3 Stars
1st Star - The House of Horrors (Lived up to its name tonight)
2nd Star - My liquor cabinet
3rd Star - My local bar after I finished with the 2nd Star.
Post Game Cocktail Recommendation
Gif of the Game
Somehow the NHL is doing everything it can to phase fighting out of the game, but a hit like this is tolerated. Unbelievable.
Anyone Seen the Defense?
It's been a slog for the Rangers defensively the last two and a half months, but tonight was especially brutal:
Seriously, were they playing short-handed after the first period? Other than having Lundqvist in goal, of course. :)
Worst Case Scenario
Not sure you could have scripted a worse case scenario for Lundqvist tonight. First he's healthy scratched for the 200th time this season. Then he watches from the bench as Raanta puts on a goaltending clinic in the first period. Finally, when called upon to fill-in he promptly allows the first shot to get past him and from there it only got worse. Although, as shown above, it's hard to completely blame Lundqvist with all the defensive breakdowns.
It seems ridiculous to say this after Lundqvist was bombed yet again, but I feel that AV made a huge mistake going with Raanta tonight. The Rangers need to get Hank on a roll and the only way to do that is by letting him play. Would like to see AV lean on "The King" until the All Star break and then evaluate.
Depending on the extent of Raanta's injury, we might get this anyway.
60 Seconds in Hell
Remember playing the kissing game "60 Seconds in Heaven" when you were in middle school?
Well what happened between the 10:53 and 11:55 mark of the third period was "60 Seconds in Hell." Sadly, this isn't the first time seeing something like this in Montreal for the Rangers:
The DeLury Reverse Mush Parts IV & V
In the fourth and fifth installments of the DeLury Reverse Mush (Part I, Part II, Part III), here were my thoughts on Rick Nash and Brandon Pirri after Friday night's loss to Toronto.
The NHL War Room in Toronto Loves the Rangers
Since I've returned to blogging, I swear the Rangers are 5-for-5 on goal or offsides replays. I think they were 0-for-500 before that.
While the first and third reviews were correctly reversed and confirmed respectively, it looks like the Rangers caught a break on the Nash goal. I mean, Hayes basically dragged Price out of the crease by his skate. I guess it's considered incidental contact but if I'm Montreal I'm expecting to get that call after first goal was reversed. I'm not looking it up but this has to be first time in NHL history a team has three goal reviews in their favor and still loses. Only the Rangers in Montreal.
Sadly, the Rangers should have won another review this weekend as AV absolutely should have challenged the James van Riemsdyk goal Friday night as Kadri runs into Lundqvist impeding him from making the save.
Leading By Example
I know he caused the breakaway with his own turnover, but damn that's what you call a recovery.
Some captains lead by emotion. Others by intimidation. With McDonagh, it's by example as proved on this outstanding effort.
Mini Recap
- If you expected any other result in Montreal tonight, you deserve to be devastated. There's no more perfect name for the Bell Centre than the Rangers "House of Horrors."
- It really is too bad injury forced the Rangers to turn to their backup goaltender tonight.
- It really is too bad injury forced the Rangers to turn to their backup goaltender tonight.
- This game was literally the antithesis of Friday night. It had everything: goals, comebacks, controversy, fights, speed and emotion. The Toronto game? Not so much.
- After an 0-for-6 on the power play Friday night vs. the Maple Leafs effectively sealed the Rangers fate, the extra man did them in again as they couldn't extend the lead on Shaw's five minute major which obviously came back to bite them.
- The biggest disappointment of tonight's meltdown was the wasted offensive performances of Nash, Miller and Hayes. After taking a step back last season, Hayes is developing into one of the top young centers in the NHL. Plus, his look off pass on the Miller short handed breakaway goal was sweet.
- Speaking of Miller, who was an assist away from the "Gordie Howe Hat Trick," kudos on sticking up for Fast. Looks like the team did learn something from the Eakin/Lundqvist situation.
- It's still only January, so Rangers fans need not panic. Not yet anyway. But with how well Washington, Pittsburgh and Columbus are playing the Rangers can't afford to let too many more of these games slip through their fingers.
Remember to follow me on Twitter & Facebook or e-mail me at nyrfan94@yahoo.com.
- It's still only January, so Rangers fans need not panic. Not yet anyway. But with how well Washington, Pittsburgh and Columbus are playing the Rangers can't afford to let too many more of these games slip through their fingers.
