Russian stars shine as Devils-Caps split road ‘series’

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Derek

In a weekend that sometimes seemed like it doubled as the KHL All-Star game, the Devils and Caps played two interesting games over the last forty-eight hours, with the Devils winning a 3-2 penalty-fest on Thursday after Ilya Kovalchuk decided it with a five-on-three bomb (after another talented Russian, Andrei Loikotonov tied it earlier in the third), then the Caps retaliating with four straight third-period goals to break open a 1-1 tie this afternoon with Alex Ovechkin harkening back to his glory days with a hat trick in a four-point game.

Although I wasn’t surprised and kind of expected a split out of these two games, the special teams continues to be alarming for the Devils.  Even if the PP is apparently ranked in the top ten, that rank is inflated by an insane amount of 5-on-3 goals (five so far), and hasn’t looked particuarly good most of the time with a one-man advantage.  Our insistence on starting Kovalchuk on the right side of the ice and having him circle back around to the point or the left side doesn’t help, as he never seems to be in prime one-timer position.  The one time he was on Thursday night – voila – he scored.  However, the PK is an even bigger concern right now giving up multiple goals in multiple games.  Ever since the Islander roasted the PK twice, the man disadvantage has been leaking goals left and right and is one of the worst in the league right now.

Even Pete DeBoer doing the right thing and restoring Mark Fayne to the lineup at last after Henrik Tallinder‘s dreadful Thursday game didn’t help.  Ironically most of Ovechkin’s goals came with the Fayne-Anton Volchenkov pairing on the ice, starting with the opening goal in the second period which came after a defensive breakdown left Mike Ribiero open in the slot.  Fayne creeped toward Ribiero, who dished off to Ovechkin for one of his patented one-timer goals from just outside the left faceoff circle.  After Kovalchuk retaliated with a patented snipe job in the final minute of the second period, Ovechkin scored again early in the third period, using Volchenkov as a screen and firing a hard wrister that trickled through Johan Hedberg.

Though the game was only at 2-1 at that point, it started to get the feel of one that could get out of hand very quickly a la the Pittsburgh game a few weeks back, or the Isles game a couple weeks ago.  Ironically both of those games were 5-1 losses, as this one would prove to be.  Washington’s third goal – and the only one without Ovechkin being a factor – came when miscommunication between Hedberg and Andy Greene led to a Hedberg puck handling snafu behind the net, and Eric Fehr took advantage and put it into an open net for a shorthanded goal against.  Predictably, our powerless play did nothing to help the cause.

With the score now at 3-1, the penalties started coming left and right, and so too did the PP goals against.  Ovechkin got his hat trick with yet another one-timer off the left circle in front of Volchenkov again.  Amazingly, Volchenkov’s managed to avoid being sat in our game of ‘merry-go-round’ on defense, despite his role as a PK specialist and our PK stinking up the joint really since last April.  Perhaps too, the fact we have been rotating guys on defense is starting to hurt more than help with guys being put into different roles and having different partners on an almost daily basis, other than the Greene-Adam Larsson pairing which has been constant.  Then again Larsson didn’t have a great game either with two penalties and at least one horrendous pass in the first period.

Overall scoring’s been an issue too, with just thirteen goals in the Devils’ last six games.  Now that the David Clarkson hot streak has officially ended with no points in his last four games and just one goal in his last six, they need to start getting more from guys like Travis Zajac (three goals and two assists in eighteen games this year).  If it weren’t for his big playoffs last Spring, I’d seriously be wondering if the guy was a legit top six forward, considering he had a 13-goal, 44-point season two years ago playing every game and this year his sticks have been in the deep freeze.  Kovalchuk’s been doing his part but he can’t do it alone, especially if the Devils are going to allow multiple PP goals per game.  Bobby Butler‘s two-point game a couple weeks ago remains his only production for the Devils in ten games, as he’s been stuck on the fourth line most nights.

Yes, re-acquiring Alexei Ponikarovsky helps offset the loss of Danius Zubrus – to a point, but they still need to replace the fifty-plus goals that walked out the door when Zach Parise left and Petr Sykora wasn’t offered a contract.  With our questionable forward depth, losing Zubrus and Ryan Carter in recent games hasn’t helped, although the one positive that’s come out of it is the last two games by Loikotonov, who has surely opened some eyes with a key goal Thursday off a faceoff win, and an assist this afternoon on Kovy’s goal.

Still, they need to find some scoring and fix the leaky PK soon.  Not to mention stop this senseless merry-go-round on D that’s benefitting nobody.  In this shortened season, first place can turn into eighth place – or ninth – in no time at all.  Especially with the compressed schedule.

