Rangers Need to Get Off and Running

UPDATE: Steve Valiquette starts tonight -- Brandon Dubinsky questionable with the flu, might be replaced by Marcel Hossa. Colton Orr's major and game misconduct rescinded by the NHL -- it was a clean hit (refs not rescinded, though). Thanks to Blueshirts Blog and Blue Notes for these updates from the morning skate in Toronto.

Exactly one year ago today, the Rangers traveled to Canada and lost their seventh straight game, 1-0 to Ottawa, leaving them well outside of playoff position with 40 points through 39 games. Tonight, the Rangers travel to Canada to play their 38th game of this season in Toronto, their 40 points equal to three other teams currently in the fifth to eighth playoff seeds. So many things are different between this year's predicament and last year's, not the least of which is that offense is the problem rather than defense. Beyond that, the Rangers' skid this year was 2-6-2, not 0-7, and the playoff race is tighter than the security expected during tonight's pre-game warm-up, with nine points separating second place in the conference from 13th.

Last season, the Rangers emerged from their December swoon with four straight wins. But then they lost four of five, won two and lost two, won three and lost three -- until the arrival of Sean Avery triggered a desperate playoff run. This season, with that experience under their belt, the Rangers know they have to build on their 4-2 win over Carolina, put a run together, vault to the top of pack, and establish themselves as a contender in 2008. Having Avery back in the line-up will help, as it did last season. It will also help that the Rangers are facing a Leaf team that has misplaced its own offense, scoring only ten goals while going 1-3-2 in their last six, and will be without injured goalkeeper Vesa Toskala, who had allowed the Rangers only five goals on 92 shots in three games this season.

The Daily News talks to Renney about this year vs. last year. Otherwise, Avery remains the center of attention going into the game, given the fireworks that erupted the last time he played in T.O. Jaromir Jagr talks about him in the Journal News and the Post, Stan Fischler talks about him at MSG.com, the Leafs talk about him in the Toronto Sun, the Toronto Star talks about the steps the NHL is taking to monitor tonight's pre-game, and CBC.ca reviews the whole situation. Blueshirts Blog discusses the Nigel Dawes demotion, Rangers Report discusses the impact of Martin Straka on his linemates, and the AP (several segments down in this article) discusses one of those linemates, Scott Gomez. Game previews can be found at NYR.com and Rangerland. Spector reviews the Columbus-Ranger trade scenario at FoxSports, while Hockey Rodent has some sources who say that Jagr might accept a trade under certain circumstances.

On the farm, the Wolf Pack withstood a third period rally to win 3-2 last night (see the Courant), but Charlotte lost 4-2, with former Hartford farmhand Daniel Sparre scoring the game winner. Prospect Park reviews Bobby Sanguinetti's big day yesterday at the World Juniors, as well as other junior action back on this side of the Atlantic. In early WJC play today, David Skokan is representing Slovakia against the Czechs, who are once again without David Kveton. Other big match-ups later today pit Canada vs. Sweden and the U.S. vs. Russia.

Comments

[Puluche]

Have a pair of tickets for tomorrow nights game vs. Montreal - excellent seats. Anyone interested let me know.

[Ted]

czechthemount-

you couldn't be more right with hossa. although i dont really agree about your renney comments i have been pushing for hossa to get out of this lineup. hopefully at the end of the season they'll finally cut their losses and move on

[ivrydov]

In case you missed it, Avery must be the first player in the history of the NHL to cause an opponent a "tripod fracture of his zygoma" while being held back by officials.

Ladd is playing now with a cage and will have to undergo surgery. This is from Raleigh report on their game with the Bruins.

"The Canes did have the services of Andrew Ladd, despite his pending date with surgery to insert a steel plate in his face. Ladd suffered a tripod fracture of his zygoma, the bone structure underneath his left eye, in Wednesday's loss at New York. Ladd played with a full cage mask to protect his face, which was injured in a truncated brawl with New York's Sean Avery in the third period of Wednesday's loss.

"Ladd, who will need surgery in the next seven to 10 days."

In the upshot of the Rangers game, Canes GM Feaster says they are now looking for an enforcer. Up to now they figured it was a waste of a roster spot.

[Ted]

Dellapina reports that Valiquette gets the start tonight against toronto

[Matty]

Good, it makes sense for Vally to get the start tonight ... let's hope he plays as good as he did the last time he started in TO ... I need to record the game 'cause I will be watching the football game live tonight ... I've decided that I should watch that and then the Rangers game because whenever I have tried to watch a football game and a hockey game at the same time it hasn't gone well for the Rangers and I don't want to jinx them ... but I should be able to watch the first period w/out the trouble of having to go back and forth ...

Oh Darcy Tucker was asked about Avery yesterday, all the Leafs players were, and he was like "I don't pay attention to him" ... it's just unbelieveable to me ... Tucker, more than most, has to know EXACTLY what Sean is up to and what he sets out to accomplish and yet the two times they've faced each other he's played right into Sean's hands ... I don't think that will change tonight only because a vein seemed to pop out of his face when he told the press that he didn't pay attention to Avery lol

I just want the team to play tonight like they played the third period of the Carolina game ... I want them to play a smart game but to finish their forechecks and to play angry and fed up ...

