Musings: The Playoff and Penguin Edition

Good morning Thursday people. Apparently this is the morning where you’ve woken up to the biggest game of the season. Some media darling is skating into the garden today, he’s quite good apparently. Whatever.

Here’s a statistic for you: (I bragged about it earlier this year when I was in New York with Dave, the Suit and co.) Sidney Crosby is winless in Penguins games that I have attended. I say, long may that continue. I was there in November for the 4-3 victory over Sidney and his boys and I saw him twice in his rookie year in Canada. 0 and 3 Sidney, and don’t you forget it.

I’m going to stop lavishing praise on Carl Hagelin soon. It’s becoming boring and predictable.

The Gaborik – Richards – Hagelin line; the performance (as a line) against the Canes was both impressive and promising. I’ve a pretty good memory and for me, that was the most dominant one game performance by a Rangers line since the Jagr days during his 54 goal season. Any other alternatives you want to suggest?

Reasons we love Ryan Callahan: He had no qualms about going on the radio the other day and insisting the Rangers would go straight at Crosby. You know he’ll back his words up too. If he plays.

Back to the November Pens victory at the Garden: The Rangers dominated that game in the faceoff circle and was surely a key to the success. Richards was 13-3, Boyle 11-4, Dubinsky 11-5 and even Stepan was 5-3. The Blueshirts will likely need to win the faceoff battle again tonight.

Something I asked on Twitter the other day; is the current edition of Gaborik the best ever (so far)??

I am hard on him but I would love to see a quality performance from Anisimov tonight. He’s surely due. For the record; I am only hard on him because he’s so talented but we don’t see it enough. Just like his shot.

Kudos Time: Brian Boyle has been very impressive recently. Starting to find a rhythm offensively, playing the body more (even if it could be even more), defensively he’s been his usual excellent self and his penalty killing has been a joy to watch. If Boyle is on form heading in to the playoffs that gives the Rangers another dimension.

If the Rangers win tonight and conclude the home stand with at least 5 of 7 as victories, I’m resting Dan Girardi for a game or two.

Same goes for Prust and I’m also careful with Callahan.  It would also give an opportunity to give Zuccarello more ice time. Audition time Hobbit.

If the Rangers do the unthinkable and lose tonight, does that make the Avalanche game a crucial-win? The Devils, Red Wings and a suddenly surging (and still desperate) Sabres team follow tonight. That’s quite the threesome up next.

If you’re a Rangers fan you’re cheering for Buffalo and Washington right now, by the way. You’d much rather them in the first round than Ottawa or the Devils who are far more awkward opponents.

Question Time:

• If you had to choose: Boston or Ottawa as 1^st round opponent?
• More points this season: McDonagh or Dubinsky?
• If you could only retain one: Fedotenko or Mitchell?
• If you could only retain one part 2: Bickel or Eminger?

Game day, folks. Get your game faces on, avoid happiness in work. Don’t be fazed by happy people, Knicks fans or anyone from Pennsylvania. If you see a Penguins fan hip check them in to the side walk. (Dave, can I promote violence on the blog? No?) OK, scratch that last one folks….

My prediction: Rangers win 3-2 in OT. Sidney’s futile run against his arch nemesis (me) continues.

LETS GO RANGERS!

Not just numbers

You always have to overpay for talent in free agency regardless of the talent bought, but especially for elite talent. With that simple hockey assumption out the way let us discuss Brad Richards and his arrival on the Rangers. His numbers are important (obviously), but he’s not just about the stat line and should not be judged as such.

With a little luck and some extended form (and anyone who has watched the Rangers recently shouldn’t discount such a run of form) Richards could still flirt with a 70 point season. NO, it isn’t the heady 90 point years he’d recently put up with the Stars, but look back at how many players hit the 70 plateau the last few years – not many. Twenty four players broke 70 points last year, 30 the season before and roughly the same amount in 08-09. It’s not a mark that many reach. I’ll wager Richards puts up a few 70+ seasons as a Ranger.

That said, Brad Richards is beginning to do what he’s, in part, been paid to do – peak at the right time. His best play as a Ranger is coming now, as the Rangers look to win the conference. It’s coming at the tail end of the regular season as we head in to the playoffs, it’s coming as the pressure from behind has never been more intense this season.

