Goal Line Report
Entries with the tag: Ryan+Callahan
A 60-minute Effort
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/01/11 at 10:31 AM ET
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That is exactly what the New York Rangers gave last night in their 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks at Madison Square Garden.
For the first time on home ice this season, there was no third period let down, something the team struggled with in their losses to the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators. Instead, the team’s hard-work and effort lasted the whole game as the the team picked up its first win on the Garden ice in this somewhat young season.
Team captain Ryan Callahan is starting to show his scoring touch as he picked up another two goals last night, giving him five on the season. He is also showing a knack for going hard to the net and being in the right place at the right time, something the team will need from him throughout the rest of the season.
The team also got strong games from Brandon Dubinsky (2 assists), Erik Christensen (2 assists), Dan Girardi (2 assists), and back-up netminder Martin Biron (24 saves), who improved his record to 2-0. It was easily the team’s most complete game of the season.
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Tags: Anaheim+Ducks, Brandon+Dubinsky, Dan+Girardi, Erik+Christensen, Martin+Biron, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, Ryan+Callahan, San+Jose+Sharks, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
Rangers Need Secondary Scoring
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/24/11 at 09:40 AM ET
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In order to get everything clicking, the New York Rangers must be able to start getting some secondary scoring.
Going into the season, many hockey pundits, bloggers and prognosticators believed that this year’s Rangers’ hockey club had the most depth it has had in a very long time. With that said, it has yet to show up this season for the Blueshirts.
Obviously, the team’s top line consisting of Derek Stepan (for now), Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik will be asked to do the primary scoring. So far, Gaborik has doen his part and Richards has set up a bunch of goals and scoring opportunities.
It is the team’s second line of Artem Anismov-Brandon Dubinsky-Ryan Callahan that needs to steup to the plate and start producing. Ryan Callahan has not done much since the team’s opening weekend in Sweden and Dubinsky has been inconsistent at best. Unfortunately, Anisimov has been almost non-existent so far this season.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brad+Richards, Brandon+Dubinsky, Brandon+Prust, Brian+Boyle, Derek+Stepan, Marian+Gaborik, New+York+Rangers, Ruslan+Fedotenko, Ryan+Callahan, Winnipeg+Jets,
Timing is Everything
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/21/11 at 07:27 AM ET
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That was certainly the case last night for the New York Rangers as they scored with just over a second left in overtime to defeat the Calgary Flames by a score of 3-2.
Brandon Dubinsky did all the work to get the puck into the offensive zone and feed the puck to defenseman Dan Girardi, who then fired the puck wide off the boards for defenseman Ryan McDonagh to come in and put the puck into the open side of the net. Some might say it was a set play but it was really all about the timing.
In the team’s second straight win, the Blueshirts got solid performances from the likes of Marian Gaborik (1 goal and 8 shots), Brandon Prust (shorthanded goal), and of course, Henrik Lundqvist, who made 33 saves. The club also got a terrific game out of their penalty killing unit as the team was once again somewhat undisciplined.
The Blueshirts find themselves with two straight wins on this four game Western Canada road trip and should be feeling pretty good about themselves. With that said, there are still a few things that the team needs to work on such as staying out of the box, not allowing high quality scoring chances and getting scoring from their second line.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Brandon+Prust, Calgary+Flames, Dan+Girardi, Edmonton+Oilers, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marian+Gaborik, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Ryan+McDonagh, Toronto+Maple+Leafs, Winnipeg+Jets,
It’s Just One Game
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/07/11 at 03:00 PM ET
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I’m not going to lie: I did not watch the New York Rangers lose 3-2 to the Los Angeles Kings in overtime today. I was/am at work so instead, I simply followed the box score.
Based on the box score and various Twitter feeds, the Rangers were not great in this game. They were badly outplayed in the first period and really did not wake up until the third period. The team also took a bad penalty that allowed the Kings to score a power play goal in overtime to end the game.
With that said, it looks like team captain Ryan Callahan had a great game, getting 11 shots on goal and scoring his first of the season. It was also nice to see Marian Gaborik get on the board with a goal on an assist from new Rangers’ forward Brad Richards.
It also appears that Henrik Lundqvist was himself in net and did everything he could to get the team two points. That will more than likely be the case throughout the season.
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Tags: Anaheim+Ducks, Brad+Richards, Henrik+Lundqvist, Los+Angeles+Kings, Marian+Gaborik, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
Callahan The Right Man For The Job
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/17/11 at 07:00 AM ET
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In every sport, the team captain is someone who symbolizes their respective franchise’s identity and is one that goes above and beyond the call of duty.
For the New York Rangers, this player is Ryan Callahan, which is why on Monday, the team named him captain along with alternate’s Marc Staal and Brad Richards. With the announcement, Callahan became the team’s 26th captain in franchise history and is also one of the youngest captains in team history at the age of 26.
This past season, there were times when team head coach John Tortorella repeated that Callahan was the team’s identity and with good reason. “Cally” produced on a consistent basis, played in all situations, blocked shots, took the body and stuck up for his teammates when he needed to.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
What I Will Be Watching For This Season with the Rangers
by Patrick Hoffman on 08/03/11 at 12:59 PM ET
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With the month of August finally upon us, that only means that hockey season is getting closer and closer.
With that in mind, here is what I will be watching for this season when it comes to the New York Rangers:
- Brad Richards: This is a no-brainer. Since the team signed him to a nine-year deal, it will be extremely important for Richards to live up to his contract by producing, scoring goals, setting goals up, playing on special teams, being a leader and more importantly, be a true No. 1 center, something the Rangers have lacked for several seasons.
- Marian Gaborik: This is also an obvious choice. After scoring 42 goals in his first season as a Blueshirt in 2009-10, Gaborik slumped to just 22 goals last season. Yes, this was without a true No. 1 center but he was able to score over 40 under the same situaiton in his first season. Hopefully, Gaborik will be ready to pile in goals and stay healthy in 2011-12.
- Derek Stepan: How will the second-year Ranger respond to a terrific rookie season in which he posted 45 points (21 goals and 24 assists)? Hopefully, he will not go through the all too common sophomore slump that plagues many second-year NHLers.
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Tags: brad+Richards, Derek+Stepan, John+Tortorella, Marian+Gaborik, Michael+del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Sean+Avery,
Liking This Team
by Patrick Hoffman on 07/29/11 at 06:55 PM ET
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If you are a New York Rangers’ fan, this is how you should feel about the hockey club they love.
Overall, this team has had a really good summer. First off, the team went out and signed the top unrestricted free agent on the market in Brad Richards. With a nine-year pact, Richards is going to have to be a big part of the team’s future and will also be in charge of getting Marian Gaborik going again.
