Gallant’s decision not to rest anyone tempting fate with playoffs on deck

Posted on April 13, 2023 by Derek

It’s the final game of the regular season. For the Rangers, there’s nothing to play for. They’re locked into the third seed in the Metropolitan Division. The only question is who they will play. Either the Devils or the Hurricanes.

That all depends on tonight. With the Devils opting to rest Vitek Vanecek along with a couple of other starters, they’re prioritizing health over winning the division. They still can win it if they beat the Caps and the Hurricanes lose at the Panthers, who also are playing for something. The chance to avoid the Bruins.

While some teams have to decide what’s best to do in Game 82 with the playoffs on deck, you have a situation like the Rangers, who can’t move up. So, why is Gerard Gallant going with the same lineup as Tuesday night? That’s better left for the coach to explain to reporters.

There’s a risk. While the Maple Leafs are undoubtedly resting players since they have nothing to play for, there’s still a hockey game to be played. Would you dress Ben Harpur over Ryan Lindgren, who’s looked sharp since returning? What about giving Adam Fox the night off or Jacob Trouba? They’re both gamers. But there’s nothing on the line.

What’s most important in the final game of a long schedule, thanks to how the NHL operates, is to come out healthy. The Rangers can’t afford any injuries in a meaningless 82nd game that’s just for paperwork.

You hope that none of the key players get banged up playing such a game. I can’t imagine Toronto playing that hard. However, they went toe to toe with first round opponent Tampa the other night. They won without top stars, Auston Matthews, and Mitch Marner. They got great goaltending from Joseph Woll. He again will tend the net later.

Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe is prioritizing the first round rematch against the Lightning. A wise move. Will it finally pay off in a series win for the first time since 2004? That depends on how they play. They’re the better team this time. But we know the playoffs are a whole different animal. They draw the championship proven Lightning. A team that’s struggled down the stretch, and has players injured.

So, does Gallant know something we don’t? Why play Igor Shesterkin tonight? I can understand wanting to keep him sharp. There are a few days off before the first round begins. That’ll be either on Monday or Tuesday. He’s back in form. As long as nothing happens, fine.

Update: It’s Jaroslav Halak in net. Mollie Walker made it seem like it was the exact same lineup. I’m glad Gallant at least opted to rest Shesterkin.

I probably would’ve given Jaroslav Halak the start. He’s been a steady professional backup. Exactly as advertised. The veteran turned around his year following a slow start. Much respect to the elder statesman.

With the puck dropping soon at MSG on Fan Appreciation Night, let’s hope for the best.

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Go for the division or rest and tempt the hockey gods?

Posted on April 13, 2023 by hasan4978

While I admit I myself have been ambivalent about the Devils winning the division at times (hence our early exits as a top seed in the late ’90’s and ’00’s), I didn’t expect the team themselves to be this blase about potentially winning a division, especially with the guaranteed home-ice in the second round. With the playoffs set to start Monday or Tuesday – rumor is we’ll be starting Monday based on nothing but ushers telling people see you Monday after the Devils clinched home-ice in the first round on Fan Appreciation night – there should be at least four days of rest before the crucible begins.

It was puzzling enough when the Devils threw Mackenzie Blackwood out in Boston five nights ago against a stronger team rather than play him against the Blue Jackets at home two nights prior, but clearly we’re acting like a team prioritizing rest by sitting Vitek Vanecek for the second time in three games tonight with other guys allegedly being rotated out of the lineup as well. Which I don’t even have a big problem with, until it looks like you’re manipulating the situation a la sitting Vitek against Boston instead of Columbus.

If you wanted to be a cynic you’d say they wanted to play the Rangers – who they’ve taken seven of eight points from – over the Panthers, who they lost two of three to during the regular season and whose physical game has given us fits. It was fun to see Luke Hughes’ debut and it looks like he’ll play again tonight, which is nice as a fan but on the other hand if you’re icing your ‘best lineup’ it’s not likely including a guy who just got here five minutes ago, doesn’t know the system and has only played one NHL game.

Do I want the Devils to play guys who are hurt, no but that’s not what’s happening in most of these cases other than maybe Erik Haula who’s missed the last couple of games at least and Mike McLeod who’s clearly injured. Haula and McLeod both missing led to us playing 11-7 the other night, which should never be a first choice otherwise.

In spite of the fact the Devils have had better success against the Rangers than the Panthers in the regular season, I’d never count those chickens in a rivalry series – 1997 being a prime example of why. Manipulating a matchup by being blase about winning the division either because you think it’s an easier matchup, or more cynically because you want to make more profit on ticket sales just speaks of testing the hockey gods. What would be ironic is if the Devils with arguably their third best goalie and some backups in still beat a Caps team that’s clearly got one foot on the airplane home with two wins in their last twelve games, and the Canes lost. Then we’d get to have our cake and eat it too…unless you’re in ticket sales.

Whatever the organization’s wants, I’ll still be watching the results of both games and rooting for the division. If Carolina wins and we play the Rangers, then let’s get on with Armageddon. I’d hate for it to be decided if Carolina lost and we couldn’t get the result we needed based on getting cute with our lineup though. I also appreciate protecting guys due to injury, especially your starting goalie but it looks farcical when you have twenty guys on a hockey roster and can only sit three or four anyway, to sit specific guys based on rest while Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton will still be playing their regular shifts. I wouldn’t mind going with the B team if you could literally go with the entire B team but that isn’t the case here. Having three or four mid-level lineup changes just seems a bit cute for the sake of being cute.

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On season finale day, Devils’ division hunt reaches a climax

Posted on April 13, 2023 by hasan4978

With the final regular season games to be played today (and a couple of makeup games tomorrow, but none with any bearing on the East playoffs), there’s little to play for on the one hand since we know all sixteen playoff teams, but also still much to be decided in terms of seeding and even a couple of division titles up for grabs. Namely, the Metro where the Canes refuse to put the division away while the Devils have done just enough to give themselves a chance to flip the script on this final day. Our game with the playoff-less Capitals in Washington and the Canes’ game down in Florida will determine not only the Metro division winner, but also who all the local teams play in the first round.

Islanders – will play at Boston with a Panthers win against the Hurricanes, otherwise they’ll play at Carolina.

Rangers – start the playoffs at New Jersey or Carolina, whoever doesn’t win the Metro

Devils – win the Metro and face the Panthers with any combination of results that at least ties them with Carolina points-wise since we own the tiebreaker. Essentially because we’re a point behind, we have to get more points than the Canes out of our game tonight to win the division and play Florida. Otherwise, we’ll play the Rangers.

It would be amusing if the Devils somehow won the division, after for months a Devils-Rangers first-round series looked pre-ordained. Although not as much so for the people who bought playoff strips and individual tickets to the first round hoping to flip the Ranger games at a profit, oh well. Seemingly for the last month the division has been kept at arm’s length, as every time all looks lost the Canes go on another losing streak, while just when it looks like we’re about to catch them we no-show in Winnipeg – or make the bizarre decision to play Mackenzie Blackwood in Boston instead of giving him the AHL Blue Jackets two nights earlier.

Not that our 2-1 loss against the record-setting Bruins was really on the goaltending, but it did make you wonder how much management actually cares about the division. Hopefully they don’t care more about selling tickets – i.e. playing the Rangers – than letting the players take their shot at having one more great accomplishment in the regular season. At least Tuesday’s Fan Appreciation Game proved to be a fitting celebration of a fantastic regular season, as the Devils not only knocked the Sabres out of the playoffs, but also clinched home-ice in the first round with a 6-2 win that was at times frenetic. Ultimately Vitek Vanecek making a lot of good saves early and some opportunistic finishing led to a relatively comfortable win in the end.

Although neither played a starring role in the competitive part of the game, the night was largely about the Hughes family before and after the game, both with Jack breaking the Devils’ record for points in a season with a fortuitous empty-net goal at 5-2 and with Luke making his NHL debut.

