Our sexy boys are back…at least for one night!
The Rangers played perhaps their most complete game of the season into the wee hours last night, taking two points in regulation from the league leading Vegas Golden Knights.
The Rangers came out with some energy in the first period and spent a fair amount of time in the Vegas end of the ice, putting 12 shots on goal to VGK 6. There would be no scoring in the game until early in the second period when Stone (12) would net a PPG at 06:16, from Eichel (43) and Hertl (16) after a dubious holding the stick call against Trocheck. The Rangers would get their own PP a few minutes later and they too would convert at 09:54, this time on a back handed flip from in front by Trocheck (14) after he blocked Zibanejad’s (19) one timer with his cup. Panarin (28) would also get credit for an assist and Trocheck would leave the ice until his voice returned to its normal octave. 1-1 after two.
Though the third period would see the Rangers turtle – putting just two shots on goal to twelve by Vegas, it was the grinding high energy fourth line that would win the game for NY. At 05:57, Edstrom (3), who had left the game for a spell early on after blocking a shot, crashed the net as Brodzinksi (3) skated the puck in on the left wall after taking a cross ice feed from Rempe (1) out of the defensive zone. Some how the North Tower got his stick positioned for a backhanded deflection of Brodzinski’s shot. Had it not gone in, Rempe was well positioned to put in the rebound from the other side.
The remainder of the period was spent primarily in defensive lock-down mode with just one more shot on net and little offensive zone time. A risky way to play it against Vegas, but the Rangers seemed to have finally discovered how to play some tight team defense, including checking. Vegas did have a bit of bad luck throughout the game, their game of setting up down low – up high failing to work as pucks bounced over sticks before a shot could be taken. Perhaps though that was partly the NYR putting enough pressure on to force errors.
Now the Rangers must confront the inevitable ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’ as they travel next to Colorado to take on the Avalanche. Win or lose, they can’t afford a let down and reversion to the way they were playing only a week ago. It will be absolutely essential to continue the ‘defense first’ mentality throughout the roadtrip and really, the rest of the regular season.
The Rangers go mile high on Tuesday at 21:00 EST. MSG, KTVD, ALT, SN360, SNE, SNO and SN1 all have the game. What the heck is up with all those channels!?!
99 responses to “Rangers 2, VGK 1”
Bubble team!
Think SN hit it in the last thread – with Carrick at 3C the top nine becomes a lot more traditional and overall more defensively responsible.
The fourth line also looks good – Brodzinski brings some speed and puck handling while Edstrom and Rempe bring the beef. They only saw about 7m TOI but that was likely in part because of Edstrom leaving the game for medical attention after the blocked shot. Probably would have had around 9m.
Thinking too that when Kreider comes back he goes on the 3rd line. It seems that Mika/Kreider bring out both the best and worst of each other and right now Mika is peforming better without, whatever the reason.
I’d also consider LTIR for Chytil, retroactive. Keeps him away for a minimum 10 games but I’d like to see how this team looks in that time without him at 3C.
Like Carrick but not sure he and Brodz would be a long term solution at center …think the D has picked up because Borgen and the Finn have settled in nicely (maybe Drury knows what he’s doing) and the top paid center is finally playing hockey
SN and Beez are spot on. Sam I am is the real deal. Feisty SOB. I dare say they are clearly a better team without Cheadle (too soft, too lacking any aggressiveness) and Kreider.
E3 was worried your can may have been burned in the wildfires!
beez – we are 340 or so miles north but not immune to wildfires. Parts of LA are unrecognizable. War zone like. …..nice to see our sexy boys playing to their capabilities.
what channel are the Gmen playing today? I can’t find their game.
12:53. – he was worried about MY can? Sweet boy.
Were Wellington still here, he would give a few guys the boot. See what I did there?
John Mara and his relatives have no business running a football team.
Record with Rempe…
Mika started playing better after break w Kreider still in mix and has continued to remember how to play this game called hockey since 20 went on IR. It was almost impossible for him to play worse.
The Special teams have been integral the past stretch w also better 5v5 play but PP goals are critical.
Tro learned that standing in front of net gets a lot of unfriendly fire, esp w Meeka firing away.
Will fogging Borden, solid,smart, snarl; helping Miller Lite settle down
Very noticeable difference for team protecting blue paint w bodies and not sticks
Just win baby
Old man Mra was in my Club.
*Mara
Rempe definitely brings a level of toughness heretofore not in the Ranger DNA. That 5-1 devils’ loss exposed the NYR as soft, meek, and weak. Arguably, 84 plays a bit tougher with #39 and #73 on his line
Sounded like a prig but was actually very cordial.
not sure if this was covered already but it seems Groulx becomes UFA if he doesnt play at least 15 more Nhl games this season
will Borden took an axe, gives the opposition 40 whacks. When he saw what’d he’d done, gave another 41.