Richards is playing exactly as the free agent packaging avertised. He’s carrying the puck with confidence, distributing it intelligently, displaying his wicked wrist shot and using it with frequency. Oh, and anyone doubting his big moment ability may have overlooked his 8 game winning goals which, just happens to be tied for second in the league. Again, statistics can be twisted to cater for a writer’s argument just as I have done to an extent here.

Richards is not all about the numbers. When the Rangers acquired the veteran they also bought a winning attitude. They bought experience and an ability to play under immense pressure – such as the big lights of Broadway (almost a point/game at home). They bought a player to show the other Rangers how to win when it mattered. Carl Hagelin’s interview during the Canes game was telling, as was Richards’ comments reference Hagelin afterwards.

Apparently Hagelin is making plays he’d never thought of making recently – since forming a line with Richards coincidentally. While Hagelin is a quick learner Richards is a quality and willing teacher – crucial on this team and shown also in the huge development Del Zotto has undergone this year.

Richards has made this team more skilled, deeper down the middle, given the team an additional veteran leader and has naturally added to the team’s offensive production – crucial against the likes of Thursday’s opponents. Also, think about this: you think it’s a coincidence that the first year of Richards being in NY is the first time since dinosaurs roamed the earth that the Rangers are challenging for the President’s trophy?

It’s fair to argue, as some will, that the Richards deal will only be a true success with either a Cup (several would be nice) or extended playoff runs littered throughout the almost decade long deal. Hey, free agency is an overpayment. That said, Richards is having a good first year on Broadway, he’s making a positive impact – so let’s not nitpick that he’s just a one-time All Star hey? Richards’ is here to stay and that’s a good thing. So far Richie can only be judged as a success whether you’re judging numbers or not.

Recap: Rangers v. Carolina

The Rangers got the better of the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 4-2 at The Garden tonight.  The Blueshirts were led by an unbelievable performance from the newly formed Hagelin-Richards-Gaborik line, resulting in all four Rangers goals and extended puck possession and pressure for the entire game.  Let’s get to those bullets…

• 1st period
• The Rangers got off to a strong start, creating chances from multiple areas of the offensive zone.
• The forecheck was another positive facet of the Rangers’ game early.  All four lines were able to create pressure in the offensive zone.
• Marian Gaborik started the scoring off early in the first.  Dan Girardi sent a point shot wide, and Gabby popped in a beautiful little shot off Cam Ward’s pad.  1-0 Rangers.
• The penalty kill was working in the first period.  Marty Biron made several key saves despite a somewhat boneheaded move to try and clear the zone up the middle.  Ruslan Fedetenko made a great save to bail him out of that one.
• Oh that Jeff Skinner, you can’t take your eye off him for a second.
• It was very clear early on that the aforementioned Hagelin-Richards-Gaborik line was the best unit on the ice.  Hagelin was absolutely flying in the first.
• 2nd period
• The second started off a little slow, but that wouldn’t last long.  During the lull I remember thinking that John Mitchell is a pretty strong puck handler, but he always seems to try to make that one extra move or hold the puck one second too long.
• Martin Biron made an enormous save on Brandon Sutter to keep the game 1-0.
• The Rangers would extend the lead to 2-0 on a Brad Richards top shelf snipe.  The Rangers had a strong forecheck and forced the Carolina defender to deflect the puck on goal.  Cam Ward was clearly surprised by the play and lost his stick in the scramble.  He tried to reset himself as Richards took a sneaky little shot through the defender and up where grandma hides the cookies. 2-0 Rangers.
• The (this line really needs a nickname) Richard’s line struck again with an unbelievable play by Carl Hagelin leading to another Brad Richard’s goal.  He shielded the puck with his body before sliding a beautiful reverse pass to find Richards all alone in the slot.  He carried the puck to the center for a better angle and fired another beauty into the top shelf.  Ridiculously patient play by Richards. 3-0 Rangers.
• The Rangers would be stung by a couple of unfortunate deflections later in the period.  The first Carolina goal was scored on the powerplay on a call I wasn’t a huge fan of.  Mats Zuccarello was called for tripping when the reply showed he didn’t make nearly enough contact to justify a penalty, but whatever, it is what it is.  3-1 Rangers.
• Carolina would strike again :32 seconds later on a broken odd-man rush.  The attempted shot slid right onto the stick of Drayson (I don’t think that’s a real first name) Bowman, who fired the puck past Biron.  3-2 Rangers.
• Cam Ward made several key saves at the end of the 2nd period to keep this one 3-2 going into the second intermission.
• 3rd period
• The third period started off with a symphony of iron.  First, Eric Staal hit the post on a shorthanded chance.  Then Mats Zuccarello hit iron on a Rangers’ powerplay, and Marian Gaborik hit the post on a laser shortly after the powerplay expired.
• The games really started to open up in the third period.  Odd man rushes were common place and both teams exchanged chances.  I would imagine this did not sit too well with Torts.
• Carl Hagelin would finally get the goal he deserved with seven minutes left to play.  He made a nice little pass to Gaborik for a quality chance before getting the puck back behind the net.  Tim Gleason cheated for the pass and Hagelin was able to walk right around Cam Ward for a much needed insurance goal.  4-2 Rangers.
• The ‘Canes pulled Ward with about 2 minutes left, but to no avail.  The Blueshirts would hold on the win despite being without Lundqvist, Callahan and Del Zotto.

