Cuylle Becoming a Key Factor for Rangers

Posted on February 16, 2024 by Derek

The New York Rangers continued their hot start since returning from the All-Star break with a 7-4 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. They improved to 5-0 in February, giving them six straight wins dating back to Jan. 27.

In a game that included Chris Kreider recording the sixth hat trick of his career, Will Cuylle had a goal and assisted on a Kaapo Kakko goal. The 22-year-old forward is continuing to show improvement in his rookie season.

A strong player around the net, he has become a key factor for the Rangers. In a 2-0 shutout over the Calgary Flames on Feb. 12, it was Cuylle who put in a rebound of a Kakko shot for the game-winner in a lowscoring contest. He did what he does best by going to the net for the only goal the Blueshirts needed this past Monday. Igor Shesterkin made 29 saves to earn his first shutout of the season.

Cuylle Helps Spark Turnaround

During the first part of last night’s game, the Rangers struggled to get going against the Canadiens. In a quiet first period that saw Blake Wheeler suffer a serious leg injury, they looked like their minds were elsewhere after seeing their teammate carried off the ice on a stretcher. It was understandable. Nobody ever likes to see a player get hurt.

Following a delay, the Canadiens grabbed the lead. Jake Evans was left alone in front to put in a Josh Anderson rebound past a helpless Jonathan Quick. The culprit was Adam Fox. He blew the coverage. Although he had a big game with four assists, his defense hasn’t been on par. That’s an area that must improve. Fox isn’t alone. The Rangers allowed the Canadiens to hang around in the third period due to inconsistent play defensively.

In the second period, it took a while for the Rangers to turn it around. Having struggled to beat Habs goalie Sam Montembeault, they finally flipped the script by scoring four times over a four minute and 10-second span.

Kreider started it by burying a Mika Zibanejad feed from the high slot to tie the game with 8:51 remaining in the second. Cuylle helped spark the turnaround by scoring for the second consecutive game. Over a minute later, he parked himself in front and redirected a Ryan Lindgren pass to make it 2-1. It was his 10th goal of the season.

Most of Cuylle’s goals have come while providing the grunt work. Listed at six-foot three, 210 pounds, the first-year player will do whatever it takes to provide some energy during shifts. He leads all rookies with 174 hits. He finishes checks and isn’t shy about getting in opponents’ faces when things get testy. His work ethic is one of his best qualities.

It isn’t a coincidence that Cuylle has been part of the Rangers’ resurgence. Since Peter Laviolette put Kakko on the third line with Jonny Brodzinski and Cuylle, it’s been their consistent play that’s helped improve the team’s scoring depth. Able to establish a forecheck by outworking opponents, they’ve done a good job at working below the dots. Their effectiveness has led to Laviolette giving them more shifts. They’ve rewarded the coach.

Zibanejad Scores Shorthanded

For Mika Zibanejad, 2024 hasn’t been good enough. He entered last night with only two goals since the New Year. In fact, it’s been two months since his last goal at five-on-five.

An important player to the team’s success, Zibanejad picked a good night to score a key goal. Following Cuylle’s tally, the Rangers were killing a Vincent Trocheck high-sticking minor penalty. While on the kill, Zibanejad drew a delayed call. With the extra attacker out, he took a Fox pass across and scored a shorthanded goal to give the Rangers a 3-1 lead with 5:17 left in the second.

It was an instance when he shot the puck. Something he hasn’t done enough of. Hopefully, that can be a confidence boost for the number one center. Zibanejad also added two assists to record a three-point game. That included a primary helper on Kreider’s third goal of the game to put the Blueshirts up 6-3 in a wide open third period.

Vesey a Possibility on First Line

With Wheeler down, it’ll be up to Laviolette to decide who should play on the first line. Zibanejad and Kreider have had their issues producing at even strength. Wheeler had improved his play recently. Unfortunately, it looks like his season is over. If it’s as bad as it looked, it could be the end of an outstanding career. Hopefully, it isn’t.

Laviolette mixed and matched following the injury. He tried Alexis Lafreniere and Jimmy Vesey on the top line. Vesey might be a good fit. He’s played with both Zibanejad and Kreider before. He plays a straightforward game and works diligently in the corners. If he’s moved up, the Rangers will look to Matt Rempe. He was recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack this morning.

It’s doubtful that Laviolette would want to break up his best scoring line. Lafreniere has fit in nicely with Artemi Panarin and Trocheck. The chemistry they have makes it hard to split them up. With Kakko playing better since being put on the third line, Vesey makes the most sense to move up. He’s got 12 goals and is a good complementary player who goes to the dirty areas.

Youth Movement part of Philosophical Change

With Tyler Pitlick clearing waivers yesterday to be assigned to Hartford, it looks like the Rangers could have a new fourth line. Barclay Goodrow remains the center who doubles on the penalty kill. Adam Edstrom played in his third NHL game last night, receiving 15 shifts (10:05). He also played in the 2-0 win over Calgary.

The 23-year-old former 2019 sixth round pick adds size to the roster. He’s six-foot seven and 234 pounds. A solid skater, Edstrom looks like he’ll have a role on the checking line moving forward. With Rempe up to add even more physicality, the Rangers just became tougher.

The fact that they’ve let two veterans go and given opportunities to younger players shows a philosophical change in the organization. They’ve gotten younger. Something that had to happen. It’s a welcome change for a team that sometimes prefers more experienced players. This should create excitement for fans who’ve wanted to see the kids given the opportunity to show what they can do.

Drury to Explore the Market

It isn’t to say that Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury won’t explore the market to see if he can upgrade. With less than five weeks away from the NHL trade deadline on Mar. 21, Drury will work the phones to see who’s available.

The loss of Wheeler means that the Rangers will probably be looking for a first line right wing. Vesey can fill in for the time being. But he’s better suited in a checking role. Much will depend on the cost. After seeing what Elias Lindholm went for, it’ll be an interesting decision for Drury.

If Brodzinski can continue to fill in well centering the third line, then the Rangers might not need to overpay for a center. Is Adam Henrique really worth a first round pick and a prospect? We’ll see if there’s a reunion with Frank Vatrano. It all depends on how things go.

At the very least, things have gone much better this month. The Rangers have widened their lead to eight points over the Carolina Hurricanes. There’s no reason to panic.

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Have the Devils figured it out too late?

