Search
Posts Tagged ‘New York’
For the first time since mid-October, the Devils find themselves in an odd position.
Not at the top of the Atlantic Division.
With Pittsburgh’s 5-4 overtime win against the New York Rangers at the Garden tonight, the Penguins hopped over the Devils into first place with 80 points, one ahead of the Devils.
The Devils have 20 games left to play, with 40 points out for the taking. The amount they’ll be able to gather is up to them.
For a long time, the Devils lackluster play didn’t catch up with them in the standings (pre-Olympic break). Well, it did tonight.
Here are the next (and last) twenty remaining games for the Devils, along with my thoughts on how many points they’ll be able to conjure up in the next four and a half weeks.
1. @ Calgary Flames
Record: 30-24-9 (69 PTS), 3rd place in Northwest, 9th place in West
Outlook: Flames aren’t a great home team (15-15-3), and they got shut out at home by the Wild on Wednesday. That said, they should be hungry to collect two points at home tomorrow night after being embarrassed in their building two nights earlier.
Points for Devils: 0.
2. @ Edmonton Oilers
Record: 19-38-6 (44 PTS), 5th place in Northwest, 15th place in West
Outlook: The league’s worst home team (11-17-4), worst defensive team, and 4th worst offensive team. For all these reasons, I expect the Devils to make quick work of these Oilers.
Points: 2.
3. vs. New York Rangers
Record: 29-27-8 (66 PTS), 4th place in Atlantic, 10th place in East
Outlook: These games are always toss-ups because of the emotions that go into a Rangers-Devils game. Usually when I go and wait in line for $10 tickets for a Rangers-Devils game, they lose (in fact, my record is something like 1-5). Due to that terrible statistic, I’d have to say the Devils won’t win this one.
Points: 0.
4. vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Record: 38-22-4 (80 PTS), 1st place in Atlantic, 2nd place in East
Outlook: The Devils are 4-0 so far against the Penguins so far this season. That has a lot to do with how well the Devils were playing in the beginning of the season. But it also has a lot to do with Brodeur playing the Penguins well. In four games this season against Pittsburgh, Brodeur is 4-0 with a GAA of 0.50 (not a typo) with two shutouts. In the other two games, he only allowed one goal. If Brodeur plays well, they’ll win this game. If history is anything to base this off, Brodeur should be enormous (no pun intended for the anti-Brodeur fans) and win this game for the Devils.
Points: 2.
5. @ New York Islanders
Record: 26-30-8 (60 PTS), 5th place in Atlantic, 13th place in East
Outlook: The Islanders, outside of their win against Chicago on Tuesday, have been dreadful lately. The Devils are 3-1 against them so far this season, and if the Islanders are playing this poorly by next Saturday, I’d expect the Devils to win this game as well. Especially with the high of beating Pittsburgh the night before.
Points: 2.
6. vs. Boston Bruins
Record: 28-23-11 (67 PTS), 3rd place in Northeast, 7th place in East
Outlook: The Devils are 2-0 against the Bruins so far this year. Both 2-1 wins, and both in the Bruins’ building. But since this IS a Versus nationally televised game, and terrible things seem to happen to them when they’re on Versus (two losses to Philadelphia, loss to the Rangers, ALMOST blowing a four goal lead against San Jose). I’m gonna say they lose this game, but they get a point for effort.
Points: 1.
7. vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Record: 38-22-4 (80 PTS), 1st place in Atlantic, 2nd place in East
Outlook: The fact that I just can’t fathom going 6-0 against the Penguins, along with a bad feeling about these red and green jerseys makes me think that this one will be a rout by Pittsburgh. I’m calling that right now. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Four, maybe five nothing.
Points: 0.
8. @ Toronto Maple Leafs
Record: 19-32-12 (50 PTS), 5th place in Northeast, 15th place in East
Outlook: The Oilers are the worst home team in the league. 2nd worst? The Leafs. So far, the Devils are 2-1 against them this year. J.S. Giguere shut them out in his Leafs debut, but me thinks that was just a fluke. I like the Devils, pissed off about the night before’s rout, to bury the Leafs at the Air Canada Centre.
Points: 2.
9. vs. St. Louis Blues
Record: 30-25-9 (69 PTS), 4th place in Central, 10th place in West
Outlook: I’ve thought the Blues were awful all season. There’s nothing very special about the team. No outstanding goaltender, and no outstanding goal scoring threat. I was actually shocked when I saw they are only a point out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. A team without too much scoring punch should be easy for Brodeur (or even Danis) to handle. They are one of the league’s best road teams, but I think the Devils will take this one, in a low scoring, 2-1 affair.
Points: 2.
10. vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
Record: 25-28-11 (61 PTS), 5th place in Central, 14th place in West
Outlook: Another team muddling around the bottom of the conference for the Devils to take advantage of. A terrible road team (10-18-4) with nowhere near as much to play for as the Devils who will be in front of their rowdy College Night home crowd.
Points: 2.
11. vs. New York Rangers
Record: 29-27-8 (66 PTS), 4th place in Atlantic, 10th place in East
Outlook: I won’t be in the $10 ticket line this time, so the Devils have a very decent chance of winning this game. In fact, I’d put money on it. They’ll tie up the season series with a 4-2 victory over the Blueshirts.
Points: 2.
12. @ Montreal Canadiens
Record: 30-28-6 (66 PTS), 4th place in Northeast, 9th place in East
Outlook: The Devils will be going for the series win against the Habs this season, as they already lead it 2-1. With just two weeks left to go in the season, they’ll be clawing for a playoff spot. But Brodeur plays amazing in Montreal ALL the time, so I think they’ll grab the two points, and extend their winning streak to five.
Points: 2.
13. @ Philadelphia Flyers
Record: 33-26-3 (69 PTS), 3rd place in Atlantic, 6th place in East
Outlook: The Devils have struggled against the Flyers so far this season, going 1-4 against the Broad Street Bullies, and 0-2 at the Wachovia Center. Hoping the Devils don’t go 1-5 against Philadelphia and winless at Wachovia, and with the Devils on the five game winning streak I’ve predicted, I think they’ll pull this one out. In overtime, just for good measure, and extend their winning streak to six.
Points: 2.
14. vs. Boston Bruins
Record: 28-23-11 (67 PTS), 3rd place in Northeast, 7th place in East
Outlook: The Devils will be playing well, and looking to get a little revenge on the Bruins who beat them in overtime just two weeks prior. Plus, Tim Thomas is awful. Devils win their 7th straight!
Points: 2.
15. vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Record: 42-16-5 (89 PTS), 1st place in Central, 1st place in West
Outlook: The Devils got owned by the Blackhawks on New Year’s Eve. The Devils will learn and play better, but the Blackhawks will somehow manufacture a win against Jersey’s Team, but in a shootout.
Points: 1.
