was Connor Hellebuyck. A serious candidate for the Vezina, he stoned the Rangers to lead Winnipeg to a hard fought victory in the Big Apple.

Hellebuyck made 15 saves in a busy third period, including some clutch ones in crunch time to preserve the win for the Jets. He finished with 38 saves to earn the game’s first star.

He entered the night leading the league in goals-against-average (2.31 GAA) and save percentage (.922). Those numbers improved following a virtuoso performance against the Metropolitan Division-leading Rangers. 

Mark Scheifele recorded his eighth career hat trick for the Jets. He scored a pair of goals in a second period that saw the Jets outscore the Rangers 3-1.

Late in the third period, with the Rangers pressing for the equalizer, Scheifele capped it off by scoring his third goal of the game into an empty net. Prior to that goal, it looked like the Rangers would find a way to tie it up.

After lifting Igor Shesterkin for an extra attacker with two and a half minutes left, Alexis Lafreniere got to his own rebound to score a career high 20th goal to pull them within 3-2. He redirected an Adam Fox shot that took a carom off a Winnipeg player right to Lafreniere to cut the deficit to one with still 1:54 remaining.

Lafreniere also created the Rangers’ best chance to tie it. He took a pass and gained the Jets’ zone, and moved the puck across the ice. It nearly led to a Chris Kreider tip-in. The shot just missed the goalpost. Hellebuyck was in the right position. It’s possible he could’ve made the blocker save.

Speaking of Kreider, it wasn’t a good game for him. His giveaway led directly to Scheifele, getting his second unassisted on a breakaway late in the second period. That proved to be the game-winner.

In the final period, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette mixed up his lines. Kreider slid down to the third line with Will Cuylle and Vincent Trocheck. Artemi Panarin and Lafreniere shifted to the top line with Mika Zibanejad. Alex Wennberg worked between Kaapo Kakko and Will Cuylle.

“We need to be a little bit crisper. It wasn’t about a top 6 or bottom 6. … We were a little bit flat. Just wanted to change and try something different,” Laviolette explained to reporters following the defeat.

It didn’t start off that way. In a good matchup that featured two first place teams, the first period was back and forth. The Rangers held a 13-9 edge in shots. However, they found it tough to get the puck past Hellebuyck. He was sharp.

Conversely, Shesterkin made nine saves in a high-quality period that had a lot of skating and countering.

With Hellebuyck continuing to stifle the Rangers early into the second, Scheifele scored the game’s first goal on a bit of a change up. Taking a pass from Alex Iafallo, he shot a floater that fooled Shesterkin just enough to sneak by him.

The Rangers responded over five minutes later thanks to the power play. With Josh Morrissey off for hooking Kakko, it was the second unit that came through to tie the game. A Lafreniere shot was stopped by Hellebuyck. Wennberg was able to get to the rebound and backhand the loose puck in for a power-play goal. It was his first goal as a Ranger.

Unfortunately, a Braden Schneider hooking minor put the Jets on the man-advantage. They replied back by converting when Tyler Toffoli and Sean Monahan combined to set up Kyle Connor for a one-timer past Shesterkin. They re-took the lead.

In the second part of the period, the Rangers were sloppy. Shesterkin already had bailed them out by stopping Nik Ehlers on a breakaway. This time, Kreider had the  puck stolen by Scheifele. He couldn’t be caught by a chasing Zibanejad. Scheifele buried the chance to give the Jets a 3-1 lead headed to the third period.

As has been their trademark, the Rangers never gave up. After killing off a bad Kakko tripping penalty in the offensive zone, they turned it up. The new lines generated some chances. But the story was Hellebuyck. He wasn’t allowing anything to get by him. He had great rebound control.

When Laviolette went back to his original lines, they continued to pressure. The Jets did a good job defending in front of Hellebuyck. They took away most of the inside. That made it tough.

It wasn’t until he lifted Shesterkin that things got interesting. On some sustained forecheck pressure during a 6-on-5, Trocheck worked the puck up top for Fox. He faked a pass before throwing a soft shot towards the net that Lafreniere redirected. The puck went off a Jets’ body right back for Lafreniere to one-time past Hellebuyck to make it a one-goal game with under two minutes to go.

With Shesterkin still on the bench, Fox made a diving play to keep a puck in. He’d also make another great diving play in the neutral zone to temporarily give his team one more opportunity. But a Kreider back pass resulted in Monahan and Morrissey combining to move puck ahead for Scheifele to calmly shoot into the open net for the hat trick.

