The more things change the more they stay the same. With new guys, Jokinen and Prust, in the lineup the results were the same. Lundqvist held the opposition to two goals. Gaborik scored the only Ranger goal, his 34th. The Ranger power play was futile, and gave up a goal. The Rangers lost, 2-1. So nothing has changed there.
The power play went 0-3. In the last eight games it's 0-25. In the last fourteen games it's 3-48. It has only seven goals in the last eighty two chances. It gave up the first goal of the game, a short handed one, to Anze Kopitar on a very bad pass from Gaborik while the Rangers had five forwards on the ice. So nothing has changed there.
The second goal, scored by Ryan Smith, had a great assist from that Norris Trophy candidate, Michal Rozsival, who was absolutely invisible on the play. So nothing has changed there.
The offense was invisible also as Gaborik continues to carry the offensive load. Yes, he made a gaffe on the PP leading to a King short handed goal, but he can be excused as right now he is 24% of the Ranger offense. So nothing has changed there.
The loss was the fifth in the last six games and the latest slide has now reached 3-8-1. There are only five games left between now and the Olympics and the next game coming up is against the Caps who have won eleven straight and then the Devils. We are only three points ahead of the 13th place Islanders and only ten points ahead of the recharged Maple Leafs. So nothing has changed there.
The other new guy, Brandon Prust, got into a fight and then the refs applied the Avery rule to the fight and hence to Prust. Two for instigating, five for fighting and a ten minute misconduct. Seventeen minutes for a five minute fight. So nothing has changed there.
One game does not a season or a lasting impression make. However, as that old sage would say, it's getting late early. Addition is sometimes by subtraction and so far that seems to work, but we still need that big D man, which may have gone by the boards when Souray hurt his hand in a fight. So nothing has changed there.
In fact, in reviewing the game on Rangers in Sixty we lost again. So nothing has changed. And in the post-game news conference the coach was surly again. So truly, nothing has changed.
HockeyFights.com
Brandon Prust vs Brandon Segal -- Who won?
Brandon Prust -- 93.4%
Draw -- 3.3%
Brandon Segal --3.3%
Brandon Prust 2009-2010 Fight Card (19)
Brandon Prust 2008-2009 Fight Card (16)
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