'Yotes Howl Loud in 3-2 Win over Blueshirts

Post-Game Thoughts:

• 5th straight loss, over 202 minutes of offensive ineptitude on the road before the 1st goal, and 50 minutes of uninspired, lethargic, and atrocious hockey = your New York Rangers.
• Didn't I say after the last game giving up 2 quick goals to start a game, given how tight the standing are, was unacceptable? Then what's the right word for 3 unanswered goals?
• Chad Johnson looked overmatched and nervous in a spot start for Lundqvist tonight, who is battling the flu, but settled down after the 2nd period. Precisely why this team needs a serviceable backup;  you cant rely on a rookie to do the job.
• Michael Del Zotto was the goat in this game, 2 defensive miscues lead directly to goals by the opposition. But, he wasn't the worse Michal on the ice, that honor goes to Captain Hook-ing, (holding, and high-Sticking.)
• 3-for-39 in the last 12 games on the PP. I say why not put the 4th line out there instead. It can't get worse, could it?
• You think there's any correlation to the Rangers offensive woes after the Dubinsky-Christensen-Gaborik line was broken up? Gaborik and Christensen hooked up for a pretty 2-on-1. I urge thee Tortorella, put them back together.
• Your heart had to sink when you saw Gaborik's baseball swing shot hit the post with 1:25 remaining. 

Next Game: Right back at it tonight 8:00 pm @ Colorado.

Kovalchuk a Possibility on Broadway?

Steve Zipay, Rangers beat writer for Newsday, wrote yesterday that if Ilya Kovalchuk is available the Rangers are expected to be interested.

Zipay adds that Atlanta will most likely command Brandon Dubinsky, either Chris Higgins or Ales Kotalik, a prospect such as Bobby Sanguinetti and maybe a No. 2 pick. The Flyers, Bruins, Canucks, Flames, Kings and Blackhawks could put together even more attractive packages.


Thoughts:

• Here's my problem with this....Not only are the Rangers in salary cap purgatory but the only way the Rangers make a move like this is if they firmly believe they're on the cusp of winning and Kovalchuk is the missing piece to put them over the top and make a run at the Stanley Cup and you're able to rid yourself of either Wade Redden or Michal Rosival's contract as well. However, I feel they're nowhere near that level so why trade young talent away when you can sign him in the offseason (He's a UFA). The Rangers should just sell off any players that have value (Prospal, Girardi, Kotalik?) and get something in return to build with.

Rangers neglect to heed Hurricane Warning

Post-Game Thoughts:

• Maybe I should stay off this blog thing... Granted, since December they haven't played better than average. Having said that, I chose a great night to begin blogging again. 
• Giving up 2 quick goals to start a game is an absolute handicap and, given the desperation the Rangers know they need to play with right now, is unacceptable. 
• Wade Redden only saw 7:13 of ice-time, mainly due to being benched after attempting to pinch in the neutral zone and failing, leading to the 3rd Carolina goal. He was Tortorella's scapegoat tonight. 
• Henrik Lundqvist looked off tonight. Staal's goal was soft at best and it begs the question; when will the King get a rest?
• Marian Gaborik is in a big time slump (2 goals in his last 12 games) and it showed tonight, shooting wide and whiffing on shots he normally buries. 
• Ryan Callahan netted the lone Rangers goal...(no pun intended).
• 7 goals in 4 games since being named Captain of the Hurricanes, you think Eric Staal is enjoying his new role?

Next Game:  Saturday 8 p.m. @ Phoenix to start a 3-game, West Coast trip.

Am I Pretty Enough?

With a new semester of The Neutral Zone radio show upon us, I figured the old blog could use a little media "makeover," if you will. And, with a Rangers game tonight against the Hurricanes, look for a long-awaited review of the game.

30 sec news Story

The Neutral Zone returns!

Thursdays at 10:00 am will mark the new date and time this semester you can hear The Neutral Zone. It should be another great semester of sports talk radio. And now with WKNJ FM streaming 90.3FM live, anyone around the world can listen. Tune in on Thursday and check it out!

Pen-manship: Rangers Search For Answers After 2 Losses

With 8-3 and 5-2 losses to hang their heads on, the Rangers forge on. With back-to-back losses to the Pittsburgh Penguins in ugly fashion, the New York Rangers find themselves in a tumultuous situation.

Their record over the past 19 games is something to feel rather disgusted at (6-12-1), considering the team started out 7-1. Yet, despite the effort being adequate, the team has gaping holes in every part of the lineup.

For starters, the goaltending has not been up to par. Backup Steven Valiquette, whose been a journeyman throughout his career and found a home with the New York Rangers, started the 1^st game of a back-to-back with Pittsburgh and gave up 8 goals with the team around him playing very loose defensively. Henrik Lundqvist must share the blame as well. Although solid for the majority of the year and constantly making brilliant saves to keep the Rangers close, too many times Lundqvist has let a soft goal go in or not made the big save when needed.

The defense is becoming more and more exposed each game. Rookies Michael Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy have provided much needed offensive flair yet they’re young and inexperienced. Veterans like Michal Rosival and Wade Redden are supposed to provide veteran leadership.

While Redden has been steady so far this season, Rosival has been mediocre at best and him, combined with Redden, take up nearly $12 million in salary cap space. Marc Staal and Dan Girardi, the team’s number 1 D-pair, have been inconsistent at best, blowing a good number of defensive coverage’s each game.

Aside from Marian Gaborik, who has been an absolute savior, and Vinny Prospal, arguably the best off-season acquisition in Glen Sather’s tenure, secondary scoring has been non-existent. Christopher Higgins, part of the trade that sent Scott Gomez to Montreal, only has 2 goals. Captain Chris Drury, back in the lineup after suffering a concussion, has not provided enough offense for the amount of money he makes. Ales Kotalik, who started off hot and brought a revival to the Rangers’ power play, has fizzled lately and found himself in John Tortorella’s doghouse along with winger Enver Lisin, Tortorella’s apparent whipping boy.

The back-to-back series with the Penguins exposed the glaring weaknesses with the Rangers team this season. Management must have shared the same sentiment, executing some personnel moves this week with the team being off until Saturday’s match-up against Buffalo. The Rangers waived goalie Steve Valiquette and recalled net minder Chad “not Ocho Cinco” Johnson and claimed center Erik Christensen off waivers.

With Dubinsky still out with a broken bone in his hand, the Rangers are hoping Christensen, 25, can provide some offensive ability in his absence. The Rangers are hoping for an abundance of things at this point, some consistent hockey would be a starting point.