Goal Line Report
Entries with the tag: New+York+Rangers
Sean Avery and Kids
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/20/09 at 04:00 PM ET
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I know that this title sounds mysterious but believe me, it’s a good thing.
On Wednesday, New York Rangers forward Sean Avery was part of a Youth Hockey Clinic series that took place at Rye Playland, the team’s former practice facility.
You can check out the photos here.
I also wanted to remind you Blueshirt fans that friend of the blog Jim Cerny hosts Rangers Radio every Friday afternoon. You can check that out here.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Rangers+Radio, Sean+Avery,
Grading the Blueshirts 1/4 through
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/18/09 at 05:51 PM ET
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From Rick Carpiniello at The Rangers Report:
Anyway, here are my first-quarter report cards. As always I’d love to hear what you think, or how you’d grade them:
Michael Del Zotto: A …He’s going to get stronger and a little meaner and he might be a star.
Dan Girardi: C … Is is possible that the Staal-Girardi pair was a product of Tom Renney’s system?
Wade Redden: B … Fits much better in this system, is playing with some passion; but will never earn that type of salary.
Marian Gaborik: A … Absolutely as advertised, and remained upright for most of the first quarter. Where would they be without him?
Ales Kotalik: B … Probably could do a little more, but that shot has given the Rangers a legit PP pointman they didn’t have at all last year.
Sean Avery: C … Don’t know if the benching in last year’s playoffs put too much of a leash on him, or what. I do know that the Avery Rules, as called by almost all officials, are ridiculous.
Brandon Dubinsky: C … Got the big contract, and didn’t produce before the injury. He’s not a first-line center, but he should be more than he was.
Click here to see how the rest of the team was graded.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Rangers+Report,
Rangers Need Help in Scoring Department
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/18/09 at 04:29 PM ET
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From Dan Rosen at NHL.com:
One problem has been consistent throughout.
“Obviously our biggest weakness is that we are not getting any secondary scoring,” Rangers coach John Tortorella said. “We just aren’t creating enough.”
That was the Rangers’ biggest problem last season and it was supposed to go away with Tortorella and his aggressive forechecking system now in play. But lack of secondary scoring appears to be haunting this team once again.
Over this 13-game stretch, 15 players have combined for just 30 goals (2.31 per game). The Rangers have had nights when they scored four and five, but they have also been held to two or fewer in eight of the 13 games.
Click here for more on the inconsistent Blueshirts.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers,
A Start
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/14/09 at 07:02 PM ET
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This game had shootout written all over it. There were many missed scoring chances, big saves by each goaltender, and quality special team’s efforts.
Fortunately, this ended with a 2-1 shootout win for the New York Rangers over the Ottawa Senators. Surprisingly, the game-winning shootout goal came from P.A. Parenteau, recently called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack.
However, this game was all about the big-time effort from goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who made 35 saves in the game and made some huge stops in the skills competition. After reading yesterday’s papers and listening to him during the post-game on Thursday night after the team lost to the Atlanta Thrashers, it was easy to see/hear that Lundqvist was frustrated and wanted to get things back on the right track.
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New+York+Rangers
, Ottawa+Senators,Ranger Crisis?
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/14/09 at 01:51 PM ET
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No, this blog is not about the New York Rangers being in trouble. This blog is an e-mail interview I did with Eddie “The Mouth” of the famed Ranger Crisis video blog.
This is not going to be in the usual format that I post interviews. By now, you folks know all the questions that I asked so instead, I am going to post it more as a story where you get to know the guy behind the site and how he got into hockey, the New York Rangers, blogging and his thoughts on the current team.
So before the Rangers get underway in Ottawa against the Senators or some time in between periods, please check this e-mail interview out.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Rangers+Crisis,
The Perfect Description
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/13/09 at 11:49 AM ET
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Sitting down at my computer this morning, I was trying to figure out how to describe last night’s performance by the New York Rangers against the Atlanta Thrashers.
Why did they lose? Who played well despite the loss? Who played poorly in the losing effort? Why did Henrik Lundqvist have to allow that fourth goal?
As it turns out, Scott over at Scotty Hockey describe the team’s loss perfectly:
Don’t let the 5-3 scoreline or the 36-27 shot total fool you, the Rangers were dominated tonight by the Atlanta Thrashers. Yep, the Atlanta Thrashers.
It was atrocious, and yet the Blueshirts were a post and a crossbar away from winning the game. I guess that is a good thing, but walking out of the Garden I don’t feel the least bit good about the Ranger performance. Atlanta kept them bottled up in their own end for long stretches, had little trouble breaking up most Ranger rushes and kept the shots away from the danger zones. You would think that after finally getting a few days off to practice the Rangers would be better, not worse. You would think that.
Efforts like this make you wonder if the team has tuned out Tortorella already or simply have no clue or capability to play his hard-nosed, open ice hockey. The slot remains empty with no one paying the price to go to the net, the defense isn’t helping the offense and isn’t playing defense, and players are passing up good shots while taking bad ones.
Click here for more from Scotty.
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Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, New+York+Rangers,
Brandon Dubinsky Keeping Positive
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/12/09 at 10:52 AM ET
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From Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants:
“Hopefully it’s sooner rather than later,” Dubinsky said. “It’s tough. But, then again, injuries are a part of the game. It’s one of those things that wasn’t really avoidable. We’ll just take care of it and hopefully I’ll be back as soon as I can.
“You never know how bad it is until you find out,” he added. “It’s not so bad. Hopefully it can be one of those things that can heal quicker than we expect.”