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Christian Thomas recalled

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Derek
In a surprising move, the Rangers announced that they’ve recalled Christian Thomas. The 20-year old son of former NHLer Steve Thomas is in his first full pro year. In 52 games with the Connecticut Whale (AHL), the 2010 second round pick’s tallied 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points under Ken Gernander. 
He debuted with the Whale last year- getting into five games and registering two points (1-1-2). The Toronto native isn’t the biggest. Listed at 5-9, 170 Thomas has some skill which the Blueshirts hope can provide a boost. It’ll be interesting to see how a Canadian kid performs under the microscope. He’ll make his NHL debut at Montreal on Hockey Night In Canada. That’s a dream come true for any Canadian. 
It’ll be interesting to see how John Tortorella uses Thomas. With the team minus Rick Nash, offense has been limited. The continued struggles of Brad Richards have severely hurt the Rangers. Until the former Conn Smythe winner gets straightened out, the onus will continue to be on the top line of Derek Stepan, Carl Hagelin and leading goalscorer Marian Gaborik. 
Tortorella must find the right combinations. Ryan Callahan scored his fourth the other night. He played with Jeff Halpern and J.T. Miller. Captain Cally might be better suited with Richards. If anyone can get him going, it’s our team leader. Perhaps he can rub off. 
The club also could be without Mike Del Zotto. Del Zotto left Thursday’s game after taking a hit in the third period. The club has also recalled Steve Eminger, who was serving a 10-day conditioning stint. Del Zotto isn’t sure if he’ll be able to go. Even with his defensive deficiencies, it’d still be a big loss. He is the team’s best offensive defenseman who logs important minutes. Anton Stralman should see increased action.
With Nash unable to travel to Montreal, speculation continues to grow that he suffered a concussion. The Rangers aren’t exactly helping matters with their CIA approach. They’re also minus Darroll Powe, who remains out with a concussion. Powe is sorely missed due to his speed, forechecking ability and penalty killing acumen. 
The Rangers need a big game in a place they don’t fare well. Considering how lackluster they were in that MSG snooze fest, we’ll see if they can return the favor at the Bell Centre. 
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The Sad Tale Of Rick DiPietro

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Derek

It looks like the end for Rick DiPietro on Long Island. The former 2000 first overall pick was placed on waivers by the Islanders today.

It’s expected that the 31-year old veteran netminder will be assigned to Bridgeport (AHL). The Islanders are likely to recall Kevin Poulin. Poulin appeared in six games last year- posting a 2-4-0 record with a 3.04 goals against average (GAA) and .907 save percentage. In 31 appearances this year with the Sound Tigers, the 22-year old’s 15-13-3 with a 3.16 GAA and .903 save percentage.

If it is finally over for DiPietro, it’s a sad conclusion to his Islander career. When former general manager Mike Milbury took him with the No.1 selection in ’00, it set in motion the plan to trade former No.1 pick Roberto Luongo. Luongo was eventually moved with Olli Jokinen to the Panthers in exchange for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha. A deal that is frowned upon despite the Isles returning to the playoffs.

Ironically, Luongo never made the postseason in the Sunshine state. Instead, he had to wait until an even more perplexing five player deal with the Canucks that sent Todd Bertuzzi the other way to become successful. However, Islander fans always reflect back and wonder if had they kept Luongo, Milbury could’ve selected either Dany Heatley or Marian Gaborik. It’s hard to predict what would’ve happened for a franchise that hasn’t advanced past the first round since ’93.

Contrary to popular belief, DiPietro hasn’t been awful on the Island. When healthy, he’s been a capable No.1 goalie who guided the team to two postseason appearances. After posting a career high 30 wins in 63 games in ’05-06, club owner Charles Wang signed DP to a 15-year, $67.5 million extension. A contract that became the butt of jokes around the hockey world.

DiPietro delivered in his first year of the rich deal. He put together his best season- posting a 32-19-9 record with a 2.58 GAA, .919 save percentage and five shutouts. That included success against rival Henrik Lundqvist along with a first round showing. Even though they were ousted, DP was on the verge of becoming a star.

Unfortunately, injuries doomed him. It started with him missing the final seven games of the ’06-07 regular season and the first game against Buffalo due to what was termed ‘headaches.’ Having already suffered one concussion and a sprained knee, DiPietro became injury prone. He still returned the following year and appeared in 63 games- winning 26 games while recording three shutouts. However, he was forced to have season ending hip surgery. An injury which was mishandled by the Islander organization.

The Islanders brought DiPietro back too soon in ’08-09 and paid a hefty price. After returning in October the same year, he had a knee injury. Amazingly, he only missed two games. The club who made DP their franchise player didn’t use caution. Instead, they threw him into the fire and watched their goalie suffer another injury. He eventually needed knee surgery, missing 27 games. The Isles didn’t learn their lesson. They allowed him to return and it resulted in a swollen right knee costing DiPietro the final 41 games of the season.

The rest reads like a broken record. DiPietro had two more surgeries, including on his left knee following missing the final 22 games of ’09-10. Even after all the setbacks, a determined DP still came back wanting to earn his money. He just had terrible luck. A concussion limited him to 26 games in ’10-11, which sadly is the most he’s appeared in since ’07-08.

Current Islander GM Garth Snow acquired Evgeni Nabokov to supplant DiPietro as their No.1 goalie. Following just eight appearances last year, DP made only three starts in 2013 before the organization pulled the plug. He lost all three games.

If ever there was a sad tale of an athlete who won’t give up, it’s DiPietro. He is a competitor. With the Isles finally waiving him, the growing question is will they buy him out. It would prove costly for Wang, who’s a prideful man who doesn’t like to admit to mistakes. He bought out Alexei Yashin. The Islanders would still have to pay him.

Even as a rival fan, I feel sorry for DP. All he wanted to do was play the game he loves. Instead, injuries have derailed his career. We may never see him in the NHL again.

