They are playing today against Seattle, then Tuesday against Florida until they enter a two week hiatus. Would be nice to collect a few points because it’s getting very cozy at the top of Metropolitan.
Also, future former Ranger Mark Giordano will be on display, and former Ranger Colin Blackwell is about to score his first career hat trick.
I am not watching this game until late tonight, so watch yourselves 🙂
Rangers (28-13-4) vs Kraken (14-25-4), 1 pm start, TV-MSG, NHLN
Projected lineup:
Kreider-Zibanejad-Lafreniere
Panarin-Strome-Goodrow
Brodzinski-McKegg-Gauthier
Hunt-Rooney-Reaves
Miller-Trouba
Lindgren-Schneider
Jones-Hajek
Gettinger, Lundkvist-prucha’d
Kakko, Chytil, Fox-injured
Shesterkin in net
LGR!!!!!
257 responses to “It’s Go Time!”
Rangers are in deep you know what if the best 3rd line they can muster is.
Brodzinski-McKegg-Gauthier
The more things change the more they stay the same!
Rangers win 3-2.
Blackwell leads Seattle to a 3-1 win…book it.
My back is glad I went out last night to shovel 2 feet of snow here in suffolk county because it was fresh and powdery. The snow is already getting a little heavier thanks to the sun. I don’t know why people are going crazy about the rangers. My expectations before season started was the rangers battling for a wildcard spot. I’m concerned that with all these bloated contracts and cap not going up the future doesn’t look as good. I want the rangers to win a cup and not just make the playoffs in the future. It appears that is going to be hard to do with the cap restrictions.
Beez – re Big Red Barron – in the BJs’s game on the go ahead goal he was puck chasing in the Dzone as the it was moved around perimeter and ultimately his man was alone in front for a quick snap shot goal. It was noticeable. Other than that he has been fine; light years ahead of Flip in his hockey sense and positioning.
Did ja know Nabokov (‘Lolita’) taught at Cornell? Thomas Pynchon (‘Gravity’s Rainbow’) graduated. A noted recluse, his only know picture is from his senior yearbook.
Cooscoos: Kurt Vonnegut attended Cornball U but didn’t graduate- WWII intervened (bequeathing us Slaughterhouse 5) – and lived in a frat which had a mural in the basement drawn by Dr. Seuss (who was a Dartmouth alum but seems to have spent time in Ithaca). And then there’s Carl Sagan, Ken Dryden and Joe Nieuwendyk.
And how can we forget the star of Hill Street Blues, the great Ed Marinaro?
Ed Marinaro was a Princeton product, no?
My bad – Cornell it was!
Now let’s get kraken on a win here!
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/hours-chris-kelsie-snow-update-us-familys-battle-als/
Not first!
What’s all this then? I had to get up early for this game. The beer isn’t even cold yet!
Apparently, according to the NHL Network our first line center is Zibahnesjad
Rangers look tentative, like they’re the road team
Our 3rd line should be our 5th line
Damn weekend day games 😴
Ev, Mika leads our centers in every category and his line has been best this year at least in my opinion.
Rangers conserving their energy for the 2 week break.
our third line should be hartford’s third line
Not to worry unless the Rangers go up 2-0.
One of these days Shesty will take a look at where he’s putting the puck with his stick instead of just turning it over 4 out 5 times.
Actually it’s more like Zibahnezhahd
Sam still has the emcee muscles. Play-by-Play not so much.
It’s so weird hearing Kevin Weekes as color for this game
Pretty
Zib Zib!!
Nice passing. coffee me!
ZIBAHNEZHAHD!!
Goats with his signature non-finishing move
Looks like I picked the wrong month to do dry January. Seltzer me!
Weekes is well-spoken.
Gravy?! GRAVY?!?!
Could they suck ANY more 5 on 5?
Don’t let that 1-0 lead fool you, rangers got a gift call and kraken been out hustling and skating better than the rangers.
Trouba has a bit of a point streak I think.
They are being dominated 5 o. 5 by the Kraken. No excuse for that. Just lack of effort.
