Rangers Recap: Higgins late goal holds off Bruins comeback, Rangers win 3-2

Sam Rosen has to be one of the busiest announcers in sports. He did the Rangers game Saturday, the Packers-Cards game in AZ yesterday, now he is doing the Fiesta Bowl.

Jim, are you surprised…it’s Idaho vs Texas.

Anisimov and Lisin should be playing at least 15 minutes a night. Big game for Dubi, Kotalik and Higgins (they must have read my stories)

The fact that Brian Boyle (who I’m convinced never adjusted after the growth spurt) gets as much playing time as Anisimov and Lisin is criminal. I see this team’s future, and it involves many more flying water bottles…

that AA and Lisin not getting more time is criminal.

I could care less (well..I like the win..) that Higgins finally scored a goal.

AA and Lisin get much better chances then Higgins..and probably cuz they play half the time, don’t hit home more often.

we’ve said a couple times before that Higgins scoring a goal will bring him out of his slump, and guess what it never happend. Hes never coming out of his slump and he has been added to my shit list of Rangers, with the likes of Redden, Rozi, Dru, Brash, and Kotalik. but I will thank him for the win tonight. also thanks to Kotalik for the win as well. I guess my shit list got it done tonight. lol

i see the points you all are making about players scoring/not scoring … producing/not producing, and i also agree with points on both sides … but the one thing that is getting a little more consistent with these last 9 games are wins & points … 6-1-2 in the last 9, and points in 8 of the last 9 … i guess as long as they’re getting the results, its doesn’t matter a whole lot who is producing or not … like Tortellini says in the rangers commercials … “find a way to get it done”

Does anyone here subscribe to ESPN insider? I saw an insider headline that mentioned Ranger’s trade rumors on their NHL page but couldnt read it cause I dont subscribe. Not that I put much stock in ESPN rumors but is it possible that what we’ve feared all along has begun? …. Sather panic mode… ?

That one-handed goal by Christensen was pretty. He didn’t do that in Pittsburgh.

Slither was just waiting for him to score a goal at MSG to make the announcemement. “A million dollars a goal…a complete bargain I tell ya. Just ask Reds!” Slather was quoted as saying at the presser.

In seriousness though, I may be picking a bad time to criticize him because he is skating well (Flyers debacle excluded), but Dubi has absolutely NO finish. Between last night, the Carolina games and the Flyers game he’s had no fewer than 7 sparkling opportunities from excellent scoring positions and has managed to fire the puck directly in to the goalies crest, pads or glove every time. Is it just me or has anybody else noticed?

Dubinsky has some finish and if you notice Duby has a better SPCT than everyone except AA and Gabby. The reason i can deal with him when it comes to not scoring goals like a maniac is because he creates plays, passes and gives his body to the game like Cally does, 4goals in 10 games may not be all star caliber but thats exactly what i expect from Duby every ten games… do that for a year and you have 25-35 goals..

is really what he needs to work on even though hes doing a great job now i want them to get better together so in maybe a year there chemistry together will be as solid as can be.

Have we come to expect Redden not to do anything… this is really a joke 1 goal and 5 assists ugh

Ok, so I’m up in Montreal and this is the first time in a minute that I’ve been able to watch the team skate aside from the recap clips on nhl.com. i also listen to the games on the internet when possible. A couple of thoughts. My impression is that our problems really stem from a weak defensive corp. After seeing the game I totally agree with the comments on here about Redden. He just doesn’t project urgency or display the kind of guiding force that we need for our young blueliners. Why is it that a teenager like MDZ is always in the mix, creating opportunities, throwing hits, making the outlet passes. This is what Redden was paid for and he seems to be really, really throwing a wrench into the system. Our other solid guys are Gilroy and Stall and they are both KIDS.