Dubinsky was asked whether he’s worried this injury will affect his chances of making the Team USA squad for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver this February with the roster announcement set for the end of the year.
“Not really,” Dubinsky said. “I would love to be on the Olympics team but the most important thing is the team that’s most important to me, that means the most. I’ve got to make sure I’m 100 percent and don’t jeopardize what’s going on with this team first.”
Click here for more on Dubi.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, New+York+Rangers,
Rangers Push On Despite Injuries
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/11/09 at 06:07 PM ET
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From Jim Cerny at NewYorkRangers.com:
Last season, the Rangers had tremendous luck when it came to injuries, losing a remarkably low 31 manpower games to injury or illness. However, just six weeks into the 2009-10 campaign the Rangers have seen that last year’s good fortune regarding injuries has not carried over into a new season.
Just one look at their last game in Calgary on Saturday night provided a glimpse into what a difference a year can make.
Center Brandon Dubinsky will miss a few weeks of action with the hand injury he suffered blocking a shot last weekend in Calgary. Already without No. 1 goalie Henrik Lundqvist and rugged forward Donald Brashear in the lineup due to minor injuries, the Rangers lost their captain, Chris Drury, to a concussion just 49 seconds into the contest, and another top center, Brandon Dubinsky, who broke a bone in his right hand while blocking a shot in the second.
Click here for more.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Chris+Drury, Donald+Brashear, Henrik+Lundqvist, New+York+Rangers,
Taking a look at Ray’s Son
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/10/09 at 12:33 PM ET
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From Mike Morreale at NHL.com:
Ryan Bourque was just 10 years old when his Hockey Hall of Fame father glided across the ice one last time.
The last impression Bourque had of father in the NHL was 2001, when the old man was taking a lap around Pepsi Center as a member of the Colorado Avalanche with the Stanley Cup raised high above his head after his team had just scored a Game 7 victory against the New Jersey Devils.
Being the son of a legend certainly has its advantages.
“It’s neat more than anything and it hasn’t made things tough for me at all,” Bourque told NHL.com. “Obviously there’s going to be a little adversity, but you learn to deal with it—there are more positives than negatives. It’s great having him there as support and to hear his feedback and just seeing what he does day in and day out; the professionalism he brings to everything he does is great.”
Click here for more on one of the Rangers’ top prospects.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Ray+Bourque, Ryan+Bourque,
Rangers hurting
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/09/09 at 07:03 PM ET
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With both New York Rangers’ forwards Chris Drury (concussion) and Brandon Dubinsky (3-6 weeks) expected to miss some time, the team is all of a sudden real thin.
According to Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants:
Chris Drury (concussion) was in the building briefly and rode the stationary bicycle, which is a good sign. Coach John Tortorella would not rule him out for Thursday’s game against the Thrashers but that seems like it’s a bit of a stretch. Regarding the Curtis Glencross hit on Drury, TSN’s Bob McKenzie is reporting via his Twitter account that the NHL has scheduled a disciplinary hearing with the Flames left wing. Tortorella said the NHL has not contacted him about the incident but he believed Rangers GM Glen Sather had spoken to the league. Tortorella said he believes the hit warrants disciplinary action.
Brandon Dubinsky, who has a broken right hand, was walking around with a cast. Tortorella said Dubinsky was out for “an extended period.” Henrik Lundqvist did not skate today and said he’s still not 100 percent, though he hopes to practice Wednesday after the team gets tomorrow off. He’s dealing with either a thigh or a groin issue but he sheepishly admitted he didn’t want to say to much because Tortorella doesn’t like his players talking about their injuries. Lundqvist obviously said too much in Canada when Tortorella said he was being rested for the Flames game and Lundqvist said he was dealing with a minor injury.
“It’s not perfect,” Lundqvist said. “I’m still trying to get to 100 percent.”
Click here for more.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Chris+Drury, New+York+Rangers,
What do Drury and Dubi mean to the Rangers?
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/08/09 at 11:58 AM ET
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From Rick Carpiniello at Rangers Report:
Drury had been a near-zero some nights, and Dubinsky maybe a 3 or 4 on a scale of 1-10 so far. … and yet now we will see how much they mean to the Rangers. We will also see how thin this roster actually is. And we’ve had an idea of that right from the start of the season, because some nights they barely have 20 bodies to put in uniforms.
Later on....
Drury’s probably going to be a while. Concussions are a nasty thing, and they get more severe with each one, and each one makes the next one more likely, or cause by a lesser collision. We know that from many experiences here with LaFontaine, Richter, Beukeboom and Lindros. Drury’s had some (upper body) concussions. This will be tricky.
Dubinsky, we don’t know what he has, but we know it’s his (upper body) hand or arm. And Tortorella seems to think he will be out for some length of time, too.
As for retribution … I don’t think it would have proven much, but you still have to stick up for a teammate—especially your captain, for God’s sake—in a situation like that. It’s hockey, for crying out loud. Somebody brashears your captain and you let it slide in a November game in Calgary because the two points are too important? Not. Not.
Click here for more.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Chris+Drury, New+York+Rangers,
Atlantic Division Report
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/07/09 at 08:38 PM ET
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Last season, the Atlantic Division was one of the best divisions in all of hockey. Four out of the five teams finished with over 90 points – the Penguins, the New Jersey Devils, the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers.
Early into the 2009-2010 season, it appears that history is looking to repeat itself as all four of those teams have winning records just over a month into the season. Even the New York Islanders are trying to get into the act as they are 5-3-2 in their last 10 games.
Let’s take a look at how the division is shaping up as we head towards the middle of November.