Jack’s response to how his parents would celebrate him breaking the Devils’ record and Luke’s debut was classic….’probably sitting on the couch watching Quinn (Vancouver’s All-Star defenseman)’. Hopefully there is a world where we get to see all three Hughes on the ice with the same team, most likely with team USA in a few years if Luke lives up to his own billing. For his part, he didn’t look out of place Tuesday though he probably played too conservatively to make real impact plays. I was hoping he’d get some power play time at least, but maybe next year. After saying Luke would play at least one of the final two games, coach Lindy Ruff left the door open for him to play again tonight after Tuesday’s game.

As far as Jack and the record…admittedly I was a little mixed on the thought of him breaking the record of my all-time favorite Devil. But once you’re in the building with the record tied, then you want to see history no matter what (though a moment of confession time, I thought Jack was actually one short of the record until I saw the montage celebrating him breaking it, and forgot he actually got an assist on Jesper Bratt’s goal in Boston). And for his part, Patty was his usual Patty self in his congratulations to Jack after the game.

Even if the Devils don’t win the division, all in all Tuesday was a nice capper on a record-breaking regular season all around. Team-wise the Devils’ 51st win also tied a franchise record, which they could actually break with a win in Washington tonight. Given that the Caps have been eliminated from the playoffs for the first time since Martin Brodeur was finishing his Devils career (2013-14), the opportunity is certainly there to break the record and put more pressure on the Canes to get a win in Florida. For their part, at least the Panthers in theory have the motivation to win and avoid the mighty Bruins in round one. It’s always iffy whether players actually get motivated by seeding though, especially after a long surge just to make the playoffs.

Either way, at least by 10:30 tonight we’ll know the final chapter of this book and who we’ll start the playoffs with.

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Devils eliminate Sabres, clinch home ice as Rangers wait for first round opponent

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Derek

On an off night for the Rangers, they now know they can’t finish higher than third in the Metro Division. That was guaranteed when the Devils eliminated the Sabres by virtue of a 6-2 win on home ice before a packed crowd at The Prudential Center.

Entering tonight’s play, the Devils knew they still had a shot at first place. Even though the Hurricanes won over the Red Wings as expected, it will all come down to Thursday night.

Buoyed by a goal and assist from Miles Wood along with a pair of goals from 20-goal scorer Tomas Tatar, the Devils treated their fans to a good night. It came at the expense of the Sabres, who ran out of gas in a game that was much closer than the final score.

The Devils got the only goal of an evenly played first period. Jesper Boqvist scored his 10th on a strong shift. He put away the first goal thanks to some good work from Wood and Nathan Bastian. A Bastian corner dump in allowed Wood to fire a shot from a sharp angle that took a carom for Boqvist, whose rebound banked in off a Sabres player.

With it being the second to last game, including the final one at home before next week’s playoffs start, Lindy Ruff opted to dress 11 forwards and 7 defensemen. That allowed the newest Devil Luke Hughes to make his much anticipated NHL debut. He wore number 43.

The former 2021 Devils’ fourth pick received 11:15 in 13 shifts. That included a brief 11-second shift on the power play. An area the former Michigan star should excel at in the future. He nearly had his first NHL point on a pass that almost set up a goal. Devon Levi prevented it with a diving save.

Over a minute into the second period, Jonas Siegenthaler increased the lead to two. On a quick moving play in transition, Tatar got the puck up for Nico Hischier. He then passed it for a pinching Siegenthaler, whose slap shot beat Levi through traffic for his 4th at 1:06.

The Sabres had a goal from J.J. Peterka overturned due to a successful offsides challenge from Ruff. It was an easy decision that didn’t take long for the officials to waive off.

However, some hard work down low from Alex Tuch and Casey Mittlestadt allowed Jeff Skinner to bury his 34th at 6:55. That pulled the Sabres within a goal.

Less than three minutes later, Wood was able to put home a rebound for his 12th from Bastian and Hischier. That restored the two-goal lead.

Despite out-shooting the Devils 15-9, the Sabres couldn’t draw any closer in the period. Vitek Vanecek made 14 of 15 saves to keep the home team ahead by two.

During the third, a smart play by improving defenseman Kevin Bahl resulted in a critical fourth goal for the Devils. On a play where he looked set up in the slot, the lanky Bahl couldn’t quite tee up the puck. However, he made a good pass up for Damon Severson, who moved the puck over for Tatar. He beat Levi just inside the post for his 19th to make it 4-1 with 12:50 remaining.

Before the party could begin, the Sabres never quit. On a good forecheck from Tuch after Dougie Hamilton turned over the puck, he found Mattias Samuelsson wide open in the right circle for his second to cut it to 4-2 with still 6:45 left.

Levi would make the save of the game when he got over to rob Hischier of a sure goal. His one-timer was gloved by a quick reacting Levi, who made 24 saves on 28 shots in a losing effort. Although he wasn’t as good, making his third straight start over four days, the Mike Richter Award winner again made key stops to give his team a chance.

Following a close call where Hughes nearly broke Patrik Elias’ single season team record in scoring, Ondrej Palat took an offensive zone penalty when he took down Tage Thompson to put the Sabres on the power play. There were still over five minutes remaining.

On a play behind the net, it looked like Skinner had scored on a wrap-around. However, the replay showed that Ryan Graves dove to get his stick on the goal line to prevent the puck from going in. Had it gone in, who knows what would’ve happened. Graves has made several great defensive plays like that during the season. He’s like a second goalie.

On the second half of the power play, Don Granato lifted Levi for a six-on-four. They never got any closer. Eventually, Timo Meier and Bastian combined to move the puck ahead for a Tatar empty netter for his 20th with 2:32 left.

The only question left was would Hughes get the record. He entered tied with Elias after a three-point game. On a Vanecek clear down, a hustling Jesper Bratt raced to get the puck behind the net. He then made the unselfish play by passing for Hughes, who scored into the open net for point number 97.

That allowed the former top pick to surpass Elias, whose previous mark of 96 came during 2000-01. Hughes was congratulated by happy teammates. Chants of “MVP, MVP” rained down from the appreciative sellout crowd. Why not? He deserves to be included for the Hart Trophy. Even if Connor McDavid will win it with David Pastrnak finishing second, Hughes earned it.

With the Devils up to 110 points, they trail the Hurricanes by a point with both teams playing their final game on Thursday. The Devils will play the Capitals in DC. The Canes finish with the Panthers in Florida. The Panthers clinched a wildcard due to the Penguins somehow losing at home to the Blackhawks 5-2.

The wildcard comes down to the Islanders taking on the Canadiens at home on Wednesday night. All they need is one point to clinch. If they somehow don’t, the Pens can still get in with a win over the Blue Jackets.

All of this will help determine the first round match-ups. The Rangers know it’ll either be at Carolina or New Jersey for the first two games. They’ll wait and see who their opponent will be.

With nothing left to play for, they can rest Igor Shesterkin against the Maple Leafs on Thursday. I’d expect Jaroslav Halak to get the start. Maybe Gerard Gallant gives Adam Fox or Ryan Lindgren another night off. He can play Ben Harpur. We’ll see what he decides.

At least the playoff picture is finally clearer. Mika Zibanejad needs a goal to hit 40. Both Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko need a goal or assist for 40 points. Here’s hoping that happens.

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Rangers earn point to pull within one of Devils, Sabres take shootout in goalie duel, Lindgren wins Steven McDonald Award

Posted on April 11, 2023 by Derek

This one had drama. In an exciting game where it was mostly about the goalies, the Rangers earned a point in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Sabres at MSG. The win kept their slim playoff hopes alive.

On an emotional night, they rewarded the gritty and gutsy Ryan Lindgren with the prestigious Steven McDonald Award before the game. A heart and soul player, who’s the glue of the defense, it was well deserved. His value to the team is what he brings during each shift.