16. @ Carolina Hurricanes
Record: 26-30-7 (59 PTS), 5th place in Southeast, 14th place in East
Outlook: It sounds crazy now, but I think these Hurricanes are going to make a playoff run. I don’t think they’re going to make it in, but I think they’re going to give it a real shot. The Devils always have trouble in RBC Center. I think the Devils lose this game by two goals, while the Hurricanes are right on the verge of the playoffs… but don’t quite make it.
Points: 0.
17. @ Atlanta Thrashers
Record: 28-24-10 (66 PTS), 2nd place in Southeast, 8th place in East
Outlook: The Thrashers are currently clinging to the top spot in the Eastern Conference. After this game, they play Washington and Pittsburgh, and they will have played both teams in the two games prior. Talk about a rough schedule! Expect the Devils, in front of a possibly extremely rowdy Philips Arena, to put one of the final nails in the coffin on the Atlanta Thrashers season.
Points: 2.
18. @ Florida Panthers
Record: 25-28-10 (60 PTS), 4th place in Southeast, 12th place in East
Outlook: The Devils haven’t been to Sunrise since October 10th, when they defeated the Panthers for just their second win on the season. The Panthers season will virtually be over at this point, and most of the players will have mailed it in. I expect a non-eventful win for the Devils, their last road game of the regular season.
Points: 2.
19. vs. New York Islanders
Record: 26-30-8 (60 PTS), 5th place in Atlantic, 13th place in East
Outlook: By this point in the season, the Islanders will have mailed it in for the summer. And the Devils will know it. But whenever the Devils underestimate the Islanders, the Isles hand it to them. No different this time.
Points: 0.
20. vs. Buffalo Sabres
Record: 33-20-9 (75 PTS) 2nd place in Northeast, 5th place in East
Outlook: Last game of the season for the Devils. I’d love to think that they’ll even up the season series with the Sabres here, and go into the postseason riding a victory against a top Eastern team.
Points: 2.
There’s the 20 games. So what happened?
In this scenario, the Devils went 13-5-2 over those 20 games, with a nice seven game winning streak right in the middle of the schedule. That’s 28 of 40 possible points, which isn’t too shabby. The Devils currently have 79 points, so those 28 extra points will give them 107 going into the playoffs.
Will 107 be enough to take the division? The Penguins currently have 80 points, with 18 games (36 points available) remaining. To beat the Devils in points under this scenario, they’ll have to go either 13-3-2 or 14-4-0 most likely.
Do you see the Devils going 13-5-2 in the next 20 games? If not, do you see them doing better or worse? And how will Pittsburgh do over their final 18 games? Leave all of your thoughts in the comments section.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Hockey, New Jersey Devils, New York, nhl, Opinion
- Read More
- Comments Off
Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since 1982. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Game Recap, Hockey, New York, New York Islanders, nhl
- Read More
- Comments Off
Blake Comeau had never had a multi-goal game in his first 151 NHL games. One game after he scored twice against Ottawa, Comeau recorded the first hat trick of his career as the Isles defeated the Blackhawks 5-3.
On to the trick:
1. Dwayne Roloson made 41 saves, including twenty in the first period as he held the Isles in the game.
Brian Campbell, who had six first period shots, and Patrick Kane scored in the session for the Hawks, sandwiching Comeau’s first goal.
2. The game changed in the second period as the Isles scored twice in 25 seconds. Comeau tied the game at 2:27 and Jon Sim was credited with the lead goal at 2:52. Sim’s goal was enough to chase Hawk starter Antti Niemi after allowing three goals on 12 shots.
Richard Park beat Cristobal Huet at 7:06 and Comeau completed his trick with 18 seconds to play in the middle session.
3. Dustin Byfuglien missed half of the third period with an injury but came back with 4:17 to play to score a power play goal. The Hawks would get no closer, but Byfuglien’s goal made Huet, not Niemi, the losing goaltender.
…A few more…
4. The Isles have won six straight against the Hawks since a 3-2 loss to Chicago on December 10, 2002. The six straight wins followed a stretch of 22 games in which the Isles beat the Hawks only once. It’s the third time that the Isles have beaten Chicago three straight times, doing so six times from 1983-85 and seven times from 1980-82.
This was the only meeting of the season between the teams.
5. The Isles did not have a single power play. It’s the first time since a 3-2 shootout loss in Tampa on November 17, 2006 (292 games) that they have not had an advantage.
It’s the first time since the lockout that the Isles have not had a power play at home (January 27, 2004 vs. Boston), and the first time since November 10, 1999 in Carolina that the Isles have won a game without a power play chance.
6. The Isles complete their three-game, 18-day homestand with a 2-1-0 record. They scored 13 goals during the three games, including six by Blake Comeau. The 13 goals match their offensive output in the previous nine games (1-8-0).
7. Rob Schremp had two assists. He has seventeen on the season, tying John Tavares for the club rookie lead. Only four rookies have more assists in the entire league than Schremp; he has recorded 17 assists in only 41 games—his .41 assists per game leads all rookies.
8. Roloson recorded his 20th win of the season. It is the fourth time in his career that he has won 20 games (once for Minnesota and twice, including a career-high 28 last season, for Edmonton).
Roloson faced 44 shots, which is the most that the Isles have allowed at home since allowing 47 in a 2-1 overtime loss to New Jersey on April 1, 2008. The 44 shots matched the most the Isles have allowed in a home victory since 1999; the Isles also allowed 44 shots in a 3-2 home victory over Carolina on October 8, 2005.
9. The Isles scored four goals in the second period. It’s their first four-goal period of the season. They last scored four goals in a period on March 20, 2009 in Carolina, scoring all four of their goals in a 5-4 defeat during the second period.
It’s the first time that they have scored four goals in any home period, since scoring four times against St. Louis in the 2008-09 home opener.
10. The Isles improve to 26-29-8 and remain on the fringes of the playoff race. They finished last season with a 26-47-9 record.
Up next: The Isles head to Atlanta on Thursday night to face the Thrashers for the final time this season. The Isles have dominated the season series, winning all three games (one by shoot-out). The Isles will be looking for a fifth straight win against the Thrashers, which would match the longest stretch in club history (five straight wins from March 2, 2002 to January 19, 2003).
The Isles are also looking for their third straight win in Atlanta, which they have never done against the Thrashers. The Isles’ only three-game win streak in Atlanta came in the 1976-77 season, when the Isles swept the three games played at the Omni.
Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since 1982. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Game Recap, Hockey, New York, New York Islanders, nhl
- Read More
- Comments Off
It was a quiet trade deadline for the Rangers and for most of the NHL.
The biggest move the Rangers made was grabbing defenseman Anders Eriksson from Phoenix for goaltender Miika Wiikman and a seventh round selection in the 2011 draft.
