Goal Line Report
Entries with the tag: Pittsburgh+Penguins
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,
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,
From Assistant in NHL, to head coach in AHL, to Stanley Cup Champion
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/08/09 at 09:13 PM ET
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From Chris Botta at AOL’s NHL FanHouse:
On a Sunday afternoon, February 15 of this year, the 38-year-old Byslma was preparing his Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League for a 5:00 pm home game. A short while before warmup, he received a text from Pittsburgh general manager Ray Shero: “Call me from ur office in 5 mins.”
Bylsma’s heart started pounding. He knew something big was up. Most of his dealings as a Baby Pens assistant for one season and then head coach for 51 games had been with assistant GM Chuck Fletcher. This time Shero needed him promptly. The AHL coach started thinking about what he was going to say. “I figured it had to be about the Penguins job,” said Bylsma, “because my body wouldn’t have reacted that way.” Before the five minutes were up, he had calmed down. “I didn’t need to call anyone for help,” he said. “I was confident that I was prepared for the opportunity. Everything came into focus.”
The next morning he was in the Garden City Hotel—ironically, about five minutes from where he once lived on Long Island—getting organized for his first meeting with the Penguins. At 2:00 p.m., his new team was playing the Islanders.
“I was ready. I had 51 games as a head coach in Wilkes Barre plus my season in the NHL with the Islanders to draw from,” he said. “I don’t want to be cavalier about it, but those two experiences were all I needed. On the Island, I learned from the adversity. There were problems. We had injuries, we had people coming and going. It was a difficult situation. As a staff, we did everything we could to keep it together. I worked with Steve Stirling and Brad Shaw and Jack Capuano and took a great deal from their knowledge. I learned a lot from Sudarshan Maharaj on how to handle goaltenders. In the AHL, I learned about the responsibility of making the final decision...”
Click here for more.
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Tags: Pittsburgh+Penguins,
An Interview with a former Penguins.com Staff Writer
by Patrick Hoffman on 06/17/09 at 04:25 PM ET
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This interview could not have come at a better time - with the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrating their first Stanley Cup since 1992, I was lucky to be able to interview an intern of theirs who did the staff writing for the team’s web site - Deborah Francisco.
Ms. Francisco has a terrific hockey-writing background and shares that, along with how she got into the game, her favorite team/player, the future of online hockey media, and more with us here at Kukla’s Korner.
Continue below to check out what Deb is all about.
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Tags: Deborah+Francisco, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Game 6 on deck - Thoughts?
by Patrick Hoffman on 06/07/09 at 01:50 PM ET
Comments (4)
In Games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Penguins looked like a team to be reckoned with. They were getting scoring from their superstars as well as some of their depth players while allowing their goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to have two stellar games between the pipes.
Back in Detroit for Game 5 however, those Penguins were nowhere to be found. What we did find however was the “real” Detroit Red Wings. You know, the Wings that fire on all cylinders, that get tremendous play from the likes of Henrik Zetterburg, Brian Rafalski, Dan Cleary and of course, Pavel Datsyuk. Datsyuk returned to the lineup last night for the first time since May 19 and promptly had two assists in 17:38 of ice time.
Now, the series once again shifts back to Pittsburgh for Game 6 will there will most certainly be a “white out” and the Wings will have to be ready for a hungry Pens’ hockey club once th puck drops. Remember, the Wings had a 2-0 series lead when the series first shifted to Pittsburgh so they know that no lead is safe, especially when there is a potential Game 7 on the line.
What are your thoughts on this Game 6 match-up? Is Pittsburgh in trouble? Will Detroit be too complacent? Will there be another Cup-raising ceremony at the Mellon Arena? Let’s hear your thoughts!
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Tags: Detroit+Red+Wings, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Stanley+Cup+Finals,
More Penguins/80’s Oilers Comparison
by Patrick Hoffman on 06/05/09 at 03:10 PM ET
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From Larry Wigge at NHL.com:
There have been plenty of comparisons of this year’s Penguins and the start of the Edmonton Oilers dynasty in 1984, when Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier and Co. were swept in the Stanley Cup Final by the New York Islanders in 1983 and then came back to beat those same Isles in five games the next year, starting a era in which the Oilers won five Cups in seven years.