Will this be where we see our nightly power play goal against or will it come later?
Looks like later…
Lol, the kraken are now our 4th area “home” team apparently.
Sniffles the Coach had better start Kraken the whip.
Separated shoulder ?
Kraken is also out hitting the rangers. The rangers are to soft of a team for playoff hockey. Drury needs to bring in more arable toughness.
Dislocated head.
Is there a team that can’t dominate us at 5 on 5 right now?
Dam phone, playable toughness
Better glove than Hank. Most of those hit the glove and bounced out for him.
If I didn’t know any better I would think the kraken has 50 something points.
Really piss poor effort as so far. Playing down to the opponent.
Trouba showing he’s more than capable at being a power play point man.
Well💩…looks like the raiders are going with all patriots personnel to fill gm and coach roles…ugh
Help me out ….Is the problem that they are winning right now?
If there were no special teams in hockey, the Rangers would be in the bottom 5 of the league right now.
Granted we’re missing Blais, but I had thought Drury had solved our ‘soft’ rep. Maybe not.
I think it’s important to remember a few things folks….
Not an ideal or anticipated lineup due to injuries etc
This team is set up better than it has been in the past…it still isn’t there.
The rangers lead the league (I think) in decent sized guys that play like smurfs…size is good, size that plays with an edge is better.
Wicky, guess the raiders haven’t been paying attention because other organizations have tried bringing in patriot coaches because of the Belichick pedigree but it hasn’t worked out that way so far. Time will tell.
bobbyo2019, I don’t know other people’s reasoning when they post but I want to see this team win a cup not just make the playoffs. It is going to be hard to do with these bloated contracts and tight cap restrictions and the rangers are to soft IMO to do much in the playoffs, that’s all I’m saying.
Happy to have small, talented tough guys who play over their height and weight class. Only thing better are BIG talented tough guys..
I’ve discussed regularly over a couple of decades, it’s a mentality that players have or they don’t…Trouba, Goodrow, reaves, laffo busto (yes, laffo busto), Lindgren, and Schneider seem to have that edge to their game.
The problem is and has been with the rangers for quite a while they don’t have it continually through the lines too to bottom.
I do think it’s getting there but it isn’t there yet nor is it enough IMO.
The Meeka line, despite its scoring is really lacking that element. The strome line also lacks that element depending on the opposite wing from Panarin.
It’s a ways to go folks.
Kraken have been playing well on this road trip. Expansion teams are not the Washington Generals
This starting to look like DQ’s team. No forecheck and teams blow through the neutral and the D backs in and allows scoring chances every time down the ice.
Forecheck!
If Goat Boy could finish, folks be worried about retaining him
I also don’t like the chemistry, top players getting paid top dollars mixed with very young drafted players still learning the game. Drury has his work cut out for him to make the right moves in order to reach the level of a stanely cup winner.
You can live with the growing pains of a learning Schneider, NOT a Miller. Whever’s fault it is, I see no maturity or learning going on with #79.
Let’s see if they found some onions between periods or they re just costing to the break.
Tommy
Yuck. I mean mcdaniels flopped in Denver, not to mention if they do a staff purge a lot of the raiders that excelled last season were in d and Bradley guys (perryman and Hayward and the d line guys) and if they now depart or don’t excel in a new coordinator system…even more roster holes to fill.
Not to mention it’s rumoured he likes Carr and I think Carr is not good and would have loved to see them move on from him this off-season.
I just don’t like it lol
I noticed when other teams play a hard nose hockey game the rangers struggle. When a opponent plays a soft hockey game the rangers look great, doesn’t work that way in the playoffs.
If Gautier was scoring I’d be using him as a better trade chip.
Drury, gnawing on a slice in New Haven: “Holy chit, it’s February? Better get started with some thinking before the trade deadline. “
I agree wicky, carr isn’t the quarter back that’s going to take the raiders to the promise land.
Yawn!