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Fox and Panarin burn Penguins

Posted on March 16, 2024 by Derek

The Rangers rebounded from a 6-3 loss to the Lightning by outscoring the Penguins 7-4 on Saturday afternoon at PPG Paints Arena.

There wasn’t much defense played. Facing a division rival that looks destined to miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year, the Rangers played the Pens’ game to get back in the win column.

After falling behind early on a Jon Ludvig (no relation to Beethoven), the Rangers quickly responded by scoring two straight goals over a 26-second span. Kaapo Kakko buried a Jimmy Vesey feed in front to tie the score.

On the next shift, Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox made some magic. They combined on a highlight reel goal that put the Rangers up 2-1. A Panarin pass down low for Fox resulted in the former Norris winner moving in and firing a backhand top shelf past Tristan Jarry.

Although the scoring was far from done, it was the goal of the game. Fox demonstrated his skill by using patience to fake out the Pens’ defense and finish off his 12th goal of the season. If he can score one more goal, it’ll be a new career high. Fox had a dozen goals last season.

Fox and Panarin weren’t done. They burned the Penguins by combining for three goals and four assists. It was a virtuoso performance by Panarin. For a fourth season, he eclipsed 90 points. He did it in style by recording a five-point game. That included adding to a personal best with his 37th and 38th goals.

Fox helped set up a Panarin power-play goal with less than four minutes left in the second period that gave the Rangers the lead for good. On the play, Chris Kreider dug out a loose puck that allowed Panarin to steer in the rebound to make it 4-3.

Following a Kris Letang unsportsmanlike conduct minor penalty, Panarin started another work of art that led to an easy Mika Zibanejad goal on the power play. He moved the puck across for Kreider, who then centered for a Zibanejad one-timer past Jarry to give the Rangers a two-goal lead headed to the locker room.

The goal looked like one you’d see in a video game. That’s how easy it was. It also explains why the Pens have failed in their first season under new general manager Kyle Dubas. The addition of Erik Karlsson hasn’t helped improve them. Neither has going all-in by re-signing Evgeni Malkin and Letang.

Sidney Crosby voiced his displeasure when Jake Guentzel was traded to the Hurricanes over a week ago. Crosby set up a nice goal scored by Bryan Rust that tied the score at two in the first period. The ageless superstar remains at a point-per-game client by recording an assist in the Pens’ loss.

At 36, Crosby has 32 goals and 34 assists for 66 points in 66 games. He shows no signs of slowing down. With one year remaining on a contract that pays him an average cap hit of $8.7 million dollars, it’s anyone’s guess what he wants to do. The Pens are in decline. Will Crosby stay a Penguin for his whole career? Time will tell.

That’s not the Rangers’ concern. They came into Pittsburgh and did what they had to do. Even though it wasn’t pretty, they came away with two points. Jonathan Quick was left to fend for himself. He made some key saves en route to earning his 15th victory of the season. He stopped 34 of 38 shots.

There were too many instances when the Pens had open looks on Quick. It’s a good thing he held up. In a game that they were outshot 38-28, the Rangers had the better goalie. They also had the luxury of facing a defensively inept opponent.

K’Andre Miller scored a big goal less than five minutes into the third period to give the Rangers some cushion. Earlier in the contest, he made a good defensive play to set up the first Panarin goal. His takeaway led to Vincent Trocheck coming in on a two-on-one and executing an elevated pass for a Panarin finish.

Miller added another assist on a Kreider empty netter – finishing with a goal and two assists for a three-point game. That earned him the game’s third star.

With a five-point game, Panarin grabbed the game’s first star. He’s up to 93 points. His third assist on the day was career assist number 500. He’s fifth in scoring.

Although he likely won’t be up for the Hart Trophy for league MVP due to a strong field that features frontrunner Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov, it’s been the best year of Panarin’s career. The Bread Man will have all eyes on him when the postseason hits this spring. That’s where he and the Rangers need to get it done.

The Rangers are four points clear of the Hurricanes, who rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat the Maple Leafs 5-4 in a shootout tonight. They continue to lead the Metropolitan Division.

They’ll be back in action on Sunday afternoon when they visit the Islanders. It’ll be a good test.