What we know is this is the first time since 1984 that the same two teams have met in consecutive years. Back then, the Islanders were coming off four consecutive Cup wins. This year’s Red Wings have won the Cup four times since 1997.
Coincidence? Not even close. The Penguins and Oilers are/were two young teams on the way up, both with a swagger, looking to learn how to win ... and dominate the NHL. And you could say that the last time a teen began as the dominant player in a major team sport occurred in 1979-80, when Gretzky was Crosby’s age.
Click here for more. May be there is actually some truth to these comparisons. What do you folks think?
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Tags: Detroit+Red+Wings, Edmonton+Oilers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Stanley+Cup+Finals,
Puck Daddy’s Take on Detroit’s Problems
by Patrick Hoffman on 06/05/09 at 12:30 PM ET
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From Greg Wyshynski at Puck Daddy:
The notion that the reigning Stanley Cup champions lost their composure in Thursday night’s 4-2 Game 4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins wasn’t debatable, at least among the players. The debate came when trying to assess how rattled the Detroit Red Wings truly were as the Finals were knotted up 2-2.
Like, for example, the gossip in the postgame interviews that the Big Red Wing Machine was bickering on the ice; an assertion denied by both coach Mike Babcock and captain Nicklas Lidstrom
Click here for more. What do you folks think about Puck Daddy’s take on the Wings’ issues?
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Tags: Detroit+Red+Wings, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Puck+Daddy, Stanley+Cup+Finals,
Fleury - The Man?
by Patrick Hoffman on 06/05/09 at 12:17 PM ET
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When Marc-Andre Fleury first started his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins back in the fall of 2003, goals were going in left and right. He wasn’t to blame as the team in front of him wasn’t nearly as experienced as it is now but during the first three to three-and-a-half seasons, Fleury experienced many growing pains as an NHL netminder.
No one doubted his talent and no one doubted that he could play professional hockey. What hockey pundits and fans did doubt was his maturity. When Fleury first came into the NHL, he was only 18 years old and as the No.1 pick of the NHL Draft, was expected to be a saving grace for a falling Penguins hockey club. Instead, he was a goalie that struggled to control his rebounds and keep the puck out of the net, leading many to question why the Penguins drafted him and threw him into the fire at such a young age.
Four or so seasons later, the man they call “Flower” has appeared in two Stanley Cup Finals and has shown the team, its fans and the league how good he can be. He now makes the big saves when called upon and he doesn’t get too down after allowing a goal. More importantly, Fleury has provided the Penguins with a steady presence between the pipes and looks like he will be “the man” for years to come in Pittsburgh.
What do you folks think of Fleury? Do you think he still has a lot to prove? Do you think he is overrated? Do you think we have yet to see the best from “Flower”? Let’s hear your thoughts!
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Tags: Marc-Andre+Fleury, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Stanley+Cup+Finals,
Bloggers on the scene in Pittsburgh
by Patrick Hoffman on 06/02/09 at 09:05 PM ET
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What’s great about hockey is that they have great bloggers who cover the game. What’s even greater is that there are a few covering the Stanley Cup Finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings.
Here are a few that come to mind:
- MaxHockey.com
- Scotty Hockey
- Puck Daddy
- Brian Metzer
Check these folks out!
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Tags: Detroit+Red+Wings, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Stanley+Cup+Finals,
Game One Predictions?
by Patrick Hoffman on 05/30/09 at 09:20 AM ET
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The day has finally arrived folks - Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. The long, grueling regular season is over and now it comes down to what it’s all about - the Cup.
With that in mind, I wanted to get Kukla’s Korner readers’ thoughts on Game 1:
- What’s the final score going to be?
- Who are going to be the goal scorers?
- Who is going to have the better scoring opportunities?
- Will Crosby or Geno score?
- Will Osgood be as good as he was in the first three rounds?