Wellington’s grandfather was a Cop and his father a Bookmaker. Where he developed that Brahmin accent is anyone’s guess.
Lizzie stayed busy…
She got the jury’s sympathy because she was an orphan.
Wellington’s old man paid $500 for the Giants franchise, saying that the exclusive rights to ANYTHING in NY was worth $500.
Wellington sired a lot of nags.
As Mika goes, so do the Rangers. (Sorry — you all know it’s true)
Does Drury get any credit for securing Borgen? Team is just different (ie., better) with him around.
And the same goes for Matt Rempe. Neutered or not, Rempe’s presence seems to bring a braggadocio that is sorely missing otherwise from this team.
Small sample size for the Borg. Let’s not forget that he essentially replaced Trouba who had become pretty much a disaster, at least in our line up. So low bar to look better.
I tried to pay attention specifically to howdena game to see what I missed
I have no idea how he has 15 goals. This is an outlier
he still is invisible out there except when he skates extraordinarily slow back to the bench when he’s going for a change
I don’t miss him at all and a few goals won’t make me change my mind.
Much rather have goody or carrick in The bottom 6
how did/does 34 look? Hard to track watching on an iPad half asleep
he looks like this new “kick at the can” will be good for him. Especially once he gets comfortable.
Having him on 2nd pp is an upgrade for that set given his shot
what has been surprising to me is him taking the body when the opportunity presents itself and he’s willing to drive the net
I think right now he appropriately wants to earn lavys trust and not make a defensive mistake
2nd pp – should read “will be an upgrade” as it hasn’t occurred yet
34 had a nice toe drag possession, tight in space, in front of the goal, clean shot, excellent save. A move that I haven’t seen a ranger make in forever. Yes, 13 does a toe drag move but it’s always with time and space in his favor. 34’s move was in very tight quarters, right outside the crease. Thought he had a good game overall….
when howden was a ranger he couldn’t go a shift without falling down twice. He skated like he needed double runners. He had a couple nice SOG last night.
the other thing about Borgen is Miller actually looks like a defenseman
Double runners always make me think of the Dennis wideman shootout fail
I was impressed with the better defensive play of the team. One thing that stood out to me in the first two periods was the way the defense made a lot of well timed pinches in the offensive zone to keep play alive in the other end. It also seemed like forwards did a good job covering when the D-men pinched. D-men also seemed to use more speed than usual when they pinched last night. For a change it didn’t wind up as an odd man rush with a goal against, as it has many other games.
The bad news is that once again they relied on the goaltending way too much. They need to figure out how to keep the puck in the other end in the third period and how to occasionally score into an open net. Ovie probably has more open net goals than the entire Ranger team.
Has Tarasenko hit his expiration date? 4G 12A in 41 GP, -9 14:34 ATOI
Lafreniere: 11G 13A -12 17:51 ATOI 4.64 Hits/60 1.04 Blocks/60
Cuylle: 11G 13A +8 14:52 ATOI 14.99 Hits/60 2.11 Blocks/60
I’d say flip them in the lineup but don’t want Cuylle getting passitis playing with Bread
https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/week-ahead-4-games-6-nights/#google_vignette
the week ahead
The Filth are set to announce plans today for a new arena in South Philadelphia in joint partnership with the deep Sixers.
Cuylle w Meeka last 4 GP: 0-0-0 (-1)
Cuylle last 10 games:0-0-0 (-4)
Hitting a wall when moved up playing against better D?
His game is solid, needs to pot a couple
or the Meeka curse… I hope the DJ continues to play better to give them any chance of moving his contract at deadline.
Berard is a little spark plug try-hard; much to admire but his -9 in 19 games has him on ice for just under 1 ES goal against per game. Downside of always jamming the net is you are 200 ft away from your own goal…
i hope Lavi sticks to his mantra of “ If we won last game , we wont change anything “. Like the line up as its been on the 2 game winning streak.
jpowell
i know you’re obsessed about rempe. i don’t think you have to worry about him being sat. they’d sit some combo of vesey, brod or the guy they picked up on waivers before they’d sit your boy
I like the way the team plays when rempe is in the lineup. Granted. He’s a wild card at this point. Hope he learns some consistency and earns more playing time.
I feel like they play better when Chytil isn’t in the lineup. I really feel bad for the kid and wish him the best, but I’d prefer that best be with another team, or for his own health, in retirement from hockey.