Some of you guys are would have a problem with the 77 Canadiens
wicky, don’t feel to bad. I grew up a jet fan and the johnson brothers (clueless idiots) have made the jets a laughing stock of the NFL. I don’t even consider myself a jet fan anymore, more like a casual football fan at best.
those guys all have an edge, but if Laf’s offensive game doesn’t develop a lot more you aren’t looking with any top 6 forwards (talent wise) with an edge besides kreider.
Teams that have had real success (Blues, Bruins, Bolts) or poised too (Avs, Vegas) have actual top 6 talent with an edge, not bottom 6 talent with an edge who are put in the top 6 like the rangers have been want to do last couple years and this year
The dreaded 2 goal Ranger lead
Laffo busto!!!!
Frenchy in front. Deserved it.
2-0 Uh-oh.
Kreider does not play with much edge, he just doesn’t.
The 1C has a rocket
Pete
That has been my exact point with this team for a looooooonnnggg time…A very long time
Here we go……
Salmon Joe has completely lost it
Great D
Sam. Jaysus!
Ev perking up
Joe: “That brings Seattle to within one.”
And so it begins!
2-1
I’ve seen this movie before.
They played hard for 5 minutes and then backed off again. The Kraken look like we they are running a 3 on 2 practice drill continuously.
Minx perking up
ORF perking up
Wick, re: your 2:10 – THE, much like Staal, you leave him alone, he leaves you alone.
Bobbyo perking up about folks perking up
Ah, it’s just a one goal lead now; nothing more to dread.
How about a time out for the coach to blast their doors off. They just quit again.
i know Wick, but this find it out you are a proponent of them keeping strome because by doing so it makes it very unlikely they will be able to afford real top 6 talent that play with an edge and more likely they have to keep elevating bottom 6 talent there.
Kreider may not be a nasty player, but he is still physical in my opinion
*find it odd
2 giveaways on passes in 30 seconds
Seattle did beat the Penguins the other night..the best team ever
RIP Johnny Fever
Coos
He could be an absolute beast (it disappoints me he isn’t). He just really doesn’t play that way.
Also the third straight game where we couldn’t extend a 2 goal lead to a 3 goal lead.
That was hip on hip. Refs looking to manage the game.
What a crap call on Trouba
BS call
Joe: “That brings Seattle to within one.”
I was waiting for the ole “cut the lead in half” line.
wicky is right, rangers star players don’t play with a edge. I watched every single game in 1994 when the rangers won the cup. There top players played with a edge and if need to be can fight and hold there own. This team doesn’t remind me of a team that will go anywhere in the playoffs. The drafting for a long time for the rangers has been awful. I hope they start drafting players in the OHL more because players from that league play with playable toughness, not this euro crap.
The power play goal of the night could negate our 2 goal lead for 3 straight games. Ugh.
Call Wild Bill up !
Ogie Oglethorpe!
Woohoo! Survived!
Miller Lite just plays like he would rather be sitting on his couch watching a movie.
Wake Up!
Bread with the Kovie shift
nothing to do with being European and you can have multiple top players who aren’t overly physical (94 had a noodle thin Kovalev if you recall and tampa has Pointe and Kucherov), but just have to balance things
Rangers with the usual tenacious forecheckl lol!
Straw Man wins every argument
Pete, seriously, you name one player, didn’t say every player played with a edge but the rangers top players are soft.
Save by the fact that the Kraken PP is awful.
Pete
It’s not really odd…but I’ll try and explain.
I am more than fine with moving on from strome depending on who the other top 6 centre is. I would have kept strome over Meeka. I want strome over Chytil. I would prefer horvat over strome. It’s pretty clear (to me what I’m talking about). Feel free to ask me about a top 6 centre versus strome and I’ll tell you which one I prefer instead of assuming something incorrectly on your end.
Now, there is a difference between physical and having an edge. Players can play “physical” and not have an edge. Think of it as “positionally sound” physically. They might throw a “check” or hit 5 times in a game but it’s not a wow or “overt” and not really impactful where it causes momentum change etc. A hit that is more sort of an assisted “I’m leaning into you along the board” after I arrived there with pace kind of hit. This is where I put Kreider.