Goaltending Analysis

• I thought Cam Ward played well despite his statistical line.  He had some trouble with rebounds, but was incredibly frustrating as Carolina clawed their way back.  I think he’s going to get serious consideration for the Canadian Olympic team in 2014 (assuming NHL players play that is).
• Marty Biron rebounded nicely from some subpar outings recently and gave the Rangers exactly the kind of performance they needed.  He made some big saves early and I wouldn’t put much if any blame on him for the two Carolina goals.  Bad bounces.

Random thoughts

• Just how good was the top line tonight? Gaborik: 1g, 2a, +4, 6 SOG. Richards: 2g, 1a, +3, 4 SOG.  Hagelin: 1g, 2a, +4, 5 SOG.  Dominant.
• The defense was very good overall tonight.  There were times where it looked like Carolina would be able to create a chance and the whole zone would close in on them.  Staal played big against his brother.
• If Tort’s decides to keep this line together, it will be interesting to see how the rest of the lines begin to take shape.  Would you like to see a Dubinsky-Stepan-Callahan line?  Anisimov-Stepan-Cally?
• Magic number is now just 4 pts for a playoff spot.  The difference a year makes.

Off tomorrow, then the big showdown with Sidney Crosby and the Penguins on Thursday.  Even if the Pens win, they will still be down 4 points with just 12 games to go, but wouldn’t an 8 point lead look nice?

Rangers Refuse to Lose; Beat Isles in OT

The Rangers willed themselves to a 4-3 overtime win over the Islanders tonight. Trailing three times, on the receiving end of some questionable refereeing and unlucky breaks that resulted in Islanders goals, this team refused to give in and got the three points their play deserved. The better team won tonight. To the game points:

First Period

The Islanders and Rangers sleep walked through the first half of the first period. The Rangers played conservatively, perhaps timidly (given their recent slump, not a surprise) and the Islanders were more than happy to go along with that start. The slow start meant zero offensive zone pressure from either team and almost no shots to speak of.

Brian Boyle laid on a big, clean hit early in the first. If he used his body as effectively as he did with that hit – more often – he’d be a scary hockey player.

Another unnecessary Bickel duel. That aside, Bickel was solid tonight.

Whenever the Rangers raised the ante in the last few minutes of the first, they put pressure on the Isles and generated offense. A few solid scoring chances came out of the last five, six minutes because the Rangers did a better job of getting the puck in deep, and controlling the boards.

Unfortunately for the Rangers, Evgeni Nabakov was tremendous in the first period and made smart stops on Mitchell in front and Dubinsky.

The Tavares goal was from a quick break out from the Isles zone and the Rangers being unprepared. The forwards were slow to get back and the defensemen were too close together allowing Parenteau space on the right and thus able to get his shot off cleanly. Lundqvist gave up a juicy rebound in front and Girardi swatted the puck straight in to Tavares who was driving to the net. Several Rangers looked sloppy on the goal.

