Game 25
Rangers at Sabres – 7:00 PM MSG
Tonight is a one game road trip to Buffalo, the meat on a home games against the Carolina Hurricanes bread sandwich. The Rangers are in a bit of a slump, going 3-3-1 in their past 7 games, but not looking particularly good in any of the games, even the wins. Jimmy Vesey goes to Buffalo for the first time after they traded a third round pick for his rights, only for him to not sign there.
When I get home, my oldest son will need to be put to bed, forcing me to watch the game on a bit of a delay. Clearly, this is an HAV.
Tonight’s probable lineup for the Rangers (16-7-1), via Steve Zipay (@stevezipay):
Jimmy Vesey-Kevin Hayes-Rick Nash
Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Jesper Fast
Matt Puempel-J.T. Miller-Mats Zuccarello
Michael Grabner-Oscar Lindberg-Brandon Pirri
Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi
Marc Staal-Nick Holden
Brady Skjei-Adam Clendening
The big news, of course, is that Adam Clendening will return to the lineup in place of the struggling Kevin Klein. Maybe it’s his bad hairstyle, having a reverse-Samson effect. In any event, Klein has not been very good this season and has been particularly bad over the past 10 games or so.
Clendening is stylized as a puck mover. His advanced stats were good but in an incredibly small sample size. To me, he dramatically failed the eye-test, so I think his numbers are an anomaly that will even out with more playing time to reflect his poor performance. Clendening will be on the third pair with Brady Skjei. The duo will see some PP time together as well.
Remaining in the lineup is Oscar Lindberg, who had his strongest game of the season against the Hurricanes on Tuesday, so Josh Jooris remains Prucha’d for the second straight game.
The rest of the forward group got shuffled again. Again, I’m underwhelmed by the choices. Fast back in the top 6 by December. BDL must be thrilled.
Lundqvist gets the start tonight. Buchnevich is still not skating.
For the Sabres, (8-9-5), Anders Nilsson gets the start in Net after Robin Lehner was banged up on Tuesday in Ottawa. This will be the first home game of the season for second year center and Vesey friend Jack Eichel. Eichel scored a goal and an assist in his debut against Ottawa on Tuesday. Also in the game will be Eric’s perennial favorite trade target Evander Kane. He has no goals and just three assists on the season in 11 games played. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
Don’t forget to tell everyone you know and to follow me on Twitter @rangersreport2. And don’t forget to vote for your three stars after the game!
[polldaddy poll=”9569860″]
392 responses to “Rangers at Sabres … It’s Go Time!”
FAV! ha! Never half-arse anything!
Sioux – Stay on that bull to claim your spot for the June parade!
@RickCarpiniello $5 a month, yes, definitely.
$9.99 a month, again, yes, definitely.
I don’t have many online paid subscriptions, but this would totally be worth it.
When there is no review it’s a QAV.
And really, I’m not fishing for compliments. I’m just happy there aren’t more insults.
QAV?
I’m just pucking with you, RR2 🙂
Quarter.
Doodie, truth is, we all owe you a pat on the back.
Don’t inflate his ego, Coos. He owes US for the traffic around here. I think a bottle of scotch for the holidays to show his appreciation would be a very nice way of showing it. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Doodie, email. Everyone else- no email.
The biggest thank you anyone could give me is to volunteer to do a game review.
I’ll review last night’s game, “Rangers Stink!” done.
.
seriously, will be up for one – let me know when needed
Make mine cognac please!
so, AV says Klein is back in tomorrow. Will he sit Girardi? no. Probably Clendenning is out again. We just dont have many choices, and nothing in Hartford.
If we kept Ocho-cinco or Cam talbot…we would so much cap space… but it’s a business, the Rangers are the most valuable team in the NHL. My sister-in-law who knows nothing about hockey, loves Henrik.
You can’t just go to the store and buy a defenseman.
No review? My coffee is now ice cold. I now declare this a 1/5 th-ass venture!! And the other 4/5ths of the ass is in goal. Hank needs to regain his focus, bigly. He looks like he’s posing for the cameras sometimes with his Statue of Liberty frozen stance after the puck sails by him. Ugh. Bad stretch all around. And AV needs to generate SOME sort of sense of urgency. Everyone is all WAY too relaxed and nonchalant. End rant. Thanks for listening.
C3Poh, bring it!
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lol
Bringing it
http://imgur.com/gallery/Mst9IQ5
My guest blogs are the only thing worth reading on this HAV.
E3 email. No one else Email.
