Rangers Stay With Sens But Are Shut Out

The Rangers ran into a buzzsaw in Ottawa tonight, a team that is now 10-0 including pre-season, and did a bit of buzzing themselves in playing the Sens fairly evenly -- except for two critical errors early in the game. Considering this was the second game of the season, considering the Rangers still haven't found the right chemistry with their two new centers, considering the Rangers have yet to figure out what they want to do on the power play, considering the Sens played flawless defense, the end result, despite the shutout, is not one to be sneezed at -- the Rangers competed, and have the ingredients to be the better team down the road.

Two errors colossal teamwide breakdowns within a minute of each other were the difference. First, on a power play, Scott Gomez turned the puck over deep in Ottawa's zone, allowing a clear past a pinching Marek Malik, springing Mike Fisher one on one against Michal Rozsival. Rozsival broke up the play, but Fisher bowled him over as he chased the loose puck into the corner, with Malik in pursuit. Andrej Meszaros came off the bench, took a pass from Fisher, and scored -- the Rangers were changing forwards at an inopportune time, and Rozsival could not recover.

Then, with the Rangers changing again, Chris Drury chose to wheel back suddenly and ran into Jason Strudwick, who just jumped onto the ice and couldn't get out of Drury's way even though he tried. Jason Spezza broke in and shot, but Lundqvist made the initial save. Marc Staal began to give chase with Spezza into the corner on his side of the ice, but Strudwick went there first. Before Staal could adjust, Spezza passed out to Daniel Alfredsson, who beat Henrik Lundqvist on the one shot the otherwise stellar Ranger keeper would like to have back. Both Jaromir Jagr and Sean Avery were guilty of heading up ice on the play rather than coming back to help the defense.

That was all the Sens needed. They trapped relentlessly the rest of the game but still had to fend off 66 Ranger shots, 35 of them on goal. The damage would have been worse, but their defense got to almost every loose puck in their zone, thwarting the Rangers' attack and thoroughly frustrating their attackers. And whenever shots did get through, Martin Gerber was there to stop them, beaten only once all game by a Fedor Tyutin shot that glanced off the goal post.

It didn't hurt the home team's cause that the Rangers' forward lines were discombobulated -- and not only because of the absence of Avery, who left the game early with a shoulder injury courtesy of an illegal dirty elbow by the reprehensible Chris Neil. Jagr played with all four centers during the course of this game, none of them able to click with him. Chris Drury, one game after his stellar Ranger debut, was awful in this game -- there's just no way around that assessment. Scott Gomez, who didn't have a stellar Ranger debut, was even worse -- he was invisible, except when he tried without success to carry the puck up the ice on his own, one on four on several occasions.

The power play, a sore spot much of last season when it could not find ways to win games for the Rangers, is off to a terrible start, 0-for-10 with one shorthander allowed. There does not seem to be any rhyme or reason to what the Rangers are trying to do on the power play, beginning with personnel selection -- many different combinations were tried tonight with the obvious ones already misfiring so badly. Right now, it looks as if they are freelancing out there, without success.

And yet despite all that -- maybe even because of all that -- the final result is not at all disheartening. To be able to stay with the Senators, who are firing on all cylinders, without any apparent chemistry, without any semblance of a power play, bodes well for when this team figures out how to play with each other. Jaromir Jagr said it after the opening night win -- they will only get better, given time. We can say it again after this loss in Ottawa -- although as we learned last year, time is not an unlimited commodity. There is work to be done, but all indications are that it can get done.

Staal and Brandon Dubinsky did nothing to lose this game for the Rangers. Staal was part of the teamwide breakdown on the second goal, and perhaps could have stopped it with a quick decision to go after Alfredsson, but all six players on the ice made mistakes on that play. He continued to have difficulty here and there, as one would expect of a defenseman in his second NHL game, but overall he played well enough and showed a couple of good flashes. Dubinsky was active at center despite getting bounced around with different linemates all game long. Marcel Hossa would hardly have made a difference in this contest.

