Thanks for finally showing up! Too bad the rest of the team is exhausted (Photo: Melissa Andus)

So… this is starting to look familiar, isn’t it? The Rangers opening their series on the road with two straight losses. While I think the Rangers are looking much better in the second round than they did in the first, drawing out the first round to seven games didn’t do the team any favors in terms of fitness and reserves. So, we’re still missing Clowe, Staal, and Powe, the defense is clearly exhausted, and a 1 in 5 road record is… not great.

Well, let’s beat this dead horse!

» Continue reading “Not Even Nash Can Save Rangers In Second Loss To Boston”

Nice job shutting down Alex Ovechkin, Mac Truck. (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

I don’t know if it was the high of a home victory, the roar of the hometown faithful, or just a wake-up call from Torts, but the Rangers really showed up tonight. Hitting, winning face offs, McDonagh sticking to Ovechkin like glue, Brassard getting two assists, Hagelin showing up with a goal and two assists, and Stepan with the game winning goal for the second straight game… it all added up to another 4-3 victory over the Caps.

» Continue reading “Rangers Tie The Series With Nail Biter Win”

This man was definitely the #2 star for the Rangers tonight. Sorry, I still have to place Lundqvist as #1 even if he wasn’t perfect. (Photo: Melissa Andus)

So it’s the playoffs and the Rangers are playing the Capitals. I really don’t have much to say about the series that we are all too familiar with. In regards to the Rangers roster, it was the same as the one that played against the Devils this past weekend meaning that three guys made their NHL playoffs debuts – Derick Brassard, John Moore and Kris Newbury. You would never have known the first two had never played a playoff game.

As for the game, I’m sure the talk in the Rangers locker room before the game was weathering the early storm. I’m pretty sure that didn’t include taking a penalty 34 seconds in, especially the one they took – too many men on the ice. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen that one. Amazingly, they managed to kill it but momentum was set as the Caps continued to control play. In fact, it took almost eight minutes for the Rangers to get their first shot on net. By that time, the Capitals already had nine. Somehow the score was still 0-0.

With five and a half minutes to go in the period, and the Rangers having just two shots on net, the visiting team was given a “gift” as they got a chance on the power play. I say it was a gift because it was a horrible call (Beagle was called for boarding and as Joe Micheletti said “did you know players can’t hit the boards on an icing call?”). The power play didn’t look great but it wasn’t a power kill as the boys did manage more shots than they had during the first fifteen minutes with three on the power play.

» Continue reading “Caps Draw First Blood With 3-1 Victory”

A couple days ago, I said this man needed confidence. Four goals later, including first career hat trick, I would say that isn’t an issue anymore. (Photo: Robert Kowal/flickr)

You get a goal! And you get a goal! And you get a hat trick! Cause why the heck not throw one of those in?

Seriously, I don’t even know where to begin on the Rangers-Sabres game I just witnessed. Thirteen Rangers had points, a record was broken, a milestone hit, and more importantly the Rangers actually took control of a game they had to win. It was a lot of fun to watch. Even better was the regulation win eliminated both the Sabres and Flyers from playoff contention.

The first eighteen minutes of the game was a choppy, feeling out period for both teams. A couple of chances for both sides but nothing worth talking about. I thought it was going to be another nail biter. The moment the clock hit 18:30 of the first period, all hell broke loose.

First it was Carl Hagelin wrapping the puck around the net and banking it in off a Sabres defenseman with 1:18 remaining in the period. Stepan and Lundqvist got the assists on that one. Yes, Lundqvist got an assist. The next shift, the Rangers looked like they were going to give it right back but 57 seconds later, Brad Richards took a shot from the right faceoff circle that hit another Sabre and went past Miller to make it 2-0. Zuccarello got the only assist on that one. Seventeen seconds after that, Miller fanned on a clearing attempt and Ryane Clowe buried it to give the Rangers a 3-0 lead to end the first period.

Needless to say the Rangers fan base was in shock and thought they had seen it all. They had not.