The Dubinsky line had a real strong shift late on. The line displayed great puck control, impressive strength and determination along the boards– particularly from Dubinsky – that led to a few opportunities and a great Dubinsky chance that Nabakov was equal to.

The shift was everything that’s good about Dubinsky: hustle, strength and determination resulting in generating his own scoring chance.

The game tying goal: Like with Dubinsky it was a showcase of everything good about Brad Richards. He skated coast to coast with the puck, beat a defenseman up the middle and used another as a screen to get his quick wrist shot off that beat Nabakov. Richards has such puck carrying ability and we don’t see it nearly enough.

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Musings: The Grate, The Gaborik and The Girardi

Welcome to Thursday. It’s my 6^th favourite day of the week. Rangers get to mix it up with the Senators tonight. Given the mixed performances in recent games it could a tricky one for the Blueshirts. Any-hoo, let’s jump in to it shall we?

I’d be remiss not to mention him this week: Sean Avery not on the Whale Clearing day roster. He divides opinion and certainly, his on-ice play (while at times highly effective) didn’t deserve all the media attention he got but I can’t help but think he could found a better way to leave this organisation – especially given his apparent relationship with Sather. He truly does burn all his bridges doesn’t he? He’s gone from being a highly promising Ranger to an afterthought. Shame.

I can’t help but think, given the Rangers play in their own zone in recent games, that Lundqvist should start both Thursday and Friday while the team get their play in front of him back on track. Let Biron start a handful of games toward the end of the year.

Anyone else thinks Michael Del Zotto would have a little more hype around the league (as a young offensive blueliner) were it not for the ridiculous Erik Karlsson? This season has seen a number of young defensemen really solidify their reputations: Karlsson, Del Zotto, Edler, Pieterangelo and Shattenkirk and even Nick Leddy have all become quality ‘D’ this year.

• Quietly perhaps but I can help thinking Brad Richards has been better of late. Who knows, maybe he’s gearing up towards the ‘second season’?
• I really would love to hear the full explanation from Tortorella regarding Mitchell’s scratch because he sure hasn’t been worse than a handful of forwards I could name.

Steve Eminger and Jeff Woywitka – at this stage they really are dead weight. That said, I think one of them may have a minor role still to play. Either Dan Girardi is injured (not bruised) or he’s tiring. As Glen (who contributes on the site) and I agree, his high standards seem to have slipped recently. Have all those minutes taken their toll?

Despite a pretty unfortunate game against the Devils, Marian Gaborik has been impressive recently. There seems plenty left in his tank. His burst is still getting him past defensemen. I still think he hit’s 40 goals this year – a milestone his effort would warrant. He’s been pretty damn consistent all year even when he hasn’t scored for a stretch.

Artem Who?

So Brandon Dubinsky scraps against the Devils and has to leave the game as a consequence. Right, so with Scott, Rupp, Bickel and Prust in the line-up he feels the need to get amongst it? File this under yet more unintelligent play this year from Dubinsky. That’s taking ‘setting the tone’ too far.

Michael Del Zotto and Derek Stepan: reason alone to love the 2008 NHL draft. That said, three other Ranger draft picks have made the NHL when you factor in Weise, Grachev and Kundratek and if Steven Fogerty develops it could be a highly successful draft. Again. Hold on, it already is.

As I write this, ESPN America (in the UK) just showed a highlight reel Lundqvist save between programmes. He’s taking over the TV here too.

Question Time:

• Who would you rather as a first round opponent: Ottawa, Winnipeg, Capitals or Jersey?
• Who are the most dangerous team in the Eastern Conference as the playoffs loom?
• Should the Rangers take a look at a player from the Whale before the playoffs?
• (inc playoffs) How many games will Chris Kreider play for the Rangers this season?
• Will Tim Erixon be Rangers property next season?

I want to give some credit to a forgotten player in the organisation: Chad Johnson. Let’s face it, he’s likely to leave in the summer to look for NHL opportunities but he’s had a pretty good bounce back year for the Whale this season. A .922% and a 2.34GAA, with 18 wins is a pretty strong season. Unfortunately for CJ the Rangers have Marty Biron.