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Tags: Atlantic+Division, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Rangers Looking to Put out The Flames
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/07/09 at 07:37 PM ET
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So far, it has been a mediocre trip through Western Canada for the New York Rangers. They were beaten by the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 on Tuesday night and beat a struggling Edmonton Oilers team 4-2 on Thursday night.
Tonight, the Blueshirts look to beat the Calgary Flames at the Pengrowth Saddledone, an area in which the team has struggled over the last decade or so. If the Rangers can win tonight, they’ll increase their point total to 23 and be one point behind the Eastern Conference-leading Pittsburgh Penguins.
Every point is important in the “new” NHL. With shootouts being added to the game, any team (the slightly below average, average, and above average) has the ability to give themselves a chance to make the postseason. That certainly proved to be true for the Rangers last season as their month of October in 2008 really gave them a solid cushion.
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Tags: Calgary+Flames, New+York+Rangers,
Torts and Wilson like Cally for Team USA
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/05/09 at 07:49 AM ET
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From Dave Lozo at NHL.com:
“Ryan Callahan is a guy who blends in, especially in a short tournament,” Tortorella said. “When you have a versatile guy, that’s very important because there may be an injury along the way, and when you have someone who can do a lot of different things and play in different situations, that’s an important guy to have.”
Callahan’s style of play hasn’t gone unnoticed around the League, either.
Leafs coach Ron Wilson will coach the U.S. team in Vancouver, and he has been impressed with Callahan’s well-rounded, physical game. When asked what Callahan’s chances were of donning the red, white and blue in February, Wilson said “very good.”
“He’s the type of player that you need in your lineup because he can play in every single situation,” Wilson said. “He’s good defensively, he’s a great skater, he plays with a lot of intensity, a lot of pride. From a coach’s point of view, I’d love to have him on my team.”
Click here for more on New York Rangers’ assistant captain Ryan Callahan.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
What is Going on With Chris Drury?
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/03/09 at 11:41 PM ET
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When the New York Rangers signed Chris Drury as a free agent in the summer of 2007, Drury was coming off a season in which he scored 37 goals.
Unfortunately, Drury, who was named the team captain in 2008, has not come close to reaching the level he did in 2007 and has looked out of place offensively this season. Through the team’s first 15 games, the Trumbull, CT-native has just 5 points (2g, 3a).
Yes, he’s done a tremendous job with the defensive side of the game, especially on the penalty kill but offensively, he’s been practically non-existent.
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Tags: Chris+Drury, New+York+Rangers,
A Blast from the Not so Distant Past
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/03/09 at 10:57 PM ET
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Andrew Gross over at Ranger Rants has a great blog/transcript with former New York Ranger head coach and now Edmonton Oilers associate coach Tom Renney:
On taking the job as Quinn’s associate coach:
“He hired me for my first coaching job in Vancouver in 1996 as the GM of the Canucks and as soon as he (Oilers GM Steve Tambellini) said it, I said, ‘OK, this could work.’ I said, ‘Steve, listen, I’m going to need a little time to think this through. Tell me about your program.’ When I finished with Steve, I thought there probably isn’t another guy in the league that I could do this with and feel good about it. And I don’t mean that with any disrespect to anybody else. But I’m a head coach. And yet Pat is the type of guy, he gives the horse the bit. He’s given me a lot of freedom, lots of opportunity, lots of voice with all those types of things. He is the head coach and there are no two ways about that I certainly don’t blur the lines. But it’s one of those situations I think to myself that this will definitely work.
“I consider myself a hockey leader of sorts. I think I can help anybody win given the opportunity to contribute to my strengths. When I landed in Edmonton for my press conference, there were two voice mail messages to come to head coaching interviews. But I knew this is where I wanted to goo, the look of it all, the longevity of it, the whole setup. I said this is going to add years to my NHL career.”On what he learned from his Rangers’ tenure:
“First of all, it’s all good. If you’re going to fall, fall forward and I think I always do that. The big thing for me is recognizing, again, the pulse of your team. I certainly had a voice of where we were going and how we were going about it and I certainly appreciate it. The big thing is tapping into the room, your people, keeping your finger on the pulse of what’s going on with those guys but, at the end of the day, making sure you continue to draw the line. Democracy doesn’t work in a crisis, not to suggest that we were in one. But at some point, you’ve got to step up. I think I did a decent job of that.
“I think I learned that I’m a pretty good coach. I think I learned I can adapt. I can put a game plan on the ice given whatever the talent might look like. Whereas, coming out of Vancouver, I came out of there wondering, ‘Am I right for this?’ I was certainly disheartened, disappointed. Pat was fired before I was and he was the GM. I didn’t feel real good about that. I didn’t have that feeling this time. I honestly felt like I could turn it around and why would I feel that way? If you don’t feel that way, don’t do that job. Coming out of Vancouver I felt, ‘Ehhh, I missed the mark a little bit.”
Click here for more on a truly decent human being and an above average hockey coach.
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Tags: Edmonton+Oilers, New+York+Rangers, Tom+Renney,
A Positive Note
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/02/09 at 01:02 PM ET
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With the New York Rangers getting ready to travel to Western Canada this week, it’ll be nice for them to do so on a positive note as the team came up with a 1-0 shutout victory over the Boston Bruins yesterday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.
Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist ruled the afternoon as he made 29 stops, many of them critical in the third period as many of them were in terrific fashion. Without Henrik between the pipes, this could have been a much better outcome.
