Happy New Year

Dave will back soon, but you’re still stuck with me for another few days. I won’t be around tonight or tomorrow, so I just wanted to wish everyone a happy and safe New Years.

See you in ‘09!

Anatomy of a No. 1 Defenseman

The term “number one defenseman” is really similar to “ace pitcher” in baseball. Yeah, technically every team has one, but how many of these guys are true number ones? Maybe half. The rest are a bunch of solid number two/three type D-men that are forced into the number one role. True number ones, guys that can quarterback a power play and hold off the opposition’s top forwards for 26 minutes a game – guys like Nicklas Lidstrom, Chris Pronger and Dion Phaneuf – are few and far between.

For more than a decade, we Rangers’ fans were treated to the sight of Brian Leetch doing his thing on the blueline, a bonafide number one defensemen. Wade Redden was brought in on a 6 yr, $39M deal before the season to be that number one guy, but he hasn’t come close to justifying that contract. Instead, the team’s top blueliner is the only defenseman on the roster that was actually drafted by the Blueshirts: Marc Staal.

The youngest player on the team is often the one that plays with the most maturity, as Staal’s impressive hockey instincts and quick decision making has him playing like a 10 yr vet. Standing 6′4″ and checking in around 200 lbs, he’s aggressive with the poke check and is helped by a stick reach that measures approximately 23 feet (give or take). Staal’s also picked up his physical play, standing up at the blueline and taking the body more than I ever remember him doing in the past. He was talked about as a potential shutdown defenseman at the time he was drafted, and it appears he’s well on his way to developing into that.

Right now, the knock on Staal’s game is his offense. While his instincts serve him well on defense, they haven’t yet made the jump to help him with his passing. He’s getting better though, and you can see it every game. I’m not sure if he’ll ever be a 36-40 point guy, but that’s not really his game.

The cool part about Staal is that you can see him getting better every day; he makes those two or three plays a game that remind you of just how solid he is. He may never develop into that true number one because of his offensive deficiencies, but when the game is on the line, there’s no one I’d rather see out there than #18.

Mike Axisa writes for River Ave. Blues and can be reached here.

Prucha pays off

Petr Prucha returned to the lineup last night after a 10 game ride-the-pine streak, and he injected some much needed life into the squad. He stays with the play and attacks the net unlike anyone else on the squad, and only Nik Zherdev is as creative with the puck. His goal 49 seconds into the third frame brought the Garden to its collective feet, and chants of PE-TR PRU-CHA rained down from the blue seats.

The Hockey Rodent adds more:

Yes, he’s been stymied by netminders all fall. Prucha may well be guilty of gripping the stick too tight(ly). But even when he fails, he brings the arena to its feet because what he does is in such sharp contrast to Tom Renney’s bland menu of meat and potatoes formations and five in the picture.

Variety is the spice of life, baby. Prucha better be in the lineup on Saturday, when the Blueshirts head south to take on the Fightin’ Ovechins yet again. There’s zero excuses if he isn’t.

Game 39: Rangers vs. Isles

The Boys in Blue have four days off after tonight’s game, so you know they want to go into the New Year break on a one game winning streak opposed to a four game losing streak. The Isles have lost 10 of their last 11 (yikes), but have franchise netminder Rick DiPietro back after a knee procedure cost him 27 games. He hasn’t started against the Rangers since Nov. 27th of last year. Of course I wrote all this before learning that DiPietro won’t play tonight due to a bum groin. That dude is the Carl Pavano of hockey.

Michal Rozsival is back in the lineup, and Corey Potter was shipped back to Hartford. Aaron Voros is a healthy scratch, with Petr Prucha taking his spot in the lineup. Here’s the forward lines for tonight’s game:

Korpikoski – Gomez – Naslund
Dawes – Drury – Callahan
Prucha – Dubinsky – Zherdev
Orr – Betts – Sjostrom

I’ll provide updates periodically throughout the game. Enjoy.

Update (7:10pm): I just saw this on ESPN; Claude Lemieux is making a comeback? Ugh. Oh, and the game is on Versus tonight, in case you’re staring at MSG trying to figure out what the hell is going on.

Update (7:18pm): Quality fight right there. Versus is terrible, as usual.

