2009-2010 SEASON PREVIEW

"It's the most wonderful time of the year!" 

Alas, my friends-  as the days get shorter, the temperature drops lower, and baseball season continues to be boring, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Hockey season is here!

The return of bone-crushing hits, wicked wristers, blazing speed, glove saves, breathtaking breakaways, power plays, blocked shots, one-timers, odd-man rushes and ridiculous dangles is mere hours away.  God there's a lot to love about this game.

Now as fans of the New York Rangers, we are used to the notion that with a new season comes many new (expensive) faces, a lot of question marks, and the usual reliance on Henrik Lundqvist.  

I introduced many of the newest Blueshirts in my most recent post (back on July 1st), but lets get a quick recap of the team's offseason additions and subtractions.

ADDITIONS: RW Marian Gaborik, RW Christopher Higgins, RW Ales Kotalik, C/LW Vinny Prospal, LW Donald Brashear, RW Enver Lisin, C Brian Boyle

SUBTRACTIONS: RW Nikolai Zherdev, LW Markus Naslund, C Scott Gomez, RW Fred Sjostrom, C Blair Betts, LW Colton Orr, RW Nik Antropov, D Paul Mara, D Derek Moris, LW Lauri Korpikoski

Wow. Talk about a roster turnover. Let's just say that GM Glen Sather was a busy man this off-season. And that's not to mentioned that he was rumored to be in trade talks about both Dany Heatley and Phil Kessel.

So what can you expect from your New York Rangers this season? Here is your 2009-2010 season preview!

FORWARDS

Artem Anisimov, Sean Avery, Brian Boyle, Donald Brashear, Ryan Callahan Chris Drury, Brandon Dubinsky, Marian Gaborik, Christopher Higgins, Ales Kotalik, Enver Lisin, Vinny Prospal, Aaron Voros

It's no secret around the NHL that the Rangers have not had the most potent offensive attack in recent years. Under the tutelage of Tom Renny, New York played a defense first, mistake-free style that relied on the team capitalizing on their opportunities and limiting scoring chances for the opposition. In essence, Renney's strategy was to win 1-0 or 2-1 games while being backstopped by one of the top 5 goaltenders in the league.

Things will certainly be different under John Tortorella. Torts is notorious for sending his squad into an all-out attack in the offensive zone. He preaches puck possession, something that was very foreign to this team during Renny's reign. 

The Blueshirts are certainly much younger and faster than they have been in decades, but it remains to be seen if they can maintain the up-tempo pace that Torts will demand over the course of a long season. This forward group has lots of scoring potential, but there are many if's and maybe's that will eventually determine the fate of the team.

#42 Artem Anisimov

08/09 stats: (AHL) (37G 44A)= 81 points

Projected 09-10 stats: 15 G 18 A = 33 points

Artie showed in the preseason that he can use his 6'4 frame effectively, while maintaining speed and fabulous hands. If given the opportunity to play a top 6 role, Anisimov could potentially put up bigger numbers and compete for the Calder (Rookie of the Year). 

#16 Sean Avery

08/09 stats: 41 GP (8G 14 A) = 22 points

Projected 09/10 stats: (15 G  31 A) = 46 points

After a regretful stint in Dallas, Avery is back on Broadway where he belongs (with the Stars paying half of his salary). When on the ice, "The Grate One" is a difference-maker for New York. The guy can skate, shoot, pass, and talk with the best in the league. However, Avery has a penchant for the dramatic, and is often in street clothes due to suspension (by team or league) or injury. It will be interesting to watch his relationship with the volatile Tortorella all season, as the two may be destined to bump heads at some point. A bum knee held Avery out of the last few pre-season games, but he should be ready for the home opener on the 3rd. 

#22 Brian Boyle

08/09 stats: 28 GP (4G 1A) = 5 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 45 GP (7G, 2A) = 9 points

The 6'7 Boyle, a former first round pick by Los Angeles, skates very well for his size. When paired with Brashear on the 4th line (where he likely will play), they make for a large duo who can provide some energy by throwing their weight around. Boyle has some offensive potential, but is yet to prove it at the NHL level. If he struggles early on, look for him to be sent down to Hartford.

#87 Donald Brashear

08/09 stats: 63 GP, (1G, 3A) = 4 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 70 GP (3G, 3A) = 6 points

This man was given a 1.2 Million dollar contract to do one thing: mix it up. Brashear is among the best tough guys in league history, but he can skate as well. Whether or not the Garden Faithful warm up to him after his numerous encounters with many Blueshirts (including Blair Betts) remains to be seen. 

#24 Ryan Callahan

08/09 stats: 22 G, 18 A = 40 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 26 G, 21 A= 47 points

Cally became a fan favorite last season due to his relentless work ethic and his nose for the net. His numbers only improved after Tortorella and his aggressive system took over behind the bench, so look for more of the same from Ryan. If he gets PP time with Gaborik, Cally could reach the 30 goal plateau. However, I think he's a couple of seasons away from really exploding offensively.

#23 Chris Drury

08/09 stats: 22G 34 A = 56 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 24G 36A= 60 points

Captain Clutch has yet to display his game-breaking ability thus far in his career as a Ranger. While playing with a broken hand in the playoffs was certainly admirable, the Rangers are going to need much more from their captain. Still, at 33, it is likely that Drury's best years are behind him. Perhaps being reunited with former Sabre linemate Ales Kotalik will help him produce.

#17 Brandon Dubinsky

08/09 stats: 13G 28A = 41 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 18G, 35A = 53 points

Dubinsky, despite a horrendous sophomore slump for the better part of last season, still managed to produce points at a decent pace. We saw two years ago how he could produce alongside a star (Jaromir Jagr), and he may be given the chance to center another one in Marian Gaborik. If so, Dubinsky could put up big assist numbers. Even if he is relegated to the third line, Duby still has the ability to create plays for himself and his linemates. Another player who was born to play the up-tempo style of Torts.

#10 Marian Gaborik

08/09 stats: 17GP(13G, 10A)= 23 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 70 GP (41G, 35A) = 76 points

The oft-injured Gaborik has the game-breaking ability that has not been displayed at the Garden since Pavel Bure's short tenure. When healthy, Gabby is a top-5 player in the league. He possesses a lethal shot, a quick release, and skates as fast as anybody else in the league. He makes the dreadful NY power play a threat by his lonesome, and can penalty kill as well. Finding him a center remains an issue for Sather & Co., as he may play with any of the centers on the roster. The Rangers will be very careful in monitoring the sniper's health, and making sure that he is ready to light the lamp at MSG early and often this season. 