Zuccarello who?

One final thing; despite posts about needing more skill (and going out and acquiring it) and posts about Rick Nash and him helping the Rangers I am a strong supporter at what Sather and his team have built since the lock out. The club have built patiently in exactly the right way and Sather, the scouting department and the coaching staff (in which I include Renney’s contribution) have reinvigorated what was a tarnished franchise. The difference is I believe they can help the club – whose development has been quicker than expected – get to where they want to get a little quicker with a few smart decisions this summer.

Enjoy your Thursday and Lets Go Rangers! 

Rangers/Bolts recap

The Rangers lost a tough one tonight, 4-3 to the Lightning in overtime.  The Blueshirts looked tired and we generally outplayed by Tampa for the better part of the game.  Henrik Lundqvist played very well and Brandon Dubinsky made a return to the score sheet.  No one likes to lose but there were definitely some positive takeaways from this one.  To the bullets…

• 1st Period
• Tampa came out strong in the 1st, outshooting the Rangers 13-3 at one point.  Henrik Lundqvist was very sharp early, weathering the storm until the Rangers could put one on the scoreboard.
• Artem Anisimov did just that with a nice quick shot past Garon’s stick side. 1-0 Rangers.
• Dubinsky didn’t play a whole lot in the first period, paired on a line with Rupp and Scott.  I do remember noticing how hard he was working along the walls creating pressure from the big 4th line.
• McDonagh took another penalty that the MSG cameras didn’t have a camera on.
• 2nd Period
• The Rangers started the 2nd killing McDonagh’s penalty but soon found themselves with a 5-on-3 advantage.  Torts used his time out, and the Rangers made the move work out.  Brad Richards set a nice pick on Adam Hall, which allowed a lane for Gaborik to develop.  He launched an absolute missile into the top corner.  PP goal, 2-0 Rangers.
• At this point, the Rangers were in good position despite being pretty severely outplayed by Tampa.  You just had that feeling that the Bolts would start chipping away.
• Tampa’s first goal came from a scramble in the crease, in which Tom Pyatt beat Ryan McDonagh to the spot in front of the net.  2-1 Rangers.
• It was about this time Sam and Joe told us that Toronto had fired Ron Wilson.  Never thought Burke would pull the trigger on that one.
• This was a game where the Rangers definitely missed Ryan Callahan.  When the Rangers get sluggish, Cally leads by example.  He would have been a huge spark tonight.
• Dubinsky continued to play well in 4th line duties.
• 3rd Period
• The Rangers began the third with a strong forecheck.  Their momentum wouldn’t last as a miscue on a defensive zone draw ended with Girardi kicking the puck to a driving St. Louis who fed the puck right on the door step to Teddy Purcell.  2-2.
• After Tampa tied the game, the Rangers responded well.  They began to control the play and a funny thing happened; Brandon Dubinsky started getting top 6 minutes.
• Tampa would again squash the Rangers momentum as Steven Stamkos sent a rocket to the top corner past Lundqvist about halfway through the 3rd.  3-2 Tampa.
• Carl Hagelin would end up taking a high sticking double minor about 15 seconds after Stamkos’ goal.  It would take the clock down to about 6 minutes for the Rangers to tie the game.  The penalty kill was phenomenal and actually gave the Rangers some momentum heading into the final minutes.  Hank made an enormous glove save on the penalty kill to keep the deficit to one.
• Brandon Dubinsky would get that tying goal after he moved into prime scoring position after Martin St. Louis lost his edge in the high slot.  Dubi ripped one over the blocker of Garon and gave the Rangers new life.  3-3.
• OT
• Brad Richards almost set Dan Girardi up perfectly a couple minutes into overtime.  He made a nifty move in the slot and send a perfect pass toward the Ranger d-man, but Steven Stamkos made a terrific defensive play to keep Girardi from getting the shot off.
• Ryan Malone would win it for the Bolts on a well-placed screen shot that beat Henrik Lundqvist at 1:58 of the OT period. 4-3 Tampa.

