Beating Themselves Up After Beating Themselves

No one expected the Rangers to go 82-0. But when you inevitably lose, you want to lose because the other team won the game, not because you lost it with an unacceptable level of effort. There was no reason for the Rangers to drop a 3-1 decision to what remains of the Buffalo Sabres. Even with their lackluster effort, they were in position to salvage something from this game, and didn't.

Problem one was something that has reared its head in just about every game -- discontinuing the attack when you take the lead. Against Philly, they were lucky that lead was 4-0. Against New Jersey, they were lucky that Henrik Lundqvist was at the top of his game. Against Chicago, they were lucky that gang couldn't shoot straight. But last night, there was no luck to be had -- the Rangers stopped competing after taking an early 1-0 lead, failing to register even another shot on goal is just under twenty minutes from that point on.

Problem two was losing the special teams battle for the first time in six games, their perfect penalty killing record broken by two power play goals and their own power play giving up a killer shorthander when they had a chance to tie things up. That is the subject of today's in-depth game analysis at Blueshirt Bulletin+, with quotes from Tom Renney, all three of his captains, and Paul Mara. Click here to read it if you subscribe to Blueshirt Bulletin and have registered for BB+ access. If you need instructions on how to access BB+, write to us at Blueshirt@mindspring.com. If you are not a subscriber, E-mail us or click here to learn how to take out a subscription to get the magazine as well as BB+.

Problem three: No one showed up, as Aaron Voros said (he didn't show up either). By the way, saying this is problem three doesn't suggest that this is a prioritized list -- items one and two follow from a lack of effort. Most distressingly, the top line didn't show up for the third straight game -- just exactly who is that guy in the #91 jersey? A second line is meant to step in when necessary, not carry the team -- that's the first line's job. In the two games in Prague, the first line played well, even though they didn't finish most of their multitude of chances. Since then, it's been the second line that has won for the Rangers.

The Rangers weren't the only ones who didn't show up. The fans weren't all there either. There were a lot of empty seats to begin with. Some of those there thought that a Potvin chant was the right way to get the team going during a penalty kill -- no surprise that the Sabres scored seconds later (some guy named Earl might say that has something to do with karma). They thought that was the appropriate chant the next time the Sabres had a power play too, and that time only Lundqvist stood between karma and another power play goal. Let's go Rangers? Only when it was too late.

Game reports: Newsday, Journal News, Record, Times, Post, Daily News, Buffalo News, NY Sports Day, NYR.com, NHL.com, and AP. For more on Mara's move, see Newsday, Blueshirts Blog, and the Buffalo News. Game notes from the Record and Inside Shots. More from the reporters' blogs: Blue Notes here, here, and here, Rangers Report here and here, Ranger Rants, and Game On!. From practice today, Blue Notes, Ranger Rants, and Rangers Report relay that Scott Gomez and Dmitri Kalinin did not skate after getting a bit bruised up last night but are expected to play tomorrow night. THN looks at the Rangers' blueline corps, ESPN.com on Sean Avery's return to the New York area, Prospect Park looks at Nikolai Zherdev, and Howlings reports on Lyon Messier. More on Alexei Cherepanov from the Daily News, Newsday, Slap Shot, and Beyond the Blueshirts

[The information that previously appeared in this space has been to BB+ where all such material will appear from now on.]

Comments

[Jay]

Thank you again for condemning the Potvin chant. It is entirely obsurd...

[Sioux-per-man]

Maybe Rissmiller is networking for a new job?

[jagrmiester]

HAHAHA, rissmiller is a freakin joke.

[JBytes]

I think the constant whinging about the Potvin chant is as tiring as the chant itself. Fans pay top dollars for their seats, and if chanting "Potvin sucks" is how they enjoy themselves, let them be. How does it hurt anyone?

Personally, I'm more annoyed by Sam Rosen's insistence on telling us every time there's a "Let's Go Rangers" going in the crowd. We can hear it for ourselves, Sam!

[Scott]

Dubi~
Feel free to eliminate these posts, no one cares what they have to say.

[Nic]

Dubi thank you for your continued commitment to reporting in depth and up to date information on my favorite team. It's greatly appreciated keep up the good work.
The guys have lost one game, lets not throw them under the bus just yet; stil lots of hockey to be played
Go Rangers Go!

[Jay]

Sure... Dubi nees your advice on what posts to keep and what posts to delete.

[cwede]

The 'Potvin S****' chant is so lame, it should've stopped years ago.
It has nothing to do with being a hockey fan. Or a fan of this Ranger team.
My guess is the folks who seem to enjoy it never even saw Ulf Nilsson play.
It wouldn't annoy me so much if it were only once per game - but 2-3 times almost every period is just stupid.

[EddieJ]

Hey JBytes-
For that matter, we don't need any play-by-play announcer at all, because we can see what's happening. I don't need to be told that "Lundqvist makes the save!" when I just saw it with my own eyes. Give Sam a break. He's just describing the game, and maybe he doesn't know if the chants of "Let's go Rangers" can be heard on the audio at home.

Dennis-
Of course no one really thinks that the other team scores when the Garden starts a Potvin chant. I don't like it- I think it's negative and stupid, however, it is unique to MSG and has sort of become a tradition there. Whether I like it or not.

[Ant]

The only people who scream POTVIN SUCKS are the kids who wasnt even born when that hit happened.I bet you half of them dont kow why they sya potvin sucks and the other half dont know who ulf nilsson is.Usually its kids between 13 and 18 19 who always scream potvin sucks.