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Would have loved to review that dog’s breakfast game. Hope I can volunteer in the near future.
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I still haven’t seen the second half
Girardi needs a rest.
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His Corsi will be -400 at the end of the year.
Landeskog for D man rumours popping up again
Game day boys!
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Seats behind Lundqvist.
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Pregame at the Flying Puck 🙂
Good morning Boneheads I love this blog it’s the only place I feel comfortable whining! Everytime I get my hopes up seems like something crappy happens, but I’m going to believe they will win today! Anyone agree?
Fire Sathon!
Somebody make Henk happy!
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Remember when there were consequences?
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somebody poke the bear
http://gph.is/2cuHniE
maybe this one
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never mind
Lol SN!
Sioux were will You be for pre game warm ups? I will try to pass by & say hello.Cant make it to the puck this am.
Girardi was good for 5 games, but his Corsi chart pretty much sums it up.
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whoops
one more try
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tomb – that confirms the eye test. Thanks
Alas, poor McD
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Fat Guy is (almost) in the house! I’ll be the guy in the Rangers hoodie covered in dog hair
FG after NYR goal
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I love this! I opened up the .gif gate! YES!
Girardi just needs to go home! Gleider needs to stay out of the pool, and Lundqvist needs to get his act together! 5 more years of a fading HOF, and he is fading will make make our young core look really old! Where’s my cheese?
Shatenkirk to NYR before trade deadline rumors are swimming in the Internets again.
Whenever I see the word ‘swimming,’ Kreider comes to mind. Mere coincidence?
Eli – STFU already
CCCP where are you hearing these rumors? All I do is look for trade rumors and i haven’t heard anything.
I think we are two defensemen away from being a contender, but anything will help.
Fat guy talking to Brian mullen
Eli doe have a point about Hank…
In the last 12 months, Hank has between a .909 and .910 SV% and a 2.71 GAA. The NHL Average SV% last year was a .917 SV%, this season its a .915 SV%
To be clear, I would rather have no goalie other than Henrik Lundqvist, except maybe Price. He always turns it around.
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Yah, but it could be too late…
Thanks tomb! opinions are like Fat Guys everybody knows one. My apologies if my dry humor offends!
This all entertainment for me. Watching millionaires skate around the ice. I try to not to get too worked up.
I, too, enjoy watching the Rangers, especially the first two months of this year’s edition. Classy, up-tempo, skilled hockey. Perhaps AV will cave and play it safe, but I hope not. They don’t have the roster for it anyway.
Goal
Epic save…
Well, that is the way to start a game.
We are BANJing on a 2-day old thread? HAV.
JT is lucky
Kind of boring, uneventful beginning (goal notwithstanding). Most of the game – between blue lines.
New post?! Anyone…
LGR !!!
Hank is in pretty good shape so far in the game, which I can’t say about Miller – don’t like his game tonight one bit, whatever cause it. Too many mistakes – could be costly…
Ever smiling Step…Nice hockey softy.
No forechecking and no zone time again. They cannot move out of their zone with any consistency. They are lucky to be up in this one.
did you hear that? Giannone was directed to praise klein tonight. His praise came out of nowhere
Rangers are obviously just lucky in this game so far…
Tracking game on iPhone, on the road. Rangers getting hammered statistically. Eye test, anyone?
…not like there is something wrong with that.
Skjei is too shy…
I used to think they were directed to praise players, but it was pointed out that they praise everyone, no matter the player or the play. Their role is to cheerlead and be NYR fanboys, not objective analysts
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NYR giving Canes the Red Line so Carolina playing dump and chase forcing D to flip it out and limit any possession time
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OK, posts page is full and over. Any hope of new Post?
sort of makes you want to
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They can’t complete a pass so they all become turnovers. If they are going to be a skill team they need to execute. So far they haven’t. They also need to win a one on one battle occasionally. This has been pretty ugly so far.
Norm, your iPhone is telling it like it is.
Stranger, keep em coming!
Carp, in response to your request if anyone would pay to follow you, add me to the list. I had paid to join LOHUD the day before they let you go. I cancelled the payment when they let you go. I turned a number of fellow fans from work onto your column. Like myself, they were extremely disappointed to see you downsized after 40 years of faithful service. I am sure many of them would also join to follow you again. I wish you all the best Carp and hope you are back in print and blogging again very soon.
Props to Doodie for getting RR2 up and going. It’s been great, even for a HAV. I truly enjoy reading all the banter between the boneheads.
Thanks, seedub! Numbers say Lundqvist is keeping them in it. Is he?