They also traded AHL players Jordan Owens for Kris Newbury.
So the Rangers stand tied for the final playoff spot with less than 20 games left in the season, no significant help on the way, and Marian Gaborik out with a tweaked groin.
Still, having said all that, the Rangers can make a strong push into the playoffs. Here are five ways they can solidify their place.
5. Make Marc Staal and Dan Girardi the permanent shut-down defensive pair.
Staal and Girardi have occasionally spent time together as a shut-down pair, playing against opponents top lines and making sure no one gets too out of hand in terms of goal-scoring.
Coach John Tortorella doesn’t always use the two defensemen together for purely defensive purposes. But with the Rangers struggling offense, it’s time to admit this is a team that’s only going to win games when they smother opposing teams defensively.
Tortorella doesn’t have to match forwards against forwards, but he should at least make sure his two best defensemen are always out against opponents’ top lines.
4. Give Chris Drury a job.
Drury came out of a strong Olympics mostly due to Team USA Coach Ron Wilson giving Drury some clearly defined responsibilities: forecheck hard, win faceoffs, and make life difficult for opponents wherever possible. Drury was asked to do everything but score and with the pressure of scoring gone, Drury actually scored.
Now, back in New York, Tortorella needs to give Drury the same responsibilities. Drury needs to be used defensively and freed of all scoring responsibilities. And hopefully, with the pressure off of Drury’s shoulders, he’ll find scoring opportunities, just like he did in Vancouver.
And if Drury doesn’t score, at least he’s keeping opponents off balance. There’s some value in that action alone.
3. Make the defense younger.
The Rangers already have a young defense. Remove the struggling Michal Rozsival and Wade Redden from the line-up, and their oldest defenseman is just 25. And now it’s time to give those young defensemen the keys to the Ranger kingdom, in the form of minutes.
Redden and Rozsival need to sit. Maybe not nightly, but frequently, so that players like Michael Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy can get experience. But Tortorella also needs to bring up some of his young AHL defensemen.
Why not see what Corey Potter, Michael Sauer, Ilkka Heikkinen, and even Bobby Sanguinetti can do with regular NHL minutes. Even new acquisition Eriksson has some NHL experience.
Why not see how he does in New York?
None of those AHLers can be that much worse than Redden and Rozsival. The fact that the two senior defensemen have huge contracts doesn’t mean they deserve a permanent place in the Rangers line-up.
2. Rest goalie Henrik Lundqvist.
Lundqvist has played in 55 of the Rangers first 63 games. Only Martin Brodeur and Jonathan Quick have played more games this year. On top of those 55 games, Lundqvist is coming out of the Olympics.
Last season, Lundqvist played 70 games and the season before it was 72. It’s just a huge workload. Eventually Lundqvist will buckle under all of the playing time.
If the Rangers want Lundqvist to last, not just into the playoffs, but long-term, they need to get him some help.
The Rangers claimed Alex Auld off of re-entry waivers. He’s a solid, if unspectacular, NHL goalie.
He needs some starts so Lundqvist can rest.
The Rangers might be able to ride a tired Lundqvist into the playoffs, but what’s the point if Lundqvist then finds himself too tired to play well?
1. Go to the net.
Every NHL telecast features someone lauding the benefits of going to the net. It’s a cliche, but it’s also true.
The Rangers lack finesse. The only way they’re going to be able to score consistently down the stretch and in the playoffs are by going to the net, creating traffic in front of opposing goalies, and knocking in any loose pucks they can find.
The Rangers went to the net Tuesday night against Ottawa and wound up with four goals, an amazing feat given Marian Gaborik was out of the line-up.
Also, by creating traffic in front of the net, there’s more of an opportunity for their defensemen to get some goals off of deflections.
Historically, the Rangers haven’t gone to the net since Adam Graves left. Tuesday night’s performance in the Ottawa crease was a revelation. It’s a performance they’ll need to repeat if they want to make a serious playoff run.
But if they can make it a regular part of their game, the Rangers should find themselves coasting into the playoffs.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Hockey, New York, New York Rangers, nhl, Opinion
- Read More
- Comments Off
The Olympic break couldn’t have ended fast enough for the Rangers.
After going 3-9 over a 12-game stretch leading up to the Olympics, they began to find their rhythm again at the end and won three out of the final four contests heading into the two-week respite.
The Rangers sent five players to the Olympics, and three of them came back with hardware.
Chris Drury and Ryan Callahan helped Team USA reach silver, only losing to the Canadians in the gold medal game two days ago, and Olli Jokinen helped Team Finland to a bronze medal versus Marian Gaborik and Slovakia.
Speaking of Gaborik, he suffered a leg laceration before the Olympics and decided to play through it. Only time will tell how well that healed.
Ottawa is heading into this game with a similar situation. They had built momentum going into the Olympic break, winning 14 out of 16 games heading into the break behind the hot hand of goalie Brian Elliot.
This matchup could go either way. It all is going to depend on who is suffering the biggest Olympic hangover.
Keys to the game
The Rangers will again have two weapons to keep an eye on. Daniel Alfredsson came back from injury and immediately went on a scoring tear. Mike Fisher is the surprise this season, proving himself to be an extremely effective two-way player.
If Gaborik can play effectively and Henrik Lundqvist continues his return to a more solid form (3-1 with a 1.76 GAA), then the history between these two teams states that the Rangers will win.
My prediction: 3-2 Rangers
Also of note
Corey Potter was recalled from AHL Hartford to substitute for Michael Del Zotto. Del Zotto, who suffered an abdominal laceration before the break, will be a game-time decision.
Between these teams, 10 players were Olympians. However, only one of the Senators, Jarkko Ruutu for Finland, returned home with a medal.
Lundqvist has historically done very well against the Senators in Ottawa, winning all three career road games, while sporting a 0.98 GAA in those matches.
Aaron Voros and Enver Lisin were both put on waivers today.
In order to give Lundquist some veteran backup, the Rangers picked up Alex Auld, who was placed on waivers by the Dallas Stars.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Hockey, New York, New York Rangers, nhl, NHL Atlantic, Preview/Prediction
- Read More
- Comments Off
Islanders’ final 20: What do we want?
2, Mar 2010
The Olympics are over, Canada got its gold medal, and the Russian president is about to roll some heads. But there’s no time to bask in the Olympic glow (or, if you’re Team USA, wallow in the disappointment). The stretch run for the NHL season is here, and the trade deadline is just a day away. Which means teams have decisions to make.
For the Islanders and GM Garth Snow, there will be many phone calls initiated and received. Does Snow trade Andy Sutton? What about Dwyane Roloson and Martin Biron? Or any of the team’s other unrestricted free agents like Doug Weight, Richard Park, or Jon Sim?
UPDATE: Sutton is traded. See below.