#21 Christopher Higgins

08/09 stats: 57GP (12G, 11A) = 23 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 24G 28A= 52points

Before an injury-plagued campaign last season, Higgins had compiled three straight 20+ goal seasons in Montreal. Higgins, who came over in the Scott Gomez trade, is tough as nails around the net, and knows how to finish- something that the Rangers have been missing in recent seasons.

#12 Ales Kotalik

08/09 stats: 20G. 23A = 43 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 20G, 22A= 42 points

Kotalik will likely be reunited on a line with former Buffalo teammate Chris Drury- a player with whom he had his best offensive season playing alongside in '05-06. Kotalik has a cannon for a shot, and will surely be used on the point on the first Power Play unit. Ales looked a step slow in the pre-season, and may have trouble keeping up with Torts' demands. Look for him to be merely average at even strength this year.

#81 Enver Lisin

08/09 stats: 48GP (13G, 8A) = 21 points

Projected 09/10 stats: (16G, 14A) = 30 points

Lisin, acquired from Phoenix for Lauri Korpikoski, could be a great steal for the Rangers in the near future. However, with the makeup of this roster, I don't see him getting the ice time he would require in order to be productive. Lisin showed great speed and a nose for the net in the pre-season, and is well known for his stick-handling abilities. If the Rangers are stung by the injury bug, Lisin could step in nicely. However, at this point he is looking at a 3rd-4th line role. 

#20 Vinny Prospal

08/09 stats: 19G 26A = 45 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 21G, 28A = 49 points

If Prospal's off-again on-again career trend continues, he is due for a strong season on Broadway. If he centers Gaborik, he has the potential to put up 60 points. However, I think that the Rangers will make a move for a #1 center at some point, and that will side Vinny down the depth chart. Prospal is a good, crafty veteran forward for the Rangers and should have a productive year playing for John Tortorella once again.

#34 Aaron Voros

08/09 stats: 8G. 8A 16 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 6G, 5A, 11 points

Voros, if he is able to maintain his spot on the roster, will be playing on the 4th line with Brian Boyle and Donald Brashear. That trio showed some promise as a very, very large forechecking unit. Still, because Tortorella likes to rotate his top 3 lines for the most part, Voros will see his ice time diminished, which is not all that heartbreaking for fans who watched his performance last year. Just as a side note, Voros may be the worst fighter in league history. 

CALL UPS: Evgeny Grachev, Dane Byers 

DEFENSE

Michael Del Zotto, Matt Gilroy, Dan Girardi, Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival, Marc Staal, Alexei Semenov

Perhaps the Rangers achilles heel, this defensive corps has a little bit of everything, and a lot of nothing. There are the over-paid veterans (Redden and Rozsival), the young supposed studs (Girardi and Staal), the large, slow depth defenseman (Semenov), and the young and promising (Del Zottto and Gilroy). 

This group needs a lot of things to go right for them in order to be successful. Lucky for them there is a Swedish King behind them who is capable of erasing the many mistakes they are bound to make.

#4 Michael Del Zotto

08/09 stats: (OHL) 13G, 50A = 63 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 6G, 13A = 19 points

Del Zotto, 19, becomes the 2nd youngest defenseman to ever make the Rangers' roster (Maloney), and the first teenager to do so since Brian Leetch. Del Zotto will be counted on to help run the power play- a job that should be his right out of the gate. Expect growing pains, especially defensively, in the beginning, but the youngster is bound to become a bright star on the Broadway blueline for years to come.

#97 Matt Gilroy

08/09 stats: (Boston College) 8G 29A = 37 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 10G, 20A= 30 points

The reigning Hobey Baker Award winner as College Hockey's best player was given a big contract from the Rangers following Boston College's national championship run (in which he was played an integral role). After a great pre-season, Gilroy made the NHL roster and, like Del Zotto, will be thrown right into the fire. Gilroy loves to jump into the rush, and will be counted on to contribute offensively from the blue line. Gilroy is another young Ranger who has the potential to compete for the Calder trophy.

#5 Dan Girardi

08/09 stats: 4G 18A = 22 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 5G 18A = 23 points

Girardi will be relied upon to play a more defensive role for a New York team that lacks physicality on the back end. Danny has been steady thus far in his NHL career, but is prone to being beaten 1-on-1 and losing battles along the boards. Girardi recently drew criticism from Coach Tortorella after having a below-average camp and pre-season. The Blueshirts will need Girardi to have a strong season in order to be successful.

#6 Wade Redden

08/09 stats: 3G 23A = 26 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 5G 23A = 28 points

After signing an enormous 6-year deal last July, Redden had a season that he and all Ranger fans would like to soon forget. The weight of that contract bears down on Redden every time he is beaten, slips, or makes an errant pass on the ice. Unless Wade suddenly rediscovers the game that made him an all-star a few years back in Ottawa, the boo-birds will follow him around all season long. Redden did play a bit better after Tortorella took over, so look for him to get another chance to contribute on the 2nd power play unit.

#33 Michal Rozsival

08/09 stats: 8G, 22A = 30 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 7G, 20A = 27 points

Rozsival is a solid #4 defenseman who is thrust into a top-pairing role on this team. Rozsival has the skills to be a very good defenseman, but rarely displays any of them. He is shies away from contact and loose-puck battles on the ice, and although he has a great shot, he rarely attempts to use it. Rozsival is prone to the lazy shift, and that is not likely to sit well with Torts.

#18 Marc Staal

08/09 stats: 3G, 12 A = 15 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 5G, 15A= 20 points

Staal has officially taken the title of #1 defenseman on this team. He is still green, but is fast becoming one of the premier shut-down defenders in the league. Torts has said he would like to see more of an offensive game from Staal, but that will come with experience and confidence (see: Chara, Zdeno). Staal will rack up the ice time this year, matched mostly against the top lines of opposing teams.

#55 Alexei Semenov

08/09 stats: 47GP (1G, 7A) = 8 points

Projected 09/10 stats: 1G, 5A = 6 points

Semenov was invited to camp this season on a tryout basis, and due to the Rangers lack of funds to pick up a talented veteran D-man, made the team after a decent pre-season showing. The 6'6 Russian gives the Rangers another huge body and some toughness in front of Henrik Lundqvist. Look for Semenov to play a limited role for the team this season, if he even lasts that long on the roster.

CALL UPS: Bobby Sanguinetti, Michael Sauer, Corey Potter

GOALTENDING

#40 Steve Valiquette

08/09 stats: 15GP, 5-5-2, 2.84 GAA, .907SV%, 1SO

Projected 09/10 stats: 19 GP 7-7-3, 2.96 GAA, .894SV%, 1SO

Valiquette is a backup goaltender who knows his role on the team. He is a nice guy and a good teammate, but whenever he is in net I can't help but worry and doubt his overall skill set. With Torts looking to keep Henrik more fresh for the post-season, Vally could very well see more playing time. However, with the new system in place this also means that he will see more shots- which is not a good thing for NYR.