Posted on February 12, 2024 by hasan4978

I figured the least I could do after playing hooky from going to the Devils game tonight was write about what’s apparently going to be no worse than their second best home game of the year (and about what’s been happening on and off the ice lately). Currently the home side is up 3-0 on the Kraken after two periods despite some late hairy moments towards the end of the period it’s pretty much been a dominant Devils game, a rarity this year – particularly in Newark. After one of those ‘look good in a loss’ games at Carolina on Saturday, one thing seems painfully obvious…the system overhaul that was talked about before that game was way, way, way overdue.

Apparently it was obvious to everyone except this coaching staff that you needed to simplify things with a revolving forward core due to injuries, young defensemen and violently shaky (at least until the last two games) goalies. Finally it seems as if that change has been made, the main question now is…has it come too late? Before tonight’s games, the Devils sat six points out of the final wild card spot and eight points behind the Flyers for the automatic third division spot. With around thirty games left in the season and far fewer before the trade deadline, it’s basically now or never if the Devils are going to go on a season-saving surge towards the playoffs.

Admittedly, last week back from the All-Star break pretty much broke me in terms of enthusiasm for the cause, if I wasn’t already broken before that. Sure, the Devils started off with a surprising win against the Avs with a ton of players out of the lineup – Jack Hughes would come back from his long injury layoff for the next game against Calgary and Tyler Toffoli missed the game due to illness in addition to all of our other missing players elsewhere – but even that game was filled with annoyance. Granted, for two periods I was actually enjoying watching a team with no expectations overperform, since that’s been the inverse of what most of this season has been about. It was nice to actually clap the team off the ice instead of boo them off. 

Of course, then in the third period the Devils decide to turtle with a 3-1 lead, get stupid (with Luke Hughes getting plastered showing off behind his own net leading to a layup goal #2) and yet again get rancid goaltending on goal #3 that invetiably tied the game after that – despite Vitek Vanecek actually having one of his better games around that horrid unscreened wrister which made me snap. Even after John Marino somehow pulled a Bobby Orr with just over two minutes left in regulation and scored flying through the air, and after Erik Haula scored an empty-netter I somehow missed as I was walking out of my section at the final horn I was still annoyed that the Devils had reverted back to form and needed yet another moment of talent to overcome their painful deficiencies. 

Another hideous home loss against the Flames on Thursday proved that point, yeah I know they ‘played better’ and Vitek gave up three bad goals – spare me, nobody deserves any slack for this team’s rancid home form against mediocre and poor teams. At least I wasn’t at that fiasco, shockingly I think I still have above an NHL .500 record at the Rock this year which makes me feel a little better after opting out of going tonight. Even if I missed one of the apparent better home games, I’ve also managed to miss fiascoes like Thursday night and the 5-1 Ducks game in December.

After that, there was no way I was watching Saturday’s expected embarrassment at Carolina. The fact Vitek had his best game of the season and the Devils still found a way to lose (and in OT, no less) might have actually been more annoying than seeing 6-3 on the scoreboard. Even Vitek playing on Saturday – his third game in five days – after stinking up the joint against Calgary on Thursday just showed once again nobody in this organization is ever held to account for anything. Except Alex Holtz, I suppose. Missing the playoffs without even attempting to do anything to shake up the room would be unforgiveable, but Fitz has turned into Joe Douglas 2.0 before my eyes. Patience is a virtue, except when it turns into enabling and being too in love with the guys who had a great regular season and won ‘one’ round of the playoffs last year.

Apparently the system change is going to be our version of making a coaching change, so I suppose the last two games have been the new system bounce. Forget about actually seeing accountability for Vitek being the worst goalie in the league this year, that ain’t happening at this point – especially with the in-house options not doing all that much better anyway. Akira Schmid’s continued to stink it up in Utica while Nico Daws was also awful in his last three starts before the break. At least he seems to be okay tonight, now that he’s finally playing due to a ‘lower body injury’ for Vitek. I don’t want Fitz to get raked over the coals in a trade, but sometimes you have to just cut your losses and send a message the way the Oilers did earlier this year when they waived their goalie and fired the coach. And look at them now.

And as I’m typing Seattle scores to cut the lead to 3-1 halfway through the third…OH BOY. Didn’t look like a great goal for Daws to give up either, enhancing the point of the previous paragraph ironically. Of course Holtz made a mistake of his own on that shift, probably sending him back to the scratch box when Mr. Magoo Lindy Ruff plays 11-7 in Nashville tomorrow with Brendan Smith coming back into the lineup. While I’m nervously waiting to see just how hairy the Devils make this finish I might as well finish this blog with the off-ice stuff.

Of course in the annals of bad timing, season ticket renewals couldn’t have come at a worse time this year with the team struggling at home and falling out of the playoff race. If the MetLife game on Saturday wasn’t already massive, the current positioning of the Devils and Flyers just makes that game even more meaningful beyond two rivals playing on the outdoor stage. Really the Flyers could all but finish us off with a win Saturday, unless we somehow hold on to this game and win the next two but even then a loss on Saturday would be a four-point game since we’re likely going to have to beat out at least one of Philly or Detroit for a playoff spot. 

And the Devils pick now to have their season ticket holder drive, laughably advertising playoff ticket access while sneaking in massive increases across the board underneath the hype machine. If I didn’t luck into cushy aisle seats right behind the net in 120 years ago, I’d have likely peaced out of season tickets long ago but I know I’ll never get that seat again if I give it up so I’ll likely have to eat this increase too. As it is I had to cut back from two to one ticket since the friend who was going to games with me before the pandemic hasn’t gone to nearly as many since, ironically going to one ticket lessens the number of games I have to worry about selling a single seat since I do go to around 2/3 of games a year and with the ability to trade in a few games for credit I don’t have to worry about the secondary market too often.

As I close this out, the Devils mercifully hang on to beat the Kraken…hooray for small miracles. They have to find a way to actually (gasp!) win a road back-to-back tomorrow then beat the skidding Kings at home Thursday before I take any kind of a ‘playoff push’ seriously. With so-called lesser teams coming up now, they’re gonna need a massive surge to get back in the mix before the trade deadline although with how passive Fitz has been this year it wouldn’t shock me if he just sat it out even if we were clearly out of the playoffs by then. A lot of trust that was earned last year has been broken again with this organization, hopefully this week is the start of repairing that. Otherwise we’ll be left to lament one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history imploding before March.

