Goal Line Report
Entries with the tag: Montreal+Canadiens
The One That Got Away
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/01/12 at 09:02 AM ET
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Looking back at last night’s tilt between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils, it was a game that the Rangers should have come away with two points.
The Blueshirts had three 1-goal leads that they let slip away in a 4-3 shootout loss at the Prudential Center. While these things happen in hockey, they are things that could have been prevented with better defensive coverage in the Rangers’ zone.
On both the Devils’ second goal and tying goal in the game, the Rangers appeared to be lost in their own zone. It should also be noted that Devils’ sniper Ilya Kovalchuk should never be given that much room in the offensive zone.
With that said, it was not a terrible game for the Blueshirts. They showed some offense and with better defensive coverage in their own zone in the third period, could have easily come away with their third straight victory.
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Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Ilya+Kovalchuk, Martin+Biron, Martin+Brodeur, Montreal+Canadiens, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Prudential+Center,
Holding Onto the Top Spot
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/18/12 at 09:24 AM ET
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That is what the New York Rangers continue to do as the team picked-up a 3-0 win over the Nashville Predators last night at Madison Square Garden.
Due to playing in a hockey game of my own, I was not able to catch any of the game. With that said, it was nice to see Henrik Lundqvist get another shutout and the team come out with a much better defensive performance than they did against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night in Montreal.
It was also nice to see that John Mitchell scored another goal for the Blueshirts. No one really knew whether or not Mitchell would fit in with this Rangers’ team but he has come in and gotten the job done by working hard every night, forechecking hard, going to the net and cashing in on opportunities when they present themselves.
This is a team that continues to show that it can respond well after a loss. Too many times in the past few seasons would the Rangers follow up a loss with another bad game but this season, team head coach John Tortorella has seemed to keep that to a minimum.
With the win, the Rangers improved to 29-11-4 for 62 points. The team has a one point edge over the Detroit Red Wings for first in the league and a three point edge over the Boston Bruins for first in the Eastern Conference.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Detroit+Red+Wings, Evgeni+Malkin, Henrik+Lundqvist, James+Neal, John+Mitchell, John+Tortorella, Montreal+Canadiens, Nashville+Predators, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Sidney+Crosby,
Rangers Impressive in Shutout win over the Leafs
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/14/12 at 09:57 PM ET
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It may not have been the most exciting game but the New York Rangers got the job done tonight with a win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For the Rangers, it was important for the club to get their offense going and for the most part, the team did just that tonight with goals from guys who do not score many of them (except for one guy). The Blueshirts got goals from Mike Rupp (4th goal of the season), Brian Boyle (his first goal in 22 games and 3rd goal of the season) and Derek Stepan (10th goal of the season and an assist).
Rangers’ netminder Martin Biron also had a solid game for his hockey club tonight. Biron picked-up his second shutout and 9th win of the season. While he was not bombarded with shots, Biron was good when he needed to be in making 19 saves and also adding his third assist of the season on Stepan’s goal.
With the win, the Rangers improved to 28-10-4 with 60 points. That has them first in the Eastern Conference (three points ahead of the Boston Bruins) and as of this writing, first in the NHL, one point ahead of the Vancouver Canucks.
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Tags: Bell+Centre, Boston+Bruins, Brian+Boyle, Derek+Stepan, Henrik+Lundqvist, Joffrey+Lupul, Martin+Biron, Mike+Rupp, Mikhail+Grabovski, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Phil+Kessel, Toronto+Maple+Leafs, Vancouver+Canucks,
Time to Start Again
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/12/12 at 09:42 PM ET
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That is the kind of attitude the New York Rangers should take after losing to the Ottawa Senators tonight by a score of 3-0 at Madison Square Garden.
After winning five straight game, the Senators brought the Blueshirts back down to earth and gave them only their fourth loss on home ice this season. For the Rangers, it was their second loss the Senators at the Garden this season and like the last time, was probably a game that they could have won.
However, with the way Senators’ netminder Craig Anderson played, it would have been tough for anyone to beat the Senators tonight. Anderson made 34 saves en route to his first shutout of the season and his 22nd win of the season as well.
The Rangers definitely had their chances to put the puck in the net but just could not finish. This was especially the case in the third period as the team was all around Anderson but could not find the back of the net.
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Tags: Craig+Anderson, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, Phoenix+Coyotes, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
Rangers Continue to Roll
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/11/12 at 08:34 AM ET
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No matter what the game is or who the team is playing, the New York Rangers always seem to find a way to win.
The team did just that last night in a 2-1 shootout win over the Phoenix Coyotes at Madison Square Garden. The Blueshirts probably could have won the game in regulation time if not for the outstanding goaltending from Coyotes’ netminder Mike Smith (31 saves) but since that did not happen, they won in the “skills competition”.
With the win, the Blueshirts improved to 27-9-4 along with picking up their fifth straight win and their 10th victory in their last 11 games. Not bad for a club that no one really knew how good they were going to be prior to the season starting, eh?
The Rangers really are playing to their identity. They work hard every night, they battle, they stick up for each other and because the team is doing all of this, they are finding ways to win hockey games.
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Tags: Derek+Stepan, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marian+Gaborik, Mike+Smith, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, Phoenix+Coyotes, Radim+Vrbata, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
War On Ice: New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/31/11 at 12:00 PM ET
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When it comes to the greatest rivalries in the National Hockey League, many fans will point out the obvious ones whether is the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens, and so on and so forth.
One rivalry that deserves attention is one that will get just that on Monday afternoon at the 2012 Winter Classic, the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers.
When the NHL decided that the 2012 Winter Classic would be between the New York Rangers and the host Philadelphia Flyers, I do not think they thought that at this point in this season, it would end being such a big tilt.
The New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers have one of the greatest rivalries in the league. However, over their 44-year history of playing against each other, it has turned into more than a rivalry.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Brandon+Prust, Chicago+Blackhawks, Detroit+Red+Wings, Henrik+Lundqvist, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Toronto+Maple+Leafs, Wayne+Simmonds, Zac+Rinaldo,
An Intriguing Tilt at The Rock
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/20/11 at 10:41 AM ET
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That is exactly what tonight’s game between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils is shaping up to be.