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Rangers put on a defensive clinic in 1-0 shutout of Hurricanes

Posted on March 12, 2024 by Derek

It was a game that lived up to expectations. Playing for a second straight night, the Rangers dug deep to go into enemy territory and play a perfect road game. The end result was a defensive clinic that produced a 1-0 shutout over the Hurricanes at PNC Arena.

The victory increased their lead for the Metropolitan Division to six points. It was all hands on deck for the Blueshirts.

There wasn’t a single player who didn’t contribute to the big win over the second place Hurricanes. All 18 skaters played well. Igor Shesterkin made 28 saves to post  his third shutout of the season. He also blanked the Blues on Mar. 9.

It was arguably the best game Adam Fox’s played this season. The former Norris winner scored the only goal while dominating in every facet. He was terrific defensively. So, too, was defense partner Ryan Lindgren. He broke up plays and assisted on Fox’s goal, which came with eight seconds remaining in the first period.

K’Andre Miller was stellar throughout by being more forceful and decisive. He made a couple of key blocks, including a diving one, to deny Sebastian Aho’s pass when the Canes were pressing with Pyotr Kochetkov on the bench for an extra attacker. Miller looks more comfortable playing with Braden Schneider, who stepped up defensively in Jacob Trouba’s absence.

The third pair of Zac Jones and Erik Gustafsson were steady when called upon. Jones has proven he can jump into the lineup and be reliable. Gustafsson’s biggest impact was a hit on Andrei Svechnikov, who lost his cool by taking an interference minor penalty for going back at the Rangers defenseman.

All four lines were effective. Mika Zibanejad played with more confidence. Maybe scoring a five-on-five goal against the Devils on Monday was just what the doctor ordered. He looked more like himself. That bodes well moving forward.

It was the top line that generated some good scoring chances thanks to the strong forecheck of Jack Roslovic. He continues to play well with Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. It was his hard work down low that kept a play alive for the game’s only goal.

After that, Lindgren and Kreider combibed to get the puck over to Fox for a shot that took a good bounce off Brady Skjei past Kochetkov at 19:52 of the first period.

The Rangers were the better team in the opening period. But they couldn’t beat Kochetkov, who played well for the Hurricanes. Although he had five fewer saves (23) than Shesterkin, Kochetkov made some key stops to give his team a chance. His biggest came when he dove across to rob Vincent Trocheck on a two on none rush with Artemi Panarin.

Despite playing well in the third period, the Rangers couldn’t find that insurance goal. Kochetkov was a big reason why. After surviving a second period that saw the Canes outshoot them 11-5, the Rangers were better down the stretch.

The first part of the third was like a race track. Both sides traded chances. There were some wild sequences. Both goalies did their part to keep the score 1-0.

However, things changed in the second part of the final period. It was the Rangers who took away time and space from the Hurricanes. They found it difficult to get through the neutral zone and make plays. When they did gain the Rangers’ zone, good defensive plays were made. The guys in the white sweaters were very disciplined. Both the forwards and defense came back.

The new third line had another good game. Alex Wennberg played well. He, Will Cuylle, and Kaapo Kakko spent some extended shifts in the Canes’ zone. They were very effective on the walls and made plays. On one good defensive read by Kakko, he led Cuylle for a chance. But Kochetkov made the glove save to deny him.

As expected, Jonny Brodzinski returned to the lineup with Matt Rempe serving his four-game suspension. Brodzinski fit in nicely with Barclay Goodrow and Jimmy Vesey on the checking line. They were good.

If there’s a big difference between last week and now, the Rangers have better balance. The additions of Wennberg and Roslovic are working. They are solid players who make things happen. So far, so good.

It was a rare night when Panarin didn’t register a shot. The Canes killed off two penalties. They were very aggressive, attacking the Rangers power play. There wasn’t any time to make a play.

On the Canes’ lone man-advantage, Shesterkin stopped a long one-timer from Teuvo Teravainen. In his Hurricanes debut, Jake Guentzel wasn’t a factor. It looked like he was still trying to find his timing.

Evgeny Kuznetsov got one of the best chances in the third. On a play in front, he got to a loose puck and tried to stuff it in. However, an aggressive Shesterkin challenged to make a big right pad save.

Even the newest Canes couldn’t make a dent on Shesterkin. He stopped a dozen shots in the third to pick up the win.

