Goal Line Report
Entries with the tag: Michael+Del+Zotto
Rangers Come Through Again With Win Over Panthers
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/05/12 at 09:55 PM ET
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It seems like every single time the New York Rangers play, they find a way to win.
The team did just that tonight by defeating the Florida Panthers 3-2 in overtime on a goal by Marian Gaborik at Madison Square Garden. Gaborik had been buzzing around the Panthers’ net all night long and was finally rewarded when he got the overtime winner, his 23rd of the season.
With the win, the Rangers improved to 25-9-4 to remain in first in the Eastern Conference by 1 point over the Boston Bruins. The win was also the Blueshirts’ 11th on home ice as the team now has a 12-3-2 record on Garden Ice.
Besides Gaborik, the Rangers also got solid performances from Brad Richards (1 assist), Derek Stepan (1 assist), Ryan Callahan (1 goal), Michael Del Zotto (1 assist) and Dan Girardi. It was also nice to see defenseman Marc Staal get a bit more ice time with 12:51 minutes tonight.
Even though the Panthers scored first and also managed to knot the game up at 2-2, the Rangers controlled most of the game. The Blueshirts outshot the Panthers 41-21 and did a terrific job of getting pucks deep, forechecking and going hard to the net.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Brad+Richards, Dan+Girardi, Derek+Stepan, Florida+Panthers, Marc+Staal, Marian+Gaborik, Martin+Biron, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ryan+Callahan,
Battling the Florida Panthers
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/05/12 at 09:14 AM ET
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After what happened in last Friday night’s tilt between the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers, it is certainly going to be a battle tonight at Madison Square Garden.
In the Rangers’ 4-1 win against the Cats last week, tempers flared and the anger level was high after Blueshirts’ defenseman Michael Del Zotto was sucker punched by Panthers’ forward Tomas Kopecky after Del Zotto cross-checked him in the back a few times and high-sticked him in the face in front of the net. After the game, Panthers’ head coach Kevin Dineen said Del Zotto got what he deserved.
With both teams in the top three in the Eastern Conference (Rangers in first; Panthers in third), tonight should be a great game. Looking at the Rangers, they are clicking on all cylinders right now and have won their last two games and are obviously coming off an exciting 3-2 win at the 2012 Winter Classic over the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Florida Panthers are 4-4-2 in their last 10 but are certainly not a pushover hockey club this season. They work hard, can put the puck in the net, and can play physical hockey, as was seen last Friday night in Miami.
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Tags: 2012+Winter+Classic, Florida+Panthers, John+Tortorella, Kevin+Dineen, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Tomas+Kopecky,
These Blueshirts Are for Real
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/01/12 at 07:20 PM ET
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As the New York Rangers get set to kick of 2012, it might be safe to say that these New York Rangers are for real.
Both team general manager Glen Sather and team head coach John Tortorella had a vision for this team and for once, it was the same. As such, the product on the ice has been quite successful this season so far.
The Rangers’ identity is one that is hard-working, competitive every night, has a never say die attitude and promotes team depth. Put all of these characteristics together and you have where the Rangers are today.
As of this writing, the Blueshirts are first in both the Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division with a 23-9-4 record. The team is one point ahead of the second place Boston Bruins and two points ahead of the fourth place Philadelphia Flyers.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Boston+Bruins, Brad+Richards, Dan+Girardi, Derek+Stepan, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marc+Staal, Marian+Gaborik, Martin+Biron, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ryan+Callahan,
Tops in the East
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/27/11 at 09:18 AM ET
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That is exactly what the New York Rangers are after shutting out the New York Islanders last night by a score of 3-0 at Madison Square Garden.
With the win, the Rangers improved to 22-8-4, which is good enough for first in the Atlantic Division and now, first in the Eastern Conference. The team is one point ahead of the Boston Bruins and two points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers.
The team used a solid 60-minute effort to beat the Islanders last night. After coming back from the holiday’s, many wondered how this Rangers’ club would respond due to the time off. The Blueshirts came back, skated hard and showed why they are one of the tops teams in the National Hockey League this year.
For starters, the team got another solid performance out of netminder Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist made 28 saves for his third shutout of the season and how has statistics that make him one of the best netminders in the NHL with 15 wins (6th in the league), a 1.95 goals against average (4th in the league), a .936 save percentage (third in the league) and 3 shutouts (4th in the league.
The club also got another goal from their sniper Marian Gaborik. Gaborik now leads the NHL in goals with 21 and has a 5-game goal streak.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Carl+Hagelin, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Marian+Gaborik, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Washington+Capitals,
Rangers Extend Winning Streak To Three
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/06/11 at 10:09 AM ET
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The New York Rangers used a 3-goal first period to defeat the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 5-3 at Madison Square Garden last night.
Knowing that the Canadiens had played on Friday night against the Ottawa Senators, the Blueshirts came out and took advantage of a tired Canadiens’ team. The team got goals from Erik Christensen, Dan Girardi and a terrific goal from Michael Del Zotto to go up 3-0.