Both clubs are playing well, in the top eight in the Eastern Conference and are only separated by three points. Sounds like old-time Patrick Division hockey, eh?
The Blueshirts are coming off a dramatic win over the Phoenix Coyotes. In the game, Marian Gaborik picked-up two goals and nine-year man Brad Richards scored the game winning goal at the buzzer to help his team pick-up the all important two points.
On the other side, the Devils are coming off a 5-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. The Devils are on a four-game winning streak and looking to make it five against ther rivals from across the Hudson River.
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Tags: Brad+Richards, Brandon+Dubinsky, John+Tortorella, Marian+Gaborik, Montreal+Canadiens, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Phoenix+Coyotes,
Rangers in Need of Some New Blood and a Quick Turnaround?
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/25/11 at 11:38 AM ET
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It appears that is what team management and the head coach feel as the New York Rangers have recalled both John Mitchell and Carl Hagelin up from the Connecticut Whale.
With two straight losses to the Montreal Canadiens and the Florida Panthers, the Blueshirts will look to get back on track late this afternoon against the Washington Capitals. While the Capitals have been a streaky this team season, they certainly know how to bring the offense and with the Blueshirts’ springing leaks in the defensive zone the last two games, one would expect the Capitals to do the same tonight.
With that in mind, the Blueshirts decided to call up Mitchell and Hagelin not only for some potential new blood, but to replace forward Andre Deveaux, who will more than likely receive a fine from the NHL for his hit on Panthers’ forward Tomas Fleischmann.
As posted yesterday, both John Mitchell and Carl Hagelin have been recalled from Connecticut (AHL) in anticipation of Deveaux’s absence. I suspect Mitchell, for sure, will be in the lineup today and it wouldn’t shock me if Hagelin was as well. The other fourth-liners from Wednesday’s game, Brian Boyle and Sean Avery, would probably be the first options for a healthy scratch if coach John Tortorella decides to play both call-ups.
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Tags: Andre+Deveaux, Carl+Hagelin, Florida+Panthers, John+Mitchell, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Washington+Capitals,
Bound To Happen
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/21/11 at 07:59 AM ET
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This describes the game between the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
The club did not have their legs, failed to put any real offensive pressure on Canadiens’ netminder Carey Price and certainly did not help netminder Martin Biron. All in all, it was a sloppy hockey game that with a 7-game winning streak, was going to happen sooner or later.
With that said, the team is going to need to put this one out of their minds fast as they have a tough schedule coming up. The team will be in Florida on Wednesday night to take on the high-flying Florida Panthers followed by a game against the Washington Capitals on Friday at 4:00 p.m. and then the next day, the team will be home for a Saturday afternoon tilt with the Philadelphia Flyers.
This is exactly why the Blueshirts need to forget about Saturday night’s game and focus on their upcoming games against three really good hockey clubs. To win these games, the team’s offense will obviously need to step up and the defense will need to play more responsibly in their own end.
There is no reason to hit the panic button as this game needed to happen for the Rangers. They needed something to bring them back to reality and show them that they are nowhere near to being a perfect hockey team.
It is what it is so it is back to focusing on the hear and now for the Blueshirts.
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Tags: Florida+Panthers, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Washington+Capitals,
No Lundqvist Tonight for the Blueshirts
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/19/11 at 01:58 PM ET
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According to Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants, The New York Rangers will start goaltender Martin Biron tonight against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre.
Marty Biron, from Lac St. Charles, Que. said it’s “always special” to play in the Bell Centre but not just for a “French-Canadian kid.” He talked about the history of the building, the Original Six matchup, the games he’s played in Montreal, including a playoff run with the Flyers. He also talked about his teammates saying they have full confidence in him, saying it was a “partnership” among all the players, that he had confidence in the defensemen, the defensemen had confidence in the forwards, etc.
Coach John Tortorella, asked about playing Biron tonight, which means Henrik Lundqvist will have a minimum of eight days between starts, said it was Biron’s turn and he also worried about resting Biron too long. Biron’s last game was a 3-0 win over the Jets on Nov. 6. Tortorella said it had nothing to do with Lundqvist’s struggles in the Bell Centre.
Here is some more good stuff on the Rangers’ back-up netminder.
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Tags: Henrik+Lundqvist, Martin+Biron, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers,
Bring on the Habs
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/19/11 at 09:45 AM ET
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The New York Rangers will be looking for their eighth straight win tonight when they take on the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal tonight.
In their previous meeting, the Blueshirts rode a 3-goal first period en route to a 5-3 win at Madison Square Garden. Considering that the Canadiens are not playing in a back-to-back situation, this has the potential to be a very different hockey game.
It should also be a different game for the Blueshirts because of how much they have struggled at the Bell Centre. The club is 1-4-2 in their last six visits and have played extremely sloppy hockey there, especially in front of netminder Henrikl Lundqvist.
However, this might also be a much different Rangers’ team. The Rangers are in the midst of a 7-game winning streak in which they have gotten contributions from all areas of the ice and have once again found their identity, which is a hard working hockey club that never gives up and does what it needs to do to win.
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Tags: Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers,
Seventh Heaven for the Blueshirts
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/16/11 at 09:08 AM ET
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That is what the New York Rangers are in after defeating the New York Islanders last night by a score of 4-2.
With excellent goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist, great penalty killing and timely goal scoring, the Blueshirts were able to pick up their seventh straight victory to improve to 10-3-3 on the season. It certainly was not an easy victory by any means for the Rangers.
The Rangers were undisciplined last night and gave the Islanders power play chance after chance to get the lead but thanks to the stellar play of Lundqvist, the Islanders were not able to cash in. Lundqvist (31 saves) and his never say die athleticism helped the Rangers steal two points last night on Long Island.
It was also great to see Rangers’ 9-year man Brad Richards come through in the clutch with the go ahead goal with just less than five minutes to go in the hockey game. This is why the team got him and right now, at least, he is delivering.
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Tags: Brad+Richards, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Sean+Avery,
Rangers Look to Extend Win Streak to Five in Ottawa
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/09/11 at 01:40 PM ET
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Back on October 29, the Ottawa Senators came back from a 4-1 defecit to defeat the New York Rangers by a score of 5-4 in a shootout at Madison Square Garden.
