Rangers Bust Out!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
I almost had to slap myself to see if I was dreaming when the New York Rangers scored 4 goals in the 2nd period (3 in just over a minutes time). The goal explosion led to a 7-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night at MSG. It certainly took everybody by surprise, especially since the Rangers have struggled to find the net lately. I don’t give a damn what others might say.
The Rangers needed this win in a huge way. When the Blueshirts fell behind 2-0 in the 1st period things were looking a bit grim. This is where I tip my hat to Coach John Tortorella for taking a time-out! At first, I thought a major blasting was about to happen, but that did not occur. Torts came out and kept it real calm and spread encouragement instead of fire. Good job, Torts! From there, Marian Gaborik went to work and the rest of the Rangers followed in turn. Gaborik, Anisimov, and a beautiful solo rush by Del Zotto gave the Rangers a lead that they would never relinquish.
At this point, I was really impressed with how the Rangers had rebounded from a 2 goal deficit to grab the lead. It’s not easy on any day in the NHL, let alone when you have been struggling to find scoring from anybody (other than Gaborik and Prospal). In the 2nd period, the boys in blue went wild. Avery scored twice and Gaborik picked up his 2nd goal in a flash to give the Rangers a much larger, 6-2 lead. Matt Gilroy then made it 7-2 for the Rangers on a nice breakaway move. That’s right, a breakaway from a d-man- it was nice to see! The Jackets scored a few more to make it look good, but really this game was more than over.
A couple of things that should not go unnoticed… Aaron Voros gets a lot of criticism by many Rangers fans and I in the past have been one. This year, he’s done everything for the team that you could ask for. He answered the big hits on Marc Staal by taking on Jared Boll when the game was out of reach for the Blue Jackets. I like that. It shows team spirit and to tell you the truth, he did very well in the fight against a rather tough opponent. Voros is what he is. But one thing’s for sure, he’s a team player (more Rangers players could learn from him). The other is Henrik Lundqvist once again gets run over by Rick Nash and all you do is grab a hold of him? How about throwing him to the ice (like teams do to the Rangers)? Or how about taking a 5 minute major to get a point across that it’s not acceptable and that it has to stop? Lundqvist needs to be treated like a fine piece of art. No one and I mean no one should even get close to him without paying for it.
There, I vented a bit but it needed to be said! Now on to the Quinnipiac Bobcats (Now ranked #9 in the country). They won 2 games over this past weekend at Colgate and Cornell (5-3 and 3-2, respectively). I believe this team has the goods this year and they are making believers with each game that they play. Good job fellas and keep it rolling! Over and out!
30 comments:
Unfortunately I missed the goal explosion as it happened live. It would have been a sight to see.
I don't like the fact that they gave up 4 goals, but what can you do? A win is a win at this point. I hope they can keep it up. They sort of have to since the Eastern Conference race is extremely tight early on.
Wrath, At this point rather than dwell on the negatives I chose to be positive about the game. It's my right LOL.
Hopefully it will boost the confidence in the players and scoring will come from many instead of just Gaborik and Prospal.
A good win...But there is so much more to work on.
Hi Chris, I agree with you 100% that this was a needed win and an offensive explosion. I also agree that the King must be treated like fine art, if only our Boys in Blue would believe it I think we would all be happy. I am a life long Ranger fan, I can only remember a few D-men willing to drop the gloves when our goalies were touched. Of course my friend you were one of them, but going back deep in the day - there was Ron Harris - Giles Marrotte -and Shoot the puck Barry Beck - It seemed the Rangers always built their teams around finese D-Men. We do need the finese without a doubt, but it should be mixed with a little meaness and toughness.Maybe with that added ingredient the King would not be touched. But not to keep dwelling on this point, this was a good win, and we got scoring from the young D - men Del Zotto & Gilroy along with Avery and Arisinov. Torts showed good coaching skills with that time out to settle things down, and the boys responded quite well. I hope it continues on the road trip which won't be an easy one... Geno
Geno, It was a much needed win no matter how it happened. Let's hope the "Boys in Blue" will have more confidence offensively heading south.
As for the running of Lundqvist. Here's my take, It will come back to bite them in the ass if the players don't protect the King. It's that simple.
It was nice to see Del Zotto and Gilroy contribute as well as others.
Kotsy -
Gotta admit that I'm conflicted about Voros.
Yes - last night he took on Boll - and I swear he's getting boxing lessons either from Brashear or someone else because he actually looked decent and didn't lose his balance or take one square that dropped him.
More importantly, other than the fighting major, he actually managed to stay the hell out of the penalty box.
If he can avoid the really dumb 'reaching'/holding penalties, and play the way he did last night on a consistent basis, I think Rangers fans might just ease up on him.
And to keep this short - I don't see a d-man on the Rangers that's willing to drop an opponent for running Hank. You know Rozsival isn't going to do it - and neither is Redden (he'll just hug the guy to death). Staal could - but he needs a "mean streak" injection to do it.
Dbmaven, I'm just pointing out someone who gives a crap when it's time to stand up for the team. Voros has answered the bell every time.