After that, the Canadiens found their legs and made it an interesting hockey game by cutting the lead to 3-2. However, instead of giving up the lead entirely, Rangers’ center Brad Richards came through and scored to make it 4-2 off a great shot from the slot, a place he has scored all his goals from this season.
While the Canadiens did end up cutting the lead to 4-3 late in the third period, Ryan Callahan sealed the game with an empty net goal. For the Rangers, it was there third straight win and more importantly, third straight win on Garden ice as the team improved its home record to 3-1-1.
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Tags: Brad+Richards, Dan+Girardi, Erik+Christensen, John+Tortorella, Martin+Biron, Michael+Del+Zotto, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Sean+Avery, Winnipeg+Jets,
A Bit of Both
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/22/11 at 08:27 AM ET
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Those words can best be used to describe last night’s 2-1 overtime New York Rangers’ loss to the New Jersey Devils in overtime.
The team was not great but the club was not horrible either. Yes, it took the Blueshirts awhile to get their first shot on goal but when they finally did, they seemed to setlle down a bit and generate some good scoring chances.
Overall, the club got good performances from the likes of Dale Weise (scored the game-tying goal in the third period), Dylan McIlrath, both goaltenders Henrik Lundqvist and Cam Talbot, along with line of Sean Avery-John Mitchell-J.T. Miller as the line forechecked hard and caught head coach’s John Tortorella’s eye.
Two players that seemed to be inconsistent last night were forward Erik Christensen and defenseman Michael Del Zotto. With regards to Christensen, it is all about playing with confidence, something he has struggled with in his NHL career. In the case of Del Zotto, it is about being consistent witht the puck as he needs to know when to hold onto it, when to dump it off and when to put it on net.
It is really early so fans should not read too much into last night’s loss. Like the players and the coaching staff, the fans must be patient and go with the process as the team continutes to shape up into a regular season hockey club.
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Tags: Cam+Talbot, Dale+Weise, Dylan+McIlrath, Erik+Christensen, Henrik+Lundqvist, J.T.+Miller, John+Mitchell, John+Tortorella, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Sean+Avery,
The Pressure Will be On Del Zotto
by Patrick Hoffman on 08/31/11 at 09:26 AM ET
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That could end up being the understatement of the season for the New York Rangers’ 21-year-old defenseman.
After bursting onto the scene with a 37-point rookie campaign in 2009-10, Del Zotto’s play regressed mightily last season. Del Zotto struggled with both inconsistent play and injuries that ultimately led to his demotion to the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League.
There is no doubt that Del Zotto has offensive ability. He has a great shot, he knows how to find the open man and he can rush the puck. With that said, however, he does none of those good things on a consistent basis, which leads him to missing the net, turning over the puck or leaving himself out of position on the backend.
Looking at this upcoming season, one has to wonder where/if Del Zotto will fit in with the Rangers’ young defensive corps. The team already has the top four spots locked up with Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh and Michael Sauer. Obviously, none of those spots will be up for grabs.
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Tags: Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers,
What I Will Be Watching For This Season with the Rangers
by Patrick Hoffman on 08/03/11 at 12:59 PM ET
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With the month of August finally upon us, that only means that hockey season is getting closer and closer.
With that in mind, here is what I will be watching for this season when it comes to the New York Rangers:
- Brad Richards: This is a no-brainer. Since the team signed him to a nine-year deal, it will be extremely important for Richards to live up to his contract by producing, scoring goals, setting goals up, playing on special teams, being a leader and more importantly, be a true No. 1 center, something the Rangers have lacked for several seasons.
- Marian Gaborik: This is also an obvious choice. After scoring 42 goals in his first season as a Blueshirt in 2009-10, Gaborik slumped to just 22 goals last season. Yes, this was without a true No. 1 center but he was able to score over 40 under the same situaiton in his first season. Hopefully, Gaborik will be ready to pile in goals and stay healthy in 2011-12.
- Derek Stepan: How will the second-year Ranger respond to a terrific rookie season in which he posted 45 points (21 goals and 24 assists)? Hopefully, he will not go through the all too common sophomore slump that plagues many second-year NHLers.
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Tags: brad+Richards, Derek+Stepan, John+Tortorella, Marian+Gaborik, Michael+del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Sean+Avery,
Del Zotto Expected to Be out 4-6 Weeks with Injury
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/03/11 at 02:58 PM ET
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This certainly will not be devastating news to New York Rangers’ fans but organizationally, it could hurt a bit.
According to team beat writer Steve Zipay, Rangers’ defenseman Michael Del Zotto is expected to be out 4-6 weeks with a fractured finger:
Update on this morning’s tweet on Michael Del Zotto injury: Out 4-6 weeks with fractured finger.
It may be just as well as Del Zotto has struggled mightily this year and has seen his ice time/game time diminished due to inconsistent play and the rise of players like Steve Eminger and Ryan McDonagh.
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Tags: Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers,
Getting Off to a Good Start
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/17/11 at 08:53 AM ET
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After going three days without a game after defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins by a score of 5-3, the New York Rangers will be back in action tonight at Madison Square Garden against the Los Angeles Kings.