Guys that play physical with an edge get involved in scrums, tussles, after the whistle jabs, throw hits that change momentum or get opponents off their game, while still throwing the “checks” physical players do. Throw those hits that you “hear” along the boards, etc.
I’m not sure if that helps explain it, might not have been the best description.
Thanks wicky, I don’t like typing much so I don’t usually bother to respond.
Guys can have “moments” that they are edgy etc (coos boy staal is a great example) but it doesn’t make them a player that plays with an edge.
I’m referencing how they play on a “consistent or regular” basis. Their playing “style” if that works better for you.
Tommy
Yes sir, just trying to help.
I think at this point Miller can draw comparisons to Gumby.
i get it and don’t have the obvious answer on next center, but hopeful Drury does the work and identifies him rather than taking the easy and wrong choice in my opinion
only indiv player that really changes the momentum with his hits with any regularity is Trouba in my opinion and the 4th line has done it a couple games. other guys like rooney and reaves hit a fair amount and will mix it up once and awhile, but even they tend to even not do that when you’d expect or want them to (like reaves on several occasions, including last game after Igor got knocked in the head)
This club’s even strength performance is dreadful……consistently. Opponents win puck battles and come out of their own zone easily and with speed. Rangers dump ins are nothing but giveaways. I believe some of this are the individual player type they have, but you also have to consider the system they are playing, and if they have the players that enable them to be successful while playing it. I bet that the loss of Blais is a bigger deal than anyone thought it would be. And they do not appear to have anyone like him in Hartford. On the plus side……Zac Jones looks a lot like an NHL defenseman and Hajek has also done well lately. Both are important possible trade pieces. Finally, did not the Kraken player hit by Trouba have the puck? Still trying to figure out how it was interference.
They’re gonna need another goal right?
Other than Kreider our top rwo lines won’t hit or check as they try to two pass it up to score. Meanwhile our bottom two try to hit & check but they can’t score. Need Shesterkin at his very best to win any game. When Gauthier finally gets to another team he’ll become a scorer. Dave Maloney hit the nail on the head during intermission with the fact that Rangers have to get into the offensive zone with control without giving it a way. No fore or back checking in the neutral zone.
12 shots after 2 periods? Pathetic.
Why the hell does everyone think Goat boy is gonna start scoring with another team? Stone hands are stone hands
Sad news about the Doctor. Cinncy probably a 14 pt dog now
Pete
You obviously are talking about Goodrow when you keep referencing bottom 6 guys in the top 6. Goodrow is more than fine as top 6. Ideal, nope…(ideal is having a tkachuk on every line lol) but he’s fine there and provides something that the top 6 doesn’t really have regularly and hasn’t had regularly for quite a long time.
ha agreed Bobby. He’ll start scoring when he’s back in the ahl or in the KHL
Lone
Lmao
12 shots can I get 13? 13 shots can I get 14?
Minx you hanging out with Olga? That’s a lot of shots!
Wick, if Panarin’s center was someone who scores 20-25 goals at even strength as opposed to 10-15 then you could live with Goodrow there, tho still less than ideal.
Now If that’s not the case (like now), he’s not good enough offensively in my opinion as I want and think Panarin’s line should be one of the best in the league
Schneider Schneider Schneider
Doing bookwork and receipt expenses
And all I’ve heard the last 10 mins is That kids name
The Rangers are limping into the two week break. They clearly need it.
They do not look very good at all.
It would be refreshing to see them forcheck some and shoot a little bit.
What ever GG is saying to these guys between periods/games does not appear to be working too well. Somewhere DQ is chuckling at the soft play and shifts off.
Pete
We just have a different approach to what makes a successful line and team. I don’t have a specific point total or goal total in mind per se.
To me it’s about ROI and cap space and balances and playoffs…if what ends up being a centre and winger with Panarin that combine for 35 goals but forechecks more effectively and plays a bit better in the d zone vs a combo with Panarin that scores 45 goals but is far less effective at the latter two aspects, well I definitely prefer the 35 goal combo (as an example).