Secondly, the team locked up its two best young players in Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan. Last week, the team locked up Dubinsky for four years and just two days ago, the team signed Callahan to a three-year pact. Both of this guys are leaders on and off the ice while one is certainly captain material in Callahan. These two will be expected to carry the Blueshirts into the future and to make them a competitive hockey club for the next few seasons.
Lastly, look at what the team had coming into this season. Players like Henrik Lundqvist, Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Marian Gaborik, Brian Boyle, Brandon Prust, Derek Stepan, Artem Anisimov, and more. These players, or at least most of them, are young and still have a lot to offer the Blueshirts.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Artem+Anisimov, Brad+Richards, Brandon+Dubinsky, Brandon+Prust, Brian+Boyle, Dan+Girardi, Derek+Stepan, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marc+Staal, Marian+Gaborik, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
More on the Potential Captain of the Blueshirts
by Patrick Hoffman on 07/27/11 at 06:00 PM ET
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Delving deeper into the new Ryan Callahan contract that he received from the New York Rangers earlier this afternoon, it was simply a deal that the Blueshirts had to make.
It is quite clear that Callahan wants to be a Ranger for the majority of his career, much like Brandon Dubinskt wants to be as well. Callahan said the following earlier today:
“We were both working out three-, four- and five-year deals and I think we agreed the numbers worked for a three-year deal,” Callahan told The Record. “We couldn’t come to a conclusion on a longer deal.
“(But) I’m thrilled to be back for three years. I love playing for the Rangers. I’m excited to be back and to have this behind me and concentrate on the season. I was hoping it would get done but you never really know how it’s going to go in these negotiations. I definitely didn’t want to go to arbitration and only go on a one-year deal. I’m really happy it didn’t have to come to that.”
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
Rubbish/Callahan signed to three-year deal
by Patrick Hoffman on 07/27/11 at 03:49 PM ET
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UPDATE: The New York Rangers signed Callahan to a three -year deal worth $12.875 million, avoiding tomorrow’s arbitration and giving their heart and soul player a solid contract.
Click here for more on the Callahan deal.
Earlier
That should be the exact word to describe the fact that someone in the media said that New York Rangers’ forward Ryan Callahan should not be team captain if the arbitration hearing is held tomorrow as scheduled:
If the parties cannot agree on a long-term deal and Callahan goes through with the hearing for what would automatically be a one-year contract given his status as an impending free agent, he would likely get somewhere around $4.2 million.
Moreover, a one-year contract would likely eliminate Callahan from consideration to succeed Chris Drury as captain. If Callahan’s Broadway future is uncertain, Brad Richards would almost certainly get the “C.”
There is no doubt that Callahan is the heart and soul of this New York Rangers’ club. His absence from last year’s postseason was felt by the whole club, especially head coach John Tortorella.
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Tags: Brad+Richards, John+Tortorella, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
Captain Material
by Patrick Hoffman on 07/17/11 at 09:08 AM ET
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Good morning folks. I am back from my European vacation, where I had a wonderful time in Paris, Venice, Rome and London with my wife. It’s good to be back home!
Well, with Chris Drury out of the picture, the time has come for the New York Rangers to name a new captain. This topic has probably been debated by many other Rangers’ blogs and message boards but I figured I would give you guys my thoughts.
Potential Captains
- Ryan Callahan: No one embodies what it means to be a Blueshirt more than forward Ryan Callahan. Callahan does everything a hockey player should do and he does it the right way whether it is scoring goals, setting up his teammates, forechecking, playing both ends of the ice, killing penalties, sticking up for his teammates and more. Head coach John Tortorella has expressed the same thoughts so this could be a potential no-brainer pick.
- Marc Staal: Since joining the Rangers in his rookie season during the 2007-08 campaign, defenseman Marc Staal has been one of the most consistent Blueshirts. He plays hard, rarely misses any games, hits, sticks up for his teammates and is someone that the team and its coaching staff can rely on.
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Tags: Brad+Richards, Brandon+Dubinsky, Chris+Drury, Dan+Girardi, Marc+Staal, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
How the Rangers Can Succeed without Their Heart & Soul Player
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/07/11 at 01:30 PM ET
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From great friend of the blog Stan Fischler:
Getting the pulse of Rangers fans, The Maven discovers that many believe that the Callahan loss is depressing, but not catastrophic.
Hockey photographer David Perlmutter of New Rochelle offers a compelling suggestion to coach Tortorella.
“Torts must have Callahan sitting on the bench from now to the end of the playoffs,” suggests Perlmutter. “Ryan’s presence will pack an emotional punch after every shift.
“The coach should give Brandon Dubinsky the “A” that Cally wore because Dubie is the most logical candidate. If the Rangers play in the postseason the way they did against Boston, the Cup is a reachable goal.”
Click here for more interesting stuff from the Maven.
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Tags: MSGNetwork.com, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Stan+Fischler,
Matt Gilroy As a Forward
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/07/11 at 11:00 AM ET
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With New York Rangers’ forward Ryan Callahan injured, head coach John Tortorella decided to give defenseman Matt Gilroy a shot at forward.
While this may seem odd, it really isn’t because Gilroy started out as a forward and did not become a defenseman until he went to Boston University. So really, the position should come naturally to Gilroy.
Here is what Rangers’ beat writer Andrew Gross had to say about the switch to forward:
Gilroy has been a healthy scratch the past six games and it would be surprising for Gilroy to log heavy minutes as a fourth-liner - think around 7 or under - though he could see time on the power play.
What will help Gilroy most is his skating ability and coach John Tortorella said Gilroy just needed to keep it simple. Gilroy was a forward through most of his sophomore season at Boston University before injuries necessitated his move to defense, where his game blossomed.
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Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, John+Tortorella, Matt+Gilroy, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
Possible Playoff Comeback for Callahan
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/07/11 at 09:15 AM ET
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From Kristie Ackert of The Daily News:
Ryan Callahan is not giving up on this season. Using crutches, the Rangers right wing came into the locker room after practice with a boot on his right leg, immobilizing his broken ankle.
There is no timetable for his return, but he is hoping for a playoff run long enough to get him back on the ice.
“There’s no surgery or anything like that,” Callahan said. “So hopefully we can keep winning and I can get back in there and help the guys in the playoffs.”
Callahan is the Rangers’ heart and soul and is clearly a warrior through and through. There is no doubt that the team will miss him in the playoffs, if they clinch a spot that is, but if they can make a long run, then he’ll be back when the team needs him the most.
Click here for more.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
Another Day, Another Big Game for the Blueshirts
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/07/11 at 07:36 AM ET
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The Carolina Hurricanes continue to put pressure on the New York Rangers for one of the final playoff spots in the tight Eastern Conference as they shutout the Detroit Red Wings by a score of 3-0.