Both of these clubs are in the midst of a playoff race as the Blueshirts currently sit in the seventh spot in the eastern Conference while the Kings sit in the ninth spot in the Western Conference. The margin of error for each team is extremely small as the Rangers are only four points ahead of the ninth place Buffalo Sabres and Atlanta Thrashers while the Kings are just one point out of the eighth and final spot in the West.
With that said, tonight’s game is extremely important for both teams, especially the Rangers who will begin a span of three games in four days against solid hockey teams in the Kings, New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers. It is crucial that the Rangers get off to a good start and get as many points as possible so that come April, they’ll be in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, Buffalo+Sabres, John+Tortorella, Kris+Newbury, Los+Angeles+Kings, Marian+Gaborik, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Steve+Eminger, Wojtek+Wolski,
My Oh My How Things Changed on Broadway
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/15/11 at 03:37 PM ET
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Before the NHL Lockout during 2004-05, the New York rangers were all about having veterans and experience on the roster, even if it came at the expense of a younger player or prospect.
Fast forward about seven years later and the Blueshirts have completely changed their philosophy. A lot of this, believe it or not, is due to general manager Glen Sather along with former head coach Tom Renney and new head coach John Tortorella.
Today, the latter was raving about another Rangers’ prospect who he thinks should have already turned pro in Chris Kredier, MVP of the 2011 Beanpot Tournament:
“I wish he’d turn pro last year,” Tortorella said. “I hope he turns pro next year. I hope he’s with us. He’s a sophomore now and we’re anxious to get him involved in pro hockey. We think he’s got some good stuff to offer and we want to get him tracked up here with us as soon as possible.”
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Chris+Kreider, Derek+Stepan, John+Tortorella, Mats+Zuccarello, Michael+Del+Zotto, Michael+Sauer, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Ryan+McDonagh,
Winless Streak Hits Six for the Blueshirts
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/12/11 at 11:45 AM ET
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Last night’s game against the Atlanta Thrashers was one that the New York Rangers needed to come away with two points.
Simply put, they did not and managed to extend their winless streak to six games. It was a game that was essentially worth four points because it was against the Thrashers. With the loss, the Carolina Hurricanes are only three points behind in what has become an extremely interesting Eastern Conference race.
In their winless streak, the Blueshirts have lost four in a row. The team still holds the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference but are now just two points in front of the Thrashers, who hold the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
With a 2-1 lead in the third period, all the Rangers needed to do was play tight defense, stay out of the box, get big saves from Henrik Lundqvist and at the same time, push for an insurance goal. The Rangers were able to do three out of four and the one exception was one that hurt them the most.
Rangers’ defenseman Michael Del Zotto took a tripping penalty in the third period when he was not able ot control a bouncing puck along the boards behind the net and had to trip Nik Antropov as he came in alone on Lundqvist. The Thrashers were able to get a power play goal from Evander Kane, his second of the game, which gave the Thrashers a 3-2 lead and ultimately, the hockey game.
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Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, Brandon+Dubinsky, Evander+Kane, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marc+Staal, Marian+Gaborik, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Ondrej+Pavelec, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Where is the Rangers’ Power Play?
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/06/11 at 04:00 PM ET
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In a 2-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens yesterday afternoon, it was the power play that lost the game for the New York Rangers.
The Blueshirts had four power play opportunities and were only able to put one shot on Canadiens’ netminder Carey Price. Yes, the Canadiens’ penalty kill was very aggressive and did a terrific job in clogging ...up othe defensive zone but the Rangers need to be heckuva lot more effective with the man advanatge going forward.
The Rangers may not have the most talented group of forwards but they do have guys that can shoot the puck such as Marian Gaborik, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, and Artem Anisimov. They also have some talent at the points in Dan Girardi, Michael Del Zotto, Marc Staal and Matt Gilroy who can get pucks to the net.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Carey+Price, Dan+Girardi, John+Tortorella, Marc+Staal, Marian+Gaborki, Matt+Gilroy, Michael+Del+Zotto, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
Rangers Head Into Much Needed Break With 4-3 Loss to the Panthers
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/26/11 at 08:43 AM ET
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It certainly was not their best game of the season but it wasn’t exactly their worst as the New York Rangers fell to the Florida Panthers by a score of 4-3.
The Panthers got the game-winner when Panthers’ Mike Weaver took shot from the point that was going wide and instead, it ended up hitting Rangers’ forward Artem Anisimov’s shoulder and popped up in the air and landed behind Lundqvist to give the Panthers a 4-3 lead and ultimately, the victory.
While that was a negative for the Blueshirts, there were also several positives. Down 3-1 going into the third period, the Rangers’ battled back on goals by Brandon Prust and Dan Boyle to tie the game. For Boyle, it was his team leading 18th goal of the season, a number that I don’t think anyone expected him to have heading into the season.