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Latest Ranger loss Sens-less

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Derek
Copyright Getty Images
Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press

Simply put. This team cannot get out of its own way. With an opportunity to bounce back from that nightmare at MSG, the Rangers made a mess of an Ottawa team that’s essentially Binghamton. Oh. They still have ageless wonder Daniel Alfredsson and Kyle Turris along with super pest Chris Neil and power play fixture Sergei Gonchar. But it’s hardly the same team they saw last Spring.

The Sens are without Jason Spezza, Norris winner Erik Karlsson and Milan Michalek. It didn’t even matter that an accidental collision in which Chris Kreider was shoved into poor netminder Craig Anderson probably ended his season. The Rangers still found a way not to win. Sure. They got a point. But it was hardly earned. They failed to protect another lead, allowing a more determined shorthanded Senators team to prevail 3-2 in a shootout.

There’s really not much left to say. The Rangers are terribly disappointing. Through 16 of 48, they’re a pedestrian 8-7-1. If this keeps up, nobody will want to remember 2013. Without Rick Nash for a second consecutive game, they mustered little through 40 minutes.

That’s when the bizarre collision took place. With Kreider driving towards the net, Ottawa defenseman Marc Methot tripped him up sending the rookie flying into Anderson. He went in so hard that Anderson had no chance. It was a somber scene with Anderson unable to skate. He was helped to the dressing room. It’s one of the saddest incidents I’ve ever seen. I don’t think anyone on either side didn’t feel bad for the Ottawa goalie, whose play had him in the MVP discussion. It now appears that his season is done with probably a torn ACL. What a shame.

Kreider was the Rangers’ best forward. He drew two penalties and delivered four hits. Of course, he got only 12 seconds on the power play and no shifts in overtime. Why would he? The more you look at this team’s failures, the bigger it’s on the coach. John Tortorella isn’t getting it done. His team has stopped responding. Their failure to hustle back on Jakob Silfverberg’s shorthanded goal was atrocious. The second instance in the last two games in which nobody back checked. It also happened on Montreal’s winner.

This isn’t just about no Nash. It’s about a different roster that isn’t as strong. Injuries was the one thing that couldn’t happen. Glen Sather built this team on star talent. Brad Richards still isn’t performing. He was benched again for part of the third. Marian Gaborik must find a way to score. He came oh so close in overtime but hit the post following a Richards set up. For some reason, Tortorella continues to use him in the shootout. Gabby is better suited for game situations where he’s more instinctive. All three of his attempts have been foiled.

It’s a good thing Ryan Callahan exists. Without him, they’d have been shutout. Captain Cally came through with a power play goal. He got to a loose rebound in front and beat Anderson’s replacement Ben Bishop to tie the score with 9:16 left in regulation. Marc Staal took a Derek Stepan feed and wisely put it on net with traffic and Cally was there for his fourth. Three of four have come on the power play. That means the rest of the team has combined for four PPG’s. You do the math.

If not for Henrik Lundqvist (35 saves), the Rangers don’t get a point. He made some clutch stops to keep them in it. There were a couple of notable ones before Callahan tied it. Where would this team be without Hank? Probably in the lottery. That’s how paper thin they are. Darroll Powe (concussion) and Arron Asham also didn’t play. Stu Bickel returned to the lineup after missing the last six. I like Stu. But he shouldn’t be seeing more shifts than Brandon Mashinter. Sooner or later, you have to find out if these guys can play.

Astonishingly, the Blueshirts scored twice in 51 seconds to take the lead. Ryan McDonagh notched his first on a wrist shot through traffic. Taking a pass from rookie J.T. Miller, he released the puck and it seemed to deflect past Bishop. Both Miller and Jeff Halpern were in the area. Each drew assists. Perhaps it went off an Ottawa stick. In any event, it was Miller’s first career assist. He has three points (2-1-3 in 8 GP). I really like the kid. He’s got edge.

The Rangers couldn’t stand prosperity. An iffy call on Brian Boyle led directly to Mike Zibanejad connecting on a rebound of a Colin Greening shot. On the play, Dan Girardi fell down and Staal was in no man’s land, leaving Carl Hagelin to take the man in front. What were our D doing? It’s plays like that that have become the norm.

Nothing was decided in overtime, taking it to another skill competition. It took seven rounds to decide a winner. After Lundqvist stopped Alfredsson, Gaborik was denied by Bishop. In Round 2, Silfverberg trickled one off Henrik’s glove for 1-0. But Callahan looked off Bishop and went short side. Lundqvist stoned Turris but Bishop denied Stepan, taking it into extras.

The next five shooters missed setting the stage for Miller in Round 6. He faked Bishop out of his jock but couldn’t tuck the puck into an open side. It was one of the best moves you’ll ever see without the shooter finishing. As fate would have it, Kaspars Daugavins fanned on his shot but the puck went through Lundqvist. Down to their last shooter, Tortorella sent out Kreider. He had Bishop beat but rang the cross bar.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Jakob Silfverberg, Ott (shorthanded goal, shootout goal)
2nd Star-Ryan Callahan, NYR (PPG-4th of season, 4 hits-Captain Clutch)
1st Star-Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (35 saves-some remarkable)

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What’s The Deal With Nash?