Remember to follow me on Twitter & Facebook or e-mail me at nyrfan94@yahoo.com.
Impeccable use of videos especially the one with Scott and Boof. Seriously, something needs to be done with this defense. Am I to understand Rangers scouts have been sniffing around the Providence AHL games? It sounds like the glut of forwards may initiate a trade. I always pencil a game up at Bell as a loss. However, for awhile I had a glimmer of hope - lasting until the dreadful 1:02 of hell. Think you are right about Lundqvuist - I always hate the infamous 'upper' or 'lower' body verbage.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog
I was going to go with Teen Wolf Tooooooooo!!!! lol
DeleteIt's obvious Gorton has to do something with improving defense corps, but it doesn't have to be a marquis defenseman that he has to bring in. Klein and G are killing us right now. A solid stay at home 5 or 6 would be fine. Do you agree? Or AV doesn't not like stay at home dee?
ReplyDeleteThey definitely could use a little snarl in the back end.
DeleteListen. At what point is it acceptable to criticize the "world class" goaltender? You have the #NHF crowd. NHF you ask? The Not Hank's Fault crowd. It seems after every goal allowed by Lundqvist there is that group that immediately puts all blame on the Ranger defense. We can criticize Girardi and Klein and deservedly so but why not the 8.5 million dollar goaltender who, at 34, clearly isn't playing up to the contract he signed. He even admits it himself but to a segment of the fanbase, at least on social media, it's blasphemous to even place any blame on #30. Other teams have their defensive issues as well. This isn't exclusive to the Rangers. But Hank just isn't making the saves he used to make. For whatever reason it's not happening this season. He's not bailing out the defensive breakdowns but even if the defense is playing a more above average game Hank isn't making some more "routine" saves either. I think it's time to accept that Hank is past his prime. This season we're going nowhere. The expectations weren't high coming in to this season and as far as I'm concerned this team, especially with the injuries, have exceeded those expectations. Give Gorton another offseason to attack the defense and let's see how Hank responds.
ReplyDeleteLundqvist is absolutely getting more blame than he deserves but make no mistake about it, Raanta has been the better goaltender. If nothing else, Hank's struggles have exposed what the Rangers D really is and has been. Hopefully Gorton takes notice.
DeleteRaanta has been the better goaltender but in far fewer games and for whatever reason they play a tighter game in front of him. My guess is if Antti was shouldering a larger load his numbers would not be quite so good. And I do not mean to denigrate anything he has done this year - he's been terrific.
DeleteBlame it on Hank all you want but he's not going anywhere and won't be in the near future. They only way to help him and the team is to give the defense a shot in the arm (hello Mr.Gorton). Our defense does not play physically enough in front of the net or in the defensive zone. Need a little piss and vinegar on this team or we will be golfing early this spring.
DeleteThis is really a strange stretch for Henrik. You have to wonder if this is just a slump or if there is something else going on. I don't think it's a "decline" - way too precipitous for that. Injury? Personal? I don't know. But I hope he and they figure it out. I am definitely of the camp that he needs to play and play and play some more. The Antti/AV/Chronicles may have been just enough to mess with his perfectly coiffed head...
ReplyDeleteI just don't think he has the ability to carry this flawed of a defense anymore. If Gorton can fix the defense I think you'll see Hank rebound as well.
DeleteI agree. At least half if not more of the goals against in the last 2 games came from uncontested shots directly in front of him. It's actually mind boggling. His press conference last night was sooo painful. Looked like he was not sure whether to lash out or cry. Ouch.
DeleteMaybe Hank has us all biting on a giant ruse. He's been concocting this for the past year or so, letting in softies to get Gorton to try to upgrade the D before it's too late and Hank is totally out of his prime. (It's 11:45 and we're still waiting for beer at this party) He knows he's got a few good runs left, knows the O is good enough to carry the team, but sees the giant hole in the D. He's a mastermind I tell you, MASTERMIND!
DeleteIt's so clear now! lol
Deletehttps://youtu.be/zgr3AoKWtbw
ReplyDelete"You don't have to be your best every night when you know he's back there" - Dan Girardi on playing in front of Henrik, heard at the 1:46 mark of this video. He actually said that. Confirmation that the team plays differently in front of him than they do in front of their backups.
Wow! That's telling.
Delete