The game also marked the return of Marian Gaborik, who admitted that he was less than 100 percent but wanted to be on the ice to help out his team. He did just that by scoring the games’ only goal and also by generating several quality scoring chances. When this guy is healthy, he’s one of the best, folks.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers,
Time To Step Up
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/31/09 at 10:02 PM ET
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With the exception of Monday night’s 5-2 win over the Phoenix Coyotes, the New York Rangers have been MIA for the past week and a half.
This was especially true of last night’s 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild. For the most part, the Blueshirts were outplayed by a usually offensively-challenged Wild hockey team and as such, lost for the second straight game.
Yes, the team was without the likes of Marian Gaborik, Christopher Higgins and Sean Avery but other players such as Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, and Chris Drury need to pick up the torch and be the players that the team is paying them to be. This message is not so much for Callahan and Dubinsky but more for Drury, who seems to be pressing offensively.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, New+York+Rangers,
Will he or Won’t He?
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/30/09 at 10:06 AM ET
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That is the question on every New York Ranger fans mind when it comes to the status of Marian Gaborik tonight as his team gets set to take on his former team, the Minnesota Wild.
As you all know, Gaborik was out of the lineup on Wednesday night against the Islanders and it certainly showed as the Rangers had trouble putting the puck in the net. Against a struggling Wild team (only 6 points this season), may be the team will find a way to put more pucks in the net but remember, most of us thought that on Wednesday night as well.
According to Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants yesterday, Gaborik sounded doubtful about playing tonight against the team that broke him in in the National Hockey League:
Marian Gaborik certainly didn’t sound hopeful today that he’d be able to play tomorrow night, which would ruin his homecoming to Minnesota. The short version: He’s going to make the trip, he’s still sore, he lists himself as day to day, he’ll try to skate tomorrow morning and see how he feels, he won’t try to rush himself back and put himself at further risk for injury.
Still not definitive word on what his injury his but there seems little disputing that it’s a right leg issue. Gaborik had some ink marks just above his right knee, indicating perhaps a thigh or a hamstring problem. His right knee was not wrapped but it could be a knee issue. Gaborik said he was hurt in a collision in front of the net, not along the boards as first believed, and he played a shift after hurting himself. He initially thought the injury was worse.
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Tags: Marian+Gaborik, Minnesota+Wild, New+York+Rangers,
Somewhat Different Without Gaborik
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/29/09 at 10:57 AM ET
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Without Marian Gaborik last night due to a lower-body injury, the New York Rangers fell flat to the New York Islanders by a score of 3-1.
The Islanders were all over the Blueshirts, beating them to lose pucks, generating more quality scoring chances, being more physical and in general, the Rangers made themselves an easy team to play against last night.
Obviously, if Gaborik gets injured again and ends up being out for a more significant amount of time, this team will need to learn to win without him. They will have to learn how to match the other team’s intensity and ultimately, goal-scoring capabilities as last night’s loss to Isles bought back memories of last season.
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Tags: Marian+Gaborik, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers,
Just in Case…
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/27/09 at 04:38 PM ET
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From Steve Zipay at Blue Notes:
P.A. Parenteau has been summoned from the Hartford Wolf Pack as a potential replacement for Marian Gaborik against the Islanders tomorrow night.
Parenteau, a left wing, is the team’s leading scorer; Gaborik, who injured his right leg in a collision late in the game against the Coyotes, did not practice today. Presumably, the Rangers are being cautious with Gaborik, who had termed the injury as “nothing major” and unrelated to groin and hip issues from the past. Head coach John Tortorella said that today after practice as well.
As Zipay mentioned, this is just a precautionary measure for the Blueshirts, who are doing everything they can to be cautious with one of their most prized possessions.
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Tags: Marian+Gaborik, New+York+Rangers, P.A.+Parenteau,
Some brief observations on Gaborik and Prospal
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/27/09 at 04:25 PM ET
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Many New York Ranger fans, including myself, questioned the off-season free-agent signings of Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal. With Gaborik, the issue clearly had to do with injuries while with Prospal, it was more an issue of consistency.
Through the team’s first 12 games, Gaborik has 18 points (10g, 8a) and Prospal has16 (4g, 12a). They’re scoring on the power play, they’re making their linemates better and they’ve shown a tremendous amount of chemistry.
In my eyes, it’s been Prospal that’s been the surprise. We all knew that he could put up points but we also knew that he had trouble with consistency. So far at least, he has shown the team that he has bought into their system and that he can produce at a point-per-game pace.
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Tags: Marian+Gaborik, New+York+Rangers, Vinny+Prospal,
Time to Get Back on Track
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/26/09 at 10:33 AM ET
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The New York Rangers will look to get back on the winning side of things tonight when they take on the Phoenix Coyotes at Madison Square Garden.
The team has dropped three straight games to the San Jose Sharks (last Monday), New Jersey Devils (last Thursday) and the Montreal Canadiens (two nights ago). They jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead last Monday night against the Sharks only to see poor goaltending, defensive positioning and ill-timed penalties seal their fate. They were able to come back from a 2-0 deficit against the Devils only to see an unlucky bounce get past goaltender Henrik Lundqvist in a 4-2 loss. The team blew a lead against the Habs and lost 5-4 in OT thanks to a Mike Camalleri hat trick.
Tonight’s game should not be considered an easy one for the Blueshirts as the Desert Dogs are currently 6-3-0 in nine games. Normally, this would be the kind of game that backup netminder Steve Valiquette would start but given the way things have gone in the past week, it’s time for Lundqvist to right the ship and help out his hockey club by getting a win tonight on home ice.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Phoenix+Coyotes,
Reason to Worry?
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/25/09 at 06:21 PM ET
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Another game in Montreal and another comeback by the Canadiens over the New York Rangers as the Habs beat the Blueshirts last night 5-4 in OT.