#30 Henrik Lundqvist

08/09 stats: 70GP, 38-25-7, 2.43 GAA, .916SV%, 3 SO

Projected 09/10 stats: 64GP 37-23-5, 2.51 GAA, .912 SV%, 4 SO

The King is the heart and soul, the brains and backbone of the New York Rangers. Without the Swede's heroics the Rangers certainly would not have been a playoff team last season, let alone almost upset the #2 seed in the East. This season the Blueshirts will once again lean on Hank, as Tort's system is one that promotes defensemen pinching deep into the offensive zone and often leaves the team's goalie out to dry. If there is any backstop in the league who can handle such pressure, it is Henrik Lundqvist. I mean hey, they guy has been playing without a defense in front of him for the last three seasons anyway! Bottom Line: as Henrik Lundqvist goes, the Rangers will go. 

 CALL UPS: Chad Johnson, Matt Zaba

And with this new season of New York Rangers hockey comes a new attitude. John Tortorella begins his first full season as Head Coach, and he brings with him a Stanley Cup ring, and a new, winning culture. The Rangers will be an entertaining team to watch this year, and you can be sure that you will see the kind of effort in this cast of characters that has been lacking in recent years. There are lots of question marks up and down this roster, but with Henrik Lundqvist between the pipes, if they buy into the system and find a way to band together, the Rangers can be among the league's elite. 

Let the quest for Lord Stanley's Cup Begin!!

PREDICTION: 44-30-8, 96 points, 6th in East, 2nd Round of Playoffs.

LETS GO RANGERS!

-Rif

Sather The Savior?

*Scroll down to the previous post to get a bit of closure on the 2008-09 season.

I love the NHL.

Just when you're starting to go through a bit of hockey withdrawal, and you're missing the familiar grind of the long, tough NHL season, the coolest game on Earth quickly feeds your hunger with the NHL draft (a pretty exciting one this year), and then the best Free Agent Frenzy of any professional sport in the world. *we'll see about Lebron in 2010.

Perhaps the best part of rooting for the New York Rangers is knowing that your team WILL make some kind of crazy splash- good or bad- in the Free Agent Pool and/or on the Trade market.

On the contrary, as my friend Dmitriy, a Devil fan put it; "UFA day for Devils fans is like Christmas Day for Jews."

As if his team's style of play isn't enough to put you to sleep, Lou Lamoriello refuses to take any sort of gamble during the NHL offseason- regardless of whether his team is in dire need of it or not. *They are

There are General Managers like that, and then there are GMs like Glen Sather. New York's beloved, experienced, established, cigar-smoking, lack-of-chemistry creating, money-throwing, retarded GENIUS of an architect.

For Today At Least.

Before we get to what Mr. Sather did on the first day of Free Agency, let's look step-by-step at the roster turnover thus far since the team bowed out to the Washington Alexander Ovechkins in 7 games. (excluding draft picks)

REMAINING UFA's: Betts, Morris (assume all are gone), Mara (unknown)

REMAINING RFA's: Callahan, Dubinsky, Higgins, Korpikoski, Zherdev, Byers, Potter (assume all will be resigned)

Newly Off-Broadway:

• Markus Naslund- The veteran Swede did the Rangers a $2 million favor when he retired shortly after the Rangers' elimination. Nazzy went 22-24-46 for the Blueshirts last season- which, while not awful numbers confirmed initial thoughts that the Rangers shelled out the cash to another declining star. Much like Shanahan before him, he just ran out out gas and fizzled toward the end of the season and playoffs.
• Blair Betts- The PK and face-off specialist, though yet to sign elsewhere, has more or less been run out of town by the arrival of recent acquisitions. Betts was a good skater and a hard worker as a Blueshirt, but his lack of offensive production (6g 4a in 81 games) clearly wore thin for NYR in a league where the importance of depth scoring has been magnified more than ever.
• Fredrik Sjostrom- Another blue-collar, lunch-pail, low output player for the Rangers last season, Shoes' will move on to Calgary next season after he was not offered a contract as a restricted free agent earlier in the week. Sjostrom is another top notch penalty killer and responsible two-way guy, but does little scoring (7g 6a in 79 games). Best of luck to Freddie.
• Colton Orr- Completing the departure of the entire 4th line is elite tough guy and fan favorite Colton Orr. Orr worked hard last off-season to improve his skating and develop his game into more than just an enforcer. His skating improved a little, but as a whole his play with the gloves on was just not up to par. He'll police the ice for the Maple Leafs for the next two years.
• Derek Morris: The aging blueliner was brought in from Phoenix at the deadline to provide some physicality and power play help from the blueline. He did neither. See ya later.
• Nik Antropov- The 6'6 Kazakh was brought in from Toronto at the trade deadline for a 2nd round draft pick. Before he arrived we were told to beware of his maddening inconsistency, and that's exactly what we witnessed. Antro scored 7 goals and 13 points in 18 games as a Ranger, and added 2g and 1a in 7 playoff games. While those aren't bad numbers, Nik didn't provide the elite scoring touch that the Blueshirts sorely needed. Now an unrestricted free agent, Antro is reportedly seeking an absurd contract that the Rangers can't and wont pay him. UPDATE: Antro has signed a multi-year deal with Atlanta

• Scott Gomez- I'll get to a breakdown of Sather's masterful trade of the disappointing centerman shortly. But looking at Scotty's Ranger career, one has to wonder what exactly went wrong. Why didn't Gomez ever fit in with the Garden Faithful? Why couldn't he find success playing with ANYBODY? Forget the fact that Gomer was a second line talent being paid elite, first-line money- that was not his fault, it was Glen's. This, however, does not excuse Scott's inability to find chemistry with Jaromir Jagr, Nik Zherdev, Brenden Shanahan, Markus Naslund, or anybody else for that matter. It's hard to build a team around a guy who doesn't fit with any other pieces. Gomer was a target of abuse at the Garden not just because he didn't *(couldn't) live up to his contract, but because he showed no fire, no desire, and no willingness to sacrifice anything for a Double-you. If he thinks he had it tough in New York's hockey market, wait till he shies away from a check in The Forum in Montreal. I don't care if he's playing with Cammaleri, Gianta or Gretzky,  he'll get eaten alive.

