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”

Henrik is getting his shut-outs in the post-season! (Photo: Melissa Andus)

So, for a few minutes there, I was worried that this game was going to turn into the Boston-Toronto game, where Boston came back from a 3 goal deficit to win in overtime. But that didn’t happen. Lundqvist scored his second shut out in a row and the Rangers broke their streak of never winning a game 7 on the road with a 5-0 victory over the Washington Capitals. Congrats boys. Now we head to Boston for round 2….

» Continue reading “Rangers Move On To Face Boston After Five Zero Win In Game Seven”

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”

It didn’t happen exactly like this since Boyle wasn’t on the ice but I love this picture and Zuccarello did get his first of the season.

Editors Note: Before we get to the recap of tonight, I want to give my thoughts and prayers to everyone effected by the tragic events in Boston yesterday. Being from NYC, I know exactly what that city is going through. I also know they are just as strong as NY was and will get through it. Thoughts and prayers from your friends to the south are with you guys during this time.

Tonights’ game between the Rangers and Flyers basically meant nothing to the home team. Yes, Philadelphia isn’t mathematically out but for all intensive purposes, they are done. The Rangers, on the other hand, desperately need all the points they can get to make sure they keep that hold on eighth place. So which team played their hearts out? The Flyers, of course. Honestly, I called this outcome before the game cause the Rangers are too damn predictable. Can’t wait till the Panthers game on Thursday…

After a nice tribute to the victims in Boston, the Rangers and Flyers took the ice and if I didn’t know better, I would think both teams played last night and had to travel to get to tonights’ game. (The Flyers did have that, the Rangers didn’t have an excuse.) Nine and a half minutes in, the Flyers finally made the Rangers pay as a puck deflected off a Ranger player (I think Zuccarello) right to Brayden Schenn who was wide open in front of Lundqvist because Anton Stralman was looking the other way and buried it.

» Continue reading “Rangers Lackluster Effort Gives Flyers Easy Win”

You are one lucky guy but please be careful out there. (Photo: Gregory Manno/flickr)

And a fine or suspension.

By now I’m sure everyone has seen video of Michael Del Zotto’s accidental hit on James Neal last night. (I don’t care what anyone says, that was not done on purpose.) If not, here you go:

» Continue reading “Del Zotto Dodges A Bullet”

Can always count on this man in the third period. (Photo: Melissa Andus)

The Rangers entered Pittsburgh tonight playing with house money after taking two points in the first half of the home and home with the Penguins. No matter what, I would’ve been happy with the outcome. The fact that the Rangers managed to get another point is not only huge in the standings but should be huge for their psyche in the fact they can beat this team, something that will be important if they ended up in eighth place to end the season. (Yes, I am giving the Penguins first in the east. I can’t see them losing it.)

The first period tonight was a little different than Wednesday night in that Fleury was on his game and the Rangers didn’t get a bunch of random goals. In fact, they got none. The good news was Henrik Lundqvist was still up to the task so the Penguins didn’t have any goals either. Honestly, the only action of the period was a fight between Ryane Clowe and Deryk Engelland. Pretty good bout.

» Continue reading “Another Point! Even Though Just One, I’ll Take It!”

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”

This man should’ve been the #1 star of the game. Yes, he was that good. (Photo: Melissa Andus)

I’m really at a loss for words on what I just witnessed between the Rangers and Hurricanes. Neither team looked good and neither team looked terrible (well I guess both teams had stretches of terrible). So I guess it was fitting it went to a shootout.

No lineup changes for the home team but there was a change to who was in the press box. Marc Staal was in the building. And he definitely got the loudest ovation when they showed him on the screen. He just stared straight ahead as they showed the side of his face but it was enough for Rangers fans. I’ll be honest – it was amazing to see him (and not because how the defense has been playing).

» Continue reading “The Good Staal Watched His Brothers Lose As Rangers Beat Canes”