Rangers Beat Bruins: Recap

Game day started well for the Rangers as Michael Del Zotto and Ruslan Fedotenko were both restored to the line-up to face the Bruins in the nationally televised matinee. Following that good news was a dandy of a match between two quality clubs. The Rangers were outplayed for two periods but stuck with it, refused to buckle and have a certain goaltender from Sweden in net. The Rangers won 4-3 on the back of Lundqvist, an ability to respond to adversity and being the proud owners of a quality penalty kill. 12 point lead on Boston? That will do nicely. On to the notes.

First Period

• The Rangers started the game on fire; forcing numerous turnovers by the Bruins thanks to a relentless fore-check, their ability to win battles and because they were engaged physically. The Rangers looked to get to the net and that willingness would soon be rewarded.
• The Rangers beginning could be summed up by one player: Brandon Dubinsky. He was clearly motivated, drew a penalty on Zdeno Chara because he looked to take the big Bruin on physically and crashed the net which helped with the Rangers second goal.
• The good and the bad of Anton Stralman: Stralman scored the first Rangers goal (even though it looked to come off Fedotenko) following a rare turnover from Chara. After good pressure by the Rangers and a timely pinch by Stralman he threw the puck on net and beat a screened Thomas. Bad Stralman? Poor decision to toss the puck up the middle on the Bruins goal (hockey basics – down the boards when clearing), the turnover occurred right in front of Lundqvist and Pouliot scored on a quick shot which Lundqvist had no chance on.
• The Rangers second goal was hockey 101. Hagelin’s speed allowed him to get the puck, Dubinsky’s willingness to crash the net caused havoc in front and Hagelin simply getting the puck on net resulted in the puck being deflected past Thomas.
• It was a fast and furious first period for the most part with three fights. Despite the three fights it wasn’t a nasty game at this point. That said, if you offer the Rangers a trade-off of Lucic and Prust going off the ice for five they’d take it every time. Despite that, Prust shouldn’t be going at it with the much bigger, stronger Lucic.
• Following the Boston timeout, goal and subsequent Lucic fight, the Bruins clearly carried the play for several minutes and had serious momentum. They dominated along the boards, had the Rangers penned in for long periods and peppered a very busy Lundqvist.
• The Bruins were willing to shoot from everywhere during the first. Lots of point shots, lots of traffic in front and a simple ‘get it to the net’ attitude. Lundqvist – who had no chance on the Bruins goal – had to be very sharp, particularly in the middle of the period.
• You want development? Del Zotto was shown on the bench listening to advice from Staal. Clearly the kid is listening, willing to take on advice. A few minutes later Del Zotto made a great read and pinch to keep the puck in the Bruins zone (a rare occurrence as the period progressed). Del Zotto, all season, has shown improved decision making ability.
• Hockey rarity: thanks to a Brian Rolston slap shot on the Bruins PP late in the first, the period ended early and the time was tacked on to the second allowing MSG staff to fix a broken pane of glass. 2:53 was left in the period when the teams went to the intermission.

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.

Game Day Musings

It’s another edition of Musings on a game day. How convenient. It’s also the first since the deadline came and went and the deadline day inactivity was a blessing or curse; depending on your point of view of course.

The biggest winner of the deadline day for me: Buffalo. I think Cody Hodgson should be a quality center for a long time to come and any team that can get a 1^st AND a 4^th for a guy that has never scored more than 12 goals in a season has done well. Paul Gaustad; good foot soldier, nothing more.

I wonder when Rangers fans will get to watch John Scott in red, white and blue for the first time, against Boston?

The Rangers had a little pre-deadline day wobble but anyone that saw the Devils game has to be impressed. The whole shenanigans didn’t make them deviate from their game and they stuck with what got them this far. This team is in sync, it’s hungry and maybe some people are right, they deserved a chance to go deep as the unit that they already are. Hey, they’re well ahead of their development curve anyway, right?

Ryan Callahan is having a monster year. That is all.

It isn’t Rick Nash or another marquee player that’s put Dubinsky’s Rangers career on shaky ground. It’s himself, but also Carl Hagelin. The young Swede is as dynamic a rookie as there’s been in a long time and he’s out hustling, out skating and out producing Dubinsky at the wing spot. Consider the kid a future star: 43 games, 27 points, 40 point season approaching. Nice.

Is there any way Mats Zuccarello even contemplates re-signing with the Rangers? And, is there any way the club even contemplate offering him a new deal? Answer: no. He’ll want an NHL opportunity that is not coming any time soon in New York.

Anyone else really, truly thought of the absurdity of Henrik Lundqvist’s save percentage this season?