Fast forward a few weeks later and the Blueshirts are a much different hockey club. The team is currently on a 4-game winning streak and is playing more responsibly in their own zone and when it comes to discipline.
According to Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants, Henrik Lundqvist will be back between the pipes for the Blueshirts. He will be coming off his 5-3 vicotry over the Montreal Canadiens last Saturday night and will more than likely look to bounce back from his average performance against the Senators back in late October.
Last time these two clubs met, there were some questionable hits. One resulted in the loss of Senators’ captain Daniel Alfredsson as Wolski caught him with his head down.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Carolina+Hurricanes, Daniel+Alfredsson, Henrik+Lundqvist, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, Wojtek+Wolski, Xenon+Konopka,
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,
Rangers Start Another Winning Streak
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/04/11 at 08:12 AM ET
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The New York Rangers have started a bit of a winning streak after deating the Anaheim Ducks last night 2-1 in a shootout, giving them two straight wins in as many games.
Much like when the two clubs met in Sweden back in early October, this was an exciting game that saw timely goal scoring, some good physical play and great goaltending from Jonas Hiller and Henrik Lundqvist. The only thing that was different was that the Rangers turned the tables and won in a shootout on Marian Gaborik’s (yes, you read that right) goal.
Believe it or not, the Rangers probably could have won this game in the third period or even in overtime. Ryan Callahan had a clear breakaway in the third period and was absolutely stoned by Hiller. In overtime, the Rangers’ created a tic-tac-toe play with Gaborik, Michael Sauer and Ryan McDonagh but McDonagh put the puck wide over the net.
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Tags: Anaheim+Ducks, Henrik+Lundqvist, Jonas+Hiller, Marian+Gaborik, Michael+Sauer, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Ryan+McDonagh,
Staying Consistent
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/03/11 at 08:11 AM ET
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This is something the New York Rangers need to do in order to be successful and win hockey games this season.
With that in mind, Rangers’ bench boss John Tortorella will be sticking with the same lineup that won on Monday night against the San Jose Sharks tonight when his team takes on the Anaheim Ducks at Madison Square Garden. For the Blueshirts, that would be something consistent and something that they would hope to sustain.
What this does mean is that Rangers’ pest Sean Avery will not be playing tonight for the Blueshirts. This is understandable considering how the team played in its 5-2 win over the Sharks as it would not make much sense for Tortorella to change things when the team played well with a particular lineup.
The Rangers need to build on their win from Monday night and continue to lay the same kind of hockey. That means getting the puck to the net, driving to the net, playing responsibly in their own end and staying out of the penalty box. For the Rangers, those things are a recipe for success.
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Tags: Anaheim+Ducks, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Martin+Biron, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Sean+Avery, Winnipeg+Jets,
Are the Rangers in Trouble?
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/31/11 at 08:00 AM ET
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The answer to that question is a resounding no.
At 3-3-3, the New York Rangers certainly have not played their best in this young season and at the same time, have yet to click on all levels. That is the good thing.
The bad thing is that the way has played in their last two games against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators, both losses at Madison Square Garden. Their play in the third period in both games is also alarming.
In their loss to the Senators on Saturday afternoon at MSG, the team blew a 4-1 lead in the third period and lost 5-4 in the shootout. In a game that the team scores four goals, gets solid performances from both Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik and is at home, it should have been a Rangers’ victory.
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Tags: Anaheim+Ducks, Brad+Richards, John+Tortorella, Marian+Gaborik, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, San+Jose+Sharks, Sean+Avery, Toronto+Maple+Leafs, Winnipeg+Jets,
What Happened to Scotty Gomez?
by Patrick Hoffman on 07/18/11 at 11:00 AM ET
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That is what every hockey fan is probably wondering after NHL centerman Scott Gomez showed so much talent with the New Jersey Devils.
It seemed things changed when he went to the Rangers as an unrestricted free agent in the 2007-08 season. Sure, he tied for the team lead in points with then captain Jaromir Jagr but he just was not the same player he was as a Devil. He certainly he had his share of assists that season but he did not score as many goals as he did with the Devils and just did not seem like the player that fans were used to seeing excel like he did in previous seasons.
The same can be said of the following season. In 2008-09, Gomez put up just 58 points (16 goals and 42 assists) and ended up being traded to the Montreal Canadiens in the off-season.
Things have not been much better in Montreal. In his first full season with the Habs, Gomez had 59 points (12 goals and 47 assists) and 14 points (2 goals and 12 assists) in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. While those numbers are not terrible, they are still not numbers that matchup with his current cap hit.
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Tags: Montreal+Canadiens, Scott+Gomez,
A Potential First Round Matchup for the Ages?
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/09/11 at 08:00 PM ET
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Over at RLD Hockey today, I blogged about which two teams I’d like to see go at it during the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
You can either click here to go to the blog or continue below.
The historic rivalry of Boston-Montreal
By Patrick Hoffman
The best matchups in the Stanley Cup Playoffs usually feature two teams that are rivals and have a history of playing big games against each other as well as games during the season that were exciting with great goals, saves, hits and of course, fights.
Based on these elements, it is easy to see which two teams would provide the best first-round matchup of this year’s postseason: the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Montreal+Canadiens,
A Tale of Two Games
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/05/11 at 07:00 AM ET
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I was lucky enough to be at last night’s game between the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins and let me tell you, it was like watching two different games.
In the “first” game, the Rangers were flat, did not generate many scoring chances, had terrible defensive coverage and trailed 3-0. It could have been more if not for the solid goaltending of Rangers’ netminder Henrik Lundqvist.
The second game was the complete opposite. The Blueshirts played with passion, forechecked, threw pucks to the net and cashed in on their scoring opportunities. In this particular game, the Blueshirts outscored the Bruins 5-0.
In the end, it was a 5-3 Rangers’ victory in one of the most exciting games of the season at Madison Square Garden. It was a game in which the team trailed 3-2 with less than four minutes to go, only to score three goals in the final three minutes as Brandon Dubinsky tied the game, Michael Sauer scored the game winner and Derek Stepan sealed it with an empty netter.