That’s very reassuring Alex, thank you
Maybe its Rempe in the lineup and not Chytil out of the lineup.
Practice lines:
Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière Cuylle-Zibanejad-Smith Kreider-Chytil-Kaliyev Edström-Carrick-Rempe Lindgren-Fox Miller-Borgen Vaakanainen-Schneider
Chytil gave Mollie a bunch of odd quotes that I’m sure will be in da Post soon.
Moving Chytil should be near the top of Dreary’s deadline list. After missing all but 10 games last year, he’s missed 21% so far this season (without any declared concussions). Even pro-rating his pts to an 82 game season gets 42 pts. After 370 games we know what he is and what he is not.
Let someone else take his health and defensive issues, I’ll take back a 30 pts scorer that stays healthy and can play defense. Wish the kid well but somewhere other than NYC.
So they are holding on to Groulx in case Chytil can’t go? Berard was in Hartford yesterday. Both he and Othman have has high minus numbers in Hartford. Othrman is a little better this year in a small sample. Berard seems to be bad on breakouts. Turns it over on the wall a lot.
Chytil is not movable. Damaged goods. Buyout in the summer is the play.
ORF, Hartford has zero centers. Definitely affects Othmann, and Berard.
Trouba wasn’t moveable
Young centers and defensemen can always be moved at deadline
Trouba wasn’t damaged goods.
He’s damaged the Ducks defense
What can ducks do themselves that humans only apply to others? Shove their bill up their azz.
DJs are not movable
Chytil movable though the return will be nothing other than even more cap space if the haul drury received for kakko is any benchmark
But for Kakko Drury got a a 3rd and 6th and a top 4 right handed defenseman that can be moved for at least a 2nd
said the spider to the fly!
The DJay playing at 33 and 1/3.
hearing a Mika a boo for Nico rantatrantarantanen. Nico Nico wants more $$$ than the lanch will pay. I’d say do it min a heartbeat. That right wing force can score..
Looks like Lavy will change the lineup after two wins. CK and Fil? back in. A challenging game tonight. They need to resist the temptation to get into a track meet with the AVs which won’t turn out well.
ORF – agree, tonight is a big test for the Mollie blessed “new identity” NYR. Win or lose, they can’t revert back to playing the way they did just 10 days ago (and for may weeks prior).
Thought Mollie would have put this in da Post, as seen on her Twitter feed:
Spoke to Filip Chytil, who said he’s feeling good but wouldn’t say if he’s playing tomorrow. On if it’s concussion related, No. 72 said no, “it’s more complicated than that.” He reiterated that he’d be willing to sit and talk about it in the future.
further
More from Filip Chytil on what’s kept him out of #NYR lineup:
“How I said before in November, we can sit in the future and [speak] about [my] whole career, what happened and all the things…I know that, my close people know that and this team. But right now, what happened [in the] Dallas game, is what happened. Hopefully, I’ll be back tomorrow, but whenever I’ll be back, I’m ready to play.”
Mollie can’t explain a power play never mind these statements
I feel for the guy and no doubt he wants to play, but at some point he has to consider his future health. Likewise, at some point, the NYR have to decide if the likely lost playing time is conducive to building a team that challenges for a cup. Unfortunately for Flip, for him it is not so much a case of if he gets injured but when.
NYR lines and D pairs at practice:
Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière
Cuylle-Zibanejad-Smith
Kreider-Chytil-Kaliyev
Edström-Carrick-Rempe
Lindgren-Fox
Miller-Borgen
Vaakanainen-Schneider
Chytil and Lindgren have both appeared in 370 career games. If we knock off their rookie call-ups (9 and 5 games respectively), Chytil has been in 361, Lindgren in 365.
However, Chytil could have seen action in 496 games to 414 for Lindgren. Chytil has played in 72.7% of games and Lindgren 88.2%. For comparison – Stepan, in his career, played in 890 of a possible 994 or 89.5%
That was yesterday. Should Chytil be more effective than 3C BroDude? Yes, if he stays in the game, and that one should get more minutes than Vegas with Kreider back and Kaliyev take a more full workload. Look for the North and South towers limited to 7 minutes or less.
Cheat ill would probably thrive on larger ice available off-shore where he can still play hockey, avoid slameroos, and be well-paid.
even those of us who are not fans of Chytil’s game, won’t argue the skill level he has. He has just never really put it together for more than a few weeks at a time. Having him on the roster, and being as unreliable as he’s been, has hurt the Rangers. Chytil being out leads to Alex Wennberg, instead of Jake Guentzle. It leads to Brodzinski being n the team, etc. the new boy logical step with him is to buy him out. Start fresh. Find someone you can trust to play the role that they have tried to have Chytil play. Regardless of what he may do from here on in, they have to move on.
