Apparently the pressure on the Rangers to become the first Ranger team to win the first three games of the season, since 1989, was too much for them to handle. They folded like accordions last night and fell 4-2 to the Flyers. The Rangers played their second consecutive sloppy game but this time paid for it. The Rangers and Renney have to correct this ship now or there will be serious ramifications for them in the Atlantic Division. Lets face it, the Devils and Flyers will be very tough this year and both Pittsburgh and the Islanders are much improved.
Tom Renney gave his usual tough Rennyesqe speech about not showing up, not playing their all and everything falling apart. Did Tom include himself in this? Probably not. But let me ask you Tom, why was Martin Straka on the point on the PP for 8:50 minutes? Michal Rozsival was on the ice for 8:03 of power play time. Straka has no shot and Roszival has trouble controlling the puck. The official scorer credited him with one giveaway. What game was he watching? The Rangers were 1-8 on the PP. They are now 1-17 on the season.
Brendan Shanahan scored the PP goal, got an assist on Pock's goal and was voted number three star. The real star for the Rangers was Thomas Pock who made a great block on the play that he scored a great goal. What was Renney's comment about Pock. "He's certainly proactive". Wow, what an endorsement. Renney was so impressed with Pock that he gave him all of 12:58 of ice time, including all of 33 seconds on the PP. Remember kiddies, at Hartford, Pock was a PP specialist. Pock was a plus one, the only Ranger defenseman in the plus area.
Rozsival clocked 29:01 of ice time and was a minus two. Malik logged 19:36 and was also a minus two. In fact through the whole game Malik looked befuddled. Lurch like. The fastest Malik skated all night is when he skated off the blue line prior to the conclusion of the National Anthem. Kasparaitis will probably return soon, possibly against the Penguins, but you know who will sit when he returns. Thomas Pock. You still think that Brian Leetch is too old to play for the Rangers, especially on the power play?
With the Penguins coming in Thursday the other interesting plot will be to see if Renney finally goes with Kevin Weekes in goal. Lundqvist gave up a couple of softies last night but he still is the man but may need an early season rest. With two tough games against Buffalo, on the road, and the Devils at home, it may be the right moment to give The Prince a rest.
What needs a kick is the power play unit. Granted, Jagr is still recovering from his shoulder injury and is not 100%. Put him on the point where it will be tougher to double up and his pin point passing to forwards like Shanahan, Prucha, Nylander and yes Straka, down low, might generate some offense. But I don't think it will happen.
ICINGS: A wonderful man with the word, JAGRMEISTER, across his shirt bolted up out of the blue last night to give my Grandson, Nicholas, the broken stick of Simon Gagne, patched of course. We met him after the game and he greeted Nicholas again. What a wonderful gesture. So Nicholas now has Gagne's stick and Nylander's jersey. Not bad for a seven year old. When I was seven the only thing I got from the Rangers was agita. In fact 69 years later I am still getting it.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Broadway Bunglers
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Hey Pundit, It was not Pock who blocked the shot it was Prucha, blocked and passed it to Shanny. And our first line deffinitely needs a kick in the a**, switch Prucha to first and Straka to second line, since Jagr is obviously still hurt and does not shoot - so now all they do is pass, pass, pass... What is Renne thinking I wonder??? And we do need Kaspar back since Rangers were badly out hit-- awfull game...
anonymous-I thought it was Pock who blocked the shot and Prucha fed Shanny who fed Pock. Whatever, it was a great play. Renney would be great as director of the Ice Capades with all that tic-tac-toe passing. Lets see how we go tonight. Thanks for the input.