People may disagree with me and that's okay, But then I ask who else has done that on a consistent basis?
As for Staal, I've always said the only part of his game that's missing is the nasty side. If he ever adds that to his game he could be one of the most dominant D-Men in the league.
hey chris,
for one more night it was fun again, like in the first 2 weeks of the season.after the blue jackets scored the first 2 goals, it was like here we go again, and just when im ready to give up on tortarella, he surprised me with his matter of fact,"non torts rant"coaching, and he actually seemed to have the players attention.the burst of scoring from the rest of the team was refreshing as well.but, even in this win, we still managed to give up 4 goals,which in most games is a loss...the usual suspects need to tighten it up some.and voros brought his heart to the game, and it seemed there strapping there balls on again before the game.im looking foward to this 3 game road trip to see how they do.
greg m, I thought the same thing when Columbus got 2 early. Tort's did trick us all with his encouragement timeout. Good move by Tort's.
Let's hope they can be more confident and play the brand of Hockey you need to win!
We agree on lots of things - I've never questioned Voros' heart. What we saw against the BJs was he also used his head (the dumb penalties part - and not taking any). Ranger Fans, in general, have little use for a 'heart' guy who puts the team in a hole with stupid penalties - that's all I'm saying.
And you're dead right about Marc Staal - he's got the size, skill and smarts - he just needs to add that little bit of 'sting'. It appears that he's thinking too much (and reports over the last 2 days as much as quote him on that). If he gets his confidence back, stops the thinking, and gets a bit meaner - he's a dominant d-man.
Cheers bud! Have a great Thanksgiving!
dbmaven, Can't argue with your analysis about stupid penalties. I just feel that sometimes we throw are anger at the wrong players.
Staal would be so much better if he gave himself room to play. How do you do that? You take a nasty shot at someone. Trust me on this word spreads quickly in the NHL that this is what might happen to you if you test me.
Lol - you're absolutely right.
On the Blueshirt Banter Radio show last night, guest Bernie Nicholls said something right along those line about an experience he had. I can't remember who the d-man was who crushed him in the corner - but the parting comment was "I go in the corners - you don't" - Bernie said he always remembered that....
Time for Staalsie to spread the word...
dbmaven, I know Bernie he's quick with the wit and was damn good Hockey Player. Funny guy!
Hey Kotsy, I hear ya running for president of the AV club. The Aaron Voros Club lol.
I just uploaded a clip of you doing your best Bobby Orr impression as a Ranger against The Colorado Rockies.
Have a Great Thanksgiving !
Ranger Crisis.com
Troublizing, I'm just stating the fact that Voro's has done his job when called upon when no one else will. You have to give him credit for that.
I saw the clip couldn't finish though LOL. Notice how I wouldn't pass it to Esposito. What a puck hog!
You have nice Thanksgiving as well.
Hi Chris good game for my Leafs last night in Tampa. Hagman scored 2 goals, i hope the Leafs don't give up on him, he has played some good hockey lately. I think it will come together, it will take time. 61 shots Monday night ,Roloson stood on his head for the Islanders. We get lots of shots but nobody can seem to finish. Kessel has been decent up to this point. I would like to see Burke pick up Brent Sopel, i think that is the rumour i heard the other day. Chris we need guys who can put the puck in the net!!
Mr. Greek, Give it one more year and Burke will have his pieces in place. The Leafs simply are not ready to contend with this lineup as is.
Oh and by the way Kessel is pretty good.
Happy Thanksgiving Chris...I am grateful for the emergance of some of our draftees..we need to maintain this trend..grow our own..build in a system a la the Devils..look at them..Madden..Gionta..gone..havent missed a beat
Leatherneck, Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I couldn't agree with you more.
The Cap in the NHL limits you as what you can do as a team in need. Building from within gives you stability and the option to resign or not resign players.
You know...I think bench clearing brawls in hockey had their place too...correct me if I am wrong Chris as i know you were in a few that I personally saw..lol...after a brawl did the team not get tighter..closer..talk about it?..betting here you probably still talk about a few of em..ie the Kings game...this team is too soft and unblalanced but we knew that before the season started...this game against the Pens...ughhh...i see no heart...a brawl atleast showed they had a bit of a pride...just my opinion..
Leatherneck, You are right on all points. It does bring a team together and yes we still talk about them amongst ourselves LOL.