These are just a few pre-game thoughts floating around my head that I figured you fine folks of Kukla’s Korner would like to ponder over the next 10 hours or so.
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Tags: Detroit+Red+Wings, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Stanley+Cup+Finals,
Questions heading into the Finals
by Patrick Hoffman on 05/28/09 at 09:46 AM ET
Comments (5)
Well, there you have it folks - a rematch of the 2008 Stanley Cup Final between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. Both clubs definitely earned the right to play for hockey’s holy grail but before beginning, I have some questions for all Kukla’s Korner readers out there:
- Who will win this series? Why?
- Will Detroit’s injuries impact them at all during this series?
- Does Red Wings’ netminder Chris Osgood deserve some consideration for the Conn Smythe Trophy?
- Is this the year the Penguins knock off the Wings and show that they learned from last year?
- If the Penguins manage to win the Cup, who do you give the Conn Smythe to?
- Do you think a rematch makes the series any less exciting or will it be great no matter what?
Let’s hear your thoughts!
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Tags: Detroit+Red+Wings, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Stanley+Cup+Finals,
Destined to Meet Again?
by Patrick Hoffman on 05/24/09 at 09:18 PM ET
Comments (13)
Good evening ladies and gents. Sorry I’ve been MIA but I recently moved into my new apartment so things have been quite hectic. Things will be that way for a bit but I will do my best to drop a post in every once in awhile.
It certainly looks like the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins are destined to meet again in the Stanley Cup Finals. I’m sure that many of you die hard hockey fans out there were hoping for something different but with the way these two teams are playing right now, it only seems right that one of them take the Cup home when all is said and done.
It is obvious that the Detroit Red Wings are a well-oiled machine. They can score at will, they have tremendous puck possession, they put up a wall defensively and when needed, they get timely saves out of their goaltender Chris Osgood. What’s even more amazing is that when their best defenseman and captain Nicklas Lidstrom is out of the lineup, the team still finds a way to dominate.
The Penguins may not dominate games the way the Wings do but they still find ways to control hockey games and score when they need to. They’re getting scoring from their stars in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, playing solidy defensively and getting the big saves from their goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.
Will they meet again come June? Will it be the same result?
What are your thoughts?
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Tags: Chris+Osgood, Detroit+Red+Wings, Evgeni+Malkin, Marc-Andre+Fleury, Nicklas+Lidstrom, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Sidney+Crosby, Stanley+Cup+Playoffs,
Questions, Questions, Questions
by Patrick Hoffman on 05/19/09 at 12:51 PM ET
Comments (12)
That was quite a Game 1 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes last night, wasn’t it? It’s safe to say that this series could go at least six games and for hockey fans, that means nothing but good news as hockey will continue to roll on sometime into June.
As per usual, here are some questions I would like to get your thoughts on regarding the world of hockey:
- Who is better - Penguins’ goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury or Hurricanes’ netminder Cam Ward? Why?
- Will Patrick Roy take the Colorado Avalanche head coaching job? Why or why not?
- Quick, who are your five Conn Smythe trophy nominees?
- Will the Boston Bruins have better luck next year or was this their year to win the Stanley Cup?
- If Chris Osgood and the Detroit Red Wings win the Cup again this season, will Osgood finally get the respect he deserves? Why or why not?
- Would Pierre Maguire really be the right choice for general manager of the Minnesota Wild? Why or why not?
Let’s hear your thoughts!
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Tags: Carolina+Hurricanes, Hockey+questions, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Stanley+Cup+Playoffs,
Who is Better?
by Patrick Hoffman on 05/13/09 at 10:37 PM ET
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As you are all well aware of, Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins are moving onto the Eastern Conference Finals after beating Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals tonight by a score of 6-2.
Now that the series is over, I wanted to ask the readers of Kukla’s Korner a question and we can keep this thread going as long as you want it to go. I don’t want just the answer. I want your full reasons and thoughts. Here we go:
Who is the better hockey player - Crosby or Ovechkin?