[cr]

NHL.com reports: "If the NHL Winter Classic is a success, the League could make the New Year’s Day game a yearly tradition."

Rangers vs. Devils at Giants Stadium, anyone?

[Alan]

hey puluche- where and how much? i wasn't supposed to be in town this weekend and gave up my seasons for tom. but now i'm here. let me know. email me at [email protected]

[i]

DUBI further proof of refs ' gone wild'. What's up with the NYR sending guys down & not calling guys up , not keeping 23 available at all times? Looks a little too cap conscious to me. Getting points should be the priority.

[Dunny]

Last chance for Valiquette.. To many good goalies out there to give Hank a breather, I don't want a guy that's here for pity's sake.

Leafs seem to have Hanks #, so I understand uncle Tom's reasoning..

[Dubi]

i, The Rangers haven't carried 23 on the roster hardly at all this season. In fact, they've had the minimum 20 for much of the time when guys were out injured. What's wrong with that? The cap is part of the game -- if you have a guy who's not going to dress with the Rangers who is eligible to play with the Wolf Pack, why have him sit idle and count against the cap rather than have him skate and not count against the cap? The 21st, 22nd, and 23rd guys are not going to help you win the game tonight, unless there is a pre-game injury.

[Jess]

If you are not listening to the USA/Russia Game something is very wrong with you.

1-1 going into the 3rd period

[Matty]

I wonder, but highly doubt, that the League spoke to the Refs about their poor officiating even though they rescinded the Game misconduct and Major ... They are just so beyond inconsistent that how are they supposed to improve when the League protects their mistakes and in a way encourages them by doing nothing? Grrrrr ...

Flyers are about to go on a 2 game winning streak after losing 6 straight ... and the Bruins lost their 6th straight last night after having had a great winning streak ... Teams this year have all been up and down except Detroit ... The Rangers can put themselves in great playoff position by going on an extended winning streak here ...

[Jess]

Oh and some guy named Cherepanov has a goal

[i]

DUBI that's ok except it doesn't leave Renney many options. Like for tonight, if Dubinsky &/or Shanahan can't go, it's Hossa & Strudwick. I think Dawes would have been a better option for either one of them . Ponits come first, before the cap. Carrying 20 has led to zero competition to stay out of the skybox. And using the skybox as a rest or wake up call usually works.

[i]

matty the NHL should have suspended those two refs for one game. Then all the refs might get the message, that not only players can be disciplined during the season. Just giving them a DVD to watch is not enough. The problem is the NHL seems to have a code of ethics which includes vindictive.

[cwgatti]

Esposito on 590 Toronto telling what we already know: The NHL officiating is abysmal.

[joeymole]

looking forward to a good game tonight!! (not soon enough.) rangers need to score quickly and control tempo, hitting and the hometown crowd. the leafs will play physical in front of the net, as usual, so d-men must clear and contain without penalties. of course, the refs will give the leafs some good calls, and lend a helping hand. everyone should expect that. (and what's with all the penalty shots lately, seems to be a concerted effort to add the shot to the game!?!) also, avery needs to stay on the ice and out of the box tonight, and score/assist on some, that would really make my night. final thought, hank should be in goal!! who knows, he may face the leafs in the playoffs so why not build up the confidence now.

LET'S GO RANGERS!!!

[Matty]

Jess,

Chere-who? Who's that??????

;))

On what radio station was it on??? I plan to see the games next week when they are on TV on the NHL Network ...

ooooo 75 minutes until game time! W00T!

[Jess]

Huge News from the WJC

Sweden UPSETS Canada 4-3 ending Canada's 20 game winning streak and could force Canada into the quarterfinals.

Sweden if they defeat the Czech Republic will enter the medal round as the 1 seed and Team USA as the 2 seed due to goal differential.

This could set up a semi-final of Sweden/Russia, USA/Canada

Matty

Of course you are late LOL, too busy shopping I suppose?

Our Latin Jewish American princess

with a cold too

;-p

[laurie]

Cherepanov's goal from today's US-Russia game:
http://www.russian-hockey.ru/video/mchm/Cherepanov.avi

#12 carrying the puck into the zone to set up the play is some guy by the name of Anisimov... ;)

Cherepanov also had a great end-to-end rush in the closing minutes of the game, skating around 3-4 US players (Sanguinetti wasn't among them) and into the US zone to get a nice shot on goal.

[Matty]

I am home and did my shopping earlier in the day Jess, and I also don't have a cold anymore ... well just got over one actually ... =P

Oh so the mighty Canadian Jr Team lost? They must be in a state of denial up in Canada ...

YAY We(Team USA) won 3-2 ... although I am happy that our Russian Prospects(much easier than spelling out their names) did very well in the games ...

Oh let me turn on the HNiC broadcast and see what they are predictably saying about Avery ... *turns on channel*

[Godot]

Czech,

Thanks for saying I have no understanding of a game I used to play and that I have been watching for nearly 40 years; it's so nice that having a disagreement with you about a player allows you to demean my understanding of the game and the business.