Obligatory Goaltending Analysis

• Mathieu Garon played well tonight.  None of the goals the Rangers scored were soft and came up with several nice saves on Carl Hagelin and Brad Richards.  It was a little disappointing to see the offense stymied by Garon to this extent, since he’s, you know…not very good.
• Hank ended up with 27 saves in this one, but the stats don’t do his performance justice.  He weathered enormous pressure in the 1st period and made several more difficult saves as the game went on.  This one could have easily been 3-0 Tampa in the first 10 minutes or so.
• This game was a prime example of why save percentage is a faulty stat.  Both Garon and Lundqvist played very well.  Their save percentages?  .842 and .871, respectively.

Random Thoughts

• I thought Richards played a strong game tonight.  He had a team high in shots and was generally more involved on both sides of the puck.
• I decided tonight that Mitchell irritates me on top-6 duty simply because he is too much Swedish and not nearly enough Finnish. (If ya know what I mean.)
• Stepan was a beast on the forecheck tonight.  He had his stick in every passing lane and played well in both ends of the ice.
• Carl Hagelin “just missed” about 5 plays tonight where his speed could have send him in all alone.  He played well, but that timing was just a little off.
• Marian Gaborik now has 23 points in his past 21 games.
• Steven Stamkos isn’t fair.
• I thought Torts handled Dubi perfectly.  He started him with the fourth line and Dubinsky played well enough the coach couldn’t ignore him anymore.  He had a jump and an edge to his game and never stopped working.  Torts rewarded him with well deserved top 6 minutes and Dubinsky came through.  Hopefully this is just what he needs to get going a little bit.

Off tomorrow and then a matinee with Boston at home on Sunday afternoon.  That one will be a 12:30pm start on NBC.

Amnesty buy-out options

There have been persistent rumors about the possibility that the next CBA could allow each team a one-time “amnesty buyout”, which would allow the team to buyout one player without that cost being reflected in the salary cap.  For some teams, who would end up on the wrong end of this type of buyout is obvious (*cough* Rick DiPietro *cough*), but for others teams, the question is a little more difficult.

I am going to discuss the merits of using this hypothetical buyout on any Ranger who makes over 3.5 million per year for at least two more seasons.  Just because a player is listed does not mean I think the Rangers should consider buying them out, only that they meet the threshold.  All cap info is via Cap Geek.

Brad Richards (6.6m cap hit through 2020) – Would the Rangers consider using this buyout so soon into Richard’s shiny new contract?  Probably not, but there is some merit to it.  The length is one factor, obviously the free agent market drove the years up on Richard’s deal, probably to a term the Rangers are not crazy about.  Richards has shown to be valuable in many aspects of the game, including leadership roles, mentoring young players and being a positive influence in the room but his production on the ice does not justify his salary.  Since that is clear within the first year of the deal, would the Rangers consider getting out from under a potential albatross?  Again, I don’t think so, and I think there are better options for the amnesty buyout.  But it does give you pause.

Brandon Dubinsky (4.2m cap hit through 2015)-  Dubinsky is one of the few current Rangers whose production is not anywhere near where it needs to be to justify his contract.  However, Dubi is young, and still has some upside.  His value on the trade market is much higher than the benefit of using the buyout on him.  Next…

Ryan Callahan (4.275m cap hit through 2014) – If anything, The Captain’s 4.2 million dollar cap hit is becoming a bargain.  He’s not going anywhere. Next…

Marc Staal (3.975m cap hit through 2015)- Now this might sound like a complete no brainer at first glance, and I agree.  But, what if the Rangers’ brass are not sold that the concussion that sidelined Staal for the better part of a year isn’t completely behind him?  Staal is being paid like a top pair defenseman, and if the medical staff think it’s possible that he could miss significant time going forward, would you think about it?  Me either.  Next…

Henrik Lundqvist (6.875m cap hit through 2014) – Ha! Yeah right.  If anything The King is due for a raise. Next…

Marian Gaborik (7.5m cap hit through 2014) – There are some factions of Ranger fandom who believe that Gaborik is a bad fit under Tort’s system and is paid too much for his “me first” production.  There is no in house replacement for Gaborik’s production and while he hasn’t been a bargain necessarily, he’s not wildly overpaid.  I would be blown away to see him even discussed as a viable option.  Next…

Wade Redden (6.5m cap hit through 2014)- Ding! We have a winner.  Redden has been great down on the farm for the progression of the young d-men with the Whale, but his cap hit comes back in the summer and begins to squeeze pursuit of free agents.  I’m sure he would love another crack at the NHL with another organization at a lesser salary.  As good of a mentor as he has been, it doesn’t justify clogging up the summer cap for him.

