Bantering Points: Everyone Pitching In
by Brandon C. on Dec 23, 2011 6:00 AM EST
in New York Rangers Links
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PrintThe New York Rangers are on a three game winning streak, which they look to extend to four tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers. Madison Square Garden will be the home for the intense battle between the rivals, the last matchup between the two before the Winter Classic.
The Rangers are two points out of first place in the Eastern Conference, a spot that is held by...the Philadelphia Flyers. So, with a win in regulation tonight, the Rangers can tie the Flyers for first place in the East.
What gives?
New York Rangers
@thenyrangersLots of votes for Del Zotto, Biron & Dubinsky for the Broadway Hat tonight...stay tuned to find out who wears the hat tonight!
This tweet had me thinking about the number of players that have contributed for the Rangers this season, especially those that were not expected to.
Marian Gaborik bounced back, Brad Richards is excelling, Ryan Callahan is scoring, and Dan Girardi is holding the fort defensively.
Those were expected.
Meanwhile, the likes of Michael Del Zotto, (+19) Carl Hagelin, John Mitchell, and even Martin Biron are stepping up.
Great teams have great depth, and that is why the Rangers are winning so much this season.
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That was far from a perfect game. The PP should have buried the Isles and it should not have taken an empty-netter to seal it. They play like that tonight and I can guarantee a loss. Dubi was one of the best Rangers out there last night but he had a flawed game as he coughed up the puck a few times that resulted in quality scoring chances. Biron was very good last night though I couldn’t see if that juicy rebound he gave up on the 2nd goal (Moulson) was his fault as my seats are at the other end of the ice. BR was invisible last night and has not produced much lately, that lucky game winning goal against the Yutes aside. They will need everyone tonight against the Giroux-led Flyers. Just think we could have picked that guy instead of Sangs. Oy, lol.
Sure there was some “luck” to Richard’s last second goal, but I wonder if most other Rangers would ever be so lucky to actually score there… I think Richards is playing well now – not great – but well. Overall, I agree with you that today they’ll have to pick it up a notch to beat Philthadelphia.
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Worst Rangers day: April 10, 1984
by Stepan the Ice! on Dec 23, 2011 9:47 AM EST up reply actions
BR was invisible last night and has not produced much lately, that lucky game winning goal against the Yutes aside
BR is a good, not great ES player. For reference, Richards is only 5th on the team with 15 ES points, 2 more than Dubinsky who is 6th. The team hasn’t really been drawing penalties, PHX game aside. (last 4 games 0,6,1,3 PPs). That will limit his effectiveness, especially as he is still absorbing a lot of tough minutes.
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by George E. Ays on Dec 23, 2011 9:55 AM EST up reply actions
don’t misunderstand, I’m not disappointed with him but he was not noticeable at all last night. After doing my daily reading on the Rangers others said it as well.
by Richter1994 on Dec 23, 2011 10:17 AM EST up reply actions
He fell down a few times, does that count?
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by Brandon C. on Dec 23, 2011 10:18 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
stralman was excellent last night
I listen to a buffalo radio station through my IPhone while at work (their the only radio station in the world that talks a lot of hockey). They were really praising our D and Boston’s D, I don’t have the numbers Infront of me but we have one of the fewest goals allowed in the league. This is with our top d man out in Staal and with sauer sitting for a good portion of the season, our blue line fully healthy come playoff time and hank well rested (thanks to Marty) we can do some damage fellas… And that chode over at the in Mickey mouse we trust blog thinks this squad doesn’t have a shot in the dark to ever win anything substantial
by ImMike88 on Dec 23, 2011 9:55 AM EST via iPhone app reply actions
This isnt a reply to you, but to fans in general that reply to what Devils fans are saying.
Why? They don’t watch our team every game and they don’t see what we see. They hate the Rangers, of course they’re going to say the Rangers aren’t going anywhere.
Context of criticism needs to be taken into account.
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by Brandon C. on Dec 23, 2011 10:17 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Even some of their own posters were critical of that statement. It’s one thing to not like a team because of a rivalry but it’s another to be completely biased that he can’t recognize that another team is better than his own. Granted the Devils did outplay the Rangers for long stretches in that particular game but the respective body of work for each team this season suggests that the Rangers have played better and might be better equipped to accomplish more.
I have no shame in admitting that teams like Boston, Philly and Pitt are solid squads (when healthy) and are reasonable candidates to win the East and possibly the Cup. I hope to the hockey gods they don’t, but that doesnt mean I stick my head in the sand about the abilities of those teams. Their mods will never ever give the Rangers credit unless they win their own trio of Cups.
by MyFavBaseballSquadron on Dec 23, 2011 10:25 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Again, I don’t understand why we need them to say the Rangers are a better team. It’s pretty obvious.
