Cracked

The Rangers defense has been pretty solid most of this season. They haven't given up 5 goals in a loss since November. Before last night's 5-2 shellacking by the Anaheim Ducks the Rangers were fourth best in the league in goals scored against (at 164). Henrik Lundqvist's nine shutouts and steady backline play, of course, being a big key to that stat. Anyway, last night the Rangers team defense cracked like a big brittle Lady Gaga birthing egg. Arty Anisimov was the lead egg cracker and he was aided by Girardi and Staal doing their potted plant imitation.

Out of this decisive loss pops the reality that the Rangers are beat-up and trying to limp into the playoffs while be chased by a pack of other gimps. In the Conference of the Gimpy, the man with the crutch will win. Will Lundqvist again have to be our crutch?

A quick roundup of Rangerland finds the optimism running low this morning:

Andrew Gross / Ranger Rants:
Ducks 5, Rangers 2: Ugh. Just ugh --

Here’s what I saw through hazy eyes last night and fresh eyes this morning: a less talented team being outworked by a more physically imposing team...

Rick Carpiniello / Rangers Report:
Mighty Ducks-Rangers in review --

The Mighty Ducks have an awful lot of Monsters on their team. How in holy hell are they where they are in the standings? Maybe further proof of the difference between the Bestern Conference and the Leastern Conference … especially now that you see the lousy teams closing in on the Rangers...

Scotty Hockey:
35-30-4: ReDuckulous --

Brandon Prust, Ruslan Fedotenko and Brian Boyle all seemed to be playing hurt. When your energy guys have no energy you are in serious trouble...

Michael Gleich / Bleeding All Blue:
Rangers Unacceptable Performance Has Tortorella Admit "We Sucked" --

This team simply is not talented enough to put in the effort they did against Anaheim and beat anyone in this league. They have a style they must play and with a level of energy and effort they must play at to beat people and when it does not produce they will get blown out by anyone...