The reality is murky. The Islanders — despite losing 9 of 11 prior to the Olympic break — are one of seven teams within striking distance of the final two playoff spots in the East. The Isles have 20 games left to play, 11 of those at home, where they have a winning record (unlike, say, the Rangers).
I used to think that if your team was on the bubble, it didn’t matter if it made the playoffs or not, because it would probably get bounced in the opening round, with an outside chance of making it to round two. But with this Islanders team, I think making the playoffs — even if it led to a first-round elimination — would be huge.
With a core of young players, to reach the post-season now would be a tremendous boost in experience and confidence and would help accelerate the group’s development, and would affirm that coach Scott Gordon has the team headed in the right direction.
Can that happen? Seven teams is quite a scrum, but it’s possible that the team goes on a run and squeaks in. Possible, but not likely, especially if Snow trades away key pieces. Snow’s moves will be made solely on what benefits the club in the long term.
Take the goalies. Snow should deal whoever brings back a higher return, and that’s likely to be Roloson. He played great while he was here, but a 40-year-old netminder isn’t part of the future.
Sutton’s story is a little different. I’d hate to see him go. He’s big and mobile, but he’s going to be a free agent, and there are plenty of suitors. If the Isles cannot sign him to an extension now (and that’s pretty remote at this point), then it makes sense to trade him to a contender willing to rent him and then try and sign him as a free agent this summer. Keep in mind, he’ll be 35 in a week.
Dealing Sutton would hurt the team’s playoff chances more than anything else, but you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do.
(UPDATED: Sutton was traded Tuesday afternoon to Ottawa for a 2nd-round pick. MORE)
As a fan of this team, my approach is “whatever happens, happens.” Making the playoffs this season was always a remote possibility, so being within hailing distance of the playoffs with 20 games left isn’t bad. If Snow can convert some pieces into draft picks or prospects, all the better.
If the team somehow catches lightning in a bottle (and gets some serious help along the way) and makes the playoffs anyway, then that would be icing on the cake, and it would be fun to see how the team performs in that setting.
The endgame begins tonight at home against Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks. Keep your trade trackers on.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Hockey, New York, New York Islanders, nhl, NHL Atlantic
- Read More
- Comments Off
Eric Smith: Will The GM Olympics Be As Exciting?
1, Mar 2010As the trade deadline quickly approaches, anticipation of possible trades heat up and rumors swirl on every internet site that even remotely covers hockey. Now the question is will the trade deadline live up to the hype like the Winter Olympics did? I doubt it as the big boys have already been traded and there are few big names that will be changing addresses.
Since I cover the Blue Jacket…
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Blue Jackets, Boston, Bruins, calgary, Canucks, Columbus, Detroit, Devils, Flames, Flyers, new jersey, New York, nhl, Penguins, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Rangers, Red Wings, San Jose, Sharks, Vancouver
- Read More
- Comments Off
Lost in the sheer jubilation of Canada’s overtime victory against the USA for the gold medal was Martin Brodeur’s sudden fall from grace.
Obviously I use that term very loosely, as he is still an elite goaltender, as we all know very well.
But it was certainly odd as a fan to see a team with Brodeur on the active roster opt to put him on the bench.
I’m sure it felt odd for Brodeur as well. One of the biggest games in hockey history, and he’s sitting on the wrong side of the boards with a cap on? Doesn’t seem right, and I’m sure he wasn’t anywhere near happy about it, but it sure worked out for the host country in the end.
Now it’s March 1, and we go back to NHL hockey, jumping right into the crucial stretch of the season: six weeks remaining, with only four teams more than six points out of a playoff spot. In short, 26 of the 30 teams are fighting for playoff spots. It will be an amazing month and a half of hockey, which is only fitting to follow the instant classic that was played yesterday afternoon.
As the Devils return to the ice, Brodeur returns to his spot as a No. 1 goaltender in New Jersey’s crease—rested, refueled, and hopefully a little ticked off.
Brodeur’s last game in a Devils uniform was on Feb. 13. He wouldn’t play again until he was in a Team Canada jersey the following Thursday, barely escaping from Switzerland’s grasp in a shootout victory. Three days later, he’d fall to the up-and-coming USA team, and that would be the last we’d see of Martin Brodeur in the Olympics.
Counting Feb. 13’s game, in the past 15 days, Brodeur has played only three games—bad news for Brodeur’s international outlook, but great news for the Devils, as “fatigue” was a common word used to describe the Devils in the final month before the Olympic vacation. A rested Brodeur can be nothing but a good thing.
Hopefully, though, Brodeur is more than just rested. Hopefully he is determined—determined to show that his poor play in Canada was no more than an aberration, no more than a slump. I expect a Brodeur that is hell-bent on leading these Devils to the promised land, the team that needs him to perform at his best if they have a legitimate shot at a Cup this year and in the years to come.
Hopefully at some point during Sunday’s game, Brodeur looked down the other side of the ice and saw Ryan Miller, a goalie who put an entire country on his back for two weeks, and absorbed some of that leadership and determination that was just radiating off Miller in Vancouver.
Maybe he even took a glance at Roberto Luongo, the man who stole his starting goaltender status on Team Canada, and realized the game needed to be stepped up at this stage in his career.
Brodeur walked into Vancouver as the best goalie in the world at that moment. He might not have walked out as that.
Career-wise, Brodeur is undoubtedly the best. He’s had the best career of any goalie in NHL history, while compiling numbers that are just out of this world (aka astronomical). He deserves everything he gets.
But Ryan Miller and Roberto Luongo raised their games at the Olympics. Brodeur did not. Simple as that.
It’s been said before, and now it’s going to be said again: The Devils will go only as far as Marty Brodeur takes them. He’s in a prime position, with how rested he is and the amount of talent that is around him, to take them as far as they could possibly want to go.
The ingredients are there. Now it’s time to make the solution.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Hockey, Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils, New York, nhl, NHL Atlantic, Opinion
- Read More
- Comments Off
It didn’t have a storybook ending. It may not be made into a movie or make its way through the decades on the tongues of those who were around to watch, but the 2010 USA men’s hockey team was my generation’s miracle on ice.
With all the bashing and critiques media outlets pushed onto the laps of the the young Americans, many of which had never played on the Olympic stage before, one would believe USA had no chance of succeeding, let alone reach the finals—but they were wrong.
Today, I was inspired that willpower exists in every one of us as long as we believe that the impossible is never the case.
With all eyes on Vancouver’s final day of action, USA showed that while they may not have been the most talented or experienced on paper, all the statistics and analysis means nothing when the puck is dropped.
All tournament long USA picked off teams supposedly “superior” to them in every way, icing world powers such as Finland and Switzerland, and even defeating Canada back in the early rounds.
As today’s game approached, Team USA gained some respect, and in some eyes, had a chance to win before falling short 3-2 in overtime.
