I read an article the other day that said that Paul Maurice is in trouble as the Toronto Maple Leaf coach. If Maurice is in trouble then coach clueless is in double trouble and in fact should be finished.
Before a less than capacity crowd, at least 2-3 thousand short, and about a couple of thousand Toronto fans, the Rangers worst nightmare is starting to take shape. Henrik Lundqvist played like a mere mortal tonight and gave up four goals on ten shots before exiting after the second period.
Henrik Lundqvist is in a slump and therefore the scoreless wonders known as the New York Rangers are also in in a slump. You can't have one without the other. Forget Jagr. Forget Avery. As Lundqvist goes so go the Rangers. Lundqvist has given up 15 goals in 5 games while the Rangers have scored 13 goals in those 5 games and are 2-3 in those five games. Lundqvist cannot save the inept and soft Ranger defense much longer. Lundqvist has not been that sharp since coming back from that one game rest against the Panthers in Florida.
After scoring nine goals against the Islanders and Senators the Ranger offense has returned to mediocrity. The two goals tonight were by defensemen Girardi and Tyutin and both were on power plays. The even strength Ranger offense did nothing. There was no forecheck or sustained offense. They got all of 25 shots on goal. While the D supplied the offense its defense left something to be desired. Toronto forechecked with two forwards, sometimes three, and the Rangers had trouble getting the puck out of their own end. The so called top pair of Rozsival and Malik were awful and Malik's double minor led to a Toronto PP goal that started the rout. It is galling to know that when Mara returns it will not be Malik who sits. It'll be either Strudwick or Staal.
So we have useless Malik while Pock is in Hartford and we have useless Hossa while Dawes is scoring goals in Hartford. Of course we have a lot of other uselesses but most of them make big bucks and it's only a question of time before they open up and turn things around. At least that's what coach clueless and the drive by sports media would have us believe.
So coach clueless will preach defense at all costs tonight in Atlanta and those of you that were all excited about us being in first place in the Atlantic Division may soon find that by the end of this week or early next week the Rangers will be in last place in the Atlantic Division.
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dear rp,
all i have to say is "what did i tell you?" this is the beginning of things to come...the team is TOP heavy..and not enough people willing to pay the price to get the job done...remember the 94 cup team i said..mctavish noonan larmer kocer players willing to pay the price and the lashings of the old coach keenan! to all the rp fans out there...be for warned..this is a sign of things to come and get ready for a long frustrating season! (kinda like watching the giants)
thanks for the space rp~!
james hipple
bronx ny
You know it's bad when your 4th line is the best of the game. They at least made an effort to play last night. I'm tired of watching these guys pass up shots just to get it to Jagr who, guess what, DOESN'T SHOOT IT! Jagr has gotten very lazy this year and seems to have lost a step as well. Hossa is a fourth liner and PK specialist at best. Bring back Dawes, at least he SHOOTS the puck AT THE NET!
You know how you break out of this scoring slump? Somebody has to pay the price and stand in front of the goalie and get the rebound! We need garbage goals. It's amazing how lost this team is without Avery in there stirring it up...
RP, can't bring Pock back now, he will get claimed. Yeah, another smart move by "coach clueless"
-STRYKER
Pretty soon I'll be known as The Darker Ranger....I hate that we are all complaining about our beloved franchise...it's just that the coach and team suck. Losses bring out the inarticulate one in me.
tdr
blueknight5754-Steve Larmer, what a player. Remember when Keenan benched Leetch in the playoffs? Coach clueless doesn't have the guts to bench anybody but Pock and he's not on the team anymore.
James, thanks for your comments. As usual, they are right on target.
Pundit
Stryker-Pock is hopelessly trapped in Hartford and will be traded before the season is over. Fourth line neds more ice time at the expense of the Jagr line. With Dawes and Avery in the lineup the team will have a different look but we ain't going nowhere until Lundqvist gets back to form. Thanks for your comments.
Pundit
TDR-Hang in there baby. You are a rookie to this. I've had to put up with this for seventy years. Imagine two Cups in 67 years and they talk about tradition. It can be fixed very easy. Get a new coach. Anyone say Pat Burns?
Pundit