With the win, the Hurricanes have pulled to within two points of the Blueshirts. The Rangers will have a chance to increase that lead to four points tonight when they take on the Atlanta Thrashers.
The Rangers are coming off an extremely emotional win over the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. The team fought from three goals back to win the game 5-3. Unfortunately, they lost Ryan Callahn, the heart and soul of the team, to a broken ankle in the process.
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Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, Boston+Bruins, Henrik+Lundqvist, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ryan+Callahan,
Callahan’s Injury A Bad Break for the Blueshirts
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/05/11 at 06:41 PM ET
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After not having the Internet from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at work, it was terrible to turn on NHL Home Ice in my car and hear that New York Rangers’ forward Ryan Callahan suffered a fractured ankle and will be out indefinitely.
Next to goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, Callahan has been the team’s most valuable player. He puts up points (23-25-48 in 60 games), he blocks shots, he hits, he plays on the power play, he kills penalties and leads on and off the ice.
What hurts the most is that if and when the Rangers do clinch a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and begin the first round, they will be missing a player that is considered the heart and soul of this Blueshirts’ hockey club. Rangers’ team captain Chris Drury said as much today to team web beat writer Jim Cerny:
“You really can’t say enough good things about (Callahan) as a person, as a player, as a leader in this organization,” said Drury on Tuesday. “We’re going to miss him, and miss him a lot. He plays in every situation, and does all the little things, and does all the big things. This is going to be a big loss for us.”
Much like they have done all season, every one on the team will have to raise a game another level not only to get into the postseason, but if they want to go far and potentially see Callahan skating with them for a chance to win hockey’s holy grail.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
The Rangers Can Put the Puck in the Net
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/29/11 at 09:45 AM ET
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Earlier today, our fearless leader pointed out an article that shows that despite their win-loss record, the New York Rangers have been a more than solid hockey club this season.
The author, Michael Salfino, could not be more right and to prove his point, he showed that the Blueshirts have the fourth best goal differential in the league. Despite having a sniper who is underachieving somewhat in Marian Gaborik, the Rangers have shown that they can put the puck in the net this season.
For starters, the team has five players who have 20 goals or more. Ryan Callahan (23), Brandon Dubinsky (22), Marian Gaborik (22), Brian Boyle (21) and rookie Derek Stepan have all hit the 20-goal plateau this season. Artem Anisimov could be next to hit the 20-goal mark as he has 18 goals on the season.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Brian+Boyle, Derek+Stepan, Marian+Gaborik, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
Rangers Blank Panthers in Big Win on Garden Ice
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/22/11 at 08:40 PM ET
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It certainly wasn’t the most exciting hockey game but the New York Rangers did what they needed to do in shutting out the Florida Panthers by a score of at Madsion Square Garden.
The win gives the Blueshirts points 83 and 84, is their fifth straight victory and also marks Henrik Lundqvist’s 10th shutout of the season as well as his 32nd win on the year. All big things happening for the Blueshirts right now and with the way the team is playing, it is certainly well deserved.
The Blueshirts had plenty of scoring chances throughout the game but Panthers’ netminder Tomas Vokoun was up to the task time and time again. That is, until Rangers’ forward Brandon Dubinsky put in a great pass from Ryan Callahan and gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead close to eight minutes into the third period.
The team also got strong performances from the line of Brandon Prust-Brian Boyle-Ruslan Fedotenko as that line peppered Vokoun all night long, forechecked hard, generated scoring chances and play well on both sides of the puck. Marian Gaborik also had another strong night as he had four shots on goal, showed a lot of speed and looked more and more like the Gaborik of last season.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Brandon+Prust, Buffalo+Sabres+and+Montreal+Canadiens, Carolina+Hurricanes, Dan+Boyle, Florida+Panthers, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marian+Gaborik, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, Ruslan+Fedotenko, Ryan+Callahan, Tomas+Vokoun,
Lundqvist Shines in Rangers 5-2 Victory Over the Penguins
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/20/11 at 02:03 PM ET
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Questionable coming into this afternoon’s tilt with the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers’ netminder Henrik Lundqvist put on a show in Pittsburgh in a 5-2 Rangers’ victory.
Lundqvist was brilliant in making 38 saves and picking up his 31st victory of the season. He was able to control his rebounds, make second and third stops when he needed to and provided the kind of goaltending that any team needs to win a hockey game.
For someone who had a stiff neck, Lundqvist was a warrior for the Blueshirts and showed his club just how much he means to them and in turn, how much he needs them to help him in order to succeed. The team was able to do just that this afternoon and now, have a four-game winning streak.
With the win, the Rangers now have 82 points and are up four on the eighth place Buffalo Sabres (who also play today) in the Eastern Conference. The win also puts the Rangers just three points behind the sixth place Montreal Canadiens so the Rangers are making noise at the right time.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Buffalo+Sabres, Florida+Panthers, Henrik+Lundqvist, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ryan+Callahan,
Goals A Plenty in Rangers’ 6-3 Win over the Canadiens
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/19/11 at 12:14 PM ET
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This may be hard to believe but the New York Rangers’ have won three straight home games by outscoring their opponents by a 19-6 margin.
The Rangers’ latest victim was the Montreal Canadiens in a 6-3 victory. The team scored five goals in the first period with five different goal scorers in Artem Anisimov, Dan Girardi, Ryan Callahan, Marian Gaborik, and Brian Boyle. Vinny Prospal scored the team’s sixth and final goal in the third period.
With the win, the Rangers hit the 80-point mark and remain four points up on the eighth place Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes, who had a huge OT win over the New York Islanders last night.
For a team that struggles with offense, they certainly know how to beat up on team’s when given the opportunity to do so. Last night, the team took advantage of a Montreal Canadiens’ team that played the night before against the Tampa Bay Lightning and a somewhat tired Carey Price, who was yanked after allowing the fifth Rangers’ goal. It certainly was not Price’s fault as he had no help out there.
The team also got a strong performance from goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who picked up his sixth consecutive 30-win season. With the 30th win, Lundqvist became the first goalie in NHL history to 30 or more games in his first six seasons in the league.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Benoit+Pouliot, Brian+Boyle, Buffalo+Sabres, Carey+Price, Carolina+Hurricanes, Dan+Girardi, Evgeni+Malkin, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marian+Gaborik, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ryan+Callahan, Sidney+Crosby, Vinny+Prospal, Washington+Capitals,
Rangers Just Need to Win
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/15/11 at 07:00 AM ET
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It sounds simple, right? Especially with the New York Islanders coming to Madison Square Garden tonight, right?