That was on display during overtime when he made a diving block that nicked him. Of course, Lindgren returned to the bench. What a gamer.

Admittedly, I forgot about Lindgren in my game preview yesterday. I chose Jimmy Vesey for the extra effort award. A good pick. But when I really think about it, Lindgren embodies what it means to be a New York Ranger. He’s always reminded me of Dan Girardi. The only difference is that he wears number 55 instead of 5. That warrior like mentality is needed. Congrats to Lindy!

Seeing NYPD captain Conor McDonald and his lovely family on the Garden ice to present his Dad’s award in the pregame ceremony always moves me. That family is very special to this city. In hard times when much doesn’t make sense, they represent everything that’s right.

It was only fitting that Lindgren would lay out to take a dangerous shot up high in a hard fought game that had a lot of meaning. As I noted previously, Buffalo was playing for their playoff lives. You knew they’d be desperate. It showed early and in crunch time.

The Rangers were also playing for something. A win would’ve meant tying the Devils in the standings. As it stands, the Rangers trail their close Hudson rival by a point with the lone remaining game on Thursday against the Maple Leafs. If the Devils earn two points in their final two games, including facing those Sabres tonight and finishing at the Capitals, the Rangers can’t pass them.

With the Hurricanes losing 4-3 to the Senators in regulation last night on Claude Giroux’s winner, which put him over 1,000 points, they only have a one-point lead over the Devils for first place in the Metro Division. Both teams are in action on Tuesday. The Canes host the Red Wings. The Devils are home for the Sabres, who must keep winning and get help.

The Metro Division is separated by two points. Carolina has 109. The Devils have 108. The Rangers have 107. Regulation wins favor New Jersey, whose 38 are one more than both the Canes and Blueshirts. None of that matters if Carolina wins and the Devils lose in regulation later. They would clinch the division along with home ice for the first two rounds.

As for the wildcard race, it’s going down to the wire. With the Sabres able to come back and defeat the Rangers, they’re up to 87 points. With three games left, they can max out at 93. The Islanders losing at the Caps 5-2 was huge. They remain at 91 with a do or die game against the Canadiens tomorrow night. Although they got a point in a 2-1 overtime loss, the Panthers haven’t clinched. They’re at 92. The final game is Thursday at home versus the Canes. One point would get them in.

This is chaotic. Nobody knows what will happen. The Penguins host the tanking Blackhawks tonight. A win puts them in wildcard position with 92 points. It would be a shock if they didn’t win. Their last game is on Thursday against the tanking Blue Jackets. The odds are stacked in their favor, facing two teams desperate for Connor Bedard. Nice schedule.

Now that I’ve cleared all the playoff scenarios up, let’s focus on Monday night’s game. One that didn’t start well. But it definitely picked up. It turned into an exciting game due to all the stakes.

Outside of an early power play that a cutting Adam Fox drew on Ilya Lyubushkin, who wisely grabbed hold of him to prevent a scoring chance on an odd-man rush, there was little push from the Rangers in a flat first period.

Having already killed off one of those lazy Artemi Panarin penalties in the offensive zone, they didn’t create much on the five-on-four. Mika Zibanejad got the only opportunity. He was perfectly placed in the slot. But his shot was denied by Devon Levi. The two-time Mike Richter Award winner is already proving capable in net for the goalie starved Sabres. He would come up with some gems later.

It was mostly Buffalo in the opening period. They applied puck pressure. Holding a territorial edge in play, they tested Igor Shesterkin throughout the game. He was particularly sharp during a lopsided first that saw his team outplayed and out-shot 14-4.

There were strong saves on Alex Tuch, Jack Quinn, and Dylan Cozens. He really is locked in. For the night, he made 37 saves on 39 shots. Some of his best work came in the third period and overtime. His play is back to where it needs to be with the postseason approaching. A good sign for the Blueshirts. When on, he’s better than any other goalie in the division.

The Sabres were able to finally get the jump on the Rangers. On a hard-working shift by their third line, Tyson Jost pressured Niko Mikkola into losing the puck. Quinn then made a sneaky pass in front for a J.J. Peterka goal with 5:36 left. It was the rookie’s 12th. He was visible throughout.

While the Blueshirts struggled to find their footing, the Sabres looked for more. However, Shesterkin made key stops on Peyton Krebs and Tuch to keep the deficit at one.

With under a minute remaining, a strong shift from the line of Vincent Trocheck, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Panarin led to the Bread Man drawing a high-sticking minor on top Buffalo scorer Tage Thompson. Although they didn’t connect on the first part to conclude the period, there was still 1:07 left that carried over.

During a good first intermission interview between MSG reporter Michelle Gingras and Lindgren on what it meant to win the Steven McDonald Award, he said they had to pick up the intensity. It was understood why the Sabres came out with urgency. Lindgren’s message was prophetic.

For the first minute of the second period, it didn’t look like the Rangers would score on the remainder of the Thompson penalty. However, a defensive draw won by Zibanejad led to a beautiful goal from Panarin in transition.

On the play, Kane moved the puck for Zibanejad, who quickly gained the Buffalo zone to find Panarin. He wired a wrist shot high, short side by Levi to tie the score with six seconds left on the power play.

It was a terrific rush and pass across by Zibanejad that set up Panarin for his 27th. That gave him the first 90-point season of his career. A well-deserved achievement for one of the game’s premier centers. It also was the 90th point for Panarin, making it three of four seasons in his Rangers career that he’s reached 90. He never hit that figure before arriving in the Big Apple.

On the next shift, the Sabres tried to respond. But Mittlestadt had his shot stopped by Shesterkin. He’d also make a save on Jeff Skinner, who’s usually dangerous when he plays our team.

The Rangers began to dictate the tempo. While the second line was flying, it was again the consistent work of the 21 and over Kid Line that was noticeable. Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko, and Alexis Lafreniere were all very effective during shifts. Chytil was the most dangerous of the trio by getting six shots on Levi. He was up for the challenge, stopping him twice early in the second to keep the game tied.

More engaged, the Blueshirts continued to come. They had better puck possession during shifts. That led to more time in the Buffalo zone. Levi would make a save on Zibanejad, who made a bid for his 40th. It wasn’t the only key save Levi made on Zibanejad. He later denied him on a deflection.

On one of the better shifts by the Sabres, they created a couple of opportunities. However, Shesterkin turned away Jordan Greenway and then the dangerous Peterka.

During that same shift, the Rangers came the other way. On a play in the corner of the Sabres’ end, a hustling Trocheck dove to keep a loose puck alive. Riley Stillman lost the battle. Tarasenko found the puck and made a perfect centering feed across for a Panarin one-timer for his second of the game at 11:12.

It was a great pass by Tarasenko, who continues to work well with Panarin. But it wouldn’t have been possible without the extra effort from Trocheck. He didn’t get credit for an assist. As of today, that hasn’t been changed. I thought Stillman misplayed it. Regardless, the scoring play doesn’t happen without Trocheck.

With the Sabres suddenly on life support, Tyler Motte came very close to making it 3-1. But his sneaky backhand went off the far goalpost and stayed out. It was a lucky break for Buffalo. Had that gone in, it might’ve been lights out the way Shesterkin was playing.

He’d deny who else but Skinner on a good chance. Then, make a glove save on Owen Power to get a stoppage.

Late in the period, the Rangers pushed for the third goal. But on an extended shift where the Sabres were trapped, Levi bailed them out with big saves on Chytil, Kakko, and then Mikkola. Those stops were crucial.

Shesterkin then got across to rob Power with a nice glove save. The “Ig-or, Ig-or” chants were heard from the fans.

With time winding down, Levi made one more save on Tarasenko to keep the deficit at one. He couldn’t afford to allow another goal.