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Rangers Respond Out of the Break

Posted on February 10, 2024 by Derek

A week off is all the Rangers needed to get back on track. After struggling in January, they’ve responded by taking the first three games out of the break. Going back to a win over the Senators on Jan. 27, they’ve won four straight – allowing them to extend their lead to six points over the Hurricanes for first place in the Metropolitan Division.

They followed up an overtime win over the Avalanche by defeating the Lightning 3-1 on Feb. 7. After a scoreless first period, they got production from depth players. Jimmy Vesey snuck a backhand through Andrei Vasilevskiy to give the Blueshirts a 1-0 lead early in the second period. It was his 10th goal of the season.

With Jonathan Quick (17 saves) getting it done in the net for the third consecutive time, the Rangers would add a key insurance marker late in the second. Some strong work from Blake Wheeler and Chris Kreider led to Jonny Brodzinski getting his second goal in three games. He came on to replace Mika Zibanejad. Kreider fed him a pass, and Brodzinski was able to beat Vasilevskiy for a two-goal lead.

Sergachev Suffers Horrible Injury

During the second period, the game was overshadowed by a horrible injury to Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. On a reverse hit by Alexis Lafreniere, Sergachev caught a rut in the ice and landed badly. He had to be taken off on a stretcher. On the Rangers’ bench, Lafreniere was emotional. It was a clean play with an unfortunate result.

A day later, the Lightning announced that Sergachev underwent successful surgery to stabilize fractures to the tibia and fibula in his left leg. Hockey fans wished him all the best in his recovery.

It definitely affected the Lightning. Their minds seemed to be elsewhere. Vasilevskiy allowed two bad goals. His teammates struggled mightily to get anything established. The Rangers held them to just four shots in the period.

Quick Comes Up Big

The Lightning were a different team in the third period. They carried most of the play for a good portion. That forced Quick to come up big. He stopped eight of nine shots to win his third straight start.

After Brandon Hagel cut the Rangers’ lead to one, Quick made some crucial saves to keep them ahead. All season, he’s delivered. That’s why Rangers coach Peter Laviolette stuck with him on Wednesday. He could’ve gone back to Igor Shesterkin. But Quick played so well against Colorado that it made sense to ride the hot hand.

Following a successful penalty kill of a Mika Zibanejad penalty, Vesey sealed the victory with an empty netter. That gave him 11 goals on the season, matching his total for 2022-23. He’s been a solid depth player since returning for his second stint with the Rangers. Vesey works diligently and has been reliable.

Zibanejad Gets Overtime Winner in Chicago

It’s been a tough season for Zibanejad. The Rangers’ number one center hasn’t scored consistently. Despite still being close to a point-per-game player, the 30-year-old has to be better down the stretch. He got the overtime winner in a 4-3 win over the Blackhawks on Friday night.

Before that happened, the Rangers blew a two-goal lead in the third period. Following an Alex Vlasic unassisted tally early in the first period, Lafreniere buried a good K’Andre Miller pass across for his third goal in four games. Artemi Panarin picked up the secondary assist.

Over a minute later, Adam Fox set up Chris Kreider for his 24th of the season to put the Rangers in front. With Boris Katchouk struggling to get back to the Blackhawks’ bench, Caleb Jones pushed him in the direction. Jones was caught out of position, allowing a patient Fox to find Kreider for an easy finish.

In the second period, Brodzinski scored his third goal in four games to put the Blueshirts ahead by two. Will Cuylle drove to the Chicago net for a rebound of a Kaapo Kakko shot. With Petr Mrazek down, Brodzinski steered in the rebound for his fourth of the season.

However, the Blackhawks rallied to tie it up in the third period. With the Rangers sitting back, it nearly cost them. They were outshot 12-3. Goals from Nick Foligno (deflection) and Jason Dickinson (tip-in) forced overtime. There was nothing Shesterkin could do on either goal. In his first start since Jan. 26, he finished with 28 saves on 31 shots to earn his 20th win of the season.

In overtime, Lafreniere got a breakaway on Mrazek. But as has happened often, he was robbed of a sure goal. Lafreniere tried a backhand deke, but Mrazek reached back to make a great glove save.

A little later in the three-on-three, Zibanejad was able to score his 16th of the season to win the game. On a nice passing play started by Fox, he moved the puck to Kreider, who then found Zibanejad in the right circle for a good wrist shot that beat Mrazek upstairs for the overtime winner. It was his first goal in eight games. His last one came on Jan. 18.

Hopefully, that can get Zibanejad going. In the third period, Laviolette even tried him with Panarin and Lafreniere. He flipped centers on the top two lines. Vincent Trocheck took shifts with Kreider and Wheeler. It was mostly about trying to spark Zibanejad. The Rangers didn’t play well in the period, either. So, Laviolette tried something different.

Blueshirts Have the Weekend Off

After winning games on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, the Rangers have the weekend off. They return home to prepare for the Flames on Feb. 12.

Calgary is in town to complete a three-game visit to the metro area. After defeating the Devils on Thursday night, they face the Islanders this afternoon. Then, get a day off before taking on the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

New acquisition Andrei Kuzmenko has goals in his first two games since coming over from Vancouver in a trade that sent Elias Lindholm to the Canucks.

Rookie forward Connor Zary has played himself into the Calder race. With a goal and assist in the Flames’ win over the Devils, he’s up to 12 goals with 14 assists for 26 points on the season. A former first round pick in 2020, Zary has developed well in his first season. He’s also a plus-17 in 41 games.

The Flames aren’t a contender in the West. They already unloaded Lindholm. Earlier in the season, Nikita Zadorov was traded to the Canucks. Chris Tanev should be available before the trade deadline. He’s a defensive defenseman who blocks shots. Keep an eye on him.

Calgary still boasts a good nucleus that includes Nazem Kadri, Blake Coleman, Mikael Backlund, Jonathan Huberdeau, Andrew Mangiapane, Noah Hanifin, Rasmus Anderson, MacKenzie Weegar, and Jacob Markstrom. They’ve won three in a row entering Saturday.

If the Blueshirts can win on Monday, that would be five in a row. We’ll see if they can keep it going.

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Laviolette faces an interesting goalie decision

Posted on February 6, 2024 by Derek

Following their feelgood win over the Avalanche on Monday, the Rangers were back to work at practice in Greenburgh. As they prepared for the Lightning who visit Madison Square Garden tomorrow night, coach Peter Laviolette faces an interesting goalie decision.

