The Rangers seem to have found their offense. The only problem, if you want to call it that, it's that the defense is now the offense. For the second game in a row the defense put on an offensive display that was supposed to come from the highly touted, highly paid forwards. Rozsival with two, Girardi with one and Jason Strudwick with the game winner in OT. The defense put 12 of the Rangers total of 26 shots on goal. Tyutin led the shot parade with 4 and tied with Hollweg for the most number of hits with 5. Besides the 4 goals the defense had 3 assists. One of the goals, by Rozsival was a short handed goal.
The defense even saved the putrid power play of another schneid with a goal by Girardi, assisted by Prucha and Tyutin. Avery and Drury were the other PP lineman which was a departure from the 1 and 1A tic-tac-toe tag team that usually mans the power play. The power play was 1-6 and a day of reckoning is approaching when the futility of the PP is going to start costing us games. The Ranger took a total of seven shots on goal in 11:41 minutes of PP time. Jaromir Jagr and Chris Drury had no shots on goal for the entire game with a combined total of 37:59 minutes of ice time. Instead of Drury bringing a strong offense to the Rangers he has fallen into the tic-tac-toe trap and has become another pass first, play defense and maybe shoot, if its not going to cause a breakaway by the other team. In fact, at times he looks lost and he certainly doesn't look happy. I never see the guy smiling.
By why so gloomy Pundit? We are in first place. Twenty games in, is not a time for chest pounding. The Rangers rank 20th in PP scoring with a 14.3%. The saving grace is that they rank 4th on the penalty kill with a 89.8%, and they have Henrik Lundqvist. One quarter of the way into the season and coach clueless still has not found a way to get the PP working. After twenty games the five top scorers for the Rangers with their total goals and PP goals are: Jagr 4-1, Gomez 4-2, Drury 3-1, Shanahan 6-4 and Rozsival 6-3. So you have Michal Rozsival tied with the goal lead with six and second in PP goals with 3. But everything is great because we are in first place. The Islanders are up next on Monday night. See you there.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
D-Lightful
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You are beginning to sound like The Dark Ranger with all that gloomy 'it can't be real' talk -- but somehow they continue to win. It is early, Pundit, plenty of time to watch our Blueshirts scratch the wrong way.
Our veterans are looking a little better, don't you think?
Don't worry Pundit: pretty soon, Malik will be back and then the defensemen will be back to playing as ineffective as the forwards!
BTW: Hossa is quickly becoming this decade's version of Jan Erickson. He ALMOST does something in the offensive zone. Almost.
the dark ranger-Veterans looking good but the PP has to come alive and tonight would be none too soon.
down by the seaside-Two very disturbing thoughts.
After last night vs. Islanders, are you sure they found their offense, Pundit? Sad, sad.
the dark ranger-I said the defense found it. The offense is lost.
true true. i must be projecting.
:)