Now Playing On Broadway:

• Brian Boyle- The big man (6'7) from LA was acquired on draft day for a 3rd round pick next year. In 36 NHL games, the former first round pick (LA in '03) has recorded 8g and 2a for 10 points. While that's not terrible for a 4th liner, I'm left scratching my head at this trade. Could cheaper, home-grown talent Dane Byers not put up the same numbers? We'll see.
• Donald Brashear- Ugh. See... there are some guys in this league who when you bring up their name and how much you dislike them, you wind up figuring out that he's a guy you'd hate to play against, but love to play alongside (see: Avery, Sean. Samuelsson, Ulf). Brashear is not one of those players. He's a goon and a cheap-shot artist. The thought of him in Blue makes me nauseous. The deal he was given as a free agent (2 years 1.4M per) is even more repulsive. On the other side of this, however, the Rangers new 4th liners (Boyle, Brashear) are pretty Hechting big and tough.
• Ryan McDonagh- Acquired in the Gomez trade to Montreal, McD isn't going to help the Rangers out next season. However, this guy is an elite defensive prospect in the NHL. How Canadiens GM Bob Gainey gave this guy away WITH Chris Higgins for Scott Freakin' Gomez is mind boggling- but I am not complaining. Add him to Staal, Girardi, Sanguinetti, Del Zotto, and Gilroy, and the Rangers have a hell of a defensive corps blooming.
• Chris Higgins- Now we're talking. Another, and perhaps the main, piece coming back this way in the Gomez deal, the 6'0 Smithstown, NY native is a more developed Ryan Callahan. He will (if he's not traded) quickly become a Garden favorite with his work ethic and scoring ability. He's topped 20 goals in 3 of his 4 NHL seasons, and that fourth season was marred by injury. Consider him a 2nd liner who can net 30 goals and was born to play the kind of style that Head Coach John Tortorella preaches.

• Marian Gaborik- The New York Rangers have not had an elite offensive talent IN HIS PRIME on their roster since... a very long time ago (Maybe Graves in '94). They haven't had a player this electrifying since an aging Pavel Bure suited up for 51 games in at the Garden. Well my Blueshirt Brethren, that player has now come to Broadway. When on the ice, Gabs is EASILY one of the games 10 best players. However, the 27 year old Slovak has a knack for getting injured, and that is what makes his 5-year, 7.5M per contract a gamble. 

But listen to this, naysayers. Gaborik has scored 30 or more goals in 5 of his 8 seasons in the league! The three years he hasn't? 1) His rookie year, where he scored 18 in 71 games. 2) The year before the lockout- 18g in 65 games and  3) Last year, where he scored 13 goals and 23 points in 17 games!! His other seasons include: 78 games, 30g, 81games 30g, 65games 38g, 48games 30g, and 77 games 42g.

The guy could miss half the season and still lead the Rangers in scoring.

And to ease your conscience further, the Rangers doctors have had conversations with Gaborik's doctors, and the surgeons who performed the same procedure on Gaborik as was performed on Michal Rozsival before last season. They insist, as does Marian, that the sniper is healthy and ready to light up broadway. I can't wait.

Now while Sather has been masterful thus far in managing the salary cap, doing away with unnecessary parts, and picking up an elite scorer, there is still plenty of work to be done.

Contrary to popular opinion. The Rangers, even after the Gaborik deal, still have about $16 million remaining in cap space at this time. While this amount would likely be more than enough to sign their remaining RFA's (Cally, Duby etc), you can be sure that Sather is far from finished restructuring this team. In fact, it's not even worth speculating about line combinations at this point.

The Rangers still need a #1 center (at this point it's Dubinsky..), a crease-clearing defenseman, and a depth defensemen.

Potential Targets:

• Dany Heatley (OTT)- Heatley wants to be a Ranger. He has all but said this, and his veto-ing of a trade to Edmonton, while maintaining his desire to be traded may open up some doors. Whether the Rangers can swing a deal for the high scoring winger remains to be seen, as Ottawa would have to take back some serious dough in return (ROZSIVAL). If you have Heatley and Gaborik on your top line, you don't need a #1 center.*
• Saku Koivu- The long-tenured Canadiens captain has been run out of town this offseason without any fanfare or appreciation. Koivu still has legs and could be the left-handed centerman for Gaborik that Sather is rumored to be looking for.
• Brad Richards (DAL)- Tort's former go-to-guy in Tampa would be a nice fit on the top line in NY. Again, NY would hope to move at least Rozsival in such a trade.*
• Joe Thornton (SJS)- With the choking that's gone on in San Jose, everybody is on the block.*
• Phil Kessel (BOS) - The Bruins are trying to move the 21-year old speedster. Such a move would require trading some serious prospects and picks.*
• Alex Tanguay (FA)- Shifty pivot still has something to give
• Mikael Samuelsson (FA)- Former Ranger, became a solid threat and PP man in Detroit.

Honorable Mention: Alex Kovalev (FA), Ales Kotalik (FA), Manny Malholtra (FA)

*A trade for this player would also need to include at least one of NYR's top defensive prospects

Note**The Rangers are likely to add at least one rookie prospect to their starting roster next season (Anisimov, Grachev, Sanguinetti, Del Zotto)

The rest of the free agent activity can last until the season starts in October. I have a feeling we'll have a good idea of the NYR roster within the next week or two. 

You go to sleep tonight a hero, Glen. But there's plenty of time to screw it up. What's your next move?

-Rif

So Much For An Offseason

So... what did I miss?

• A heartbreaking end to the season (Federov. Snipe.)(3-1 series lead. Swiped.) *meant to rhyme.
  
• Worst possible ending to the playoffs (I hate you Cindy/Gary.)
• The NHL awards
• The NHL draft

Pshhh is that all? 

Well since I want to put thhe 08-09 season far behind, lets just jot a few notes about the aforementioned shenanigans I failed to report on in a more timely fashion:

The Loss: Now I may be a diehard, bleed-blue Ranger fan who screams, curses, banters, and honestly, tends to throw and break objects around me when they lose.... but that does not mean I'm irrational. *Shut Up.

I wasn't TOO broken up about the loss. In fact, once Marty and the Devils pissed away their second round invitation in the most excruciating way possible, I was pretty much content.

Sure, the Blueshirts gave away a 3-1 series lead to Washington. And sure, they proobbably woulda/coulda/shoulda have been able to close out that series if not for a few semi-retarded happenings (i.e. Avery's benching, Tort's suspension, Betts being murdered by Brashear).

But the fact  remains that the Rangers STOLE that lead. No. Henrik Lundqvist stole that lead. If not for the stellar/redonkulous goaltending of one The King, the Rangers are out in 5 AT BEST. 

Come to think of it, the only thing i DID feel really bad about was that the rest of the Rangers blew a chance for a deep playoff run on the back of a hot goaltender. Other teams (Anaheim with Giguere, Carolina with Ward) have capitalized on that factor in the past. New York did not.