The Rangers have the benefit of not being weighed down by too many unproductive contracts.  If the amnesty buyout does come to fruition, there aren’t many people who would be sad to see Wade Redden’s contract go.

Do you guys agree with my assessments?  Can you make a case for one of the other candidates?  It might not ever become an issue, but it is a fun exercise to look at until the final call is made on this provision.

Rangers/Blue Jackets recap

The Rangers avoided the dreaded “trap” game tonight, beating the last-place Blue Jackets 3-2 in overtime at the Garden.  This one had a little bit of everything; beautiful passing plays, some good saves, refereeing controversy and a Rick Nash goal.  Let’s get to the bullets…

• What I was looking for in a rebound from the Chicago game was a defensively responsible performance, while getting back to a hard forechecking, physical offensive zone style.  The Blueshirts delivered tonight.  They played a little tentative offensively, but were tremendous on defense (save for two defensive zone face-offs) and played a physical game, winning battles and creating pressure.
• The forecheck was much better tonight.  They forced Columbus to make mistakes in their own end, creating sustained pressure and turnovers.
• Some beautiful passing on Richard’s goal and Stepan’s game winner, :22 seconds into OT.  Michael Del Zotto made fantastic passes on both goals.
• Artem Anisimov played one hell of a game, as did Brad Richards.
• For those who missed it, Michael Del Zotto made a tremendous move around a Blue Jacket defender and slid the puck past Steve Mason as the second period came to a close.  The MSG jumbo-tron clock had the puck crossing the line with .01 seconds remaining.  The referees subsequently waived if off, claiming the “official” clock read 0.00.  A picture was shown during the broadcast showing the puck still not across the line with 0.00 on the clock.  Goal disallowed.
• Torts can claim it was the right call all he wants, but someone screwed up.  How in the world is the NHL’s official time clock not synced to the Garden clock?  It’s pure insanity to me that there could be a discrepancy between the two when there is so much on the line.  If the Rangers had lost in overtime, they would have been robbed of a point.
• The Rangers carried play for most of the game, out-shooting Columbus 35-23 and giving Hank a relatively easy night.
• Two defensive zone draw losses lead to both Columbus goals.
• The Power Play looked like crap yet again.  That 5-on-3 was painful to watch.
• Did I mention how well Del Zotto played?
• The much-maligned Steve Mason played well tonight, excusing some ugly rebounds.  I still see a ton of talent in the kid, I just think he needs a change of scenery badly.
• Hank played a solid game, though I have a feeling he might want Nash’s goal back.  He didn’t have a ton of heavy lifting to do, save for one beauty on Jeff Carter in the final minutes of the 3^rd.
• That makes 8 straight wins following a loss dating back to mid-December.
• Now, I know I’m poking the bear here, but from a purely salary cap standpoint, if you were to think of Nash as a replacement for Gaborik (he would have to be resigned at age 32) does that change the analysis at all?  If Nash were a free agent right now, would you advise Sather to give him 6/47 and then save money by letting Gaborik walk in 2014?
• I admit it, I miss Vinny Prospal a little…

Off tomorrow, followed by a tough divisional match-up in Pittsburgh Tuesday night.

Three “trades” the Rangers will make by the playoffs

As the trade deadline grows nearer, there is discussion amongst fans about whether now is the time to buy for a Cup run. The Rangers are the best team in the Eastern Conference, and are just points behind the Detroit Red Wings for best in the NHL, with games in hand. That said, many feel the Rangers are overachieving, and might be best served letting things go as they are, and not mess with chemistry. Others feel that now is the time to make a deal. Well, luckily for the Rangers, there are two “trades” the Rangers will hopefully make between now and the playoffs to make their team stronger.

