Posts tagged ‘Bruins’

Here we go with Round 2 of the live blog.  Today is an absolute must win for the Blueshirts.  They simply cannot afford to lose both games of a home and home to a Bruins team so depleted by the flu bug, that the Wolf Pack could probably beat them.

The key for the Rangers today?  Well, here’s a little quote from Sean Avery that should make it clear: “I don’t know why. But I’ve been saying this for a while. We need to look at ourselves personally in the mirror and hold ourselves accountable. ”

Accountability?  Hmmm…where have you heard that before??  The Rangers must be held accountable for what they do today and moving forward to have any chance at making a run.

Everybody will dress in warm-ups except for Marcel Hossa.  That means Jason Strudwick’s probably back in the line-up, while fan favorite Marek Malik will probably sit.  As much as it pains me that Strudwick is the only other option, you can’t argue with Renney’s decision to give Malik a seat after yesterday.

12:40 p.m.: Almost four minutes in and no penalties thus far for the Rangers.  Heck of a start!

12:49 p.m.: Another great job by the hard working third line drawing a penalty and almost scoring.  Let’s shoot the puck on the PP now!

12:52 p.m.: No goal on the man-up, but I was happy with the power play.  They put the puck at the net and had opportunities off rebounds.  You will score more time than not when you execute a power play like that.

12:57 p.m.: That’s the right call on Girardi. 

1:01 p.m.: Another PP opportunity.  They need another power play like the first one. 

1:06 p.m.: That’s a bad bad goal.  The Rangers have played a fine period so far and that just cancels it out.  Lundy’s gotta have that and Tyutin can’t allow that puck out of the zone.  Bad job all around.

1:10 p.m.: The Rangers outshot Boston 12-4 in that period and really had the better of the play.  The third line looks great again and Avery’s going well.  But the only thing that matters is again the Rangers are trailing and, again, they have to find a way to come from behind.  The only way to do that is to keep at it for the next forty minutes.  They can’t afford to take a period off as they have in so many games the past few weeks. 

1:35 p.m.: Another great shift by the third liners.  That hard work needs to be rewared by Renney.

1:37 p.m.: That is an awful awful call on Gomez.  It’s really unbelievable the amount of terrible calls that have gone agains the Rangers lately.  It’s unfortunate timing.  The Rangers have been pressing for the last 10 minutes or so, and this kills that momentum.  Gotta kill it off.

1:44 p.m.: This is getting ridiculous.  The Rangers are dominating the play, but just can’t score.  The next goal will be crucial.  If the Rangers get it they’re obviously tied and will have some positive reinforcement for their play so far.  If the B’s get it I think its game over.  The Rangers can’t afford to dominate two periods and be down two goals.

1:55 p.m.: The Rangers HAVE TO shoot the puck in that situation.  The third line kept the puck in the Boston zone for a good minute plus and have nothing to show for it.

1:56 p.m.: Ah yes…the classic “Jagr” penalty. 

2:01 p.m.: Frustrating, just frustrating.  The Rangers have DOMINATED this game and are still trailing at the 2nd period break.  It has to be disheartening for a team to play so well and still be down.  This third period is going to determine a lot for this team.  One of these big name guys on the team has to step up and earn his keep.  This can’t be a game won by the third line neophytes.  I want to see Jagr, Drury, Shanny, or Gomez step up and make it happen.  If the Rangers drop this one it may be time to seriously start considering if they should be sellers at the deadline.

2:22 p.m.: That’s it, game over.  The Rangers aren’t scoring two goals in this game, probably not even one.  They just flat out got outworked on that shift.  The only difference, when Boston outworks them they score.  When the Rangers outwork the opponent, nothing happens.

2:27 p.m.: Rangers PP.  This is their last chance to get something going.

2:33 p.m.: The boo-birds are out in full force right now, as well they should be.  That was an absolutely awful power play.  Something big has to happen with this team and soon. 

2:34 p.m.: HOW THE HECK IS THE FOURTH LINE ON THE ICE RIGHT NOW! SERIOUSLY MR. RENNEY, YOU ARE DOWN TWO GOALS IN PROBABLY THE BIGGEST GAME OF THE YEAR AND YOU PUT OUT A LINE THAT WILL NOT SCORE.  REAL SMART!

2:48 p.m.: Wow…just wow.  Mara shouldn’t play in the next game after that turnover.  That’s a turnover a squirt doesn’t make.  This team is a joke right now, an absolute joke.  The big guys are just non-existent.  At this point a fire sale may be necessary.  I’d much rather see 20 young guys playing their tails off and losing, then a bunch of under-motivated vets with big names get embarrassed.  Time to shake things up Glen.

2:51 p.m.: At least that line can get something.  They’re the only one’s that seem to care.  And did you guys see Thomas on that goal.  Geez, man relax.  I understand the shutout’s gone, but you’re getting the ‘W’.

3:04 p.m.: Renney needs to get mad and yell during this press conference…

This was a game that the Rangers needed to win.  They were playing a team that was tied with them in the standings and was feeling the effects of the flu bug. 

But again, as we’ve seen so many times recently, the Rangers shot themselves in the foot. 

They were shorthanded 8 times yet again, and would have made it five straight games with a five-on-three against had Chuck Kobasew not scored on a delayed penalty call.  And again, it wasn’t just the fact that the Rangers took so many penalties that was bothersome.  It was the timing of the penalties that was once again laughable.

The Rangers took a penalty in the very beginning of each period, squashing any opportunity they may have had to come out of the gates like gangbusters.  They again took a penalty right after they scored the go ahead goal, squashing any opportunity for momentum.

A couple positives though.  Tom Renney said in the post game that there were a couple of players who missed shifts because they took bad penalties.  If this is true, then its a step in the right direction from a coaching perspective, but I really didn’t notice it enough to qualify it as such just yet. 

And yes, the Rangers did get the point, but right now a single point just isn’t good enough.  They go right back at it with the B’s tomorrow at the Garden.  In that one, 2 points in regulation is CRUCIAL for the Blueshirts.