Update (7:23pm): Another good scrap right there. Good hit by Dawes on Okposo, Comrie stood up for the rook. Hillary Duff is going to have to take care of her boyfriend later, Dawes landed a few good ones.

Update (7:35pm): Brutal. Just brutal. Nice giveaway deep in the zone by Kalinin. Drury’s -4 in the last four periods.

Update (8:15pm): Hey look, it’s Scott Gomez. In all seriousness, that was some killer puck movement right there. Nice job using the point men, brilliant pass by Zherdev.

Update (8:33pm): This has been one physical game. Every player is finishing every check. I love it.

Update (8:36pm): Nice deflection by Okposo there. It hurt even more coming with 12 seconds left in the period.

Update (8:55pm): Ouch. Ryan Callahan just plowed Trent Hunter into the boards, but the penalty box door opened and Hunter went face first into the edge of the partition. It was a clean hit, but Hunter’s down. Both trainers and the MSG medical crew are out on the ice.

Update (8:58pm): They brought the stretcher out, but Hunter skated off under his own power. Looks like he just had the wind knocked out of him.

Update (9:00pm): Note to Tom Renney: PLAY PETR PRUCHA!!! Nice job driving to the net by Dubie, nicer job by Prucha sticking with the play. We’re tied at deuces.

Update (9:01pm): And there’s another one. Rozy from bad angle, through the wickets.

Update (9:02pm): Good grief. Blake Comeau all by his lonesome in front of the net, now we’re tied at three.

Update (9:11pm): Amazing what happens when you win a faceoff, eh Scotty? Naslund tips in Gomez’s feed out front after a faceoff win in the zone. 4-2 good guys. Wade Redden & Dmitri Kalinin are getting the Marek Malik treatment.

Update (9:23pm): Dawes just netted one, but I missed the goal and Versus hasn’t bothered to show a replay. Chants of PE-TR PRU-CHA are raining down from the heavens. And by the heavens I mean the blue seats.

Update (9:29pm): Comrie just chopped one in with 18.7 seconds left. They always have to make it unnecessarily interesting.

Update (9:32pm): Game over, Rangers win 5-4. Rangers win. THAAAAAAAA RANGERS WIN!!!

Mike Axisa writes for River Ave. Blues and can be reached here.

Report: Cherepanov was blood doping

The Associated Press has the news. Tests show that the 19 year old Alexei Cherepanov had been “blood doping” for months, without further elaboration from the medical team. The official cause of death is still myocarditis, a condition were the heart doesn’t receive enough blood, and it’s unclear if and how the doping contributed to his death. (h/t Ranger Rants)

Update (12:10pm): Beyond the Blueshirts has more.

Mike Axisa writes for River Ave. Blues and can be reached here.

Renney: “Brain dead hockey”

After another uninspired and rather dreadful effort last night, Tom Renney laid into his squad. Via Sam Weinman:

“Awful,” Tom Renney said. “Brain-dead hockey.”

…

“I can tell you I’m not happy with how our team played. I’m not happy with performance from some very key members of our hockey club, who need to be better,” Renney said. “They need to step up and start taking charge of this hockey club and start playing the way they can. If we do that, we won’t have to worry about personnel changes. We’ll strengthen ourselves internally by how we choose to play. Nobody has to worry about their jobs at all. Show up. Play hard. Compete. Battle. Want it bad enough. Have some urgency in your game.”

So what “very key members of our hockey club” is he talking about? Chris Drury took a -3 last night, although one of those goals against came when he was miscast as a point man on the PP. Scott Gomez was completely invisible all night, and won only 2 of 13 faceoffs to boot. Markus Naslund? Wade Redden? You wouldn’t have even realized they were on the ice if John Giannone didn’t tell you.

Lauri Korpikoski used his speed and was all over the place last night. Nigel Dawes was hitting everyone in sight. Marc Staal was superb yet again. Ryan Callahan was Ryan Callahan. The young players were the only ones skating with a sense of urgency last night; everyone else was in coast mode. It’s frustrating to watch.

Remember this though: the Blueshirts still top the Atlantic Division, and have played poorly in December the past two seasons (combined 12-15-2 record), but turned it on after the New Year (43-25-15 after). Hopefully this holds true again this season.