Wrong. The New York Rangers will be facing a much different New York Islanders hockey club tonight, one that has won a lot in the second half of the season and one that does not look like an AHL team anymore.
For the Rangers, the task is simple - just win baby. The team is currently eighth in the Eastern Conference with 76 points. The Buffalo Sabres also have 76 points and the Carolina Hurricanes are ninth in the conference with 72 points. Unfortunately for the Blueshirts, those teams are in action against each other tonight so one of them will definitely be coming away with the all-important two points.
The last time the Rangers were at home, they defeated the Philadelphia Flyers by a 7-0 score while getting four goals from Ryan Callahan. Tonight, the Blueshirts will be looking for the same kind of offense to get the crowd going and excited about the team’s playoff hopes.
For that to happen though, the Blueshirts will need to be careful against these hungry Islanders. The Islanders have gotten terrific play from the likes of John Tavares, Michael Grabner, Blake Comeau, Matt Moulson and goaltender Al Montoya. Yes, the Montoya that was drafted by the Rangers back in 2004.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Brian+Boyle, Buffalo+Sabres, Carolina+Hurricanes, Derek+Stepan, Mats+Zuccarello, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ryan+Callahan, Vaclav+Prospal,
Rangers Set to Go Shark Hunting
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/12/11 at 09:23 PM ET
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If you’re still up at 10:30 p.m. tonight, I hope you hockey/New York Rangers’ fans will tune into tonight’s game between the Blueshirts and the San Jose Sharks.
After losing to the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night and having a few days off, the Blueshirts find themselves in tied for seventh/eighth in the Eastern Conference with the Buffalo Sabres. Unfortunately, the Rangers are also just two points up on the ninth place Carolina Hurricanes, making tonight’s tilt with the Sharks even more important.
Over at The Rangers Tribune, Nicholas Montemagno wrote about how he agrees with Rangers’ beat writer Larry Brooks on having team head coach John Tortorella unleash sniper Marian Gaborik. I could not agree more as it is imperative that Gaborik gets his offense going as now is not the time in the season to struggle offensively.
I also agree with head coach Tortorella when he says that it is all about the Henrik Lundqvist show now. Lundqvist needs to bring his A-game the rest of the way if the Rangers want to have any chance of getting into the playoffs. Lundqvist has been quite good over his last few games so hopefully, he will be able to keep it up down the stretch.
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Tags: Anaheim+Ducks, Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Buffalo+Sabres, Carolina+Hurricanes, Dan+Girardi, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Marc+Staal, Marian+Gaborik, Mats+Zuccarello, Mike+Sauer, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Ryan+McDonagh, San+Jose+Sharks, Vaclav+Prospal,
Why Ryan Callahan Deserves to be the Next Rangers’ Captain
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/11/11 at 08:38 AM ET
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Over at RLD Hockey yesterday, I wrote about why New York Rangers’ forward Ryan Callahan should be the next Blueshirts’ captain.
You can either go here to read the post or continue below.
Rangers’ Callahan is Deserving of the ‘C’
By Patrick Hoffman
When talking about team captains in the National Hockey League, they all have several common traits. These players are leaders and make sacrifices on and off the ice, they can be counted on to make big plays when needed and they have a never-say-die attitude.
One player who embodies this for the New York Rangers is forward Ryan Callahan.
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Tags: Chris+Drury, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
Stay The Course Against Anaheim
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/08/11 at 06:30 PM ET
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At this point of the NHL season, every single game matters if you are a team that is fighting for one of eight spots in either the Eastern or Western Conference.
This statement should hit home for the New York Rangers. Going into their game tomorrow night with the Anaheim Ducks, the team holds the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference with 74 points. This puts the team just two points in front of the eighth place Buffalo Sabres and three points in front of the ninth place Carolina Hurricanes.
With the Sabres playing tonight and the Hurricanes playing tomorrow night, a lot can change prior to the Rangers’ tilt with the Ducks tomorrow night. With that in mind, the goal should be the same: get two points at all costs.
The Blueshirts clearly played with that attitude on Friday night against the Ottawa Senators and Sunday afternoon against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Blueshirts went on to outscore the Senators and Flyers by a combined score of 11-1.
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Tags: Anaheim+Ducks, Buffalo+Sabres, Carolina+Hurricanes, Henrik+Lundqvist, Los+Angeles+Kings, Marian+Gaborik, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ryan+Callahan,
Rangers Win By Playing Rangers’ hockey
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/06/11 at 03:52 PM ET
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In today’s 7-0 white-washing of the Philadelphia Flyers, the New York Rangers won by playing the kind of hockey that made them so successful earlier on in the season.
They forechecked, they hit, they blocked shots, they allowed their goaltender Henrik Lundqvist to see the puck, they cleared rebounds and they got timely goal scoring. Normally, this is a good recipe of success for any team in the NHL but for the ost part, this has been a big part of the Rangers’ identity when they have won games this season.
This afternoon’s Ranger of the game was easily Ryan Callahan. Callahan picked up his first career hat trick en route to a 4-goal and 5-point game for the Blueshirts. He drove hard to the net, used his quick release to beat Flyers’ netminder Brian Boucher and with his hard work, managed to crack the 20-goal mark.
The team also got solid performances out of Vaclav Prospal (2 assists), Mats Zuccarello (2 goals), Artem Anisimov (1 goal and 1 assist) and Lundqvist (24) saves, who picked up his league-leading ninth shutout of the season.
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Tags: Anaheim+Ducks, Artem+Anisimov, Brian+Boucher, Buffalo+Sabres, Buffalo+Sabres, Carolina+Hurricanes, Henrik+Lundqvist, Mats+Zuccarello, Minnesota+Wild, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ryan+Callahan, San+Jose+Sharks, Tampa+Bay+Lightning, Vaclav+Prospal,
Rangers Set for Minnesota Wild
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/03/11 at 08:33 AM ET
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Once again, the New York Rangers head into tonight’s game with the Minnesota Wild at Madison Square Garden needing to come away with two points in order to separate themselves from the eighth and ninth seed in the Eastern Conference standings.
Unfortunately for the Blueshirts, both of those teams, the Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres, play each other tonight so no matter what, someone is going to come away with two points and inch close to the Rangers. With that said, if the Blueshirts can come away with two points themselves, they will certainly be in better position and have a bit of insurance.
The Rangers need to come out and set the tone early. They need to throw the puck on net, finish their chances, protect the lead if they get one and do everything they possibly can to win a hockey game because if they cannot, they could be in trouble when they take on the Ottawa Senators tomorrow night in Ottawa and the Philadelphia Flyers at home on Sunday afternoon.