It was a well played game that had a playoff intensity. The Rangers were just a little better. They shut down the Hurricanes late. Even following a Miller icing with six seconds left, Trocheck won a faceoff back. One final clear sealed it.

There were lots of smiles after the buzzer. The Rangers got a big win.

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Department of Player Safety suspends Rempe four games for elbowing Siegenthaler

Posted on March 12, 2024 by Derek

This one was expected. Following last night’s game against the Devils, Rangers’ forward Matt Rempe had a phone hearing earlier today with the Department of Player Safety for his illegal hit on Jonas Siegenthaler.

The league came down hard on Rempe by suspending him four games for elbowing Siegenthaler in the head during the second period. Although it’s the first time in his young career that he’s faced discipline, perhaps the recent history played a role in the decision.

On Feb. 22, Rempe delivered an illegal check to the head of Nathan Bastian. Considering it was the same opponent, and Siegenthaler left last night’s game with an upper-body injury, that had to be a factor in why he received four games.

If there’s a complaint with League VP of DOPS George Parros’ decision, it would be that there’s no consistency. When it comes to dangerous hits like the one Rempe had on Siegenthaler, Parros has proven in the past that he isn’t as tough on more established players. There have been predatory hits worse than Rempe’s that didn’t get as much punishment.

If it feels like they’re picking on Rempe due to him being a rookie in the league with 10 games of NHL experience, that’s because it seems that way. Why should he be made an example of while other more experienced players with bad reputations get a slap on the wrist?

It looks like a double standard has been applied to Rempe. This isn’t to say that he doesn’t deserve what he got. Simply put, he can’t make those kinds of dangerous hits and skate free. He’s a big, strong forward who plays on the edge.

The bottom line is that Rempe will need to make an adjustment to how he finishes his checks. He can hit hard without getting ejected and suspended. He’s only 21. It’s all part of the learning process.

Perhaps the time off can benefit him. He can watch video of the hits and learn from his mistakes. A popular player who teammates like, Rempe can get advice on what to do better.

When he stays within the rules, he’s a very effective player. That’s been evident in how he forechecks and goes to the net to create havoc for opposing goalies. It was his faceoff win and screen on Kaapo Kahkonen that led to Erik Gustafsson scoring the winner in the Rangers’ 3-1 victory over the Devils on Monday night.

Rempe will be ineligible to play tonight versus the Hurricanes. He’ll also miss games against the Lightning, Penguins, and Islanders. He won’t be able to return to the lineup until next Tuesday, Mar. 19 when the Rangers take on the Jets.

The Rangers take on the Hurricanes at 7 EST later. Jonny Brodzinski will be inserted on the fourth line, replacing Rempe.

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Rempe elbow major on Siegenthaler earns ejection and MacDermid’s wrath

Posted on March 11, 2024 by Derek

The Rangers and Devils met for the third time this season on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

It was a rematch from over two weeks ago. In that game, which was played at The Prudential Center on Feb. 22, it was all Blueshirts. They dominated for an easy 5-1 win.

Matt Rempe played his third NHL game in Newark. He didn’t stick around for long. He caught Devils forward Nathan Bastian with a hit to the head that resulted in a match penalty. Jonas Siegenthaler jumped in for Bastian during a scrum. Rempe finished with 17 penalty minutes and an early shower.

Facing the bitter Hudson rival again, Rempe declined Kurtis MacDermid’s early challenge on his first shift. He was focused on playing hockey. That would be the case for nearly two periods.

After a scoreless first where the Rangers had an Artemi Panarin goal overturned due to an offsides challenge, they struck twice in the second half of the middle stanza.

First, Mika Zibanejad finally scored a goal at five-on-five. It came due to a Jack Roslovic forecheck that allowed Chris Kreider to set up Zibanejad in front for a backhand past new Devils goalie Kaapo Kahkonen. It definitely was a huge relief.

With less than a minute left in the period, Rempe won an offensive draw. That allowed Jimmy Vesey and Zac Jones to get the puck over for an Erik Gustafsson point shot that Kahkonen couldn’t pick up due to Rempe standing directly in front. It was Gustafsson’s sixth goal.

However, Rempe got himself in trouble on the remainder of the shift. On a play at center ice, he came across to deliver a hit after Siegenthaler dumped the puck in. Unfortunately, the 21-year-old rookie caught Siegenthaler with a high left elbow that led to him being ejected for an elbowing major.