This team lacked identity. It lacked a killer instinct. It lacked scoring. It lacked enough good hockey players. RIP New York Rangers 08-09.

The Cup: 

1. I hate the fact that Sidney Crosby touched the Stanley Cup.
   
2. I hate the fact that Evgeni Malkin went unsuspended in that series.
3. I hate bandwagon Penguin fans *all Pens fans. Your team was about to go bankrupt and move to Kansas City. You have 4 #1 or #2 overall picks because you sucked so badly for so long. Shut Up.

The Awards: To Sum Up:

• Alex Ovechkin is really good at hockey.
• Pavel Datsyuk is just as good at hockey.

The Draft:  

Unfortunately there would be no star falling into the Ranger's lap this year at #19.  Instead, first round pick Chris Kreider is a project much in the works. The kid was drafted straight out of high school, and was highly touted as the best skater in the entire draft. In a few years, if things go well, this could be a very, very good pick for Glen Sather & Co.

Im not going to sit and chat about the Rangers picks at the draft because honestly, I don't know that much about them. But if you're interested you can go to the following site and get alll their information (stats etc.)  http://rangers.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=431938&page=NewsPage&service=page.

Feel free to leave any questions/comments/concerns or thing I may have left out in the comments section below.

The next post is going to be about player transactions, trades, the free agent frenzy that went down yesterday,\ and what's to come next. Stay Tuned.

-Rif

Rangers vs. Caps Playoff Preview

The New York Rangers are returning to the NHL Playoffs for the 4th consecutive year.

That in itself is a relief to say... Or type. But it feels even better when said out loud. 

After 8 years of non-playoff hockey on Broadway, pardon me for feeling a little.. well.. content about being able to watch this team play in the second season once again.

Looking back on the regular season, and the illustrious peaks and demoralizing valleys that it brought, the fact is that in the end- it's all about getting into the top 8. Breeze, sneak, waltz, cheat, scratch, claw, stumble- it doesn't matter how you get there so long as you get there. 

Why? Because anything can happen come playoff time. Regardless of where you sit in the beginning of the tournament, in order to hoist Stanley's Mug-  you're going to have to go to war. 

To BE the man, WOOOOO, you gotta BEAT the man. (said 1700 time WWF Champion Rick Flair)

This isn't the NCAA tournament. Top seeds are routinely upended by lower seeds (see Detroit 2002, St. Louis 1990's, San Jose ALWAYS). You cannot get "lucky" and win an NHL playoff series. You must out-play your opponent, out-LEARN your opponent, and out-win your opponent in 4 out of 7 games, otherwise your season is over. There aren't any flukes here, all these teams are elite. Seeding is overrated.

The Rangers worked hard to earn their spot in the last month of the season. Their reward? A first round match-up against the Washington Alexander Ovechkins. The Rangers went 1-2-1 against the Caps this season, with their one win coming in the shootout (no way). Having said that, the Rangers are yet to play against Washington with Torts behind the bench, or Antropov, Morris and Avery in the lineup.

Lets take a look at how the two teams match up, and investigate some keys to this series for each team.

FORWARDS

Washington: 

Ovechkin (110) - Backstrom (88)- Kozlov (41)

Semin (79)- Federov (33)- Laich (53)

Fleischmann (37)- Nylander (33)- Eric Fehr (25)

Brashear (4)- Steckel (19)- Bradley (11)

-Newsflash: Washington can score goals. A lot of them. In fact the NHL's best player, Alex Ovechkin's 56 goals nearly topped the Rangers total points leader (AO also added 54 assists. He's good at this game). Backstrom and Semin each finished in the top 20 in scoring in the league as well (D-man Mike Green finished 30th). The Caps are a run-and-gun team, and will look to simply overwhelm the Ranger's with speed and quick puck movement all over the ice. 

New York:

Avery (22) - Gomez (58)- Antropov (59)

Zherdev (58)- Drury (56)- Callahan (40)

Korpikoski (14)- Dubinsky (41)- Naslund (46)

Sjostrom (13)- Betts (10)- Orr (5)

-The Rangers didn't have a skater record over 30 goals OR 60 points. The players expected to shoulder the offensive load (I.E. Gomez, Zherdev, Drury, Naslund) have been redonkulously inconsistent all season long. Deadline pickup Nik Antropov has been somewhat helpful with 7 goals and 13 points in 18 games as a Ranger. The Blueshirts have increased their goal scoring since John Tortorella took over behind the bench with his more aggressive style. However, they remain far from an offensive force. NYR forwards rely on their forecheck and their grit in order to create turnovers and chances offensively.

Advantage: Washington. By A Lot.

-I know this will come as a shock, but the Rangers do not score a whole lot of goals. If they want to win this series, they will need to. Gomez must return to last year's playoff form.  Drury must be healthy and find his clutchness. Zherdev has to find his game. Callahan and Dubinsky must contribute consistently. Most importantly, Sean Avery must be... Sean Avery. Washington isn't a trapping/systems team. They can be attacked, and they can be beaten. Puck possession and limiting O-zone turnovers will be key.

DEFENSEMEN

Washington:

Green (73) - Morrisonn

Pothier - Erskine

Jurcina - Schultz

Poti (Questionable for the series. Sucks really badly.)

-After Mike Green's 73 points (31 goals), the Washington defenseman with the most amount of points is MILAN JURCINA with 14 (3 goals). Jesus Christ. Well, the truth is the Green does enough scoring for all of them- especially on the Power Play (18 goals). Morrisonn and Pothier are solid, but unspectacular, and the rest of the gang are average NHLers working hard to hold the fort down in front of Jose Theodore. It's all about Green on the blueline, but even he is merely a GOOD defensive backliner. Oh yeah, Tom Poti sucks.

New York:

Redden (26) - Morris (30)

Staal - Rozsival

Girardi - Mara

- The Rangers, under Tom Renney, were known as a defensive squad. Under John Tortorella, though they are more aggressive and offensive, they are STILL a defensive squad. Wade Redden has been brutal all season. So much so that he has made people forget about how horrible the deal given to Rozsival will be for the next 4 years. Marc Staal, the Ranger's best d-man, was the only one of the group not to score more than 20 points this season. Paul Mara leads this defensive unit, who are a smart, mostly solid, but soft group. 

Advantage: Rangers

- The Blueshirts didn't make the playoffs while scoring the least amount of goals of all the playoff teams for no reason. They don't give them up at a horrible pace either (mostly because of that Swedish guy, but I'll get to him in a few). To win this series, the Rangers will need some great play from their Blueliners. First of all, Torts MUST match Staal and Girardi against AO at ALL TIMES. And for the love of God do not let Redden/Morris NEAR the ice when Ovie is out there. Staal is the only one of the group who can "handle" #8 physically, and ideally hold him to one goal a game. The D held Ovechkin to 5 points in the 4 games the teams played against one another this season (which is a good thing). The will have to do it again.

