"You see things that are open in the net that aren't there if you look through the eyes of the puck," assistant GM-coach Jim Shoenfeld said yesterday after running some of his players through a shooting drill designed to help them see openings in the net better. In photography, they call it parallax -- the difference between what you see through a viewfinder versus what the shutter actually sees in non-SLR cameras, a slight but distinct shift in point view that throws things off just enough to ruin carefully composed pictures. In a camera, it's caused by parallel views that are just an inch or so apart -- for a shooter, the difference between what he sees and the angle of the puck on the stick is much greater. Does it make that much of a difference? Schoenfeld thinks so.
Things were supposed to get easier for the Rangers as the schedule got easier. From the last day of November, the day their fortunes turned sour, through the end of January, they played nearly half their games against the eleven teams currently ahead of them in the league standings, going 1-9-1 -- they were 12-1-1 against the eighteen teams with worse records. But the Rangers got no relief despite the schedule easing up in February -- during their current 2-8-4 collapse, they are 1-5-4 against teams below them in the standings (taking into account that Florida just inched ahead of them the other night).
The schedule remains light over the next four weeks, with nine games against teams below them and only four against top ten teams, four of those among the five worst teams in the league, beginning with Colorado tonight. If the Rangers want to make their last six games meaningful -- five of them against top teams -- they are going to have to resume taking advantage of the teams they should beat.
In the news today, mostly about Sean Avery's impending return to the Rangers -- Newsday, Record, Post, and the Sporting News. Hartford won its fifth straight since Avery's debut -- see Howlings, WP.com, and Beyond the Blueshirts. More from the Post on goal scoring (here) and John Tortorella (here). The NHL admitted making mistakes in how it handled the apparent Brandon Dubinsky goal in the opening minute of the last game, but did not admit that they would have ruled the goal good as a result -- see Blue Notes and Rangers Report. Previews of tonight's game -- Rangers Report, NYR.com, and NHL.com -- one line-up change, Fred Sjostrom returning in place of Aaron Voros. Prospect Park makes soup.
Anybody else watching the Caps-Bruins? Quite entertaining. I also see NJ is hammering Fla. If the Rangers somehow manage to make the playoffs (which I think is doubtful right now), I pray they play either Washington or Boston. I'm not sure I could take a 1st round defeat at the hands of the Devils.
Posted by: ntb | February 28, 2009 at 02:40 PM
The Devils, teams like the Caps and Bruins who hammer FLA when they face them is because they are so confident with the puck around the net ... their players believe that they can score and they usually do ... making average goalies look average as is happening today to Anderson ... unlike us ...
Posted by: Matty | February 28, 2009 at 02:49 PM
Pavel Brendl was the leading goal scorer in the khl this year, still only 27 years old. Had 36 goals, and I for one am interested in what he'll do in the playoffs. he's had over 30 the last three years, the two prior to this spent in the SEL.
maybe he's a real late bloomer??
Posted by: alan | February 28, 2009 at 05:16 PM
Regarding Brendl-
Maybe he's a late bloomer... or maybe it's because the KHL and SEL are not the NHL.
Posted by: EddieJ | February 28, 2009 at 05:26 PM
I heard Marcel Hossa scores in that league!!!!
Guys like Brendl cannot score when he is getting hit and dealing with the aggresiveness of the NHL was his downfall...
Selanne got his 20th today in about 40 games some guys just know how to score, unfortunately the Rangers have none of those guys..
Posted by: stuart | February 28, 2009 at 05:44 PM
How did Hartford win its 5th straight since Avery's arrival? Didnt they lose a game 1-0?
Posted by: Jive | February 28, 2009 at 05:53 PM
4 zip after one first time in a month I can breath easy while watching a game.
is this because of the system? Or the lanche stink? Or a little bit of both?
Posted by: stuart | February 28, 2009 at 07:51 PM
I loved the way the Rangers came out in the 1st and took it to Colorado. That was total dominance, and Lundqvist was brilliant on a couple of turnovers. 4-0 and they could have scored more! I hope they still have something left for the next 2 periods...
Posted by: Laserman | February 28, 2009 at 07:51 PM
It's about time!
Posted by: JerseyDave | February 28, 2009 at 08:12 PM
6-1 lead baby and the team has it's official first 20 goal scorer ... let's hope others join him such as Z and Drury ect ...
Posted by: Matty | February 28, 2009 at 09:28 PM
Dude what a game and what an ending ... I think Schoeny wanted to beat Granato's butt ... Darcy Tucker is such a punk!
I would normally want the team to keep rolling with this momentum BUT I think the day off tomorrow will be good and then 3 good days of practice ... although with the way they played tonight ... I don't believe that this coaching staff will ALLOW them to slack so wouldn't Avery do more harm than good if the majority of the team doesn't want him? Oh well, Torts will give him his chance if we claim him and if he doesn't work out his butt can just be waived again
Posted by: Matty | February 28, 2009 at 09:50 PM
Over a month of scraping the bottom of the barrel finally comes to an end. Thank you sweet lord! Goals aplenty and another stellar Lundqvist outing. Where do we go from here??? Let the rollercoaster ride begin!
