Blog Archives
Rangers Practice Report: Stepan and Klein progressing, Skjei to play Thursday
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
The Rangers practiced today ahead of their two game road trip, beginning tomorrow night against the Minnesota Wild, who sit in third place in the very competitive Central division.
The Rangers are coming off of what was overall a pretty good performance against the Edmonton Oilers, tightening up defensively despite the injuries on the back end. Dylan McIlrath was outstanding, logging 18:38 of ice time and scoring his first career NHL goal.
Brady Skjei made his NHL debut at Madison Square Garden, and showcased some of his really impressive talents and abilities. His skating, probably his best asset, was strong, catching up to guys like Jordan Eberle and Leon Draisaitl, and then pushing them off the puck. And after making a mistake that led to a goal, he bounced back and played well. I highlighted some of his better plays, which you can read HERE. Read the rest of this entry
“Kids” steal the show as Rangers snap losing streak; McIlrath scores first NHL goal
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
After a really rough road trip, the Rangers (19-9-4) snapped their three game winless streak, ending the Oilers (14-16-2) six game win streak and heading out on their road trip following a 4-2 win.
With Dan Girardi sidelined due to a swollen knee, the Rangers needed to rely on two of their young defensive prospects, turning to Dylan McIlrath and Brady Skjei to shoulder some tough assignments and hold down the fort. They were both fantastic.
Dylan McIlrath scored his first career goal in the second period, and Brady Skjei logged 15 minutes of ice time, including over two minutes on the penalty kill. Both helped the Rangers play a much more focused, sound defensive game. Read the rest of this entry
Skjei Hello! Rangers seek revenge against Oilers at home, Girardi OUT
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
When the Rangers (18-9-4) take on the Edmonton Oilers (14-15-2) at Madison Square Garden, one of the Rangers top defensive prospects will be making his NHL debut.
With Dan Girardi sidelined with swelling in his knee, the Ranger will start Brady Skjei, the 21 year old defenseman out of the University of Minnesota. Skjei, pronounced “shay,” debuted with the Wolf Pack at the end of last season, eventually playing on the top pairing in the playoffs. He leads Hartford defensemen with 11 points (2-9-11) in 29 games, and has nine points (2-7-9) in the last 18 games.
Skjei looked to be NHL ready right out of college, an excellent skater who has always been a shut-down type of defenseman. He has shown some offensive skills, but never blew anyone away with point production. However, he’s a good passer and his transitional skills out of the defensive zone is a big part of his game. Read the rest of this entry
Mailbag Monday: Potential trades, defensive miscues and is this the real Rangers?
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Welcome to Mailbag Monday, a series where I take questions from you, the reader, and give my opinion. This is the first mailbag article during the regular season, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Emotions are running high after the Rangers failed to win a game during their three game road trip. They’ve won just two of their last 10 games, have had countless defensive breakdowns, and are seeing their flaws exposed.
If you’d like to be in a future Mailbag Monday article, you can contact the page by hitting the Contact tab at the top. Follow the page on Facebook and Twitter (In the sidebar) and look for updates on the next article.
Without further ado, let’s get started. Read the rest of this entry
Winless road trip as Rangers defense throws away game to the Flames
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
“I feel like sh-t.”
Those were the words from leading scorer Mats Zuccarello after the game, a game that saw the Rangers (18-9-4) salvage a point but throw away a game to the Calgary Flames (13-14-2) in a 5-4 overtime loss. The Rangers are 2-6-2 in their last 10 games and are losing ground in the Metropolitan Division.
Mats Zuccarello scored the Rangers fourth goal to tie the game with just over a minute left to play. But the defensive game from the team was in shambles for the second consecutive night. Despite resiliency from the forward group yet again, it was too big of a hole to climb out of. Read the rest of this entry
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