For most of the third period, it felt like the Rangers were in control. Shesterkin was stopping everything. It didn’t look like the Sabres would find the equalizer. They did, however, get superb goaltending from Levi.

No sequence was bigger than the one created by the Chytil line. Following a close call at the opposite end, when Peterka hit the crossbar, here came the Kid Line. Both Chytil and Lafreniere were thwarted by Levi. He made four clutch stops with his team struggling in their end.

As the shift continued, Lafreniere absolutely belted Kyle Okposo with a clean hit against the boards. It was the biggest hit of the game. While he is still looking to reach 20 goals in a season, the improvement in his overall game is evident. Both he and Kakko need a point for their first 40-point season. Kakko is 22, and Lafreniere is 21. Hopefully, they can get it in two days.

Chris Kreider nearly had a tip-in for a goal off a face-off play. But he couldn’t quite put the puck past Levi.

With the game still 2-1, it took a brutal turnover by K’Andre Miller to allow the Sabres to tie it. Unable to control a loose puck in his end, he fumbled it away. That allowed Tuch to get a shot on Shesterkin that Casey Mittlestadt rebounded home for the tying goal with 11:47 remaining.

For once, Joe Micheletti didn’t look the other way. He pointed out that Miller had struggled all game with pucks. As talented a player as he is, Miller commits egregious mistakes at inopportune times. The Jacob Trouba slander from misguided fans has been way off base. He’s carried that pairing, which has been on for the most goals against. They’ve also played a lot more minutes together.

Miller must limit those kinds of mistakes in his second postseason. He raised his game last year. He must do the same if the Rangers are going to be successful.

With the game tied, both teams went for it. That meant more big saves from each netminder. It made for a fun third period.

Following a Lafreniere tip-in that missed the mark, the Sabres made a push for the lead. Cozens, Greenway, and Okposo were denied by a sharp Shesterkin.

With under two minutes to go, it looked like the Rangers might win it. On a splendid Zibanejad rush, he made a nice drop pass for a cutting Lindgren. But his shot was denied by Levi, who just got a piece of it to keep it out. That critical save came with 1:55 remaining.

Imagine if Lindgren had scored. How storybook that would have been. On a night, he wins the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award. That close.

Following a timeout by the Sabres to rest their players, Trouba and Mikkola had long shots on Levi that he handled. With seconds to spare, Zibanejad had a tip-in deflect wide. To overtime it went.

While the Panthers were losing to the Leafs in extras on a John Tavares goal, the Sabres were fighting for their playoff lives. It showed during the five-minute OT.

After initially controlling the puck, the Rangers lost it. Thompson tested Shesterkin with a tough shot that he saved. As play continued, the whistle blew. The Rangers took a bench minor to give Buffalo a four-on-three advantage.

It was anything but. The three-man penalty killing unit of Goodrow, Trouba, and Lindgren gave them nothing. Playing a tight triangle, they took away the passing options the Sabres were looking for.

On a play that’s defined his career, Lindgren went down and took a Skinner shot upstairs. Somehow, he was okay. After he went off to the locker room, he was back on the bench. Unbelievable.

Although they got a few shots, almost all the good scoring chances came following the power play. A terrific penalty kill by the Rangers, who also used Zibanejad, Mikkola, and Braden Schneider.

It was all Sabres. Cozens was denied twice in tight by Shesterkin. Then, he made a strong save on Thompson. After Skinner missed, Shesterkin made one final stop by denying Rasmus Dahlin. He made six saves in the overtime.

The shootout didn’t disappoint. Although it isn’t the best way to decide such big games as we know too well (Flyers 2010), there was drama.

After Shesterkin stopped Quinn, Levi stayed right with Kane to deny him to keep it scoreless after Round One. Then, Shesterkin made a glove save on Thompson to start the second. But Levi forced Zibanejad wide on his forehand deke try. He lost control at the end.

In Round Three, Shesterkin denied Tuch on a tricky backhand. Out came Panarin. With most of the crowd on their feet expecting him to win it, it was Levi who instead foiled Panarin. He didn’t go for one fake, eventually forcing a weak attempt that had no chance.

In the top of the fourth, the Sabres went with Power. He came in tight and wired a forehand glove side. But in the bottom of the fourth, Tarasenko beat Levi with a patented wrist shot to force Round Five.

Mittlestadt had been 3 for 14 in his career. However, he made a great move and shot to beat Shesterkin. Coming in on Shesterkin, he went to a backhand, whipping it inside the bar. He froze Shesterkin just enough to score.

Gerard Gallant sent out Kakko. He’s been good in his attempts. Instead of going to his backhand deke, he tried to go forehand. But a patient Levi forced him wide to earn the Sabres the crucial second point.

It was pretty exciting. Most shootouts lack that. There was a lot riding on it. As fate would have it later, Nashville won in a shootout over Calgary to stay alive out West. All they need is two Winnipeg regulation losses and two wins over the Wild and Avalanche. Good luck. The Flames were eliminated. What a disappointment.

The next few days will be interesting. The calm before the storm.

I have no complaints. The start should’ve been better. Outside of that, it was pretty even. There were stretches where the Rangers controlled play. Both goalies were superb. Whatever Levi is doing with his meditation during breaks, it’s working. He looks to have a bright future.

https://twitter.com/BattleOfHudson/status/1645611247872745474?t=qNeO2m_OO5olbFTc_6VRig&s=19

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Rangers to play penultimate game against wildcard desperate Sabres on busy Monday night, playoff implications, Steven McDonald Award

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Derek

When the Rangers host the wildcard desperate Sabres later tonight at The Garden, there’ll be plenty of playoff implications at stake. It will be a busy Monday night for several teams.

A win can put the Rangers in a tie for second place with the idle Devils. After handling the woeful Blue Jackets 4-0 this past weekend, they are within two points of the Devils. They lost to the Bruins 2-1 in a playoff caliber game in prime time. Had they won, they would’ve vaulted over the Hurricanes into first place.

Instead, it’s the Canes leading the Metro Division with 109 points. They are a point up on the Devils and three ahead of the Rangers. Carolina visits Ottawa at 7 EST. A win of any kind combined would lock the Rangers into second or third with the potential of a Battle of Hudson first round series.

Vince Mercogliano clarified how the division could shake out in the above tweet. The Canes have three games remaining entering tonight’s match with the Senators. Even after losing to the Sabres on Saturday, they’re in the driver’s seat. What they do will determine the division match-ups.

For the Blueshirts, they want to get as high as possible. They can still steal home ice away from the Devils ‘if’ that much anticipated series happens. The Devils play the Sabres tomorrow night at The Prudential Center.

While the top three teams in the Metro battle it out, the Sabres are in a much different scenario. By winning their last two, including holding off the Hurricanes at home thanks to newcomer Devon Levi, they’re still alive for the wildcard.

With four games left over five days due to a blizzard during the winter, the pressure is on to win. A long shot to qualify, they need to run the table. In fact, there’s a chance that they could be eliminated tonight.

Let’s say they earn a win over the Rangers. That takes them to 87 points with three games left. The problem is they can’t catch either the Panthers or Islanders in regulation wins. Each enters with 91 points headed into key games later. The Islanders visit the Capitals while the Panthers host the Maple Leafs. If both the Cats and Isles win, that would eliminate the Sabres.

However, if one of those two were to lose in regulation, the Sabres would still be in play. But they must beat the Rangers to have a chance. You have to believe they’ll be motivated to get a win, which would put the pressure on the Devils. They also were Levi’s first NHL win in his debut. Another factor.

The Penguins are off. They have 90 points with two left. As usual, Sidney Crosby is trying to carry them into the playoffs. His two goals and assist in a 5-1 win over the Red Wings helped the all-time great reach 1,500 career points. Crosby became only the 15th player to 1500. Pittsburgh will be scoreboard watching. They host the Blackhawks tomorrow.