For the Rangers, it will be important that players such as Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, Wojtek Wolski, Mats Zuccarello, Artem Anisimov, Brian Boyle and Vinny Prospal step up offensively. With Marian Gaborik still expected to be out of the lineup, these seem to be the guys that can put the puck in the net. Now, they need to do it on a consistent basis.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Brian+Boyle, Buffalo+Sabres, Carolina+Hurricanes, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marian+Gaborik, Mats+Zuccarello, Minnesota+Wild, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ryan+Callahan, Vinny+Prospal,
Time to Get The Rangers’ Offense Going
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/22/11 at 08:45 AM ET
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It seems like this has been a key theme for the New York Rangers during the second half of the NHL season.
Unfortunately, the Blueshirts have had trouble doing so on a consistent basis, which will need to change fast especially if the team finds out Marian Gaborik will be out of the lineup for a bit (should know more today). Tonight, the team will need to start up its offense against the eighth place Carolina Hurricanes in Carolina tonight.
The Hurricanes are just two points behind the Rangers in the Eastern Conference standings and are 15-10-3 on home ice this season. With that said, the Rangers will have a hill to climb tonight if they want to get two points before taking on the Washington Capitals on Friday night.
As I mentioned up top, this team needs to start scoring goals. The Blueshirts need guys like Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, Wojtek Wolski, Artem Anisimov, Brian Boyle, and Vinny Prospal to all start putting the puck in the net with regularity.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Brian+Boyle, Carolina+Hurricanes, Jim+Cerny, John+Tortorella, Marian+Gaborik, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Vinny+Prospal, Wojtek+Wolski,
Another Big Victory for the Blueshirts
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/18/11 at 08:00 AM ET
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Good morning folks. It was great to come home from hockey last night and see that the New York Rangers came away with a big 4-3 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings at Madison Square Garden.
Reading what beat writers had to say about the big two points, it was nice to see that guys like Ryan Callahan (1 goal and 1 assist), Marian Gaborik (1 goal) and Brandon Dubinsky (1 assist) all stepped up their games and played the way they should play in a playoff run: like the team’s best players.
It was also nice that Henrik Lundqvist picked up his 200th career victory. For someone who isn’t even 29 years old yet (will be in early March), it is quite impressive and also makes you wonder if that win total would be even higher if he were with a somewhat more talented hockey club. I guess that really does not matter so it’s great that our franchise netminder is getting the job done.
With the win, the team now has 66 points and is up four points over the eighth place Carolina Hurricanes and three points behind the sixth place Montreal Canadiens. The win was also important because the team still has two games to play in three days.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Los+Angeles+Kings, Marian+Gaborik, Martin+Biron, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ryan+Callahan,
My Oh My How Things Changed on Broadway
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/15/11 at 03:37 PM ET
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Before the NHL Lockout during 2004-05, the New York rangers were all about having veterans and experience on the roster, even if it came at the expense of a younger player or prospect.
Fast forward about seven years later and the Blueshirts have completely changed their philosophy. A lot of this, believe it or not, is due to general manager Glen Sather along with former head coach Tom Renney and new head coach John Tortorella.
Today, the latter was raving about another Rangers’ prospect who he thinks should have already turned pro in Chris Kredier, MVP of the 2011 Beanpot Tournament:
“I wish he’d turn pro last year,” Tortorella said. “I hope he turns pro next year. I hope he’s with us. He’s a sophomore now and we’re anxious to get him involved in pro hockey. We think he’s got some good stuff to offer and we want to get him tracked up here with us as soon as possible.”
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Chris+Kreider, Derek+Stepan, John+Tortorella, Mats+Zuccarello, Michael+Del+Zotto, Michael+Sauer, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Ryan+McDonagh,
Rangers Power Play Clicks In Victory Over the Penguins
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/13/11 at 05:40 PM ET
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As our fearless leader Paul Kukla mentioned in my previous blog, I need to start writing about the New York Rangers needing to win now in order to get the team going.
This afternoon at Madison Square Garden, the Blueshirts did just that in a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, snapping their six game winless strerak. The team was also able to get its power play as the team went three for five with the man advantage.
The game certainly did not start great for the Rangers as they found themselves 2-0 after the Penguins scored two goals on their first four shots. After Rangers’ head coach John Tortorella called a timeout, the team responded in a positive manner and exploded offensively.
The Blueshirts got goals from Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan (2), Vinny Prospal and Artem Anisimov with Callahan, Prospal and Anisimov all connecting on the power play. It just goes to show you what a good power play can do to a hockey team as this afternoon, it certainly raised the level of the Rangers.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Atlanta+Thrashers, Brian+Boyle, Carolina+Hurricanes, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Los+Angeles+Kings, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ryan+Callahan, Vinny+Prospal,
Is Tonight the Biggest Game of the Year for the Blueshirts?
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/11/11 at 08:00 AM ET
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Everyone involved in the New York Rangers’ organization from the brass, to its players and to its fans should answer that with a resounding YES.
The team is winless in their last five games and tonight, take on an Atlanta Thrashers hockey team that is just four points behind them in the Eastern Conference standings. To make things a bit more interesting, the Carolina Hurricanes are only three points behind their Blueshirts with one game in hand.
The Rangers need to stop the bleeding before they have nothing left and find themselves out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight season. To get back on the right track tonight, the team is going to need some offense, smart play in the neutral zone and strong goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist, who should be between the pipes tonight.
When it comes to the team’s offense, Marian Gaborik needs to step up and contribute. This is a guy who can skate and shoot with the best of them and yet, he has not been able to do so this season. If Gaborik can get a goal or two tonight, it should boost his confidence and may be get him going.
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Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, Brandon+Dubinsky, Brian+Boyle, Carolina+Hurricanes, Erik+Christensen, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marian+Gaborik, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Sean+Avery, Vinny+Prospal,
Time for Dubinsky and Callahan to Resurface as Leaders
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/09/11 at 03:39 PM ET
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With Arthur Staple reporting that New York Rangers’ captain Chris Drury will be out for six weeks after having his knee scoped, it is time for Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan to lead this team into the playoffs.
There are many out there that question why Drury was named captain in the first place but despite not producing, he did try and play hard, he blocked shots, he was great on the penalty kill and he was the consumate professional. Even head coach John Tortorella said he was tired of hearing negative things about Drury:
Tortorella on Drury: “It pisses me off that some things come out about Chris Drury, about him thinking he might be out of the lineup and thinking he’s given in here a little bit…It bothered me. Because he’s not built that way, and we all know that.”
With that in mind, it is time for Dubinsky and Callahan to lead this team both as leaders on the ice and off the ice. When it comes to the on-ice part, they will have to continue to play hard, play on special teams, kill penalties, hit, block shots and produce. The last part is extremely important considering how quiet Marian Gaborik has been.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Chris+Drury, John+Tortorella, New+york+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
Where is the Rangers’ Power Play?