Given that we have a young and talented but inexperienced defense, it looks to me like Torts has had to change his accustomed game plan. Instead of an attacking, rushing team, he’s working on making us into a tight two way, defensive minded offensive team. In other words, we try to lock down and take the goals when we can get them…problem is, they don’t come. But, I will say, that the rangers are starting to gel with that approach. I take back a lot of the negative things I was saying about Drury because I thought he played an excellent game last night. He looked excellent on the penalty kill and definitely showed leadership in terms of smart, responsible hockey. And I swear to you that I was thinking this before his late goal, but Higgins looked really good along the boards and keeping puck control…correct me if I’m wrong, perhaps I need to see more, but I don’t think the turnovers which led to Boston’s zone clearing or odd man rushes can be put on Higgy’s doorstep. Like Drury, he was also playing very good two-way hockey. Can’t say the same for Avery and even though I love him it seems to me that he may be enjoying the NYC nightlife too much. He’s off his knocked off his feet and his game way, way too much and is winning less of the battles that he used to for loose pucks. He simply doesn’t appear mentally or physically sharp and, I’m sorry, but I’ve seen this in Ranger players for years. My opinion is that he’s drinking too much and chasing women. It happens when farm boys from Canada hit the city and start to become mesmerized by the velvet carpet…I’m telling you, he’s a Burress waiting to happen. Trade him NOW! Lots of teams would love to have him and he’s a great asset to a club, and a media market, when he’s in shape and urgent.

Look, we can’t have it both ways. Yes, we need both Drury and Higgins to close when they get the chance, but its also about the realities of their on ice duties. We NEED to get rid of Redden or Avery and replace them with a SOLID defenseman who will lighten the burden on Gilroy, DZ, Stall and Lundquist. Allow them to play, as in grow and make the occasional mistake without ruinous results. This will also free up our offensive game. If we can do that any number of these guys we rant about, most of whom are proven 20 goal scorers will begin to light up the back of the net.

In the meantime, I think the stretch against the bottom has been very productive for us. We know our limits, we know our strengths, we came out something like FIVE games over where we were a few weeks ago…remember being two games under five hundred? Lets give Torts some props for the way he’s balancing the psychology of the bench and the roster. Not an easy task at all. He just may be getting his message across and its showing in slow but steady improvement and stability on and off the ice. I also credit Sather for not panicking like a lot of us are. We’re at the midpoint and the next month is our first REAL test of the season. Oh, and I wasn’t all that impressed by Gabby last night. I hope he’s not paying more attention to the NHL scoring race than the overall collective dynamic of the team. I’d much rather have him come in fifth or sixth in scoring and see a more two-way effort than the one I witnessed last night…then again, it did feel like he was a rocket waiting for a teammate to work with.

What do you think?

Peace y’all,

voice

some very good points, most of them i agree with but…

unlike a lot of other guys on the team, higgens does seem to create many of the opportunities he doesn’t capitalize on and i think that its due to the backward, defensive zone leaning philosophy of the club. i’ve watched him skate, both at yale in the NCAA and up here in Montreal and he does know how to finish but not like a gabby. when he was putting up higher numbers in Montreal he a) played with a very sound overall club and b) was getting criticized for not balancing his play…i.e., doing the “little things.” also, its one thing to get a chance on a rush, its another thing to get chances when the team is able to set up shop in the offensive zone…something i note the rangers are having a hard time doing. there are guys in the league who are great on shootouts but don’t get much ice time during the game because the can’t do the “little things.” they’re good at flying in on a rush and doing a nifty stick bob to pull down a goaltenders pants…but digging in the corners and keeping the puck in at the blueline is another tale.

by the way, i hate this term, “little things.” it basically means doing everything that’s very, very important for a solid hockey club. we like to note how well lundquist has been playing but i bet he’d be the first to note that he’s getting help from drury and higgens who are sliding back deeper into the zone to clog up the front of the ranger net and get those pucks into the corner for a scramble.

Torts has been juggling a lot because players are injured and combinations either aren’t working or other combinations are working and need to be compensated for. we got hit by a string of bad injuries which started the slide.

didn’t you think christian fit pretty well up front? once that started working, did he keep juggling him off? i didn’t notice…

by the way, if you’re going to integrate Lisen and AA, you’re only asking for more juggling. he knows they’re there…but perhaps stabilizing certain key players is more important right now? just a thought.

like i said, i haven’t been able to watch the games as much as i need to in order to make accurate assessments…most of this is just coming from watching a handful of games this year and i definitely appreciate the “banter” on this site. for sure, part of my defense of higgins has to do with my rooting for the guy because i want him to succeed…not sure that’s enough tho.

the coming games will provide a huge test.

v

a rumor on n.h.l.snipers dot com has the rangers sending dubinsky and higgins plus 2 first round picks for ilya the great . folks you know i said many times before we need scoring but to not get a #1 scoring center in return because kolvachuck is a winger and to give up 2 first round picks i think i will pass…