Game 51: Rangers at Canadiens

The Rangers head up North, looking to get back on the winning track.

OPPONENT: Canadiens

RECORD: 24-23-5

LEADING SCORER: Tomas Plekanec, 11-38-49

GOALIE: Jaroslav Halak, 2.56 GAA and a .920 save percentage

RANGERS LINES:

Vinny Prospal-Brandon Dubinsky-Marian Gaborik
Chris Drury-Erik Christensen-Ryan Callahan
Christopher Higgins-Artem Anisimov-Enver Lisin
Sean Avery-Brian Boyle-Aaron Voros

Hank in net

STATE OF THE BLUESHIRTS: Once again, up and down. Two great wins against these Canadiens and Tampa, anda then a stinker against Philly. This team, as we know, is maddeningly inconsistent. After scoring 14 goals in two games, they don’t score against Philly. So, I honestly have no idea how they will come out against Montreal. Will they come out like they did against Tampa? Or like they did against Philly? We will find out.

CRAZY THOUGHT: Rosival scores a goal.

ON THE iPOD: Velvet Sky, Los Lonely Boys

FINAL PREDICTION: Canadiens 3, Rangers 1

So, watch, discuss, have fun. LET’S GO RANGERS!!!

Give Girardi a Break

Thursday night’s game was an utter embarrassment for the Rangers. They didn’t show up, they forgot how to plya hockey, and worst of all, they let Marian Gaborik take a beating from caveman Dan Carcillo. This topic has been beaten to death, but I didn’t have time to write something yesterday, so you all are going to have to deal with one more post on this.

Much was made over Dan Girardi’s lack of effort in standing up for Gaborik as he took a beating. Yes, the proper play was to take the third man in penalty, get a game misconduct, and protect Gaborik. But give the kid a break. Girardi did not want to put the Rangers down an additional man, and play the remainder of the game with just five defensemen, in a 1-0 game that has serious playoff implications. It was a split second decision.

The next time the Rangers face the Flyers is on March 14, a game that I will be attending. You can bet your house that the Rangers will not forget what happened on Tursday night. There will be retribution, and I guarantee you will see Donald Brashear in the lineup that night.

For now, the Rangers need to focus on their poor effort during the game. They just flat out did not show up. Tonight is another important game with playoff implications against Montreal, who have not forgotten the 6-2 drubbing last week (another game I attended). You can expect them to come out with a much different game plan, one that will counter the relentless forecheck that caused so many turnovers that game. Tonight’s game is a must win.

Game 50: Rangers at Flyers

After an incredible rout last game, our Blueshirts are back at it again, this time on the road.

OPPONENT: Flyers

RECORD: 24-21-3

LEADING SCORER: Jeff Carter, 19-23-42

GOALIE: Ray Emery, 2.94 GAA and a .900 save percentage

RANGERS LINES:

Vinny Prospal-Brandon Dubinsky-Marian Gaborik
Chris Drury-Erik Christensen-Ryan Callahan
Christopher Higgins-Artem Anisimov-Enver Lisin
Sean Avery-Brian Boyle-Aaron Voros

Hank in net

STATE OF THE BLUESHIRTS: Pretty damn good. Two impressive wins in a row. Secondary scoring (HIGGINS! VOROS!). 60 minute efforts. Hank has been tremendous. This team, it seems, is starting to find its groove. Maybe these past two games have been an aberration. We’ll see tonight. But, the past two games have been awesome, and the effort has been awesome. Keep it up, boys.

CRAZY THOUGHT: Hank gets a shutout.

ON THE iPOD: Nothing. Again. I know. Shocking. Still looking for them damn headphones.

FINAL PREDICTION: Rangers 3, Flyers 0

So, watch, discuss, have fun. LET’S GO RANGERS!!!

Who From Carolina Would You Want?