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"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
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by Brandon C. on Dec 23, 2011 10:28 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Underneath his crazy Devils bias is actually a fairly big stathead. He, like most, are looking at the Rangers season long shot metrics & PDO and seeing a team that should be doomed to fail. So that + normal Rangers hate creates quite the anti-Rangers cocktail.
Except a lot of the regression they’re expecting from PDO is already happening, and the shot metrics are improving daily. There’s still reason to be concerned (specifically about Biron, who’s played well above his career norms so far), but this team that may just be able to hang with the elite after all.
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by George E. Ays on Dec 23, 2011 10:30 AM EST up reply actions
Yeah they do a fair share of empirical analysis over there, so they shouldn’t have been surprised that an abnormally high PDO Rangers team combined with a declining Brodeur (I’m going to assume his ES save percentage has to be particularly poor due to many of his goals against coming at evens due to the strength of their PK, (although all those shorties against do some damage) wasn’t going to sway a Devils-tilted contest into the Rangers favor. He might have wanted shooting percent regression and PDO correction, but he’ll have no such satisfaction.
by MyFavBaseballSquadron on Dec 23, 2011 10:43 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Alright maybe I might of went a little over the top their lol, had to get that out of my system after reading the re-cap on their side and than the backlash of assaults I got from buddies who are devil fans about how my team is a one and done blah blah blah.. Just got under my skin, maybe it’s just my hatred for the devils
by ImMike88 on Dec 23, 2011 10:47 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Avery in tonite?
Don’t know how we fit him into this lineup… but if there ever was a game meant for Aves, this has gotta be it. If not, he has no purpose on our roster (some of you already support that statement). Thoughts?
There is no reason to mess with success, and no player has played poorly enough to deserve a benching.
I really hope he doesn’t play.
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"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
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by Brandon C. on Dec 23, 2011 10:15 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
but Torts took him out when they were on a roll earlier so I guess that only applies to Avery.
by Richter1994 on Dec 23, 2011 10:39 AM EST up reply actions
I don’t like making any switches when the team is on a roll except for switches caused by injury, or when a player is blatantly much worse than his replacement.
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"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
"Every day is a great day for hockey."
by Brandon C. on Dec 23, 2011 11:04 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
I agree with you Brandon that’s why Avery out when they were on a roll was not the right thing to do, no matter how you feel about Avery. they slid after that coincidentally.
by Richter1994 on Dec 23, 2011 11:50 AM EST up reply actions
The place he fits is instead of Rupp, but Tortorella really likes Rupp’s intangibles, and that roster spot seems to be based much more on those than actual production.
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by George E. Ays on Dec 23, 2011 10:31 AM EST up reply actions
RUPP
Is better suited for tonight. He is a bigger body. I understand alot of people here do not like his contract, but from the limited amount of time he has played, he does not look bad at all.
OUCH MY ELBOW HURTS!
He himself, maybe not, but the team is constantly being pinned back when he’s out there. He’s the anti-Hagelin. That’s not good.
And for the life of me, I can’t understand why he’s getting PP time.
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by George E. Ays on Dec 23, 2011 11:17 AM EST up reply actions
In my opinion that prefect game was the devils game. Avery is most effective in divisional games. If they’re not gonna play him now then when do we play him at all?
by nhl21 on Dec 23, 2011 10:45 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
then we’d truly be better with another utility with better offensive upside player filling the roster spot.
So…..then Christensen?
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by George E. Ays on Dec 23, 2011 11:06 AM EST up reply actions
Wojtek Wolski?
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by Kevin Power on Dec 23, 2011 11:12 AM EST up reply actions
I say play Avery, cuz if he sits and we lose – this board will light up like my menorah from now until the WC with nothing but We Want Avery comments lol
That’s really not true.
Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc
Co-Manager/Writer for Pinstripe Alley, Editor/Writer for Blueshirt Banter
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
"Every day is a great day for hockey."
by Brandon C. on Dec 23, 2011 11:24 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Then again I don’t know how light your menorah is
Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc
Co-Manager/Writer for Pinstripe Alley, Editor/Writer for Blueshirt Banter
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
"Every day is a great day for hockey."
by Brandon C. on Dec 23, 2011 11:25 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
We should not NEED Avery to beat the Failyers. If we do, we have issues
R.I.P Derek
Rangers FTW!
by BleedsRangerBlue on Dec 23, 2011 2:43 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
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