Mike Axisa writes for River Ave. Blues and can be reached here.

Game 38: Rangers vs. Devils

I don’t know about you guys, but it took a tiny little occurance called Christmas for me to forget about that brutal loss on Tuesday night. I mean, seriously. You’re up FOUR goals with a touch more than 35 minutes to play and one of the best netminders in the planet behind you. How do you let that one go? Stupid lateral passes at the blueline were their undoing, and in overtime it almost seemed like they were just trying to hold off the Fightin’ Ovechins long enough to get to a shootout. Bah, whatever.

The Devils come to the Garden tonight, and the last time these two teams met we got a wild 8-5 offensive explosion. The Blueshirts took home W’s the first two times these teams met, outscoring the Devs 9-3 in the process. This just in though, Scott Clemmensen’s pretty good: 1.96 GAA & 0.928 SV% this month (nine games).

I’ve still got some family over for the holidays, so it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to post any updates. Enjoy the game.

Update (7:07pm): Michal Rozsival is dealing with some “personal issues” and is out of the lineup. Corey Potter is back up from Hartford to fill in.

Update (8:28pm): A rather blah first period. The Rangers appeared to be in “beat themselves” mode early, allowing a PPG on a too many men call, then yet another shorthanded job. Nice job of bouncing back with a tally of their own, but the refs need to let them play more. Way too many soft calls on both sides.

Oh, and this team needs a power play quarterback in the worst way. Wade Redden just isn’t cutting it. Jay Bouwmeester, anyone?

Update (9:13pm): Well, they showed some signs of life at the end of the period there, and it only took a 5-on-3 power play. Gonna have to man up in the third, Clemmensen’s doing his best Marty impression.

Update (9:37pm): When Dmitri Kalinin scores a goal, you just have to find a way to win. Do it.

Mike Axisa writes for River Ave. Blues and can be reached here.

I come to praise Ryan Callahan

It’s tough not to like Ryan Callahan. The 23 year old from Rochester had been the Blueshirts’ version of Chris Britton the past two seasons, bouncing between Hartford and New York (with a knee injury mixed in for good measure), but has finally stuck with the big boys this season.

After starting the year as a third liner that provided mostly hustle and hard work, Callahan earned increased ice time thanks to a hot streak in late October that saw him net five goals in twelve games. His minutes went from 14:41 per game in the season’s first fifteen contests to 16:56 in the last fifteen.

The Rangers’ fourth round pick in the 2004 has entrenched himself on Chris Drury’s right wing, and has potted five goals in his last seven games. Callie trails only Markus Naslund and Nik Zherdev for the team lead in goals, and is one of just seven forwards to play in all 37 games this season. It’s safe to say he’s established himself as one of Tom Renney’s top six forwards, and at his current pace Callahan should replace Brendan Shanahan’s 23 goals, and then some.

He finishes every check, works his tail off every shift, puts the puck in the net, and gosh darn it, I love the guy. I’m sure you do too.

Mike Axisa writes for River Ave. Blues, and can be reached here.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

I’m going on vacation, and won’t be back until 2009. Mike, from River Ave. Blues, will be covering for me while I’m gone.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year.

Game 37: Rangers vs. Caps

After a surprisingly successful west coast trip, the Rangers are taking on the Washington Alexanders Capitals tonight. They will look to build on what has to be a confidence boost from last week: two wins in the LA area, and a dominant third period against the Sharks where they were one break away from tying the game.

Corey Potter was returned to Hartford, which points out that I clearly made a mistake when I said that players cannot be reassigned to minor league affiliates during the roster freeze. Apparently they can. With Potter in Hartford, I still won’t get my wish for Kalinin to get the Prucha treatment.

It also looks like Fritsche and Prucha will be the scratches, again. Fritsche hasn’t played since Nov. 30, and Prucha since Dec. 7. Combined they have played in 26 games this year. But considering the road trip, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I have no qualms with the forwards playing tonight.

This has to be the slowest day of the year in the business world. I’m the only one on my floor (that’s right, floor) at the office today. I should be out early and home in time to do in game updates.