The biggest concern coming out of Ottawa is the condition of Avery. He was blindsided by Neil with an elbow to the head, hurting his shoulder, which hung at his side as he left the ice, not to return to the game. Neil was assessed no more than a minor penalty for a hit clearly intended to injure. He elbowed Petr Prucha up high later in the game -- we'll see just how intent the league is on deterring these kinds of hits when they evaluate Neil's actions (don't hold your breath). Despite the Rangers' 6-4 edge in power plays, the Sens got the benefit of several other calls -- Alfredsson drawing a phantom penalty on Jagr with an obvious dive and getting away with a slash against Tyutin, among other uncalled infractions.

The Daily News was the only local paper on site last night. NYR.com reports on the game too. Ottawa game report here, and wire service report in Newsday. Blueshirts Blog relates why Paul Mara was scratched from the game. NY Sports Day has a feature on Brendan Shanahan. The Post on hits to the head -- not from last night's game though. The Ottawa Sun believes the Rangers are after Ed Jovanovsky -- where have we heard that one before? The Toronto Star reports on the merits of the Rangers' suit against the NHL. Hartford lost its season opener -- see the Courant for more. And in prospect action, Jess has a round-up in Prospect Park.

Comments

[Kyle W.]

I agree 100% with you assessment of the game. It will be interesting to see what enforcement czar Campbell does with Neil, seeing as though there is a bias towards the Canadian teams from the War Room and the NHL.

The Rangers need to take Sunday and Monday to work out the kinks and get ready for a surprising Isles team.

[imitation]

DUBI that's a few too may considers.

[jon]

I think Hossa might have made a difference, the Rangers could have used his size tonight.

[Marge]

Sure Chris Neil was trying to decapitate Rangers with his elbows, but he isn't one of those "hit to hurt" checkers like Ryan Hollweg. Apparently trying to kill other players is fine as long as you don't do it cleanly and legally.

[imitation]

on goal #2 Staal didn't pick up the open man instead went to the same guy Strudwick was on. Goal #1 was laziness by the forwards not coming back on the PP unit to give up a shorthanded goal.

[oleosmirf]

I don't think any lineup Renney could have put together would have made a difference tonight. Ottawa was a much better team and completely dominated most of the game.

[STEVE]

So I don't know if anyone else tuned into the isles/Sabres game after the rangers were over... but whats with the Islanders saluting the fans after the game in copycat fashion.
They also had the rink announcer tell the fans they were being saluted which I feel is a little extra insulting to me as a Rangers fan.

[oleosmirf]

Imitation

That's exactly what I said initially but it fell on deaf ears.

[lennynyr]

Look at the replay on the second goal. Staal covered his man and Strudwick didn't cover Alfreddson.

[imitation]

oleo the real culprit on goal 2 was Drury going back with the puck towards the bench while there was a line change going on and bumps into Strudwick who had to fly to try and get back in the play.

[imitation]

lenny look at the whole play again, your mistaken.

[lennynyr]

OK, I'll take another look and get back to you.

[oleosmirf]

imitation

that was part of it but i felt Staal had no reason to follow the Ottawa player behind the net. If your fellow D-man is on the outside you need to protect in front of the net.

[Laserman]

Marge, you're entitled to your opinion, but Chris Neil makes Darcy Tucker look like a choirboy. That hit on Drury last year was borderline criminal. I live in Canada and have seen him run other teams best players with cheap, cowardly hits many, many times. He will then run from the other teams enforcers on the ensuing shift if they are bigger. I live for the day when I see Neil being carried off the ice on a stretcher and will play the event over and over. If Orr had challenged him, instead of Strudwick he would have skated away...

[oleosmirf]

laserman

I think Marge was being a just a little bit sarcastic...

[Laserman]

LOL oleosmirf, so she was. Oh well, Chris Neil is a subject that normally gets my hackles up. Sorry BTW Marge...

[lennynyr]

After the collision, Spezza got the jump on Strudwick who couldn't catch him so Staal rightfully got between Spezza and Lundqvist to make him hurry his shot and HL made the save.

