Eight-plus hours removed from the final buzzer and it is still hard to think about the 4-3 loss by the Rangers tonight to the Hurricanes. After a bit of soul searching I have found some peace in this: as pathetic a piss-poor game as the Blueshirts played, they still came within a few posts of victory. That has to be heartening, right?
As the boys will be back in action in a few more hours, I'll just keep this brief:
*It is my sincerest wish that all of you MDZ apologists and fanboys at the start of the season are finally seeing the gaping holes in his game. Mike Sauer should be re-inserted into the lineup, not for Eminger (who is, indeed, not particularly capable himself) but for Del Zotto. The kid is incompetent in the Ranger end and his offense hasn't been good enough to make up for it. He is taking the extra slack Torts is giving to defensemen who want to pinch and helping tie the noose that is hanging the team. Time to teach the kid accountability.*Nice goal by Staal though.
*Grachev played, supposedly. I noticed two shifts of his, one of which was passable with a hit but he turned the puck over.
*Anisimov can be knocked off the puck with a stiff breeze and is running around seemingly by himself half the time. That is better that Frolov, who isn't running around much at all. His halfhearted skating, shooting and passing are utterly infuriating.
*The officiating wasn't particularly pleasing either. But when you have to blame the refs ...
*The big swirl that makes up the logo of the Hurricanes must have looked like a target to the Blueshirts because it seemed like they were aiming for it - hitting Cam Ward in the chest time after time after time.
*Jeff Skinner is good.
*Brian Boyle was not. Up there with his worst efforts as a Ranger. And Brandon Prust needs to heal faster because his game is just not the same. His effort can not be questioned, but that extra spark is just not there.
*The only two Blueshirts to show legitimate chemistry is Avery and Fedotenko - and they have been together almost exclusively since preseason. Hmmm, playing together and staying together develops chemistry, which is good? What a concept? Too bad they were saddled with Susan on this evening.
*I said in Peepin Foes that the Rangers needed to limit the amount of space Anton Babchuk would get and they didn't, and it cost them.
*Good crowd but not a whole lot of Whalers jerseys (if any). A shame.
*PHW Three Stars
3-Ryan Callahan - one goal and one assist.
2-Erik Cole - one goal and one assist.
1-Jeff Skinner - two goals and one assist.
Scotty Hockey Three Stars3-Tuomo Ruutu - He hit, he was a pain in the ass and he collected a goal and two assists.
2-Hank - He was ran multiple times, he had no help whatsoever and he still kept the Rangers in it until the bitter end.
1-Skinner - So when your team sucks, you get higher draft picks, and high draft picks often turn into better players? How about that? Al Montoya what?
5 comments:
Seems like the Rangers are in a bigger hole than they've ever been at the beginning of the season compared to the last 2 seasons. Going to be tough getting out of this one at the tail end of this season.
I'm surprised you didn't put much emphasis - though I do understand your frustration - on the work ethic Dubinsky and Callahan have been putting in. They're getting the points, they're being active on the ice and they did create a few good chances.
MDZ has really deteriorated as a player. His passes are getting intercepted, he's not filling the gaps where he needs to - he seems to be a little worse than Redden who used to make 1-2 big mistakes per game last season.
Are your Peepin' Foes feature dead for this season? Miss that piece.
Yea I agree, MDZ's play has been pretty bad. Although I like that he is taking more shots on the pp, alot of his game is shit. His passing has been atrocious, and he cant keep the fucking puck in during a powerplay, it is too frustrating. The problem is that the Rangers do not have enough defensive depth to sit him. (Gilroy and Eminger have been shaky at best).
Duni - I did Peepin Foes for the last two games, whatcha talkin about? Couldnt do one for tonight with the quick turnaround and a late night. There will be one for Monday. As for Dubi and Cally, I sing their praises often and their hard work is getting to be par for the course. I just hope there is another gear there.
About the Peepin Foes - You know what it was... my stupid RSS reader - it never listed them.
MDZ is terrible at even strength. Even in junior when he was on the same Oshawa team as John Tavares for 3 years and a loaded London team once both were traded, Del Zotto was a minus player twice.
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