Gerard Gallant plans to make no changes following Saturday’s return of Patrick Kane. That means Igor Shesterkin will get the start. He’s been much better the last month. He can tie former teammate Alexandar Georgiev for second in wins. Georgiev has proven himself with the Avalanche. He’s won 38 of 59 starts. Only Boston’s Linus Ullmark has more victories, with 39 on the powerful Bruins.

Adam Fox is expected to play. He ranks seventh among NHL defensemen in scoring with 71 points (12-59-71). He’s played in every game this season. Although the Norris looks like Erik Karlsson’s award with the Sharks’ defenseman chasing 100 points, Fox has had another superb season. The 12 goals and five game-winners are career highs. He needs four points over the last two games to surpass last year’s career best mark of 74 points.

Even if he doesn’t get nominated for the game’s best defenseman due to a slew of worthy candidates that include Dougie Hamilton and Quinn Hughes, he remains one of the game’s top defensemen. With partner Ryan Lindgren rounding into form, Fox will be a big key to the postseason.

It’s the top four on the Rangers’ blue line who’ll continue to handle the tough assignments. Jacob Trouba was recently announced as the second winner of the Rod Gilbert Mr. Ranger Award. A deserved honor for a player’s player, who gives an honest effort night in and night out. The 28th Rangers captain has continued to lead by example. His big hits, key blocks, and the intensity he’s shown make him quintessential to team success. Congrats to Trouba on his work both on and off the ice.

K’Andre Miller is part of that second pair, which draws most of the tough assignments. Having set new career highs in goals (9), assists (34) and points (43), the 23-year old former 2018 first round pick continues to improve. He still takes big risks by jumping up for offense. He’ll have to pick his spots better during his second postseason.

Niko Mikkola has afforded Gallant to get Lindgren extra rest. Since coming over from the Blues as part of the Vladimir Tarasenko deal, he’s proved to be a versatile defenseman who can be plugged anywhere. He provided relief by playing with Fox on the top pair when Lindgren was out. Back with Braden Schneider on the third pair, the defensive defenseman should provide Gallant with a reliable depth player on the back end. He scored his first goal of the season at Columbus.

With two assists the other night, Mika Zibanejad has caught Artemi Panarin for the team lead in scoring. Each is tied with 89 points. The team leader in goals (39), power play goals (20), power play points (37), and tied with Fox for tops in game-winners (5), Zibanejad already has established a new personal best with 89 points. He needs two goals to match his career high set in 2019-20. Two more assists would match his career best (52) that came last season.

It would be nice to see Zibanejad top 90 points. He also is just ahead of Chris Kreider for the highest plus/minus among Rangers forwards with a plus-25. One of the game’s best two-way centers, Zibanejad deserves every accolade be receives. There’s a reason I call him Mika Magic.

Vincent Trocheck has had a terrific finish. The second line pivot has produced his best year since he was a Florida Panther. He scored his 22nd goal on Saturday. His 63 points (22-41-63) are better than anyone expected. Especially given the inconsistent start during a challenging first half.

Since the All-Star break, Trocheck has produced more consistently. The former Hurricane is 8-21-29 over the last 31 games. He’s found better chemistry with Panarin. It took a while. With Gallant keeping Trocheck between Panarin and Tarasenko, it’s Zibanejad centering Kreider and Kane on the first line. Considering how well they played with Zibanejad during a stretch, Panarin and Tarasenko can always be flipped. That’s totally up to Gallant.

Two lines that aren’t likely to change are the third and fourth lines. Having reunited the 21 and over Kid Line, Turk has seen good results. Filip Chytil set personal bests across the board. His 22 goals, 23 assists, and 45 points earned him a new four-year contract extension. He is the best finisher amongst former high picks Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere. They’re cohesive due to the unique combination of Chytil’s speed, Kakko’s puck possession, and Lafreniere’s tenacity.

Each member has played their best hockey of their young careers. Both Kakko and Lafreniere enter needing a point to hit 40 for the first time. Kakko has 17 goals with 22 assists and a plus-12. Lafreniere has 16 goals with 23 assists and a plus-11. Nearly identical.

With so much focus on the top six, it’ll again be up to the Kid Line to provide secondary scoring in the playoffs. How they perform is crucial to the team’s success.

Gallant also boasts a strong checking line he can count on. The trio of Barclay Goodrow, Jimmy Vesey, and Tyler Motte are reliable. Playing a no-nonsense style, they are effective at getting pucks in and winning battles on the forecheck.

Goodrow has 11 goals with 20 assists for 31 points in his second season on Broadway. The gritty center has been strong at even strength, with 28 of his 32 points coming there. A good penalty killer, he plays shorthanded along with Motte and Vesey, who was nominated by the Rangers as a candidate for the Masterton Trophy.

There also is the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award. With it being the second to last home game, that could be announced before the start of tonight’s game. I would give it either to Vesey or Trouba. But since Trouba won the Rod Gilbert Mr. Ranger Award for all the work he does in the community, I think Vesey is a good choice.

A player who came into camp without a guaranteed contract, all he did was win a spot on the roster through his hard work and dedication. While not the most talented player, Vesey makes up for it by bringing a lunch pail work ethic. His effort has resulted in a good year that earned him an extension. The 11 goals, 14 assists, and 25 points are solid production for a player who’s got tremendous character. He even played on the top line when necessary.

I’ve never viewed the prestigious Steven McDonald Award as one that must go to the best Ranger. There are exceptions. But I’m more of a Jed Ortmeyer type of fan. I appreciate the hard work Vesey has put in. He’s been a trusted regular who excels on the penalty kill and comes back defensively. He deserves it.

Here’s hoping the fans recognized his contributions.

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Devils ink younger Hughes while in hot pursuit of the division lead

Posted on April 8, 2023 by hasan4978

I admit that at least twice in the last couple of weeks I thought the division race for the Devils was basically over, both times when the Hurricanes got three points up with two games in hand – but they refuse to put the division away and we’re refusing to let it go without a fight. Of course, as we’ve had our problems playing against most of the bubble teams who need the games more than we do at this point in the season, the Canes have had those same issues losing in Nashville and Buffalo (yes they’re still on the fringe of alive at least), while we crushed our personal patsy in the Penguins on Tuesday and everyone’s patsy this year Columbus on Thursday, piling up thirteen goals in two dominant home wins.

Shockingly, we’re only one point back with three games left for each team now, and with a chance to go into first tonight – and on a nationally televised ABC game to boot. Just to amp up the hype machine even further, the Devils happen to be making their one trip of the season into Boston to face the President’s Cup winners, who are gunning for history…one win away from tying the all-time NHL record with 62 and six points in their last four games away from eclipsing the ’76-77 Canadiens with 132 points in a regular season.

For a game between two teams who’ve already clinched a playoff spot (and in the Bruins’ case the #1 overall seed obviously), there’s still more than enough on the line to pique the interest of the hockey world. If you’re a Devils fan, there’s also some record watching in the final three games of the regular season, since the Devils are just three points back of the 2000-01 Devils’ franchise high of 111 points. Individually, Jack Hughes’ four-point night against the hapless Blue Jackets on Thursday put him at 95 points for the season – just one behind Patrik Elias’s team record of 96 in 2000-01, and with a puncher’s chance to reach the century mark with three games left including tonight.

While David Krejci is not expected to play, it’s far from a load management lineup special in Boston, and they even have Taylor Hall coming back from his injury now that they banked $66,000 in cap space from putting Nick Foligno on IR, hah. I’m just glad we’re at a point where we can realistically contemplate our own cap shenanigans again when the time comes, and for one of the few times in the last decade I’m also not looking to get in my season recap as quickly as possible with little that I actually want to look back on. Now I get to hold that off until the end of the playoffs, whenever they come.