It was the right call. Rempe came too high on the hit, making it illegal. It’s all about timing. With it being his second game misconduct, he could hear from the league Department Player of Safety tomorrow. It wouldn’t be surprising if he’s suspended for a couple of games.

Rempe is a big man. The six-foot eight forward is still learning. He will have to make an adjustment moving forward. When he’s on the ice, he’s an effective player who can forecheck and screen opposing goalies. Nobody wants to be on the receiving end of one of his hits. The key is to keep it clean.

The Rangers can’t keep killing off major penalties. The Devils only were credited with two shots on goal during the five-minute power play that carried over to the third period. They’re playing out the string. They’ve gotten no bump from the coaching change. That about sums them up.

In the third, a Simon Nemec goal with Kahkonen pulled came with 2:34 remaining. That was the only shot that beat Jonathan Quick, who was sharp when he had to be – finishing with 19 saves on 20 shots. The Devils didn’t muster much.

Vincent Trocheck sealed the victory with an empty netter.

Afterward, MacDermid voiced his displeasure with Rempe. He felt that the rookie should’ve answered the bell for the Bastian hit.

Depending on what side you’re on, you can make a case either way. If you’re the Rangers, you don’t want Rempe fighting that early in a game. He can do it on his terms. It never materialized.

On the flip side, the Devils got MacDermid for this game. They were tired of seeing opponents run roughshod on their star players. Obviously, Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier need protection.

MacDermid’s job is simple. Finish checks. Make players accountable. You can understand where he’s coming from. Rempe took eight shifts for a total of 4:48 of ice time. His faceoff win and screen led to Gustafsson getting the game-winner.

The Rangers visit the Hurricanes for a big division showdown tomorrow night. If they don’t have Rempe available, Jonny Brodzinski will come back into the lineup.

There’s one regular season meeting left between the Rangers and Devils. It’ll be on Apr. 3. That isn’t that far away. Maybe there’ll be some fireworks. If they’re set off, we’ll know why.

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Rempe grows into role for Blueshirts

Posted on March 10, 2024 by Derek

They played hockey on Saturday night at 33rd Street and 7th Avenue in the big city. For the Rangers, it was a good thing.

New additions Jack Roslovic and Alex Wennberg fit in well in a 4-0 home win over the Blues at Madison Square Garden.

Roslovic showed off his speed while playing up on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Wennberg played responsibly, even getting a shorthanded breakaway that drew a penalty. He would later record his first point as a Ranger by assisting on a Kaapo Kakko tally in the third period.

Without captain Jacob Trouba, who’s expected to be sidelined from two to three weeks, Zac Jones stepped into the lineup and did a good job. The extra defenseman proved again that he could come back in and be dependable. In 17:17 of ice time, he paired up with Erik Gustafsson and finished a plus-one.

Jones was called upon by Rangers coach Peter Laviolette to play a key role on the blue line. So. They went with four lefty defensemen and two right defensemen. Chad Ruhwedel sat out. He’s just insurance.

The Blues were no match for the Blueshirts. They got first period goals from Vincent Trocheck (power-play) and Jimmy Vesey (even strength) to roll to a 2-0 lead.

Trocheck’s came in his 700th career game. He continues to pile up the points. He has 13 points (8-5-13) over the last 10 games. It’s been his consistency that’s overshadowed an off year for Zibanejad. He’s gone six consecutive games without a point. With 19 games left on the schedule, he needs to find his game.

Even without Zibanejad doing much, sidekick Chris Kreider added his 32nd goal of the season on the power play in the third period. It was career goal number 297. Kreider continues to produce despite Zibanejad’s struggles. He needs eight goals to reach 40 for the second time in three years.

Looking more comfortable playing on the third line, Kakko had a strong game. Wennberg fit in seamlessly with Will Cuylle and Kakko. They were effective OK the cycle at five-on-five.

Even better, Kakko converted an Erik Gustafsson rebound on the power play for his eighth goal to put the contest out of reach. It came on the second unit, which included Wennberg. He helped set it up. Perhaps adding the center can make the second unit better. He was part of it with Kakko, Alexis Lafreniere, Gustafsson, and Roslovic. Roslovic hit the goalpost off a faceoff win.

Igor Shesterkin continued his turnaround. He stopped 14 shots in a busy first period en route to a 26-save shutout. It was his second of the season. Things are looking up for the Rangers. Now that Shesterkin is back in form, they have to feel good about their chances.