It seems that he’s undecided on who to start for the Rangers’ second game after the break. Arthur Staple of The Athletic reported that Jonathan Quick was the first goalie off earlier today. Considering how well he’s played, which included a super 32-save performance that earned him the game’s first star on Feb. 5, it isn’t surprising that he might be thinking about sticking with the hot hand.

When pressed about it, Laviolette said, “There’s kind of a long-term plan and there’s a short-term plan, and at times those things change.”

It doesn’t necessarily mean that he won’t go back to Igor Shesterkin. However, it’s hard to ignore how well Quick’s played this season. He also got the start versus the Senators before the All-Star break. It was the 38-year-old veteran netminder who kept his team in it after they fell behind 2-0 on Jan. 27. They came back to win 7-2 over the Senators to stay in first place. Quick made 29 saves.

For the season, Quick’s up to 11-4-2 with a 2.35 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .918 save percentage. He also has the Rangers’ only two shutouts. Nobody could’ve predicted it. Especially with Quick coming off his worst season.

It was a frustrating one that saw the greatest Kings’ goalie in franchise history sent to the Blue Jackets on Mar. 2, 2023. Columbus is basically the Siberia of the NHL. Quick never even played a game. He was rerouted to the Golden Knights, where he won a third Stanley Cup. It was a nice reward for a well-respected player who’s always personified class on and off the ice.

Although he played a little better in Vegas by winning five games while posting a 3.13 GAA and a .901 save percentage, there was nothing to indicate that he’d turn back the clock. It says a lot about his character and determination. Quick’s a very competitive player who battles as hard as any goalie. His style is a bit unorthodox. Having Rangers goalie coach Benoit Allaire work with him has definitely helped revitalize his career.

Allaire was praised by 2023 Hall of Fame inductee Henrik Lundqvist during his acceptance speech in Toronto. He also had success with former Rangers Cam Talbot and Antti Raanta. Even MSG Networks’ Steve Valiquette credits him for the time he spent as a backup in the Big Apple.

Unlike those predecessors, Quick’s got an impressive resume that includes a Conn Smythe and was largely responsible for both the Los Angeles Kings’ Cups. Unfortunately, the Rangers became a victim two years after the Devils had a similar fate. Quick outplayed Martin Brodeur and Lundqvist in the Stanley Cup Finals. That’s how clutch he was in Hollywood.

For his career, he’s up to 386 victories. That’s 14 away from 400. A significant number that only 13 goalies have achieved. Quick trails Ryan Miller by five for the most wins by an American born goalie. If he doesn’t make the Hockey Hall of Fame, he’s certainly a lock for the US Hockey Hall of Fame.

Where does all this leave Shesterkin? Despite having a down season, the 28-year-old Russian is considered by many to be one of the league’s best goaltenders. However, the numbers don’t lie. Despite a 19-12-1 record, he’s posted a mediocre 2.86 GAA and a .899 save percentage.

With 32 games left on the schedule, Shesterkin must rediscover the form that won him a Vezina in 2021-22. He can’t keep alternating between one good game and two pedestrian ones. The inconsistency boils down to him, allowing soft goals at inopportune moments. The Rangers need him if they want to have any chance this spring.

Maybe taking part in the All-Star Game festivities can reinvigorate him. He’s too good to be so wildly inconsistent. There are $5.67 million reasons for Shesterkin to perform better. As hard as it is to believe, next season will be a contract year. There’s a lot riding on the line. What happens for the rest of this season could help the Rangers organization decide what they want to do over the long haul.

It’s hard to envision Shesterkin wearing another jersey. That could become a reality in 17 months. Imagine the keys being handed to Dylan Garand. The former 2020 fourth round pick is 11-6-3 with a 2.75 GAA and a .908 save percentage in his second pro season with the Hartford Wolf Pack. Garand’s only 21. He’s probably another year away.

Regardless of what Laviolette decides for Wednesday night’s game against the Lightning, it’s still going to come down to Shesterkin. He’ll determine how the remainder of the season goes.

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Quick and Lafreniere deliver a big win for Rangers over MacKinnon, Avalanche

Posted on February 6, 2024 by Derek

For 51 minutes, nothing got past Alexandar Georgiev. The former Ranger was again dialed in for the Avalanche, who were holding onto a 1-0 lead that Nathan MacKinnon provided in breathtaking fashion.

With every big stop Georgiev made against the Blueshirts, it looked like the result was a forgone concluded. That was until Artemi Panarin flipped the script by scoring his team-leading 31st goal off a faceoff with less than nine minutes left in regulation. Panarin’s clutch goal, along with Jonathan Quick’s splendid play, allowed the Rangers to pick up a huge come from behind 2-1 win over the Avalanche.

Quick was stellar in holding the explosive Avs to one goal. He made 32 saves on 33 shots, including a big one that led up to Alexis Lafreniere scoring at 1:53 of overtime to give the Rangers the victory. After Quick stopped Devon Toews on a MacKinnon setup, he came way out of the net on the next sequence to make a risky pass up for Mika Zibanejad. Zibanejad then made a between the legs drop for Lafreniere, who made a great move and shot that went far side on Georgiev to win the game.

The risk paid off. Lafreniere’s 13th goal of the season gave Quick his 11th win of the season. At this point, it’s been the brilliant play of Quick that has the Rangers leading the Metropolitan Division with 32 games remaining. With the Hurricanes idle, they moved four points up. Carolina has two games at hand. The Rangers are up to 65 points with the Hurricanes at 61.

It was a feelgood victory. It came against a Western heavyweight. The Avalanche certainly created their chances by attacking during the first two periods. MacKinnon extended his point streak to 14 by making a great rush in transition to beat Quick with a laser that went off of Braden Schneider for a one-goal lead for Colorado.

If there’s an area the Rangers excelled at, it was on the penalty kill. They were aggressive during three successful kills on the dangerous Avalanche power play in the first period. Chris Kreider was stopped twice on shorthanded bids by Georgiev. Even a bogus call on Lafreniere didn’t deter the Rangers. They got it done.

Both Quick and Georgiev were busy making tough saves in a wide open first period. The Avalanche held a 14-11 edge in shots. They only were able to get one past Quick. It took a perfect play by MacKinnon to score his 32nd goal to tie Nikita Kucherov for first in league scoring.