Also on the line for the Devils tonight is the potential clinching of home-ice for the first round at least, but it’ll probably take a regulation win in Boston to sew it up tonight, since the Rangers are likely to drill Columbus at home. If you were putting up FanDuel odds, they’d still be weighted heavily in favor of seeing Devils-Rangers at the Rock in a couple of weeks, but any kind of a win tonight would really make things interesting. Even a post-regulation loss would put us in a tie, but with the game still in hand until Monday the Canes would still have to drop another game next week in either case.

Here’s how the schedules stack up:

Devils – tonight at Boston, Tuesday home against Buffalo, Thursday at Washington

Hurricanes – Monday at Ottawa, Tuesday home against Detroit, Thursday at Florida

There’s a realistic scenario where we’re still within range next Thursday and Carolina has to play a team who may well need the game for their playoff lives, while we’re playing an eliminated Caps team anticipating their first early summer in a long tie. Of course, that’s still a few days and other results going our way away from happening.

I’m still in between wanting the division to stay away from Armageddon (not to mention have home ice in the first two rounds), and not really caring – especially given our 27-8-4 road record this year. Not to mention facing the Islanders or Panthers in the first round could easily become a nightmare series. Anything can happen in April, especially early in the playoffs. I’d admittedly be a little overconfident if we were playing the Penguins given our recent history against them, but even they are certainly capable of stepping it up with decorated players like Crosby, Malkin and Letang – just ask the Rangers, who needed a couple of slipups from an AHL goalie just to survive the first round last year.

Bottom line is winning is fun, and an unexpected division title would just put even more of a capper on a dream regular season. Now that it’s right there…but perhaps to a degree the level of importance you place on a regular season division title depends on your age bracket, at least for Devils fans. I’ve seen plenty of division titles followed by early playoff exits dating back to the late ’90’s, while my friend Rudy (who’s in his early 30’s) is a lot more fired up over the possibility of winning the division. It was he who gave me the Canes update earlier, as it didn’t occur to me to check, though I vaguely remembered they had the earlier game.

Considering our last division title was way back in 2010, do the math. If you’re a younger fan who hasn’t seen the majority of our divisions, this matters more to you. It would be a legitimate cause for celebration though, given the expectations weren’t anywhere near that high in October, and beating out a veteran team like the Canes who’ve had a fine season would be a serious pelt on the wall, playoffs or no playoffs. I suppose tonight will tell the story, any result in Boston keeps us alive. A regulation loss will leave us one point back with only two to play, compared to three with them. It would be a lot of fun either way if we were in range on Thursday, having both our games at the same time would lead to World Cup final group game type vibes.

Along with all the news on the ice, came news off the ice too – albeit expected since the Devils have telegraphed their intentions on Luke Hughes for months, if not from the moment he was drafted two years ago. Sure enough, after Michigan lost in the Frozen Four last Thursday, Luke signed his entry-level deal and immediately joined the team. Whether (and when) he plays this year is a little more up in the air, although if you take GM Tom Fitzgerald at face value, it sounds like he’s prioritizing rotating guys in and out in the last few games more than actually winning the division.

That interview was obviously done before Carolina’s regulation loss this afternoon though, maybe the equation changes if we win tonight? Guess there’s only one way to find that out…

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Rangers don’t back down from Lightning in a hard fought victory

Posted on April 6, 2023 by Derek

Emotions were running high at 33rd and 7th. Whenever the Rangers and Lightning get together, the games are interesting. Ever since battling the former champs in a closely fought Eastern Conference Final last year, there’s a rivalry between the two teams.

After having split the first two games, the Rangers got the better of the Lightning in a hard fought 6-3 victory on home ice. The win had a lot of everything. It was hockey the way it should be played.

If you were anticipating a tight checking, low-scoring goalie duel between two of the game’s best, you were way off. In a wild first period, the Blueshirts and Bolts combined for four goals, 20 shots, and 18 penalty minutes, including a spirited bout between Ben Harpur and Pat Maroon.

Instead, the action was fast and furious. Able to grab early momentum due to a flat start from their opponent, the Rangers jumped all over the Lightning. Taking full advantage of a Steven Stamkos slashing minor on Vincent Trocheck, the power play went to work.

With Vladimir Tarasenko elevated to the top power play unit in a game, they skated without the injured Patrick Kane (lower-body), his shot from the point was tipped in by Chris Kreider for the game’s first goal at 6:13. The goal allowed Kreider to move into sole possession of fifth place on the Rangers’ franchise all-time goal list, passing Vic Hadfield. He wasn’t finished.

Before the Bolts awakened from a malaise, Kaapo Kakko scored for a third consecutive game. On a good read from K’Andre Miller, he sent Filip Chytil and Kakko in on a two-on-one. After receiving the pass from Chytil in the right circle, Kakko didn’t hesitate. He took the shot and beat Andrei Vasilevskiy far side for his 17th at 7:41.

It was one of the rare times we’ve seen Kakko shoot the puck. He often will skate around with it and try to make a play. This was a welcome change for the former 2019 second pick. It showed more confidence. Hopefully, that positive trend continues for a player who’s playing some of his best hockey. He’s up to four goals and an assist over the last six games.

With Vasilevskiy a little bit off his game along with teammates, Tyler Motte took advantage by sneaking a low percentage shot from a sharp angle through the two-time Stanley Cup champion. It was a good forecheck shift for both Motte and Barclay Goodrow, who mostly played without Jimmy Vesey.

As he promised, if any key players needed a maintenance day, Gerard Gallant dressed 11 forwards and 7 defensemen. That meant some double shifting for players. On that particular goal, Vesey was on with his regular line mates. He doubled by moving up to the first line where he saw some time with Mika Zibanejad and Kreider.

Leading by three halfway through the period, the Rangers let the Lightning back in the game. An Alexis Lafreniere high-sticking minor on Ross Colton handed the Bolts a power play. Like the Blueshirts did earlier, they cashed in on the five-on-four.

After a Nikita Kucherov pass up top, Mikhail Sergachev took a shot that the gritty Alex Killorn neatly redirected in to cut the deficit to 3-1. The goal came only 19 seconds following Motte’s tally. That’s how untimely the Lafreniere penalty was. Those are the ones they have to avoid starting in two weeks. Momentum can swing very suddenly in the postseason.

There were some casualties during the game. That included Rangers captain Jacob Trouba. Well known for dishing it out, this time, he was on the receiving end of a tough hit from Corey Perry. Perry caught Trouba from the side. Unable to brace for the hit, he landed awkwardly on his face. He exited the game.

At the moment, it didn’t look too serious. Trouba didn’t need help skating off to the locker room. However, he didn’t return. Maybe they were playing it safe. They had seven defensemen dressed. Harpur took a regular shift. We’ll find out more when the Rangers visit St. Louis later tonight.

The Lightning picked up their game. Kucherov missed wide on a scoring chance. Igor Shesterkin denied Ross Colton. He made some key stops throughout the contest to notch his 36th win.

Even Panarin delivered a hit. He got a good check on Tanner Jeannot. Usually, it’s Jeannot physically involved. He wasn’t last night, which was strange considering the edginess the game had.

Late in the period, Pat Maroon instigated a fight with Harpur. After getting a shot in to draw an unsportsmanlike conduct, he and Harpur traded blows. The dust-up gave the Rangers a power play.

However, Vasilevskiy steadied. He made three saves, including a pair on Kakko. Despite giving up six goals, he kept his team in the game.

Miller accidentally got his stick up on Kucherov to give Tampa a power play with six seconds remaining. It carried over to the second period. The Rangers were able to kill the penalty successfully.

As expected, the Lightning got the next goal to make things interesting. Darren Raddysh caught a break when his shot deflected off a Ranger in front by Shesterkin for his first career NHL goal. They later changed it to Brandon Hagel, who was in the area. Then, they switched it back to Raddysh.