Truth be told, may be it was expected that the Blueshirts would come out flat. They played an extremely tough and grueling game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday afternoon and were obviously out of synch and tired.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Brandon+Dubinsky, Buffalo+Sabres, Carolina+Hurricanes, Derek+Stepan, Henrik+Lundqvist, Michael+Sauer, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers,
Another Big Game on Tap for the Rangers
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/30/11 at 07:58 AM ET
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Coming off a big 1-0 shutout win over the Boston Bruins on Saturday afternnon, the New York Rangers will be back in action tonight when they take on the Buffalo Sabres in Buffalo in what is an important game for both clubs.
The Blueshirts are currently seventh in the Eastern Conference but are just two points up on the eighth place Buffalo Sabres. The Rangers are also now two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for sixth place.
The key for the Rangers will be to stay the course. They will need to continue to get balanced scoring, play disciplined hockey, play smart defense and get goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist if they want to have any kind of success against a very good Sabres hockey club.
Luckily for the Rangers, this is a road game and the Blueshirts have been one of the league’s best away from home ice. The team currently has 23 wins on the road and seem to play with a lot more confidence when not in front of the Madison Square Garden crowd.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Buffalo+Sabres, Henrik+Lundqvist, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers,
Blueshirts Shut out the Bruins in Important Road Win
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/26/11 at 02:35 PM ET
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Believe it or not folks, the New York Rangers are now tied with the sixth place Montreal Canadiens after shutting out the Boston Bruins in Boston by a score of 1-0.
Rangers’ netminder Henrik Lundqvist was solid once again in picking up his 11th shutout of the season. Lundqvist finished the game with 26 saves and was especially good in the third period when his team was outshot by a 12-1 margin.
The team also did a terrific job of blocking shots. At one point on the broadcast in the third period, Rangers’ announcer Sam Rosen said the team had blocked 25 shots. They probably finished with close to 30 in the game and showed just how important blocking shots can be, especially since the Bruins have guys who can fire the puck frome the point.
Offensively, the Rangers were quiet once again. Yes, they got a goal from Derek Stepan in the first period (his 20th goal of the season) but other than that, they were shut down by the Bruins’ defense and Bruins’ netminder Tuukka Rask, who had 22 saves on the afternoon and was the victim of a helpless offense.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Buffalo+Sabres, Derek+Stepan, Henrik+Lundqvist, Montreal+Canadiens, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Toronto+Maple+Leafs, Tuukka+Rask,
Original Six Tilt in Beantown
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/26/11 at 09:12 AM ET
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That is exactly what will be happening at 1 p.m. today as the New York Rangers will take on the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden in Boston.
The Blueshirts are coming off a 2-1 shootout loss to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden while the Bruins are coming off a big 7-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens. One team will be looking to score more goals while the toher will continue to do the things that made them successful in their last game.
As always, this is an extremely important game for the Rangers. Both the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes won last night so the Blueshirts are now just two points up on the eighth place Sabres. With a win this afternoon in Boston, however, the Rangers could end up tied with the Canadiens for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens take on the Washington Capitals tonight.
It will be interesting to see if Rangers’ forward Sean Avery will be in the lineup this afternoon. Based on reports from team beat writers at yesterday’s skate, it appears that there is a good chance that Avery will be back in the lineup. However, nothing was confirmed.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Buffalo+Sabres, Carolina+Hurricanes, Henrik+Lundqvist, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, Sean+Avery, Washington+Capitals,
Good, but not Great
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/25/11 at 06:56 AM ET
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Good morning folks. Unfortunately, I did not get to catch the New York Rangers vs. Ottawa Senators game last night as I had a hockey game of my own to play in.
With that said, I was somewhat disappointed to come home and see that the Blueshirts lost 2-1 in a shootout to the Senators, snapping the team’s five game winning streak. Yes, the Blueshirts were able to pick up an important point but as always, there were two points to be had in this game and the Blueshirts failed to get the other one.
It was nice to see that Rangers’ netminder Henrik Lundqvist had another solid game between the pipes in making 29 saves. He seems to be on top of his game and right now, that is a very good thing for the Blueshirts.
It was also nice to see Rangers’ forward Brandon Prust pick up his 12th goal of the season. Prust works hard, is not afraid to go into the corners, sticks up for his teammates, goes to the net and has shown that he can contribute offense to this hockey club.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Brandon+Prust, Buffalo+Sabres, Henrik+Lundqvist, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators,
Rangers Look to Extend Winning Streak to Six
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/24/11 at 08:25 AM ET
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The New York Rangers will look to win a “trap” game once again when they take on the Ottawa Senators tonight at Madison Square Garden.
Going into tonight’s tilt, the Blueshirts have won five straight games and have done so with timely goal scoring, smart play in the defensive zone, being disciplined and solid goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist. That has been the winning formula for the Blueshirts all season long and if they use it tonight against the Senators, the team will pick up its sixth straight victory along with points 85 and 86.
The Rangers need to keep winning because the eighth place Buffalo Sabres are just three points behind and are starting to heat up at the right time. With that said, if the Blueshirts continue to win, there is a chance that they could catch the Montreal Canadiens, who are currently sixth in the Eastern Conference with 87 points.
It will be interesting to see how the lineup looks for tonight’s game. One question is will Sean Avery be reinserted back into the lineup? If I am Rangers’ head coach John Tortorella, I stay the course and keep him out of the lineup for at least one more game. The team is doing just fine without him and should not want to change much when things are going right.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Buffalo+Sabres, John+Tortorella, Marc+Staal, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, Sean+Avery,
Lundqvist Shines in Rangers 5-2 Victory Over the Penguins
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/20/11 at 02:03 PM ET
Comments (8)
Questionable coming into this afternoon’s tilt with the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers’ netminder Henrik Lundqvist put on a show in Pittsburgh in a 5-2 Rangers’ victory.
Lundqvist was brilliant in making 38 saves and picking up his 31st victory of the season. He was able to control his rebounds, make second and third stops when he needed to and provided the kind of goaltending that any team needs to win a hockey game.
For someone who had a stiff neck, Lundqvist was a warrior for the Blueshirts and showed his club just how much he means to them and in turn, how much he needs them to help him in order to succeed. The team was able to do just that this afternoon and now, have a four-game winning streak.