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/06/11 at 04:00 PM ET
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In a 2-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens yesterday afternoon, it was the power play that lost the game for the New York Rangers.
The Blueshirts had four power play opportunities and were only able to put one shot on Canadiens’ netminder Carey Price. Yes, the Canadiens’ penalty kill was very aggressive and did a terrific job in clogging ...up othe defensive zone but the Rangers need to be heckuva lot more effective with the man advanatge going forward.
The Rangers may not have the most talented group of forwards but they do have guys that can shoot the puck such as Marian Gaborik, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, and Artem Anisimov. They also have some talent at the points in Dan Girardi, Michael Del Zotto, Marc Staal and Matt Gilroy who can get pucks to the net.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Carey+Price, Dan+Girardi, John+Tortorella, Marc+Staal, Marian+Gaborki, Matt+Gilroy, Michael+Del+Zotto, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
Not Great but Not Bad
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/02/11 at 08:40 AM ET
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That would be the phrase to describe the play of the New York Rangers last night in their 3-2 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden.
The team got off to a great start and was up 2-0 in the second period on goals by Brandon Prust and Artem Anisimov. However, the Penguins scored three goals to take the lead before Ryan Callahan tied it up with a power play goal on Jordan Staal’s five minute penalty (he got tossed from the game).
This was a game that the Blueshirts should have been able to pick up two points but instead, come away with one. They had trouble finishing both in the third period and in the shootout and ultimately, that is what did them in as they had numerous chances to get the game winning goal.
With that said, there were some positives in the game. For starters, it was great to have Callahan (1 goal) and Brandon Dubinsky (1 assist) back in the lineup. These are two of the hardest working Blueshirts and it showed last night as they generated several scoring opportunities. Callahan definitely showed some rust but since he had not played for over a month, it is excusable.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Brandon+Prust, Jordan+Staal, New+Jersey+devils, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ryan+Callahan,
Getting Healthy at the Right Time
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/01/11 at 10:00 AM ET
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That is what everyone in the New York Rangers’ organization is hoping as the team prepares for its first game after the break against the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight at Madison Square Garden.
According to various team beat writers, Rangers’ forward Ryan Callahan will return to the lineup tonight. For the Blueshirts’ that is tremendous news as Callahan brings offensive, defense, penalty killing and leadership the lineup, things that a hockey team, especially the Rangers, can always use.
There are also reports that forward Vinny Prospal could return to the lineup as early as Thursday night when the team takes on the New Jersey Devils. Prospal will also be a welcome return to the team as he can provide some offense as well as be a player that might be able to help out struggling forward Marian Gaborik.
When it comes to tonight, however, all the team should be focused on is picking up two points. The Penguins will be without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, which means that the Rangers will not have to worry focusing their efforts on stoping the offensive dynamic duo.
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Tags: Henrik+Lundqvist, Marian+Gabroik, New+Jerseu+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ryan+Callahan, Vinny+Prospal,
Another Injury for the Blueshirts
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/20/11 at 10:42 AM ET
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According to Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants, New York Rangers’ forward Ruslan Fedotenko is expected to miss 2-4 weeks with an injury:
Ruslan Fedotenko will miss 2-4 weeks with a second-degree AC sprain in his left shoulder so in addition to calling up Chad Kolarik from Connecticut (AHL), the Rangers have also recalled Brodie Dupont.
So, let’s recap which Blueshirts have been injured this season: Chris Drury, Marian Gaborik, Vinny Prospal, Ryan Callahan, Erik Christensen, Brandon Dubinsky and now Ruslan Fedotenko.
One would figure that with all these injuries, the team should be out of playoff contention. However, the Blueshirts have responded in a big way to the various injuries and find themselves right in the middle of the Eastern Conference playoff pack playing solid hockey.
Hopefully, they will be able to keep it up long enough to stay in playoff contention come April.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Brandon+Dubinsky, Chris+Drury, Erik+Christensen, Marian+Gaborik, New+York+rangers, Ruslan+Fedotenko, Ryan+Callahan, Vinny+Prospal,
My Rangers’ All-Stars
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/12/11 at 10:26 AM ET
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With the NHL announcing the rest of the All-Star selections yesterday, I figured now would be a good time to look at the players who have been all-stars for the New York Rangers this season.
Some of my selections were baded on point-production while other selections were due to their overall fine play in the first half of the season.
Let me know what you think:
- Brandon Dubinsky: The Rangers’ 24-year-old has been by far and away the team’s best offensive player this season. In 44 games, Dubinsky has 37 points (17 goals and 20 assists) and has shown those throughout the organization that he has the potential to be a 30 to 35-goal scorer. Not only does he contribute offensively, but “Dubi” also plays well on the other side of the puck and is used in all game situations whether it’s power play, penalty kill, the extra man, etc. He’s done it all for the Blueshirts this season and hopefully for the Rangers, he will do much of the same in the second half of the season.
- Ryan Callahan: Before suffering a broken hand against the Pittsburgh Penguins in December, Rangers’ forward Ryan Callahan was also making a name for himself to be the top Rangers’ player. In 32 games, the 25-year-old had put up 23 points (10 goals and 13 assists) and also become the perfect role model for the Blueshirts. He sacrificed his body to block shots, he skated hard at both ends of the ice, he played on the power play and penalty kill and he was a leader on and off the ice. While the Blueshirts have played well without him, he will certainly be welcomed back into the lineup with open arms.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Brandon+Prust, Brian+Boyle, Dan+Girardi, John+Tortorella, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
Big Week Ahead for the Blueshirts
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/10/11 at 01:23 PM ET
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Sitting at 25-15-3, the New York Rangers find themselves sixth in the Eastern Conference with 53 points, just one point behind the fifth place Washington Capitals, three points behind the fourth place Pittsburgh Penguins and believe it or not, four points behind the Eastern Conference leading Philadelphia Flyers.
With that in mind, the Rangers have a tough eight points on the line this week with games against the Montreal Canadiens (2) Vancouver Canucks and Phildelphia Flyers. These teams are currently all playoff hockey clubs and will present a tough challenge for the injury-plagued Blueshirts.
In order to be successful this week and pick up some valuable points, the Rangers will need to do the following things in no particular order:
- Stay Healthy: With injuries to Ryan Callahan, Erik Christensen, Vinny Prospal and now Alex Frolov (out the remainder of the season), the team cannot afford any more injuries. Sure, the team has responded well to injur-adversity this season but right now, the focus should be getting everyone healthy prior to making a playoff run.