Another positive for the Rangers was the play of Mats Zuccarello. Zuccarello picked up three assists. Zuccarello knows how to set-up his teammates, knows how to get to loose pucks and knows how to use his speed to create scoring opportunities, all skills that will allow him to have success in the NHL.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Prust, dan+Boyle, Florida+Panthers, Henrik+Lundqvist, Mats+Zuccarello, Michael+Del+Zotto, Mike+Weaver, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Lineup UPDATE/Another Tough Test on Tap for the Blueshirts Tonight
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/24/11 at 08:57 AM ET
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UPDATE: Per New York Rangers’ beat writer Andrew Gross, goaltender Martin Biron will start tonight against the Washington Capitals:
Biron playing because Torts refuses to play Lundqvist 5 games in 7 nights. Why tonight vs. Caps and not tomorrow vs. Panthers? “Why not?”
To clarify: Marty Biron starting tonight vs. Capitals. Lundqvist should play tomorrow at MSG vs. Panthers.
EARLIER: It seems like every game these days is a test for the New York Rangers.
The test consists of questions such as:
- Can they overcome injuries to win a hockey game?
- Can they score enough goals to win a hockey game?
- Can head coach John Tortorella keep the lines consistent?
Well, more than half way through the season, it is easy to say that the team has passed each test they have been given. With that said, will the team pass the test they face tonight against the Washington Capitals?
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Tags: Andrew+Gross, Atlanta+Thrashers, Brandon+Prust, Dan+Girardi, Evgeny+Grachev, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Martin+Biron, Michael+del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Washington+Capitals,
Rangers’ Defense: Not So Bad
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/04/11 at 06:51 PM ET
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Going into the season, many hockey pundits and fans alike wondered how the New York Rangers’ defense would perform this season.
Well, almost halfway through the season, the team is currently eighth in the National Hockey League in goals against, averaging 2.55 goals against per game. Not bad for one of the youngest defensive corps in the NHL.
When it comes to the team’s defense, one constant has been Marc Staal. He blocks shots, breaks up plays, hits hard, makes great outlet passes and every once in awhile, shows that he has some offense in him. He has been the club’s best defenseman since joining the NHL in the 2007-08 season.
Defenseman Dan Girardi has also been one of the Rangers’ best defenseman since joining the team during the 2006-07 season. He logs a lot of ice, blocks a lot of shots, and has contributed 20 points (3 goals and 17 assists) from the blue line this season. When paired with Staal, they are one of the best shutdown pair of defensemen in the NHL.
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Tags: Dan+Girardi, Marc+Staal, Matt+Gilroy, Michael+Del+Zotto, Michael+Sauer, Michal+Rozsival, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+McDonagh, Steve+Eminger,
Del Zotto Down, McDonagh Up
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/03/11 at 03:33 PM ET
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From New York Rangers’ beat writer Larry Brooks via Twitter:
BREAKING: Post has learned that Rangers are sending Del Zotto to AHL and recalling Ryan McDonagh.
This was a long time coming for Del Zotto. It was apparent that he was not getting it done and struggled by coughing up pucks, not playing his position well enough in the defensive zone while also lacking confidence.
For Del Zotto, getting some time down in the AHL will be a great thing for him. It will give him a chance to get his confidence back, see how the game should be played and allow him to gather the necessary tools he needs to succeed in the National Hockey League.
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Tags: Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+McDonagh,
No Surprise: Del Zotto Scratched For Fourth Straight Game
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/01/11 at 02:26 PM ET
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In what is starting to become a regular occurence this winter, New York Rangers’ defenseman Michael Del Zotto will be scratch tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
This is what team beat writer Andrew Gross had to say:
As for news today: Michael Del Zotto will remain out of the lineup for the fourth straight game (the second time as a healthy scratch) as coach John Tortorella continues to go with these defense pairs: Marc Staal-Dan Girardi, Steve Eminger-Michal Rozsival, Matt Gilroy-Mike Sauer. But I don’t think Del Zotto will remain out that much longer. Focus clearly on Rozsival and also probably Gilroy to improve their games from Wednesday’s 3-1 win at New Jersey.
As I have said before, I believe that this is a good wakeup call for Del Zotto. He’s going to be a great defenseman in this league but before becoming one, he needs to learn to be smart, make the right plays and do so on a consistent basis.
What do you folks think?
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Tags: Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Tampa+Bay+Lightning,
Blueshirts Set To Take on the Devils
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/29/10 at 12:02 PM ET
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Looking to repear their Monday night performance over the New York Islanders (7-2 win), the New York Rangers are set to take on the New Jersey Devils tonight at the Prudential Center.
What is amazing is that the games between these two clubs used to mean a lot when both were competitive. Unfortunately for the Devils, they are currently last place in both the Eastern Conference and the entire NHL.
What does this mean for the Blueshirts? Well, knowing the Rangers, it could be a trap game where the team gets outplayed by a far-lesser hockey club and misses out on picking up two crucial points.
With that said, this year’s version of the Rangers appear to be a much different hockey club. They work hard every night, they have stayed in most games they have played and believe it or not, they have won more often than they have lost this season.