Hey! I certainly don’t drink all the time. I have to sleep, you know.
Did the Kraken pull their goalie? It looks like they are 6 on 5.
Olga
Are you sleeping or drinking now?
Dumb penalty
4 on 4, advantage kraken.
That was a really stupid penalty
Kreider with a Kreider
Brain farts, they happen to everyone.
With this game? I’m sleeping.
Oy how does Bread miss that net
Olga maybe try a coffee porter 😉
Beezle
The net moved, give him a break,
Smoking in the dynamite shed
When you play the whole game in your end you will take some penalties.
Igor 2, kraken 1.
wick i could live with Panarin potting 20+ and his linemates 35 combined, but don’t see that happening with Panarin, Strome and Goodrow unless the latter two both greatly exceed their career goal scoring numbers and Panarin starts shooting a lot more
The dreaded Chinese Fireplace ….
Why do I have this terrible feeling kraken will score and go to OT.
Pete
It was just an example of numbers…thought I mentioned that
Special teams and the goalie is all they have. The Panthers game will get ugly quickly.
We are going to get shellacked by the Panthers next. Shellacked.
And there it is.
Hate this effing team
Unreal and absolutely pathetic.
Pitiful.
They earned that. What a sh#t show by the Rangers today. They s$ck again!
Kracken aren’t very good. It took them a lot longer to erase the 2-0 lead.
First Hank now Weekes calling goals against the Valium boys
Gotta be a record for 2-0 leads being lost in 3 consecutive games
Lmao…I was literally typing a post that gourde had been kinda quiet…
Ugh
Pitiful effort today just Pitiful!
Tune in early on Tuesday. It will be decided early.
HOLY BEJEESUSALAKA!!!
Miller bails them out with his patent wrist shot.
K man!
Gumby scores.
Miller time.
Coos boy!
Nice shot by Miller but goalie down very early
Pete look at Strome’s stats first, ok?
NY Rangers: 230 games 59G 115A 174P
That’s 21G 41A per 82 games.
Won a faceoff
Holy Molly!
I wonder who the #1 star is.
Take 2 & run in shame
Smart by Trouba
So they have to make sure Shesty makes 40 saves. He’s perfect when he does.
Winning is great but they are relying on 31 to be great all the time. Not a recipe for long term success.
2 points in the bank…thank you and have a nice day
Coos owes KAM a nice post. Just one. 😉
I think the break is coming at the right time. Rangers need to reset for 2nd season.
Miller had a nice game… but Schneider….gonna be very good for a long time
What a garbage win.
They all better line up in the locker room to give Igor a (C)BJ…..
2 points in the bank…run away!
Pens just lost to the Kings in regulation.
taking even strength goals Beezle-15, 11 and 7 are his numbers there to date
yes he could outperform and hit 20 one year, but think we can all admit scoring isn’t a strength of his game given the chances he gets
And off to KC we go!
Kreider with the knock down of the D forward covering point after face-off or do we just point out the bad plays?
Only saw the 3rd period. Heard the 2nd on the radio. The time of possession seemed like it was all Seattle in the 3rd. Rangers kept giving the puck back to the other team. What good is it winning a face-off if you just give it back to the other team? The call on Zibanejad was garbage. Probably a make-up call. Not pretty, but trade-chip Miller probably added to his trade value.
Good call, Calhob!
Olga – bad news only on the blog please!
The self hating Ranger Fans don’t want to read anything positive!!
SN
Lmao, calm down and quit being so sensitive on Kreider. Jeezus.
Such a veteran coach. Being a hard ass to get the boys attention heading into the break so that it’s on their mind all break that they have better ready to play when they come back or else they are gonna see the H’animal
Pete
So do we only care about even strength goals and not other situation goals in certain players or does that apply to all the players? Do they all count or not?
Sorry, too positive for you and the neggy crew. Gotta to learn to hate on my team more when they are in 2nd place in the division.