» Continue reading ““Cookie Monsters” Score Eight Goals To Eliminate Sabres From Playoff Contention”

Cheer up, Dan Girardi. You scored the game winning goal! (Photo: Derrick Bostrom/ flickr)

What a game! The Rangers gained two points and their first shut out of the season in a hard-fought overtime victory against the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. Dan Girardi scored on a high rising shot to the upper right corner of the net at 3:11 of overtime with a nice pass from Brassard setting him up to go to the net. Nice work by Brassard, showing more of the talent gained in the Gaborik trade.

» Continue reading “Lundqvist Nets First Shut Out And Girardi Scores Game Winning Goal Against Isles”

Hail to the king, baby! (Photo: Screen shot from Maple Leafs game overtime/ BlueShirtsUnited.com)

I should know better than to crow about any victory against the Penguins, no matter how big or small it is. Because that second game against the Penguins was no fun, no fun at all! So, the Rangers dropped in the standings, but are still hanging on to a playoff spot. They face the Islanders tomorrow, in what will be a great match up of long time rivals.

Good. Bad. I’m the guy with the keyboard. It’s the week in review:

» Continue reading “The Week In Review: Army Of Snarkness”

We got you for the power play and shootout. You haven’t helped on one of those but you came up huge in the other tonight. (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

At the start of the season, I said the Rangers problems were all mental. I don’t think they have as many problems as they did then but the mental aspect of their game is still not there. They better figure it out soon as while their remaining schedule may be favorable, it won’t be easy.

Quick roster note that had nothing to do with tonights’ game as J.T. Miller was officially sent down to Connecticut yesterday. I’m glad for two reasons. One, it means his wrist is better and two because it means the Rangers are doing the right thing for him. If there is one good thing about the moves the Rangers made at the trade deadline, it brought in bodies so the kids could learn rather than getting thrown into the fire.

Not much action in the first period as the two teams were basically feeling each other out. Both sides got chances but nothing worth talking about nor were there any penalties in the period.

» Continue reading “Rangers Squeak By Leafs To Split Home And Home”

Rick Nash needs to take some style lessons from King Henrik (Photo: Screenshot from Senators post-game/ BlueshirtsUnited.com)

“We weren’t good enough.” “It’s really disappointing… let’s leave it at that.” “We can’t start playing midway through the third.” “I had some key opportunities and I don’t score.” Just a selection of quotes from last night’s post-game interviews after a 3-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators. The entire team is frustrated and it’s coming to a head. The Rangers are still in a playoff spot, trailing behind the Devils (who just lost half of their top players to injury). What’s the problem with the Rangers? Well, I can’t tell you that, but I can tell you what happened with them this week.

It’s….. the week in review:

» Continue reading “The Week In Review: What… Happened?”

Hey, cheer up Gaby. At least you finally scored! (Photo: Derrick Bostrom/ flickr)

So that sure was a mixed bag, huh? The Rangers started off the week being shut out by the Penguins, then they won two in a row and then lost to the 15th seed.

Let’s talk it out:

» Continue reading “The Week In Review: Up, Up, and Down…”

Since I put Del Zotto yesterday, it was a toss up between this man and Girardi for who to focus on. Since Dan tried to kill the man above, Henrik gets the nod. (Photo: Melissa Andus)

On the one year anniversary of the opening face off fights between these teams, we got to see a first period that was anything but typical Rangers-Devils. The teams gave us the whole spectrum as the second period was a little more what we would expect and the third was twenty minutes of trap. The game wasn’t easy to watch by any means but it got the job done.

To start the game, it was obvious who had played the night before and who hadn’t as the Devils had their legs under them while the Rangers did not. Logic would say that would be the other way around as the Devils hadn’t played since Saturday, but logic doesn’t come into play with this team. Halfway through the period, Ryan McDonagh took a tripping penalty. Thirty seconds in, the Devils took a shot that basically hit everything except the back of the net and play continued. In real time, I couldn’t tell what it hit so figured it would be reviewed and end up a goal whenever the next stoppage of play occurred.

» Continue reading “Rangers Never Trail, Hang On To Beat Devils”