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Tags: John+Tortorella, Mats+Zuccarello, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers,
Groin Injury Comes at the Right Time For Del Zotto
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/28/10 at 04:21 PM ET
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According to the Daily News’s New York Rangers’ beat writer Jesse Spector, defenseman Michael Del Zotto will miss tomorrow night’s game due to a groin injury:
The Rangers had a very long practice today in Greenburgh, starting with 10 players on the ice spending 45 minutes working on the power play, then a full team session for an hour. Michael Del Zotto sat out with a sore groin, and will not play when the Rangers face the Devils tomorrow night in New Jersey. The 20-year-old defenseman, scratched the last two games – once with the flu and once technically healthy – had a cortisone shot and should get back to work quickly.
A trip to Connecticut of the AHL is a possibility for Del Zotto, whose repeated mistakes trying to make the big play when a simple one will do have become a point of concern for John Tortorella.
The Blueshirts should really consider sending down their young defenseman to the AHL. It is obvious that he has lost some of his game and confidence and some time in the AHL may help him regain both.
What do you folks think?
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Tags: AHL, Connecticut+Whale, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers,
Gilroy Stepping Up for the Blueshirts
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/28/10 at 11:11 AM ET
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In the last week or so, there has been a noticeable difference in New York Rangers’ defenseman Matt Gilroy’s game.
Gilroy has appeared to be more confident, poised, willing to jump into the play, make smart plays in the defensive zone and more importantly, a steady presence on the club’s blue line.
According to Rangers’ web site beat writer Jim Cerny, Rangers’ head coach John Tortorella went as far to say that Gilroy was the club’s “sixth defenseman”:
Great stuff from Boyle and Gilroy…by the way Torts called Gilroy “one of our six (defensemen) right now”...hmmmmm…
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Tags: John+Tortorella, Matt+Gilroy, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers,
Not a Game to Take Lightly
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/27/10 at 02:35 PM ET
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Tonight’s game at Madison Square Garden between the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders is one that the Blueshirts cannot afford to take lightly.
Believe it or not, the Islanders are 3-0-1 in their last four games and have won games the right way. They have worked hard, won battles in the corners, threw pucks to the net, scored the dirty goals and got terrific goaltending from Dwayne Roloson.
With that said, it will be up to rangers’ head coach John Tortorella to get the team prepared for a game that they should win, considering that they have taken two of three from the Islanders already this season.
As was reported last night, Rangers’ defenseman Michael Del Zotto will be a healthy scratch while Mats Zuccarello will once again crack the line-up and get a chance to add on to his solid performance in his first NHL game last week against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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Tags: Mats+Zuccarello, Michael+del+Zotto, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers,
Sending a Message to Del Zotto
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/26/10 at 08:00 PM ET
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While New York Rangers’ defenseman Michael Del Zotto has recovered from the flu, it appears that team head coach John Tortorella will scratch the defenseman for the team’s game tomorrow night against the New York Islanders.
Del Zotto has clearly struggled this season. He gives up the puck way too much, has not contributed as much offensively as he did last season and also does not seem as confident as he used to. Unfortunately, this has cost the Blueshirts in various games throughout the season.
As such, it is apparent that Tortorella is trying to send the youngster a message. Andrew Gross reported as much from the team head coach in his blog earlier today:
Tortorella said this shouldn’t be viewed as a negative thing regarding Del Zotto, noting he’s still a 20-year-old defensemen who needs to go through the “process” of learning how to be a rock-steady NHL defensemen. But Tortorella did admit that, last season, had the team been carrying seven defensemen instead of the bare-bones six, he likely would have scratched Del Zotto at times during the second half of the season.
“He should get a message just being out,” Tortorella said. “He’s healthy and this is a coach’s decision. He’s been inconsistent. Michael will have to wait his turn.”
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Tags: John+Tortorella, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers,
Mats Zuccarello Aasen to Make Debut Against The Lightning Tonight
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/23/10 at 08:21 AM ET
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Going into a crucial game at Madison Square Garden tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the odds are already stacked against the Blueshirts with both Marian Gaborik (groin) and Michael Del Zotto (flu) out of the lineup.
To help fill the void, the team has called up Mats Zuccarello Aasen to take Gaborik’s spot. In 32 games with the club’s American Hockey League farm team, the Connecticut Whale, Zuccarello Aasen has 24 points (13 goals and 11 assists) in 32 games.
While he has been somewhat inconsistent at the AHL level, Zuccarello Aasen had recorded points in five of his last six games with four goals and four assists and has also put up 22 points in his last 20 games. As such, he is coming to the Blueshirts having played some of his best hockey in the AHL.
With that said, however, the NHL is a different animal and it will be interesting to see what Zuccarello Aasen does to adjust his game to fit the NHL style. According to Andrew Gross of Ranger Rants, Rangers’ head coach John Tortorella knows that he needs to put Zuccarello Aasen in a position to create offense.
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Tags: Brian+Boyle, John+Tortorella, Marian+Gaborik, Mats+Zuccarello+Aasen, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Tampa+Bay+Lightning,
Looking at a Few Players Who Need to Step Up
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/20/10 at 12:35 PM ET
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This is what the New York Rangers are faced with as they do not play a game until Thursday night at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Blueshirts’ had their three-game winning streak snapped on Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia when the Flyers beat them by a score of 4-1. The team did not play terribly but it is apparent that some players have a few things to work on before their next game.