If there was a player who was a factor in last night’s win, it was Matt Rempe. The 21-year-old rookie continued to impress in his ninth NHL game.

Playing on the fourth line with Vesey and Barclay Goodrow, the tower of power was effective again during shifts. He got in on the forecheck and used his size to screen Blues goalie Jordan Binnington.

The lovable gentle giant even almost had a goal in the second period. Replays on MSG Network were inconclusive. If the puck didn’t completely the goal line, it was about as close it gets.

Rempe’s reaction by the Rangers bench was how everyone felt watching the replay. The enthusiasm he brings is one of his best attributes. He is always smiling.

When the crowd chants his name, he loves it. Whether it’s before the game or during it, Rempe is the people’s champ. A fan favorite whose jersey will be selling like hotcakes. Number 73 is number 1 in Garden hearts. Only Shesterkin gets this kind of love. He’s supposed to.

The play of the checking line was so good that Laviolette rewarded them with extra shifts. Rempe played over 11 minutes. That included a 37-second shift on a late power play with time winding down. His teammates tried to feed him in front.

How much do they appreciate him? Ask ace defenseman Adam Fox.

“I think people have been talking about Linsanity and stuff like that, but I think he’s playing good hockey too. He’s not some sideshow. He plays his game hard, gets in on the forecheck and if you’re on the other side – you feel his presence,” Fox told reporters after picking up a pair of assists on power-play goals.

“I’m sure it’s not fun taking hits from him. He’s able to step up when he has to. He fought early. I don’t know if he needs to do that every game, we’re starting to see that.

He’s playing good hockey and I think that’s the biggest thing. The crowd appreciates how much he loves it too – he has a smile mid shift when he’s getting chances at the other end there. He’s a great kid and he’s come in and worked hard.”

It’s impossible not to admire the way Rempe approaches each shift. He puts in an honest effort like most gritty New Yorkers. That is something they identify with. It’s why the chant is “Rem-pe, Rem-pe!!”

If Laviolette likes what he brings, then we’ll continue to see Rempe in the lineup. However, Jonny Brodzinski has been a reliable player. He also deserves to get back in. That’ll depend on what the coach decides game to game.

He also had to be pleased with the play of Braden Schneider. He moved up to the second pair to play with K’Andre Miller. Without Trouba, Schneider should continue to take on a bigger role on the back end. When they have been paired up, Miller and Schneider work well together. It’s a tandem that could be the future of the club.

The Rangers are back in action Monday night when they host the Devils. They’ll play a back-to-back on Tuesday against the second place Hurricanes, who are hot on the trail. It’ll be a busy week with stops at Tampa this Thursday and Pittsburgh next Saturday.

It’s five games in seven days with a visit to Elmont to face the Islanders on Saint Patty’s Day.

With a schedule that includes Winnipeg, Boston, Florida, and Colorado, March doesn’t let up.

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After quiet deadline, Rangers’ stars will determine season

Posted on March 8, 2024 by Derek

It wasn’t an overwhelming trade deadline for Chris Drury. Rather than overpay for a star player, the Rangers team president and general manager decided to make subtle moves to upgrade the roster.

The acquisition of Alex Wennberg on Thursday was a hint of what came earlier today at the conclusion of the deadline. Brought in to center the third line, the former Blue Jacket will play a checking role for the Rangers. Before he excelled in Seattle, Wennberg spent the first part of his career with the Jackets.

Apparently, Drury was dialed in on the division doormat. After adding depth defenseman Chad Ruhwedel from the Penguins in exchange for a 2027 fourth round pick, he added forward Jack Roslovic from the Blue Jackets in exchange for a conditional fourth round pick in 2026.

While not the most exciting player, Roslovic is a good skater who’ll be handed the keys to the first line. The 27-year-old has six goals and 16 assists for 23 points in 40 games for Columbus. A right shot, he will be asked to fit in on a line with Mika Zibanejad and close buddy Chris Kreider.

How well it goes will be determined by the pair of Rangers’ stars. Zibanejad has been underwhelming this season. Of the 19 goals he’s scored, only eight have come at even strength. More concerning is that he’s gone over two months without scoring a goal at five-on-five. You have to go all the way back to Dec. 23 versus the Sabres. That’s far too long a period for Zibanejad to not have at least one goal at five-on-five.