Playoff potential: right now the Rangers are looking at a showdown with the Capitals which is as tough as a 1^st round could be. 1 point behind is the Jets which would be a great match up.  It seems, at this stage, to be one of Jersey, the Caps, Jets or least likely the Leafs. It could be a lot easier folks.

Five, FIVE (!) teams have losing records this season. Gary Bettman, thank you for your diluted product, where parity is the beige of sports. To make matters worse two of those teams are a two game winning streak from a .500 record which would leave a mere 10% of the league with losing records.

Following a little fit of production, Artem Anisimov has gone back to being a passenger. At what point do you believe he’s hit his ceiling? At what point do you believe he’ll never fulfil his potential? If Chris Kreider does make the roster sooner rather than later Anisimov has no chance of establishing himself as a top six player on this club.

Chances Ruslan Fedotenko gets another year with the Rangers next year? If Dubinsky or A.N. Other leaves and prospects aren’t considered ready; don’t rule out one of Tortorella’s favourite troopers coming back.

Question Time:

• John Tortorella; does he win the Jack Adams this season?
• Does Ryan Callahan break the top five in Selke vote getters?
• John Scott – fights as a Ranger: over or under 5?
• First to 20 points; Prust or Boyle?
• Rangers have 21 games remaining; Does Lundqvist reach 40 wins?

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/Penguins recap

To me, this is the most frustrating type of game to lose.  The Rangers showed flashes of brilliance but ultimately did not put anything close to a 60 minute effort together en route to a 2-0 loss against a Penguins team that outworked and outplayed them all night.  To the bullets…

• To Pittsburgh’s credit, they played a fantastic game in all three zones.  With some of the chances they were getting, this game could have been ugly, if not for a certain #30.
• When I evaluate a teams play in either the offensive or defensive end, one thing that particularly drives me crazy is turnovers at the top of the zone.  If you don’t get the puck deep offensively or get the puck outside the blue line defensively, you will be eaten alive by transition plays.  This happened far too frequently tonight.
• The Pens demonstrated why they are such a dangerous team tonight, even without Crosby.  They had long stretches of continuous puck possession and offensive pressure.  Everyone had their feet moving in the offensive zone, and they won battles along the boards.  The Rangers had several extended shifts in their defensive zone, which ate valuable clock and tired out the defensive unit.
• I thought the penalty on Staal which lead to Pittsburgh’s 2^nd goal was a little suspect…
• The Pens absolutely dominated the neutral zone.  They were stingy with allowing the Rangers to penetrate even the defensive side of the red line, and created an effective forecheck.
• Overall, I thought the Rangers have had much worse games this season, but they were missing that “spark” tonight.  That little extra energy that helps even out the skill level of Pittsburgh.  It was just a bit sloppy.
• Henrik Lundqvist is the only reason this game did not end 5-0.  He was tremendous all night.  In the first period and a little bit of the second, he appeared to be fighting the puck a little bit, which lead to some ugly rebounds, but the defense played well in the danger areas and kept most of the scoring chances to the perimeter.
• Marc-Andre Fleury played exceptional as well.  He had several key saves and kept the Rangers offense at bay, especially in the second half of the game.  He is one of the best movement goalies in the NHL and he showed why tonight.
• I swear, sometimes Sam and Joe remind me of Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets up in the booth.  (I may be dating myself with that reference, but I don’t care).

Off until Friday when the Rangers make the trip to the beautiful Nassau Coliseum for a date with the Isles at 7pm.

If Nash Arrives What Does It Say About the Franchise?

With the Blue Jackets and their dead man walking GM Scott Howson hoping – and actively seeking – an auction to develop for star winger Rick Nash, it’s still likely Nash ends up elsewhere than Madison Square Garden. That said, let’s play Devil’s advocate for a minute and assume the Rangers acquire the hugely talented (but overpaid) winger.

Naturally, this all depends on the package going back to Ohio (and subsequently, the demands of which are why Nash may end elsewhere) but it will be hard to overly criticise Sather and his team if they do choose to acquire Nash. Things this time around are so much different.

Simply put, if Nash becomes a Ranger it does not mean the Rangers have deviated from their franchise plan, their concept. It would not mean a return to the dark days of playoff-less hockey, of a dressing room full of aging mercenaries.

The Rangers, as constructed, are built for the long haul. They are built to a plan; they are young and have core pieces in place for the foreseeable future. Barring a serious regression in a number of players this should be a competitive team that can make a few playoff runs. With Lundqvist in net, the likes of Callahan, Gaborik, Richards, Stepan and Hagelin established up front and the hugely impressive defensive corps in place this team should be strong.

This isn’t Glen Sather going shopping to fill huge voids any more. He’s not simply throwing mud (AKA Dolan’s chequebook) at a wall and seeing what sticks. This is a team that is looking for additional pieces to build a champion. Any significant trades Sather makes (Nash included) wouldn’t see Sather use assets from a dwindling asset pool; this is not a franchise devoid of future talent. Far from it.