GOALTENDERS

Washington: 

Jose Theodore - (32-17-5), 2.87 GAA, .900 SV%, 2 SO

- The former Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP has had a very weird career. He starred in Montreal, where he won the Hart. Then he forgot how to stop the puck, was beaten like a tied up goat, and traded to Colorado where he backed up PETER freakin' BUDAJ. He signed with Washington in the offseason and won the starting job, and he put up decent, but certainly not convincing, numbers this year (W/L are good, GAA and SV% leave something to be desired). In his playoff career, Theodore is only 19-24, with a 2.68 GAA for Montreal and Colorado. His playoff records in the minors and junior leagues are not great, either. He is not a goalie who can steal a series, but he is certainly capable of taking over a game if the Rangers (and Avery) make his life easy.

New York:

Henrik Lundqvist - (38-25-7), 2.43 GAA, .916 SV%, 3 SO

- The King is the backbone, the heart, and the soul of this Ranger team. Regardless of how futile the product in front of him, Hank gives New York a chance to win each and every time he straps on the pads. He has stood on his head numerous times this season in order to steal his team some points in the standings, and I expect no less than that in this series. The Swede is known for his clutch performances, which include a couple of Swedish Elite League Championships, A gold medal at the Olympics, and a great series against the Devils in last years opening round (penalty shot anyone?). Lundqvist is only 11-12 in the NHL playoffs, but that also includes the forgettable sweep at the hands of the Devils in '05-'06. He is arguably the league's best goaltender, but undoubtedly The King.

Advantage: Rangers. Via Shutout.

- While I would consider the Rangers an underdog in this series, the matchup of Lundqvist vs Theodore gives the Blueshirts a gi-normous advantage in this series. If he plays to his full potential, Henrik can steal 4 games in this series. Having said that, even at his best he will need SOME help containing the high octane attack of the Capitals.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Washington: 

Power Play-  25.2% (2nd Overall)

Penalty Kill-  80.6% (17th Overall)

- The Capitals' Power Play Unit (PPG): Ovechkin (19), Backstrom (14), Semin (8), Green (18), Laich (9). Wow. You almost expect them to score every time they go out there. 1-out-of-4 sure as hell ain't bad. Who needs a PK when you have a Power Play like that? 

New York:

Power Play-  13.9% (29th Overall)

Penalty Kill-  87.8% (1st Overall)

- The Power Play sucks, and it has all season. It has cost the Blueshirts numerous games and golden chances this season, not to mention the 14 ShortHanded goals allowed.  The ghost of Perry Pearn haunts this team with the man-advantage, which has clearly been no-advantage. Drury (10), Antropov (8, mostly with Toronto), Naslund (8) , and Zherdev (4) are NYR's PPG leaders.

 The Penalty Kill, on the other hand, has WON several games for New York this season. Betts, Sjo, Callahan, Drury, The Defense have been exceptional at killing off penalty after penalty. It doesn't hurt having that Lundqvist guy in net, either. 

NOTE: Barry Melrose stated on ESPN something along the lines of "well yeah the Rangers have the #2 PK in the league, but they haven't been facing Washington's PP all season long." Yeah Barry. But they did have Philly, the Pens, and the Devils 6 times each. Washington's PP got to beat up on Atlanta and Tampa Bay. Shut that mullet up.

Advantage: Capitals, very slightly.

- The Capital's PP and PK average out better than the Rangers'. It's as simple as that. However, the Rangers PP, when they do score goals, do it in bunches. If they can manage to click at the right time (NOW), then it can play a big part in providing the Rangers with goals that they will sorely need each game. Still, the REAL matchup of  Special Teams in this series will be the Rangers PK against the Washington PP. The winner of that battle may win the war of the first round.

OTHER VARIABLES

Head Coach:

Washington- Bruce Boudreau    

New York- John Tortorella

Advantage: Even. I like Torts better, but Boudreau has been with his team longer.

Home Rink/Crowd:

Washington- Verizon Center   

New York- Madison Square Garden 

Advantage: Rangers. Come on.

Cup Experience:

Washington- Sergei Federov (3)   

 New York- Scott Gomez (2), Chris Drury (1)

Advantage: Even.

Media Attention:

Washington- Has Ovechkin. Advantage on NBC, VS telecasts.   

New York- Big Market, international following

Advantage: Washington. Commissioner Bettman is drooling at the thought of a Crysby-Ovechkin matchup.

- Most columnists, bloggers, and "experts" are counting the Rangers out of this series. They believe that the Rangers won't be able to keep up with the torrid Washington attack, and that their offensive struggles will leave them on the short end of the stick. The Capitals are good, but they aren't THAT good. The Rangers, despite the unfavorable results, clearly played right with Washington in their season series, having lost 1-3, 5-4 (OT), 1-2, and winning 5-4. The Blueshirts have been able to both hold the Caps down AND score with them this season. With Tortorella's new system in place, the Rangers are a better team now then they were when they last played AO & Co. This series will boil down to Special Teams, puck possession, and Henrik Lundqvist. If the Rangers are undisciplined, and Lundqvist is mortal, they will be golfing early this year.

Prediction: Rangers in 7

-Rif

Message Sent

It's not a good idea to piss off John Tortorella.

After playing 20 minutes of uninspired hockey in Nashville, the New York Rangers found out why.

Trailing 2-1 after one period, and with his team managing only 6 measly shots on net, Tortorella ripped into his new team in the locker-room for the very first time, but certainly not the last. JT called for accountability. He called for effort. And he called for it immediately. 

While exactly what he said to his players between periods remains a mystery, the result of the reported tirade was an energized, enthusiastic Ranger squad- one that looked like a playoff team.

The Blueshirts propelled 17 shots on net in the 2nd frame, a period in which they controlled the puck, dictated the pace, and took the lead back into their hands for good. 

Other than the fear of Tort's wrath, what was the difference between that first Ranger squad, and the group that hit the ice for the 2nd period?

The answer to that question- in a word- is AGGRESSIVENESS.

The "losers" that were on the ice at the culmination of the National Anthem were a passive bunch. They allowed a quick Nashville team sufficient ice with which to clear their own zone and gain speed. The defense backed themselves all the way into Henrik Lundqvist's grill. Nobody threw body checks. Everybody took LAZY penalties (cough Naslund cough). They showed no determination and had no sense of urgency.

Then they got an earful. 

New York came out from the doldrums to play 40 minutes of solid, aggressive, in-your-face hockey. The forecheck was tenacious, the defense stifling, and the shots were plentiful. We saw a hard-working, confident hockey team on the ice for the last 2/3 of that game.