Usually miracles have happy endings. In a Biblical reference, the sick were healed; in sports, the 1980 USA men’s hockey team defeated the USSR, but today’s game puts a different twist on the meaning.
It’s a sorrowful one rather than a joyous one.
That miracle did not just consist of one game, but carried the the U.S. through the tournament, and came full circle today when the Americans found themselves down 2-0 to the “Greatest Show on Ice”, and looked to be defeated midway through the second period.
But with no alarm, the U.S. tapped into some of that miraculous dust and not only cut the deficit to 2-1, but turned up the pressure on Canada, and made fans once again believe.
However, that belief must have wavered in some, if not all, as the clocked ticked down to the final seconds for the American Cinderellas.
But this team was not turning into any pumpkins, for their talent and determination was true, and proved so as they knotted the score and had the hockey giants’ eyes tied to their shoestrings.
However, things didn’t turn out favorably for the red, white, and blue, and that’s ok.
I was not around for the original “Miracle on Ice”, nor do I wish to have been, because today I got to see my own miracle: Not the garden variety type that ends with a smile, but the one that will give all kids, not just Americans, the belief that anything is possible, no matter how bad the odds look.
If you say a loss is a loss no matter how you view it, you’re wrong. This team has done more for American hockey than any other American could have done for their respective sport this Olympics.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- Read More
- Comments Off
Derek Jeter: Enough with the Contract Talk!
25, Feb 2010Only the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl rival spring training in terms of useless news and information. During the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, we hear stories like X player reads the Harry Potter books or Y player eats four egg whites and two slices of whole wheat toast before every game.
When it comes to spring training, we hear stories like X player is in the best shape of his life. How many times have we heard that story this spring? I even read a story this morning that a catcher plans on using a bigger glove this season.
Fascinating stuff.
Jeter will never leave the Yankees. Period.
But there is one story that seems to be garnering national headlines and I really can’t figure out why. It’s the topic of New York Yankees’ shortstop and captain Derek Jeter and his contract.
I really couldn’t believe that Jeter was on the back of every major New York newspaper today. Can someone explain to me what the story is here? He is going to re-sign with the Yankees. We all know this.
Does anyone honestly think the team with the most money in baseball is really going to let the face of their franchise walk? You will have a better chance of seeing the following than the Yankees letting Jeter leave as a free agent:
- Me playing shortstop for the Yankees in 2011.
- My sister explaining me to me what FIP and UZR mean.
- The New York Mets properly diagnosing an injury.
- Mike Francesa admitting he is wrong about something.
- Shaquille O’Neal leading the NBA in free-throw percentage.
- Ron Jeremy on Jeopardy.
- Milwaukee, WI becoming the entertainment capital of the United States.
- Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan leaving wrestling for good.
- Gary Bettman putting an NHL franchise in a relevant city.
As you can see, there is no chance of Jeter leaving the Yankees after this season. So let’s not talk about his contract anymore.
It’s a non-issue.
You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: AL East, MLB, New York, New York Mets, New York Yankees, nhl, NL East, Super Bowl
- Read More
- Comments Off
Fact: Jaromir Jagr plays his best hockey while sporting a mullet.
Fact: The New York Rangers‘ offense is weaker than David Spade.
Fact: Jaromir Jagr’s contract in the KHL is up this summer.
Fact: The Rangers will have a few million dollars to toy with during the offseason.
Now, Jagr’s mullet isn’t as luscious as it was during his prime, but it’s working it’s way back. So, figure Jagr’s mullet-magic is working at 80 percent.
It’s also no secret around the NHL that Jaromir tends to, well, take shifts off every now and then. So, figure Jagr will disappear once every three shifts. That leaves us with Jagr playing to his level 66 percent of the time.
With that being said, Jagr just celebrated his 38th birthday before the Olympics began. So, age is definitely going to play a factor in this equation. But from the looks of it, Jagr is still dominating at will. Key word: will.
So, let’s say for arguments sake, since he isn’t a young Czechkin (Ha, get it? Young chicken, he’s a Czech…anyway) anymore, he’s playing at 90 percent of what normal Jagrness is.
Add all of that together, carry the one, add shampoo, rinse, add conditioner, rinse, towel-dry and style the mullet, tuck in the jersey, divide by x, and what you have is a player that will be better than 99.9 percent of the Rangers’ offense.
The only player the 38-year-old Jagr wouldn’t trump is, of course, Marian Gaborik.
All of this is stemming from Jagr’s notion that he would be possibly, kinda interested in returning to the NHL.
“They treat me so well in Russia, but at the same time, maybe I want to try to play here,” said Jagr to the Associated Press.
Jagr also recognizes that he wouldn’t have the same role that he is use to having. Much like his role on the Czech Olympic team.
This was one of Jagr’s problems in the past; his desire to be the focal point of every aspect of the offense. Hey, who can blame him? When you’re Jaromir Jagr and can dominate the game at will, wouldn’t you want to be the focal point?
There has only been one person in the NHL that could consistently stop Jagr from doing what he does.
That person is…Jaromir Jagr.
A lot of people like to believe that he dogs it, or doesn’t extract 100 percent effort every shift. I think that he’s so dominating, that when he does drop to 90 percent, it magnifies so much because he’s so noticeable at all times.
Through the two games I’ve watched for the Czech Republic this Olympics, I can tell you one thing: Jagr still has it.
I was never a huge fan of his when he played for the Rangers, but I didn’t dislike him like some Ranger fans did. How you could dislike a man that was the only source of offense and could change a game at will is beyond me.
Now, we all know that Rangers’ GM Glen Sather is infatuated with big-name free agents. Well, name’s don’t get any bigger that Jagr’s.
Jagr was earning $7 million, tax free, for the previous two seasons with Omsk Avangard of the KHL.
Jagr knows that if he is going to come back, he can’t expect that amount of money.
I think a one-year deal at $4 million, or a two-year, $3.4-6 million contract would be very reasonable for both parties.
Jagr would not only have the familiarity of New York, a place he loved to play in, but he also wouldn’t have as much pressure as he did the first time around.
As long as Gaborik is around, Jagr will not be relied on as the only source of offense. Also, Jagr won’t have to have the stress of being the captain on his shoulders. All Jagr would have to do is, well, be Jagr.
Adding Jagr to the Rangers lineup does so many things.
For starters, they would have a much more balanced scoring attack. Especially if they could re-sign Vinny Prospal, and Evgeny Grachev is ready to make the jump the NHL.
Guys like Chris Drury and Ryan Callahan won’t be relied on to be primary scoring threats, which will allow them to do what they do best. If you don’t know what they do best, I suggest you watch the next Team USA game. It’s amazing how effective they can be when used correctly.
The powerplay also gets a much needed injection. I do not envy a defense that has to defend Jagr and Gaborik on the powerplay, while sophomore blueliner Michael Del Zotto mans the point.