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Tags: Alex+Ovechkin, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Sidney+Crosby, Washington+Capitals,
Best Performance of This Year’s playoffs?
by Patrick Hoffman on 05/12/09 at 12:07 AM ET
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As all you hockey nuts are well aware of, there were two Game 6’s tonight in the Stanley Cup playoffs - one between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals and the other between the Vancouver Canucks and the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Capitals were able to once again extend a series to a seventh game (third straight series the team has done that) with a 5-4 in overtime on a goal by David Steckel while the Blackhawks put the Canucks in their place with a high-scoring 7-5 win, thanks to three goals and an assist from youngster Patrick Kane.
With that in mind, was Kane’s hat trick the best individual performance in this year’s playoffs? What do you folks think?
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Tags: David+Steckel, Patrick+Kane, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Stanley+Cup+Playoffs, Vancouver+Canucks, Washington+Capitals, Washington+Capitals,
Living Up to Expectations
by Patrick Hoffman on 05/05/09 at 03:15 PM ET
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Over at MaxHockey.com, I posted a few quick thoughts on the Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins series. Feel free to check it out here.
Also feel free to check out Stan Fischler’s playoff page for his latest rantings.
You should also wander over to Zachary Weinstock’s playoff page to see his thoughts and ravings of this year’s Cup playoffs.
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Tags: MaxHockey.com, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,
Thoughts on the Second Round
by Patrick Hoffman on 05/04/09 at 03:57 PM ET
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You can find my thoughts on the second round over at MaxHockey.com. Click below to find out my opinions on each series:
Eastern Conference
- Boston Bruins vs. Carolina Hurricanes
- Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference
- Detroit Red Wings vs. Anaheim Ducks
- Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Also feel free to check out Zach Weinstock’s excellent NHL Playoff page.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Carolina+Hurricanes, Chicago+Blackhawks, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Stanley+Cup+Playoffs, Vancouver+Canucks, Washington+Capitals,
Biggest Game of The Year
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/06/09 at 10:25 AM ET
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Tomorrow night will mark the New York Rangers’ biggest game of the season to date. After the Florida Panthers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins last night, the blueshirts find themselves tied for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 89 points.
With three games to go in the regular season, their uphill battle will continue tomorrow night when they take on the Montreal Canadiens, a team that is seventh in the conference with 92 points and is catching fire at the right time (5-3-2 in their last 10 games). The Rangers can beat the Canadiens but again, with the tension mounting and the games becoming more and more important by the day, it is not going to be an easy task.
The team has games with the Habs and Philadelphia Flyers (two) to determine whether or not this year’s Rangers will clinch a playoff spot for the fourth consecutive season. The Panthers, on the other hand, have games against the Flyers, Atlanta Thrashers, and Washington Capitals. Both teams have competitive schedules but now, it will come down to just three games to determine who gets the last playoff spot in the conference.
The team has no one to blame but themselves for being in this situation. Problems with consistency, the power play, line juggling, personnel changes, etc. have all contributed to the team’s issues this season. Now, however, is the time to put those off to the side and go out there and get the job done because the last thing the team wants to do is miss the playoffs and disappoint the thousands of Ranger fans that will be at the Garden both tomorrow night against the Habs and Thursday night against the Flyers.
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Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, Eastern+Conference, Florida+Panthers, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,
Some Gloomy Rangers Reading
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/03/09 at 09:45 AM ET
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With a tough game against the Boston Bruins slated for tomorrow afternoon, the New York Rangers are in an extremely difficult position.
If the Florida Panthers beat the Atlanta Thrashers tonight, they will be tied for the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference and should the Rangers lose tomorrow afternoon and the Panthers win again on Sunday evening against the Pittsburgh Penguins, they’ll be in ninth place heading into the final week of the regular season.
For more on last night’s 4-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, check out the following links:
- Scotty Hockey
- Ranger Rants
- SNY Rangers Blog
- New York Post
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Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, Boston+Bruins, Carolina+Hurricanes, Eastern+Conference, Florida+Panthers, New+York+Post, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ranger+Rants, Scotty+Hockey, SNy+Rangers+Blog,
What’s Going on With The Devils?