Strudwick was still out of the play. Staal chased Spezza behind the net. The puck landed in the right corner after the shot. Strudwick was slow getting to the puck which enabled Spezza to get by Strudwick otherwise Staal could have switched off and taken Alfreddson. Staal did pokecheck the puck away from Spezza but the puck ended up on Alfreddson's stick and he put it away, unchecked.

If Strudwick had more speed and Staal went for Spezza, you would be right but Staal had no choice. Unfortunately, he was unlucky with his poke check.

What are you guys seeing different than I am?

[KC]

The hit on Avery was shoulder to shoulder, Neil's elbow came up on the followthrough. He didn't hit Sean in the head, it just looked that way because his head snapped back from the collision.

[lennynyr]

Avery was just standing around on that 2nd goal. He was the closest to Alfreddson other than Strudwick. he didn't do his job either.

[smitty]

The question is not whether the league will do anything about Neil, but whether the Rangers will do anything?

[Jess]

Lenny

I will tell you what you are missing and that is Staal is not to blame for the goal to begin with. I said it during the game thread and will repeat it here.

In the first period on your tv with the Rangers going from right to left. Strudwick was supposed to be the right side defenseman and Staal the left side. Strudwick was out of position to begin with after colliding with Drury but his error was compounded by going to the WRONG side of the ice and falling onto the ice.

Staal of course stands out because he was caught trying to choose which play to make go after the player with the puck ON HIS SIDE or go back to the front of the net.

Blaming Staal is the wrong call as it was his partner who was out of position. However so many are just a tad too quick to place blame every where.

I just wish people would stop, take a deep breath and go back and look at a play in slow motion before this rush to judgement.

[brian]

im sorry but strudwick doesnt need to play against a team like ottawa...they are to fast for him to even think let alone skate....i think right now, like ya said, due to lack of clicking and chem, they are all just tryin to do to much..it doesnt look fluent yet...i thought there was much standing around and if u let me put a tape of the game in id show you how and where i meant...better get their act together fast...i know its game 2 ...but game 2 becomes game 41 very quickly...

[lennynyr]

I didn't miss it Jess, saw it the same way you did. I was responding to a couple of guys who saw it differently than we did.

[Dunny]

Hossa on the 1st line w/ Jags and Straka, atleast to start games.. The rest is easy.

Hossa has the same tools that Ponikarovsky has, he's proven on that line and it gives the Rangers depth at forward that the Sens probably can't even match.

[MikeA]

Why is Callahan getting no PP time? Park him in front of the net, wind up, and take shots. Shanny is very off this year so far.

[Ted]

Most disappointing aspect of the game was easily Gomez, who showed off his impressive speed but also showed off his glaringly poorous decision making/stickhandling ability. Every time he breezed down the ice w/ the puck the sens collapsed on him, knowing that he wasnt going to pass it up, and he almost was always stick checked away from the puck.

Lundqvist was excellent, making several great saves. The checking was also nice to see, especially with guys like Tyutin, Callahan, and Prucha laying out some awesome checks to the likes of Orr/Hollweg.

Mostly disappointed with: Gomez, Jagr (totally invisible when compared to his subpar 1st game), and Malik (made a couple mistakes)
Mostly pleased with: Lundqvist, Dubinsky, Callahan, plus Stall made some really nice forechecking players (remnescent of Leetch).

Finally, the power play, for the love of god how long do we hafta see Straka at the point before Renney realizes how inneffective he is? All of a sudden it looks like passing on Souray could really come back and bite us.

But Jess put it best- the Rangers hardly beat themselves, and the Sens played an awesome defensive game. Lets hope for some more goals come Wednesday against the Isles (and how about them going back-to-back against the sabres this weekend?)

[oleosmirf]

Ted

I am probably the biggest critic of the Gomez signing but the reason Gomez was successful in New Jersey was his linemates. Prucha and Callahan are perfect for Gomez. I've been saying that since July 1st.