Even when the Rangers were up 3-1, didn’t you folks get the feeling that the Habs were going to come back? I certainly did and not just because of history, but because of the way the team is currently playing.
While it was great to see the team get off to a great start in the first period with three goals, they were able to score only one more goal during the game. They were outplayed by a faster Habs’ team and were not able to get contributions from some of their better players including Chris Drury, Christopher Higgns, Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan.
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Tags: Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers,
Rangers Face familiar Folks in Montreal
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/24/09 at 11:20 AM ET
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When the New York Rangers take the ice tonight to take on the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. They’ll be taking on former Blueshirts Scott Gomez and Paul Mara while current Ranger Christopher Higgins returns to the team he spent his first four years with in the National Hockey League.
For Higgins, tonight would be the perfect night to have his first coming-out party as a Blueshirt. Higgins has yet to light the lamp and looks like a player who is pressing as head coach John Tortorella said he wants more from him. There has to be plenty of motivation for him to do that tonight, right?
At 7-3, there isn’t too much to complain about as a Ranger fan. The team has shown that they can score goals, come back in games, play solid defense and get great goaltending. However, in the team’s last two games, both losses, they’ve looked extremely beatable.
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Tags: Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers,
An Apology
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/23/09 at 01:46 PM ET
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Good afternoon folks. I wanted to apologize to the readers for not being here the last couple of days as my grandmother died earlier this week. As you can all imagine, I was busy at the wakes, funeral and other activities associated with the death of a family member.
I’ll be back to posting on a somewhat regular basis by the end of this weekend. Again, my deepest apologies if I let anyone down here.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers,
They were Due
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/20/09 at 03:57 PM ET
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Come on folks - we all knew the New York Rangers would blow up in a game sooner or later and that’s exactly what happened last night in a 7-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks.
What led to the team’s demise last night? For starters, Steve Valiquette did not get the job done in goal. He was way too deep in the crease on the first goal he allowed and throughout the two periods he played, he gave up some juicy rebounds, something you cannot do against a hungry Sharks team.
John Tortorella told the following to Jim Cerny after the game regarding Valiquette’s play between the pipes:
“I thought Vally fought it,” said Tortorella. “I was hoping he’d work through it. I don’t think he was sharp.”
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, San+Jose+Sharks,
A Tough Test
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/19/09 at 10:55 AM ET
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The New York Rangers will have their hands full when they take on the San Jose Sharks tonight at Madison Square Garden.
While the teams they have faced so far certainly cannot be considered slouches, (well, may be except for the Toronto Maple Leafs) tonight’s tilt will be a challenge considering the offense that the San Jose Sharks have. The Blueshirts will have to contain guys like Joe Thornton (2g, 11a), Dany Heatley (5g, 5a), Patrick Marleau (6g, 1a), Devon Setoguchi (5g, 1a), and Dan Boyle (1g, 6a).
This is a game where the Rangers will be not able to afford a lacksadasical effort. It might have worked against a team like the Los Angeles Kings or even for moments against the Leafs but if that happens tonight, the Sharks will more than likely make them pay for it.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, San+Jose+Sharks,
Luck Number 7
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/18/09 at 04:33 PM ET
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Last night, the New York Rangers won their seventh straight game of the season by defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second time in a span of five days by a score of 4-1. The usual suspects were at it again for the Blueshirts as the team got strong performances from goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, Marian Gaborik, Brandon Dubinsky, Vinny Prospal, and Michael Del Zotto.
Unfortunately, I was not able to watch the game last night because I was at the New York Yankee game. With that in mind, check out the links below for the latest news, notes, and opinions from last night’s victory:
- NewYorkRangers.com: Rangers Plow Through Leafs; Streak at 7
- Rangers Report: Rangers-Leaves in Review
- Blue Notes: The Wrap from Toronto: Rangers Streak Best since 2006
- Ranger Rants: Rangers 4, Maple Leafs 1: Postgame Wrapup
- Scotty Hockey: 7-1-0: Beating the Beatable
- Blueshirt Banter: Rangers News and Notes from last night’s win over Toronto
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
Rangers Look to Pounce on Leafs tomorrow night
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/16/09 at 12:28 PM ET
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Tomorrow night, the New York Rangers take on the struggling Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre as the Blueshirts look to extend their winning streak to seven games.
This should be an easy task, considering the Leafs are the only winless team in the National Hockey League. They’ve struggled with everything from offense (13 goals for), defense (28 goals allowed), bad bounces and of course, goaltending.
The Rangers, on the other hand, are clicking on all cylinders right now as they lead the league in goals (that’s not a misprint), points, and are tied for the league lead in wins with six. The team is getting scoring up and down the lineup, playing solid defensively, clicking on the power play and penalty kill, and getting timely saves from both Henrik Lundqvist and Steve Valiquette.
However, do any of you Blueshirt fans out there see tomorrow night’s game as a potential trap? I know it is the lowly Leafs but that has never stopped the Rangers from blowing a game before. Hopefully, Tortorella will have them ready to go for what should be a great crowd in Toronto and lots of viewers on Hockey Night in Canada.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
Rangers Radio to hit “Air” Waves tomorrow
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/15/09 at 12:09 PM ET
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In case you die hard New York Ranger fans do not know this already, I wanted to let you all know that good friend of the blog Jim Cerny will be starting a new endeavor with his Rangers Radio Podcast, with co-host Steven Gelbs, formerly of NYRangersCast:
“Rangers Radio” is a web-only radio program, exclusively on NewYorkRangers.com, that provides Rangers fans the opportunity to decide what topics are discussed on your favorite team.
