Two teams headed in opposite directions continued on their respective courses as the Caps roared back from a 5-3 deficit to defeat the Rangers 6-5. For the Caps it was their 12th straight win, for the Rangers it was their 7th loss in the past 8 games. The Rangers aided and abetted the Caps by giving them nine power plays and the Caps cashed in on three of them. For a change the Ranger power play was potent scoring four goals on six attempts.
So how do you lose when you score 4 power play goals in 6 attempts? You lose because you have a swiss cheese defense and you have lost all sense of discipline. How else to explain nine penalties. Think of it almost one full period of hockey was shorthanded. Against the Caps, that is deadly. True, some of the penalties were bogus but quite a few were stupid, like Dubinsky's boarding penalty with two and a half minutes left in the game.
The biggest goal, the game changer, was Ovechkin's goal with nine seconds left in the second period. He completely buffaloed Rozsival (what else is new) and made Lundqvist look silly. It ended the second period at 5-4, Rangers, instead of 5-3, Rangers. The Rangers had the rare experience of scoring five goals and none were scored by Gaborik, who had two assists.
So the Rangers are tied for 9th place, two points out of 8th, 3 points away frm 13th, and 10 points ahead of Toronto. Jokinen had a goal and an assist and took three penalties. Welcome to the Rangers. One thing gets fixed, the power play, at least temporary and the penalty kill falters. What do you expect when you give up nine penalties?
ICINGS: It's amazing. The Devils gave up dirt to get one of the premier goal scorers in the NHL, Ilya Kovalchuk. From the Rangers they wanted the house. Dubinsky, Girardi or Staal, a prospect plus the number 1 and number 3 draft picks. Good thing they couldn't find our Stealth GM.
Friday, February 05, 2010
Capital Punishment
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Discipline, not an easy thing to make a habit.
It takes focus and commitment, not great qualities of this organization as a whole.
Where's that defenseman who makes attackers get rid of the puck sooner, or makes them pay for their advances? Tom Poti should have been, quite simply, knocked off the puck, on his ass or otherwise.
Quite silly the way Tom Poti the Ranger killer was allowed to sashay in and score. Quite silly.
Lundqvist was mediocre at best.
It looks like your prediction that the Rangers won't make the playoffs is on track. Making the playoffs is certainly a big deal to Sather and Torts, probably gives them another year of job security, don't you think? So, therefore not making the playoffs is what we need to start making some house cleaning possible. Is anyone rooting for the playoffs and a one and done?
It will be interesting to see if the Olympics help or hinder Lundqvist's game. Remember four years ago, the Olympics cemented Lundqvist as big time:
The Prince Who Would Be King - The Prince deflected a wide open shot from Olli Jokinen that won the gold medal for Sweden...
Back in 2006 Lundqvist's GAA was 2.09 at the Olympic break, now it's 2.46. Is Lundqvist deteriorating or is it his defense? I think it's both. He's been run at a lot this year.
blow-me-down-It was an embarassment watching Tom Poti skating through the Rangers untouched. Unbelievable!
jb-The only people who will benefit from th Rangers making the playoffs are Ranger management and the coffers of MSG.
The fans should not be rooting for one and done. The fans should shake the myth that anything could happen in the playoffs.
Look at last year. We had the Caps in a 3-1 hole and they came back and whipped our butts.