- Michael Del Zotto
Del Zotto needs to get his defensive game in order. He has an abundance of offensive talent but since he is a defenseman, he should concentrate on making that part of his game better.
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Tags: Erik+Christensen, Marian+Gaborik, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Tampa+Bay+Lightning,
Lots to Be Learned
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/18/10 at 07:36 PM ET
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When you have a second year 20-year-old defenseman who has a lot of talent and potential, you have to take the good and the bad.
That is what the New York Rangers are doing when it comes to defenseman Michael Del Zotto, who was a -3 in this afternoon’s 4-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
He continues to be victimized in his own zone, he gives up the puck and defensively, he seems to find himself out of position more often than not. In today’s game against the Flyers, all of these weaknesses were present and it hurt the Blueshirts as they were beat by the best team in the Eastern Conference.
Obviously, the game was not all his fault as his teammates could not bail him out when he made a mistake. Hockey is a team game and more often than not, one cannot pin a loss on a specific individual.
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Tags: Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers,
Blueshirts Week Ahead
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/13/10 at 08:00 AM ET
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At this point in the season, it is great to see that the New York Rangers are in the thick of the Eastern Conference early season playoff race and are getting solid performances spread throughout the season.
In this installment of “Blueshirts Week Ahead”, I’d like for you folks to keep an eye on several players as well as give you a look at who the team will be facing off against this week.
Players to Keep An Eye on
- Michael Del Zotto
It will be interesting to see how Del Zotto performs after being scratched last week in the team’s 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. Team head coach John Tortorella gave him a homework assignment to see how the club’s power play performed along with what he should be doing on defense.
Remember, Del Zotto is only in his second season and at the age of 20, still has a lot to learn.
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Tags: Alex+Frolov, Michael+Del+Zotto, Michael+Sauer, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Phoenix+Coyotes, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Blueshirts Miss Opportunity to Defeat Penguins
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/30/10 at 12:37 PM ET
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The scoreboard may have read 3-1 at the sound of the Madison Square Garden buzzer but this was a game in which the New York Rangers could have beaten the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won their seventh straight game last night.
They had a several-minute lapse in the second period that really cost them the game as the Penguins scored two quick goals off the sticks of defenseman Kris Letang and forward Chris Connor. Other than that lapse, however, it was a solid game for the Blueshirts.
Now, I know that you folks probably want me to mention the Sidney Crosby “slue-foot” or however you spell it, but I am not going to talk about that here. It is what it is and it does not even matter as the Rangers probably would have lost with or without it.
What I will talk about is the Rangers missing the net. The team had several scoring chances in the third period and they just could not hit the net for one reason or another. Blueshirts’ forward Alex Frolov is a player that sticks out in my mind when it comes to this as is defenseman Michael Del Zotto, who has a great shot but has trouble finding the net with it.
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Tags: Alex+Frolov, Chris+Connor, Henrik+Lundqvist, Kris+Letang, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Rangers With Great Response in Minnesota
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/21/10 at 05:36 PM ET
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After losing to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night, the New York Rangers were an entirely different hockey club on Saturday night in their 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild.
It was a 60-minute effort that saw timely goal scoring, solid defensive play and a good game from back-up netminder Martin Biron (25 saves). None of these things were present in Colorado on Friday night.
The Blueshirts got goals from Arterm Anisimov, Michael Del Zotto, Alex Frolov, Brandon Dubinsky, and Ruslan Fedotenko en route to the team’s seventh road victory (7-3).
Many fans were probably surprised that Rangers’ head coach John Tortorella went with Biron in goal, especially since Henrik Lundqvist only played a little more than half the game in Colorado on Friday night. However, Tortorella made the right decision in starting the back-up netminder and Biron responded by picking up his fourth victory of the season (4-2-0, 2.33 goals against average, .907 save percentage).
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Tags: Alex+Frolov, Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Calgary+Flames, Derek+Boogaard, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Marian+Gaborik, Martin+Biron, Michael+Del+Zotto, Minnesota+Wild, New+York+Rangers, Ruslan+Fedotenko,
Defense and Suspect Goaltending Hurt Rangers in Loss to Avalanche
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/20/10 at 10:30 AM ET
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In hockey, it’s a well known fact that turnovers often lead to offensive opportunities against.
Unfortunately for the New York Rangers, defensive turnovers did them in last night in a 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Not only did defensive turnovers hurt the club, but so did the goaltending of Henrik Lundqvist (3 goals allowed on 16 shots) and Martin Biron (2 goals allowed on 10 shots).
It was a game in which despite being tied in shots, the Rangers looked overmatched. Their forwards had trouble putting the puck in the net on Avalanche netminder Craig Anderson. The team’s defense was sloopy with the puck and in their own zone and the goaltending was not there to cover up the team’s mistakes.
One particular player that had a tough game was defenseman Michael Del Zotto. Del Zotto was a -4 and his pinching in the Avalanche zone in the second period led to the first goal of the game and ultimately, was the start of a horrific period for the Blueshirts.
