Author Archives: robertbevilacqua95
Mika Zibanejad back in the lineup as the Rangers host the Stars; Hellberg to serve as backup
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
The Rangers lost both games of their back-to-back over the weekend, coming out flat against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday and succumbing to a meltdown against the Canadiens on Saturday. After Antti Raanta left the game with an injury, Henrik Lundqvist came in and surrendered five goals on 22 shots, as well as three in a span of just over a minute.
The Stars have also lost two straight, including three out of the last four and five losses in their last seven games. It’s been a tough season for them, dealing with a lot of injuries and poor goaltending that has put them near the bottom of the Western Conference. Read the rest of this entry
Is it time to be worried about Henrik Lundqvist’s performances?
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
For the last 12 seasons, no matter what the rest of the Rangers team looked like, you always knew that you could rely on one thing; great goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist on a very consistent basis. But for a lot of games this season, that unfortunately hasn’t been the case for the King.
Against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, Lundqvist entered the game in the second period for Antti Raant, who left with an unspecified injury. Raanta stopped all 10 shots he faced. Lundqvist allowed five goals on 22 shots, including three goals in a span of 63 seconds. This happened with the Rangers holding a 3-2 lead, and effectively ended the game and killed whatever momentum the Rangers had.
The meltdown last night meant that Henrik Lundqvist now has an 18-11-1 record with a 2.72 GAA and a .907 save percentage. He’s finished with a GAA over 2.40 just twice in his career and has posted a save percentage below .920 just three times, all early on in his career. The numbers he has now are shocking considering his consistently good numbers throughout his career. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers look to rebound on the road against the Canadiens
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Following a loss in their first game out of the bye-week, the Rangers (28-14-1) are on the road to close out their back-to-back series when they take on the Montreal Canadiens (26-11-6) for the first time this season.
The Rangers were sloppy in the 4-2 loss to the Maple Leafs last night, with some poor defensive coverage and decisions as well as some shaky goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist. Chris Kreider and JT Miller scored to make it closer, but Toronto had control of the game from the early stages.
The Canadiens were dominated in their last game, a 7-1 loss at the hands of the Minnesota Wild. Carey Price allowed all seven goals and it continued a trend of the team getting scored on a lot lately. Montreal has allowed four goals against in each of the last three games, and they’ve surrendered 21 goals in the last five games. However, their nine point lead atop the Atlantic Division makes things a bit more comfortable for them. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers lose 4-2 to Toronto; Kreider and Miller score
Chris Vallely
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
After the New York Rangers league mandated bye week, their first game back didn’t go as planned. Toronto defeated New York 4-2.
Toronto came out ready to play. Rookie William Nylander opened up the scoring less than five minutes into the game. The Rangers were unable to get the puck out of their zone, and were scrambling, which caused Nylander to slide the puck in between Henrik Lundqvist’s legs. Both teams went back and forth after that, traded scoring chances, but neither were able to capitalize. As usual, Lundqvist made some tough saves following some defensive breakdowns. Late in the first period, Brandon Pirri took a penalty on a Rangers PP, after he was forced to backcheck. In order to deny a 2 on 1 shorthanded chance for Toronto, Pirri hooked the opposing player. The Maple Leafs would then score on the PP to take a 2-0 lead. Mitch Marner made a great cross-crease pass, and James Van Riemsdyk was able to put it five hole on Lundqvist. The young, Toronto team went into the locker room with a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers back in action against Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs; Nash and Buchnevich to play
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Following the league mandated bye-week, the Rangers (28-13-1) return to action when they take on rookie sensation Auston Matthews and the surprisingly solid Toronto Maple Leafs (18-13-8) at Madison Square Garden.
Tonight’s game will be a special one, as the Rangers have asked fans to wear blue for tonight’s game and get in their seats early for a ceremony honoring Det. Steven McDonald, the former NYPD detective who passed away on Jan. 10. The Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award is named after him and given to the player, voted for by the fans, who goes above and beyond the call of duty. He was a special part of the Rangers’ community and the ceremony tonight should be fantastic.
This is the first of three meetings between the Rangers and Maple Leafs, and the only one at MSG. The Rangers swept the season series last year, scoring three or more goals in all three games, and outscored Toronto 11-6. The Rangers have won each of the last four games in this series, and have earned at least a point in 11 of the last 14 games against the Maple Leafs dating back to Jan. 14, 2012 (10-3-1). Read the rest of this entry
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