The Rangers face the Buffalo Sabres for a second Saturday in a row after a week in which their rivals made up many if not all of their games in hand. With their one point in Montreal, the Rangers stayed even with Buffalo and Boston this week, and stayed one point ahead of the streaking Islanders, who won six in a row until finally dropping one to the Devils this afternoon.
Tonight in Buffalo, tomorrow vs. Florida at the Garden, and then Thursday in Carolina, the Rangers face three hurting teams. Buffalo had a host of forwards miss practice yesterday, and though some of them will surely play tonight (Jochen Hecht is out for sure), one cannot expect them or the team as a whole to be at full strength. Florida is not only missing several forwards and a couple of depth defensemen, they are also hurting on special teams, having allowed eight power play goals in 30 times shorts while going only 2-22 on their own power play over the last six games, in which they are 1-3-2. Carolina, on the other hand, have done well -- 4-1-1 in their last six -- despite losing Rod Brind'amour for the season and Cory Stillman in a trade. The Rangers, healthy except for Petr Prucha, who is a game or two away from returning, have to take advantage and put a hurting on these hurting teams.
For more on Buffalo's manpower situation, see the AP and Buffalo News. Chris Drury returns to Buffalo for the first tme since leaving there as a free agent. Will he be booed? See the Post, Kenny Albert at MSG.com, AP, and Buffalo News here and here. Game previews at NYR.com and Rangerland. The Journal News and Newsday get Ranger player reaction to the approaching trade deadline. Stan Fischler looks at all three area teams at MSG.com as the deadline approaches. ESPN lists the top ten deadline deals -- the 1994 Rangers are right up there, as you'd expect. Howlings recaps the Pack's last game. the Courant and Howlings preview their next game, and Prospect Park reviews last night's action elsewhere.
Another case of the Rangers running around in their own end, and a Sabre left unmolested in front for a screen on the point shot.
Which is why a physical defenseman rather than a scorer or a PP QB is more needed if a trade does happen
Posted by: Matty | February 23, 2008 at 07:28 PM
Dawes!! What a game already.
Posted by: Ryan | February 23, 2008 at 07:28 PM
is Mara back on the bench or still in the locker room?
Posted by: Sam | February 23, 2008 at 07:29 PM
Boy, do I ever agree Matty!!!
Posted by: Laserman | February 23, 2008 at 07:30 PM
Rangers look pretty scary in their own zone.
Posted by: Blaze | February 23, 2008 at 07:33 PM
Why is Mara in the locker room? The BUF dudes haven't mentioned anything on it .. they were talking about the unfairness that the Rangers have played 2 games in the span that BUF has played 6 ...
Rangers look pretty scary in their own zone.
As do the Sabres in theirs ... neither team is playing sound defense
Posted by: Matty | February 23, 2008 at 07:36 PM
Mara got hit by a Buffalo player and both bodies went flying. Mara skated toward the bench and into the locker room.
Posted by: Sam | February 23, 2008 at 07:39 PM
I could care less about Buffalo's defense. We need the Rangers to pull it together in their own zone if we're going to keep the Sabres off the scoreboard.
Posted by: Blaze | February 23, 2008 at 07:39 PM
God, I hate that Jeanerette idiot...
Posted by: Laserman | February 23, 2008 at 07:41 PM
The BUF color guy is so .. loud .. he made a big deal out of Avery not being called for 2 because he says that he intentionally bumped Miller after he got the original penalty ...
We need to kill this off since it's toward the end of the period ...
Go Boys!
Posted by: Matty | February 23, 2008 at 07:42 PM
Gomez recover from the other end of ice and intercepted that pass. he can play the pk!
haha
Posted by: Sam | February 23, 2008 at 07:43 PM
Matty I'm watching the same feed it's so crazy how biased they are.
Posted by: Shawn | February 23, 2008 at 07:45 PM
Good for Avery as that kid tried to goad Dubi into something ... But Avery better not hurt his wrists again ...
