How Swede It Is

Henrik Lundqvist bailed his team out again in regulation and Michael Nylander scored the game winner in overtime to help the Rangers sweep their weekend games despite letting themselves be outplayed in both. Facing an Islander team that has switched places with them -- now the more desperate team on the outside looking in at the playoff picture and unable to beat their metropolitan area rivals in three straight -- the Rangers once again rode the incredible goaltending of Lundqvist and now stand in sixth place, three points in front of the ninth place Isles.

Remarkably, Lundqvist has given up only three goals in the last five games, all Ranger wins. He has given up no more than one goal in nine of the last thirteen games, only seventeen goals overall in going 9-1-3 (a 1.27 goals against average and .954 save percentage). He has allowed two goals or fewer in seventeen of his last twenty-two games, with a 13-3-5 record, a 1.49 GAA, and a .943 save percentage. In thirty starts since last losing to the Isles on January 9th, he is 16-8-5 with a 1.59 goals against average and .940 save percentage, having given up two goals or fewer in 23 of those starts. Since Christmas: 20-11-5, 1.72 GAA, .934 save %, two or fewer goals in 28 of 37 games.

Back in early December, Blueshirt Bulletin published the article reprinted above left (4.6 MB readable version here) about the coaching that turned Lundqvist's season around after his poor start. Lundqvist went 10-2-2 after those meetings, a span of time covering all of November and the first half of December. He had a respectable 2.11 GAA and .931 save % in those fourteen games despite a couple of meltdowns in there. After a relapse over the next ten days, Lundqvist has probably been the NHL's best goaltender since Christmas.

If the Rangers were able to score some goals, specifically power play goals, his record would be immeasurably better. For nearly two and a half periods of Sunday's match vs. the Isles, the story line (aside from Lundqvist) was that the Rangers were in position to win a game thanks to their penalty kill while their power play was once again unable to win -- it took the Isles fifteen minutes and forty seconds of power play time (including 1:46 of two-man advantage) to finally get a power play goal to tie the game, while the Rangers had already squandered four power plays of their own and would go on to waste two more late in the third period (including 1:09 of two-man advantage) with a chance to win the game in regulation time.

But in the end, the penalty kill caved and gave up the equalizer in the third period (Lundqvist's only mistake, having gotten to Alexei Yashin's redirection but not stopping it completely), and the power play ended up winning the extra point in overtime, Nylander redirecting a Brendan Shanahan pass with the Rangers on a four on three advantage after Jaromir Jagr drew a penalty.

As we have witnessed earlier in the season, the Islanders were allowed to run interference in all three zones at will. They were also allowed to get away with several other blatant penalties, like Ryan Smyth tackling Shanahan from behind during a Ranger power play, Fred Meyer hitting Jagr in the jaw, and two players taking runs at Colton Orr after he scored the game's first goal. By our count, they were called for about half of the infractions that we could see them commit watching on TV. By contrast, the Rangers were called for about four out of every five infractions we were able to witness, with many of the calls marginal hooks and holds that a) have not been called much lately, and b) were not called against the Isles. It's hard to play "what if" games, but how much of an edge in the attack would the Islanders have actually been able to generate without that much help from the officials?

Lundqvist was named the NHL's first star of the week today -- more on him from NHL.com as the league's hottest player. Game reports from the Ranger side of the aisle: Daily News, Journal News, Newsday, Times, Post, Record, Advance, and AP. From the Islander side, including some comical moaning about the penalty call in overtime: Daily News, Newsday, Newsday again, Post, and NY Sports Day. Additional notes from the Record, Newsday, USA Today, and the News reporting that Ryan Hollweg doesn't have any use for a Chris Simon apology at this time. More on the story that won't go away: The full version of John Dellapina's treatise on fighting in the News, what looks like a point-counterpoint at Slam! Sports here and here, and more from the Edmonton Journal, CP, and NHL.com. The Toronto Star has an article on Sean Avery settling down while settling in with the Rangers. The National Post looks at the impact of three point games on playoff races. Al Montoya rebounded for Hartford, pitching a shutout, while Charlotte won in OT. Jess Rubenstein catches us up on Sunday's prospect action:

While the WHL took Sunday off, there was hockey in both the QMJHL and OHL. Ryan Hillier and Halifax looked to take their first series lead in Game 3 vs. Moncton, but the Wildcats scored four second period goals to jump out to a 5-1 and held off the Mooseheads, 5-4. Hillier was held scoreless. Gatineau rebounded from their Game 1 whipping by returning the favor, handing Rouyn-Noranda a 5-2 loss. david Kveton was a non-factor in the win. In the OHL, Brampton were not expected to make the playoffs, but entering Game 2 of their series with Barrie, Dalyn Flatt and John Seymour were still going to give it their best. It was a hard fought battle that lasted until the 5:53 mark of a second overtime before Barrie scored to win 3-2 and take a 2-0 series lead. Marc Staal, as captain of the Sudbury Wolves, is trying almost singlehandly to carry his team past Mississauga in their first round series. It worked in Game 1, but despite Staal’s assist and +2, the Wolves fell 4-3 in Game 2. Should the Wolves to lose their series, Staal would be added to Hartford or perhaps even the Rangers.

Comments

[Talafous]

One of the non-calls that I could not believe came late in the game, when Betts was blatantly interfered with (and knocked down) by Satan during the PK, moments after the call against Malik for holding Blake in the corner (which was made by the ref 100 feet away in center ice.)

As much as I for one sort of feel like a jerk for complaining about the one-sided nature of the officiating, it is getting easier and easier to see why many NYR fans swear the Rangers are actively discriminated against by a majority of referees in the league.

[Jess]

I suggest Ranger fans visit sites of other teams and ask those fans if they think their team gets screwed by the refs.

Like I keep saying it is a leaguewide problem

[cwgatti]

About 2 months ago, I remember posting that I thought the Rangers were getting screwed. Then, they won 2 games (one I specifically remember Vs. Boston) where the officiating was CLEARLY slanted in the Rangers favor. Embarrassingly so. So I would suggest that it goes both ways. What I would be concerned with, is the fact that the NYR can't convert when THEY get opportunities. Sheldon Souray should get strong consideration this offseason.

[Phill]

Officiating is almost never slanted in NYR's favor. I'm sure there have been, at the most, 5 games that I can remember being slanted towards us. Regardless, the point is that this "slant" is generally against the Rangers.

[Matty]

I watch many games on Center Ice and while there are some teams that never seem to be pnalized *cough*Devils*cough* most of the teams in the League suffer through this inconsistant level of officiating that is just unacceptable to me. It is not a NY Ranger problem, it is a League Wide problem when certain refs call something and others don't and the problem compounds itself when those two refs are working together.

The biggest problem that I have with this is the apparent lack of accountability when the refs are truly horrible and blow calls .... what does the League do? I don't know because they do not say. Supposedly they punish the inconsistent refs by not giving them post season time and weaning them out round by round but this League should do more and its inexcusable that they don't

[laurie]

Here's the funny part: The Islanders (Hill and Nolan in the papers this morning) and their fans (on XM radio) are also complaining about the officiating, saying the call Jagr drew in OT was bogus and that the refs handed the Rangers the game. In fact, Nolan went so far as to say Jagr played the refs into calling the penalty: "One thing about this league is they have some real good players that know how to play the system, and Hill hit one of the better players." That actually comes across as almost commical after watching the way Jagr was manhandled most of the season.

[paulf]

Nolan is a classless jerk, albeit a good coach. I agree that officiating is usually terrible both ways, but it seemed to me yesterday (and I missed the third period and OT because of my son's roller hockey game) that the Isles got away with an awful lot of "pick" plays, where defenders interfered with guys on the forecheck, the kind of play that was common in years past but has mostly been eradicated.

There was one such play in the first period, where Prucha dumped it in the corner and went to retrieve it and was blatantly held by Witt, who sort of paused and looked at the refs, like he was expecting to be called. Even the announcers noticed that.

Jess, you talk to "Ranger fans" as if you are not one. You must be unhappy they didn't take your advice and give up on the season.

[Godot]

Well, here's the thing--two of the last several OT games, the Rangers have had power plays called against them. It seemed "fair" to have one called for them for once. Still, the officials are human, and I think, for sure, they go in with a certain bias against players, teams, etc. They all think the Devils are a clean team, therefore they must play like a clean team, and therefore they don't get called. The Avery goal-tender intereference the other day is a perfect example: he's known as an agitator, so it didn't matter that he tried to stop and was nudged by the defenseman.