Soft is what they are and what they have been for years...Drives me nuts.
http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/218183/If_he_only_had_a_heart_copy.jpg
Chris, I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving! I, for one, tried not to choke on the turkey watching the crap that has been Rangers hockey now for over a month. It looks like the real Rangers have finally stood up. This is a team that plays exactly how the talking heads predicted before the season started. There is no flow, cohesion, passion, or, worst of all, team identity. If not for the jerseys they are wearing, I could not tell what team I was watching, or even what league. Without Gaborik, this team would likely have a hard time in the AHL. I am not sure it is even a matter of pulling the right strings. No matter how good is the driver, a Yugo will not outrace a Porsche. That's it, we have been watching a Yugo with a great paint job! Don't get me wrong, I am happy the Rangers have oodles of young talent on the blue line. I like watching Del Zotto, Gilroy, and Sangs play. However, who is going to put a scare in the eyes of the opposition - Girardi? Unlikely. Who is going to provide secondary scoring to Gaborik? Callahan, Dubinsky, Lisin? Sure does not look like it. Anyone in the minors even approaching being an offensive threat? Not really. The pool is shallower than we may think. Maybe tanking the season and drafting very high is the best thing that can happen. I know it sounds sacrilegious, but how are the Rangers going to compete with the likes of Pittsburgh, Washington, Philly, and even the Islanders with the current crop of forwards? By the time Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Carter, and Tavares retire, so will that crop of young and promising defensemen, not to mention Lundqvist. The Emperor (or, in our case, the King) is indeed naked.
Jason, I can't disagree with you on any of your points. I too was guilty of drinking the cool aid.
Why is it every player (Well Almost) who comes to the Rangers under performs? It's mind boggling.
well interesting..and I dont like it..Crosbitch and Gabby get in a scuffle and Guerin is quick in with a punch to Gabby...us...as a team...nothing.....i dont like that...Guerin just showed the rest of the NHL tha Gabby can be toyed with in the games to come...i prefer a losing teamwith heart over a winning team with none..i prefer a tough team with a band of brothers attitude over the prima donnas the Rangers have a knack to sign who under achieve
Leatherneck, I noticed that too. Gabby was challenged all night by the Penguins and nothing was done to their top players in return.
Not good.
Last night was a prime example of why the Penguins are playoff contenders and the Rangers are not even a playoff team right now. I remember seeing this kind of performance from the Islanders for so many years. They somewhat keep up with the opposition for 40 or 50 minutes and then the wheels fall off. Whether this is a matter of conditioning, mental toughness, lack of skill or all of the above, the Rangers are not on the same level as they think they should be. Good teams find a way to win close games down the stretch. Granted, there will be some losses, but these losses are an aberration. Bad teams consistently lose under these circumstances.
You may disagree, but I have seen enough of a sample over the course of this season to conclude that the Rangers are not a good team. They are not underachieving, mind you, as some may suggest. They perform about as well we they can with the current crop of characters under the current coaching staff. Gaborik scores as advertised, better than anyone in the NHL at this point, even with no real first line center (amazing in its own right - very much what Kovalchuk has done for years on awful Atlanta squads). Lundqvist plays about the same as usual (queue his typical slump this time of year and a leaky high glove side). The rest of the cast play up to their potential. We have two (maybe 1.5) legitimate first liners and then the rest of the forwards are third or fourth liners at best on a good day (Anisimov has potential, but lacks experience at this point). The defense is porous and is anchored by veterans who should at best be playing 6 or 7 at this point in their careers, not logging top four minutes. The cigar-chomping architect should be proud.
Chris, where is the silver lining? I would like to see it, but it is becoming harder and harder with each disheartening loss. The Rangers are turning into my worst nightmare - an easy 2 points. Even the Islanders in their crappy period had more bite.
Jason. I will disagree with you on one point. You knew this was coming LOL.
Why is it that anyone who joins the Rangers from other teams(Excluding a small number of players over the years) can't even match their offensive totals or expectations from which they came from? Mind Boggling.
That my friend is underachieving or under performing period in my eyes. Coaching styles can't and never will change that.
I guess the Silver lining would Del Zotto, Gilroy, Gaborik and Prospal...that's it. No one else can honestly say they have met expectations. Giving effort is admirable but playing smart and production is what counts!
Whats scary Chris is it will get worse. Here is a fact all dynastys were once the laughing stock of the NHL..it will do the Rangers good to be in top 5 in the draft for two years and let the players build experience on D...this team is not that far from becoming a good team,,,one more scorer..a true 2nd line center..a power forward and 2 good grinders and of course 1 or 2 hitters on Defense..what bothers me is Sather...he knows what it takes to win but what is he thinking right about now..as this is NY and patience is not a virtue in NY...i am seeing a Rick Middleton scenario coming up..thats scary
Del Zotto, Gilroy, Gaborik and Prospal - four players in the entire organization - not much of a silver lining, is it? LOL.
I am not sure you can say that the veterans are underachieving. I think that their best years are behind them and they may not be able to do any better. Redden was on the decline long before Sather signed him (this deal alone should have been a cause for dismissal). Roszival had a few somewhat respectable years with the Rangers, but has also been on the decline. Drury was never really the player he was made out to be. He is a role player who performs by pure guts only at some specific times of the year. There is no history to suggest he has been anything else, and the years are catching up with him as well. Higgins (not a real vet or a mercenary) was not performing with the Habs before the trade. Lisin, traded for Prucha, was nothing more than Pheonix's Prucha. The young D-men will mature, but, again, there are not enough pieces within the organization to construct a good, consistently competitive, and winning team. There is a need for an overhaul, which, unfortunately, means bottom feeding for a while.
Lisin was traded for Korpikoski, not Prucha (my bad).
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