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/02/09 at 09:00 AM ET
Comments (2)
The New Jersey Devils seem to do this every single season and now, it may not be hard to think about the reasons why they exit the playoffs in the early rounds.
Last night’s 6-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins was their sixth in a row. The team didn’t play with any urgency, they had poor defensive zone coverage, they did not generate enough scoring chances and even their future hall of fame netminder Martin Brodeur was less than stellar last night.
So, to my Devil fan readers out there, I have a few questions for you:
- Why does the team seem to go on losing streaks prior to going into the playoffs?
- Should the team consider starting backup goaltender Kevin Weekes? Brodeur has not looked like himself in the past few games.
- Does the team not care anymore about the regular season because they already clinched a playoff spot?
- Lastly, will head coach Brent Sutter still be behind the Devils bench when next season begins?
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Tags: Brent+Sutter, Kevin+Weekes, Martin+Brodeur, New+Jersey+Devils, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Where Are They Going?
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/29/09 at 12:30 PM ET
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The New York Rangers dropped their second straight game yesterday afternoon in a 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The loss keeps the Blueshirts in seventh place with 87 points. However, the Montreal Canadiens are in the eighth spot just one point (86 points) behind them and the Florida Panthers are in the ninth spot just two points behind (85 points).
The Rangers showed some character by battling back from a two-goal and one-goal defecit while also killing off nine Penguins’ power plays. However, Sid “the Kid” Crosby’s great effort put the Penguins ahead midway through the third period, giving the Penguins a 12-1-2 record in their last 15 games.
As we’ve said on this blog before, the club’s remaining schedule will not make things any easier for the Blueshirts. Tomorrow night, they take on the Atlantic Division leading New Jersey Devils followed by games against the red hot Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, and a home-and-home series against the Philadelphia Flyers to close out the regular season.
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Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, Boston+Bruins, Carolina+Hurricanes, Florida+Panthers, Ilya+Kovalchuk, Montreal+Canadiens, Montreal+Canadiens, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Sidney+Crosby,
A Waste of Two Points
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/27/09 at 08:55 AM ET
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As I mentioned in my blog yesterday, yesterday’s game against the Atlanta Thrashers should have been an easy two points. It was a game against a team that was in 14th-place in the Eastern Conference and well on their way to thinking about next season.
So what happened? The New York Rangers blew a three-goal lead and lost 5-4 in a shootout thanks to undisciplined defensive play and some poor goaltending by netminder Stephen Valiquette.
Through the first two periods, the team seemed to be doing everything right. They were getting contributions from their big guns, scoring on the power play, killing penalties and playing a sound defensive game.
Unfortunately, this worked for the first 40 minutes of the game and then things fell apart as the team missed defensive assignments, failed to score on a two-man advantage, and Valiquette allowed two soft goals to allow the Thrashers to get right back in the game.
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Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, Carolina+Hurricanes, Florida+Panthers, John+Tortorella, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Stephen+Valiquette,
Big Two Points Up For Grabs in Atlanta
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/26/09 at 09:15 AM ET
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On paper, a tilt with the Atlanta Thrashers looks like an easy two points but for the New York Rangers, every game is like a playoff game and as such, should be treated like one.
The team is coming off a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild in a game where they played down to the Wild’s level. They were able to generate an array of scoring chances but once again had some difficulty finding the back of the net and were forced to play a tight defensive game, something fans are all too familiar with thanks to former head coach Tom Renney.
With that being said, good defense at this time of year certainly isn’t a bad thing but to win games, this team still needs to score more goals. Sure, they’ve scored more goals under new head coach John Tortorella but they need to do it on a consistent basis, something they have struggled with all season long.
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Tags: Adam+Graves, Atlanta+Thrashers, Boston+Bruins, Carolina+Hurricanes, John+Tortorella, Minnesota+Wild, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Tom+Renney,
Crucial Tilt Against The Predators
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/12/09 at 10:20 AM ET
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As of this morning, the New York Rangers were ninth in the Eastern Conference with 76 points, just one point out of the 8th spot (currently held by the Florida Panthers) and two points out of the 7th (currently held by the Carolina Hurricanes) and 6th (currently held by the Pittsburgh Penguins). This makes tonight’s game against the streaky Nashville Predators extremely important and much like the Blueshirts, the Predators are doing everything they can to stay in the thick of the playoff race (currently 8th in the Western Conference with 71 points).