Considering how all over the place the D was in this period it was a very good period as far as the physical and offensive side of things ... and Henrik was on top of his game ... BUT the D better tighten things up in the 2nd
Posted by: Matty | February 23, 2008 at 07:46 PM
refs suck.. someone tripped gomez in front of the net 2 minutes into the game, no doubt.....
the kaleta hit on mara was cheap. it was 1.5 seconds after the puck was gone and he left his feet.. If hollwegg did that hit he would have gotten 5 minutes...
Posted by: stuarta | February 23, 2008 at 07:47 PM
Isn't it a penalty to fight with a visor on? Thought I'd heard that before. Either way the refs are ready for the playoffs it seems; no calls for a trip on Gomez and a blatant high hit on Mara, yet Avery's little arm tug must be punished. Incompetence is astounding. Good period though, gotta keep shooting as Miller looks shaky.
Posted by: Mark W. | February 23, 2008 at 07:49 PM
Mara looked like he was favoring his left arm, maybe a cut? Not sure.
Looks like the 3 blind mice are out in force. Missed a trip then a late hit on Mara but got Staal for defending his teammate. I didn't know you could still hit a guy that late, the hit was at the faceoff circle and the puck was in center ice!
Posted by: rangerbill94 | February 23, 2008 at 07:53 PM
NCsteve I will also be at the Carolina game,on my way to Hilton Head.Hoping I can scalp decent seats outside the arena.Any info on available tix would be appreciated.
Posted by: BUDDY | February 23, 2008 at 07:55 PM
Gomez Dawes 2 on 1 looked like it ended when Buff defender pasted Dawes away from the play. Isn't that s'posed to be interference?
Posted by: paularensburg | February 23, 2008 at 07:56 PM
No way are we going to win this one with our defense playing like crap.
Posted by: Blaze | February 23, 2008 at 08:09 PM
I was hoping we'd keep Pominville off the score sheet because that whole "Population..." is so annoying.
Posted by: Shawn | February 23, 2008 at 08:10 PM
Another goal scored from the slot, how strange!!!
Posted by: Laserman | February 23, 2008 at 08:11 PM
That goal had nothing to do with an agressive BUF defense. We had NO POISE. Just took a hack at the puck when we had time to get it out. That was the same problem in MON...POISE.
And finally a PP!
Posted by: rangerbill94 | February 23, 2008 at 08:12 PM
c'mon, power play!!
nice effort by Callahan to draw a penalty.
Posted by: Sam | February 23, 2008 at 08:13 PM
laserman the play should have never happened, see how not clearing the zone led to two unnecessary goals
Posted by: Chris | February 23, 2008 at 08:13 PM
No disagreement there Chris...
Posted by: Laserman | February 23, 2008 at 08:16 PM
Straka really sucks on the point!!!
Posted by: Laserman | February 23, 2008 at 08:17 PM
What the hell is wrong with these friggin bums????????
Posted by: Laserman | February 23, 2008 at 08:19 PM
there goes the season!
Posted by: Blaze | February 23, 2008 at 08:19 PM
rangers doesnt really know how to clear the puck at this point..
sigh*
Posted by: Sam | February 23, 2008 at 08:20 PM
what a goal!!!
Posted by: Chris | February 23, 2008 at 08:20 PM
great pass by Rozy!!
Dubi scores
Posted by: Sam | February 23, 2008 at 08:20 PM
What was that Blaze??
Posted by: Ryan | February 23, 2008 at 08:20 PM
You saw that happening a mile away.
Posted by: Shawn | February 23, 2008 at 08:20 PM
Jagr's inability to shoot leads to a goal...nice
Posted by: oleosmirf | February 23, 2008 at 08:20 PM
Both teams are stinking the joint up!!!
Posted by: Laserman | February 23, 2008 at 08:21 PM
atleast Buffalo having the same trouble as the rangers.
going to be an up and down gamee..
