Rangers Vs. Flyers: Notes From The Tough Loss
So the Rangers lost? Cue the panic.
- I said this on twitter and I'll say this again here: The New York Rangers looked tired last night. They just won a tough game against the Bruins and all of their games have been back to backs to this point. Not really an excuse just an observation, they were flat, yes, but they just looked tired.
- Brad Richards has bad a rough start to the year. I firmly believe it's because he didn't play any hockey during the lockout. Working out can only do so much. He'll be fine, it's just going to take a few games. He has to be better on the dot, though. He lost key face offs again last night. That has to start to change, and fast.
- The Rangers are 1-3. The leader of the Eastern Conference? Ottawa with six points. The Rangers are also two points out of the division lead. The moral of the story? Relax. Don't panic. It's still reaaaalllllllyyyyyyy early.
- I thought Henrik Lundqvist was phenomenal. Tough break on the first goal.
- I also thought that first goal deflated the team and they got down on themselves a bit after. It cost them a second goal and that second goal cost them the game. The Rangers obviously picked things up in the third but it wasn't enough.
- The Rangers started out last year 3-4-2. You know what happened last year. Things will come together. It just takes time. Want to know the team atop the division at that point last year? The New York Islanders. The point: Relax, it's still reaalllllyyyyy early.
- Marian Gaborik is an underrated passer. He really is, and it gets overlooked because he scores so many goals. But he does have a fantastic hockey IQ. Showed it off with a pretty pass to Taylor Pyatt for the Rangers' lone goal.
- The Flyers -- and only because they were short handed -- will be the only team you see in this 1-3 start where you think "man the Rangers really should have won." That doesn't excuse their play against the Penguins or Bruins (game 1) though.
Thoughts?