Don’t mean to sound negative my fellow Ranger fans but they are on pace for a whopping 9 sog! Hope they can keep this up!
Dry, itchy skin ?
Use Nestracil ( side effects may vary)
Very sharp, so far, Norm.
Even when they get zone time they can’t generate scoring chances.
That was refreshing, sustained O zone time!
stalberg again?
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That’s on McD trying to skate through the whole team. Why can’t we get players like Stalberg?
Hank should’ve stop that!
Who is Kreider? Is he playing?
Girardi made a nice play on that goal
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Right now this team stinks. Shot attempts are probably 40 to 10.
All of a sudden, Rangers doesn’t look at all like a faster of two teams in the few last games. Strange.
McD playing like crapola
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What Rangers lost recently, I think, is a confidence. In anything they are doing. Big time.
meanwhile on a can in Northern Cal
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Girardi is a really good salesman
Oh. Kreider! You are our hope and glory.
Samuel L. Jackson stole my Capital One credit card!
They have completely given up the speed game. They need to use the speed to win the race to the dump in. They have been a little better since they gave up the goal. Joe giving the Canesxwat too much credit.
horrible…
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The one guy who goes full-out (JT) is bruised, abused, and woozed.
back up goalie making 2nd start in 6 years
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11 shots on goal, none from the D? Sup wit dat?
Plenty of time…
Bobby Flay: “Plenty of thyme.”
THE is trying to be the difference. Go, boy.
Same game, different day.
yahtzee!!
Grabby
hee ha!
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Yes!
Skjei and Grabner were great on that one.
yipee
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irrefutable? I dont think so
I was about to write that I’d take any shot at this point when Boom!
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Yay! They suck again!
Wow, I’ll take the point at this point. Oh what’s the point.
Still plenty of time…
Hopefully Henrik “3 goals or more” Lundqvist isn’t playing tonight.
Duguay
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Today either.
Has anyone else noticed that lately every team we play seems faster and more skilled than us?
was that a power play?
Kreider is coasting again
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JUST TRY IT !
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If you take enough shots…
Well alright.
Welcome to pucker time.
I give this lead 3 minutes.
If Canes will tie again, I swear…
coos, is Gleider Kreider again? That would right the ship in a hurry if he is.
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Snappy wrister!
He’s back!
Critiques worked. But real hero (all game) is Zuk.
Besides, freakin Philthies leading Toewsless Hawks 3:1. That’s bad. Debbies trailing Preds 1:3 – that’s good.
So, life in whole is good again!
Kreider pots a couple in front of his BC boys.
Is Jerry York a pirate?
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The “just enough Rangers” ?
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Doodle said he’d have Go Time up at 6:30.
kreider quit coasting
What happened between periods? That was a flashback to the early season. That was fun to watch and they were fast again.
Get the confetti.
Got pucks deep, got in on the forecheck, forced an awful team to back off a little bit.
Get a room…
… and finally decided to shoot the puck
I assume SIOUX is here for ND BC tonight. Go Eagles!
The Gleider out of the pool and on to the ice! Did this really happen Fat Guy you’re I need to STFU!
I’m kinda pulling for Sioux to get the Daily Double.
What in holy hell is Duguay talking about?
Ummmmm, should we still vote? Lol
Forget to vote.
Rangers-Hurricanes…it’s go time!
Yeah. Just my bad all around. HAV. NAV today.
Don’t vote.
Yeah but we still had a place to make asinine comments and gripe. So really, no big whoop and thanks for the HAV!
They have to do it for more than 20minutes to beat a good team. Let’s see if they show up for the Isles. As Carp would say we know it will be game 7 for them.
Most points in the league? Or at least tied with the Olga’s.
I’m with you Seeedubbb if I gripe to my wife she’ll just say it’s OK Babe they’ll win next time!
Rangers – Black Hawks Final. Just like money in the bank.
Should have benched Kreider when they had the chance.
I voted opie the victim, enigma, and shampoo boy…in no particular order (if I could have voted;))
I can’t vote didn’t see the game but sounds good to me wicky229! Any word on Buchnevich yet?
I would have The, no doubt. Didn’t see today’s game, but sounds like he woke himself up at least a little?
*benched Kreider*
Eli
They can’t get him out of the tub 😉
@HartnettHockey: #NYR G Henrik Lundqvist ia now three wins away from tying Dominik Hasek for the most wins by a European-born goaltender in #NHL history.
……
He’s such a terrible goalie. 🙂
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NEW POST
Apparently.