The Carolina Hurricanes, like the Edmonton Oilers, stink. The ‘Canes have already started the “new era” in Carolina, naming Eric Staal captain, and asking the veterans to waive their no-trade clauses. Carolina GM Jim Rutherford is looking to start from scratch, and a fire sale seems to be all but a sure thing. The ‘Canes are a very veteran team, and unlike the Oilers, should be getting a decent return for a good number of them:

• Ray Whitney
• Matt Cullen
• Scott Walker
• Stephane Yelle
• Manny Legace
• Joe Corvo
• Aaron Ward
• Niclas Wallin

All of the above players will be UFA’s at the end of the season. Of these players, there are actually a few that I believe could fit in well with the Rangers. The first being the most obvious: Manny Legace. Legace is signed to a very cheap deal at the league minimum, and would be a very serviceable backup to Henrik Lundqvist, especially come playoff time. It might also give Chad Johnson’s and Matt Zaba’s cars a bit of a break.

The other that really interests me is Ray Whitney. Yes, he is oft-injured, but he is a point-per-game player when he’s healthy. I would welcome him on this team as a replacement of Christopher Higgins, assuming Higgins continues on the current pace of scoring roughly 10 goals this year, combined with 25 posts.

Juggling cap space for any of these deals is always going to be a problem. Part of that problem can be solved by dumping Ales Kotalik in Hartford, and allowing him to defect to the KHL. I’m sure the Rangers can find a way to clear enough space to make deals for both players work. Of course, sending Higgins over to Carolina to make the salaries work is another option.

To land both of these players, the Rangers would definitely have to surrender their 2nd round pick in 2010, a roster player (for cap purposes), and a few prospects. If I had to structure a deal involving all these players involved, it would look like this (Note: I am not predicting this trade, I am just saying that this is how a deal might look):

To NYR: Ray Whitney, Manny Legace
To CAR: Christopher Higgins, 2010 2nd round pick, Michael Sauer, Tomas Kundratek, 2011 4th round pick

That’s just me though, I’m not in the “in crowd”, so I don’t know what the GMs are thinking. I would assume that players like McDonagh, Sanguinetti, Grachev, Stepan, or pretty much any of the young NHL roster guys, are strictly off-limits for a rental. I just structured a deal for what it might take to get each of these players individually, then combined the deals.

Whitney and Legace would definitely fill two holes on the Rangers, and am hoping that Sather is at least kicking the tires on the availability and price of these two veterans.

Kotalik Requests Trade

During last night’s Blueshirt Banter Radio, hosted by Blueshirt Banter’s Jim Schmiedeberg and The Mouth, it was made public that Ales Kotalik has requested a trade. If you read this blog, chances are you read Blueshirt Banter too. If you don’t they do a fantastic job at covering the Rangers, especially with their radio shows. Go check it out.

According to the agent, Kotalik has asked for a trade, telling the Rangers he is not happy with the organization, and wants to be traded, released, or he will defect to Russia. Kotalik has allegedly told the Rangers he would like to be traded out west.

Don’t expect Kotalik to be traded, no one wants to take on that contract. I would expect him to be waived, sent to Hartford, where he will be “allowed” to sign with a KHL team. I guess this can be considered good news, it frees up much needed cap space, assuming they find a way to dump him.

Awesome signing Glen. Awesome.

Update 10:10am: When can I say I told you so? Now? Soon?

John Halligan Passes

Lester Patrick winner, and former Rangers PR director John Halligan, passed away today from complications from Parkinson’s. The Rangers press release can be read here. Condolences to his wife, and his family.

You Think They Have Monthly Train Tickets?

Chad Johnson is on his way back to Hartford to play in a few games, and Matt Zaba is being called back up to serve as Henrik Lundqvist’s backup during the trips to Philly and Montreal.

How long is the train ride from NY to Hartford? Think they drive? Car service? I smell a poll (on Twitter)…

Do You Want Anyone From the Oilers?