I do like the idea of fining poor officiating. But it will never happen.

Personally, I think the team would be better served by having Straka on the third line (with Prucha and Cullen), which I think what will happen when Hossa gets back. That, though, seems still faraway. What's the word on both Hossa's knee and Staka's shoulder??

[angry]

I'm sure the Isles are complaining, but lookit the Hill quote:

"It wasn't like I was trying to stick him on purpose," complained Hill, who insisted he inadvertently found his lumber tangled in Jaromir Jagr's legs. "I had a chance to let go and I let go."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not much of a defense.

[angry]

Then again, Hill's not much of a defenseman.

Rimshot!

[Dubi]

Jess, 30 wrongs don't make it right (or 29 wrongs -- the Devils never get the shaft). We're still allowed to complain when the other team is allowed to systematically interfere without penalty in all three zones. But if you look back, you'll notice a pattern -- the Rangers get shafted whenever they play the Devils, Islanders, and Penguins, and sometimes Toronto. They don't get shafted against Buffalo, Ottawa, Atlanta or Tampa.

Notice what the Isles are complaining about -- being called for something they were allowed to get away with all game long. The complaints on the Rangers' behalf are not about bad calls against them, but about what the Isles were allowed to get away with. The Isles' complaints just prove the point to me -- they thought they were entitled to get away with crap like that.

[Brandon]

It come as no surprise that Hill complained about the call on him that lead to yet another terrific Rangers win. As a team, if your coach constantly cries about how his team gets slighted by the refs, well that kind of poor sportsmanship trickles down to the players. If Renegade Nolan and Sean over the Hill looked at the replay it clearly shows that his stick was caught in between Jagr's legs. While us Rangers fans aren't used to seeing Jagr drawing penalties(Shanahan was right to say what he said)it was a pretty obvious call to make. It's funny to hear the Isles complain about the calls because yesterday they CLEARLY were able to generate their attack due to non-interference calls, and throwing their heads back as soon as a Rangers stick glanced across their bodies. But in the end, cream rises to to the top and withHank and the defense playing like they have, the only entity that can stop this team is, well, themselves!

[Bob Merchant]

cwgatti, I think we all remember the Bruins-Ranger game where even we as Ranger fans could say to a Bruin's fan, "hey you got screwed." That was the biggest lopsided blatant screwing I had witnessed this season. So at least as Ranger fans we can admit this and not claim foul against just our own club.

[Mike C]

How any Islander fan or team member can complain about the call on Jagr is comical. He was clearly held from moving in any direction due to Hill's constraint. On top of that, watching Smyth hold Shanny on the PP was about as blatant a missed call as humanly possible.

[9darter]

Hey, nice to see Alex Bourret (our exchange for Pascal Dupuis) get the game winner for Hartford!
Maybe maybe this one will turn out to be a good one!

[laurie]

9darter, don't get too excited about Bourret. All he had to do last night was put the puck in an empty net after Dawes and Dubinsky did all the work and left him wide open in front of the net with the goalie completely out of position.

Seriously, I had the chance to see him play in person for the 3rd time on Saturday night, and while (to be fair) he did look better than he did the first two times I saw him play, he was far from impressive. There are plenty of other players in Hartford who are more worthy of getting excited about right now.

[craigz]

I'M BAAAAAAACK....Z

[pemoco]

There is no refereeing conspiracy against the Rangers. What would it be based on - they're all angry Cablevision customers? The refs are inconsistent and get a lot of calls wrong. It's human nature to feel that your team is getting the shaft, but absent some tangible reason for refs to slant their calls, it all evens out. If you want to say that there is a lot of money being bet against the Rangers and the refs are in on it, well ok, then the pieces fit together. Don't think that is happening tho', but if it was then the conspiracy would make sense.

[Jess]

Paul

I talk to Rangers fans as if they have brains and can think for themselves.

Laurie

I have heard from those in Hartford that Bourret has been a non-factor in most of the games he has played in. I think what the kid needs to do is stop pressing and remember what it was that earned him his selection as a first rounder. Too often young players try so hard to please that they press themselves out of the lineup.