“I think after the two years I’ve spent in Russia I can be a better player than I was when I left,” said Jagr. “I know that.”
Well, if that’s true, that’s amazing. It’s not like he was a bad player when he left. His last season in New York Jagr still had 25 goals and 46 assists. That would be second for the Rangers in goals this season, and first in assists. Not bad for a player that thinks he can do better.
He currently leads Omsk Avangard in goals, assists, and points, so there is no question the man can still play at a high level. Just look at his play thus far in the Olympics.
The question is: Will he return? And for how much? And will the Rangers kick the tires?
When Sather’s inevitable big-name equation is added up, Jagr’s name should be the only one left on the chalkboard.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Chris Drury, Czech Republic, Front Page, Hockey, Jaromir Jagr, Marian Gaborik, New York, New York Rangers, nhl, Opinion
- Read More
- Comments Off
Stat Trick: Ottawa Senators 4, New York Islanders 3
15, Feb 2010Fisher’s goal, the second Senator tally in 93 seconds turned out to be the winner, which is not surprising. Fisher has scored seven career goals against the Islanders; five have been game winning goals. The Isles pressed for the deadlock in the final 9:14 but couldn’t beat Brian Elliott.
The Isles have dominated the Blackhawks in recent seasons, winning five straight games by a combined 25-9. Last season’s win in Chicago was Peter Mannino’s first (and to this point only) NHL win; Mannino is having a stellar season with Chicago in the IHL this season—he’s 17-3-0.
This will be the Hawks’ first visit to Long Island since Halloween, 2006. Perhaps the Blackhawk visit will be the cure for the Islander power play. The Isles last scored three power play goals on March 15, 2009 in Chicago (74 games ago) and have not scored three power play goals at the Coliseum since that Halloween visit by the Hawks- a span of 146 home games.
Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since 1982. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Blake Comeau, Game Recap, Hockey, New York, New York Islanders, nhl
- Read More
- Comments Off
Today marks the last day the NHL will conduct any games until March 1st, with the next 2 weeks or so dedicated to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.
The Devils will have five participants on the world stage this time around: Martin Brodeur (Canada), Patrik Elias (Cz. Republic), Ilya Kovalchuk (Russia), Jamie Langenbrunner (USA), and Zach Parise (USA). With all five of these premier players on extremely talented teams, expect at least one to bring some gold back to Newark, and you can even expect a few others to bring back some silver or bronze as well. But which Devil will fare better off than the others?
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: 2010 Winter Olympics, Hockey, New Jersey Devils, New York, nhl, Opinion
- Read More
- Comments Off
Richard Park scored a pair of goals, the latter awarded after a video review with only 2:22 to play, as the Islanders defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4 on Saturday afternoon at the Coliseum. On to the trick:
1. Blake Comeau gave the Isles a 1-0 lead 7:31 into play. It’s only the second time in the last twelve games that the Isles have scored first, and the first time in those twelve games that the Isles have had a lead at any point in the first period in those twelve games.
The lead did not last long, as Steven Stamkos tied the game and Mike Lundin gave the Bolts the lead after twenty minutes. It was the 50th goal since last February 17 for Stamkos; only Alex Ovechkin (57) and Sidney Crosby (51) have more goals in that span.
2. There were four goals scored in the middle session, all by players who started the season with the Islanders. After Doug Weight scored his first goal of the season, Nate Thompson scored his first goal for the Lightning (Thompson was claimed on waivers by Tampa on January 21).
Two strikes by the Isles in a 60-second span gave the Isles the intermission advantage as Kyle Okposo tied the game off hard work from John Tavares and Park converted the rebound of a Comeau shot to give the Isles the lead.
3. Steve Downie tied the game 2:57 into the third, and the Lightning controlled most of the final period, outshooting the Isles 19-7, but it was Park who would score for the Islanders to give them the victory. It was Park’s sixth career two-goal game, and his first since January 2, 2009.
…a few more…
4. It was a goaltending battle of ex-Flyers, as Martin Biron stopped 38 shots for his second straight win, beating former Flyer mater Antero Niittymaki. It’s the first winning streak for Biron as an Islander and his 38 saves matches his season high. The Isles have scored eight goals in Biron’s last two starts (both wins), after scoring only seven goals in his previous six starts.
5. Several Islanders broke scoring droughts: it was the first goal in 30 games for Weight, first in 11 games for Park, first in nine games for Comeau and first in eight games for Okposo.
6. The Isles improve to 16-11-2 at home; their 34 points equals their second highest total over the first 29 home games since 1987-88 (the Isles had 40 points in 29 games in 2003-04).
7. Matt Martin and former Islander Nate Thompson engaged in a first period brawl. Martin also received a misconduct penalty; he has 22 penalty minutes in his first three NHL games.
8. Bruno Gervais finished +3 for the Isles as he was on-ice for all three second period goals. It was the first time since January 19 that he had a “plus” rating. The three Islander goals in the middle session marked their first three-goal period since January 2 against Atlanta.
9. The Isles recorded their 25th win of the season; however twelve of the 25 have been in overtime or in shootouts. It’s the first regulation win for the Isles since Rick DiPietro (who apparently is out again, this time with the flu) blanked New Jersey on January 18.
10. The Isles scored more goals in this game than they did in the first three games against Tampa, when they were outscored 13-4. The teams split the two Coliseum games, but the Lightning win the season series three games to one.
Up next: The Isles play their final pre-Olympic game on Sunday at 5:00 when they entertain Ottawa. The Isles have struggled on the back-end of back-to-backs, going 1-8-0 in their last nine, with the victory coming in a shootout in Phoenix.
It’s the first visit of the Senators since November 29, 2008; the Isles swept both Coliseum meeting last season. The Isles played Ottawa even through 60 minutes in Ontario twice this season, but the Sens own both an overtime win and a shootout win over the Isles this season.
Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since 1982. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Game Recap, Hockey, Martin Biron, New York, New York Islanders, nhl, Richard Park
- Read More
- Comments Off
They are hired to be fired. It is the NHL coaching creed.
In some cases it is the right thing to do, but in the case of the New York Rangers, who dismissed Tom Renney last year, the move made about as much sense as Aerosmith going on tour with Justin Timberlake as their lead singer.
Under the John Tortorella regime this season, the Rangers are 26-27-7 in 60 games thus far. Last season after 61 games, Renney had guided the club to a 31-23-7 record, yet he was let go.
Bringing Tortorella on board was simply another idiotic decision from GM Glen Sather, who hasn’t had success since the Reagan administration.
I mean really…Tortorella? The guy is more suited for a Howard Stern-esque late night radio show than a hockey coach. Besides, the Rangers already had Sean Avery—with two guys that like the smell of their own farts as much as those two, it’s no wonder the team stinks.