Now that Avery is injured I would move Dubinsky yes Dubinsky to the left wing with Drury and Shanahan or call up Dawes and move him there. Then I'd have Hossa and Straka on a line with Jagr.

[Orr will hit youuuuuuuuu..........pretty hard.]

OLEOSMIRF

And i guess you'd sratch Gomez, or put him on the 3rd line?

[ivrydov]

The main problem at this point is the lack of an effective PP. There was no consistent threat or even organization at any time. We seem to still be in the pre-season with all kinds of experimentations and combinations going on. But the loss of Avery hurt in this game too. I think he would have run into or over Gerber at some point. Let's see what Hossa can do then. He's been a streak player up to now, and in the past has come out flying after having had to ride the pines.

[Chris F.]

Why can't the Rangers practice the PP? I know they don't usually, but it's not nearly as good as it should be. Also, they can't keep simply playing it as a 5 on 5 that happens to be 5 on 4. They did that last year, and despite rankings, the PP wasn't nearly the machine it should be.

And hit the goddarn net already!

[oleosmirf]

Put gomez with prucha and callahan and give it whatever number you want to.

[Matty]

Is it surprising if the Isles are really copying us with the stick salute? Also I am not too impressed with the Isles wins over the Sabres for the simple reasons that the Sabres played horrible D in game 1, better in game 2 but they are still trying to play as if they have Drury and Briere and that's getting them nowhere fast.

As far as last night's Rangers game. Had they continued playing like they did during those couple of minutes that cost us the game I would be more upset, but all things being equal I liked that they held their own when they are clearly far from playing as good as they can.

Their glaring problem against the Sens, other than the 2 breakdowns, was that the Sens are largely unchanged this season and as such are playing with great team chemistry. On the other hand the Rangers have new faces on all 3 lines, and are totally lacking team chemistry. Is like everyone is trying to do their own thing as they get into the offensive zone and vs the Sens, who are on their game, that didn't work.

[jas]

oleosmirf

"Now that Avery is injured I would move Dubinsky yes Dubinsky to the left wing with Drury and Shanahan or call up Dawes and move him there. Then I'd have Hossa and Straka on a line with Jagr."

Why not just put Dubi between Straka and Shanahan, and the Rangers can end up with three attacking lines. I'm coming around to the idea of Gomez between Prucha and Cally, two players who can match Gomez' skating.

[cwgatti]

Avery fell on his RIGHT shoulder. He was injured by the hit to his LEFT that was not dirty. Neil hit him high, and the elbow came on the follow through. Now Neil's hit on Prucha is the exact kind of hit that warrants suspension. Strudwick took on Neil and did a great job. He deserves credit. The first goal was on the forwards for not backchecking. The second was a complete Keystone Cops breakdown after Drury thought he was Nylander at the Ranger bench. You can blame all 5 for that debacle. You can sugarcoat it all you want: Stall is overmatched. Two games into Girardi's career were much more impressive. Drury stunk last night. But Gomez showed some serious trap breaking ability. What he doesn't do is use open ice to his advantage. He should watch tapes of NYlander last year. Nylander would gain the zone and find space. Gomez just races to the goal line. Gomez is better than Nylander, he just has to play smarter. He will end up with Jagr & Straka, and things will start to gel. The Rangers need a D-man. Not to mention a Chris Neil. A tough guy that can actually play.

[imitation]

cwgatti it was more than a 5 man breakdown , they were trying to do a line change that looked like a fire drill. Everyone made mistakes including Staal. Strudwick after colliding with Drury , who needed a gps, raced back into the play and went for the guy with the puck, Staal stalled, he needed to peel off & cover the open man, but he gambled on a poke check & lost. It was a TEAM effort on that goal, and so was the first one, lack of proper coverage. They made mistakes & Ottawa made them pay. They need to practice line changes, coverages, and the PP, to name a few of many. PRACTICE< PRACTICE< PRACTICE!