Another reason why tonight’s tilt in Nashville is important is because of what a win would mean for Blueshirts’ netminder Henrik Lundqvist. The “King” is one win away from establishing a new NHL record by becoming the first goaltender in NHL history to win 30 or more games in each of his first four seasons. That should show you just how valuable Henrik is to this team and that he is one of the major reasons why the team has qualified for the postseason in each of their last three seasons.
While Monday’s night 3-0 loss to the Hurricanes wasn’t pretty, the team still looks like they are close to where they need to be in order to make the playoffs. They’re scoring more goals (except for Monday), going harder to the net, getting goals from guys that should be scoring, still playing sound defense and getting great goaltending from Henrik.
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Tags: Carolina+Hurricanes, Florida+Panthers, Henrik+Lundqvist, Nashville+Predators, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Sean+Avery,
Clemmensen Proving His Worth
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/15/09 at 08:29 AM ET
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When Martin Broduer went down with an injury in early November, many hockey pundits and fans thought that the New Jersey Devils were done. They weren’t scoring a lot of goals, they weren’t really winning and lastly, they would have to rely on Kevin Weekes and Scott Clemmensen.
Well, just over four months later, the team is near the top of both the Eastern Conference and the Atlantic Division thanks to timely goal scoring from the likes of Patrik Elias, Zach Parise, Jamie Langenbrunner, solid defense from Colin White, Bryce Salvador and Paul Martin and solid special teams.
However, one area that everyone is overlooking is the solid goaltending from Clemmensen. The 31-year-old netminder from Des Moines, IA, is proving to folks around the club and the league that he can play with the big boys and that ultimately, he can play well. Through last night’s game against the Boston Bruins, Clemmensen has compiled 24 wins in 37 games while posting a 2.23 goals against average and a .922 save percentage with two shutouts (both happened this week against the New York Rangers and Bruins).
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Bryce+Salvador, Colin+White, Jamie+Langenbrunner, Kevin+Weekes, Martin+Brodeur, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, Patrik+Elias, Paul+Martin, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Scott+Clemmensen, Zach+Parise,
A King and an Ace
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/14/09 at 12:30 PM ET
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When Mike Richter suffered a concussion early in the 2002-03 season, the New York Rangers knew they were in trouble. Sure, they had youngster Dan Blackburn as a capable backup but nothing close to an elite netminder who could handle everyday life in the National Hockey League.
It would be that way for the rest of the season as the Blueshirts became a revolving door for goaltenders such as Blackburn, Mike Dunham and Jussi Markannen. However, when the lockout ended and play resumed in 2005-06, there was a new masked man in town that would change the culture of the Rangers to this day forward.
His name is Henrik Lundqvist, a Swedish goaltender that was drafted 205th overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. Lundqvist enjoyed much success in Sweden with Frolunda, especially in the season prior to coming to the NHL when he was 33-8-3 with six shutouts and a stellar 1.79 goals against average.
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Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Chris+Drury, Dan+Blackburn, Henrik+Lundqvist, Jaromir+Jagr, Jussi+Markkanen, Mike+Dunham, Mike+Richter, New+Jersey+Devils, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Scott+Gomez,
A Quick Hello
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/02/09 at 12:30 PM ET
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Good afternoon folks. I’m currently busy at my day job but just wanted to inform you all that I’m back on vacation and will begin blogging about all things hockey again within the next two days.
I see that while I was gone, the New York Rangers won a game (Carolina Hurricanes) and lost two (Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins). Since I was gone, I would like you, the fans, to tell me who played well, who didn’t, what the lines were and what the Rangers need to improve on going forward.
I look forward to blogging again for you soon!