Posted by: Sam | February 23, 2008 at 08:21 PM
okayyyy...i take that back :)
Posted by: Blaze | February 23, 2008 at 08:22 PM
DUBINSKY!!!
This game is giving me heart problems
:-P
Posted by: Matty | February 23, 2008 at 08:22 PM
should be 3-0
three failures to clear led to three goals that shouldn't have happened.
Posted by: Chris | February 23, 2008 at 08:22 PM
Well, it's not exactly playoff hockey!
Posted by: rangerbill94 | February 23, 2008 at 08:22 PM
Orr
That Mark Owens guy said it perfectly. Renney sucks ! If Nyr wins the cup, or doesnt win the cup. Renney will always suck ! But hey, that's just me.
You are right it is just you because if you are unable to give Renney credit for when the team does well while being quick to trash him it says a lot about you very little of it would be good.
it all depends on tonights game. This team needs to start a big streak, the Isles lost 7, and then won 6. It can only get tougher from here on in.
No it does not depend on tonight's game as the only ones who are thinking that are the fans and the misinformed. The whole season is going to come down to how the Rangers in their games against their division rivals.
If I recall everyone was freaking out about the sky falling when the other teams made up their games in hand. Everyone was so sure that the Rangers were going to get blown away.
Hardly anyone is talking serious deals right now so Sather is no different than any other GM. It does take two to make a trade and if nobody is serious how can the Rangers make a move?
MarkO
I follow the team very closely but am not an insider like you and Dubi.
I do not consider myself any kind of insider when it comes to the Ranger team itself. When it comes down to the prospects there I do believe I am an insider.
I was not aware that Hossa is still on the roster while in Hartford
People read what you write and took your article to push their own point of view. Those who also do not know the rules regarding conditioning assignments are thinking how dumb Renney is for not having a full roster.
You also questioned using Strudwick as replacement forward and asked if that was the best the Rangers could do. To replace Orr's toughness then I agree with Strudwick over Moore and that was the idea. I would make the same move too against a Hab team that had been running Rangers.
but I do tend to second-guess alot of his decisions.
If you are going to do that then common decency and journalistic ethics demands that you bend over backwards to make sure that your information is accurate and fair.
FYI the move I would have made to open the roster spot would have been to put Prucha on the IR retroactive to Feb 11th (the day after he last played)
ALL
Just say it with meaning
DUBI DUBI DOO
Posted by: Jess | February 23, 2008 at 08:23 PM
A defensive clinic on both ends...
Posted by: scinoc | February 23, 2008 at 08:23 PM
could someone tell me where i can find a stat list for hits, im having a hard time finding it
Posted by: Chris | February 23, 2008 at 08:37 PM
Of all our players, I'm most concerned with Tyutin. He looks unsure of himself.
Posted by: rangerbill94 | February 23, 2008 at 08:40 PM
Boston winning 2 - 1
Philly winning 1 - 0
Posted by: Blaze | February 23, 2008 at 08:41 PM
Chris
espn.com box scores have hit stats
Posted by: cr | February 23, 2008 at 08:41 PM
Hollweg at Casino Night...yikes. He looked like an insane wedding guest, the cousin everyone avoids.
Let's tighten up in our zone this period, come on I can smell 2 pts.
Posted by: Mark W. | February 23, 2008 at 08:43 PM
RB
See you should have let me trade Tyutin when I wanted to and not Dawes like you did (just kidding)
Seriously you are right Toots is very shaky tonight
Posted by: Jess | February 23, 2008 at 08:47 PM
thanks cr, im wondering if i can get some season stats as well?
Posted by: Chris | February 23, 2008 at 08:48 PM
Mark W
What are you talking about? Hollweg was the only one dressed for a Casino night, all those others all wearing the same outfits are ones to be worried about.
Hollweg is a choir boy
Posted by: Jess | February 23, 2008 at 08:52 PM