1. The Rangers will trade Steve Eminger or Anton Stralman for a top-four defenseman: If and when Michael Sauer is healthy, he will return to the lineup and make that strong blue line even stronger. Right now, the Rangers are getting by with Anton Stralman playing top four minutes. If Sauer can return healthy, then he adds an extra element to the Rangers that they haven’t had since December, and it costs them Stralman’s or Steve Eminger’s presence in the lineup. That’s a solid trade there.
2. The Rangers will trade absolutely nothing for a streaky 20-goal scorer: Brandon Dubinsky won’t stay in single digit goals for long. He is one of the streakiest players on the Rangers, and they have been winning despite his lack of offense. The defense and goaltending have really saved Dubinsky, who has seen a lot of time on the bottom six. Dubi is still a key cog for the Rangers with his defensive and physical play, but they are paying him to score 20+ goals. He won’t get there this year, but he could be a wild card if he gets going.
3. The Rangers will trade nothing for one of the best centers and powerplay point men in the game: Brad Richards is starting to come alive. He struggled mightily, ironically around the time that Olivia Munn broke up with him. But now, his game is getting back on track, and the powerplay is starting to look better and better. They are doing the right things, and they are finally starting to see results. A hot Brad Richards is a dangerous Brad Richards. Imagine where this team can go if their powerplay starts clicking at a 20% clip.

As you can see, the word “trade” is used rather liberally here. These aren’t really trades, but they are players that the Rangers hope to get back from injury or purgatory. Nevertheless, these are significant improvements that the Rangers can see from their players without even giving up a draft pick.

Rangers/Lightning Recap

The Rangers clipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 in overtime tonight at the Garden on the strength of a Brad Richards goal on a beautiful feed from Artem Anisimov.  After a tough offensive night against Jersey, the Blueshirts got back to their game and were able to outlast a pesky Lightning team.  On to the bullets…

• The first half or so of this game lacked any flow whatsoever.   It seemed as the two teams were trying to get a read on the other’s forechecking scheme.  Tampa didn’t appear to be running a full 1-3-1 but there was a hybrid trap thing going on that gave the Rangers trouble in the neutral zone.
• The Rangers only allowed 17 shots tonight (season low) and managed 31 of their own.  Defensively, the Rangers were very solid with the exception of a couple costly breakdowns.
• Artem Anisimov played a much better game tonight than we have seen in recent weeks.  He was contributing on each shift and going to work in the dirty areas.  Hopefully this will be a sign of things to come.
• The powerplay actually looked a little better tonight.  The new emphasis on getting pucks to the net from the perimeter can only bring better results.  While they didn’t live up to Dave’s lofty goal of two PP goals (actually, Dave just said two PP goals…didn’t specify it could only be the Rangers) but I invite everyone to check out the comments of the Game Thread to Chris C’s crazy prediction about that PP goal.
• Prust’s line looked great all game.
• Outside of the one penalty he took, I barely noticed Steve Eminger out there.  This is not necessarily a bad thing.  For a 5/6 type defenseman to go unnoticed, it means he’s chewing up minutes without giving up too much.
• Carl Hagelin with another strong game.
• While I am psyched Brad Richards scored the clutch game winner in OT, I was more impressed with the shoulder fake Anisimov pulled off drawing two defensemen and a goalie right to him.
• Steven Stamkos is a force out there.
• Marty Biron played a quality game tonight.  Exactly what a good backup should do.  I’m curious to see if Torts plays Hank back to back this weekend or if Marty will see another start.
• Mathieu Garon played great in net for Tampa.  He made a number of tough saves on Rangers’ chances and kept this game from getting out of hand.
• Good to see the Giants supporting New York solidarity at the game tonight.
• The Rangers have done a remarkable job this year coming back after losses and tonight followed the trend.  The next few days will be another big test of this team’s resolve.  With Philly, Washington, Boston and Chicago coming up, the Rangers can really start to position themselves to make a deep run into the post season by beating some of the NHL’s best teams.

Off tomorrow and then into enemy territory at the Wells Fargo Center in Philly for a Saturday matinee.

One last shameless plug, remember to be here on 2/10 at noon where I’ll be hosting a BSB Live Chat.