With the win, the Rangers now have 82 points and are up four on the eighth place Buffalo Sabres (who also play today) in the Eastern Conference. The win also puts the Rangers just three points behind the sixth place Montreal Canadiens so the Rangers are making noise at the right time.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Buffalo+Sabres, Florida+Panthers, Henrik+Lundqvist, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ryan+Callahan,
Goals A Plenty in Rangers’ 6-3 Win over the Canadiens
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/19/11 at 12:14 PM ET
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This may be hard to believe but the New York Rangers’ have won three straight home games by outscoring their opponents by a 19-6 margin.
The Rangers’ latest victim was the Montreal Canadiens in a 6-3 victory. The team scored five goals in the first period with five different goal scorers in Artem Anisimov, Dan Girardi, Ryan Callahan, Marian Gaborik, and Brian Boyle. Vinny Prospal scored the team’s sixth and final goal in the third period.
With the win, the Rangers hit the 80-point mark and remain four points up on the eighth place Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes, who had a huge OT win over the New York Islanders last night.
For a team that struggles with offense, they certainly know how to beat up on team’s when given the opportunity to do so. Last night, the team took advantage of a Montreal Canadiens’ team that played the night before against the Tampa Bay Lightning and a somewhat tired Carey Price, who was yanked after allowing the fifth Rangers’ goal. It certainly was not Price’s fault as he had no help out there.
The team also got a strong performance from goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who picked up his sixth consecutive 30-win season. With the 30th win, Lundqvist became the first goalie in NHL history to 30 or more games in his first six seasons in the league.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Benoit+Pouliot, Brian+Boyle, Buffalo+Sabres, Carey+Price, Carolina+Hurricanes, Dan+Girardi, Evgeni+Malkin, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marian+Gaborik, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ryan+Callahan, Sidney+Crosby, Vinny+Prospal, Washington+Capitals,
Big Original Six Matchup on Broadway Tonight
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/18/11 at 08:52 AM ET
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There is nothing like an Original Six mtachup in hockey. There is the history between the two teams, a sense of rivalry, a game of importance and much more.
That will be no different tonight when the New York Rangers take on the Montreal Canadiens tonight at Madison Square Garden in what is a big game for both clubs. The Blueshirts are still seventh in the Eastern Conference with 78 points, just two points up on the eighth place Buffalo Sabres while the Canadiens currently hold down the sixth spot in the conference and are now just three points behind the Northeast Division leading Boston Bruins.
The Rangers have dropped their three previous meetings to the Canadiens so tonight will be important for the Blueshirts to beat the Canadiens. The Rangers come into this game having won four of their last five and having won two straight games on home ice.
The team is obviously playing with a lot of confidence now. They are putting the puck in the net, blocking shots, throwing the body, getting solid goaltending and playing a winning style of hockey.
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Tags: Alex+Auld, Boston+Bruins, Buffalo+Sabres, Carey+Price, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers,
What to do with Sean Avery
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/16/11 at 11:55 AM ET
Comments (3)
When New York Rangers’ forward Sean Avery was scratched on Saturday night against the San Jose Sharks, many pundits and fans alike figured that he would come out and play a heckuva game against the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.
Unfortunately, both were wrong as Avery struggled in last night’s 6-3 victory over the team’s hated rival. He took three penalties, one of which led to a John tavares power play goal in the third period, and only got just over seven minutes of ice time.
One has to wonder what team head coach John Tortorella thought of his play last night. If I am Tortorella, I would hesitate to put him in the lineup against the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night as the last thing you want to do is give the Canadiens a bunch of power plays.
With that said, however, Avery is someone who works hard, can generate scoring opportunities and keeps the opponent on edge. Avery is one of the best when it comes to throwing an opposing team off its game.
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Tags: John+Tortorella, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Sean+Avery,
Big Win for the Blueshirts
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/15/11 at 10:53 PM ET
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Tonight’s game between the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders was one that the Blueshirts needed to have on home ice.
Mission accomplished. The Blueshirts came out and beat the Islanders by a score of 6-3 and picked up points 77 and 78 on the season.
Believe it or not, the Rangers got three power play goals and a shorthanded goal tonight. Erik Christensen, Bryan McCabe (his first as a Ranger) and Marian Gaborik all connected with the man-advantage while Brandon Prust picked up the shorthanded goal in the first period to give his team a 1-0 lead.
With the win, the Rangers now have sole possession of the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference as the Carolina Hurricanes shutout the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 1-0.
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Tags: Brandon+Prust, Bryan+McCabe, Buffalo+Sabres, Carolina+Hurricanes, Erik+Christensen, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marian+Gaborik, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Rangers Pick Up the All-Important Two Points in San Jose
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/13/11 at 10:22 AM ET
Comments (1)
It does not matter how you get them just as long you get them.
That is what the New York Rangers were able to do last night in their 3-2 shootout victory over the San Jose Sharks. It wasn’t pretty but the Blueshirts did not allow two deflection goals against to derail them en route to a victory.
At this point in the season, one point is not good enough for the Blueshirts and they showed that last night in San Jose. The team got goals from from Erik Christensen, Michael Sauer and in the shootout, got the winner from Brandon Dubinsky after Wojtek Wolski extended the shootout by scoring on Sharks’ netminder Antti Niemi in the third round of the skills competition.
The Blueshirts also got a terrific performance from their netminder Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist made 31 saves in 65 minutes and then went and stopped five of six shots in the shootout to pick up his 28th victory of the season.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Buffalo+Sabres, Carolina+Hurricanes, Columbus+Blue+Jackets, Erik+Christensen, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Michael+Sauer, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, San+Jose+Sharks, Toronto+Maple+Leafs, Wojtek+Wolski,
Rangers Set to Take on the Sabres
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/01/11 at 08:45 AM ET
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With the NHL Trade Deadline out of the way, it is time for the New York Rangers to focus on clinching a playoff spot in a very competitive Eastern Conference.
Tonight, the Blueshirts will take on the Buffalo Sabres at Madison Square Garden in an extremely important game for both clubs. The Rangers currently sit in the seventh spot in the conference with 70 points, just three points behind the sixth place Montreal Canadiens while the Buffalo Sabres are only two points behind the eighth-place Carolina Hurricanes.
With back-up goaltender Martin Biron out indefinitely due to a broken collarbone, it will be up to franchise goaltender Henrik Lundqvist to lead the team the rest of the way. Lundqvist has played well in his last three games and has given his hockey club a chance to win each one of them.