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Derek
When Glen Sather rolled the dice and traded for Rick Nash, it was universally approved by just about everyone in hockey. That included a diehard Ranger fanbase whose team came up a little short last year- losing to the hated Devils in the Eastern Conference Final. 
I was one of the few who remained skeptical. It had zero to do with Nash’s talent. Without hesitation, he is one of the best power forwards in the game. Even though he’s lit the lamp only three times, there’s no doubting his ability. We’ve seen the game breaking speed along with the size and strength which opens up the ice for teammates. In this case, Derek Stepan and Carl Hagelin, who have gelled with Nash to comprise the top line. 
The numbers don’t lie. Nash leads the Blueshirts in scoring with 12 points (3-9-12). The former Jacket has been more of a set up man than finisher. All too ironic considering that he had no talent around him in Columbus. This wasn’t supposed to happen on Broadway. By now, he should have nine or 10 goals. But a strange thing’s happened. The Rangers are once again not making the most out of a star player. The lack of production on the power play is mind boggling. Not one PPG for Nash, Marian Gaborik or Brad Richards. 
Recently, Richards’ play has slipped dramatically. John Tortorella benched him for almost the entire third period in a shootout loss to the Islanders. Astonishingly, he still ranks second behind Nash with 11 points. But anyone who’s paid close attention to the second-year Ranger knows better. He’s struggling to get anything done and has looked lethargic. It’s no longer early. The team is coming off a brutal loss to Montreal which dropped them to a mediocre 8-6-1. Hardly what was expected. If the season ended today, everyone’s pre-season favorite would miss the postseason.
With Richards unable to get untracked, it’s affected Gaborik who disappears when he doesn’t find twine. He’s one dimensional. Both play on the perimeter and rarely absorb physical contact. At least Gaborik leads the club with seven goals and draws penalties. With the former No.1 line off kilter, it’s put pressure on Nash’s line. If they can’t, the Rangers don’t have much of a chance. Ryan Callahan is playing out of position and Tortorella seems more concerned with Brian Boyle than Chris Kreider.
Which brings us back to Nash. He wasn’t expected to play Sunday against Washington, which is why Kreider was summoned from Hartford. Sometime last week, Nash sustained an undisclosed injury which the Rangers remain vague on. He absorbed a questionable hit from Boston wrecking machine Milan Lucic on 2/12. He registered an assist against the Islanders at MSG on Valentine’s Day and then added a helper in the club’s win over the Caps. That gave him points in four straight (1-4-5). 
Despite whatever was bothering him, Nash was a factor in the 2-1 victory over Washington. After being a question mark for that night, he missed Tuesday’s debacle. The Rangers have already ruled him out for tonight at Ottawa. The question is what’s wrong? Nobody seems to know. The organization has kept his injury a big secret, leading to speculation that he has a concussion. Is that the truth? What if it was just a re-injury from his time spent in Switzerland with HC Davos? 
Garden Faithful would much rather that be the case than a concussion for a player who was supposed to put this team over the top. Instead, they’re a work in progress. Gone is the team’s work ethic from last year that made them a fan favorite. When you make a big trade, players are sacrificed. Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky were part of that identity. So too were Brandon Prust and Ruslan Fedotenko. 
Despite players such as Callahan and Mike Del Zotto identifying what’s been missing, the Rangers continue to be inconsistent. They haven’t been able to sustain a consistent forecheck. Maybe they’re not that team anymore. Is it time for Tortorella to take a different approach? One thing is clear. Without Nash, they’re in trouble. 
Correct us if we’re wrong here. Weren’t the ’11-12 Rangers much more than one player? They played through injuries to key players and posted the East’s best record. Now, fans are in full panic mode because Nash might be out a while. What changed? When did our team become the Blue Jackets? Something definitely is fishy on Broadway. 
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Good Times, Ruff Times

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Derek

1997 was a strange time to be a Buffalo Sabres fan. The Sabres won a Northeast Division Title,  and the team was  considered an overachieving team by many standards. A strange injury and rumored incidents with superstar goaltender Dominik Hasek and then Head Coach Ted Nolan loomed large over the 1997 NHL Playoffs, and the Sabres were ousted in the 2nd round by the Philadelphia Flyers. Ted Nolan was named NHL Coach of the Year by taking home the Jack Adams trophy. Nolan was a Native American, he was brash, he had a bright future ahead of him, so it appeared.

Then strange got even stranger in Western New York.

Nolan was low-balled by Sabres GM Darcy Regier and was only offered a 1 year contract extension in July 1997, Nolan was insulted, and left the Sabres after garnering so much positive attention throughout the NHL world.

The Sabres then appeared to be a team in chaos, so Regier and the Sabres needed to act fast and hire someone that can keep the ship going in the right direction, and a name that Sabres fans can recognize and respect.

Enter Lindy Cameron Ruff.

Lindy Ruff was hired as the 15th head Coach in Buffalo Sabres history on July 21st, 1997. Ruff embodied some of the same qualities as his predecessor while he was with the Buffalo Sabres: Toughness. Hard worked. Great character player and well respected. At the time he appeared to, and was proven to be, a wise choice by Regier and Co.

Ruff guided the Sabres to two straight Eastern Conference appearances in 1998 and 1999, and a Stanley Cup Finals appearance, the first for the franchise since 1975.Despite the ‘loss’ to the Dallas Stars (which will always be debated in Buffalo sports lore) Ruff became a very popular figure in Buffalo. The sky was the limit.

Then, some ‘Ruff’ patches.