You may not agree with any of the packages mooted that get used to acquire a major talent like Nash. Indeed, fans may – usually – value prospects/players/picks more than the management do but either way you look at it, the franchise will have plenty left in the tank should they move assets to acquire a Nash like player.

What does this tell us? Don’t worry about the franchise because several assets are moved to acquire a big name player. Don’t worry about the cap and the necessity to sign players down the road. This team has a chance to do something very special this season and face facts, do something this franchise has done just four times in its history: win a cup. If the team won the cup with Nash it would still be a team built from within first and foremost. If a popular player and a prized prospect or two were the cost of a Stanley Cup (made in Manhattan) sign me up.

Cap mathematics come in to play in the summer, of course they do. However, over the next season or two plenty of cap comes off the roster that would allow for a player of Nash’s expense to be absorbed. Nash isn’t worth 7.8 million per year but that’s not the point here. If a player of his ability can be brought in and help the club win and the club still has enough prospects and financial flexibility to keep sustaining the roster after any such acquisition (it has by the way) that’s a good place to be in.

Sather has had a highly successful period since the lockout. It’s why he has earned some trust as we approach the deadline. This Rangers team is Rangers built and if they go out and buy some talent to aid a successful period be thankful that this deep-pocketed franchise has the ability to go out and do that. The franchise isn’t veering from the concept it has developed over the best part of a decade just because Rick Nash is in town.

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.

The Sunday Link Dump – Game Day Edition

It’s Sunday morning and what better way to wake up than to check out what’s happening in Ranger-land this weekend. Here’s your link dump.

The Post are leading with an interesting story about Neil Smith and his moves that helped turn the Rangers into a Cup winner back in 1994. I agree that despite the stellar career Tony Amonte went on to have; you can always justify moves that give you a cup. It’s a shame the way that Rangers core (including Keenan and Smith) crumbled so quickly.

Rangers Review provide their own damning words on Martin Biron and take a look at the Rangers loss to the Hawks, which was indeed anything but pretty. Do you agree with the Review in regards to how bad Biron has been?

The Boys at Blue Line Station have a nice post about our King in goal and the crazy guy manning the net in Philadelphia. It makes good reading, the title alone made me laugh. Poor Ilya.

Every year approaching the trade deadline TSN always breakdown the status of each club in the two conferences, listing the pending free agents and what each club likely need to do at the deadline. Here’s the link to the Eastern conference, including your very own Rangers. Do you agree?

Finally, Andrew Gross at Rangers Rants discusses Dubinsky, Torts and the sideshow that is Rick Nash (in tonight’s game against Columbus) It should be a comfortable win for the Rangers on home ice but with all the distractions that will likely be around this game it will be anything but. I have to say I just love how Tortorella doesn’t know when the deadline is (apparently). Just like he previously said about players ‘I knew nothing about him’. Either our coach is blissfully ignorant or he’s a terrible liar. Or he just doesn’t want to give anything away.

It should be an interesting game and game day. Check back later for the game preview and the recap later tonight. Let’s Go Rangers!

Musings day – Rangers trophy talk

It’s a musings day and what a week this has been (already) for the Rangers. Boston who? Yeah I said it. It’s a week of upheaval here at Blue Seat Blogs. Dave has had the audacity to go on holiday leaving yours truly, the Suit and the rookie (aka Justin) to do the heavy lifting; which would be easier if my laptop hadn’t died on me, but I digress. To the musings…

Callahan Can Do More – Seriously

It’s all been said about Cally before but there is one thing; his offensive upside. Barring a dramatic dip in form or injury, Callahan will likely get his first 30 goal season this year. He’s a great captain and a physical player, but previously he seemed limited in regards to his finishing ability. No longer. As this team gets better, older and deeper I see the potential for a 40 goal season for Callahan. I never thought I’d say that. He is a critical element on this team in every scenario and he could legitimately knock in 40 if he avoids injury. What a player he has become.

And the Hart Trophy Goes to…

At this stage, given the ridiculous pace he has been setting, the only person that should be a threat to Lundqvist for the Hart should be Evgeni Malkin. Both players are critical to their teams, but for me – personal adoration aside -Lundqvist deserves it because his regular season is potentially a historical one statistically. He could break the all-time GAA record for starters. The Swede is borderline unbeatable right now and care not about Mr Lin of the Knickerbockers, Henrik is the King of New York right now.

And the Vezina Trophy Goes to…

Barring major loss of form or serious injury in the next week or two, Lundqvist should have this trophy in his cabinet already. He’s been that good.