Afterward, Quick made the critical stops on MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen to give the Rangers a chance. It’s what he’s done all season. His play has been consistent. At 38 years young, the affable American born goalie has outplayed Igor Shesterkin. He’s a big reason for why the Rangers are where they are in the standings. So much for preseason.

It’s Quick who’s delivered in the biggest moments. Rangers goalie coach Benoit Allaire has again helped a goalie become better in the twilight of their career. Quick deserves all the credit for all the work he’s put in. He’s been a great teammate and valuable member. Where would this team be without him?

If the first period was defense optional, the second period was the polar opposite. The issue for the Blueshirts is that they could hardly muster anything against a more stingy Avalanche defense. There wasn’t much happening at even strength. Panarin was bottled up. Even sidekick Vincent Trocheck couldn’t find much space to work with.

The first line in name only was again neutralized. Neither Zibanejad nor Kreider could get much done at five-on-five. Blake Wheeler played mostly with them until Laviolette made a key change when the game was on the line. He got better as it went on.

The only line that generated anything was the one centered by Jonny Brodzinski. It was the third line that featured Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko, which did a good job of applying forecheck pressure in the second half of a dull second period. The Rangers were held to six shots. Quick made 10 more saves to keep it close.

If there was one change in the third period, it was the Rangers showing some resiliency. Instead of giving up, they built momentum during each shift. With the Avalanche backing up a little bit due to Georgiev continuing to make the key saves, that allowed the Blueshirts to be in attack mode. The Avs dumped the puck in more and tried to protect a one-goal lead.

With Georgiev denying Zibanejad on a one-timer, it looked like the strategy would work. However, Laviolette wisely moved Panarin up to the first line following a stoppage. The gamble paid off. After a Zibanejad faceoff win, K’Andre Miller and Schneider combined to get the puck to Panarin. He wisely skated to the middle of the ice and fired a wrist shot that banked off MacKinnon past Georgiev to tie the score with 8:43 left in regulation.

Speaking of Miller, he had a better night. Though he got beat by the magnificent MacKinnon late in the first, he was much better throughout the game. Paired with Schneider, Miller played a more active game – making better plays defensively while creating offense. For a while, I’ve suggested Miller and Schneider as a pair. The idea of moving Erik Gustafsson up to play with Jacob Trouba, who’ll return on Wednesday, makes sense. We’ll see what the coaching staff decides when the Lightning are in town.

Zac Jones also had another good showing filling in. He didn’t make any glaring mistakes while teamed with Gustafsson. Jones is the odd man out. However, he’s done a nice job since returning to the lineup. All six defensemen played over 18 minutes. Ryan Lindgren returned and logged 19:44 alongside partner Adam Fox (22:18). That’s the kind of balance needed moving forward.

There were no penalties called after the first period. That made it a better game. Especially when things picked up late. After Panarin evened the score, it was pretty obvious that it would require overtime. Thankfully, there were some fireworks.

Quick made saves on MacKinnon and Toews. He then made a great read to cover for a Zibanejad turnover that could’ve had a bad ending. It was as risky as it looked. His pass to Lafreniere got through. Lafreniere then worked a give and go with Zibanejad. He got the puck back and maneuvered around and beat Georgiev with a great snapshot high blocker for the overtime winner.

It’s exactly the start the Rangers needed to the second part of the season. They earned it against one of the league’s best teams. Let’s see what they do for an encore tomorrow night against Nikita Kucherov and the Lightning.

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Rangers Make the Quick Choice for Avalanche

Posted on February 5, 2024 by Derek

Believe it or not, the New York Rangers play a hockey game later tonight. For the first time since Jan. 27, they’ll return to the Garden ice to host the Colorado Avalanche.

Although they’ve played 49 games, the second half of the season begins in February. Following the All-Star break, it’s a chance for the Rangers to restore order. They struggled in January by posting a 5-6-2 record.

Hopefully, they can build upon a 7-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. If they want to hang onto first place in the Metropolitan Division, they’ll have to play better hockey. With a two-point lead on the Carolina Hurricanes, the Rangers will immediately be tested this week. After taking on the high-powered Avalanche, they’ll face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, Feb. 7.

Going up against the top two Hart candidates at home should present an immediate challenge. First up is Nathan MacKinnon. The Avs’ star center has 31 goals and 53 assists for 84 points. That includes a 13-game point streak. Over that span, he’s tallied 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points. Dating back to Nov. 20, he’s only been held off the score sheet once.

It’ll be a tall order for the Rangers, who’ll play without Jacob Trouba, who’s serving the remainder of a two-game suspension for elbowing the Golden Knights’ Pavel Dorofeyev on Jan. 26.

That means Rangers coach Peter Laviolette could tinker with his defense. He was interested in taking a look at Ryan Lindgren with Braden Schneider on the third pair. However, that’ll have to wait until Trouba returns in two days. It’ll be interesting to see who K’Andre Miller pairs with tonight. He’s struggled over the past month. Too many unforced mistakes have led to goals against. It could be that he works with Schneider. Unless Erik Gustafsson draws the assignment.

Connor Mackey was recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack. He gave a good account in the win over Ottawa. It was his clean hit on Tim Stutzle that led to Brady Tkachuk obliging him in a fight. At the moment, the Rangers trailed 2-0. They responded by scoring seven unanswered goals to get a much needed victory.

Related: Rangers Enter The Break With A Win Over Senators

With Zac Jones also having a good game by notching a goal and an assist versus the Senators, he’ll be in the lineup. Jones usually works with Schneider when he’s inserted into the lineup. It’ll depend on what Laviolette prefers.

The Rangers normally like to use the checking line to match up against opponents’ top scoring lines. If Laviolette opts for that matchup, it’ll be up to Barclay Goodrow, Jimmy Vesey, and Tyler Pitlick to handle the Avs’ potent first line that features MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Jonathan Drouin. Even without Val Nichushkin (NHL Player Assistance Program), the Avalanche remains an explosive team.

While MacKinnon and Rantanen do the heavy lifting along with former Norris winner Cale Makar, they’ve gotten strong support from Drouin, Ross Colton, Logan O’Connor, Miles Wood, and Devon Toews. Ryan Johansen hasn’t been too good. Former Devil Zach Parise is expected to make his Avalanche debut.

If the first line that features Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider can get untracked, you can make the case that the Rangers should be able to match the Avalanche. Zibanejad will have Blake Wheeler on the right side. Wheeler had goals in consecutive games prior to the break. For the season, he has nine goals with 11 assists for 20 points. While that’s not anything substantial, he’s been a better fit on the top line.