Then Buffalo Sabres owner John Rigas sank the Sabres into a deep financial hole, creating rumors of the team even possibly relocating from Buffalo. The Sabres then proceeded to miss the playoffs for 3 straight seasons, but even those in Buffalo gave (and rightfully so) Ruff a pass for this time period because of the instability of the franchise as a whole.

Enter new owner Tom Golisano who resurrected the Sabres for a few seasons. The Sabres rebounded after the horrific times of 2004 when the NHL lost an entire season, and advanced to two more Eastern Conference Finals in a row. After a devastating Game 7 loss at Carolina in May 2006, the Buffalo Sabres then went on to win the President’s Trophy in 2006-2007, and then were stunningly ousted in 5 games by the Ottawa Senators and Ray Emery.

Yes, I said Ray Emery.

Ruff leaves the Buffalo Sabres with a 571-432-84 record (59% Winning Percentage) and a 57-44 record in the NHL Playoffs. Ruff has the most wins of any coach in NHL history with one team. Despite these impressive numbers, the time for a change was was now.

As the past few years have gone by, the Sabres have disappointed more then they have surprised. It was becoming clear as each month and year passed that despite Ruff being a very good coach for the Buffalo Sabres, it was time for a new voice. But nothing happened. ‘Status Quo’ was the theme in Buffalo, much to the chagrin of a fan base getting restless to taste a Stanley Cup victory for the first time ever.

Ruff was a player who went to bat for his players (at least publicly) and would not back down for sticking up for his players. The famous Ottawa-Buffalo brawl of 2007 was a perfect example of that, as Ruff sent out all the enforcers (Andrew Peters, Adam Mair and Patrick Kaleta) to stick up for Chris Drury, who was the victim of a questionable hit. Ruff was not shy about criticizing officials, or going after the likes of Peter Laviolette like he did in the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals.

In the social media world we live in, reactions to any news like this happen fast. I was out to lunch today when a good friend of mine sent me a text that Lindy was fired. My initial reactions were such like I am sure most fans are right now: “It’s About Time”….”Sayonara Lindy”…were a couple of my reactions via text message. But after thinking about this for a few minutes and look at the big picture, it is a bittersweet feeling as a Sabres fan.

Part of me thinks that Darcy Regier is the real #1 issue with this franchise right now: The way he has constructed the team, the horrendous signing of Ville Leino for the sake of naming one, and yet Regier gets a contract extension? How can Regier survive after Lindy Ruff?

The fear that so many other Sabres fans have had of Owner Terry Pegula is: Will Terry be able to separate fandom from business? It great that Pegula is not afraid to spend on the team, but can he let his NHL people do their job without meddling too much? Perhaps today he and the Sabres took a step to answer that question, as Darcy Regier was quoted as saying this was ‘his decision’ We shall see how he handles Regier soon.

Lindy was a popular figure in Buffalo sports. He brought stability to a team that at the time had tons of instability surrounding it. He has fire, passion, that is a reflection of the fan base that packs First Niagara Center. 500+ wins. 4 Eastern Conference Finals. 1 Stanley Cup appearance. And a host of memories (both good and bad) to go along with it.

I have three words for Lindy Cameron Ruff in closing: ‘Thank You Lindy’ And I wish you nothing but the best.

NOTES:

Per sources, the Buffalo Sabres have chosen Rochester Amerks Head Coach Ron Rolston to take over as the 16th coach in Buffalo Sabres history. Ron is the older brother of Brian Rolston. 

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Sabres fire Ruff after 14+ seasons as coach

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Derek

Not so long ago, our popular Sabres fan wondered aloud when the struggling Sabres would make a move vis-a-vis relieving either long-time GM Darcy Regier, coach Lindy Ruff or both after the Sabres started veering off-course to a second straight dissapointing season.  Barely a week after Brian’s blog, the other shoe finally dropped in Buffalo after nearly fifteen years of stability as Regier relieved Ruff of his coaching duties with the Sabres sitting in last place (6-10-1) in the Northeast – going 4-10-1 after winning their opening two games of the season.  With Ruff’s tenure as a coach as well as a player in Buffalo (having played the better part of ten seasons there), an era has surely come to an end now.

One casual look at Ruff’s overall record – six playoff misses and three first-round losses – might have you wondering why Buffalo kept their coach around as long as they did.  Make no mistake about it though, he could coach – Brian I’m sure would agree with that.  Given Buffalo’s financial problems for a decade which had them going through owner after owner, the fact that Ruff and goaltender Dominik Hasek even kept them competitive most years was remarkable, and his tenure provided a measure of stability when almost everything else around him kept changing on a routine basis.

In his first two years as head coach a decade after taking over for the popular Ted Nolan, Ruff led the team to the Conference Finals his first season and then the Stanley Cup Finals in his second.  For Ruff and the Sabres, this would be their best chance for ultimate glory in franchise history to date.  Unfortunately it ended under shabby circumstances with Brett Hull‘s infamous (and illegal in 1999) ‘toe-in-the crease’ goal in triple OT of Game 6 that won Dallas its only Stanley Cup.  After two more playoff seasons, including a 46-win campaign in ’00-01, the Sabres had three playoff-less seasons before the lockout.

