New York Rangers Need To Grow From Loss To Capitals
by Joe Fortunato on Dec 30, 2011 9:00 AM EST
in New York Rangers Analysis
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PrintThe New York Rangers were outclassed Thursday night in a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals.
There haven't been too many no-show performances that have lasted 60 minutes for the Rangers this season, but the game on Thursday was certainly one of them. The simple fact is that games like the one the Rangers turned in on Thursday happen.
Even the best teams come out flat and can't get anything going. It happens.
The key is to make sure the feeling (and the team's play) doesn't rollover to the next game. That will be John Tortorella's test tonight, as he tries to guide his team to a bounce back victory over the Florida Panthers. It won't be an easy task, however. The Panthers currently hold a very comfortable six-point lead in the Southeast Division which is even more impressive when you factor in the team's 4-3-3 record over their last 10 games.
Join me after the jump for more.
The good news? The Rangers have the talent to bounce back tonight without skipping a beat. Sure, Brad Richards hasn't been firing on all cylinders of late, but he's still a game-changer who stands tall when the pressure seems overwhelming.
New York also boasts one of the NHL's top goal scorers, and a Marian Gaborik, Derek Stepan and Artem Anisimov line that can hang with any defense in the league. Throw in the best goaltender the NHL has to offer in Henrik Lundqvist, and the Rangers shouldn't walk into any matchup thinking they're the lesser side.
Tortorella also has a "healthy" defensive corps again. No, Marc Staal and Michael Sauer aren't coming back for the game in Florida, but Jeff Woywitka is ready is to; and apparently Tortorella would rather give him the third pairing minutes while allowing Tim Erixon to play 20+ minutes a night in Connecticut.
The Rangers, who were ousted from the Eastern Conference's top spot by the Boston Bruins, have an opportunity to get back on track, and do it against a tough team. The Panthers might have hit a bit of a speed bump after a blazing fast start, but they're still a very dangerous team.
New York is a dangerous team as well, especially with Brandon Dubinsky seemingly on the edge of finally breaking out.
One of the things that has distinguished this team from the past has been the Rangers' ability to win games even when their major cogs haven't been at their best. This team simply finds ways to win games.
Great teams usually do.
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Boyle...have a seat
Time to sit Boyle for a few games…..he looks lost out there.
Is Avery’s latest exile over yet? Rangers need a spark, some abrasive, in your face guy and although Prust tries nearly every shift, he can not do it all by himself…
Avery is not the final answer to solve all our problems, but after watching Boyle and Feds all year, I would rather have Avery mixed it up out there….
St. Louis, Dallas and now the Caps, we looked flat, no spark.
Thoughts?
Boyle has been very solid of late
blocking shots, defensively sound and his line with Dubinsky has been brilliant at cycling the puck and wearing opposing teams down.
Tortorella has raved about him as well. He’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
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by Joe Fortunato on Dec 30, 2011 10:13 AM EST up reply actions
Rangers need a spark
So you’re citing 3 of the 4 regulation losses during a 12-4-1 run as a requirement for having Avery in the lineup? Is that about right?
To be honest, they looked a lot worse in the TOR game (with Avery in the lineup) than they have in any of those other three losses, except maybe the STL game.
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by George E. Ays on Dec 30, 2011 10:18 AM EST up reply actions
BRIAN BOYLE Y U NO SCOHR GOLES?!?!?!?!?
Seriously, that’s hitching your wagon to the wrong train, or however that old saying goes.
when boyle moves his feet hes damn near impossible to steal the puck from. hes been a beast in the corners the last 5 or 6 games. we saw last year what happens when he plays to his strengths. i have all the confidence in the world that he will start putting up points. dubi looks ready to start scoring again and boyle is gonna be jumping on that gravy train.
by nhl21 on Dec 30, 2011 1:36 PM EST via Android app up reply actions
I’m not even worried about his scoring or point production. He’s playing pretty much exactly to what this team needs him to do. He’s playing great defensive hockey, is above 50% on his face-offs (would like to see him a little higher maybe), is a +6 on a line that doesn’t score many goals, and is fore-checking like mad, which is keeping the other team’s offensive players deep in their own zone, playing defense.
To suggest he needs to sit, in and of itself baffles me, but to sit him for the “WE WANT AVERY!” crowd make me want to whack somebody with a bamboo pole.
Out of everybody I think Feds might be the weakest link at forward right now. His defensive coverage this season has been passable at best, and abysmal at times, and he’s not producing much (though he’s been getting very little ice-time, though I think that’s indicative of his play and demotion to the spare parts line).
I have to say that the worst thing any of us could do, is to start casting our doubts on Richards. Let’s not but any undue negativity out into the air…particularly, his air.
If there’s one thing as fans we get to doing too easily, is deciding a mini-slump is the end of ALL good things. Let’s not get silly.
Anyway, this is an important game, as it will be necessary to rebuild momentum for Monday’s Winter Classic and beyond. The Rangers are quickly becoming a “feared” team, and wins following a loss keep teams weary…just ask Chicago about stifling potential losing streaks and how quickly teams are put back in their place when you do win.
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by Danz10 on Dec 30, 2011 10:09 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Maybeeeee they wanted to stay healthy for the winter classic
"It's far from done, but we did get something accomplished."-#19 B.Richards
by -19-AgainstAll on Dec 30, 2011 11:46 AM EST via mobile reply actions
This team has earned the right for a stinker here and there.
It happens to every team. The Caps game and the Blues game were possibly the two worst efforts this year. I don’t anticipate the team phoning anything in tonight. One thing we’ve learned about Torts and the club is they aren’t complacent.
"To everybody else we're underdogs, but we go in thinking we can handle any team in the NHL."
Brandon Prust, #8, New York Rangers
That game was ugly, have to hope it was just one off game.
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by Brandon C. on Dec 30, 2011 5:21 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions
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