In addition to answering your questions about Rangers-related topics, show hosts Jim Cerny and Steven Gelbs will welcome a special guest each week.
This week’s guest is former NHL head coach and current MSG Network guest hockey analyst Mike Keenan. Keenan guided the Rangers to the 1994 Stanley Cup Championship, ending a 54-year drought. Throughout the 2009-10 NHL season, Keenan will be making guest appearances on MSG’s telecasts of New York Rangers games.
“Rangers Radio” can’t happen without the best fans in the NHL so post questions for Mike Keenan or general topics in the form field below. And be sure to log-on to NewYorkRangers.com on Friday, October 16 at 12:00 p.m., ET to see if your topic made the show.
Click here for more on the new podcast.
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Tags: Jim+Cerny, New+York+Rangers, Rangers+Radio,
Not Pretty but A Win is a Win
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/15/09 at 11:23 AM ET
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Despite being outplayed by a hungry and fast Los Angeles Kings hockey club last night at Madison Square Garden, the New York Rangers were once again able to come away with two points in a 4-2 victory.
If this was last season, I believe that they would have lost the game. They would have trouble putting the puck in the net, generating offense, and playing smart hockey. This season, however, head coach John Tortorella has them playing well as a cohesive unit and bearing down when things are not going their way in a game.
One of the main reasons why the team won last night was because of their goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. He had two deflections beat him for goals but other than that, he was terrific. This team will go only as far as he can take them and so far throughout his young career, Lundqvist has shown what he can do for his hockey club.
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Tags: Los+Angeles+Kings, New+York+Rangers,
Your thoughts on this year’s start and last year’s start
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/13/09 at 07:34 PM ET
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The New York Rangers have jumped out to a 5-1 record through their first six games this season. Last night, they crushed the Toronto Maple Leafs by a score of 7-2, feasting on poor goaltending from Vesa Toskala and a struggling Leafs team.
As most of you knowledgeable Ranger fans know, the team was 5-0 to start last season before dropping the sixth game of the season. What I want to know is which record do you folks think is more impressive - this season’s or last season’s?
In my eyes, it has clearly been this season. The Rangers are getting contributions from everyone, putting the puck in the net, converting their power play opportunities, playing solid defensively and of course, getting great goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist.
Last season, although the team started out 5-0, I believe that it was due to their excellent defensive play, strong penalty killing and outstanding goaltending from Lundqvist. This year, however, it’s been more of a team effort and that’s exactly the way Rangers’ head coach John Tortorella wants it.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
Del Zotto Aims to Stay on Broadway
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/09/09 at 03:52 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,
Weekend Update
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/09/09 at 03:27 PM ET
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Good afternoon folks. Just wanted to give you all a heads up that I will be in Massachusetts/New Hampshire this weekend for a wedding so unfortunately, I will not be able to update the blog.
With that in mind, I figured I’d take a brief look at this weekend’s game for the Blueshirts. In my mind, the game on Sunday against the Ducks will be a tough one but with the Rangers’ newly found offense and forechecking skills, they should be able to pick up two points.
It’s my guess that they’ll go with Henrik Lundqvist in that game and than use Steve Valiquette on Monday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs, another team that the Blueshirts should be able to beat. The Leafs are struggling left and right and not getting the goaltending they need from starter Vesa Toskala, which is unfortunate since the “Monster” Jonas Gustavsson is out with a groin injury.
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Tags: Anaheim+Ducks, Los+Angeles+Kings, New+York+Rangers, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
Rangers Win Third in a Row
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/08/09 at 09:55 PM ET
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Well that was a barn burner, wasn’t it? The New York Rangers got exactly penalty killing and had timely goal scoring from Marian Gaborik to defeat the Washington Capitals by a score of 4-3.
This kind of game is the reason why the Blueshirts went out and signed a player like Gaborik - his ability to change the game. Not only did Gabby score to knot the game up at 3-3 after the Caps had taken a 3-2 lead, but he then went out and scored the game winner. He was the offensive difference maker, something the team was severely lacking last season.
The team also got some timely saves from their goaltender, Henrik Lundqvist, who actually allowed a rare bad goal when Nicklas Backstrom scored from just over center ice. Lundqvist tried to deflect the puck to the corner but simply missed it. However, Lundqvist showed his metal and bounced back to continue to give his hockey team a chance to win the game, which they eventually did.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Washington+Capitals,
A Tough Test
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/08/09 at 10:25 AM ET
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Tonight will be the second test for the New York Rangers - this time against the high-powered offense of the Washington Capitals.
You may be asking yourself “What was the first test that the Blueshirts had?” The first test came against the Pittsburgh Penguins last Friday night and for the most part, the team handled it well and passed it by playing a competitive game against the defending Stanley Cup champions. Sure, the team lost the game by a score of 3-2 but there were a lot of positives to take from that game and the score could have easily been reversed.
Tonight, however, will be a lot different. The team will be facing the likes of Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Green, Brooks Laich and others on a team that is off to a 2-0-1 start.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Washington+Capitals,
Not bad
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/07/09 at 09:02 AM ET
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I know it is just three games into the regular season but at 2-1, it is safe to say that the New York Rangers are off to a solid start.
They are getting great play from the likes of Marian Gaborik (he needs to stay healthy), Brandon Dubinsky (still trying to prove he is worth the contract he signed a few weeks ago), Michael Del Zotto (trying to play more than nine games this season), Matt Gilroy (a poor man’s Brian Leetch) and of course, Henrik Lundqvist. These guys have stepped up their games and have helped the Blueshirts in their two victories.