After the lockout, the Sabres emerged reborn with a dynamic team led by Chris Drury and offensive stars such as Daniel Briere, Thomas Vanek and Maxim Afinogenov with Brian Campbell heading the defense and a then-young Ryan Miller in goal.  Two straight fifty-win seasons and Conference Finals appearances again put the Sabres on the brink of hockey greatness.  However, in 2006 the Sabres got dealt more ‘Sabres luck’ when practically their entire defensive core was laid up for Game 7 in Raleigh against the Hurricanes.  Gamely, the Sabres held a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes but gave up three third-period goals, with the winner coming after a delay-of-game penalty by Henrik Tallinder (one of their few regulars in the lineup, ironically enough).  They would not get nearly that close the next season, losing in five to Ottawa and then enduring the double-barreled losses of Drury and Briere to FA in the 2007 offseason.

Arguably Buffalo has still not recovered from that ill-fated day, at least on the ice.  Buffalo missed the playoffs the next two seasons, then made it in ’09-10 and ’10-11 losing each time in the first round.  After a spending spree under new owner Terry Pegula, big things were expected last year but the Sabres fell flat, coming apart after Miller was bowled over by Milan Lucic in Boston.  Even the acquisition of gritty Steve Ott this offseason hasn’t sparked the Sabres back to being a playoff team this year.  Perhaps it was finally inevitable that after so many player changes, the coach would get changed.  I don’t expect this to be the last we hear of Lindy, since the recent past is littered with recycled coaches who’ve made good including Randy Carlyle in Toronto and Bruce Boudreau in Anaheim, among others.

Where the Sabres go from here is anyone’s guess, especially since there hasn’t been a replacement named as of yet.

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Sleepless at MSG

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Derek
Copyright Getty Images
By Frank Franklin III
If tonight’s game against Montreal was a movie, people would’ve left 10 minutes in. There was no reason for popcorn or beer. Absolutely zero entertainment value. Considering how much I love seeing the Canadiens play our team, thank God I didn’t go. They put everyone to sleep and proved again how different the Rangers are. They blew another lead and lost 3-1 at MSG. Inexcusable.
I feel sorry for those who paid good money to see that crap. It was a snooze fest. Between the Habs repeatedly icing the puck and the Rangers’ failure to generate anything, it’s one of the worst games MSG has seen since the Dark Ages. You know. Those teams that didn’t have a prayer no matter who Slats overpaid. This one’s not on the GM. It’s on the coach. For whatever reason, John Tortorella refuses to reward players who work their asses off. 
In a shortened season where every point is precious, Tortorella is more concerned with appeasing Brad Richards. Richards was abysmal again. He was a big reason our Blueshirts made the Conference Finals last year. He’s as big a reason for the team’s inconsistency. Since a good start, he’s done absolutely nothing. Either there’s something wrong with him or he shouldn’t be playing. Yet Tortorella had him out there along with Mike Del Zotto for another power outage. 
Sometimes, a coach has to be willing to make adjustments. Tortorella seems more intent on riding the same guys even if they’re not all on the same page. When Tomas Plekanec tugged Derek Stepan, he should’ve given J.T. Miller and Anton Stralman shifts. Stralman scored their only goal and Miller had one of his best efforts since his two-goal Broadway debut. Instead, Richards and Del Zotto fumbled and stumbled- destroying any chance of forcing overtime. 
The coach is hurting the team more than helping. On a night where Rick Nash was sorely missed, Tortorella needed to do whatever it took even if it was unconventional. Stepan and Carl Hagelin can’t do it alone. Ryan Callahan always gives everything but sooner or later, he has to do more offensively. Marian Gaborik must finish to be effective. Otherwise, it doesn’t work. It’s still inexcusable to lose to a tired team that benefited from a call to tie it. 
The Canadiens remind me of last year’s Rangers. Team try hard. They aren’t the most talented. But Michel Therrien squeezes every ounce. As dull as he is, he has them overachieving. No surprise that Brandon Prust has been a key part of their turnaround. In his MSG return, Prust’s line was the Habs’ best. He was on for every Montreal goal, including a nifty set up on rookie Alex Galchenyuk’s winner. On a night they set a record for icing the puck, Prust’s unit got the job done. 
It’s hard to say what happened to the Blueshirts. Maybe they were just lulled to sleep. Even if fans and bloggers want to use the Nash alibi, he’s scored three goals. Hardly the dominant player they need him to be. Of course, he makes a difference. His presence creates room for Hagelin and Stepan. Outside of Callahan, none of our big guns have finished on the power play. They’re already 15 games in and neither Gaborik or Nash have a power play goal. Tortorella continues to blindly use Del Zotto and Richards at the points. Why?I’m all out of answers. 
The first period was one of the ugliest ever in the modern era. The teams combined for eight shots. Our team took five. Montreal didn’t get a shot until there was less than five minutes. Stralman scored his second thanks to a brilliant pass from Stepan on a delayed penalty. Hagelin got the secondary helper. But they didn’t build on it. Instead, the D gave it back. Brian Boyle missed a chance to put them up two. 
Then came the controversy. With Del Zotto expecting an icing, it never came. The ref at center ice had his hand up until the last second. The Habs clearly dumped the puck in from behind the red line. Why it wasn’t icing remains a mystery. Like good teams, they took advantage. Josh Gorges found an unguarded Pacioretty for a laser that Henrik Lundqvist never picked up. Lundqvist wasn’t the same following taking a high riser from P.K. Subban in the shoulder. He was down on all fours on Galchenyuk’s game decider. 
Lundqvist is hardly to blame. Two defensive breakdowns proved costly. Even with the missed call, there’s no way the Rangers should’ve lost. It was an embarrassment. 
BONY 3 Stars:
3rd Star-Derek Stepan, NYR (primary helper on Stralman’s tally, playing his best hockey)
2nd Star-Carl Hagelin, NYR (assist, 3 SOG in 21:33-easily our best forward)
1st Star-Brandon Prust, Mtl (assist, plus-3-plays same role for new team and sparked)
Notes: Chris Kreider played for Nash. He saw time throughout (14:37) and had one nice chance on an early power play. But Carey Price (24 saves) denied him from the left circle. He also delivered a hit at the end of the second which drew a crosscheck from Pacioretty. … In his Ranger debut, Brandon Mashinter looked decent. Too bad Tortorella hardly used him. After using the fourth line recently, he went back to his old habit and ignored them. Foolish. … Matt Gilroy was one of the few D who created offense. Where was he in the third? … 
Rangers (8-6-1) travel to Ontario to face Ottawa. Maybe Del Zotto will have a big game. They then visit Montreal for an Original Six rematch on Hockey Night In Canada. House of horrors.
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Islanders humiliated on Presidents Day