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Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Carolina+Hurricanes, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marian+Gaborik, Martin+Biron, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers,
Rangers’ Shutout Capitals for the Second Time in Big 6-0 Victory
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/25/11 at 09:32 PM ET
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Going into tonight’s game against the Washington Capitals, many New York Rangers’ pundits and fans did not know what to expect. Both parties worried about the team being without Marc Staal and Marian Gaborik as well as facing a potentially potent Capital’s offense.
May be this was a good thing as the Blueshirts dominated the Capitals on the scoreboardc in a 6-0 shutout victory. Believe it or not, this was the Rangers’ second shutout over the Capitals this season as the team shut them out back in December in a 7-0 romping.
Besides picking up the shutout, the best thing to come out of this game for the Rangers’ was their success on the power play. The team went 2-for-3 on the man advantage with goals from Erik Christensen (he had two goals and an assist in the game) and Derek Stepan. Believe it or not, the team’s power play has been a lot better of late and that is because they are being more aggresive and throwing more pucks on the net. Hopefully this trend will continue for the Blueshirts.
Speaking of Christensen, he played like a man on a mission tonight. He had three points, was around the net a lot, he had four shots on goal, played on the power play and was effective. Rangers’ head coach John Tortorella needs more of this from Christensen as the team continues to build their playoff push.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Carolina+Hurricanes, Dan+Girardi, Derek+Stepan, Erik+Christensen, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Marc+Staal, Marian+Gaborik, Michael+Sauer, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+McDonagh, Tampa+Bay+Lightning, Washington+Capitals,
Rangers Pick Up Big 4-3 Shootout Victory over the Hurricanes
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/22/11 at 10:23 PM ET
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There was no question that the New York Rangers needed to come out of Carolina with two points tonight.
The team was able to do just that with a 4-3 shootout victory over the Carolina Hurricanes after Wojtek Wolski tied the game with less than two minutes to go and then scored the game winner in the shootout to give the Blueshirts two big points in the Eastern Conference Standings. With the win, the team now has 68 points and is just one point behind the sixth place Montreal Canadiens.
This was a game that reminded me a lot of how the team was getting all those wins in the first half of the season. They worked extremely hard, threw pucks at the net (43 shots for the game), forechecked, got timely offense, solid goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist (30 saves) and ultimately, were able to get two big points.
The game had a playoff-like feel to it and the Blueshirts treated it as such. The team is going to have to do this for the rest of the season as the games are only going to get tougher as we get closer to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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Tags: Carolina+Hurricanes, Eric+Staal, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marc+Staal, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Tampa+Bay+Lightning, Washington+Capitals, Wojtek+Wolski,
A Closer Look at The Hertiage Classic with Scotty Wazz
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/21/11 at 01:00 PM ET
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Scotty Wasilewski of The Face-Off Hockey Show and The Strangest One of All, was kind enough to share his experience of covering the Heritage Classic with us.
PH: First off, tell us about your thoughts when you decided you were going to cover the Heritage Classic for The Face-Off Hockey Show?
SW: The only thought was that I was lucky enough to be living in Calgary and able to get the nod from the NHL brass (who were fantastic at this event, by the way) to be able to get into this experience. It really worked out well for the show as Jonny and Marc (the other co-hosts) were able to get up to Pittsburgh to cover the Winter Classic. We had “Classic” year, to use a horrible, David Caruso-esque phrasing.
PH: What was it like seeing McMahon Stadium turned into a hockey rink/arena for a few days?
SW: Football fields make the best hockey rinks, and McMahon is no different. They had to bring in some rafters for one of the endzones, as the CFL doesn’t have as much capacity as NFL field. The set-up was great, they did a bang-up job on making everything surrounding the rink very festive and capturing the essence of the outdoor game in Canada.
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Tags: Calgary+Flames, Heritage+Classic, Montreal+Canadiens, Scotty+Wasilewski, The+Face+Off+Hockey+Show, The+Strangest+One+of+All,
Old Time Hockey, Eh?
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/10/11 at 03:00 PM ET
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The game between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night is the perfect example of why hockey can be so great.
It had big hits, plenty of fights, highlight-reel goals and it was one of the best rivalry games of the season between two Original Six franchises. It was old time hockey at its absolute best.
With that in mind, the National Hockey League needs to find a way to take advantage of the Original Six Franchises and give them more games to play against each other. Just look at the rivalries that are available to showcase:
- Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens
- Boston Bruins vs. New York Rangers
- Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
- Detroit Red Wings vs. Chicago Blackhawks
- Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
- Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Chicago+Blackhawks, Detroit+Red+Wings, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Original+Six, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
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,
Tortorella has a Tough Goaltending Decision to Make For the Blueshirts
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/06/11 at 01:51 PM ET
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With New York Rangers’ netminder Henrik Lundqvist “struggling” a bit and Martin Biron playing extremely well yesterday afternoon against the Montreal Canadiens, it will be interesting to see who head coach John Tortorella decides to start in goal tomorrow night against the Detroit Red Wings.
It is very easy to make a case for both. Starting with Lundqvist, he is clearly one of the league’s best goalies and as a head coach, you want your best players to play against one of the best teams in the NHL.
Yes, Lundqvist has not been great in his last three or four games but he hasn’t exactly been terrible either. With him sitting out against the Canadiens, Lundqvist will more than likely return between the pipes and have a strong performance. What better team to do that against than the Detroit Red Wings?
As for Martin Biron, he was extremely strong yesterday afternoon against the Canadiens in making 27 saves. He gave his team every chance to win a hockey game, which is really all you can ask of your backup netminder.
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Tags: Detroit+Red+Wings, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Martin+Biron, Montreal+Canadiens,
Montreal Canadiens Add to Blueshirts Winless Streak
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/05/11 at 04:49 PM ET
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This afternoon’s game between the New York Rangers and Montreal was the perfect example of one team doing almost everything right except winning.
Unfortunately, this description fits the New York Rangers as they lost to the Canadiens this afternoon by a score of 2-0 at the Bell Centre, the third time the Rangers’ have been shutout this season. It was a game in which the Blueshirts were given every opportunity to win a hockey game and pick up two crucial points but they just were not able to finish their chances, something that has been a growing concern over the last four games.