The next game for the Rangers will be a real test as they take on the highly offensive Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center tomorrow night at 7 p.m. Alex Ovechkin has been a monster thus far as he has posted nine points (5g, 4a) in his team’s first three games.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Washington+Capitals,
Satisfying Start
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/04/09 at 09:37 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,
Drop the Puck!
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/02/09 at 09:39 AM ET
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The day has finally come folks - the puck will drop tonight to open up the New York Ranger 2009-10 season as they take on the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh. The Blueshirts will be on the bench as the Pens’ raise their Stanley Cup banner so if that’s not motivation enough to go out there and win a hockey game, I don’t know what is.
According to Rick Carpiniello at Rangers Report, Rangers’ head coach John Tortorella had the following to say about watching the Penguins raise their banner:
“Yes we are, because I think that’s the National Hockey League and I don’t want to be disrespectful to what that trophy is. I hope it’s not a long night. But I think it’s important. I don’t want to disrespect what the National Hockey League is about and what we’re trying to win … we’ll be out there to see it, and then we’ll be ready to play.
“I think it’s good. I’ve been on the end of these, a couple the other way, and I’ve been on one the right way, and I think it’s a great thing, especially for some of the youth on our team. I think it’s good for them to see it, as far as a culmination thing.”
For the Rangers, however, this season is all about a new start. The team has head coach John Tortorella with them to start the season, some fresh faces in Marian Gaborik, Christopher Higgins, Donald Brashear, Enver Lisin, Artem Anisimov, Ales Kotalik, Brian Boyle, Matt Gilroy, and Michael Del Zotto.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Pat LaFontaine Continues to be Active
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/01/09 at 03:45 PM ET
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Yesterday evening, I was lucky enough to interview former New York Islander, New York Ranger and Buffalo Sabre Pat LaFontaine for www.snyrangersblog.com. Here is some of what he had to say:
I was lucky enough to speak with Pat LaFontaine on the phone yesterday evening regarding a new program he is involved with – the ING (a financial services leader) Run for Something Better Program. The program is designed to encourage children to be physically fit.
As part of the program, he and Olympic speed skater Dan Jansen will be hanging up their skates and putting on their running shoes to participate in the 2009 New York City Marathon on Sunday November 1.
“ING realized a long time ago (7 years to be exact) that there is an obesity problem in our country as kids are not getting the physical activity that they should,” said LaFontaine. “It has affected over 50,000 kids in the United States and it is time for kids to learn about the importance of physical fitness.”
Click here for more on the program and how LaFontaine has remained active after retiring from hockey.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Pat+LaFontaine, SNYRangersBlog.com,
Some Rangers’ Links for Ya
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/29/09 at 02:40 PM ET
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With just three nights to go before the puck drops on the 2009-2010 New York Rangers’ season, here are some links to check out to catch up on all the latest Ranger news, notes, opinions, rantings and more:
- Rangers Report: The Best Ranger (s) Ever
- Blue Notes: Thumbs up for Del Zotto...down for Aves?
- Ranger Rants: Of Note
- Blueshirt Banter: Ranger Analysis: Player Ratings: Pre-Season Edition
- SNYRangersBlog.com: Practice: Semenov, Del Zotto, Lundqvist
- Inside Hockey: Why Atlantic Division is More Exciting
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Rangers+Reading,
Why Pre-season is important to Tortorella
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/27/09 at 10:14 AM ET
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The New York Rangers conclude their pre-season this afternoon against the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center. All I can say is it’s about time.
By the time September comes, I am, along with many other hockey fans, ready for the regular season. The summer is spent talking about the NHL Entry Draft, free agents, trades, line combinations, etc and to then go through the whole month of September talking about similar topics is repetitive. Obviously, management, the head coaches and players don’t mind the preparation time but something tells me they don’t like playing nine or ten pre-season games before the regular season even starts.
However, I can see why Rangers’ head coach John Tortorella has looked at pre-season, along with this afternoon’s tilt, as somewhat important games. For Torts, it is the last time to shape the roster according to how he sees the team competing.
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Tags: John+Tortorella, New+York+Rangers,
Learning to Like Donald Brashear
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/25/09 at 02:02 PM ET
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There is no question about it - New York Rangers forward Donald Brashear is one tough cookie.
Call him a goon, call him a fighter, call him an enforcer or call him a career fourth, but this season folks, he’s a New York Ranger and as Ranger fan, you’re going to have to learn to put up with him.
Brashear knows that he’s never been liked by Blueshirt fans no matter what team he has played on. However, Ranger fans aren’t exactly enamored with him because of the devastating hit he put on Blair Betts last season.
Jim Cerny, the Rangers’ beat writer for NewYorkRangers.com, said the following about Brashear:
Just because he signed with the Rangers as a free agent on July 1, Brashear did not expect to be greeted with open arms and standing ovations from the Garden Faithful. He understood that emotions run long and deep, and it would take time for the fans to accept Brashear as one of their own, particularly after his hit that sidelined one of the Rangers last spring.
“If the fans are mad, they’re mad,” said Brashear, who squared off twice with Sugden on Thursday. “Maybe it’s because of Blair Betts, I don’t know. I don’t really read into it. I’ve played in this league a long time and I know what I can do, and how I can help the team. I’m just going to try and show it and hopefully they can appreciate it.”
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Tags: Donald+Brashear, New+York+Rangers,
Rangers Continue Winning Ways in Pre-Season
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/25/09 at 08:26 AM ET
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The New York Rangers won their third straight pre-season game last night by defeating Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals by a score of 3-2 at Madison Square Garden.