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Derek
Copyright Getty Images by Seth Winig

The Islanders forgot to set their alarm clocks on Presidents Day. They were awful against an classic rival. The end result was a Flyers 7-0 humiliation that put a screeching halt to a two-game win streak. How bad was it? The 7-0 score was the worst the Islanders have ever suffered in a shutout at Nassau Coliseum.

”Our battle level was nowhere near where it had to be,” Islander coach Jack Capuano said. ”We have to find better ways to find it. We have to generate more.“

Flyers captain Claude Giroux got it started by scoring 26 seconds in. It was part of a big day for Giroux, who recorded three points (2-1-3). Four different Flyers had at least three points, including Danny Briere (2-1-3), Matt Read (1-2-3) and Jakub Voracek (4 assists).

The Islanders blew a glorious opportunity to turn the game around. Wayne Simmonds took exception to a marginal call on Kimmo Timonen, leading to a full two-man advantage. Possessing one of the most lethal power plays, it should’ve been a cinch. Instead, the Islanders fumbled the puck and stumbled around. An unforgiving Coliseum booed.

Read increased the Flyer lead to two on the opening shift of the second. Following an entertaining scrap between Matt Martin and Simmonds, a Briere penalty gave the Islanders another chance. But Kyle Okposo ended the power play by cross checking Max Talbot.

Even worse, the Flyers cashed in thanks to Brayden Schenn. It came during a wild sequence. Casey Cizikas came in two on one shorthanded. Ilya Bryzgalov denied him. With both Islander forwards caught, Philadelphia executed a three on two. Voracek took a Briere feed and centered for Schenn, who beat Evgeni Nabokov top shelf to make it 3-0.

Giroux increased the deficit to four when he had all day to tuck a puck into an open side. Read and Voracek set it up. Just brutal coverage. A theme which doomed the Islanders. Even Zac Rinaldo got into the act. The Islanders watched Harry Zolnierczyk streak in and pass to a trailing Rinaldo for his first.

Leading by five, the Flyers added a touchdown and extra point. Sean Couturier found Briere (PPG) for a tap in. With a couple of minutes remaining, he went high glove on Nabokov, who endured the loss by allowing all seven. For those wondering about Rick DiPietro, Capuano never thought about taking him out. They’re at Ottawa tomorrow. Why not?

”We have to just put this behind us,” Islanders captain Mark Streit lamented. ”We were terrible start to finish. This was not acceptable in any way. We have a chance to get a good night’s sleep and come out strong (Tuesday).”

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Jake Voracek, Phi (4 assists)
2nd Star-Matt Read, Phi (goal-7th, 2 assists)
1st Star-Claude Giroux, Phi (2 goals-4, 5 plus assist)

Notes: D Brian Strait fractured his left ankle after falling into the boards. He was placed on the injured list. The Islanders activated D Radek Martinek. … Bryzgalov stopped all 19 for his second career shutout versus the Isles. … Nabokov allowed seven on 25 shots. … Flyers blocked 23 shots to the Islanders’ eight. … The top line of John Tavares, Matt Moulson and Brad Boyes went a combined minus-nine.

 

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Flat Devils get deserved result on President’s Day

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Derek

Since the 2005-06 season, parity’s been the buzzword in the NHL with nearly every team having a chance to win on a given night.  There are fewer and fewer ‘gimme’ games each season.  And yet, today’s President’s Day matinee against Ottawa looked like one of them.  Ottawa literally had an All-Star team on the shelf – forwards Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek as well as defensemen Erik Karlsson and Jared Cowan.  And goaltender Craig Anderson also got the day off.  For the formerly conference-leading Devils’ part, they were supposed to be angry and hungry after a blowout on the Island on Saturday night.

Yet, the Devils hit the ice with a loud thud this afternoon – just like Saturday night dominating the first twenty minutes and then dissapearing the rest of the game.  This time they were able to get a point (undeserved, really) with a 1-1 tie before losing in the shootout.

