Posts tagged ‘Scott Niedermeyer’

Tonight, the Rangers get another quack at it.  After losing in inexcusable fashion to the Kings on Tuesday night, the Blueshirts can replenish the good feeling around their team with a win tonight over the Anaheim Ducks.

If they can beat the defending champs, the Broadway Blues will have suddenly won 6 of 8 games and will still be on a roll, despite the hiccup earlier in the week.

Don’t be mistaken, this is a winnable game.  Sure these are the defending Stanley Cup Champs and sure Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermeyer are back, but this isn’t last years Ducks.  This is an Anaheim team that has lost 6 of 7 games (with their one win coming against the suddenly anemic Islanders).  This is an Anaheim team that had gone 177 minutes, 56 seconds without a goal, before Scott Niedermeyer’s 2nd period tally against the Isles on Tuesday.  Most importantly, this is a tired Anaheim team–tonight’s game is the final matchup in a 9-game, 15-day road trip that saw the Ducks play in all four time zones.

In other words, this is a team that’s ripe for the picking.  But then again, the Kings were certainly ripe for the picking and look how that turned out. 

Call me crazy, but I think the Rangers are going to play a heck of a game tonight.  I think they’re angry with what went on Tuesday night and are going to be on their toes tonight.  Their frustration was evident during the in-team fighting yesterday at practice and I think we’ll see that frustration carry over tonight, with the Ducks paying the price.

To me, the fourth line’s play will determine a lot.  Colton Orr and Ryan Hollweg are going to need to match the Ducks physicality and actually drop the gloves.  Look for them to set a tone early and for Sean Avery to follow it through.  If the Rangers can do that and stay smart, I think we’ll be talking about a hard fought Rangers win in a few hours time.