Rangers lead 2-1 after 2 as the teams traded goals in the second. Goborik was able to stay healthy long enough to score, but was answered less than a minute later on a slap shot from gomez on a perfect feed from avery. (Zherdev got secondary assist on the goal, 2 points for him)
This is one of those "brodeur" games for Hank. He has seen only 10 shots through two periods. The rangers aren't "dominating" in that they aren't getitng many great chances themselves. Only a handful on the game, but they are allowing almost nothing to the Wild. Outshooting and out skating them so far to the tune of a 23-10 shot advantage through 2 periods.
This game absolutely has the "letdown" vibe going right now, as the rangers are looking at another one of those games where they outshoot their opponent by 15-20 shots, and possibly end up in overtime. Gotta score early in the third and put this game away.
Avery has been very strong. His assist give him 6 points in 5 home games with the rangers this season. (can't help but wonder if we wouldn't already have that 4 locked up, and be making a strong push for the 3 seed if we had had Avery all season long) Callahan having another strong hustle game. He has been really impressive of late. (10 points in last 12 games, but 6 goals already under torterella. Def seems to enjoy this offensive scheme a lot more than renney's)
Wednesday News and Notes: Senators Ink Andrew Sturtz to 2-Year ELC,
Melnyk’s Town Hall Meetings
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In a tidy bit of business, the Senators signed a player who’s not not
known...
6 years ago
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3rd period scares me too. Hank has been very un-Hank-like in the last 2 third periods, making just 6 saves on 9 shots. We need him to rise up here. And we need to score that 3rd goal. Thanks for the running recaps - really helps.
ReplyDeleteVersus brought up before start of 3rd, under Torts, rangers are +13 goals thru first 40 minutes, and -4 in the third period. Perhaps they aren't conditioned enough for his attacking style yet? Who knows. What I do know is the Wild have had as many good ahcnes in the first 5 minutes of the third, as they did the first two periods. Fritche just missed burning the rangers for the tying goal, sure he would have loved that. And Hank made a great save on Owen Nolan. (Needed that, don't want him scoring, have never liked him)
ReplyDeleteRangers have their first good "offensive" shift of the third period....7 minutes into the period.
ReplyDeleteBackstrom has been real shaky all game handling the puck, Rangers gotta capitalize on it
Rangers kept most of the play from the 11 minute mark to the 8 minute mark in the Wild zone. Announcer Eddie Olczyk points out "Well, the rangers are keeping it in the wild zone, but the wild are doing a great job of keeping them way outside and on the baords the whole time, unable to really create any scoring chances"
ReplyDeleteHe's correct (and that's kind of what the rangers always do, especially on the power play), but what he didn't mention is that cycling and keeping the puck in the opposition zone for THAT long, almost ALWAYS draws a penalty because the defense can't change and is exhausted.
Penalty on the wild, rangers get a big powerplay, gotta get this one
The powerplay looked strong the first minute, but then absolutely awful the second minute. As the power play was getting ready to expire, mara tried to dump in, the wild recovered, and threw the puck into the crowd!
ReplyDeleteDown 2-1 with 8 minutes left in the game and the wild take back to back minors in their zone for too many men on the ice, and delay of game. Wow.
Rangers....awful AGAIN on the powerplay. Back to back games, both low scoring, on home ice, any power play at all would seal both games for the rangers and they have gotten NOTHING out of it.
ReplyDeleteIt really seems like at this point, they are just content with eating the 2 minutes, and just trying to protect against a shorthanded goal.
I think the Rangers have gotten more shots on goa than their opponents the last 2 games - it's been Hank - who I think is still not 100% healthy from the stomach thing. Sounds like a "wild" finish.
ReplyDeleteHank allowed 2 goals last game. I haven't really seen a huge collapse in his play during any of the games accept the shootout game in montreal. I think it's just a case of a team whose forwards are tired after 2 periods of agressive hockey like they haven't played all season, and they need to rely on their defense to really pick up the physical play and have good position in the 3rd period and....the rangers defense is one of the weaker ones in the conference.
ReplyDelete