Rangers Vs. Maple Leafs: What Michael Sauer's Return Means For The New York Rangers

let’s get this guy on the ice already

If the Rangers don’t score four goals tonight you might as well burn down the Garden.

Maybe they’re scoring, but their 5-1-2 record is deceiving. The five wins (four at home) were vs. MON (twice), OTT, CGY, and WPG, teams that are combined 11-19-4, with a combined GF/GA of 86/112. Despite the ease of schedule, the Leafs goal diff. is 26-27. They’ve given up fourteen goals in the last three games. I like the Rangers chances defensively this evening, and expect them to go for a fast transition to offense (please be smart, MDZ). With, you know, more use of speed and skill than the relatively cautious dump-and-chase we’ve seen for three demanding weeks on the road.

who’s going tonight?

i’ll be in section 329

Apart from the huuuuge encouragement from the crowd, an obvious edge, home ice will finally give the Rangers two important strategic advantages: in the first and third periods, the bench will be closer to the D zone (easier line changes, less fatigue), and over the entire game Torts will have the last personnel change (better F/O guys, better matchups). One could surmise that the Rangers will be do less scrambling on D, take fewer penalties, and keep lines together more.

For what it’s worth, TOR is only 1-2-0 on the road, the one win 5-4 @MON and the two losses 6-2 @BOS and 4-2 @PHI. If the Rangers are any good in all areas of the ice they should handle the wide-open, D- and G-challenged Leafs.

Let’s just hope there’s no first-game-back-after-a-long-road-trip letdown the way it sometimes goes.

Lets Go Rangers!

because his size and hitting will open up the offense.