New York Rangers Game Thread: 12/29, Rangers at Stars

Game Thirty-Four, the New York Rangers at the Dallas Stars

Record: 19-10-4

Rangers vs Stars coverage | NYR roster | Defending Big D

After going three for three on the Garden ice the Rangers are looking for their ninth win in a row tonight on the road in Texas. Nine. I was shaking my head in giddy disbelief at six wins in a row, and now the Rangers are looking to push their winning streak into double digits as December comes to a close. Is this really happening? Do you guys remember how this month started with two losses to Tampa and Detroit? Do you remember that this team lost to the Oilers earlier in the season? I'm still in disbelief over what this team has accomplished in the last eight games, but tonight it is all about what happens in the next sixty minutes of hockey against the Dallas Stars.

In 34 games Tyler Seguin has 25 goals and 18 assists. He has two more goals than Rangers' winger Rick Nash, but is second in league scoring behind only Philadelphia's Jakub Voracek. In short, he's a monster and the Bruins' management has to go to bed wearing a snorkel so they don't drown in their own tears. Thanks to Seguin, Jamie Benn, and Jason Spezza, the Stars have the 10th best offense in the league, but they are far too dependent on that offense to win games. The Dallas Stars have a lot of work to do in their own end. The Stars allow more goals per game than twenty-eight other NHL teams. In fact, the only team that the Stars are worse at in GA/G is the Edmonton Oilers, who, for all intents and purposes, are a bunch of turtles with hockey sticks taped to their shells being pushed around the ice at this point.

If the Rangers can contain Seguin, keep the Stars off the power play, and put pressure on the Stars' blueline throughout the game, they'll be leaving with two points and their ninth straight win. The best thing the Rangers can do is ride the momentum they have and play a smart road game. Also, if Derek Stepan could get another hat trick that would be fantastic.

The New York Rangers' December Schedule

12/1 Tampa Bay at the Rangers, 7:00 (loss)
12/6 Rangers at Detroit, 7:00 (loss)
12/8 Penguins at Rangers, 7:00 (win)
12/13 Rangers at Vancouver, 10:00 (win)
12/14 Rangers at Edmonton, 9:30 (win)
12/16 Rangers at Calgary, 9:00 (win)
12/20 Rangers at Carolina, 7:00 (win)
12/21 Carolina at Rangers, 7:00 (win)
12/23 Capitals at Rangers, 7:00 (win)
12/27 Devils at Rangers, 7:00 (win)
12/29 Rangers at Dallas, 8:30
12/31 Rangers at Florida, 6:00

Mike's Player to Watch: Dan Girardi

Girardi has been the target of a lot of ridicule, harsh judgment, and blame by Rangers fans on and off Blueshirt Banter, and plenty of it is well deserved. Tonight the Rangers are going to need Girardi and the rest of the blueliners to come up with a solid performance against a Dallas Stars team that has some depth players that can impact a game. Girardi will be on the ice with Ryan McDonagh when the Seguin and Benn line is on the ice for the Stars, and that means Gi is going to have to be sharp, quick, and decisive. What side of the ice would you attack if you were the Stars and you knew the pair was Girardi and McDonagh? Yeah, me too. It'll be a tough test for Dan Girardi tonight, hopefully he can make an impact in helping to contain the dangerous Dallas duo (see what I did there) and help get his team their ninth consecutive win.

Hope you all had a great weekend and managed to do some damage to your holiday leftovers, have a great week and Let's go Rangers!!!