Matinee With the Stars

The Rangers return home this afternoon to face the hot Dallas Stars, who have won four straight and are 4-0-1 since changing the structure of their management team to include Brett Hull as co-GM. They had gone 2-4-1 before making the change, but come in now as one of the NHL's hottest teams, 6-1-2 in their last nine. The Rangers, on an even better 9-2-1 run despite a reprise of the scoring woes they thought they left behind during their five game win streak, will once again have to shut down a formidable power play -- the Stars are second in the NHL, are nearly as good on the road as they are at home, and have scored with the man advantage in six of their last nine (two PPGs in four of those games).

Henrik Lundqvist will be back in net after resting in Florida and may face his twin brother Joel, called up by the Stars from the AHL for at least this game. It's not certain who will oppose him in net -- backup Mike Smith has won three of the last four for Dallas, giving up only two goals in those games, and will split the two games the Stars play today and tomorrow with Marty Turco, who is not having a great season so far. The Stars are missing two key players -- Jere Lehtinen and Mattias Nortstrom. The Rangers remain without Marek Malik, who has not been missed given the rapid emergence of Marc Staal, and are uncertain about the status of Martin Straka (likely to go after tweaking a hamstring in his first game back on Friday) and Ryan Callahan (just about ready to return from a knee sprain). If neither can go, Greg Moore will play. Ivan Baranka has gone back to Hartford with Michal Rozsival OK after missing the first of the two Florida games.

The state of the Rangers is discussed in the Daily News and Post. NYR.com has a game preview. For a look at the Stars, see the Dallas Morning News here and here, as well as the team's web site. The Wolf Pack nipped the Devils in overtime last night -- see reports in the Courant, Howlings, and at WP.com. The Sunday hockey column in the Times has a section on Bobby Sanguinetti. Jess has a review of Saturday's prospect action at Prospect Park.

Comments

[stevek]

if you don't have upn 9
just click on the camera to see the game live free on the internet at 1 pm...

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/preview;_ylt=Al6_A1w5yND7uoX.th3z5c57vLYF?gid=2007112513

[Matty]

I think that Joel will play for Dallas, in their 4th line ...

[lennynyr]

Dubi, you said,

Jess didn't say don't post anything negative, he said, how is it possible that it's ALL negative.

There you go again with your tunnel vision glasses on, I read the posts in the last thread and not all the comments were negative as you indicated. You definitely nit pick my posts so having that same option with you is fair game. In case you missed my post on this matter in the last thread, I'll repeat here.

The way I feel about it, why only talk about things that make the Rangers a good team? That would make this board guilty of tunnel vision. Besides, there's a lot wrong with the Rangers that deserve being talked about.

This is supposed to be a free thinking board and anyone trying to basically tell you what to say, demeans the free thinking of this board.

Dubi demands respect for others and he'll come at you like he has at me when he disagrees. I personally have no problem with that as long as I can freely disagree with him or anyone else, as long as it is done in a respectful manner.

There is no other board that has two guys, Dubi and Jess, that spend so much time on hockey (it's their careers) and provide us with so much information that we couldn't get elsewhere. I wouldn't know much about the prospects if it wasn't for Jess's in depth reports and Dubi is able to have contact with management, coaches and players.

That said, at times I think both of those gentlemen are a little too sensitive about the content posted here. I'm not talking about the idiots who come on here to create mischief, or use of profanity or personal insults, they deserve to be booted, I'm talking about those of us who have thoughts towards the Rangers that conflict with Dubi's and Jess's ideas. I probably lead that group. Think it over powers to be, I just might have a valid point there.

You want to debate this? Bring it on!!!

[Phill]

If all of the posts on the previous threads were considered "all negative" then I believe people are clearly too sensitive here. How is the suggestion of switching Drury and Dubinsky a negative comment? People can't bring up Dubinsky's faults without fear of being called a pessimist, or a whiner?

I can guarantee you that EVERYONE that posts here on this message board is happy the Rangers are doing well. However, it's obvious the Rangers have plenty of room for improvement, which makes it frustrating at times for fans. Seriously, imagine an offensively potent Rangers with the league's best goaltender. Mmhmm.

There's plenty of good and bad about the Rangers currently. Why stifle conversation when we're only allowed to talk about one half of the situation?

[ntb]

Positives:
1st place
Defense playing great
Goaltending is outstanding (Starter and backup)
Contributions from rookies/younger players
Getting points from games they deserve to lose
Face-off winning percentage

Negatives:
Scoring below where it should be
Power Play is very inconsistent
Uncertain line combinations
0-3 vs. Islanders

Injuries have contributed to many of the negatives.

The question revolves around the weight you attach to the above. The optimistic fans place more weight on the first place status, defense and goaltending. On the other hand, the more cautious (pessimistic?) fans seem to place a lot of weight on the scoring woes. In the end, both points of view are correct. If the Rangers are going to advance far in the playoffs (notice I am assuming they are going to make the playoffs), the are going to need stellar defense and goaltending, but their PP must step it up as well. Special teams are crucial to winning in the playoffs. The sky is not falling, but championship teams realize there is always room for improvement. Dallas will be a good test today. Go Rangers!

