PRU-VING HIS WORTH

With the Rangers struggling to score goals, and Petr declining a conditioning assignment to Hartford just a day earlier, Tom Renney made the move to insert the underutilized winger into the lineup against a Pittsburgh Penguins team that boasts the two highest scorers in the league. 

Renny and his squad needed a goal, and Prucha, using his trademark hustle.. fall.. get up.. and keep hustling style, pounced on the rebound of a Scotty Gomez drive off the boards and slid it past the Pens backup goaltender- who was totally out of position on that shot- to tie the game late in the 3rd and push the Rangers into "get-to-the-shootout mode".

And that was a terrific run-on sentence. A thanks to those who noticed.

Naturally his reaction to the press will be of the "I'm just glad I was able to contribute" sort, but one has to wonder if he'd much rather be saying, "look what happens when you give me a friggin' shot, with decent amounts of ice time." Still, I'd like to see the kid standing in the slot on the PP (which- honestly - is BRUTAL to watch) banging home rebounds and doing his thing as he was able to do in that miraculous 30-goal rookie season. 

Is Pru a 30-goal a year guy? No. 

Did he overachieve in his rookie season? Yes. And i don't think I can find anyone to disagree with that.

But what the kid does is provide constant hustle, throw every pound of his tiny frame around, dig in the corners, and put the biscuit in the basket. He can be a 20-25 goal a year guy if used appropriately. 

HOWEVER, I fear that a couple more good showings like this may just increase the kid's trade value and give him his ticket out of town. Here's to hoping he gets another full shot to shine on garden ice.

Anywho.

This team, despite the lack of scoring, the frustrating turnovers,  hair-tearing PP, and inability to merely hit the red thing with the mesh, DOES NOT QUIT. And that is what sets them apart from past Ranger squads, including those of the last 3 playoff-bound seasons. This team believes they can come back late in the 3rd period against anybody, and comeback they do. 

Once they do that... and get through the heart-pounding overtime.. there's The King.

Is it of concern that they can't win a game in regulation? Yea. But you know what? I'm going to take any 2 points at this point of the season. The scoring will come ladies and gentlemen. I guarantee it.

GAME NOTES:

-  Nik Zherdev is nasty. The kid might have the best hands in the league. As he goes, so go the Blueshirts. Still, his similarities to Alex Kovalev are scary. Yet if he can continue to hustle defensively as he has, he can reach that potential that the AK27 never quite did.

- Scott Gomez looks great. He was flying all over the ice today, cutting through the neutral zone into enemy territory repeatedly over the course of the game. (which the Pens announcers were worried would "tire him out"- they are terrible.) He was constantly all over the puck and the first goal was a matter of him wanting it more than anybody else.

-Moments before the Gomez-to-Zherdev goal, a defensive breakdown by the Rangers almost turned the game into a 3-0 catastrophe. A block by Redden (who also had 2 assists) followed by Gomez flying the other way instead sparked the team and made it a 2-1 game. 

-The Naslund-Gomez-Zherdev line, re-united, looked fantastical.

- Dimitry Kalinin. If you ever turn a puck over like that again- to Cindy no less- you will not last long. Ask a man named Marek.

- Paging Captain Clutch? Where have you gone Chris Drury? I didn't hear your name called once in this game.

- (Naslund + Zherdev + Shoes ) X Hank = Shootout Wins.

- With Henrik Lundqvist between the pipes, the Rangers have a chance to win Every game.

- Sidney Crosby, although a whiner, is a damn good hockey player. The kid lives up to the hype.

- That being said, I cheered louder when he was knocked on his ass than when Petr tied the game.

-No Malkin in the shootout? I guess everybody knows Hank has his number 1 on 1.

- The Pens announcers are the worst in the league. I don't really want to elaborate.. it makes me angry.

    

        

3 STARS OF THE GAME:

3) Henrik Lundqvist.  

29 saves. Kept the team in the game while the Pens controlled the puck in the 1st and for various  amounts of time for the rest of the game.

2) Petr Prucha/Nikoli Zherdev.

Prucha- 1 goal. Countless hits and hustle. Earned another day in uniform

Zherdev- 1 goal . Showed hands, his wicked shot, and was responsible with the puck. When he's on his game he adds another dimension to the NYR.

1) Scott Gomez. 

2 assists. Was all over the ice, and seemed to want the puck on his stick at the end of the game. skated "masterfully" (credit Nate Pettine). If we can find him a true sniper, they'll be in good shape.

-Rif

COMMENTS/THOUGHTS??? PLEASE LEAVE THEM!!

**** Special shout out to the Penn State Nittany Lions BASKETBALL team with an 85-83 win over Georgia Tech!