But before the Bolts could get comfortable, the Rangers replied back only 15 seconds later. On a misread by Sergachev, Lafreniere pushed the puck ahead for Motte. In on Vasilevskiy, he snuck a wrist shot by the former Vezina winner for his second of the game.

It was his third career multi-goal game. He’s got five goals and four assists for nine points since returning to the Rangers. Terrific secondary scoring by a player Chris Drury should’ve kept last summer.

Following a penalty kill of an Adam Fox slashing minor on the ornery Perry, Shesterkin made two straight stops on Anthony Cirelli. The key two-way pivot would leave the game with an injury. The Bolts rely on him to be their shutdown center. It was his strong defensive work that neutralized Zibanejad, Kreider, and Frank Vatrano last year.

Prior to his exit, Cirelli helped set up Hagel for a goal that made it 4-3 a little over halfway through the game. On the play, Cirelli broke in and made a strong move on Shesterkin, who made a terrific save. However, Hagel followed up the play by stuffing in a loose puck for his 28th.

Chaos ensued when a late arriving Killorn took a swat at Shesterkin in the crease. Whether intentional or not, it didn’t look good. Even if he thought the puck wasn’t completely in, it looked like a dirty play. Some felt it was a spear. It’s hard to judge because we don’t know what Killorn’s intentions were.

The puck was on Shesterkin’s pad with him in the net. It was very close to the goal line. If you give Killorn the benefit of the doubt, maybe he couldn’t tell if it was a goal. His late arrival and swat at our goalie led to a skirmish behind the net. Killorn was the target of Ryan Lindgren, who looked okay in his return. Cirelli was third man in. Killorn got two for slashing. Lindgren received two for roughing along with Cirelli. That put the Rangers on a power play.

Following a video review, it was determined that Hagel scored. That made it a one-goal game with 8:23 left in the second. It definitely isn’t a play you see often. Especially with the puck lying on Shesterkin.

Following the goal, the Blueshirts were unable to convert on the man-advantage. Vasilevskiy made three saves, including a pair on Panarin, who was more aggressive, shooting the puck. He also stopped Zibanejad. Kreider missed on a one-timer high and wide.

The Lightning nearly tied it afterward. There were some close calls with Point, who couldn’t quite get number 49 despite a few dangerous chances. Shesterkin also stopped Stamkos.

With less than four minutes to go, Trocheck went with Perry off a face-off. Perry asked for the fight. Trocheck obliged. He took some shots but hung in there. He’s a gamer. Exactly the kind of high character player you want on your side in a series.

Looking for the hat trick, Motte continued to shoot the puck. He had a shot shutdown by Vasilevskiy. Motte led all shooters with seven shots on goal.

With Trouba in the locker room, Braden Schneider did his best imitation of the captain. He stood up at his blue line and leveled Nick Paul with a clean hit that sent him down. With the crowd pumped up, Ross Colton responded by jumping in for Paul. He instigated a fight with Schneider, who was a willing combatant. Schneider and Colton received five for fighting. But Colton got an extra 12 for instigator and misconduct. The right call.

On another power play, Zibanejad was stopped by Vasilevskiy. The five-on-four carried over to the third. Although they didn’t connect, Vasilevskiy was forced into a few tough saves. He got over to make an acrobatic stop to deny Kreider. After a video review during a stoppage confirmed the obvious, play continued.

The Tampa netminder made other big saves, including on Motte and Trocheck. He’d also deny Chytil. For a while, it felt like those saves would eventually lead to the Lightning tying it. But it never came.

Following a crucial stop from Shesterkin on Stamkos to keep the Rangers ahead, Fox had Zibanejad all set up, but his backhand banked off the goalpost. The puck took a favorable bounce right to Kreider, who buried his 35th with 8:22 left.

The goal gave him 264 for his Rangers career. He trails Andy Bathgate by eight goals for fourth on the all-time franchise goal scoring list. As he inches closer to some of the biggest names in team history, perhaps one day, when his career is over, he’ll have his number 20 retired.

A Kucherov trip of Kakko led to Panarin wiring one by Vasilevskiy for the Rangers’ second power play goal. After Zibanejad had a shot saved, he and Fox got the puck over to Panarin. Instead of passing, he ripped a laser high, short side off the post, and in for number 26. That put the game away.

Shesterkin would make a nice save to deny Point on a backhand. That was really the last chance the Bolts had.

Motte went for the hat trick. He took a backhand shot from the inside that Vasilevskiy hung with. That came with over a minute remaining.

As the crowd cheered, the animosity between the two sides wasn’t over. On the final play, as the buzzer sounded, Harpur went after Perry again. It was a fight he wanted. He did well even getting a takedown. Considering how ornery Perry is, and with his hit having knocked Trouba out of the game, it was a message delivered.

That it came from the seventh defenseman, who’d already fought Maroon, showed how much character this team has. They aren’t backing down. There were a lot of words exchanged during the game. It got chippy.

Not only did the Rangers come out on top. But it was nice to see them respond to the Lightning. It was an exciting game. One TNT had to love. Judging from the reactions of Henrik Lundqvist and Anson Carter, they definitely loved it.

https://twitter.com/BattleOfHudson/status/1643803730427404291?t=x085Zh6nb5_9DEy_9n41cA&s=19

In the grand scheme of things, maybe the game didn’t mean a whole lot. The Rangers are pretty much locked into a 2/3 battle with the Devils. But they gained two points. They’re up to 103 with four remaining, including tonight at St. Louis.

The Devils have 106. They play the Blue Jackets at home. They trail first place Carolina by three. The Hurricanes have one extra game left. They’re in Nashville later. The Predators are very much alive thanks to Calgary defeating Winnipeg 3-1 is regulation last night. They should be desperate.

The wildcard race will continue on Thursday night. All five teams are in action. That includes the Islanders at home for the Lightning. They could catch a break. It’s likely Tampa will start backup Brian Elliott, giving Vasilevskiy the night off. The Panthers host the Senators. Ottawa has to win.

The Sabres are at Detroit. They still have six games left. Win and get help. Anything is possible. They’ll be scoreboard watching. The Wild visit the Penguins. Buffalo has two games at hand on the other four teams. But they probably need 11 points. I think 92 gets you in.

We’ll see what happens. As for the Rangers, they’ve got the Blues. Figure Jaroslav Halak to give Shesterkin the night off. I wouldn’t expect Kane to play. He sounds pretty banged up. Considering how he’s looked, the hip is probably bothering him. Will they shut him down until the playoffs? I have no idea.

Maybe Trouba sits out. They can be cautious. The game isn’t significant. They have six D. We could be looking at another 11 forward alignment. If Trouba can’t go, they’ll play a man short.

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Kane out for tonight

Posted on April 5, 2023 by Derek

So much for keeping the same lineup. Patrick Kane is getting the night off. He will sit out due to maintenance.

Kane hasn’t been as effective as Vladimir Tarasenko. Since the Rangers acquired him from the Blackhawks, he’s been inconsistent. There are shifts where you barely notice him. Then, there are shifts where you see the star player who’s been one of the game’s best.

In 16 games as a Blueshirt, Kane has five goals and five assists for 10 points. After going without a point or much impact in losses to the Devils and Sabres, he picked up a primary assist on Mika Zibanejad’s power play goal in a 5-2 win over the Caps on Sunday.

With Kane sitting out, Gerard Gallant, as promised, will dress 11 forwards and 7 defensemen. Ben Harpur will get worked in when necessary. He’s the extra D. Maybe they’ll even have him play up front on the fourth line.

The more likely scenario is that Gallant will double shift his best players and move Jimmy Vesey up. Vesey has played with Zibanejad and Chris Kreider before. That’s something I think we’ll see.

Figure Barclay Goodrow will also get some shifts up top. He’s a versatile player who you can plug anywhere. Motte can also be moved up into the top nine.

The game is on TNT. It doesn’t begin until 7:30 EST.