The Rangers have been about as consistent as Jennifer Aniston’s love life.
The fact is, Renney is a smart hockey man, who coached some pretty mediocre Rangers teams to three 40+ win seasons in his little over three years behind the bench in the Big Apple.
And he most likely would have made it four if the fans didn’t start calling for his head there.
The statistics don’t lie, Blueshirt fans: His .577 winning percentage is tops all-time when it comes to Rangers coaches that have been with the club for two seasons or more. And he only trails Mike Keenan (.667) and Emile Francis (.661) for the overall best record, and neither of those two coached more than 108 games in New York.
It’s real simple: When the Rangers don’t qualify for the playoffs this season after four straight appearances, it won’t be because of the lack of talent on Broadway, but rather who is directing the players.
Yet, Glen Sather will most likely keep his job, and so will John Tortorella for that matter as he has become somewhat of an icon in New York. But so was Kathy Lee Gifford at one point.
Meanwhile, this season could have been avoided if Renney was still at the helm. The hockey people in the NHL don’t refer to him as “the professor” just because he dresses sharp, people. Renney is legitimate, and he knows the game.
If he had absolute control in Edmonton, there is no doubt in my mind the Oilers squad would have a much better record. That, however, is simply not the case.
While Rangers fans will stay up late scratching their heads wondering what’s wrong with their club this year, they need not look further than themselves to lay the blame.
The ones that demanded a coaching change, that is.
While Tortorella is entertaining at times, he isn’t as fun as watching playoff hockey at Madison Square Garden.
‘Nuff said.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Hockey, New York, New York Rangers, nhl, Opinion
- Read More
- Comments Off
Despite losing key players in Michael Del Zotto and Marian Gaborik after the first period, the New York Rangers put up one of their better efforts in recent memory tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Mellon Arena.
The Rangers always seem to play a spirited match against the Pens, but sometimes, that is not the case when they are on the road. Tonight was an exception, as the team was relentless in this performance and did all they could to earn the overtime win.
This, my friends, is what Head Coach John Tortorella is referring to when he says he needs his team to show more desperation. We saw a boatload of it tonight.
The first period is the only one that you could say the Rangers were lacking. It did not help that forward Gaborik (thigh) was playing at about 50 percent and Del Zotto fell on Evgeni Malkin’s skate, which ended up slicing the rib area open, leaving him lying on the ice in his own blood.
Neither player would return, so that meant Ryan Callahan would have to jump up and do first-line duty while the defense had to run on a five-man rotation. Sidney Crosby was the only goal scorer in that period, as his slapper flew through the legs of Henrik Lundqvist and gave the Pens the advantage after one.
About 1:30 into the second stanza, Captain Chris Drury’s behind-the-back feed found Brandon Dubinsky in the slot, whose one-timer just barely squeaked through the legs of goaltender Brent Johnson. Vinny Prospal would follow that up with his 13th of the season when Artem Anisimov laid a beautiful pass for the flying winger, who roofed a shot top-shelf. At that point, the Rangers had a 2-1 lead.
Toward the end of this period, things got a little testy as we saw Drury drop the gloves with Matt Cooke to defend himself after what he felt was a cheap shot along the boards. Michal Rozsival even got himself involved by ripping Cooke off of Drury, but he received a 10-minute misconduct for the act.
Then, after the buzzer sounded, Dubinsky and Crosby exchanged stick stabs, prompting Dubinsky to say this on MSG Network when asked about the confrontation: “He’s such a little baby sometimes.”
You know the fans’ eyes lit up when he made that comment.
Of course, the Rangers could not hold onto the one-goal lead in the third period. Dan Girardi was unable to clear the zone past defenseman Sergei Gonchar, who let a laser fly from the point. Crosby connected on a perfect deflection for his 41st goal of the season, and things were tied at two.
It only took 1:03 into overtime for Olli Jokinen to score his most important goal as a New York Ranger, rifling a wrister over the shoulder of Marc-Andre Fleury, who replaced an injured Johnson in the second, ending the game with the Rangers defeating the Penguins, 3-2.
Before I go any further, I would just like to point out the play about Rozsival tonight. Sticking up for the captain was one thing, but stepping up when his team needed him was another.
Yes, I understand that he has been a liability on defense this season, but he played a magnificent game tonight, and I believe that should be recognized. Tortorella felt the same way.
Jokinen picked up a goal and an assist on the night, and he played very well with Dubinsky on the second offensive unit. Jokinen seems as if he is beginning to feel comfortable here in New York and is starting to look like a standout player on the ice for the Blueshirts. From what I have seen/heard so far, Jokinen is doing his best to become a leader on this hockey club, and nothing proves that more than burying a game-winning tally in overtime.
Once again, Lundqvist had a spectacular game, making 25 saves on 27 shots faced. Team Sweden will be receiving a red-hot netminder in Lundqvist next week in the Olympics—and if he can play this way up in Vancouver, there is no doubt in my mind that Sweden can defend its gold medal. He has been playing his best hockey of the season as of late, as he most often does in the second half each year.
Also give credit to Drury, because while he may have gotten pummeled to the ice, the fact that he stuck up for himself and showed grit in front of his whole team speaks volumes. The locker room was ecstatic when talking about Drury’s actions after the game.
I truly believe that this team took the loss of Gaborik and Del Zotto and made it into something they could build momentum on. Those two players are instrumental to this lineup night in and night out, and to go out and defeat the defending champions in a hard-fought battle like they did without those two makes a statement.
Hopefully, we will see a similar effort on Sunday, when the Blueshirts will host the Tampa Bay Lightning in the final game before we break for the Olympics.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Hockey, New York, New York Rangers, nhl, NHL Atlantic
- Read More
- Comments Off
As I reported in the pregame post, Darren Dreger of TSN has confirmed on Twitter that the New York Rangers have acquired 34-year-old enforcer Jody Shelley from the Sharks just before today’s Olympic Roster Freeze.
The Sharks receive a conditional sixth round draft pick in 2011, which changes to a fifth round pick if the Blueshirts choose to re-sign the bruiser come July. Shelley is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and is currently earning $725,000.
This acquisition, in my mind, definitely marks the end of the brief Donald Brashear-era here in New York. Brashear, who was making $1.4 million per year, passed through waivers earlier this afternoon and is now a part of the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL).
Now I can understand where GM Glen Sather is going with this move, as he continues to attempt to improve the overall toughness of this team. But with just 22 games remaining, is it a bit too late for that? The grit and toughness is more of a necessity on defense more than it is at forward right now.
Yet another strange move by Sather, who has now created a dog fight between Aaron Voros, Brandon Prust, and Shelley for the last enforcer spot in the lineup.
