Blog Archives
Historic matchup as Rangers travel to Brooklyn to take on the Islanders; Glass in lineup
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
For the first time in both team’s history, the storied rivalry between the Rangers (17-6-2) will take on the New York Islanders (13-8-4) in a stadium other than the Nassau Coliseum, traveling a few boroughs over to Brooklyn and the Barclays Center instead.
A smaller venue with some obstructed view seats and the chance to get really loud, the environment should be extremely lively, with fans of both teams shouting and cheering for their respective teams.
It hasn’t been the best of starts for the Islanders in their new home. Despite last season’s success and their young, talented roster, the attendance has been pretty poor. They average 12,393 fans per game, which is 29th in the league, and the numbers occasionally dip around 11,000 too. Part of this has to do with the many obstructed view seats, where an entire third of the ice can be blocked out, the high concession and ticket prices, and the long trip for Long Island fans into Brooklyn. Read the rest of this entry
Vigneault must adjust gameplan while team’s play is lackluster
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Alain Vigneault is a very good coach. He’s reached the Stanley Cup Finals twice, once with the Canucks and once with the Rangers, he’s created a winning environment everywhere he coached, and he’s been able to get production from all aspects of his team.
But nobody is perfect, and Vigneault must challenge himself to adjust some of his practices and strategies in order to get the Rangers playing up to their full potential.
A few days ago, I wrote an article about the flaws on the Rangers team (HERE). It’s pretty obvious that they’re a product of their excellent goaltending. Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta are the league’s best goalie duo, and both players have stolen games and wins. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers weather the storm and snap losing streak; Kevin Klein injured
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
A hurricane came blowing through Madison Square Garden, but the Rangers weathered the storm.
Despite playing a similar type of hockey that saw the Rangers (17-6-2) lose three straight games, Alain Vigneault’s squad managed to come out on top, 4-3, against the Carolina Hurricanes (8-12-4), who have just two wins in their last 10 games.
It was a game that the Rangers were grossly outshot in, yet again, and it took some gifted goals from Cam Ward and an excellent performance by Henrik Lundqvist to come away with a win in this one. A win is a win, but the team needs to be better before they take on the Islanders in their next game. Read the rest of this entry
UPDATE: Derek Stepan out 4-6 weeks, Rangers lineup vs Carolina
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
After the morning skate and during Alain Vigneault’s press conference, the head coach announced that Derek Stepan will miss four to six weeks due to his broken ribs.
Stepan was hit late into the boards by Bruins winger Matt Beleskey and suffered the injury on that play. This is just the second time in his career that he will miss regular season games, as Stepan has been one of the “iron men” on this team.
This is brutal. Saying that he is a big part of the team is an understatement. Stepan is the second line center, plays 17 minutes a night in all situations, scores points, plays excellent defensive hockey, and he’s been pretty clutch at times in his career. There are big skates to fill for the next month or so. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers need a big rebound win at home against the Hurricanes
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
“When you lose one, let alone two, you push the urgency button. Three is not acceptable for a team of our caliber.”
Those were the words that Rick Nash told reporters following the Rangers (16-6-2) following their shutout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden this Saturday, recording just 24 shots on goal, including 14 over the last 40 minutes. They’ll look to avoid a four game losing streak when they take on the Carolina Hurricanes (8-11-4) at the Garden tonight.
The Rangers are closing out the month of November, looking to end it on a high note. It’s been a successful month, with the team posting a 9-4 record, but they have lost three straight games in regulation, two of those coming on home ice. In those games, they’ve been outscored 12-4, with seven of those goals coming in the third period, a big surprise based on the team’s play in the third period all season long. Read the rest of this entry
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