[ToeKnee]

Now for something completely different...no complaints. :)
Rangers were in the game from start to finish, against the number 1 team in the conference, while just two games into figuring out where to fit 2 new top centers into their lineup. Lundqvist was awesome. Rookies and young players playing better than some vets. Played even with the Sens after going down a forward for most for the game. Their 7th(or8th) defenseman Strudwick stood up and took on Neal, and left him bleeding from the mouth and face. I am looking forward to the team being a bit more in synch vs the Islanders on Wednesday.

[smitty]

I would have to confirm by looking at all the tape, but it seemed that the Ranger PP was again plagued by what often plagues talented players...no one screening a goaltender that was playing well and had good defense in front of him. Simplicity is needed here! The puck movement and shots were pretty good and promises a great PP as they get in sync. I might be wrong, but the tendency for talented players to play the perimeter is what will trouble the Ranger PP. You gotta get dirty. I am not trying to overreact here...it's just a topic for conversation.

I don't have the time, but would someone compare the roster of the Cup-winning Ranger team to the present and analyze personnel, not from a skill perspective, but from a team-building and versatility perspective. That would be a valuable exercise, no? The point being that it takes all kinds of players to make a good team, and as I and others have mentioned well before the season started there are not enough physical players on the team who can play the game.

[imitation]

Basic mistake, too much time wasted in preseason by having too many guys, instead of getting really ready for the regular season. They'll recover.

[cwgatti]

Mara has to play. Or be traded. If he is watching games, he is useless in both regards. Stall should be in Hartford. Sorry. folks. That is plain as day. Shanny is looking pretty old. Strudwick is what you would expect from a 6-7th Dman.
i dunno. I am not panicking, but we need to see some cohesiveness and flow soon. This team is as disjointed as it has ever been.

[roc]

0-17 on the PowerPlay. We need a quarterback on the PP. I have said this for years and people saying they didnt need it. Martin Straka is a great player but he has no shot. This team will not go anywhere unless there pp starts clicking.

[wwwc9]

Re: the two goals that were scored against us. Each time, it was the other defensive partners fault for bad decisions.

1) Rosy falls down trying to check his man. Malik, from the left d position, skates to Rosys man in the right corner, vacating his spot and leaving the slot wide open. Fisher passes into the slot where Meszaros skates in from the slot, in prime scoring position. Had Malik stayed in the middle, reading that it was a 2 on 1 now with Rozy fallen, the scoring threat diminishes because Fishers in the corner. Don't you learn that in defense camp 101? Pucks below the goal line are not scoring threats, the slot is.

2) Spezza comes in on Hank and Staal, from the left d spot, cuts him off. They both go behind the net. Strudwich, after bumping into Drury, races back into the play. Struds is so focused on getting back into the play that not once does he look to see what's going around. Puck goes into the left corner. He knows Staal is chasing Spezza. Rather than let Staal battle along the boards with Spezza, he tries to get over to play the puck off the boards. Now, mind you, the puck takes a weird bounce off the boards and goes back to Spezza.

Each time, Mailk and Strudwich, went to the same person as their defensive partner, and left the slot wide open. They should have stayed in the slot area and let a 2-1 develop versus a man in the slot in prime scoring position. What's more disturbing is that when they went to the puck, neither of them looked around to see where the threat was. They blindly went after the pucks in the corner leaving the slot open. Bad hockey sense.

Now, this is critical of the goal that was scored against them and not of the rest of their play of the game, so it may not be fair to them.

But while some are critical of Staal, look at the tape again and it's not the kids fault his partner didn't read what was happening around him and trust his partner he could take on Spezza.

[Chas]

Game 2: Avery out and game lost by Rangers, forced again to allow the opposition establish physical control of game due to Rangers lack of toughness that corrects the obvious belief opposing players like Neil have; they can run at the Rangers without retribution and sometimes penalty.

Pay now for a player like Nick Boynton or Shane O'Brien, a tough player that can actually play defense and bring up Mitch Fritz or trade for some other enforcer for opposition like Ottawa, Fishsticks, and Philadelphia. Protect you team assets and success or watch players like Neil send your players to the locker room and affect outcome of games.