Also be sure to read my Rangers-Penguins Pregame Preview.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Hockey, Jody Shelley, New York, New York Rangers, nhl, NHL Pacific
- Read More
- Comments Off
Rangers-Penguins: Scouting Report for Feb. 12, 2010
12, Feb 2010With the New York Rangers currently on the outside looking in with regards to the playoffs, the Penguins are all ready to retake the Atlantic division lead.
The Rangers seem to be reeling from their losses in recent weeks despite Henrik Lundquist standing on his head. King Henrik has returned to regular form over the last few starts, but The Rangers continue to squander chances, and struggle on offense.
The real question coming into this game is whether Marian Gaborik will be starting, as he is day-to-day with a laceration on his right leg, which he sustained in practice, and runs the risk of missing his second straight game.
The Penguins, following Sidney Crosby, have outscored the Rangers 33-14 while holding seven consecutive wins over the Blueshirts.
Keys to the game:
If the Rangers can manage to play a disciplined game defensively, they have a good chance of keping it close. Unfortunately, they showed little signs of team discipline in their last game against the Nashville Predators, a 2 -1 loss, on Wednesday. Michael Del Zotto was called for four minutes in penalties, the second of which was an unsportsmanlike conduct for arguing the first penalty, that lead to the Preds’ winning goal.
Not surprisingly, Del Zotto spent the remainder of the second period watching from the end of the bench.
If the Penguins continue to dominate the way they have since Jan. 11 (a 4 -3 loss to the Devils), they will be able to overwhelm the Rangers as so many other teams have done this season. Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury have thrived against the Rangers. Fleury is 13-1-1 against them at the Igloo in Pittsburgh.
My prediction:
All the Pens are going to have to do is show up and control the game from the opening face off. Lundquist will make this a close game, but his efforts will be wasted.
This game should be a walk in the park for the Pens.
Final score: Pens 4, Rangers 2
Note:
The Rangers traded a 2010 conditional draft pick to the San Jose Sharks for Jody Shelley.
Minnesota and Chicago finalized a trade before the deadline: Former Rangers defense-man Kim Johnsson and Nick Leddy go to Chicago for Cam Barker. Barker was going to be moved regardless to make cap space for the Blackhawks.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Hockey, New York, New York Rangers, nhl, Preview/Prediction
- Read More
- Comments Off
The New York Rangers, after coming off of a depressing loss to the Nashville Predators on Wednesday night, will clash with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Igloo tonight. Right now, the Penguins are probably one of the last teams in the league the Rangers want to be facing in the midst of their slump, but then again, a win over the defending Cup Champions would certainly be a confidence booster.
The Penguins have been winners in six of their last seven and are currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers, on the other hand, have fallen to eleventh place in the East and have only won two of their last 10.
No, that is not a misprint, the Rangers have only won two games in their last 10. Certainly not what head coach John Tortorella wants out of his tam heading into the Olympic break.
Rangers Projected Lineup (unconfirmed)
Prospal – Christensen – Drury
Dubinsky – Jokinen – Callahan
Avery – Anisimov – Lisin
Prust – Boyle – Voros
Staal – Girardi
Del Zotto – Rozsival
Redden – Gilroy
Lundqvist
Scratches: Marian Gaborik (thigh), Jody Shelley
Henrik Lundqvist has been rock solid in goal for the Blueshirts lately, but unfortunately the team in front of him has been inconsistent. One night, they will provide the all-star netminder with a surplus of defensive help as well as a great amount of offensive support. And on other nights, like Wednesday, the defense is quite porous and the offensive cannot find the back of the net. To be honest, I have no clue as to how Henrik deals with it.
Marian Gaborik, who missed last game due to a laceration of the hip, will once again be a game-time decision tonight against the Pens. The Slovakian star skated in practice and mentioned that he had trouble turning and stopping. In my opinion, there is no need to rush Gaborik and put him at risk of a more serious injury, so rest him tonight and get the remainder of the squad to learn how to score goals without him.
John Tortorella told reporters yesterday that the team has been lacking desperation and that he wants all things put off, including the Olympics, until every game leading up to the break is complete. He wants them solely focused on playing hockey and picking up critical points in the standings, which have been hard to come by for this team.
We will see if Torts’ comments have any impact at all on how the players take tonight’s tilt. The last time the Rangers played at Mellon Arena, well, I am sure you remember what happened….
Penguins Projected Lineup
Kunitz – Crosby – Guerin
Dupuis – Malkin – Fedotenko
Cooke – Staal – Kennedy
Rupp – Letestu – Adams
Gonchar – Orpik
Eaton – Letang
Goligoski – McKee
Johnson
In other news, Rangers enforcer Donald Brashear, who has requested a trade, cleared waivers this afternoon and will become a part of the Wolf Pack (AHL) for the time being. Also, Brent Johnson will be in goal for the Pens in this one.
In-game updates on twitter available at twitter.com/RangersTribune .
UPDATE: According to Darren Dreger of TSN, the Rangers have acquired forward Jody Shelley for a draft pick.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Hockey, New York, New York Rangers, nhl, NHL Atlantic, Preview/Prediction
- Read More
- Comments Off
Time for Mark Messier To Retake New York
12, Feb 2010When I was 12 years old, I remember the NY Rangers trading for Mark Messier in the hopes that a team could be built around him to contend for the Stanley Cup. The team had some decent talent back then in the likes of Bernie Nicholls, Mike Gartner, and a young defenseman named Brian Leetch.
As soon as Mark hit the Rangers, he took control of that team. Neil Smith might have been the GM and Roger Neilson and Mike Keenan might have coached the teams, but the truth was that Messier ran that team in the early 1990s. He commanded respect in the locker room and he led by example on the ice, racking up 107 points in his first season in NY. Later on in 1994, Messier showed how his leadership tied the whole team together.
If you have ever seen Messier’s eyes when he was taking a face-off, you know what determination he had on the ice.
The Rangers organization has already put him in a position to ascend to the GM spot, and now is the time to make that change and let him use that same determination he had in 1994 to build the franchise back to a Stanley Cup contender. Glen Sather has had a decade to get that done, and 10 years with limited results is long enough.
Messier will have a good core of players to build on. Marian Gaborik has clearly led the offense this year, but the Rangers also need second and third line players who can score. It might be time to part ways with players like Chris Drury, who has been unable to score for the past few seasons with any consistency.
Messier will also need to rebuild the Rangers defense. With the exceptions of Marc Staal and occasional flashes from Michael Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy, the defense has been largely ineffective this year.
Messier’s job will not be easy, but he has seen how the NY sports pressure cooker works. He cares about the team at a personal level and when asked has said the 1994 Stanley Cup was the favorite of the six that he won.
The fans have spoken; listen closely while watching a game and the chants of “FIRE SATHER!” are very clear. Sather’s time is done, and it is time to usher in a new era in the Rangers front office.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Hockey, Mark Messier, New York, New York Rangers, nhl, Opinion
- Read More
- Comments Off