As the Devils did Friday in their last home game against the Flyers, they jumped out quickly with a goal when Stephen Gionta scored off a rebound from a Steve Bernier shot after just seventy-nine seconds.  Little did anyone realize that Gionta’s second goal of the season would be the Devils’ last this afternoon against Big Ben Bishop.  Bishop was having a good year in the AHL during the lockout, but hadn’t stood out in the NHL until today, when he stood tall in the first period (pun intended, being that Bishop’s listed at 6’7) with sixteen of his thirty saves.  Somewhat ominously the Devils failed to convert on back-to-back power plays despite putting nine pucks on the Denver-born Bishop during all that special teams time – which included a short five-on-three as well.

Actually the Devils had seen Bishop before…last season when he had a 33-save performance in a 1-0 Devils win last March.  Today, the offense fared no better – particuarly after the first period when the team seemed to shut it down effort-wise after outshooting the outmanned Sens 19-7 in the first period, they would be outshot 21-14 the rest of the game including 9-4 in the second period.  Yet, Ottawa’s puckluck was about as bad as its injury luck for most of the afternoon with Daniel Alfredsson missing an open net in the first period, among other chances they flubbed to go along with twenty-nine Martin Brodeur saves.  Pretty much the only noteworthy thing that happened in the second period wasn’t a good one, as Ryan Carter took a hit in the head and would not return, although it wasn’t immediately known if he suffered a concussion or not.

With Carter out and enforcer Krys Barch only playing 4:36, the Devils’ forward lines were thrown even more into flux.  Especially considering new acquisition Andrei Loikotonov was playing in his first game with the Devils after a semi-surprising demotion of Jacob Josefson over the weekend.  Josefson had regressed dramatically this season, perhaps letting his offensive struggles creep into his defensive game which was also going downhill.  Ironically it was Loikotonov that figured in Ottawa’s tying goal when a failed clearance gave Alfredsson a second chance to score – and he would not miss this time, beating Brodeur at 8:36.

Our turmoil up front isn’t even factoring into my main pet peeve – the ‘experimenting’ on defense.  Specifically restoring Henrik Tallinder to the lineup, at the expense of Mark Fayne for the second straight game.  Fayne was arguably the team’s best defenseman last year, and the team’s numbers with and without him this year are striking (sixteen goals allowed in the four games he’s missed including today, twenty-one allowed in the twelve he’s played).  Yes, he had two subpar games before being scratched on Long Island and I realize that you have to eventually play Tallinder to keep his value somewhat high, but come on now.  You can’t scratch Anton Volchenkov for a couple of games instead of Fayne, considering how bad the PK has been lately?  In a 48-game season you can’t afford to get too cute with how tight the standings are.

Yes, the Tallinder-Fayne swap didn’t hurt the team today – on the scoreboard anyway, though they certainly didn’t seem sharp defensively for the most part, even in the first period.  It did hurt the team Saturday though it was doubtful they were going to win on Long Island for a third time anyway, with John Tavares putting the team on his back that night.  Still, it seems a bit cavalier to randomly scratch an intregal part of the team for reasons beyond winning and perhaps indiciative that we’re back to taking a playoff spot for granted as an organization.  Sure, the hot early start gave us some wiggle room, but that’s all it is right now.  With every game being a potential three-point game and the standings saying tight for the forseeable future.

Granted, there is also the possibility that Fayne has a super-secret injury (why they wouldn’t just call it upper/lower body and be done with it if that was the case I’d have no idea) and he did miss two games with supposed arm troubles earlier this year.  If he is healthy though, enough is enough.  Something needs to be done about this defensive glut sooner rather than later.  Having eight defensemen has never made any sense to me, especially when your organizational strength is defense.  Especially while your forward core is in flux right now and you need to have more wiggle room to experiement there.  With the way Tallinder’s played for most of his tenure here, you already have seven defensemen better than him including Peter Harrold who’s not going to get a chance to play himself at this point.  You mean to tell me it’s that important to have Tallinder making $3+ million as an eighth defenseman over, say Alex Urbom?

Anyway, back to the recap of a game that I really could only listen to on the radio since unlike most of the sellout crowd at the Rock, I do have work on President’s Day.  Although I was able to follow it for much of the game, I somehow missed the meelee at the end of regulation where Patrik Elias and David Clarkson got involved with Chris Neil and Marc Methot, an altercation where the Devils got the short end of the stick with Clarkson and Neil getting thrown out with misconducts, and Elias serving a double-minor.  Although the PK managed to survive without disaster for once, losing both Clarkson and Elias for the majority of overtime compromised the Devils’ chances to win.  New Jersey didn’t even register a shot in the five-minute period, before the shootout commenced.

When Ilya Kovalchuk led off and failed to convert the Devils were in deep trouble after that, considering Kovy’s the only reliable shooter the Devils have in the skills competition this year (and you can’t expect him to be 9-11 again this year, or whatever insane percentage he was last year).  Brodeur did stop Alfredsson in the shootout but rookie Jakob Silfverburg beat Brodeur to give Ottawa the lead.  After Elias failed to convert, the final choice of ex-Sen Bobby Butler over Travis Zajac and Adam Henrique was a mild surprise although it’s not like any choice was going to be great there considering the centermen’s lack of success in the shootout.  Butler’s subpar attempt was foiled by Bishop and the Devils suffered their just result for twenty minutes of effort and forty-five minutes of coasting.

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