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Tags: Alex+Frolov, Erick+Christensen, John+Tortorella, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ryan+Callahan, Vancouver+Canucks, Vinny+Prospal.+Henrik+Lundqvist.+Martin+Biron,
Where Has the Offense Gone in 2011?/Fedotenko Update
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/02/11 at 07:52 PM ET
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UPDATE: According to Jesse Spector, New York Rangers’ beat writer for the Daily News, Ruslan Fedotenko’s hand is not broken:
Fedotenko’s hand is not broken. He’s day-to-day.
FROM EARLIER: I know, I know, the New York Rangers are just two games into the new year but nevertheless, they are 0-1-1 with only one goal scored against the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers.
Last night against the Panthers, the team was lucky to get a point as Marian Gaborik tied the game up at 1-1 with less than a minute go before the Lightning won 2-1 in overtime. Up until that point, it looked like Lightning netminder Cedrick Desjardins was going to shutout the Rangers and the Blueshirts were going to come away with nothing.
Against the Panthers tonight, the team delivered another lackluster effort and this time, came up with nothing as Panthers’ goaltender picked up his fifth shutout of the season with a 3-0 win over the Rangers. If not for the solid goaltending of Rangers’ netminder Martin Biron (33 saves), this game could have actually been a lot worse.
With that said, however, the team did lose Ruslan Fedotenko hurt his hand after blocking a Bryan McCabe slap shot. Hopefully for the Rangers, he will not have to miss a lot of time as the Rangers are already hurting with injuries to both Ryan Callahan, Vinny Prospal and Erik Christensen.
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Tags: Bryan+McCabe, Cedrick+Desjardins, Erik+Christensen, Florida+Panthers, Marian+Gaborik, Martin+Biron, New+York+Rangers, Ruslan+Fedotenko, Ryan+Callahan, Tampa+Bay+Lightning, Tomas+Vokoun, Vinny+Prospal,
A Win and a Loss In One Game
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/16/10 at 08:39 AM ET
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Going into Pittsburgh last night, the New York Rangers had a tough task ahead of them in tyring to beat one of the best/hottest teams in the National Hockey League: the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Down 1-0 going into the third period, the Blueshirts found their game and scored four goals en route to their league leading 12th victory on the road. Obviously, it is a two huge points for a club that has a game tonight at Madsion Square Garden against the Phoenix Coyotes and a game on Saturday in Philadelphia against another one of the league’s top teams in the Philadelphia Flyers.
Unfortunately for the Rangers, they did manage to lose something last night. Ryan Callahan broke his hand blocking a shot.
This is a huge loss for the team as they were finally on the path to having a healthy team as team captain Chris Drury returned to the lineup in last night’s tilt with the Penguins.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ryan+Callahan,
Rangers Get it Done in Pittsburgh
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/16/10 at 09:24 AM ET
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Going into last night’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Consol Energy Center, New York Rangers’ goaltender Henrik Lundqvist knew that he would have to be at his best.
He was just that last night for the Blueshirts who escaped Pittsburgh with a 3-2 overtime victory on a goal by Ryan Callahan off a great move and pass from Brandon Dubinsky. It was a game that would test the Rangers’ mettle and while not passing with straight A’s, they were able to pick up two points.
As I mentioned above, this game was all about Lundqvist. Lundqvist made 37 saves in stopping the likes of Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, and others. He was lass than three minutes away from a shutout until Chris Kunitz tied the game up at 1-1 and then Matt Cooke made it 2-1.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Brandon+Dubinsky, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marc+Staal, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ryan+Callahan, Tim+Thomas,
Biron Gets The Job Done
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/12/10 at 08:27 AM ET
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In what was suppossed to be another start for New York Rangers’ goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, it turned out that Lundqvist came to Madison Square Garden feeling ill, forcing the Blueshirts to start back-up netminder Martin Biron in goal.
It turns out that Lundqvist being sick was a blessing in disguise as Biron played another solid game for his hockey club in helping them to a 3-2 overtime victory on home ice against one of his former team’s, the Buffalo Sabres.
Much like Henrik Lundqvist does on a nightly basis, Biron made the big saves when the team needed him the most and kept them in the hockey game, allowing the team to be able to create offensive chances of their own and win the hockey game.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Buffalo+Sabres, Edmonton+Oilers, Henrik+Lundqvist, Martin+Biron, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Taylor+Hall, Tom+Renney,
Callahan and Dubinsky: True Blue Rangers
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/02/10 at 01:14 PM ET
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In what was a nail biter at Madison Square Garden last night, the New York Rangers defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 3-2.
When talking about this game, besides goaltender Henrik Lundqvist of course, there are two key players to talk about: Ryan Callahan dna Brandon Dubinsky.
In last night’s tilt, Callahan picked up two assists and also blocked a few shots, threw several hits, killed penalties, played on the power play and more. He did everything for the Blueshirts.
He reminds me a bit of Adam Graves because like Graves did when he was a Blueshirt, Callahan never takes a shift off. He hustles, he goes to the net, he deflects shots, he pokes at rebounds, blocks shots, kills penalties, and more. He wears that Ranger jersey with pride and I hope that others will follow him.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Chicago+Blackhawks, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ryan+Callahan,
Rangers’ Shut Out Leafs
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/30/10 at 09:56 PM ET
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As I mentioned in my previous blog, the New York Rangers needed to go out and play a perfect road game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Mission accomplished as the Blueshirts shutout the Leafs 2-0 thanks to terrific performances from the likes of Henrik Lundqvist (36 saves), Ryan Callahan (penalty shot goal), and Brian Boyle (1 goal). and Bradon Prust.
What else is left to say about Lundqvist? He played great last night in a losing effort and tonight, he absolutely shut the door on the Leafs, especially in the second and third periods when the Leafs had sustained pressure in the Blueshirts’ zone. Yes, he allowed four goals last night but ever since making the start in Boston a week ago, Henrik has been on top of his game.
Ryan Callahan has also been terrific for the Blueshirts. With his penalty shot goal tonight, Cally now has 4 goals and 7 assists for 11 points in 10 games. Not only is he contributing offensively, but he also throws a lot of hits, blocks a lot of shots and creates plenty of scoring opportunities.
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Tags: Brian+Boyle, Chicago+Blackhawks, Henrik+Lundqvist, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
Tough Loss Despite Great Effort From Team’s Top Line
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/30/10 at 06:06 PM ET
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The New York Rangers played a solid enough home game last night to win.
Unfortunately, they came up short in losing the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 4-3, despite taking 43 shots and Hurricanes’ netminder Cam Ward.
The team got a terrific performance out of the Brandon Dubinsky (1 G, 1A), Ryan Callahan (1G, 1A), and Artem Anisimov (1A) line. Both Dubinsky and Callahan scored goals while Anisimov showed great support by going after the puck, taking hits, getting the pukc to his linemates and putting himself in good scoring position to create opportunities.