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Tags: Colorado+Avalanche, Craig+Anderson, Detroit+Red+Wings, Henrik+Lundqvist, Martin+Biron, Michael+Del+Zotto, Minnesota+Wild, New+York+Rangers,
Rangers Add to Winning Streak
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/25/10 at 07:00 AM ET
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Look out folks but after defeating the New Jersey Devils last night 3-1 at Madison Square Garden, the team is now 4-2-1 and has won three straight games.
I know it’s early in the season but six points is six points and as you know, every point is important in the National Hockey League. Last night against the Devils, the team earned two points by playing a smart game at home, throwing pucks on net (34 shots), and getting great goaltending once again from Henrik Lundqvist, who made 27 saves to pick up his second straight victory.
The team got a tremendous effort out of the Artem Anisimov, Brandon Dubinsky (1 goal and 1 assist for 2 points) and Ryan Callahan (1 goal) line. The line drove hard to the net, kept the puck in the opponent’s zone for stretches at a time and scored two of the team’s three goals.
When looking at this game, you also need to give credit to the club;s defense. Michal Rozsival played another great game and Michael Del Zotto had a team high 28:38 in ice time with hits, 4 shots, and was also a + 2.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Michael+Del+Zotto, Michal+Rozsival, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
Two More Blueshirts Headed to the World Championships
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/30/10 at 07:54 AM ET
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It looks like the New York Rangers will be well represented at the World Championships as it was announced yesterday that both Team USA and Team Canada added a Ranger to their roster. Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants has more:
Rangers prospect Chris Kreider, so good in leading Team USA to the gold at the World Junior Championships, was among 11 players added to the roster by USA Hockey for the IIHF World Championships, May 7-23 in Germany.
Kreider will join Brandon Dubinsky (who turned 24 today) and Matt Gilroy on Team USA.
Meanwhile, Canada general manager Mark Messier announced Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto as one of four players added to his roster today. Del Zotto (who remains a teenager until June 24) is one of six players on the Canadian squad under 20. Rangers teammate Marc Staal is also on the Canadian roster.
Click here for more on the upcoming tourney.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Chris+Kreider, Marc+Staal, Matt+Gilroy, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers,
The Youth of Ranger Nation
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/16/10 at 07:51 AM ET
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From great friend of the blog Jim Cerny at NewYorkRangers.com:
Prior to training camp last September, Rangers head coach John Tortorella expressed his hope that some of the organization’s top young prospects would step up and secure regular spots with the team this season and begin to form the foundation of the franchise along with more-established younger players like Marc Staal, Ryan Callahan, and Brandon Dubinsky.
Consider this “Mission Accomplished.”
Defenseman Michael Del Zotto and center Artem Anisimov not only spent their entire rookie campaigns competing at the NHL level this season, but both were major contributors to the Rangers and among the top rookies in the entire league.
“We have a really good core of young players,” said Tortorella. “We have to do the best we can to grow that core because, for me, the exciting part of it is the young core, it’s a good one. And Del Z and Artie are a big part of that.”
Click here for more on the Blueshirts’ young core.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
Analyzing Del Zotto’s Season
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/14/10 at 08:54 AM ET
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Scotty over at Scotty Hockey is doing a great series over at his site and is taking a look at each Rangers’s season. He began early this morning with rookie defenseman Michael Del Zotto:
Take the good: MDZ broke onto the scene on fire with 12 points in his first 12 games. He showed off the skills that had drawn the comparisons to that Leetch guy and eventually averaged close to 19 minutes on the ice a night. He saw ice time in all situations and got physically tougher over the course of his 80 games (he missed two after being gutted by Geno Malkin’s skate).
Take the bad: MDZ often put himself out of position trying to make hits and was pretty bad in his own zone. His ability in front of Hank did not improve at all over the course of the year and he ended up a team-worse -20. The kid was scoreless in 49 games, including slumps of seven and nine games as well as the final four. In the all-important final game against the Flyers, he played just 14:14 as Torts didn’t trust him to be able to safely handle the Broad Street Bullies.
Click here for more great stuff on MDZ from Scotty.
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Tags: Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers,
Quick Rangers News Update
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/02/10 at 12:22 PM ET
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From New York Rangers MSG broadcaster John Giannone via his twitter account:
Tortorella just said both DelZotto and Gaborik are out tonight. Lundqvist will start, of course.
Click here for more morning skate updates from a solid Rangers’ broadcaster.
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Tags: Henrik+Lundqvist, Marian+Gaborik, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers,
Blueshirts Back to the Grind
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/25/10 at 10:30 AM ET
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From our good pal Jim Cerny at NewYorkRangers.com:
At 2 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, the Olympic-break vacation ended for the Rangers players outside Vancouver, and the push for securing a playoff spot in the tight Eastern Conference began in earnest as the team returned to practice at the Madison Square Garden Training Center.
Minus Olympians Henrik Lundqvist, Chris Drury, Ryan Callahan, Marian Gaborik, and Olli Jokinen, the Rangers spent much of the fast-paced 45-minute practice working on conditioning drills. With head coach John Tortorella in Vancouver, as well, serving as an assistant coach for Team USA, the practice was run by Rangers assistants Mike Sullivan, Jim Schoenfeld, and Benoit Allaire.