More than ‘Just’ a Scorer

Some players are one dimensional. Some players are accused of being one dimensional. Marian Gaborik isn’t one dimensional. Yes, he’s a goal scorer (and an elite one) first and foremost, but he’s displayed an exceptional level of passing ability recently and if you’ve followed him closely this year, you should be beginning to appreciate his defensive ability too. Not many so called elite, finesse players try as hard as Gaborik does defensively, nor do they buy into the team concept as Gaborik does. He’s having a great season.

Mike Who?

I guarantee some fans have forgotten about Mike Sauer. That is not a slight on Sauer or his place on this roster, but is testament to the way the club is playing without their physical blueliner. This club doesn’t need to add a defenseman at the deadline if Sauer returns soon. What depth the Rangers boast if (when) he does in fact return.

Powerplay dilemma

I mentioned this on twitter this week. Look at the new found confidence (and success) on the power play. The crisp passing, the movement off the puck, the guys (Callahan) parked in front waiting to convert. Right now, the power play looks rejuvenated which poses a dilemma; should the Rangers even bother looking to make a change right now? Do you believe the unit can carry this form on (based on skill level it should be able to be a quality unit) or do you risk moving assets/roster parts/picks to pick up some help just in case? The improved power play has thrown up as many new questions as it has answered old ones.

Question Time:

• Does Gaborik break 50 goals?

• Does Lundqvist get 40 wins?

• If you could make one addition come deadline day, would it be an offensive or defensive addition?

• Does Wolski score a goal this season or have we seen the last of the skilled Pole?

• Who’s Sean Avery?

Rangers/Bruins recap

• This game belonged to Lundqvist.  I will elaborate more later in the recap, but not bulleting him first would have been a travesty.
• Ryan Callahan is just scorching hot right now.  6 goals in his last 4 games and another power play goal.  For those keeping score at home that’s 38.5% over the past 4 games, with greatly improved puck movement.
• This game was remarkably clean considering the physicality and the personalities at play.  A couple of off-setting minors and a few scuffles, but mostly just hard nosed hockey.
• The Blueshirts started off a little slow but really came on in the second half of the first period.  The forecheck was relentless and forced turnovers using the newly implemented system that The Suit so conveniently broke down just this afternoon.
• The Rangers were the beneficiaries of a fortunate bounce off Chara (own-goal anyone?) at the end of the second period.  From then on out, the Rangers played well defensively, but rested a little too much on Hank’s brilliance and seemed to do a little too much clock watching.  20 shots on goal isn’t going to cut it in the playoffs.
• I thought Brandon Dubinsky played very well tonight.  1 assist and a +1, plus ten stitches and some chipped teeth highlighted a very blue collar effort.  He really needs to start being more decisive when handling the puck though.  He had several opportunities to pull the trigger and preferred the pass.  We all know what Dubi is capable of when he shoots with confidence.
• On defense, Ryan McDonagh and Marc Staal had particularly strong games.  Del Zotto had yet another assist (4 in the past 4 games), and Girardi continued his steady play.
• Carl Hagelin’s speed continues to be an asset.  He was strong on the forecheck and negated a couple icing calls.  He threw the body around and was a general nuisance to the Bruins all game long.
• Artem Anisimov is quietly playing some of his best hockey this season after being reunited with Gaborik (another assist, who knew he had the playmaker gene?) and Stepan.  Arty has 6 points in his last 6 games, and has made his presence known.
• Now with all that out of the way, we can move on to the goaltending.  Now, I don’t make it a secret that I am not much of a Tim Thomas fan, but he played fairly well tonight.  Obviously, Cally’s PP goal was one that you can’t really hold the goalie responsible for, but it was a mini-illustration of the problem I have with Thomas’ style.  He works incredibly well within Boston’s defensive system, but his aggressive style takes him out of plays after the first shot, and forces his defense to compensate for him.  If you watch the replay, although the goal was in no way his fault, all his effort went directly to Del Zotto and gave himself absolutely no chance to stop the shot on the lateral pass.
• Thomas griping aside, the real story in this game was The King.  He was absolutely out of this world tonight.  He was in solid position on the first shot and was balanced and poised for the rebounds.  He bailed out tired defenders countless times when Boston was mounting extended shifts of pressure.  If he continues to play at even 85% of the level he is at right now, he is a lock for the Hart Trophy.  Hank deserved his league-leading shutout, with 42 saves and continues to sport the best save percentage in the league and is second in GAA only to Brian Elliot, who has played in 15 less games.

With this win, the Rangers are now 9 points up on the 2^nd place Bruins.  Mike Keenan made the bold prediction that no one is going to catch this team now.  You guys agree? Off tomorrow and then the Blackhawks come to town on Thursday at 7pm.