ALL

Look it was not my intention to start this Ranger fans against the world. I was hoping that people would see that fans everywhere:

(A) think the refs have it in for their team

(B) that they always get the worst end of the calls

Ranger fans are not alone in thinking that they get the crappy calls/noncalls. It is a problem that is all over the NHL.

[Dubi]

There are a lot people close to the Rangers (not fans) who do in fact believe that the Rangers get the worst of the officiating, especially against the Devils, Penguins, and Isles. One of those guys is named Shanahan. Ranger fans may not be alone in thinking that they get the short end of the stick, but they are the most justified in believing it.

[pemoco]

Dubi-

"Ranger fans may not be alone in thinking that they get the short end of the stick, but they are the most justified in believing it."

Are you saying that the Rangers are the team that is on the receiving end of the worst calls in the NHL? That is quite a statement. I know that there are teams in the NFL that believe that calls go against them more often than not because of their support of replacement refs during their 2001 strike. While that may or may not be true, at least its plausible justification as to why refs would be singling out specific teams for special treatment. Why would the NHL referees have it in for the Rangers? Accepting the premise that the Rangers are getting screwed by the refs (which I don't) then unless you are saying that its random happenstance that the Rangers are getting the short end of the stick, there has to be some identifiable reason why the calls aren't going our way. I am at a loss as to come up with an example of what that could be. Certainly the league wants the team in the largest media market to do well. I can't think of why the on-ice officials themselves would want to single out the Rangers. Am I missing something?

[Gary]

C'mon already! quitcha bitchin'!
Injuries happen. Bad calls happen. Bad bounces (deflections off sticks) happen. Blown leads happen. Power play droughts happen. Games where they don't play their best happen.
Good teams play through all that and win anyway. That's what these Rangers are doing lately. Enjoy it.
It has not been this thrilling to be a Rangers fan in a long, long time. Try to enjoy it. I'm loving it.

[pghas]

Problem is, when you're playing badly and finding ways to win, playing badly and losing is not far behind.

Stay outta the box tonight and we win.

[lennynyr]

I still feel very uneasy with Renney at the helm. Jagr Straka and Nylander are worn out yet Renney keeps giving them too much time. Shanny is a bit sluggish coming back, which is to be expected, but Renney is bringing him back too fast.

On the other hand, Callahan, for one, is not getting enough time.

Straka has been ineffective for quite a while with all his hurts. Remember when he was tearing up the league with his scoring earlier? Mistake sending Dubinsky down, he should be getting Straka's minutes. Also big Renney mistake opting Strudwick over Liffiton. Liffiton is just what they need back there.

In Renney's favor though is his now trusting his 4th line and giving them important minutes. Orr has to be the most improved player on the team. With his enforcer ability, makes him an important piece of the team.

As long as HL stays healthy and sharp, the rest of this season will be exciting hockey.

[baron34]

Someone like Shanahan, who has played for other organizations, would be the ideal person to have an opinion on whether the officials are biased against the Rangers.

While playing for the Devils, Blues and Red Wings for his entire career, he had gotten accustomed to a certain "treatment" from the referees. But after coming to NY, he sees the difference and he saw fit to comment on it.

I think Shanny is a straight shooter so I believe that he said it not to "get an edge" - since he has never spoken out on the refs before - but to try to address an injustice.

Regardless of whether fans of other teams all think they are getting the shaft, the shaft is sharper and goes deeper in NY. And it's obvious to any player who comes here from another organization.

I may be in a tiny minority, but I've been of the opinion that there is betting involved among the NHL refs (and officials of most sports) for many years.

Since a lot of money is bet on the Rangers, it's easy for a ref to bet against them, then influence the outcome of a game to make some extra cash. Of course, I'm not saying that all officials are doing it, but I believe they are all aware of it - and they are silent because they don't want a scandal which could bring down the sport(s).

Can you think of a better explanation for the outrageous, one-sided calls made against certain teams, which certainly help to decide the outcome?

[Anthony]

Eric Duhatschek of the :Globe and Mail” is reporting that Isles goalie Rick DiPietro is out indefinitely as a result of post-concussion syndrome. Here is the link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070327.wsptduha27/TPStory/Sports/columnists