Monthly Archives: March 2016
Rangers take on the Bruins at MSG; Nash recovering following “maintenance day”
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
It’s an Original Six matchup at Madison Square Garden tonight as the Rangers (41-24-8) battle the Boston Bruins, with both teams looking to strengthen their positioning in the standings as the playoffs draw closer.
Both teams have had some rough stretches lately, making today’ game important as both teams are looking to get back on track. The Rangers are just 4-4-2 in their last 10 games following Monday’s win, but they’ve managed to hold onto second place in the Metropolitan Division; two points ahead of the Penguins and five points ahead of the Islanders.
The Bruins were just swept on their three game road trip, losing to the Sharks, Ducks and Kings and getting outscored 9-3 in those games. Boston is also in a pretty good position in their division, sitting in third place but just three points behind the Panthers and the Lightning. Read the rest of this entry
Tanner Glass and the Rangers’ fourth line
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Prior to Rick Nash’ return to the lineup, Alain Vigneault was free to juggle the lines without leaving a healthy forward in the press box. But lately, Oscar Lindberg, a rookie with 12 goals and 26 points, has been a healthy scratch for the last four games, much to the ire of many fans.
Lindberg has bounced through different spots in the lineup, playing center and wing, going from the top line to the fourth line, and performing his role well. Lindberg’s offensive skills are good enough to contribute in a limited role, and he’s been solid defensively, handling his assignments against tougher assignments as well.
But Vigneault has his quirks, and one of them is relying on veterans and players that he trusts to handle key roles. Since last season, one of those players has been Tanner Glass. Glass has been a mainstay on the fourth line since being recalled from his stint with the Hartford Wolf Pack. Read the rest of this entry
Home Cooking: Rangers secure a huge two points over the Panthers at MSG
Bobby Bevilacqua
In an important home ice matchup looking for a huge response to the sub-par California road trip, the Rangers (41-24-8) came back to form with a 4-2 win over the Florida Panthers (40-24-9), despite some late scares.
Alain Vigneault and his squad corrected many of the problems they had on the road trip. The shots and possession were drastically improved and very even. The Rangers actually were the ones dominating play for the first 30-40 minutes. And while there were still some defensive miscues, it was nothing close to what we had seen for most of March.
Despite the fact that Oscar Lindberg doesn’t deserve to be sitting in the press box, the fourth line had another really solid game. They were the only line that played well in San Jose and most of the road trip, the scoring has improved lately, and the chipped in two goals again tonight, one being an empty netter. Viktor Stalberg played like a man possessed, scoring the opening goals and generating a lot of pressure. And on top of that, Stalberg, Moore and Glass all finished positive in Corsi For, the only line to do so. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers aim to get back on track with important game against the Panthers
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
After a disappointing California road trip that exposed many of the team’s flaws, the Rangers (40-24-8) enter the home stretch with just 10 games remaining, playing three of the next four games at MSG. They start tonight against the Florida Panthers (40-23-9), who sit in first place in the Atlantic Division.
In their last game out, Henrik Lundqvist kept his team in the game for a long time despite being completely outplayed. The Sharks totaled 52 shots on goal, two times as many shots as the Rangers had, and scored four times. That put the Rangers at 3-4-2 in the last nine games.
And while the Rangers are significantly cooling down, other teams are starting to heat up. The playoff picture in the Metropolitan is very tight. The Rangers currently sit in third place, tied with the Penguins in games played, wins and points. But Pittsburgh have won six straight games and eight of the last 10. The Blueshirts are three points ahead of the Islanders for the first wild card spot, but the Isles have two games in hand. And the Red Wings trail the Rangers by five points with no games in hand for the last Wild Card spot. Read the rest of this entry
Enough with the optimism, the Rangers are not well prepared for the playoffs
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
For the most part, I may be one of the most optimistic Ranger fans out there. But this season has tested my patience, and yesterday’s pathetic performance against the San Jose Sharks was the tipping point.
The Rangers gave up 52 shots against the Sharks, with 47 of them coming at Henrik Lundqvist in 49 minutes. They had almost no extended periods of pressure or possession. They had half of the amount of shots on goal that the Sharks had, and the team finished as a -21 in Corsi For.
After this game, the Rangers are now 3-5-1 in their last nine games, and their last 10 games won’t be a walk in the park. They still have to take on the Penguins, the Islanders, the Bruins, the Panthers and the Lightning. At the rate they’re playing now, there’s a chance that Pittsburgh and the Islanders, both of which have at least one game in hand, could surpass the Rangers and put them in a wild card spot. Read the rest of this entry
therangerzone.com 