Blog Archives
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
Rangers comeback bid falls short in 6-4 loss to the Islanders
John Dundon
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
The Rangers battled hard after showing up late to the 5:08 puck drop, but the bad start ultimately cost them two huge points.
It wasn’t just a typical bad start; this was downright awful. The worst of the season by far. You can take your pick from the excuses being thrown around, but there is no explanation for the lack of effort and headiness the Rangers started this game with. Alain Vigneault said after the game “credit them, they came out hard.” Yeah right, coach.
The Rangers start in that spot, against a division rival, with home ice advantage on the line, was inexcusable. Read the rest of this entry
Raanta remains in net as the Rangers take on the Islanders; Marc Staal OUT
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
After bouncing back with a huge win over the Capitals, the Rangers (38-21-6) close out a tough three-game stretch against division rivals when they take on the New York Islanders (35-20-7), returning to MSG for one game before another short road trip.
Although the Rangers hold a five game lead over the Islanders, the Isles have three games in hand, making this a true battle for second place in the Metro. Both teams are coming into this game playing well, and both teams will be playing hard to get the two points.
This is the third out of four games between the Rangers and Islanders, and the first game at MSG this season. The last five encounters have all been played at the Islanders’ home; three at the Nassau Coliseum and two this year at the Barclays Center. The Rangers are 0-1-1 this year against the Isles, losing 2-1 in a shootout in December and 3-1 on January 14th. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers look for consecutive wins when they take on the Islanders; Girardi a game time decision
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
The last time the Rangers (23-14-5) won two games in a row, the Rangers had won their 16th game of the season in just 21 games, sitting atop the Metropolitan Division and amongst the league leaders in points.
Flash forward almost two months, and the story is completely different. While they have been playing better lately, with a 4-2-1 record in the last seven games against some tough competition, they’re just 7-11-3 in the last 21 games.
So tonight’s matchup against the Islanders (23-15-5) presents an opportunity to not only gain ground in the division, since both teams are tied with 51 points, but also for the Rangers to get their first win streak going in over seven weeks. Read the rest of this entry
NHL Division Preview: The Metropolitan
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers and the Capitals will be two of the Metropolitan’s best teams this season. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
The upcoming NHL season is less than two weeks away, and the excitement is palpable. The rosters are almost finalized, preseason is almost over, and the grind for a Stanley Cup Championship is about to begin.
This is the first post in a series of four where I will preview each division in the NHL, make my predictions, and choose who I think will be in the playoffs. There will be an article for each division in the league.
The Metropolitan Division is shaping up to be the best in the entire league. Many of the teams have either maintained their strong roster or drastically improved, meaning that this division is very likely to send five teams to the playoffs.
The Rangers were the champions of the Metropolitan last season, in the regular season and after the first two rounds, and they’ll look to defend their divisional prowess against some surging teams such as the Penguins, the Capitals, and the Islanders. Read the rest of this entry
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