Posts tagged ‘Atlantic Division’

I don’t think I need to state just how big a game the Rangers/Canadiens tilt is tonight for the Blueshirts.

A win and the Rangers break a 5-game losing streak and jump back into the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.

A loss? Well, another loss and the Rangers fall further into the Atlantic Division abyss and set themselves up to at least tie last year’s seven game losing streak when they’re forced to face the WHITE HOT Pens on Monday.

 Straka in; Shanny out. 

And in a bit of a suprise, fan favorite Marek Malik will suit up along side former partner Michael Rozsival.  The other two D-Combos will be changed as well with Girardi alongside Staal and Tyutin playing with Mara.  In case you can’t do the math, Jason Strudwick is out so clearly I’m upset…

 I actually have a good feeling tonight…Rangers 3, Habs 2.

With the Rangers lineup dwindling due to the injury bug, tonight’s lines have become a Lets Make a Deal of sorts.

· Behind Door Number One: The always underachieving Marcel Hossa will be thrust into the top line with Jagr and Gomez.

· Behind Door Number Two: Chris Drury will dance in between Brendan Shanahan and Greg Moore. Shanahan will be playing left wing.

· Behind Door Number Three: Nigel Dawes, Brandon Dubinsky and Petr Prucha

Now it’s just a matter of figuring out which door contains the $8,000 fur coat and which door has the donkey pulling the wagon that nobody wants. Boy, what a few hours of the Game Show Network will do to you.

Classic game show references aside, a big game tonight against the Flyers. The Rangers slide has taken them down to the bottom of the Atlantic (oceanic pun intended). Flyers stand one point up on the Blueshirts and are returning Simon Gagne to the ice after missing the last two months.

Steve and I will be back with a new show tomorrow. This team desperately needs two points, so we can have at least a partially positive show.

Yes, the Rangers have lost 3 in a row. Yes, they have played, for lack of a better word, like crap. Yes, they have fallen from within two points of the conference lead to within 2 points of being out of the playoff picture.
And yes, the Devils have won nine in a row. Yes, they have climbed from the Atlantic Division cellar to the Atlantic Division throne. Yes, Marty Brodeur is playing like, well…Marty Brodeur.

But all it takes to change everything above is one game. A win today by the Rangers and everything gets erased. A win today puts the Rangers right back into first place in the Atlantic and makes them 4-0 against the Debbies this year.

And sure, everything right now is pointing to a Devils domination, but its games like today that get the blood pumping. Lundqvist has sat out the last four periods, his longest stretch of the season. He’ll be ready. Gomez wants to show everyone he made the right choice by crossing the Hudson. He’ll be ready. Brendan Shanahan, well, he’s Shanny. He’ll be ready. And as much as Captain Jags has been struggling, he knows what’s at stake. He’ll be ready.

The one guy that won’t be ready is Sean Avery. This is his type of game, so somebody else needs to step up in his place. And if you’re asking my opinion…somebody will!

I don’t know what it is. Maybe its just blind stupidity, but I woke up this morning and felt good about today’s game. I’m expecting a big turnaround.

Will it happen? Maybe, maybe not, but one thing’s for sure. If it does, the last couple of weeks will be erased and the Blueshirts will be back!

Well isn’t that a relief. A win against the Isles for the first time all season and it couldn’t come at a better time. Rangers now jump back to the top of the division (Tied with the Flyers) and create a little space away from the Islanders. Also, Ottawa has lost their last five games; so Saturday could be a good time for the Blueshirts to get the Senators on the ropes.

On the defensive end for the Rangers, some changes will be made for Saturday’s game. With the injury to Paul Mara, the always reliable Marek Malik will be back in the line up. He will be paired with Michal Rozsival and Marc Staal will get the honor of playing side by side with Jason Strudwick. We’ll have to see how these changes affect the game tomorrow night.

Steve and I will be back on with a podcast on Monday. Make sure to get your calls in on what will hopefully be two Rangers wins.