Update 7:08pm: Same lines as the last few games. No surprises there.

Update 7:12pm: You know, I was looking at that injury report, and I forgot that Tom Poti was on the Caps. I have to admit, as much as I didn’t like him, he got a raw deal in NY. He was touted as the next Leetch, and the Rangers gave up Mike York (fresh off a 30 goal rookie season) for him. In retrospect, that deal wasn’t so bad.

Update 7:13pm: Wow, what a pass by Zherdev. What a trade that is. I loved it from the beginning, and this kid is going to be a superstar. 1-0 Rangers, Naslund from Zherdev and Gomez.

Update 7:18pm: Hank looks strong tonight, nice save on that mini 2 on 0.

Update 7:22pm: You know, I have a bottle of Jean Paul Gaultier cologne, but after that commercial I don’t think I’m going to use it anymore. And Kalinin was on the ice for that goal. +1 for him! He’s now -15 on the season.

Update 7:25pm: Wow. What a shot by Rozsival. His play is picking up. He needs to shoot more. And as I write this, they score again! Theodore is not a good goalie anymore. The second goal was Rozsival from Drury and the third Callahan from Drury and Dawes. This is just a raping right now. But remember, the Rangers were up 4-0 on Philly earlier in the year and barely won that game. Goalie change. Johnson in net.

Update 7:36pm: The Rangers are just beating the Caps to every single loose puck. They look real hungry today. I like it. It looks like someone lit a fire under their ass.

Update 7:38pm: If not for a bad hop, that would have been 4-0. The Rangers are just all over the Caps so far. But let’s see if they can keep this up for the entire 60 minutes, which seems to be a problem for them. 3-0 Rangers, end of the first.

Update 7:57pm: Theodore back in net, apparently Johnson is sick. Just put pucks on net.

Update 8:02pm: Nice series by Hank. And on that Dubie shot, it looks like Johnson got his stick on it. If he did, that’s a real nice save.

Update 8:04pm: What great passing by the Rangers, and what a move by Callahan, that makes it two on the night for him. Callahan from Dawes and Drury again. That’s three assists for Drury.

Update 8:08pm: The Caps have now been outscored 11-1 in the past four periods. That can’t be good for morale on that young team.

Update 8:11pm: I agree with Micheletti, the PP does look so much better when Rozsival shoots. He has a cannon.

Update 8:18pm: That one deflects off Rozsival. Nothing he can really do about that. 4-1 Rangers. Ovechkin gets the goal, assisted by Backstrom.

Update 8:22pm: They needed that stoppage, they got outplayed for a long time. Let’s hope that was just a blip and not the usual 2nd period let down.

Update 8:28pm: Good kill by the Rangers. That was needed.

Update 8:30pm: 4-1 Rangers after two. Good period, they had a little blip in the middle, but recovered nicely with a good kill and then drawing a penalty at the end of the period. The PP carries over for about a minute.

Update 8:50pm: 4-2 Rangers, what a deflection by Fleishman. Fleishman gets the goal from Backstrom and Laich.

Update 8:53pm: Wow. Theodore just stood on his head. He just kept them in the game.

Update 8:57pm: Zherdev is playing a hell of a game. He is far and away the best Ranger skater tonight.

Update 9:02pm: So much for consistency. They look flat in this period. 4-3. This game shouldn’t be this close.

Update 9:05pm: Wow. What a save by Theodore. He looks like a different goalie this period. What did he eat in the intermission?

Update 9:07pm: This is real sloppy. That penalty was a good penalty to take by Girardi. And what a terrible pass to send Kozlov on the break.

Update 9:09pm: Huge kill by the Rangers there. They really needed that.

Update 9:12pm: Why am I not surprised that they blew this lead? Too many miscues. Bad pass by Dawes. 4-4, Ovechkin unassisted.

Update 9:24pm: The Rangers just gave a point to the Caps, that might loom large in April. What a terrible third period. To OT we go. Or should I just say shootout by now?

Update 9:27pm: I thought the Rangers were playing the Caps, not the Habs. Rangers give up 5 straight goals, and snatch defeat from hands of victory. That’s all for tonight folks.

Thanks to Mike A. from River Ave. Blues for the shout out tonight.