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Rangers face good test against Lightning, Connor Bedard, wildcard race heats up, Oilers hot, Mercer gets hat trick

Posted on April 5, 2023 by Derek

With a little over a week left in the regular season, the playoffs are right around the corner. The wildcard race is heating up. The picture is becoming clearer by the day. Big games are on tap in both conferences.

There’s also the latest highlight reel from Connor Bedard. The consensus top pick is the big prize of the 2023 Draft Lottery. The teen sensation was at it again last night during Game Three of the Regina Pats’ WHL first round series against the Saskatoon Blades.

Having already recorded a playoff hat trick for the Pats in their first postseason since 2018 to help them take the first two games on the road, the 17-year old center scored a breathtaking goal. He split two players with the puck to get a breakaway and finished with a forehand deke to give the Pats a 3-1 lead.

The Blades rallied back from a two-goal deficit to win the crucial game 4-3 in overtime. The road team has won all three games. Regina leads the series two games to one.

It’ll be interesting to see if Bedard can lead the Pats to a first round upset. He’s had a memorable season, scoring 71 goals with 72 assists for 143 points to lead the WHL in scoring. He also was front and center tallying nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points in Canada’s gold medal at the WJC.

Of course, the battle for Bedard remains high for the NHL doormats. That includes the Blue Jackets, Blackhawks, Ducks, and Sharks. They have the best odds of winning the lottery, which takes place on May 8 during the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’ll also include the Canadiens, Coyotes, Flyers, Canucks, Capitals, along with the remaining teams who get eliminated.

While some fans focus on that, whoever winds up in the top three should get a good player. Michigan standout Adam Fantilli looks to be a future power forward. He dominated the NCAA with 64 points (29-35-64) as a freshman. He’s up for the Hobey Baker. Russian scoring forward Matvei Michkov and Swedish center Leo Carlson project in the top four.

Meanwhile, the Rangers are back in action tonight when they host the Lightning at 33rd and 7th. They’re coming off a 5-2 win over the Capitals this past weekend.

A game where both Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko scored their 16th goals of the season. Playing with Filip Chytil during the second half has helped revitalize their game. Familiarity with one another is noticeable.

Gerard Gallant praised the work of the Kid Line. He likes how they play. They’ll no doubt be counted on again for secondary scoring this postseason. With all three young players achieving new career highs in points, they’re becoming more reliable. They’ve even seen an increase in ice time due to their effectiveness on the cycle.

In Sunday’s win, Gallant kept the top six the same as he finished the Sabres game. Mika Zibanejad played with Chris Kreider and Patrick Kane. He scored his team-leading 39th on the power play from Kane and Artemi Panarin. Zibanejad’s 20 power play goals pace the team. He won’t quite get to Kreider’s record of 26 that was set last year.

Vincent Trocheck centered Panarin and Vladimir Tarasenko. The trio were involved in two even strength goals, including K’Andre Miller getting his ninth by following up the play started by Panarin and Trocheck. Miller also set up Kakko’s 16th to reach a career best 41 points. He’s been more active recently, even throwing his weight around.

Tarasenko scored his seventh goal as a Ranger. A lethal wrist shot off the passing of Trocheck and Panarin. The changes to the first two lines worked. It provided a spark. Figure Gallant to keep those lines intact for tonight.

One other positive is the return of Ryan Lindgren. He’ll be in the lineup after missing the last six games. He’ll be back alongside partner Adam Fox on the blue line. That means Ben Harpur comes out. Keeping Lindgren fresh for the playoffs is crucial. He’s the glue of the defense.

Niko Mikkola will slide back down to the third pair with Braden Schneider. Miller and Jacob Trouba comprise the second pair, which usually draws tough assignments. They’ll likely face a tough challenge against Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos, and Nikita Kucherov. They’re all playing well. Point is two goals shy of 50. Kucherov ranks third in scoring with 106 points. Stamkos has 33 goals.

The goalie match-up features two of the game’s best. It’s an all Russian duel when Igor Shesterkin faces Andrei Vasilevskiy. Even though neither has had their best season statistically, they are still considered by many to be the game’s top goalies. Throw Islanders’ netminder Ilya Sorokin in there, along with Juuse Saros. That’s your top four. Even if Linus Ullmark wins the Vezina playing behind a remarkable Bruins team chasing history.

In action last night, the Devils kept some distance between second place by pasting the Penguins 5-1. The game was highlighted by Dawson Mercer, recording his first career hat trick. He’s up to 27 goals and 55 points in his second season.

Selected 18th in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Mercer ranks third in goals (44) and third in points (98). Lafreniere, who went first overall, is second in goals with 47 and fourth in points with 90. He’s played the most games (211) from that draft class. Tim Stutzle leads in goals (71), assists (100), and points (171). He is a rising star in Ottawa.

With the Devils handing the Pens a bad loss, they are currently out of a playoff spot entering Wednesday’s slate. The Panthers held on to beat the Sabres 2-1 yesterday. They are tied with the Islanders for the wildcard with 87 points. By virtue of one more regulation win (34), they hold the first wildcard. Each team has four games remaining.

The Pens also have four left. They have 86 points but only have 29 regulation wins. The first tiebreaker. Both the Sabres and Senators each have 81 points. However, Buffalo has six games left. As tough a loss as last night was, they can still hang around. They can’t afford any more slip-ups. They’re at Detroit tomorrow night.

Every team will be playing on Thursday. Buffalo fans will be rooting for the rival Senators to beat the Panthers and hope for help from the Wild and Lightning. Minnesota visits Pittsburgh while Tampa invades Long Island.

Out West, the big game is Calgary at Winnipeg. The Flames suffered a costly defeat on home ice when they lost to the Blackhawks 4-3 on Tuesday night. They trail the Jets by two points for the final wildcard. A Jets’ win in regulation could be the final nail in the coffin for Calgary. They only have four games left, including tonight’s showdown. Winnipeg has five to go.

The Predators are still in it. They defeated the Golden Knights 3-2 in overtime on Cody Glass’ winner. He’s become a player for Nashville after Vegas gave up on him. Nolan Patrick may never play in the NHL again due to injuries. Patience paid off for the Preds with Glass. Given all their key stars who are out, I wonder if they regret waiving Eeli Tolvanen. He’s done well in Seattle, who is closing in on the postseason. They have 94 points.

Nashville has 86 points with five left. They play very hard. It’s hard to see them finding a way in without Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg, and Matt Duchene. But their effort is admirable.

The hottest team out West is the Oilers. They out-grinded the Kings to earn a 3-1 win in LA. Leon Draisaitl scored the game-winner on the power play. Connor McDavid drew the penalty following Viktor Arvidsson tying the game. His extra effort paid off when he set up Draisaitl for his 51st with 7:20 left in regulation.

McDavid is three points shy of reaching 150 for the season. His remarkable play undoubtedly will make him MVP. With a league best 62 goals and 85 assists, he’s truly at the peak of his brilliant career. Draisaitl is no slouch with his 123 points (51-72-123) trailing only his teammate.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins can join them as the third Edmonton player to reach the century mark. With a goal and assist last night, he has 99 points. It’s unbelievable what they’ve done. Even Zach Hyman has 34 goals and 80 points.

Interestingly, the Oilers are still third in the Pacific with 100 points. The Kings are one up on them for second. Vegas leads the division with 104. All three teams have four games left. Edmonton has the easiest schedule with two games against the Sharks and one coming up against Anaheim.

The one tough game is at Colorado. The defending champs clinched the playoffs last night with Nathan MacKinnon scoring in overtime to hit 100 points for the first time. Who knows. Perhaps that game on April 11 could be a possible Western Conference Finals preview. The teams met in that round last year. Colorado swept Edmonton. Something tells me this Oilers team is capable of doing better.

That’s going to do it for my potpourri of hockey news and notes. I’ll have more on the Rangers/Lightning. A real match-up. It should be fun.

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