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Boston+Bruins, Carolina+Hurricanes, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Look at the Bright Side
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/19/09 at 02:35 PM ET
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Yes, yesterday afternoon’s 3-0 loss at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins certainly stings but look on the bright side: the New York Rangers picked up points in four of their five road games, including wins against the Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders and the talented Chicago Blackhawks.
The trip saw Rangers’ goaltender Henrik Lundqvist return to form, especially his statistics: 23 wins, a 2.54 goals against average, a .913 save percentage and two shutouts. These numbers certainly show why he is attending this year’s NHL All-Star game in Montreal.
The team’s recent road trip also saw Chris Drury come alive as well as the continued strong play of Ryan Callahan and Nigle Dawes. Hopefully, these three will continue to play well because they are the only ones that are performing consistently on an offensive level in the past couple of weeks.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Anaheim+Ducks, Buffalo+Sabres, Chicago+Blackhawks, Chris+Drury, Henrik+Lundqvist, Madison+square+Garden, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, NHL+All-Star+Game, Nigel+Dawes, Ottawa+Senators, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ryan+Callahan,
The Captain Gets It Done In Chicago
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/16/09 at 11:30 PM ET
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Every New York Ranger fan knew that tonight’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks was going to be a test for their Blueshirts and the team passed it with flying colors thanks to their captain, Chris Drury, who scored to give the Rangers a 3-2 overtime victory at the sold out United Center.
Many Ranger fans, myself included, were wondering what was wrong with Drury not too long ago. He wasn’t scoring, he wasn’t as sharp defensively and he looked lost. However, in the past two weeks or so, Drury has come alive and in his last six games, has five goals and an assist for six points.
Tonight, both of his goals came on the power play and he scored the way the team should be on their power play all season long: by not being afraid to shoot the puck and go to the net.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Atlantic+Division, Chicago+Blackhawks, Chris+Drury, Henrik+Lundqvist, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Tom+Renney,
Time to Step Up
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/08/09 at 09:15 PM ET
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As I’m sure all of you New York Ranger fans are aware of, goaltender Henrik Lundqvist was named to the Eastern Conference All Star team. He’s been a Vezina Trophy finalist in each of his three seasons in the National Hockey League so it’s nice that he finally got recognized by the league as one of the game’s elite netminders.
With that being said, if NHL management based their selections on the last two months, Lundqvist would not be on the team. Much like he did in 2006-07 and last season, Lundqvist is having trouble finding consistency. Just take a look at this week, for example. On Monday night, he stymies the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 4-0 shutout and last night, he allows five goals in a 6-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. The team’s beat reporters went about as far to say that Lundqvist was one of the main reasons why the team lost last night. I’m sure most of you would agree.
This weekend, the team takes on the Buffalo Sabres (Friday night, 7:30 p.m., at the HSBC Arena) and the Ottawa Senators (Saturday night, 7 p.m., at Scotiabank Place). These are four points that the Rangers should be able to get so hopefully, Henrik will be on top of his game in the tilt he starts (assuming that backup goaltender Stephen Valiquette will start one of the two) because as Henrik goes, so do the Blueshirts.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Eastern+Conference+All+Star+Team, Henrik+Lundqvist, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Stephen+Valiquette,
I Haven’t Forgotten
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/06/09 at 11:55 PM ET
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Don’t worry folks, I didn’t forget about the blog.
I apologize for not posting during the last couple of days. You know how it goes, family stuff, extremely busy with my day job and men’s league hockey. Just living the life I guess.
I hope to be posting somewhat regularly again soon and with the New York Rangers having three games in four nights beginning tomorrow, the timing couldn’t be better.
Before I end this short blog, I want to hear your thoughts on last night’s 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Was it well deserved or did the team get lucky because they were playing a struggling hockey club?
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Ranger Reading
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/27/08 at 01:00 PM ET
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Tonight, the New York Rangers (22-12-3) return from their two-day holiday break to take on the New Jersey Devils (19-11-3) at Madison Square Garden.