The Blueshirts got solid performances from Henrik Lundqvist (he’s already in mid-season form), Matt Gilroy (named best Ranger rookie in training camp), Marian Gaborik (he NEEDS to stay HEALTHY), Chris Higgins (clutch game winning goal with just 1:10 remaining) and Brandon Dubinsky (his usual hard-working self). Big performances from these players during the regular season could help the Blueshirts go a long way come playoff time.
It was also interesting to see the fan’s reactions to tough-guy Donald Brashear, who racked up 12 minutes in penalties. In his first fight of the game, the crowd booed as he lost to Caps’ enforcer Brandon Sugden but cheered him later on during their second bout in the third period. Don’t be surprised if that’s the way it is all season for Brashear.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Washington+Capitals,
Update 1:35: Sanguinetti sent down to Wolf Pack
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/24/09 at 01:35 PM ET
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Update 1:35 PM: Looks like Sanguinetti was sent down to the Wolf Pack. From Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants:
From Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants:
It’s evidently a very bad sign if you’re a Rangers’ player and John Tortorella has a little on-ice heart-to-heart with you after practice. He had one today with defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti and the Rangers’ first-round pick in 2006 has just been re-assigned to Hartford (AHL). The other day, right wing P.A. Parenteau was informed of his demotion after the skate concluded.
Sanguinetti had an assist in three preseason games - albeit one that even he joked he did no work for, giving up the puck to Marian ‘Gaborik who skated behind the net before finding Enver Lisin in the Rangers’ 4-2 win over Detroit Monday.
Sanguinetti’s demotion leaves the Rangers will open the season with a defense corps of Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival, Matt Gilroy, Michael Del Zotto and Alexei Semenov. Del Zotto can’t go to Hartford - he’s either a Ranger or sent back to his junior club. My guess is the Rangers take the nine games allotted to further evaluate Del Zotto at the NHL level. My sense is the Rangers are still hoping to bring in another established but salary-cap friendly defenseman.
Click here for more.
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Tags: Bobby+Sanguinetti, New+York+Rangers,
What About Sanguinetti?/Update 12:55PM
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/24/09 at 12:55 PM ET
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Throughout the pre-season, New York Ranger writers and fans have turned their attention to youngsters Matt Gilroy, Michael Del Zotto, Artem Anisimov, Evgeny Grachev, Chad Johnson and Enver Lisin. These players have stood out because they’re getting the job done, have shown a lot of poise and are making it extremely difficult on both coach Tortorella and the rest of Rangers’ management to cut them.
Lost in all of this is another Rangers’ youngster is desperately trying to make the team - Bobby Sanguinetti. The 21-year-old defenseman, drafted 21st overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, has had trouble impressing that powers that be due to the impressive play of defensemen Gilroy and Del Zotto.
While having a solid year with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL last season, Sanguinetti has had trouble putting it together for the Blueshirts both in training camp and in pre-season games. While he has made some decent plays, he’s also looked tentative with the puck, a bit unsure of himself and has had a bit of trouble adjusting to the quickness of NHL-play.
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Tags: Bobby+Sanguinetti, New+York+Rangers, Rangers+Reading,
Gilroy: Rangers’ Best Offensive-Defenseman?
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/23/09 at 06:22 PM ET
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When the New York Rangers signed Hobey Baker Award winner and defenseman Matt Gilroy last April, many Ranger fans and pundits alike wondered whether or not he would live up to his billing and become the offensive-defenseman the team has longed for since Brian Leetch was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2004.
In pre-season, it’s safe to say that Gilroy has lived up to his billing and has even given the Blueshirts more than they thought they were going to get. He’s put up a few points, has not been afraid to rush the puck, has made some solid defensive plays and plays real heads up hockey. What more could you want in a defenseman?
It’s safe to say that Gilroy is going to make this team. With that in mind, I want to hear your thoughts on the following questions regarding the young defenseman:
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Tags: Matt+Gilroy, New+York+Rangers,
Dubinsky Needs to Produce
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/23/09 at 02:17 PM ET
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As all you New York Ranger fans are well aware of, Brandon Dubinsky resigned with the team this past weekend. He’s a fan favorite at the Garden and is a player that works hard, throws the body, puts pucks to the net and steps up for his teammates.
However, with a new two-year, $3.7 million contract, Dubinsky better bring some points to the table. Sure, he produced 41 points (13 goals, 28 assists) last season but that means absolutely nothing now to head coach John Tortorella, who said the following to NHL.com yesterday:
“A scorer?” Tortorella asked rhetorically on Tuesday. “I think that’s why they held out for that contract, didn’t they? I hope so. I’m serious. We’re not paying him ($1.8 million) to check. I’m not trying to run him down, but when it comes to that there are expectations and there are responsibilities that come into play now.”
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, New+York+Rangers,
My Prediction
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/23/09 at 01:49 PM ET
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Throughout the summer and the early part of the pre-season, all hockey fans have read their season previews and predictions from various hockey writers, news sources and bloggers. Some of you have come to agree with the pundits while others are in disbelief, which is understandable because some of the predictions seem a bit off base.
With that in mind, I figured it was a good time to give you folks a synopsis of how I think the 2009-2010 New York Rangers will do.
Let’s first start out with what the team needs to do in order to be successful. One thing the Rangers will need to have for a successful season is a healthy Marian Gaborik. When healthy, Gaborik can be a dominant player. In just 17 games last season, Gaborik posted 23 points in 17 games and for his career, has 437 points in 502 games. He’s got tremendous speed, a quick release, not afraid to take the puck to the net, and can help out on the power play.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Seasn+Preview,