The results on the scoreboard speak for themselves.

After an inauspicious start that would have seen the Rangers-of-three-weeks-ago implode, this group pulled it together, and picked up an important two points. 

In Torts We Trust.

GAME NOTES

- For the 3rd time in 4 games the Rangers have scored 4 or more goals. The Rangers are 28-3-2 when they score 3 or more goals this season. This is not a coincidence when Henrik Lundqvist is your goaltender.

-Speaking of The King, with this win Hank became the 1st goalie in NHL history to start his career with 4 consecutive 30-win seasons! (Granted a number of those have come via the shootout... including 8 of his 30 W's this season). Nonetheless a hell of an accomplishment!

NOTE: He is the 2nd Rangers goalie to record 4 consecutive 30-win seasons at any point in his career (ED GIACOMIN).

- This is a very important place in time for Nikolai Zherdev, who did not see the ice AT ALL in the final 40 minutes of the game in Nashville. Tortorella benched the Ukrainian after Z's risky stick-handling became a defensive-zone turnover, and wound up in his own net. Zherdev, who did record a first period assist, can go in either of two very different directions at this point. He could use his benching as motivation, learn his lesson, and grow as a player and person from here. OR he may mope about his lack of ice time, get on Tort's bad side, and his play will suffer because of it (as happens to many European players). Nik is also a free agent at season's end- so if he chooses the latter, this could mean goodbye after just one season.

- Sean Avery has been the Rangers best skater since his arrival 4 games ago. JT has rewarded Sean's hard work with a spot on the 1st line, and even some Power Play time. Avery's antics and irritating style are an important part of his game, but when he produces points on top of all that... GOD is he good. He's been great on the forecheck, and I love how he goes to the net. He fits into Tortorella's system perfectly.

- The player whose 1st line spot was taken by Sean Avery was none-other than Markus Naslund. The wear and tear of the long season has clearly taken it's toll on Nazzy's legs, and apparently his scoring touch. Still, it's one thing to disappear from the scoresheet, it's another to hurt your team with stupid penalties because you're getting caught flat-footed. His demotion to the 3rd line is part of the accountability we see Tortorella taking with his players.

- Dan Girardi has clearly struggled mightily of late, but after kicking the Preds' 2nd goal into his own net, Danny settled down. Girardi is at his best when he simplifies his game and just does his job.

-I appreciate Torts listening to my suggestion of separating the defensive pair of Rozsival and Redden. Thank God.

- The jury is still out on Derek Morris. Is he doing a good job? Is he doing any more than Dimitri Kalinin was? I don't know yet. He's been awfully quiet... but steady.

-Marc Staal is officially the Rangers' best defenseman. And he should be patrolling the blue-line at MSG for a LONG time.

- The player who has benefitted most from Tortorella's system? Scott Gomez. As previously mentioned, Gomez now has the free reign to use his speed deep in the offensive zone to create chances- a threat that was under-utilized in Tom Renney's defense-first scheme. Gomer now leads the Rangers in points this season after a really terrible start to the year.

- I have been critical of the 4th line and the amount of playing time they've received in the past, but I have never denied the fact that Blair Betts and Fredrik Sjostrom are the best penalty killers in the entire league. Not only were they stellar ONCE AGAIN 4-on-5, but the Shorthanded goal they combined to score was a thing of beauty, and the timing of it was so incredibly important in putting the Predators away for good. 

And just like THAT, with a win and a few rivals losing some of their games, the New York Rangers are right back in the top 8 in the Eastern Conference. They sit in 7th place, just two points out of the 5th spot, but merely one point ahead of 9th. There will be much more juggling and flippy-flopping in the standings as the final 14 games of the regular season come to an end. 

The Philadelphia Flyers sit just 4 points ahead of the Rangers in the East (with 2 games in-hand). The upcoming home-and-home series between the teams is sure to be an all-out war. 

Stay Tuned.

-Rif

Take A Deep Breath

After an uninspiring loss like the one suffered tonight against the up-swinging Carolina Hurricanes, it is easy to feel disheartened and pessimistic about the Rangers' chances of getting into the post-season. After all, it is these very Hurricanes whom the Blueshirts are battling for the remaining playoff spots.

After falling out of the top 8 in the Eastern Conference, it is easy to foresee this team never regaining a position that would grant them a ticket for a post-season trip.

And after such a frustrating defeat, it is easy to forget a spirited and hard-fought win against Boston the previous evening. 

The Rangers played about a period and a half of strong, hard-skating hockey tonight, before the effects of last night's tilt began to weigh in on NYR skaters. At that point, legs became weary, strides shorter, hits fewer, and shots invisible. 

Tortorella's club simply ran out of gas against a fast, hard-working Carolina team. 

I'll go further into that in the GAME NOTES which will follow shortly..

Now if you look to the right of this column... go ahead and look... you will see the current Eastern Conference standings, where the Rangers currently sit 9th (AKA the first team out).

While first glance at that chart is very depressing, one must look deeper into the numbers to see the whole truth.

The Rangers have 15 games remaining. Of those 15 games, 11 are against teams that currently sit ahead of them in the standings. 9 of THOSE are against the five teams whom they have a chance of catching in the East (including 4 games vs PHI , 2 vs MON, 1 vs CAR, 1 vs BUF, 1 vs PIT).

While so many games against tough opponents may be concerning to some fans, the fact is that the Rangers' schedule could not be better for a team who is chasing a playoff spot this season.

First of all, head-to-head games against said teams provide NYR with an opportunity to not only gain points in the standings, but prevent their opponents from attaining those same points. These are known as "4-point games".

Most importantly, if the Rangers can not deal with (WIN) their difficult remaining schedule, they do not belong in the Cup Chase to begin with. These are the very teams whom the Blueshirts will have to face and defeat in order to sip from Lord Stanley's Cup. If they can't beat these teams NOW, they certainly won't do so in a seven game series. 

There will be no sneaking into the post-season for New York this year- They will have to earn their place. The fact is that the fate of the Rangers' season remains in their own hands. 

They just have to win.

I figure a 7-4-4 record through the final 15 games (which would put the Rangers at 94 points) should be sufficient to achieve a post-season birth.

 

Now being a Ranger fan in these deciding days is not going to be easy. Knowing this team, it is going to be a very bumpy ride one way or the other. 

True Blue Ranger fans tend to ride so high on each win, and crash and burn so hard with each loss. With the standings as tight as they are, it is just too early to bank a season on any ONE game. Even with just fifteen games remaining in the season, SO MUCH can happen to alter the shape of the standings. 

So buckle up Garden Faithful, it's going to be a hell of a ride.