The Rangers got an excellent performance from Martin Biron, who made 27 saves in a losing effort. At the other end, Canadiens’ netminder Carey Price was terrific in making 35 saves for his fifth shutout the season. Price was especially good in the third period when the Blueshirts were pressing for the equalizer.
The back breaker in this game was a late second period goal by former Ranger Scott Gomez. Gomez took an errant shot from the point off the backboards and roofed a shot under the crossbar for a 1-0 Canadiens’ lead. Late in the third with the goaltender pulled, Tomas Plekanec would add an empter netter to seal the Rangers’ fate.
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Tags: Carey+Price, Detroit+Red+Wings, Martin+Biron, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Scott+Gomez, Tomas+Plekanec,
Rangers Look to Get Back on Track Against the Canadiens/Update
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/05/11 at 10:51 AM ET
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UPDATE: According to web site beat writer Jim Cerny, New York Rangers’ head coach has elected to go with Martin Biron in goal against the Canadiens this afternoon:
Quick pre-game media session with Torts: Marty Biron start in goal and same defensive pairings, meaning Steve Eminger remains out.
From Earlier
The New York Rangers need to stop this losing skid before it keeps growing.
The team will get that opportunity this afternoon when they take on the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. The Canadiens are on a two game winning streak while the Blueshirts have not won in three games.
Looking at the positives during the winless streak, the Rangers were in all three games and probably should have won all three games. They put pucks to the net, they kept the games close, they battled back and they worked hard, all things that will keep a head coach happy.
What won’t make a head coach happy is inconsistent goaltending, which is what Henrik Lundqvist has provided over the last three games. He hasn’t been terrible by any means and has made some terrific saves but unfortunately, he has not made the saves that have ended up helping the team win.
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Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, Detroit+Red+Wings, Erick+Christensen, Erik+Christensen, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers,
Blueshirts Lose Two Valuable Points/You Tell Me…
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/03/11 at 11:31 PM ET
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Good evening folks. I am sorry to say that because I was playing hockey tonight, I was not able to catch much of the New York Rangers vs, New Jersey Devils game tonight.
With that said, I was disappointed to come home and find out that the Blueshirts lost two valuable points in a 3-2 loss to the team’s Hudson River rivals. Yes, the team is still not fully healthy and yes, the team almost came back from a 3-0 defecit but in the end, it is two points that are out the window.
Every game means something and the Blueshirts do not exactly have a firm hold on a playoff spot in the tight Eastern Conference. With a big game coming up on Saturday afternoon against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre, it would have been better for the team to go into the game on a winning note. Instead, the team goes into it having not won in three games and also having lost to the 14th place team in the Eastern Conference.
Now, that is nothing against the New Jersey Devils. I may have not seen the game but I know that the Devils came into it having played some of their best hockey over an eight or nine game stretch. As such, they probably earned the victory tonight against the Blueshirts.
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Tags: Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Martin+Biron, Montreal+Canadiens, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Vinny+Prospal,
Rangers Set to Take on New Jersey Devils Tonight
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/03/11 at 08:00 AM ET
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No matter where the teams are in the standings, it is always a good hockey game when it is the New York Rangers vs. the New Jersey Devils.
Tonight’s tilt at Madison Square Garden features two teams at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Blueshirts are fighting in the middle of the pack for a playoff spot while the Devils are out of the playoff picture, despite playing extremely well recently.
The game tonight also marks the return of Rangers’ forward Vinny Prospal. It will be Prospal’s first game of the season and it could not come at a better time as someone needs to help get Marian Gaborik’s game clicking on all cylinders. No one is sure if it is going to be Prospal but given the success the duo had last season, it is not hard to imagine that being the case.
The Blueshirts are coming off a tough 4-3 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night at the Garden. Given that the Penguins were without the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, as well as Jordan Staal for 25 minutes of the game, the Rangers’ should have been able to pick up for two points but had to settle for one.
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Tags: Marian+Gaborik, Montreal+Canadiens, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Vinny+Prospal, Washington+Capitals,
Better Defensive Effort Needed Tonight Fron the Rangers Against the Thrashers
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/22/11 at 12:00 PM ET
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After losing to the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 on Thursday night, the New York Rangers have to put in a much better defensive effort in their game tonight against the Atlanta Thrashers.
The team allowed 39 shots on Thursday night, did not break up enough plays, and were often caught out of position. Had the team performed better on the defensive side of the puck on Thursday night, we could be talking a 4-1 win rather than a loss.
In looking at the Rangers vs. Thrashers game preview on the team’s web site, it seems that the team will be ready to deliver a much better defensive performance tonight against an offensive Thrashers hockey club.
“If we’re going to compete, especially in the second half of the season, we have to defend the proper way,” said Tortorella. “It has to be of the utmost importance to us. We have to defend first, and then work from there. So we have some work to do.”
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Tags: Carolina+Hurricanes, John+Tortorella, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Washington+Capitals,
Time to Start Going Goals
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/19/11 at 08:29 AM ET
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With the New York Rangers having dropped three of their last four games all by one goal, the time has come for the team to start putting the puck in the net at the right time.
The team will get the chance to do that tonight when they take on the Toronto Maple Leafs in an original six matchup at Madison Square Garden.
The Blueshirts need to come out and be offensive and aggressive for a full 60 minutes rather than just the last period of the hockey game, which was the case in back-to-back losses this weekend to the Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers. Had the team played the way they did in the third period on both nights, we could easily be talking about a three game winning streak.
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Tags: Andrew+Gross, Artem+Anismov, Atlanta+Thrashers, Carolina+Hurricanes, Derek+Stepan, John+Tortorella, Marian+Gaborik, Mats+Zuccarello, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ranger+Rants, Ruslan+Fedotenko, Toronto+Maple+Leafs, Washington+Capitals, Wojtek+Wolski,
Rangers’ Line-up Update
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/16/11 at 05:23 PM ET
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According to New York Rangers’ web site beat writer Jim Cerny’s Twitter account, Rangers’ back-up goaltender Martin Biron will get the start tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Considering that the Blueshirts have struggled against the Borad Street Bullies this season, starting Biron makes a lot of sense for tonight. He’s been a solid performer for the Rangers this season and it will be interesting to see how he plays against a tough and extremely talented team in the Philadelphia Flyers.