I wish I didn’t see their performance as a reflection of my own insecurities. Got to be tougher!!
Pete – since 2018 (including Edmonton) Stome is 48 G and 123 Pts ES. 12G 50A all other. Shoot me, its 16 ES on 82 game basis, clearly the guy needs to go as he’s just not carrying his weight and will always hold back the Bread line.
SN
I’m not sure exactly what you are perceiving from me as being negative or part of the “negative” crew but you’ve got a real snark issue it seems.
You need to reel it in a bit.
Just some friendly advice.
Bonita Bonita Bonita
Not making excuses, but missing 4 regulars, and Seattle does this to a lot of teams. They figured out a way to win. Take the two and move on.
The negativity that comes from certain fans is a bit much. 82 game season, there are going to be more than a few clunkers. This year they are winning some of the clunkers. That’s a good thing.
Wick, the rangers have bad even strength scoring this year and the majority of a forwards time is going to be even strength. so yes my focus is on the rangers building two great top 6 lines at even strength. Call me crazy, but i think a line with Panarin on it should be one of the best in the league
They’ll have a very good pp with Kreider, Panarin, Mika being the only three forwards on it. Don’t need strome or another center there for that matter
nothing can do about it now, but really wonder what the rangers price for PLD was? would have hurt for
sure, but my guess is Jackets would rather have that package over Laine right about now and rangers would rather have him than the players they were unwilling to trade at the time
Panarin has had a higher scoring rate every season with the rangers than he has with any other nhl team.
This season is his lowest rate so far with the rangers but it’s still higher than any season with any other nhl team. And of course the season isn’t over.
The one constant with Panarin and his higher rate than anywhere else with any other linemates is strome.
I’ve repeated this here before…he’s had multiple wingers here, but always strome is the constant (and reported by beats his “preferred” line mate).
Panarin has had all star wingers and centres in other organizations and hasn’t scored at the rate he does with the rangers (and subsequently strome). He’s also done it under two different coaches and systems here.
Will Panarin produce with “anyone”, yes…are there better all around centres than strome…yes, are there better goal scoring centres than strome…yes.
Question is can you get one of those guys better than strome for what strome “may” take? If not, where do you cut to pay more for it. Same goes for the opposite wing on his line.
Reality is it’s not fantasy hockey or a video game, there’s a hard cap and the current Panarin line works even if it isn’t “ideal”. I think there are more pressing roster needs than the current Panarin line.
I like pld and was all for him being acquired. He had a rough season last year but has been better this one.
What does pld cost next year?
I think he makes 5 per or so now.
I’d prefer them have a top 9 than a top 6 but that’s me.
Jamesgeau
indeed that remains the question that has still yet to be solved longterm. we know each other’s feelings on it, we shall just have to see what comes
Our assessment of their performance was no more negative that GG’s or Valley Cat’s. KAM was pretty good today. Schneider with 22 min TOI. He may be for real.
if WPG is smart they’ll lock him up for 8 years now, and that could take into the 7-8 range. But would definitely be worth it and if he was here the rangers would have found space to do that for a rising 23yr old center like him…oh well
Pete
I agree. The rangers get him last year when he was available and you make room for him. The room most likely comes in the form of Meeka, who has his cap $$$$ then go to pld with a bit left over for other upgrades/players.
It’s also quite possible in that scenario strome is still here in the exact same spot he is now.
The team, IMO is better overall and definitely moving forward with pld and it’s more of an indictment on the Meeka contract than anything because they couldn’t afford Meeka at 9.5 and pld at 7 or 8.
Good news, fox not playing in all star game!!!
But yes, oh well, moot point now…hedgehog dark years are thankfully over.
Jamesgeau x2
Wick my thinking is they would have gone Mika and PLD and $ would have worked, but kakko is likely in Columbus and either Chytil or Strome (as they would have wanted a center). At the time i can totally get the hesitancy on trading kakko, but would for sure do so today, just don’t think he has the same value now unfortunately