Kaapo Kakko, who scored goals in two straight games, will remain on the third line with Jonny Brodzinski and Will Cuylle. The Rangers are hoping Kakko can build on it. In 28 games, he has five goals. If he can provide more offense, that would help improve the Rangers’ scoring depth.

The second line remains intact. It’s been mostly Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck scoring and setting up the big goals at five-on-five. Alexis Lafreniere broke a six-game scoring drought with his 12th goal of the season in the come from behind win over the Senators. Lafreniere has to find more consistency. He’s on that big line for a reason.

With most of the focus on MacKinnon, Laviolette has decided to start Jonathan Quick tonight. Quick has had a good season – winning 10 games while posting a 2.43 goals-against-average (GAA) and .915 save percentage. He brings a 20-8-2 career record with a 2.31 GAA and .913 save percentage versus the Avalanche. We’ll see if he’s up to the challenge.

By playing Quick tonight, Laviolette will save Igor Shesterkin for the Lightning on Wednesday. He’ll have to contend with Nikita Kucherov. The league’s leading scorer. His 32 goals and 53 assists for 85 points are one ahead of Mackinnon.

Both games are 7 EST. If they want to change the perception around the league, the Rangers must answer the bell starting later.

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All-Star Banter: Rangers observations and more

Posted on February 3, 2024 by Derek

It’s been a while since the Rangers played a game. There hasn’t been much happening. The extended break included All-Star weekend in Toronto. I didn’t watch it.

I guess the way the game is set up doesn’t interest me. I preferred the old East versus West format. North America vs. The World was cool. I’m not too big on what they did to the Skill Competition. But some fans still enjoy it. That’s good.

Team McDavid came back to win a semifinal. Ultimately, Auston Matthews won MVP of the tournament. I guess it’s only fitting that the game’s best goal scorer took home the trophy. The Maple Leafs have to win at something.

Igor Shesterkin and Vincent Trocheck each represented the Rangers. Shesterkin had a better weekend. Hopefully, he can bring some of the joy he had with Jeremy Swayman to the second half. Shesterkin and Swayman did a Bruins style celebration during Friday’s skills. He stopped Connor McDavid on a two on none on Saturday.

Connor Bedard attended the All-Star festivities. He even posed for a photo with Sidney Crosby. One day, that could be a valuable picture. Who am I kidding? They’re probably hawking it already. At least I have a Bedard junior card I purchased last year. I also have a Matvei Michkov stored away. The future Flyer continues to do well in the KHL. He has 14 goals with 19 assists for 33 points for HC Sochi.

With Bedard still out with a broken jaw, the NHL rookie race isn’t exactly great. Bedard leads all rookies in scoring with 33 points (15-18-33). Wild defenseman Brock Faber is second with 29 points (4-25-29). Marco Rossi is third with 28 (13-15-28). Injured Blue Jackets forward Adam Fantilli is fourth with 27 (12-15-27). Devils defenseman Luke Hughes is fifth with 26 (8-18-26).

It’s too bad that both Bedard and Fantilli are injured. They were really starting to get it. Rossi and Faber are bright spots in a down year for Minnesota. Both Hughes and Simon Nemec have provided the same excitement in an otherwise disappointing season for the Devils. Without Jack Hughes and no consistency in the net, they don’t look like a playoff team. But the Flyers were skidding at the break. An outside team could squeak in.

As for the Rangers, they’re about as flawed a first place team as there is. A lousy January exposed them. There’s been too much fundamentally wrong to consider the Rangers a contender. That’s why I’m glad Elias Lindholm wound up in Vancouver. Andrei Kuzmenko, two former third round picks, and a first round pick was a considerable payment for a rental. But the Canucks have a good chance to make a deep run this season.

The Canadiens also got a first round pick from the Jets for Sean Monahan. As much as I like him, that’s overpayment. Monahan can help Winnipeg as a depth checking pivot. We’ll see how the Jets fare later this spring. They boast Vezina favorite Connor Hellebuyck and big scorers Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele. Cole Perfetti has taken the next step in his development.

If the Rangers want to improve an area of their roster, then they should look to get tougher. That doesn’t mean a brawler, either. But a stronger forward who can forecheck and drive opponents nuts. The Rangers seriously are lacking in that department. They also are in need of a third line center now that Filip Chytil’s season is officially over. Adam Henrique is available. But at what cost?

I’ll be honest. If I were the general manager, I’d be in search of younger talent. Not older veterans. The Rangers already have that. Only Kaapo Kakko, Alexis Lafreniere, and Will Cuylle are forwards under 30 on the roster.

We know Kakko’s name has been mentioned by Darren Dreger. I’d only trade him if it were for a younger player at a similar age. I’ve always liked Arthur Kaliyev. He’s got the shot that could aid a group that can use another player capable of scoring goals. LA just made a coaching change. We’ll see what happens.

If they really decided to take a different tact, I’m in favor of going after Shane Pinto. A local kid who’s a center playing for Ottawa, the 23-year-old hasn’t shown much rust following a lengthy suspension for gambling. We still don’t know what he did. Transparency is optional when it comes to the league.

Pinto is cheap, too. He signed for $800,000. A right-handed center who can win faceoffs, he’d add something to the roster.

I don’t think they’ll be in on Jakob Chychrun. There’ll likely be bigger contenders interested – driving up the price. If the Rangers could get Ottawa to take back K’Andre Miller in a package, that would be a good starting point. I’m not counting on it.

The Rangers host the Avalanche on Monday, Feb. 5. They must contend with Nathan MacKinnon, who’s having an MVP season. He’s second in scoring right behind Nikita Kucherov. They’re 1-2 for the Hart. With the Lightning playing their way back into contention, Kucherov will compete for his second MVP. He’s carried the Bolts. MacKinnon has a better supporting cast that includes Cale Makar, Mikko Rantanen, and Devon Toews. If they matchup, Shesterkin and Alex Georgiev are a storyline. Both were All-Stars despite not the best numbers. The starter versus the former backup.

If they’re to improve their chances, Mika Zibanejad has to play better at even strength. He and Chris Kreider are counted on. There isn’t much else to add. If he stays, Kakko will need to continue to light the lamp. So must Lafreniere, who’s been underwhelming in the goal department since December.