This continues to be the top line for the Blueshirts and it shows by how much head coach John Tortorella is putting them out there. The head coach said the following to team web site beat writer Jim Cerny after the game:
“They continue to be our best and most consistent line night after night,” Rangers head coach John Tortorella said. “I liked a lot of what I saw from our team (Friday) night. There are things we have to fix, but there are a lot of good things there.”
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Carolina+Hurricanes, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Martin+Biron, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
Rangers Add to Winning Streak
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/25/10 at 08:00 AM ET
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Look out folks but after defeating the New Jersey Devils last night 3-1 at Madison Square Garden, the team is now 4-2-1 and has won three straight games.
I know it’s early in the season but six points is six points and as you know, every point is important in the National Hockey League. Last night against the Devils, the team earned two points by playing a smart game at home, throwing pucks on net (34 shots), and getting great goaltending once again from Henrik Lundqvist, who made 27 saves to pick up his second straight victory.
The team got a tremendous effort out of the Artem Anisimov, Brandon Dubinsky (1 goal and 1 assist for 2 points) and Ryan Callahan (1 goal) line. The line drove hard to the net, kept the puck in the opponent’s zone for stretches at a time and scored two of the team’s three goals.
When looking at this game, you also need to give credit to the club;s defense. Michal Rozsival played another great game and Michael Del Zotto had a team high 28:38 in ice time with hits, 4 shots, and was also a + 2.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Michael+Del+Zotto, Michal+Rozsival, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
What’s Next?
by Patrick Hoffman on 07/11/10 at 10:11 PM ET
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Many Ranger fans are wondering the same thing that I am: what will GM Glen Sather do next to help make this a better hockey team?
At this point, and may be every other point for that matter, it’s tough to read Sather. Sather will say all the right things to the press and the things he says make sense as he mentions giving the prospects a chance to play and trying to grow the team from within.
With that being said, he does things to the contrary and goes out and signs deals that don’t make too much sense, a.k.a Derek Boogaard. Yes, I know that Boogaard was not signed to put pucks in the net but the amount of money and years for a third/fourth line player do not make sense to me.
One thing all Ranger fans that Sather must do is find a way to get rid of defenseman Wade Redden. Sather needs to admit that he made a mistake and move on whethere that’s finding a way to trade him or even demote him to the Hartford Wolf Pack. If Sather can do that, in their heart, Ranger fans may find a way to forgive him for that.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Erik+Christensen, Glen+Sather, Illya+Kovalchuk, Marian+Gaborik, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Sean+Avery, Vinny+Prospal,
The Captain and his Apprentice
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/23/10 at 01:35 PM ET
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From great friend of the blog Jim Cerny at NewYorkRangers.com:
It has become the norm the past couple of years that when Ryan Callahan’s name is mentioned, more often than not so, too, is Chris Drury’s. And vice-versa. The two have become linked more closely than any other tandem on the New York Rangers.
The reasons for that are many. Similar in physical stature, Callahan and Drury both play a grinding style and rely on their smarts as well as their skills out on the ice. Both players are outstanding penalty killers, and are usually paired on the same PK unit. In fact, Callahan spends quite a bit of his even-strength ice-time skating alongside Drury, as well. Drury, the team captain, wears a letter on his sweater as does Callahan, the team’s alternate captain. And, of course, both won silver medals while playing for Team USA at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
“I think we are similar types of players, but there is so much I can still learn from Dru,” explained Callahan, the 24-year-old right wing. “His experience; his preparation; his leadership. I am very fortunate to be able to spend so much time with him and be able to learn from him.”
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Tags: Chris+Drury, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
The Youth of Ranger Nation
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/16/10 at 08:51 AM ET
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From great friend of the blog Jim Cerny at NewYorkRangers.com:
Prior to training camp last September, Rangers head coach John Tortorella expressed his hope that some of the organization’s top young prospects would step up and secure regular spots with the team this season and begin to form the foundation of the franchise along with more-established younger players like Marc Staal, Ryan Callahan, and Brandon Dubinsky.
Consider this “Mission Accomplished.”
Defenseman Michael Del Zotto and center Artem Anisimov not only spent their entire rookie campaigns competing at the NHL level this season, but both were major contributors to the Rangers and among the top rookies in the entire league.
“We have a really good core of young players,” said Tortorella. “We have to do the best we can to grow that core because, for me, the exciting part of it is the young core, it’s a good one. And Del Z and Artie are a big part of that.”
Click here for more on the Blueshirts’ young core.
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Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brandon+Dubinsky, Michael+Del+Zotto, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan,
Avery and Callahan Still Out for Blueshirts
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/01/10 at 04:02 PM ET
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From good friend of the blog Nicholas Montemagno at The Rangers Tribune:
Steve Zipay of Newsday is reporting that forwards Ryan Callahan and Sean Avery did not take the ice for practice this morning in Tampa Bay and are not close to making their return to the lineup. This means that there is a good chance we see the same combinations we did against the Islanders on Wednesday, tomorrow when the Rangers take on Steven Stamkos and the Bolts at St. Pete Times Forum. Missing Avery and Callahan may not have directly affected the team on Wednesday, but going down the stretch it will. There is still no timetable for their return.
Defenseman Matt Gilroy and forward Enver Lisin will again be the healthy scratches, while Anders Eriksson and Corey Locke will suit up. Locke and Eriksson, both recalled from Hartford, each received under eight minutes of ice time on Long Island, so I do not see how head coach John Tortorella could have possibly seen something in them that was impressive. In my opinion, Gilroy does not deserve to still be watching from the press box for the third straight contest. Being ineffective and not playing well are two majorly different things. Gilroy has been ineffective, and that is something you fix by coaching, not punishing.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Sean+Avery,
Some Good News Regarding Sean Avery
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/28/10 at 07:48 PM ET
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From Steve Zipay at Blue Notes:
It’s in the same vein as Ryan Callahan’s, according to a team spokesman. Will either play against the Islanders Tuesday? We’ll know more tomorrow.
One possible scenario: Hold both out for two-game Florida trip. That would mean three additional days off if neither player practices until Thursday with the team in the Sunshine State.
Should the Rangers decide not to call up another sub from the Wolf Pack for the game in Uniondale, winger Enver Lisin could be the 12th forward. He’ll add some speed because the Blueshirts are getting thin in that aspect upfront.
Not entirely bad news, I guess. Avery has been terrific the last two weeks and we all know that Callahan works hard every single game so obviously, it’d be great to have these guys in the lineup. However, it’s obviously better to have them when they are healthy.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Sean+Avery,
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