At least Kreider continues to finish around the net. He’s scored 17 goals at even strength and a dozen on the power play. He’s also tied with Zibanejad for the team lead with two shorthanded goals. They do quality work on the penalty kill.

It would be nice to see the combination of Zibanejad to Kreider and vice versa hook up at even strength. I’m not referring to three-on-three, either. When the playoffs arrive this spring, most of the play will be at five-on-five. It’s probably asking too much for Roslovic to unlock Zibanejad. However, he’s getting a golden opportunity to play a significant role on a good team looking to contend.

At last check, the Rangers still lead the Metropolitan Division by four points. Even with the Hurricanes making aggressive moves by adding Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov, it’s the team that plays in Manhattan who boasts better stars in the net, on defense, and up front.

Of course, I’m referring to Igor Shesterkin, Adam Fox, and Artemi Panarin. All have played significant roles in the Rangers’ success this season.

It’s been the superlative play of Panarin that’s carried them up to this point. Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere have been key contributors to the Rangers’ best line. The chemistry the trio possesses has been on display through the first 62 games. It can’t fall all on them when the postseason begins.

There must be much more from Zibanejad and Kreider. They have been given different forwards on the right side. Aside from Blake Wheeler, who’s likely out for the season, nothing has clicked. Kaapo Kakko had been playing on the line. Despite some signs, the production isn’t there. That’s why Roslovic was added. Kakko can shift back down to the third line, which could include Wennberg and Will Cuylle.

The fourth line will have some options for Rangers coach Peter Laviolette to consider. He can play Barclay Goodrow with Jimmy Vesey and Jonny Brodzinski. If he wants more size and grit, then fan favorite Matt Rempe can add the physicality to the checking line. It could depend on the matchups.

As expected, Adam Edstrom was reassigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack for this weekend. The Rangers had to do it to create some cap space. It doesn’t mean Edstrom won’t be back at some point. It’s all about what’s best for the player.

Keeping Rempe up means that the organization really likes what he brings. He has a presence that’s unmistakable. You can see it in how he handles himself on and off the ice. Even if he’s not in the lineup tomorrow night when the Rangers host the Blues, Rempe is a good guy to have in the locker room. The future’s bright for the 21-year-old forward.

Ruhwedel isn’t going to play much when the Rangers are healthy. At the moment, though, Jacob Trouba is expected to miss at least two weeks with an injury. So. That’s why Drury went out and added the serviceable Ruhwedel.

Zac Jones remains the extra left defenseman. Unfortunately, that’s his role. He wasn’t traded. He’s been a good teammate.

What it really boils down to is how the Rangers’ best players play. If they want to go far this spring, it’s up to Fox, Kreider, Panarin, Shesterkin, Trocheck, and Zibanejad to deliver in the postseason. You can add Lafreniere, Ryan Lindgren, Trouba, and K’Andre Miller to the mix.

If Shesterkin continues his upswing, that bodes well. However, he can’t be asked to do it alone. Similar to Panarin, who’s done the heavy lifting, he needs help. That means more consistency from both the defensemen and forwards coming back on the backcheck. It also means not as many uncontested chances that Shesterkin has to deal with.

The role players will be asked to continue contributing. Cuylle has proven he’s capable of bringing the necessary sandpaper to his shifts. Vesey has been a dependable secondary scorer. He’s trusted on the penalty kill and at protecting leads. So is Goodrow, who plays his role well despite just one empty net goal.

If Kakko can find some offense, that would help. Drury decided the best move was to keep him. He believes that Kakko can be a key part of it moving forward. We’ll have to wait and see.

Braden Schneider has been better lately. He’s played more instinctively and used his body to finish checks. He and partner Erik Gustafsson are being trusted by the coaching staff to provide a steady third pair.

What happens in the playoffs is that space tightens up. There’s less room to work with. Panarin’s season will be judged on how he performs this spring. If he continues to have a more aggressive mindset by thinking shot, he should produce. He’s already set a new career high with 35 goals. The Rangers’ leading scorer has been brilliant. Hopefully, that’ll continue when the weather heats up.

If they’re to get anywhere, it will fall on Zibanejad to find his game. He still gives an honest effort defensively. But he must be able to score some goals. He’s counted on both at even strength and on the power play. No player has more pressure on them. A strong finish would erase what’s happened.

Ultimately, Drury opted to make smaller additions to a good roster. Time will tell if it was the right play.

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