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette might want to play Cuylle more minutes. He plays with the necessary edge needed to make the team harder to play against. Cuylle is effective on the back boards, finishes checks, and isn’t shy about shooting the puck or driving the net. It’s too bad they can’t clone him.

Adam Fox must return to his Norris form. Maybe the extra time off will help. He didn’t look fully healthy since returning in late November. It remains to be seen what Laviolette will decide with the defensive pairs. Obviously, they’ll need Miller to regain his confidence. His lackluster play had a direct effect on Jacob Trouba. Braden Schneider also can play better than the up and down first half he had.

The lack of scoring depth remains a pressing issue. Frank Vatrano could also be available. He scored a goal and had three points in his first All-Star Game. I’d steer clear of Vladimir Tarasenko. He hasn’t exactly lit it up in Ottawa and would cost too much.

If the Rangers don’t make a big move, maybe they can look from within. Adam Edstrom looked the part in a cameo before getting hurt with Hartford. Brennan Othmann remains a promising first-year pro who could get recalled when the weather warms up.

At the very least, the sun came out today. I got out to one of my favorite parks. It wasn’t bad out at all. There’s more good weather on the horizon. Just in time for hockey to return.

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Rangers announce that Chytil is out for the season

Posted on January 28, 2024 by Derek

In disappointing news, the Rangers announced that Filip Chytil is out for the remainder of the season. Unfortunately, it was expected after he had a setback related to his previous injury near the conclusion of practice on Friday.

The team statement reads as follows:

“Following a thorough evaluation of Filip Chytil after his recent setback from an upper body injury, it has been confirmed he will be out for the remainder of the season. The organization’s top priority throughout this process has been Filip’s health and we will continue to fully support him in his recovery with an aim to return for the 2024-25 season.”

The most important thing is Chytil’s health and well-being. Right now, hockey is secondary. When dealing with concussions, it’s very tricky. As I echoed before when he flew back from Czechia to ramp up workouts with the team, there was a lot of concern. You’re dealing with the unknown. Thankfully, due to concussion protocol, teams are extremely cautious in handling recovering players.

At this point, it’s hard to predict what will happen with Chytil. He’s 24 and gets paid handsomely by the Rangers. There’s no way of knowing if he’ll ever return to playing hockey. All that matters is how Chytil feels day to day. Hopefully, he will progress and make a full recovery.

Now is not the time to play general manager. The Rangers will have $4.43 million in cap space to work with between now and Mar. 8. However, I’m not going to make any suggestions in this post.

This is all about Chytil. A good guy who played a key role in the Rangers’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021-22, I can only wish him all the best moving forward. It’s a humbling day, which only feels appropriate considering the yucky weather outside.

All we can do is hope for the best. Chytil is a young man with so much ahead in his life. That’s what’s most important.

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Rangers enter break with a win over Senators

Posted on January 28, 2024 by Derek

Playing for the final time before the All-Star break, the Rangers got a much needed win over the Senators on Saturday night. After spotting Ottawa a 2-0 lead, they scored seven unanswered goals to come out with a 7-2 victory.

It was just their second win over the last six games (2-3-1). A tough stretch that included a bad loss in overtime to the Sharks on Jan. 23. Following a dismal showing on Friday against the Golden Knights, the Rangers again looked like they were headed for a rough night.

K’Andre Miller’s struggles continued in the first period against the Senators. It was his giveaway that led directly to Brady Tkachuk opening the scoring at 11:43. He threw away the puck to Claude Giroux, who picked up his 700th career assist on Tkachuk’s tally.

Despite leading in shots 12-7 for the first period, the Rangers weren’t all that sharp. They fumbled away a late power play by overpassing the puck. It was again the first unit that wouldn’t take any shots. In particular, Adam Fox. After having his pass intercepted by Mathieu Joseph, Fox got beat by the Senators forward down the ice. Fortunately, it didn’t become a shorthanded goal.

Trailing by one, the Rangers started the second period on the wrong foot. A Mika Zibanejad high-sticking minor resulted in Thomas Chabot and Drake Batherson combining to set up a wide open Jakob Chychrun for an easy power-play goal that put the Senators ahead 2-0. It was again Miller who was partly responsible for a goal against. He was out of position with Chychrun all alone in front to beat Jonathan Quick.

With nothing going right, Rangers defenseman Connor Mackey delivered a clean hit on Tim Stutzle. That drew the ire of Tkachuk, who immediately responded by challenging Mackey to a fight. The emergency recall from Hartford – who played for the suspended Jacob Trouba – held his own against one of the game’s toughest power forwards.

It was the Rangers who responded well to Mackey’s scrap. They got some much needed energy on the bench. It showed on the ice. In less than a six-minute span, they scored four straight goals to turn the game around.

Alexis Lafreniere got it started by getting to an Artemi Panarin rebound and banking a puck off Joonas Korpisalo to make it 2-1. It was only his second goal over the last 16 games. Lafreniere’s 12th of the season came at the right time.

Less than three minutes later, Chris Kreider surprised Korpisalo with a long wrist shot that the Ottawa goalie whiffed on. That tied the score. Following a Zibanejad faceoff win, Kreider skated into the Senators’ zone and beat Korpisalo for his 23rd goal of the season.

On the next shift, Zac Jones got involved. Playing for Ryan Lindgren, he made a good cut to the Ottawa net to finish off a nice Panarin pass in front for his first of the season. That gave the Rangers the lead.

Over two minutes later, Jones wasn’t done. Taking a pass from Will Cuylle, he had his shot deflected in front by Jonny Brodzinski to give the Rangers a 4-2 lead. It was his first goal since Dec. 10. Coincidentally, that was a two-point game in a win over the Kings. Brodzinski also picked up an assist in the third period last night for his second two-point game of the season.

The goal chased Korpisalo. He allowed four goals on 17 shots. It’s hard to believe the Senators gave him a five-year contract for $20 million. He was responsible for helping the Rangers get back in it. The goal to Lafreniere was bad. He was caught off his goalpost. The Kreider goal was brutal. Aside from that, the Senators are a bad team that can’t defend. Not even relic Jacques Martin can fix that.

There was no defense by Ottawa on an easy Blake Wheeler goal that made it five second period goals for the Blueshirts. On a play in transition started by Kreider, he moved the puck up for Zibanejad, who easily found Wheeler on the doorstep for his second goal in two games.

