New York Rangers' Petr Prucha gets the puck past Philadelphia Flyers' goalie Antero Niittymaki for a goal during the first period of their NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008 in Philadelphia.It is a guess every night which Ranger team will show up. Last night it was the work there asses off, drive to the net and play unreal defense. Tonight vs. the Devils it could be shot from the perimeter, play awful transition defense and lose 3-1. The Devils usually wake the Rangers up, so I expect them to play hard and well, a win I am not so sure. They need these 2 points bad.
They have played most games of any of the 4-5 teams battling for seeds 5-8 so they have to get to the top of that group in case teams win those games in hand. One good thing, all the teams in seeds 9-15 have played the same amount of games or only one less (except Buffalo who have 3 games in hand) so they are a legitimate 8 seed, as only the Sabres and Isles could catch them if they win all of there games in hand. What a race this will be to the final playoff spots.
Quick Notes
Doesn’t it seem every time Renney tweaks the lines he finds a diamond in the rough line that sparks the team? Once it was putting Gomez with Shanny for a stretch, then Gomez back with Jagr. He did the kid line for a couple weeks, put Avery with Jagr and now put 2 hard nosed players with talent on Drury’s line. That line clicked all night. I still think Avery should be with Jagr/Gomez and then Shanny with Straka/Dubi but that is just me. If this Drury line plays this hard every night have to keep them together.
Power Play- I have said it all year this is the key to this team. I was not overly impressed last night with the PP but they did play well 5-5 and did not need the PP. That will not happen every night. Anyone notice the one PP goal they did score it was a wrist shot from the point with 2 Rangers in front…….interesting concept! I do not love Renney but he was yelling all AM skate to drive to the net boys, with some F-bombs thrown in (per beat writers Glen Sather is on this trip so they are not surprised Renney was acting this way, Thanks for this info Bob).
Player of the Game
Drury- 1 goal, 1 assist 5 of 7 on Face-offs, integral part of holding # 1 PP team in league to no PP goals. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE PAYING FOR!!!
Side note: Much props to Valiquette and his first career shutout. While he was not tested most of the night, he did make a couple saves in first period that were important. Although, with the Rangers defense Steven Mcdonald could have shut out the Flyers last night (okay that was wrong and even I am a little offended by that sentence….)
They have played most games of any of the 4-5 teams battling for seeds 5-8 so they have to get to the top of that group in case teams win those games in hand. One good thing, all the teams in seeds 9-15 have played the same amount of games or only one less (except Buffalo who have 3 games in hand) so they are a legitimate 8 seed, as only the Sabres and Isles could catch them if they win all of there games in hand. What a race this will be to the final playoff spots.
Quick Notes
Doesn’t it seem every time Renney tweaks the lines he finds a diamond in the rough line that sparks the team? Once it was putting Gomez with Shanny for a stretch, then Gomez back with Jagr. He did the kid line for a couple weeks, put Avery with Jagr and now put 2 hard nosed players with talent on Drury’s line. That line clicked all night. I still think Avery should be with Jagr/Gomez and then Shanny with Straka/Dubi but that is just me. If this Drury line plays this hard every night have to keep them together.
Power Play- I have said it all year this is the key to this team. I was not overly impressed last night with the PP but they did play well 5-5 and did not need the PP. That will not happen every night. Anyone notice the one PP goal they did score it was a wrist shot from the point with 2 Rangers in front…….interesting concept! I do not love Renney but he was yelling all AM skate to drive to the net boys, with some F-bombs thrown in (per beat writers Glen Sather is on this trip so they are not surprised Renney was acting this way, Thanks for this info Bob).
Player of the Game
Drury- 1 goal, 1 assist 5 of 7 on Face-offs, integral part of holding # 1 PP team in league to no PP goals. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE PAYING FOR!!!
Side note: Much props to Valiquette and his first career shutout. While he was not tested most of the night, he did make a couple saves in first period that were important. Although, with the Rangers defense Steven Mcdonald could have shut out the Flyers last night (okay that was wrong and even I am a little offended by that sentence….)
1 comment:
Guess what Ranger had his alarm set for the post All Star break games? The Alarm has rung so look out for more goals from Jagr.
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