You don’t buy out young cheap centers …and Drury’s focus should be moving Zibanajad’s contract anyway
No question his latest travail is concussion related or he wouldn’t be so coy.
Is she stalking this guy? Or is he stalking HER?
BobbyO, you left out the most important thing, health. Chytil is no longer young. He’s now youngish. 4.5 is not cheap. Certainly not at that production. I’m n the 3 seasons that Goodrow and Chytil were teammates, Chytil had 73 points, Goodrow had 76 points. Toss in that Goodrow killed penalties, was one of the teams leaders in hits, and that he was used to finish games. Chytil cheap, Goodrow overpriced. 🤷♂️
Flip is yet another young one who was only in minors for a cup of coffee. Should have been there for 2-3 seasons learning a 200 ft game.
he has a nose for the goal and not afraid to shoot; bit of a Jekyll/Hyde as he runs around in ozone but lost in Dzone along w neutral zone. Making him a center w/out an extended look on wing has been a mistake. His speed could have stretched D and lowered role in Dzone.
Migraines? Vertigo? I guess all speculation at this point. Still think Chytil’s game translates better on the wing. He’s fast and generally not afraid to shoot, but Center depth has been a problem for the organization the last 20 years.
There was that period of time we had Stepan, Miller, brassard/Mika, Dom Moore or whoever took over the 4th line from him. Good depth but not clear 1C (for the couple of years before Mika broke out)
And tthe year the entire lineup was Centers 😂 Mika strome chytil howden namestoolong Spooner Lisa booNieves and the great hometown hope Vinny Letters
Mike, the important things are Chytil plays center and he can actually move with the puck and push back a defense ..who else do they have that can do that? and if Goodrow was overpriced does that mean Carrick is underpaid?
The center should be dishing to wingers to push back D; usually they are too low in Dzone providing support to break out. Flip gets into trouble trying to skate thru neutral zone and beat more than one guy. (See Fast hit last season)
also reason why a non-mobile D is a problem for offense as they cannot push pace. Watch the best at it tonite, Makar, he has sparks coming off his blades when he skates.
The DJ doesn’t dish or carry the puck in traffic
Bo Groulx has been assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack.
If MSG wanted to achieve some goodwill and stick it to Optimum, they could offer the Gotham app (which stinks by all accounts) for free during the dispute. Instead they expect $9.99 per game?
SN and Gravy – good points re not ever trying him on wing for extended period. And little AHL time. NYR have to be better at getting these kids better prepared for the real NHL game
Bottom line is that the Rangers are very poor at both scouting and developing players. That needs to change ASAP for this team to ever turn into a serious contender for a Stanley Cup. This organization needs a lot of changes made before they even address the roster changes. It needs to start with a new GM and president.
Keep hearing this but Drury overhauled the scouting department since taking over as GM and has had some good drafts focusing on size and North American skaters
So Groulx going back to Hartford means Chytil is in?
Po Bo Groulx laid low, 1 career goal, minimum dough, tale of woe, yo, but what do I know?
Coos channeling his inner E3
Just checked on Mothman’s stats: 11GP 3G 5A and 23 PIM. His inability to play without taking penalties is going to be a big problem for potential NHL career.
Mothman ate his own sweater.
The changing of the guard upstairs creates new scouting models and decisions on development, though Dreary was running Hartford. They did develop players, just got rid of them to see them flourish elsewhere.
Capt Clutch traded away so many picks in trying to win the chalice, there is no need to worry about that anymore…
Go-time set for 8:50 PM, don’t be late, call 976-WAKE.
Maybe MOthmann will clear up his game in the NHL. Kind of like reverse how Rempe plays fine in Hartford but can’t keep out of trouble in the big league
I know this is crazy talk, but wouldn’t it be worth trying Mothmann at center while he’s in Hartford?
“Chytil is no longer young. He’s now youngish”
“I’m n (sic) the 3 seasons that Goodrow and Chytil were teammates, Chytil had 73 points, Goodrow had 76 points.”
Chytil made $2.3M the first two of those 3 years, while Goodrow was at $3.64
At a youngish age 25, Barclay Goodrow would have his first NHL season not split between the AHL & NHL.
At a youngish age 25, HOF’er Martin St Louis, would also have his first NHL season not split between the AHL & NHL.
At a youngish age 25, Beezle’s hero, Dylan Strome was let go by Chicago as an RFA. No qualifying offer, no trading of his rights, just let go for nothing.
Mind you, this is a guy with a massive 111 hits over 479 games. That’s almost a hit every 4 games!