Posted by: NCSteve | February 28, 2009 at 10:36 PM
Attitude on the bench and on the ice...It's been a long time coming... Z
Posted by: CraigZ | February 28, 2009 at 10:37 PM
Good overall effort from start to finish, so no complaints here. I would like to do the same thing to a team like Detroit, or Boston, then I would feel comfortable. Got to start off small though!
Posted by: Laserman | February 28, 2009 at 10:40 PM
There must have been something in the air tonight as two of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL (Rangers and Predators) combine for 14 goals! A nice win. Hopefully they gained some confidence b/c they are gonna need it with a very tough stretch of games on the horizon.
Posted by: ntb | February 28, 2009 at 10:58 PM
Loved the goals, loved the grit, loved the result, now if sather just makes a few moves we might just make the playoffs. Good game boys, let's get the mighty mo rollin!!!!
Posted by: Wicky229 | February 28, 2009 at 11:39 PM
Sorry I have to disagree there is no longer any "light" game on the schedule, the playoffs for the Rangers are already underway thanks to their recent swoon.
Yes it was nice to see the team score 6 goals but I see the Islander game as the first true test of the Tortorella Era. The Rangers must bring the same effort against the Islander as they did the Avs and not give any points away.
Wicky
The scary part is that it is Sather who is making the moves, maybe rewording that to "Now if Sather can make a few RIGHT moves this time".
To be honest other than Avery, I don't want to see Sather try to pull off any deals. Either win with this bunch or don't.
I fear that to move salary that Sather might have to give an important part of the future away.
Posted by: Jess | March 01, 2009 at 05:25 AM
I think Sather will actually heed whatever advice Torts dishes out as far as making or not making any moves come the deadline. Afterall he(Sather) is the one who said that our team can win with this bunch so keep the team as is and then deal with what you need(and don't need) come the summer.
This win was encouraging because we have been having as much of a hard time beating the bad teams as the good ones ... also i love that the 1st game after the 4 day layoff is @ the Islanders since it's a rival ...
BTW Islanders are expected to trade Bill Guerin today ... he was a late scratch yesterday for that purpose ...
Avery or no Avery, I just hope our team continues on this forward path ...
BTW although his play has been much improved with Torts why in the hell did Redden NOT drop his gloves to hold on better to Lapper? Lapper hit Dubi with his elbow pad because Redden didnt tie him down! Grrr
Posted by: Matty | March 01, 2009 at 08:18 AM
If Avery comes who goes??Pru? Dawes? Korpi?
Posted by: Ant | March 01, 2009 at 09:57 AM
I have to admit, I didn't have any idea how goooooood it would feel with nice-guy Renney gone and the Rangers playing a whole different brand of hockey. Kind of like a chronic migraine--didn't know how bad it was until it's over.
But having said that, every time I watch Torts' Rangers overcommit in the offensive zone--and surely they do, several times a game -- I also watch them hustle back and play defense reasonably well. And I think to myself: well, Torts and the team are benefitting from all that defensive schooling these guys have gotten under Tom's system.
Beat writers have pointed out that Hank is looking at maybe more odd- man rushes -- as predicted by and accepted by Torts. But I bet if we look at the stats, it just ain't so. Especially in the last month of Renney, the defense broke down all the time and odd-man rushes were an ongoing problem, along with backcheckers wandering around aimlessly in their own zone. The stats show scoring chances against Rangers way down. Yes, because we are spending so much time in O-zone, but also hustling back much better and smarter (except for Gomez, who still stinks defensively). Just more alert and on our toes, but also using what they learned but didn't seem to care to bring themselves to do, in the end, under Tom.
Posted by: gravey | March 01, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Ant: I think I read that they're putting Reitz on IR.
Great win last night. Nice to see signs of life, even against the Colorado Lavalamps (hey, I lived in Boulder and that's how we ridiculed them).
What's with Brooks baiting Torts in Slap Shots this week? Is Uncle Larry bitter, or just kind of a jerk, or what?
Posted by: Cutter | March 01, 2009 at 10:34 AM
Cutter
But they need to get rid off one of the forwards so Aves can have a spot.
Posted by: Ant | March 01, 2009 at 10:49 AM
the forward going bye bye is named Aaron not Dawes or Prucha or Lori.
Voros is gone, to the minors if no one picks him up..
Posted by: stuart | March 01, 2009 at 11:03 AM
Yeah but Voros is not playing so it HAS to be pruchs Lori or Dawes.Im sure one of them will be traded if Aves gets here but itll be a hard choice.I like all 3 of them.
Posted by: Ant | March 01, 2009 at 11:17 AM
Having the pleasure of watching last night's game on DVR. What a pleasure! It has been a while since I have seen a Ranger game with this level of sustained intensity. They also stuck up for each other at the end too. Hopefully, we can build on this game vs. the Islanders and come out with such intensity.
Posted by: Marc H | March 01, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Ant,
That might be the case but Torts has to commit to play Avery, what if Avery doesn't work out? I think, and I could be wrong, that someone might get traded at the deadline and for they'll rotate if necessary
Posted by: Matty | March 01, 2009 at 01:53 PM