The Oilers have lost eight in a row and, well, stink. Actually, they are awful. It is almost a sure bet that GM Kevin Lowe will be selling off pretty much everyone on the roster not named Hemsky or Penner, or anyone signed beyond 2011-2012. That leaves the following players likely on the market:

• Fernando Pisani
• Ethan Moreau
• Sheldon Souray
• Steve Staios
• Jason Strudwick
• Mike Comrie

I am assuming that the younger players (Cogliano, O’Sullivan, Gilbert, Smid, Gagner, Nilsson, Grebeshkov, etc) will not be on the market. These guys are young and there’s no reason why Lowe would give up on them right now. It is also a fair assumption that guys like Khabibulin, Visnovsky and Horcoff are going to be untradeable.

Do you want any of these guys at the deadline? Personally, the only one that would MAYBE interest me is Staios as a seventh defenseman, maybe Strudwick, to provide some depth. That’s it. Mike Comrie may help the anemic offense, but the Rangers already have an underachieving second-third line winger who doesn’t score anymore (Higgins).

Personally, I don’t think the Rangers and Oilers make good trading partners, as the Oilers don’t really have what the Rangers need (a hitting defenseman, secondary scoring).

That Wacky Atlantic

All five teams in the Atlantic Division have winning records. Yes, you read that correctly. Even the Islanders (currently 4th in the Atlantic) have a winning record. When all five teams have a winning record, it means a very Atlantic-heavy playoff picture. Right now, four of the five teams are in the playoffs, with Philly sitting just one point behind the Islanders for the eight and final playoff spot. Of course, an Atlantic-heavy playoff picture doesn’t necessarily mean the Atlantic is a strong division.

The odds that all five teams make the playoffs are extremely slim. The Islanders have a -17 goal differential, and are my pick to fade down the stretch. Philly is just too talented to miss the playoffs, and I don’t see Boston falling off the face of the earth when they have two games in hand over both the Rangers and Islanders. Philly also has two games in hand. The Islanders also have a losing record against the Atlantic, who will be their opponents for over 30% of their remaining games (NOTE: The Rangers are the only team with a WORSE record against the Atlantic than the Islanders…). The Rangers, on the other hand, needed to outscore opponents 14-4 in the past two games to get a +2 goal differential (was -12 prior).

This all leads to one fantastic finish in March. With 12 of their remaining 32 games against foes in the Atlantic, the Rangers are going to have to step up play against their divisional rivals, specifically the aforementioned Islanders and Flyers, if they have any dreams of making the playoffs.

Holy Rout Batman!

The Rangers did what we thought to be impossible this season, they scored eight goals last night. The two amazing things here: 1) the goals were scored by eight different players, and 2) none of those eight players were Marian Gaborik. Sure, he had four assists, but when the Rangers score eight, you expect Gaborik to have at least five. I think the Rangers secondary scoring has finally emerged. In a game where both Aaron Voros and Christopher Higgins score, you know the game was lopsided.

Kudos to Aaron Voros, who not only has earned his playing time, has done the most he can with it. He plays hard, he goes to the dirty areas, and he was rewarded last night with much-deserved powerplay time and a goal. Five minutes later, he got dropped by Ryan Malone. I guess he didn’t like that Voros scored his first goal in 417 days against them, or that it was his first of the season, or that it was 7-2 at that point. Take your pick.

How about that top line? Two goals and six assists combined between Brandon Dubinsky (Gordie Howe hat trick, +3), Vinny Prospal (1G, 1A, +3) and Marian Gaborik (4A, +3).

The powerplay woke up, going two for four. The penalty kill was strong again, killing off four of five penalties. The Rangers could do no wrong last night. Even in face-offs, where they trailed by as many as 14 going into the third period, wound up being 34-26 in favor of the Lightning. The Rangers didn’t play perfect hockey, but it damn near perfect, and have outscored the opposition 14-4 in the past two games, and 14-2 in the past five periods.

The Rangers have a tough task ahead of them on Thursday, when they face the surging Flyers. The Flyers sit last in the Atlantic, but 9th in the playoff picture. That’s right, the Atlantic Division is that strong. More on that later. For now, sit back, relax, and watch highlights of the past two games.