The Rangers added a pair of goals late in the third period to put the exclamation mark on the victory. Panarin scored an empty netter, and Kaapo Kakko got his second in two games. Hopefully, he can build on that when play resumes on Feb. 5 against the Avalanche.

As lopsided as the game became, it would be easy to omit the play of Quick. When his team fell behind, Quick was stellar. He made a few timely saves to give them a chance to get back in it. Without the consistent play from the 38-year-old goalie, the Rangers wouldn’t be where they are in the standings. He’s won 10 games while posting a 2.43 goals-against-average (GAA) and .915 save percentage.

It’s Quick, who’s been the better netminder up to this point. You could make the argument that he should get more starts than “All-Star” Igor Shesterkin. It’s a credit to him for how well he’s played. Goaltender coach Benoit Allaire definitely has helped Quick. That’s why he’s considered the best in the business.

The Rangers enter the break, still leading the Metropolitan Division by two points over the Hurricanes. They have 63 points in 49 games. The Hurricanes have 61 in 48. With the Flyers falling off, it looks like it could be a two horse race for the division.

As good as Saturday’s win was, it doesn’t mean that much unless the Rangers rediscover the form they had over the first two months. They haven’t been hard to play against over the last seven and a half weeks. Handling the Senators is one thing. It’ll be interesting to see how the Rangers fare against the league’s better teams. They’ll get tested by the Avalanche and Hart frontrunner Nathan MacKinnon a week from tomorrow.

There’s still plenty of work ahead. Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury will have over a month to decide if he should go all-in this season. With Filip Chytil unlikely to return following his latest setback, the Rangers have two pressing needs. A third line center and a first line right wing. How they play in February will determine if Drury decides to buy at the March 8 trade deadline.

There are 11 games next month. The toughest games are against the Avalanche and Lightning following the break. The Rangers will also visit the Islanders on Feb. 18. Then, they’ll host the Stars on Feb. 20. They’ll play the Devils on Feb. 22. After visiting the Flyers, they’ll conclude February with a home and home series against the Blue Jackets.

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Shesterkin’s season one to forget

Posted on January 26, 2024 by Derek

At almost the All-Star break, the New York Rangers are continuing to struggle mightily. A big reason for a poor stretch that’s lasted seven weeks is the inconsistent play of Igor Shesterkin.

The former 2021-22 Vezina winner is a shell of himself. He barely looks recognizable in the net. Even when the team was winning games, Shesterkin was underperforming. At least there were some games when he made the key saves.

Whatever is going on, it needs to stop. The 28-year-old starting goalie has continued to allow soft goals during a disappointing season. Facing the Vegas Golden Knights for a second time in eight days, Shesterkin has given up at least four goals in lopsided defeats. On Jan. 18, he let in four goals on 25 shots in a 5-1 loss. It wasn’t any better on Friday night. He gave up four goals on 19 shots in a 5-2 defeat at home.

After a Blake Wheeler goal had the Rangers tied after one period, Shesterkin proceeded to allow consecutive goals to Keegan Kolesar and Jonathan Marchessault over a 46-second span to put the Blueshirts in a two-goal hole early in the second period.

While mistakes were made by his teammates, Shesterkin is the last line of defense. He’s expected to make the big stops at critical moments. Instead, he gave up a bad goal to Kolesar that went through him. Following a turnover by Artemi Panarin inside the Rangers’ blue line, Kolesar skated in and beat Shesterkin with a wrist shot over the glove.

Kolesar isn’t exactly known as a goal scorer. You’d never know it by how he’s done against the Rangers. In two games this season, he’s beaten Shesterkin twice in Vegas wins. Kolesar has only scored four goals in 2023-24. Half have come at the expense of the Rangers’ netminder.

It was back in the first period that another Knights’ source of offense was unexpected. A Paul Cotter shot banked off Sheldon Rempal to give Vegas an early 1-0 lead. On that one, Shesterkin gets a pass due to the puck deflecting off of Rempal in front. He beat Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider, who’s another player that hasn’t had a good season.

Following Kolesar beating him on a breakaway, Marchessault was able to tip in an Ivan Barbashev shot that put the Golden Knights ahead 3-1 with under 16 minutes to go in the second period. That goal really deflated the fans at Madison Square Garden. There was little energy in the building.

Making matters worse, the Rangers had a lot of one and done in the second period. After they outplayed the Knights in the first period by holding a 15-6 edge in shots, they were unable to match that effort. Instead, they took a couple of penalties. Even though the Knights’ power play struggled, it took time off the clock.

When they created a good scoring chance, Adin Hill was there to make the big save. He denied Alexis Lafreniere on a backhand one on one. The slumping forward could only shake his head in frustration. Lafreniere has one goal over his last 15 games. It’s not going in for him.

He gets opportunities almost every game. At some point, he needs to bury one to turn his season around. He has 11 goals in 48 games. That’s hardly enough production for a player who’s been featured on the Rangers’ best scoring line with Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. They need more from the former 2020 top pick.

Early in the third period, the Knights put the game away. Following Shesterkin giving up a rebound of a Barbashev shot, Marchessault beat K’Andre Miller to sweep the puck in for his second of the game at 2:11. Miller got caught watching on the play. It was another glaring example of poor coverage from the slumping defenseman. He’s had a miserable January.

With the game over, Kaapo Kakko scored his fourth to cut the deficit to 4-2 with 1:06 left. It was too little, too late. Marchessault completed the hat trick by scoring into a vacated net with 30 seconds remaining.

Somehow, the Rangers have reverted into the mess they were last season. They don’t defend well enough and aren’t getting good goaltending from Shesterkin. They struggle to score at even strength. In the playoffs, 5-on-5 is where most of the play will be. They’re lucky the Hurricanes and Flyers aren’t playing well. Otherwise, they’d be looking up in the Metropolitan Division standings.

It’s nice that Wheeler scored a goal. But when is Mika Zibanejad going to do something? He’s the key to the top line. Fifteen goals in 47 games don’t cut it. Neither does seven even strength goals. There are too many key players who are underachieving. Both Zibanejad and Shesterkin top the list.

At least they can’t blame Nick Bonino. With one more game versus the Ottawa Senators tomorrow night, the Rangers have a chance to at least finish this month on a better note. Given how Brady Tkachuk has dominated them, I wouldn’t put any money on it.

At the very least, Shesterkin should have Saturday off. Jonathan Quick will likely get the start. Maybe he gives the Rangers the best chance right now. It’s a pretty humbling thought at this juncture.

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