Luckily for the Blueshirts, the Devils played last night and got shutout by the Pittsburgh Penguins (19-12-4) so they may a bit tired. The Devils also haven’t scored a goal in regulation in seven period. On the other hand, that’s never stopped the Rangers from losing before so why should these be considered factors now?
The main note for tonight’s game is that defenseman Michal Rozsival is out tonight because of what the team is describing as family reasons. In his place will be Corey Potter.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Andrew+Gross, Blue+Notes, Corey+Potter, Dan+Fritsche, Michal+Rozsival, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Petr+Prucha, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ranger+Rants, Rangers+Report, Sam+Weinman, Scotty+Hockey, SNY+Rangers+Blog, Steve+Zipay,
An Interview with an NHL Employee
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/07/08 at 04:30 PM ET
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Instead of talking about how the New York Rangers were able to beat a tough Pittsburgh Penguins team on Wednesday and lose to a team that was struggling to score goals on Thursday night (Montreal Canadiens), I am going to share an interview I did with Michael DiLorenzo, the NHL’s Director of Corporate Communications.
Mr. DiLorenzo was kind enough to take time out of his very busy schedule to talk to us about how he got into the sport, his role with the NHL, a look at the league’s marketing/promotion efforts, as well as his Stanley Cup Finals predictions.
Don’t worry, I’ll be back to discussing all things Rangers hockey soon but figured I’d give you guys something to enjoy before tonight’s game against the Calgary Flames.
Let’s hear your comments!
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Bobby+Brooke, Boston+Bruins, Brad+Parl, Calgary+Flames, Detroit+Red+Wings, Michael+DiLorenzo, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, NHL, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Records can be Deceiving
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/01/08 at 09:30 PM ET
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With a record of 17-8-2 and sitting first in the Eastern Conference, one would have to think that the team and its fans would be happy.
In the case of the New York Rangers, not so much. Looks can be deceiving folks and yesterday afternoon’s 4-0 clunker at the hands of the Florida Panthers proves that point.
Over at Sam Weinman’s (The Journal News) Rangers Report Blog, MSG’s John Giannone points out that of the club’s 17 wins, six have come in the shootout. If there were no shootouts, the team would have a substantially lower record and would be 11-7-8.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Calgary+Flames, Chris+Drury, Florida+Panthers, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Giannone, Markus+Naslund, Michal+Rozsival., Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Nikolai+Zherdev, Ottawa+Senators, Phoenix+Coyotes, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Sam+Weinman, Scott+Gomez, Tampa+Bay+Lightning, Wade+Redden,
An Interview with Seth Rorabaugh of Empty Netters
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/26/08 at 12:30 PM ET
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Good evening folks. For your reading pleasure, please check out the interview I did with Seth Rorabaugh, the Post-Gazette’s Pittsburgh Penguins blogger.
Seth was kind of enough to take time out of his hectic schedule to tell us about how he got into hockey, how he got his start as a hockey journalist, his thoughts of the future of hockey blogs and his prediction on who this year’s Stanley Cup Finals representatives will be.
Enjoy!
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Alex+Goligoski, Empty+Netters, Frank+Pieterangelo, Kevin+Stevens, Kris+Letang, Larry+Murphy, Mario+Lemieux, Mark+Eaton, Patrick+Roy, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ryan+Whitney, Sergei+Fedorov, Sergei+Gonchar, Seth+Rorabaugh, Steve+Yzerman, Tim+Cheveldae, Tim+Thomas, Ulf+Samuelsson,
Never Say Die
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/15/08 at 11:45 PM ET
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It was just four weekends ago that the New York Rangers were down 2-0 in third period and managed to come back and win the game 3-2 in a shootout over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It was deja vu all over again tonight as the Rangers were down 2-0 in the third to the Boston Bruins, only to tie the game in the third period with 53 seconds to go and win it in a shootout thanks to a goal from captain Chris Drury.
Welcome to the new NHL folks.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Boston+Bruins, Chris+Drury, Fredrik+Sjostrom, Henrik+Lundqvist, Markus+Naslund, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Nigel+Dawes, Nikolai+Zherdev, Ottawa+Senators, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Tom+Renney,
