Rangers Can't Beat Eastern Biggies

Maybe we should have stayed out West. We beat every team in the Pacific, except Arizona, who is coming up. Maybe we could negotiate a transfer of sorts. We go left coast and they send us the LA Clippers for our NBA team. After all LA has two NBA teams, New York has none. Go to the Pacific and we would be in second place in the Pacific, twelve games behind Anaheim, who we have already beaten.

It's plain and simple. Outside of Pittsburgh, we aren't doing too good with the top teams in the East. We are 0-3 with Tampa Bay and the Islanders, 0-2 against Montreal with Carey Price in the nets. We beat them 5-0 at MSG but Price was resting then. Another cause for concern is that the Boston Bruins are coming out of hibernation and we are 0-1 against them.

These teams have a commonality which is lacking in our Rangers. Young, big and fast across their lineup. Their fourth lines out play our third and sometimes second line. Plus, these teams play 60 minutes a game, a habit that has not yet formed on the Rangers. The same pattern follows on the defense. Our defense is good. Staal, McDonagh and Girardi are as good a trio the NHL has. However, we lack a D-man who can deliver teeth chattering hits.

Goaltending? We have a great goalie. In fact he is so good he takes the blame for losses that the rest of the team was responsible for. Take last night. Sure he should have had Max Pacioretty's shot, but was it necessary to berate himself as the cause of the loss. The Rangers didn't score. The last game vs Islanders they scored one goal  and that with 8 seconds left in the game. What were the other 18 guys doing? You don't score, you can't win. Lundqvist has bailed the Rangers out of many a game. Do you think it's time the team bailed him out?

After the game the usual tripe about we need to do ..............! How about at least one guy saying it wasn't Henrik's fault. You know. We win together, we lose together. Maybe we need changes. We do need a big moose that can center the number two line and put up some hits and numbers. Rumors have it we are looking to bolster the defense. The defense is fine. Only Tampa Bay has given up less goals in the NHL.  Get a big, good center man.

So it's Carolina, Florida and Boston coming up. Florida is six points behind us for the last playoff spot. It would be nice if we bounced back with a mini-streak. It's hard to believe. We go 16-4 and we are fighting for our playoff lives. Wouldn't San Diego look good this time of the year?

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