GAME NOTES 

(Some Boston, Some Carolina)

In Boston...

- Bruin's goalie Manny Fernandez was flat out brutal. 3 of the 4 Blueshirt goals Sunday afternoon were a direct result of Manny's inability to be a good goaltender. Having said that, it was very encouraging to see that the Rangers noticed this, and thus fired pucks from all angles at the Bruin cage. Overall though, if the Rangers were playing against a goalie who doesn't wet the bed, they may well have lost that game.

-Scratch that. The Rangers almost lost that game ANYWAY. If Henrik Lundqvist wasn't as ridiculous of a goaltender as he is good looking, the Blueshirts would have been in big trouble. The King made big stops on numerous Bruin break-ins while the game was hanging in the balance. I don't care if I say it during every game wrap- Henrik Lundqvist is the best goalie in the world.

- The Rangers' forecheck was impeccable... for two periods. At that point, NYR ran out of gas, and thus Boston was able to dictate most of the play in the final frame. Still, for two periods, Ranger hustle and execution was a pleasure to watch.

- The Ranger PP looked fresh and good. Notice the movement with AND AWAY from the puck, and the quick shots propelled toward the net. This is how you score on the Power Play, and the Blueshirts did so.

-Why do the Rangers suck so badly 4-on-4??

- Sean Avery is home. Anybody else notice Avery become a little emotional on the bench while hearing his name cheered at MSG after his assist? He adds that gritty dimension to this team that was clearly missing all season long. I'm glad he's back to his usual yapping self, though perhaps a little more reserved and disciplined. 

- I think Avery put it best when he said, "Even a mild Sean Avery is not that mild."

-While Sean Avery's interference at the end of the game was clearly a penalty, why was it NOT a penalty when Scott Gomez was the man being checked away from the puck just minutes earlier? Oh yeah... it's Sean Avery who committed the infraction. That's why.

-Nik Antropov can shoot. That is a big Kazakh man. VERY NICE!

-Where have you gone, Dan Girardi. The usually steady blueliner has been exposed by opposing offenses in recent weeks. I don't know if it's a lack of confidence, an injury, or just the wear and tear of the season, but Girardi must step his game up.

- It was a pleasure to not watch the Rangers fold after giving up their two goal lead so early in the 3rd. Instead of putting their heads down, Tortorella had his group push forward. If Tom Renney is still coaching, Marc Staal never leads that rush up ice that became the game-winning goal.

In Carolina...

- Some people wonder why I bash Steve Valiquette. This is game is why. When Sean Avery signed with Dallas, Valiquette made some remarks about him, to which Sean responded, "he's a minor leaguer" (Sean Avery is fun to quote- give that man a camera! Just Kidding, Sean.) 

         Valiquette overplayed the pass on the first Hurricane goal, and even when Wade Redden broke up the 2-on-1 pass, Valli was too busy out of position on his butt to cover up the slowly sliding puck. which sat tantalizingly near the goal line for seconds before being knocked in by a Cane. On the 2nd goal, Valli was just too deep in his crease to have a proper angle on Brind'Amor's shot. One nice save in the 3rd period of a 2-0 game isn't enough to hide the fact that his rebound control was awful all night, and he isn't capable of winning important hockey games for this team.

 

        John Tortorella's aggressive scheme is one that concedes a number of scoring chances against in a hockey game. For this tactic to remain successful, NYR skaters must be confident enough in their goaltender that they are willing to rush up-ice, and risk a decent scoring chance against. With Henrik Lundqvist in net, this is plausible. The Rangers simply can not have that same confidence when they look back and see lanky #40 in net. 

      I'm sorry you have the flu, Henrik, but we needed you in this important tilt- if not only for moral support. GET HEALTHY NOW.

- In Valli's defense, Tort's system also requires some goal scoring in order to work. The Rangers were an Epic Fail tonight in that department. It doesn't matter if it's Mike Richter or Mike Dunham in your net. If you don't score, you're not going to win. 

- The pairing of Michal Rozsival and Wade Redden must be separated NOW. These two have no chemistry, no heart, and no talent. They are SLOW and LAZY individually, and two wrongs do not make a right.

- The next time Chris Drury breaks into a zone and looks only for the pass, I am going to snap. Drury has been better in recent games, but still M.I.A. is captain CLUTCH. 

- Nik Antropov. If you continue to turn down shooting opportunities for passes to people outside of the circles, you are going to become a very unpopular person at MSG. Skate your huge ass down the slot and rip that shot son. 

- As good as the Rangers were at getting shots through to the net against Boston, they were Hechting brutal tonight. The reason: They took too damn long to shoot! When you hesitate before blasting the biscuit, you give the opposing skaters, not to mention the goalie, time to adjust to your positioning and block your shot. Shoot faster, and HARDER.

- So Tortorella went back to the basics in practice with some shooting drills, I think next up is PASSING. I stopped counting how many turnovers were made by Rangers with the puck today, most notably while making the all-important first pass out of the defensive zone. Every NYR pass was put into a skate, out of reach, hopped over a stick, went directly to the other team, or was simply sent to nobody. The puck movement was simply atrocious.

-I've always been told by coaches that the worst place to commit a turnover is in the neutral zone, just outside the opposing blueline. The Rangers committed that very turnover countless times in this game.

-When you take terrible passing and add with it slow decisions and easily blocked shots, you get an awful Power Play. Tonight, it cost the Rangers the game.

- I saw this coming with the acquisition of Sean Avery. I'm talking, of corse, about the fact that Avery is a marker man in the NHL. Any borderline infraction, or opposing player taking a spill while Sean is on the ice will result in a penalty called against #16. He has lost the benefit of the doubt in the eyes of the zebras. He loses an edge and slides into an opposing player, call it tripping on "SIXTEEN NEW YORK". On the other end, a Carolina player goes barreling into Valiquette, and it goes uncalled. If that Hurricane is Sean Avery of New York going into Cam Ward, Avery gets AT LEAST two minutes for goaltender interference. It's unfair, but this is how it's going to be so long as Sean Avery plays in this league.

- The Fourth Line hardly saw the ice in the 3rd period tonight. Thank God.

-The Rangers STILL suck 4-on-4. Yet another goal allowed- I have to find some stats on that.

-Markus Naslund needs his ice time reduced. He looks slow and tired right now, and he has been far from productive of late. I expect Torts to notice this and take action.

- Did I mention that the Power Play really blew this one?

And with this loss comes the end of the Ranger's 3-game winning streak. While a win in this game would have created some real momentum, and would have provided some breathing space in the playoff race, the loss must be taken in stride.

There's a lot of hockey to be played, and the Ranger's fate remains in their own hands. 

Win, and you're in. It's just that easy.

-Rif