Boston played Vancouver yesterday at TD Garden in Boston and things got heated. The hard feelings from last year's tight seven game Stanley Cup finals quickly surfaced. When it was all done, 107 penalty minutes were assessed during the game, including 48 minutes in the first four minutes of the game. Vancouver ended up scoring 4 power play goals out of 11 opportunities and won the game 4 to 3. Boston went 0-for-7 on their power play opportunities.
Many observers believe that Vancover lost the Stanley Cup to Boston last year because of their woeful power play performance. Going into last year's Cup series, Vancouver was considered the superior squad on special teams, especially on power plays. But that wasn't the case in the Cup finals, Boston scored five power play goals to Vancouver only getting two power play goals in 30+ opportunities.
So the Canucks ended up scoring twice as many power play goals yesterday than they did in all of last season's seven game Stanley Cup finals.
The moral of this story is that the Rangers will need their power play to at least keep pace with their opponents if the want to go very far in the playoffs. Also, Boston will be a very difficult opponent to get past.
Hockey Fights.com:
Dale Weise vs Nathan Horton --
Results: Dale Weise 38.8% Nathan Horton 38.3% Draw 23.0% From 196 votes with an average rating of 7.2
NHL.com:
NHL rescinds game misconduct to Lucic --
The Game Misconduct penalty assessed to Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic during NHL Game #598 this afternoon in Boston has been rescinded, National Hockey League Senior Vice President and Director of Officiating Terry Gregson announced today.Canucks Hockey Blog:
Lucic was assessed a Game Misconduct 3:54 into the first period for violating National Hockey League Rule 70.1 – Leaving the Bench. However, a video review of the incident revealed that Lucic did not leave the bench to join or start an altercation but rather had entered the ice legally over the boards and was about to step back onto the bench through the door when he changed course and joined a scrum...
Did Lucic leave the bench to join in a line brawl? --
I’m confused about the NHL quickly rescinding Milan Lucic’s game misconduct after the Canucks’ 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins.Puck Daddy:
The league is apparently saying that Lucic was on a legal line change, and thus was allowed to be on the ice while the line brawl was happening. But I have a couple of issues with this...
Bruins, Canucks get chippy; suspensions coming for Lucic, Marchand? --
There was no love lost between the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks this afternoon in their rematch of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final that ended in a 4-3 win for the visitors. The opening four minutes of the game featured 40 minutes in penalties, a line brawl and a potential suspension coming for Milan Lucic...Kuklas Korner:
Canucks Battle Bruins to a 4-3 Win --
Within the first four minutes of the start of the game, we had an old-fashion line brawl...Bruins Blog: Analyzing Bruins-Canucks showdown
Boston Herald: Marchand’s in trouble
Everything I read about the Rangers is way to positive and I do not have a good feeling about it. The power play is not strong enough. Neither Dubi nor Arty are not 30-40 goal left wingers. The defense still lacks a body clearing force.
I like the pieces we have. But, we are missing two or three key parts. With a few breaks, and a hot goalie, a team like this could win a Cup, but should not.
Of the players who might be available, add Rick Nash or Bobby Ryan, along with either Lubomir Visnovsky or Keith Yandle and I like our chances.
I completely agree about the sense of euphoria that has swept thru Rangerland following the Winter Classic win. Many blogs are writing about how great a coach Torts is, and how the team has put its act together for a Cup run, etc, etc. It's all way too premature. I think they are riding a career type year by Lindqvist and also Biron as backup. Put them at the same level as last year and this team is a 3-4 places lower.
The weakness on the left side that you've pointed out, the power play ills, the patched together defense, injuries, all this has to temper the excessive optimism.
Nothing wrong with things going well though, it certainly drives interest in reading Rangers blogs.