I’d have more to say about this game but there is 7″ of fresh powder outside this morning so….
The Rangers opened scoring in a very un-Ranger like way – by getting a goal in the first two minutes of a game instead of giving one up. Kaliyev (3) at 01:56 of the first.
And then it went mostly bad. Certainly many lazy plays, mostly by forwards. Johnson (17) and Danforth (5) would also score in the 1st putting Columbus up 2-1 going into the second.
Once again, brief hope as former superstar Zibanejad (11) tied it at 06:38 of the second. Until van Riemsdyk (11) would put CBJ up again, 3-2 to end the second period.
The Rangers would duplicate their first period start with Cuylle blasting a shot from the top of the circle. Apparently after review with microscopes, the NHL has determined that the puck touched the shaft of Vaakanainen’s stick so #18 gets the goal and Cuylle the assist.
Tied at three all with the prospect of OT and a team ahead of them getting at least one point, it was again Cuylle who put the team on his back and showed the necessary hustle to play winning hockey. Trocheck blocked a cross ice pass by Columbus in front of the CBJ net. Cuylle, the only other forward back and near the blue line saw this and jumped back down to pick up the stray puck and snap it past Elvis. 4-3 NYR at 18:21 and the Rangers would survive the Chinese fireplace to take the two points cleanly.
Is it too early to call him Saint Cuylle, Savior of the NYR season? Maybe, but for a day it is fitting!
Game Note: Heard this was only the third time since the 1970s (when record keeping began?) that the NYR have played a game where neither team took a penalty. How polite they were last night!
77 responses to “Rangers 4, Columbus 3”
Captain Cuylle has a nice ring to it.
Except, if he’s captain, he’ll get traded.
There are still too many passengers. Lavy won’t call them out. Did LAF miss a shift? That is reason enough not to bring him back. Cuylle pulled back from the brink, but Drury needs to keep his powder dry and let this group decide their own fate.
Lafreniere finally living up to is true identity, “Busto.” Trade him to a Canadian team where he will flourish. I grow fatigued watching his lack of effort backchecking, missing the net, and sidewinder passes to opposing players. Krusty has tutored him well! He would have been a decent 2nd rd pick. 1OA? Not even close.
I would like to see 50 8 13 going forward.
Miller may be a better influence on Busto.
Agreed there Lafren has learned bad lessons from his seasons of sidewinding and they can hopefully still be unlearned.
When it comes to Lafrenière, I’m doing all I can to combat my case of drafter’s remorse. I just can’t get over it.
JBytes
Being a Rangers fan is mostly drafters remorse.
Too bad Laffy can’t be sent to Hartford. Maybe riding some busses for a few weeks will wake him up. He seems very entitled. I really enjoyed Valiquette calling him out. Too bad Laviolette doesn’t watch the broadcasts, because maybe then he would realize he was being called to as well. Valliquette will probably be sent away on another “ski vacation” for the remainder of the season.
I think too much honesty got Marv Albert run out of MSG. Valley is not an icon was Marv was. He is playing with fire. I hope the stats things makes money for him.
I highly respect Valliquette’s truth telling. Someone has to have big boy pants. Drury and Laviolette obviously do not.
Vaakanainen rotated down low and clearly waved at the puck. Him getting credit for the goal doesn’t take away from Cuylle’s effort on the play.
Cuylle’s game winner was the third goal in the last three games to come as the direct result of forecheck pressure.
Trochek forecheck, Cuylle goal last night
Laf forecheck, Trocheck goal vs Pens
Miller forecheck, Panarin goal vs Bruins
I hope this victory doesn’t have Drury start making moves for this years playoffs and therefore trading young talent and draft picks for players he might think can get them over the “hump”
Also why is this 4 nation thing 2 weeks?
This four nation thing is a waste of time and inconvenient. This is the kind of thing that should be done in August.
Projected USA lineup does not have Kreider
Starting
Moral support
Bobby – Don’t think that is anything new, I saw the same a while ago
4 nantions and a partridge in a pear tree.
Tro looks better away from Bread/Laffy, too much heavy lifting in Dzone with those guys staying high in the zone. JTM will not put up their sheet.
Trade Bread, great player integration season ok player in playoffs
Is Gabe Perreault currently at a level where he can help the Rangers?
Make that, at a level where he can help them in the playoffs.
They missed Johnny Too Bad and the Boy Wonder last night…
Would rather have either of Gabe’s linemates tbh but he’s a wee one playing on a stacked roster but never say never again never
I would trade anybody on the Rangers roster except Wild Bill for Rayn Leonard.
That would be Ryan Leonard lol!
Yeah, well unfortunately Leonard will be with the Caps soon enough.
Unfortunately
Leonard could be with the Caps for the playoffs.