The move also makes sense because starting goaltender Henrik Lundqvist was constantly under siege last night in the team’s 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Remember, if the team manages to clinch a playoff spot, they will want a rested and healthy Henrik Lundqvist between the pipes and a move like this one helps make that happen.
What are your thoughts folks? Think head coach John Tortorella is making the right move? How do you think Biron will perform against his former club?
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Tags: Henrik+Lundqvist, Jim+Cerny, Martin+Biron, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Twitter,
Henrik Sticks Up For Himself in 3-2 Loss to the Canadiens
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/16/11 at 11:12 AM ET
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A National Hockey League goaltender can only take so much some times.
The perfect example of this is New York Rangers’ goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who threw some punches at Montreal Canadiens’ forward Max Pacioretty after Pacioretty crashed into Lundqvist in the second period. Lundqvist had clearly had enough as he was being bombarded by Canadiens’ shots (38 saves in the hockey game) and players.
Lundqvist’s punches manage to wake up his hockey club but it was too little too late as the Blueshirts fell to the Canadiens by a score of 3-2 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
Rangers’ head coach John Tortorella said the following to Rangers’ web site beat writer Jim Cerny after the game regarding Lundqvist:
Tortorella had no issues with what his goalie did.
“I loved Hank doing that,” said Tortorella. “I loved his emotion.”
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Carey+Price, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers,
Big Game On Tap for the Blueshirts in Montreal
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/15/11 at 04:06 PM ET
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Coming off a 1-0 shutout over the league leading Vancouver Canucks, expectations are going to be high tonight for the New York Rangers as they get set to take on the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal.
The team’s victory on Thursday night was a great display of terrific goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist, timely goal scoring from Wojtej Wolski, great defensive play and strong penalty killing. If the Blueshirts want to win tonight in front of a loud Montreal crowd, they will once again need those facets of the game to be in full display tonight.
According to Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants (The Record), the line combinations will be as follows:
The Rangers one lineup change from Thursday’s 1-0 win over the Canucks is Kris Newbury, 28, being inserted on the fourth line for right wing Dale Weise, 22. But Newbury, a natural center, will play in the middle with Sean Avery and captain Chris Drury, who moves to right wing. The other combos remain the same: Brandon Dubinsky-Artem Anisimov-Mats Zuccarello, Wojtek Wolski-Derek Stepan-Marian Gaborik, Ruslan Fedotenko-Brian Boyle-Brandon Prust, Marc Staal-Dan Girardi, Steve Eminger-Mike Sauer, Matt Gilroy-Ryan McDonagh.
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Tags: Andrew+Gross, Bell+Centre, Carey+Price, Dale+Weise, Henrik+Lundqvist, Kris+Newbury, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ranger+Rants, The+Record,
Your thoughts on the Rangers’ game last night
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/14/11 at 08:26 AM ET
Comments (4)
It was nice to come home from playing hockey last night and see that the New York Rangers defeated the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 1-0.
Unfortunately for me, I did not get to watch any of the game so I cannot tell you who was great besides Rangers’ goaltender Henrik Lundqvist (30 saves), the team’s defense and newcome Wojtek Wolski, who picked up the team’s only goal.
Luckily for me, my sports editor at Patch.com and long-time Rangers’ fan Bob Birge was kind enough to include me on an e-mail list that featured a bunch of team notes from his point-of-view:
— Wolski becomes the 17th Rangers player credited with at least one game-winning goal, most in the NHL this season.
—- The Rangers lead the league in one-goal games with a record of 13-3-3.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Henrik+Lundqvist, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Patch.com, Philadelphia+Flyers, Vancouver+Canucks,
Rangers Set to Take on the Best Team in the NHL
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/13/11 at 10:30 AM ET
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Games against playoff-caliber hockey teams are always challenges for any hockey club.
Tonight will be no different as the New York Rangers get set to take on not only a playoff-caliber hockey club, but a team that is first in the entire National Hockey League in the Vancouver Canucks at Madison Square Garden.
The Canucks are coming off a shootout victory over the New York Islanders while the Blueshirts will try and bounce back from a 2-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.
The Rangers battled hard in their last game but were just not able to finish when it mattered most. This is something the team cannot afford to do tonight as the Canucks boast an extremely offensively-talented team that has the ability to score in bunches.
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Tags: Daniel+Sedin, henrik+Lundqvist, Henrik+Sedin, Marian+Gaborik, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Vancouver+Canucks, Wojtek+Wolski,
Rangers Set for Original Six Battle with the Canadiens/UPDATE: Staal and Lundqvist Are All-Stars
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/11/11 at 11:32 AM ET
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UPDATE: New York Rangers’ defenseman Marc Staal and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist were selected to the NHL All-Star game. This is certainly a well-deserved honor for both as Staal is clearly the team’s best defenseman and one of the best shutdown defensemen in the National Hockey League while Lundqvist is the backbone of the team and one of the best goaltenders in the league.
UPDATE 2: Rangers’ rookie Derek Stepan will participate in the Honda NHL Superskills Competition.
EARLIER: Tonight’s game between the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens at Madison square Garden could feature a number of firsts.
To start, Wojtek Wolski will make his Rangers’ debut tonight after being traded to the team yesterday in exchange for defenseman Michal Rozsival. Wolski definitely has what it takes to produce in the league but much like Alex Frolov, he needs to show that he can do it at a consistent level. The Rangers are giving him a fresh start and if he ends up succeeding, the Blueshirts will be all the better for it considering he is just 24-years-old.
According to Rangers’ beat writer Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants, Wolski will wear No. 86 tonight and will get the chance to skate with Marian Gaborik:
Also, tonight is the expected Rangers debut of Wojtek Wolski. Even though Sean Avery has played well the past three games on Marian Gaborik’s left wing, I suspect Wolski will get a chance to skate with Gaborik and Artem Anisimov with Avery skating with Drury and, most likely, Kris Newbury. But we’ll see about the line combinations later on.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Alex+Frolov, Andrew+Gross, Carolina+Hurricanes, Dallas+Stars, Michal+Rozsival, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Ranger+Rants, St.+Louis+Blues, Wojtek+Wolski,