Prucha and Callahan could be perfect for Gomez and might be an excellent line. Dubinsky centering Avery (Dawes or Hossa replacement) and Shanahan might be a good line itself.

[cwgatti]

"Don't you learn that in defense camp 101?"

Not so fast. Did it occur to you, that a DEFENSMAN scored the goal on which you are so quick to blame Malik? Did it occur to you, that MAYBE a Ranger forward would be around to cover him? People are so quick to jump on Malik anytime there is a breakdown. Malik was hurt or at the dentist most of last year and was struggling through it. Every player goes thru tough times. He should be commended for fighting through the adversity. And if you look at this team, you better not be so quick to jump on the guy. He is without doubt the #2 defensman on this team. And he is going to be here for the duration.

And he is the best penalty shot guy on the team now that slo-mo Nylander is gone :)!!!!!

[cwgatti]

Good point chas. Orr can't even receive a pass. Fritz can't be worse, and he is as big as Boogard. That is a move that should have happened already.

They can bring him up when they send Stall back down.

[saget]

As much as I appreciate the Ranger-centric view of life on the BB, I don't think Neil's hit on Avery was an illegal one. It seemed to be shoulder-to-shoulder with his elbow coming up only as a follow-though. I didn't see any part of his body hit Avery's head. It was also weird because to see Avery's reaction...he seemed to get up, look for what hit him (or a call?) and then realized his arm/shoulder was hurt.

Someone give Gomez # 27, cause he think's he's Alex Kovalev. Hes tried to go up the middle of the ice into a swarm of defensemen a half-dozen times so far, and it hasn't worked once. I think the NYR players need to watch some of the old Debbies game tapes, because Gomez does that all the time...but he usually has Patrick Elias screaming up one of the wings to accept a pass when the defense collapses on Gomez. I've never been too sure that Avery was going to stick on that line with Gomez and Shanahan anyway...It was always a matter of time (to me) before Callahan slots in on that wing, and he would be the perfect person to take Gomez's feeds off the rush.

Good to see Renney stick with Staal and Dubinsky rather than taking them out.

[iceplaya]

I dont know about anyone else, but shanny looks like a dinosaur out there. I love to see him put on the 3rd line with Dubinsky and Avery/Hossa. that frees up Gomez to play with Callahan and Prucha. We need speed upfront and Shanny hurts us as much as his stats helps us. Hes a proven finisher, so lets let Dubinsky learn from him and get him the puck.

[angry]

The Prucha hit was borderline, but the hit on Avery was (in my opinion) squeaky clean, shoulder on shoulder, elbow came up in the follow-through.

[czechthemout!!!!!]

dubinsky was one of the better forwrds yesterday.they should try him with with jagr.he seems to me like some who is effective in cycling with the puck wich is jagr's game.

strudwick should not see the ice ever again!he was clearly at fault for the second goal.he should alskeep his mouth closed the next time he tries to give advice on positioning.at least mara can shoot the puck on the powerplay.

i'd like to see dane byers play between betts and hossa on the fourth line.i think there is something there as far as ability goes.he has shown that he can play both in this preseason and in hartford.other fight ,orr is useless.byers can drop the gloves as well.he had 211 pim last year.

callahan has been the best forward so far this very young season along with prucha.

the king has been his royal self.

this team needs to shoot the puck from the point and park callahan in front on the powerplay.

overall alot of work still needs to be done.we have 3 new centers in the lineup,it takes time to gel.

[JohnM]

Disorganization all over the ice. Its as if the Rangers did not practice anything in training camp. The lack of pre season games compared to prior years has been debated for a long time in the NHL. I am not an advocate of using the first 5 to 10 games of the regular season as a sort of pre season. But others like doing that.
Jagr is a goal scorer. He has to be in position to shoot. Shanahan also. These guys should not be chasing pucks. The players are not supporting the puck. There is too much seperation between line mates and defensemen. It allows the other team to continuously get the puck back. The Rangers play too loose. There seems to be very little communication between teammates on ice.
All these issues are from lack of game time experience.

[ant]

Any word on Avery?