4 NATIONS FACE-OFF SCHEDULE
At Bell Centre, Montreal
Wednesday, Feb. 12
Canada vs. Sweden, 8 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS
Thursday, Feb. 13
United States vs. Finland, 8 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS
Saturday, Feb. 15
Finland vs. Sweden, 1 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS
United States vs. Canada, 8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS
At TD Garden, Boston
Monday, Feb. 17
Canada vs. Finland, 1 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS
Sweden vs. United States, 8 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS
Thursday, Feb. 20
Championship game, 8 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS
As there is nothing else going on I suppose we can have a thread on 2/12 for the duration of the tournament.
Might as well, although I really don’t care about the 4 nation tournament. But I’m just a grumpy old man.
There is one good thing about the 2 weeks off that’s beneficial to the stretch run. Igor and his 11.5 mil contract will likely return to his mediocre goaltending self.
Thanx for the broadcast times and options.
Grab Matt Olivier and don’t let go. Do it.
Haven’t had a player like him since Dorsett, and he’s twice as large.
Drury would be afraid of Olivier!
If the Rangers traded for/signed Olivier, you would all be screaming about how terrible a contract Drury gave him after a year.
Problem is Columbus is still in contention for the WC and they only play 6 games before the trade deadline.
Blackhawks
Stars
@ Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings at Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH)
@ Lightning
@ Panthers
However, Moneypuck has CBJ’s playoff chances at only 8.5%
Those odds are based on simulations and aren’t influenced by public betting.
I’d think GMs might use something like this when deciding to buy or sell.
Right now though, CBJ’s are only:
2 pts behind Sens (WC1) (both played 56 games)
1 pt behind Det (WC2) (55 games played)
2 pts ahead of Rangers (Rangers played one less game & have tiebreaker)
Moneypuck has the Rangers at 49.5% chance of making the playoffs.
Canadians if you have TVAS or SN you can watch all the games, otherwise in the US you need the right combo of two or three different subscriptions?
Hard to understand why hockey viewership is down.
If you have me, please return to sender
@NYRangers
Debuts of the Red, White and Blue.
https://x.com/NYRangers/status/1889015050234741235
Heard the DJ is 1C for team Sweden…I thought laviollette was American?
Saturday night, the NY Philharmonic played Brahms and lost.
d and goalie grades
How is the new Finn a C? Such a difference in Dzone breakdowns when Little Zachy Jones is playing
USA! USA! USA!
Each team will play three tournament games in a traditional Round Robin format, under the following points system: 3 points for a win in regulation time; 2 points for a win in overtime/shootout; 1 point for a loss in overtime/shootout; and 0 points for a loss in regulation time.
Can they adopt this logical point system in the real season?
Perrault, & Hagens, unimpressive in the Beanppt Tournament. IMHO. Too small!
Hagens was invisible. His status as the 1OA is questionable and points to this being a weak draft. Let the Pens have the pick this year.
Perrault was good and bad. He scored BC’s only goal, but also did a Panarin that led to BU’s tying goal. He stopped just inside the blue line and tried to make a cross ice pass that was intercepted and led to an odd man rush. Move like that would lead to some head smacking among the boneheads.
Watched the once, and you came to that conclusion? 😂. Both players have very strong college resumes. They have played more than one game.
BC was Ranger-esque as a team. They had beaten BU twice recently and dominated the early play, but only got that one goal. They didn’t respect their opponent and once BU picked up their play couldn’t respond. Eiserman goal the third goal for BU by picking off a cross ice pass D to D pass and sliding the puck under Fowler. I think he is an Isles draft pick so he will create pain for us for years to come.
I have watched perrrault an awful lot. Skating could be an issue, but his smarts make up for it. Size is not an issue. Nit because he’s big, but because he goes to the dirty areas to make plays. He is not a perimeter player, like 10 is, he is an inside, and outside player.
Hagens is a first rounder like Smith, Leonard and Perrault were, but is not putting up numbers like Celebrini did last year for BU (32G 32 A in 38 games.)
Here’s the scoop: Haagen Dazs what’s axed of him. Smooth and chill, he generally maintains his cool, but can be soft with a tendency to melt late in tense situations.
If players go all out in this All-Star Game replacement tourney, I would expect some injuries to come out of this. Not sure who’s brilliant idea it was to have this in the middle of a season, but hey…. you do you, boo.
I’d love to see some grading of Ranger defenders by actual defensive performance and not offense.
Good sign perhaps that they think highly of the kid at BC who doesn’t score, but can move the puck AND plays a tough D.
…they reportedly refused to include him in the JT trade.
The DJ won’t get hurt
The BC 173 lb stay at home Dman? He played at USNDTP so Dreary is creaming in his pants
Perrault is giving me Prucha vibes; has great hands and vision; but can he withstand the pounding; does he have quickness to create separation?