“It was pretty tiring out there,” said alternate captain Vinny Prospal. “You feel it if you don’t skate for even two days, but not practicing for nine in the middle of the season really is a big deal.”
Click here for more including what players did over the break, thoughts on the Olympics, and Michael Del Zotto’s injury.
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Tags: Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Vinny+Prospal,
Del Zotto Aims to Stay on Broadway
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/09/09 at 02:52 PM ET
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Paul was kind enough to point out this article on New York Rangers’ young rookie defenseman Michael Del Zotto from Michael Hayakawa of YorkRegion.com:
In last Saturday’s home opener against the Ottawa Senators, Del Zotto became a fan favourite when he scored his first NHL goal, a screen shot near the left faceoff circle with 51 seconds remaining in the second period that vaulted the Rangers to a 3-1 lead en route to a 5-2 victory.
In Monday’s 3-2 road win over the New Jersey Devils, Del Zotto scored the club’s opening goal on the power play and collected an assist.
“Scoring my first NHL goal in front of my family (father Steve, mom Lee and brother David) and a couple of close friends and hearing the fans go crazy is a feeling I won’t forget,” the Markham Waxers’ minor hockey product said after practice Wednesday. “I’m glad I got it over with sooner than later.
“But I haven’t really accomplished anything yet. After playing nine games I could still be sent down (back to the London Knights). I’ve played in two (NHL) games and it’s unbelievable. It’s something I’ve dreamed of doing since I was little.
“For now, I’m just trying to prove myself every day that I belong here.”
Click here for more on Del Zotto.
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Tags: Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers,
Satisfying Start
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/04/09 at 08:37 AM ET
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Good morning folks. I apologize for not having blogged anything Rangers yesterday but I was busy last night at the New York Islanders’ game as part of their media staff. I know, I know…I’m a Rangers fan but if I want to make it in the game as a writer, I have to go with whoever is going to take a chance on me. Plus, it was great to see phenom John Tavares pick up his first two points in the NHL (1g, 1a).
With that said, however, it was nice to see the New York Rangers post a 5-spot on the board last night in defeating the Ottawa Senators. In catching the Rangers in 60 when I got home into the wee hours of the morning, it was nice to see Marian Gaborik pick up a couple of points in his home debut and see players such as Brandon Dubinsky, Michael Del Zotto, Vinny Prospal and of course, Henrik Lundqvist, all play a key role in the team’s first win of the season.
In his first two games of the season, Dubinsky already has four points (2g, 2a). I know that he got off to an extremely hot start last season but may be this season, he’ll be more consistent given the players he is playing with.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tavares, Marian+Gaborik, Matt+Gilroy, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, Vinny+Prospal,
Youngsters looking good
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/17/09 at 09:33 AM ET
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The New York Rangers may have dropped their second straight game in pre-season (3-2 shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils) but they certainly got impressive performances from some of their youngsters, in particularly defensemen Matt Gilroy and Michael Del Zotto and goaltender Chad Johnson.
It’s nice to see a Ranger blueliner who is not afraid to rush the puck up the ice, show some moves and put the puck on the net. The goal he scored to make it a 2-1 game should show the Blueshirt brass that he has the poise and determination to create offense, something the team has been missing since it lost Brian Leetch in 2004.
Del Zotto also had a strong performance, even showing that he’s not afraid to go deep in the offensive zone in a four-on-four situation. He’s constantly looking to create offense and that is something that head coach John Tortorella likes to see from both young defensemen Gilroy and Del Zotto.
“They make subtle plays,” Tortorella told Andrew Gross of Ranger Rants after the game. “It’s not just always off the glass and giving it back to the other team. They’re looking to make a play out of the end zone so we have control. They’ve done a good job in a lot of minutes that we’ve given them the past couple of games.”
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Tags: Chad+Johnson, Matt+Gilroy, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers,
Rangers Ink Del Zotto to Contract
by Patrick Hoffman on 05/26/09 at 03:30 PM ET
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From NewYorkRangers.com:
New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has signed defenseman Michael Del Zotto.
Michael Del Zotto wore a Rangers uniform for the first time at the 2008 Traverse City Prospects Tournament—just a few months after being drafted by the Blueshirts.
Del Zotto, 18, skated in 62 games with the Oshawa Generals and London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this season, registering 13 goals and 50 assists for 63 points, along with 78 penalty minutes. The two-time OHL All-Star finished the season ranked sixth among all OHL defensemen in scoring and assists, while his 50 assists tied for 11th in the league overall. He also ranked fifth in the league with 32 power play assists.“It’s definitely unbelievable being part of this organization,” Del Zotto told newyorkrangers.com earlier today. “This is just a baby step, though. It’s a first step in trying to make the team and take it further.”
What do you folks think of this one? With players like Marc Staal, Bobby Sanguinetti, Matt Gilroy, Michael Sauer, Corey Potter and Dan Girardi, this team appears to be set on the blue line for years to come.
For more on Del Zotto, click here.
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Tags: Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers,