[i]

Phil/ lenny et al I won't repost, but I think Renney as part of his job does it. Otherwise everything would stay the same. The old 'it ain't broke, don't fix it'. This team has great O & PP potential that has to be awoken. To call constructive criticism negative is incorrect. To talk about the good things, and not the bad is denial. The NYR should be dominating. They are playing below their abilities. They need to get there. I don't have as much patience as Renney does. But he needs to get better results on O & the PP. How he does it or should do it is a matter of opinion & up for debate....I'm happy they are getting points, but the my gut says they are a lot better than this. Getting Jagr on track with a line that gets results is the key.... SHOOT THE PUCK!...

[Matty]

NTB wonderful points ... I am in the optimistic category ... I am fully aware of all the negatives and they worry me but I am of the firm belief that they will turn things around offensively, on the PP, and vs the damn Islanders ... Let's hope that turn-around starts today and most importantly on Thursday ... it's our last game vs the Islanders until March, a win would be great indeed ... let's hope we get it done and it's at home so we should get it done ...

[IITH]

Game is on center ice on channel 764!

[lennynyr]

Yahoo telecast blacked out in my area, I'm SOL.

[lennynyr]

Hold that thought, they just removed the blackout from ch 764.

[Lynkx]

Jagr looks good so far, and Avery made a brilliant play to get Gomez the puck

[Lynkx]

JAGR!

[JagrGal]

Jags!!!!!!!!!!

[lennynyr]

Jagr scores!!!

[Ryan]

Jagr scores even though he passed it!

[ntb]

Woo-Hoo! A break.

[The Other Ryan]

So I guess you CAN pass the puck into the net...

[Chris]

please God make this get JJ going :)

[Lynkx]

Yea, The Other Ryan, but that's the kind of goals we have lacked big time this year, it's about frickin time

[Lynkx]

That PP would look so much better if they could actually get set up for any period of time.

[Dunny]

Blacked out here in Alberta.. I guess they wanted me to make the 48 hour drive to MSG to catch the game.

[lennynyr]

Another bad PP, when is the PP going to jell??

Not only does it hurt in not scoring but also tells the opposition that a penalty isn't going to hurt and to take more liberties fouling the Rangers. With guys like Prucha and Avery who are small in stature but play a lot bigger game, they will be in more danger of getting hurt.

[Chris]

i like the makeup call on JJ because they wanted to call avery for a dive

[lennynyr]

Nice work by Avery, Gomez and Shanahan to draw the second penalty against Dallas. Jagr gets an offensive penalty to kill that. Bad call. What else is new.

[JagrGal]

Booo! Game tied at 1.

[Lynkx]

Oh come on...

[lennynyr]

Damn it, Gomez coughs it up and Girardi couldn't get back.

[B-lo]

If they outlawed drop passes The Rangers would have to shoot more

[Laserman]

Jagr giveth, and Jagr (as Capt. Hook) taketh away...

[lennynyr]

Adding to original rant..

Damn it, Gomez coughs it up and Girardi couldn't get back...and HL couldn't stop it.

[Lynkx]

I halfway expected a call for Gomez being tripped up, because Staal got a penalty for the exact same type of play before.

[Laserman]

Normally that would have been called as it led directly to a breakaway, but these are refs calling a game at MSG...

[Rich]

Unfortunately Gomez wasn't tripped on that play. He was trying to avoid the hit. Ironic that a coach that preaches defense first doesn't keep one of his defense high on the 4 on 4. How many breakaways is that in the past two games, 4 or 5?

[JagrGal]

Do the guys on the Stars' telecast have a clue what they're doing?

[Ryan]

I don't think Renney told both of his defense to go low on that 4-on-4. It's unlikely that he would preach that his defense do that, and to place the blame for that goal on him is a bit far-fetched. Agree that Gomez wasn't tripped though. On the powerplay though in the last game with all the forwards on the ice, that is his fault. In this case, the defense should know better.

[lennynyr]

HL blew that one but he's only human. No more cheapies this game HL, you are the best!

[lennynyr]

Do the guys on the Stars' telecast have a clue what they're doing?

They don't know that their mike is still on. Thought I heard something about our Dubi. Did anyone else hear it??

[Lynkx]

HA Stan says it could have been called a trip so I MUST be right!!! Bwhahahaha.. Hehe.. Just kiddin, but still, there was a very very similar play where Staal dove and hit the puck with his stick before he tripped the player, and Staal was called for a penalty, why couldn't we get the same call?

(Answer: NYR)

[Dunny]

Lyon Messier is on his 4th team already this year by my count.. Now he's dropping down a BIG level. I'd say this is his last year, for his sake I hope he moves on with his life, surely his possibilities are limitless.. except for hockey ha!

[ntb]

Gomez was in prime shooting position, but held onto the puck. It doesn't excuse the fact that no one was back, but if he shoots the puck the goal doesn't happen. If the Rangers play like they did in the 1st period for the rest of the game, they should win. They completely outplayed the Stars.

[JagrGal]

Shanny!!!!!!

[Lynkx]

SHANNY!

[Laserman]

Nice play by that whole line with Shanny finishing...

[lennynyr]

Shanny scores!! Ole Grannyhan can stil shoot!!

[Ryan]

Does Hossa know that he actually IS allowed to shoot the puck?

[lennynyr]

That's why Hossa should be on the 4th line or not playing.

[Lynkx]

This PP unit looks good

[Lynkx]

Of course, Jagr's unit has way too much passing, but I like the Shanny unit

[i]

lenny maybe they'll let Shanahan play on a rocking chair with blades ;-)

[Laserman]

Plus he hasn't looked good in the last few shootouts so where should he be???