Dawes was sent down because of the salary cap. Get it. The cap. Every day he's up with the big team, the Rangers pay his salary--Slats is trying to keep room for a trade deadline acquisition. The less we pay in small time salaries, themore we have in the big picture later on. Is that hard to grasp?

So why not send Hossa down? Obviously Renney and Slats and Pearn believe that he's more versatile than anyone else (that's why Strudwick as opposed to Pock is the 7th D man, too, because he can also play forward) in the system: he can score some goals, play defensively sound, kill penalties, etc etc. He can move from the first line to the fourth without effort and help the team some.

You make it sound like I'm the president of the Hossa fan club--I'm not. I have said countless times I've been disappointed with his play--he's had great opportunities with the Rangers and he hasn't capitalized on them the way he should have. That said: on a purely business perspective what Slats is doing makes sense.

[NCSteve]

6:34
It's called "Inside the Rangers." If I wanted to hear about the Islanders and the Devils I would turn to the Comedy Channel.

[NCSteve]

Oops. It's called "Rangers Pregame." Even better.

[Matty]

So ... after Paul Maurice said he wouldn't suit up Belak to counter Avery since Avery plays over 16 minutes per night and Belak obviously doesn't he decided to suit him up and another big forward(name escapes me) tonight so that they will be more physical with the Rangers ... interesting ...

[[email protected]]

I am looking for tickets for tommorows game if anyone has tickets please email me at [email protected]

[Sam]

yes, finally game time...

same effort from the 3rd period of the Carolina game for tonight's game, we should be fine!!

[Jameson]

Dunny,
Last Chance for Valiquette? He had one bad game and it's last chance? There might be a lot of good goalies out there but how many of them that we would actually be able to sign to the same sized contract? If it wasn't for the cap, I'm sure Montoya probably would've already at least gotten a start or two this season being that he's involved in basically every trade rumor regarding the rangers and we would want to showcase him

Godot,
You're wrong about the reason for Strudwick over Pock, Pock can play forward too. Maybe because Strudwick fits on the 4th line better, but Pock played forward before he got to the NHL if i'm not mistaken.

And the reason Hossa is not sent down has nothing to do with his salary or Dawes salary, it's because he has a 1 way contract and the Rangers do not want to put him through waivers, he'd likely be claimed on the way back to the NHL if not the way down, and Dawes contract is a 2 way. We've already got Kasparitus, Hutchinson, and Pock trapped in Hartford since at least Kaspar and Pock would probably get claimed, we don't need another veteran stuck in Hartford taking away playing time from youngsters either, Kaspar is in Russia now, but Hutch and Pock aren't.

[scinoc]

Here's hoping they hit Valiquette with pucks tonight..

[Matty]

Refs for tonight are Bill McCreary(sp?) and Paul Devorski(sp?)

and the puck is dropped ... Go Rangers!

[Jess]

Sam

I think there is problem with firefox as I have been having all sorts of problems with it lately. Ever since they did the last update things have gone in the dumpster.

Godot

No you are not the President of the Hossa Fan Club, you are a client LOL

Matty

Shopping on a Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL you get a pass for that one

ALL

Anyone else notice how far out Raycroft is coming to play shots? If he wants to challenge shooters then someone should come down the off-wing for a reverse pass as Raycroft is leaving himself wide open.

[Dubi]

Matty, the correct spelling is McBleary. Or McDreary if you prefer.

[Sam]

Betts scores on a wrap around...

this will calm down on the no scoring of 4th line..

[NCSteve]

Betts!! Mara with an assist? Orr, too. Leafs are looking to the heavens. YEAAAA

[Sam]

talk of no**

[Sam]

Good defensive play by Prucha and offensive move to draw a penalty..

Jagr getting good chances early in this game, keep on the pressure..

[NCSteve]

Nice move by Prucha. Give the guy a chance and he's going to be fine. DO NOT trade him. His heart and talent are in the right place.

[Sam]

Great stuff by Jagr's power play line...

open net for Jagr's goal.

[Jess]

Great Things happen when you attack the net LOL

[NCSteve]

Jags! Taking charge. Good stuff!

[Sam]

Orr seems like he took a stick in the face by Belak in the beginningg..

[NCSteve]

Orr is Captain Courageous against this oversized behemoth!

[Jess]

Geeze Orr with Belak's Big Mouth how could you miss that target??????????????????

They need to do this fight again later on.

[pghas]

2-0 and Orr won that one in a decision. But it did have to be salvaged.

I hope we can do this for 3 periods....

[NCSteve]

Looks like we should have the power play--if it's called right.

[Jess]

Getting back to the 2nd goal. That was what I was talking about as Raycroft by coming out so far took himself out of position for Jagr's goal.

Now keep skating and act like the score is still 0-0.

Bad time to take a minor by Mara, sorry but Mara let someone out work him for the puck

[NCSteve]

Valli--kick save! Beauty.

[Sam]

Good first period,

hope the effort stays consistent for the rest of the game..

[Shawn]

Great first period, Let's Go Rangers!

[NCSteve]

Raycroft had to be aggressive when he was left high and dry and had to come out to meet Roszival. Nice play by Roszival to get the puck to Jagr.