Before last night's game, debacle, MSG replayed the greatest Ranger game ever, the 1994 6th game against the Devils. You remember the night? Rangers down 3-2 in games and Messier predicts a win. Messier scores a hat trick and ensures the win. During the game, Ranger coach Mike Keenan, calls a timeout and says absolutely nothing. The team goes out and comes back from a 2-0 hole and wins 4-2 to force a seventh game and as they say the rest is history.
Now I don't know Ranger coach Alain Vigneault, nor much about his abilities. He has coached some good teams and some bad teams. Right now he has a bad team that is in danger of spiraling out of control. They are 1-3 with five more road games. They go to St. Louis to play a very good Blues team, who are young, big and fast. The Rangers have none of those features right now. So if Vigneault has any tricks, or magic, or ideas now is the time.
In four games, 1-3, we have scored all of six goals and given up twenty goals. The team has been a step behind in all four games. Mistakes? Last night there were two fights and in both fights we picked up extra penalties. Two minutes in the first fight and four minutes in the second. The defense looks awfully confused. Now these are guys that have been on the ice with each other many times. So what is going on here?
The blowhards keep talking about the system. What system? It's hockey. How about the old reliable, "Let's go back to basics." You remember. Shoot when you have a shot. Hit your man when he has the puck. Protect your goalie and most important, remember, "Skate hard, shoot hard and pass hard " and like I tell my grandson, whose team is now 3-0, have fun. So far this season has not been fun.
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I think the players need their wives and/or GF's with them on this long road trip... cough, cough...
Look on the bright side folks, NYR chances of winning the #1 pick in the draft are gaining steam each game...
Feel bad for Lundqvist though, not his fault...
Dan: I think a couple of Larry Brooks tweets neatly summarize why all the alarm bells should be going off after this stinker start:
Most alarming 1: Girardi and McDonagh playing worst hockey of career. Same for Del Zotto. Lundqvist buckling under assault.
Most alarming 2: Stepan looks like an impostor. Zuccarello cant stay on his feet. Pouliot utterly clueless. Brassard has been invisible.
Well put Brooksie. Amazingly only Brad Richards is playing well. Who'd a thunk...
This team has absolutely no confidence at all. Its going to be a tall task for AV to get this team to be able to trust themselves again but over time and with consistency it can be done. This is like the fallout after the fall of a dictatorship where the people have no idea how to take care of themselves and then consider trading their new found freedom back for the structure of the ruler. With the old regime they didn't have to think for themselves. Now they do.
JB- Who'd a thunk? ME! Do you remember how I likened Brad Richards to a person who goes back to a job that previously burned him out? I said I wasn't willing to write him (or anyone) off. Then he and former coach had their fallout, coach is gone and Brad has new lease on life. I just wish his mates would follow him.
I think AV is probably a good coach but he remains my second choice to Messier, you know the so called inexperienced one Mike mentioned today. The guy we couldn't try because..... whatever.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS MOTLEY COLLECTION OF RANGER PLAYERS, YOU HAVE ONLY ONE TO BLAME--GLEN SATHER WHO TRADED AWAY THE ONLY TALENT THEY HAD..I CAN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE MOST OF THESE SUPPOSED PLAYERS