Rangers Flop In Rematch
Sunday, November 30, 2008
This past Friday the Rangers defeated the Florida Panthers, 4-3, in a shoot-out. However, the game quite honestly left a bad taste in my mouth. You go up 2-0 early in the game, sit on the lead, then make your MVP Henrik Lundqvist single-handedly turn back shot after shot on a 5 v 3 penalty kill. Then, of course, you give up a late goal that ties the game and somehow you manage to win it in a shoot-out... not very impressive. A far too common happening for this former player. A win? Yes. But there's a problem bigger than you think!
Which leads me to today's matinee game at The Garden. You know the place that team's don't want to play (just kidding). The Florida Panthers came in and looked like an all-star team compared to the Rangers. The Panthers skated to an easy 4-0 shut-out (first time all season the Rangers got shut-out, believe it or not). Led by Craig Anderson's play in the net for the Panthers, the Panthers just did everything right. They were quicker, faster, outhustled, outhit, and outplayed the Rangers up and down the ice. The Rangers were, simply put, horrible. No one came to play and if anyone thinks differently, then they're in la-la land.
Who's to blame? The fans seem to think it's Rozsival's fault. Oh, really? The no-score, no-hit, no-powerplay, no-support for Lundqvist is all Rozy's fault? The top players did not step up. The lack of hustle overall was embarassing. You can't sugar coat this! It is what it is. With Pittsburgh coming into town with their elite group of players, the Rangers have plenty to worry about in the next few days. Over and out!
8 comments:
Kots--Nov. ends7-6-1 afar cry from the end of Oct.--Trautwig said after the game that he really thought that the Rangers battled in this game and he could not understand how this happened.---Well if he thought they battled, than I think he's a schmuck!!!--Does he think the King got pulled because they battled in front of him??--Does he think that in the 3rd when we had a 5 on 3 man advantage and GOT OUTPLAYED during the advantage it was because we battled???Break it down into 1/3rds..---1st--wide open --morer to Fla's advantage,but they skated there was passion--and the first two lines had lots of scoring chances---they took plenty of shots, but too many missed the net!!!--Voros got an offensive zone penalty on a weak slashing call--you can't even touch another players stick now ---they saw that, but missed the elbow to the puss that Stewart gave him later in the game..--not a bad way to start the game --make some adjustments and build from there..--2nd--It starts to fall apartGomez makes a low % for Redden coming in late, and BANG the King has to come up big on a good chance off a turnover!!Can they tell Redden to take the body and give up on those weak poke and stick checks,which he seems to always miss and than is forced to chase or hook the player blowing by him!!--Hey Fla. played a good road game--strong on the puck--lots of pressure on us--They forced the King to make bigger saves than Anderson had to make--We get caught down low on a turn over--Stall falls down they score..-It happens--Yes--but it really can't--We let them come off the boards, because Betts and Rozi are making stick checks and reaching for the puck and not taking the body--end result another goal!!--King gets pulled becuase a lob pass into the corner that got Redden turned and beat to the puck and can't stop a pass into the slot for Campbell who Dubi was suppose to be checking--result goal # 3--too much too fast--they got quicker we slowed down--from the second period out it was the same type of play that we showed on Fri.--What happened to the team that played the game last Wed. in Tampa??same lineup right???---3rd the last goal happened so quick, maybe that was why Girardi was just standing and not moving with the play as it went by him on the blueline!!--After the 1st period we couldn't carry it in --we couldn't recover it when we dumped it in--it was really a good road game for Florida---After the game the old fatigue bullshit seemed to be the reason for the poor play (by the colormen)--Pardon me gents, but didn't Florida have the same timetable as we did??they played Friday and traveled up here and skatedin the morning just like us --NO FATIGUE on their part!!--If they play without the passion they need and make the lazy mistakes they made the last two and get out hit-hustled-and passioned the way they have ---I can only imagine how the Pens will take advantage of that type of effort--with the talent in that lineup--After what I watched today ,I can only hope that the reason they played the way they did--was because they were looking ahead to the Penguins on Wed!!!---If this is the effort they bring into that game --it could go into dbl. digits!!!
mr.hockey: Mr.Hockey, I could not believe my eyes today. The Rangers were embarrassed by a team of hard working nobody's.
Where was the hustle? desire? grit? and especially the leadership? That's been so eloquently shoved in our faces all year. I know it's easy to criticize, but today was a joke.
Where are our high priced guns? Oh Excuse me 2 of them were tied for 123rd in scoring in the league going into today. Please...
And I don't want hear that it's Sather's fault or Renney's fault. They don't play! I'm sure they are just as mortified as anyone else.
The so called leaders of this team need to be the best every night, not when they feel like it. It was a disgusting performance.
Pittsburgh? I'll bet there will be no rest and a little extra skating in practice. They surely didn't skate that hard today. Fatigued? that's impossible.
Hello Chris..been a tough day for me...asides from the Rangers..my buddy..my dog is dying...so he is in like a hospice type situation with me..tough to watch..yeah...Rangers looked like S__t from what I watched...
leatherneck: Leatherneck, I feel for you. I owned a few dogs (Rottweilers) in my day and when they needed to be put down it was a sad day.
Well, I have to be honest maybe I'm using the anger of the passing of my good friend Bob (Sorry, I can't get it out of my head) but the Rangers were rotten against Florida.
No effort, passion, leadership, that I could see and it was disappointing to see. A wasted day at the Garden.
We have some very good, Hockey Players on this roster, but other than The "KING" there are no "Elite" players. If there is I must be blind.
If anyone thinks that there more "Elite" players on this team, then I've got some ocean front land for them in Kansas City for sale.
Sorry about your dog.
Hello Chris..tough day..i had to put my dog down today..very tough day for me...so its an end of an era and on to a new beginning...lets hope the Rangers do the same..
leatherneck: Leatherneck,very sorry to hear about your dog. I know the feeling.
I really don't know where the Rangers stand in the NHL. The record (17-8-2) says one of the upper tier teams. My gut tells me different.
I hope I am wrong.
Hi Chris, buried my jake up in Redrock..ever been there?...jake has a nice view..near a trail to frolic with the hikers in spirit now..miss my onion eating waddle butt mutt..lol...freaking loved eating onion..Nice win last night..but this lack of diverse scoring is hurting this team...nice to see Prucha score though...I am still same old same old with Kalinin and the others mentioned by me often...what a giveaway on that 4 on 4 by kalinin..now poor Mara is stuck with him...and you know..the 4th line was on ice for 3 goals last few games...none of those goals were a fault of anyone..just nice goals like Staals..other people on message boards are hammering this line....clueless...really..why i like it here..its honest and intelligent...keep up the great work #24..oooh raaah
leatherneck: Leatherneck, Once again I have to rely on your expert scouting report as I was doing a Quinnipiac Bobcats game at Princeton(they lost 4-1). My son also gave me a run down as soon as I got home. He also text messaged me with one word "Raaangers",which usually means good news.
It was a big win indeed for, Pittsburgh was closing in on the Rangers points wise with games in hand.
Hammering the 4th line is joke. Taking exception with the so called stars is another. They get payed the most, therefore should provide the most.
Sorry about Jake, I will have a new blog up after the game tonight. It's going to be a tough one!
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