The Dark Ranger must be very happy right now. The Rangers are in first place in the Atlantic Division over the hated Philadelphia Flyers by two points. The Flyers play Dallas tonight in Philly.
The Rangers got revenge big time against Ottawa today. They chased Martin Gerber, after the first period, scoring three first period goals. Remember Gerber shut out the Rangers last time they were in Ottawa back in October. Also, Lundqvist took over the lead in goalie wins passing Gerber, with 14 wins. The Rangers blitzed the Senators in the first period putting 12 shots on Gerber and cashing in three times. Dan Girardi started it with his third of the year, then a PP goal from Jagr, his seventh and Shanahan with his eight.
It looked like the Rangers would skate Ottawa right out of Scotiabank Place after Shanahan scored a PP goal, his ninth, at 9:33 of the second but Ottawa struck back five minutes later on a goal by Corvo. The third period saw the Rangers playing rope a dope as Heatley brought the Sens to within two at the 14:02 mark. Ottawa put 15 shots on goal in the third period but the Rock (Lundqvist) was there for all but Heatley's goal. Betts ended it with a empty netter for his first of the year. The Rangers only put four shots on goal in the third period.
So the Rangers who couldn't win a game on the road, now can't lose on the road. They are 6-0-1, with the shootout loss to Florida, in their last seven road games. Jagr scored in his third straight game and finally looks like he is ready to become Jagr. The question is, are the Rangers that good or is Ottawa, in a big six winless run, that bad? But the power play was 2-6 and has now scored two PP goals in the last two games. The Rangers are two points behind Ottawa for the Eastern Conference lead. How about that!
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dear rp,
yes...it was a good win in ottawa today but its still looks like a team thats kinda going though the motions..i just want to see some passion..i want to see someone stand up for prucha when he gets hit almost every game by neil! I remember when drury got hit by neil in buffalo last year and it seemed that the ENTIRE team wanted to destroy neil..he put avery out for a couple of games and to me it just seems that "oh well" mentality and maybe im just old school but you cant have guys just running your players even if you do win a game! to me this is why the islanders have our number so far..they are WILLING to do the dirty things to get the job done...i would love to see how keenan would have dealt with neil...is esa still skating?
thoughts?
respectfully,
james hipple
bronx ny
Ah, Philly. You are right, Pundit - it makes me happy.
James...I completely agree with you- no one is protecting the little guy and there were a number of times Ottawa's Neil took cheap shots, like Marc Staal getting tackled behind their net and although pinned to the ground, Neil kept pushing his head down, cheap shots...we saw nothing from our Blueshirts. Though, even resident enforcer Colton Orr drew some time penatly minutes for our Rangers by NOT fighting on the challenge. It lead to goals.
There is something to be said of controlling the game as they did- without fighting. Although new to the game, we have seen Girardi & Staal step up and enforce when anyone gets in the way of Henrik.
I think they're a team in transition..no question. If they keep transitioning the 'right way' then we're all in for a hell of a season.
Though, as Pundit would ask, "where the hell is the coach?"
tdr
blueknight5754-Passion? You want to see passion with all these euro-soccer players we have on the team? The Islanders and the Sabres have coaches who demand retaliation. Coach clueless is a pontificator. You know how Keenan would deal with Neil. If he didn't have 'the guy' he would make sure the GM bought 'the guy'. Remember, 1994, the guys he traded away, skilled, to get the tough guys willing to do the dirty work. Good comments. Thanks.
the dark ranger-It may have worked this game but what do we do when we have to get thru Ottawa in a seven game series? Keenan broke up a goal scoring oriented team to get some muscle and as James would say to do the dirty things. It paid off big time with a Cup. Thanks.
Folks, may i respectfully submit that Renney is not such a bad coach, but that it has been the captain who has been absent up until now? And that the thing (or, more appropriately, the person) that has brought Jags back has been Marty Straka? Is Marty Straka the lynchpin of this team?
section 330-If Straka is the lynchpin we are in deep do do. Like last year, the young guys will take over the team. Jagr will always be Jagr, hopefully a plus. And the coach is still clueless.
Section 303, respectfully back atch ya...THIS COACH LACKS COACHING. I think the best thing Renney could do is poach a Ted Nolen or Ken Hitchcock as his Dick Cheney, and as a final gesture promote Marek Malik to management to some non-threatening capacity.
haha...i cant wait to see what the pundit has to say after a DREADFUL loss last night...im warning all my faithful ranger fans...this is what your gonna be seeing for the rest of the season...avery is the only thing that makes this team go he gets under everyones skin including his own team and it forces them to up there game!
RP, I hope you're right. We've definitely been seeing some great things from the kids this year and last.
But the first line needs to show up, and Straka seems to help Jags do that (although not last night, of course).
DR, that's 330, not 303. And, while I don't think Coach Renney is the best coach in the league, this team has seen some worse coaches in recent years (I'm not even going to list them, you know who they are). Be happy that Dolan/Sather hasn't yet chosen to replace him with some "coach" that denies us the playoffs for another (close to a) decade.
And anonymous, the team definitely misses Avery, and he invigorates them, but he's not the anchor of this team -- that would be Hank. I hope Avery gets back soon. I think the team will play better with him in the lineup. But they can still win without him.
the dark ranger-Make him the coach of the Czech Mates.
anonymous-I didn't show up at the Garden last night and neither did the Rangers.
section 330-Lundqvist is the anchor, the key man in fact The Man. No other way to put it. Why do we always get the coach who is not the worst? How about one time we get the coach who is the best.