Give me more Cuylle and Schneider types
I assume you are referring to Fortrscue. He is very improved player this year. He held his own last year, but this year he’s been very good. Skating was an issue last year. Not forwards and backwards, but in his turns. Much better this year. To me his comparable is after eye injury Marc Staal. Not overly physical (he’s still very young), but does what is needed to do the job.
Prust spraying the desired scenario has unfolded with Meeka and Miller playing better, improving their stock for potential deals with blind GMs.
The sooner the better. don’t be blinded by the fool’s gold over the past 2 month; they are what they are.
Always root for the kid from West Kerry/Pearl River. Hope he fills out.
The Post-injury Staal comparison is troubling; does he play shuffle board too?
The guy I just started watching is the LD they got from Vancouver, Jackson Dorington. Very small sample size, but so far a lot to like. Big boy.
I think Perrault has the talent to succeed at the NHL level. However a year in Hartford is needed.
If The BC kid plays like Staal that would be a good thing
Chris Kreider has taken a leave of absence from the Team USA Hockey camp as rumors fly that he could be traded to Team Sweden.
After the injury Staal? No thanks
Dorrington seems to be focused on playing D which is a good thing. He also has some size. NU is having a tough season. Will he come back for his Senior year? He’s only 20 so there is no rush.
I think the plan is to sign Dorrington as soon as Northeastern season is done. I believe they plan to sign Noah Laba as well. For awhile I thought they would be signing Brody Lamb as well, but he has really fallen off in the past month, so now I’m not so sure.
The possibility of trading of Olivier is addressed generally in the following interview excerpts with Don Waddell, CBJ’s GM and president of hockey operations.
It probably includes a little bit of posturing though.
Full interview: https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/question-and-answer-blue-jackets-don-waddell-trade-deadline?utm_source=social&utm_medium=tw&utm_campaign=coverage&utm_content=waddell
(Credit to foreverblueshirts.com which quoted the interview heavily and included the interview link)
““`
I’ll ask you the question you probably get asked the most these days. The trade deadline is coming up, and this is obviously a long-term build, but you have to be enthused by the fact the team is in the race. How do you handle where you are at right now?
“I think right now, short term, I’m looking to see – and this has probably changed in the last week and a half – if we can add something up front to help this group right now because of the (Kirill) Marchenko and Monahan losses. Are we going to pay a high price for a rent-a-player? No, but if we get somebody that has some term left or a player that we think would fit well into our roster that we don’t have to give up assets that I’m not willing to give up – I think if we can do that, it would be something that would send a message not only to the players and the coaches but our 5th Line support, saying that we’re trying to do something.
“Saying that, a lot of teams are trying to do that. So as far as trading players away, I’m interested in hockey deals. We have a lot of draft capital. I don’t need third- and fourth- and fifth-round picks. We have a lot of those. We have to make good decisions, though, if we get offered something that is going to make us better in the future. My job is to manage today but watch out for the future, obviously.
“That’s why I spent so much time on the road the last couple of weeks. I went to a lot of different games, not just our games. It’s going to come quick here. We have the two-week break, the trade deadline is March 7, with the outdoor game in between. There’s not going to be much time. Our scouts, we had a call yesterday focused on different teams. They’ll continue to do their jobs. We’ll be ready for it. I anticipate there could be some in and out for sure.”
““
A similar question about the unrestricted free agents-to-be. We get this question a lot from the fans. I’m sure you’re working on a lot of stuff in regard to them, so how do you handle the fact you have players whose contracts are up at the end of the year?
“Getting mid-round picks for players and stuff like that, these players are too important for us as we go down the stretch regardless of where we’re at. They’ve helped us get this far. I think we owe it to everybody to try to keep this group together. If there’s something that blows our mind away, some kind of offer we can’t refuse, we have to look at that. But where we’re at, you look at the trade deadline. The guys that maybe you thought if you were out of it, you were going to move, they’re almost like your deadline day acquisitions because you haven’t moved them. … We know what we have with some of these guys. If we can make this team better, that’s my job to try to do that, but I’m not looking to move guys out for mid-round picks.”
to another question he replied:
“The most impressive thing with this team is how tight they are together. Boone (Jenner) and (Erik Gudbranson) are leaders on this team and unfortunately both got hurt, but they’re around all the time while we’re at home. Other guys have stepped up – Zach Werenski, Sean Monahan, Mathieu Olivier. Not everybody is a leader, and it doesn’t mean it’s bad that you’re not a leader, but when tough times hit you, that’s when you see your true leaders step up. I certainly give a lot of credit to those guys for keeping this group together.”
That Oliver Dude is a bad a@@!!!! The man can throw’em.
Mika has a chance to bring down an entire nation singlehandedly.
No 4 Nation Go Time?
It would be interesting if neither Canada nor USA made it to the finals.
NEW POST.
Sweden 1C Mika, Canada 1G binnington, is this what best on best hockey looks like?