Dubi feel free to delete this but if u are a male in your 40s and you still scream potvin sucks well you just simply retarted who needs to find something better to do with himself.

And Dennis get a life kid.Why come here and diss Dubi???I bet you read everyword that he wrote upthere but still u decided u need to amke your self look cool.So do us a favor and go play in the middle of BQE

Chant is not cool anymore we look loike bunch fo idiots still screaming same old thing over and over.You think potvin still cares??You think u hurt Isls fans by doing it??Well if u do think that that u fall into the category of poeple form previous paragraph.

[Roc]

Buffalo sucks!! They will loss next game. For some season they have our number!! We have to beat The Leafs friday. There is no question about that!!

[nyr719]

Hey Dubi,

Thanks for continuing the mention us here at Game On! in your daily Rangers roundups.

If anyone's interested in asking MSG's Hockey Night Live! crew a question on the Rangers, here's the link where you can have your voice heard ...

http://blogs.msg.com/gameon/2008/10/16/hockey-night-live-ask-duguay-daneyko-and-goring-a-question/

Go Rangers!

[oleosmirf]

who cares about the potvin sucks chant

it had nothing to do with the Rangers giving up goals. How about the fact that Drury was flat footed and let Vanek beat him down the ice for the 3rd goal or the fact that Roszival was out of position and Henrik flat out dropped the puck on the 2nd goal.

Gomez said it perfectly. You can't expect to win if you get 6 shots on goal after 2 periods.

[And This One Will Last A Lifetime]

We did sweep the season series against the Buffaslugs last year, although they did the same to us the previous year. Maybe they can split the season series this year.

Sometimes winning causes bad habits to develop and the play in our end throughout the game either with or without the puck was pretty attrocious at times. The D which had been so good at moving the puck out of the zone quickly were a half-step or full step behind too often and the positioning of defenders (not just the D-men but all the players) left something to be desired.

Give credit to Buffalo though. They kept the pressure on in all zones and unlike the Rangers for long stretches, worked hard to create chances.

None of the original lines were clicking last night and it looked like only a handful of the players showed up to play.

Prucha had a spark in his step last night but he had a couple of chances to bury the puck and ended up putting it right into Miller. I know getting the puck elevated from close-in is easier said than done, but he just doesn't have the goalscorer's touch. Whether he can discover it with more ice time or whether he's lost it for good remains to be seen.

We need two points from the Leafs because the prospect of playing back to back nights with facing Detroit in their arena doesn't quite make for an easy Saturday evening.

[oleosmirf]

and this one will last a lifetime

he needs to go to Hartford. unfortunately he wont pass through waivers...

[And This One Will Last A Lifetime]

I'm neither an ardent Prucha fan nor basher. I do think they need to figure out a role for him, but that's not my decision to make.

Having him scooped up on waivers would help clear up the extra 3rd/4th line winger situation. If he makes it through then he could hopefully get the ice time required to see whether he's still got the knack or 05/06 was lightning in a bottle.

[Greg L.]

Rangers were flat and they knew it , Big deal . We need to keep the lines the same and maybe play a few lines more. If the top line is too tired and Gomez is still sick ,, we need to be patient , even though Naslunds attack on the puck is weak!

[Leo]

C'mon guys, give them a break. They're tired. It's just a game. I'm sure we'll get back on track.

Renney would sit Hank against the leafs to save his energy to face Datsyuk, Holmstrom and conpany saturday.

[Chris QCT]

Renney's Rangers have had trouble with quick, hard forechecking teams since he's been in New York....period.

I'm not too happy that Renney and seemed to be fine with Paul Mara personally gift wrapping 2 points for Buffalo in getting "Avery-ed" into a 5 minute major and a game for trash-talking. That was the whole game right there to me and I am surprised it was glossed over and labeled necessary and acceptable. I tell you one thing, the rest of the team did not react to that penalty (or the GWG for that matter) in a good way.

Renney and Mara can be fine with it all they want. The rest of the team did not seem to be fine with it. They seemed to see it the same way most of the fans did....selfish.

Mara has been real good so far. But he deflated his team the other night.

[rangerbill94]

Chris QCT

Simply don't agree on the Mara thing. First, the refs got it wrong. It should have been 5 on Mara for fighting and 2 to the BUF jerk for roughing (hit to the head). Maloney called it good, old fashioned hockey. Second, the Rangers got their chance with a 4 min minor and didn't make them pay. That was the best way the team could have stood up for their teammate. I sure hope Sather sent the video to the league office, that's the second time this goon took a shot at Mara's head.

[Jay]

rangerbill94

- I didn't see it but Mara said the guy left his feet also. And I agree, the proper 'response' from your teamates is to kill off the PP and send a message to the guy that this team will always stand up for one of their teamates.

Mara was not selfish - I have no problem with what he did.

Buffalo played a very good game - Rangers are still a better team but no that night.

[wwwc9]

Watch the play on slow month frm dvr and Buffalo player definitely left his feet. No problem with mara dropping his gloves. Only wish he pounded him some more.

[Slinky]

Something needs to done with that first line. Naslund hasn't done ANYTHING, and honestly, if I were renney, I would either bench him for tonights game or put him on the third line. The second line shouldn't be carrying the team...

[Chris QCT]

Had it not been a 5 minute major, I would probably feel differently. Or had he actually gotten him to drop the gloves as well.

Pop him with your gloves on, cross-check him, grab him in a head lock, catch him with a big hit later on.... all would have been better.

There is just something that does not sit right with me about getting a 5-min major where he GWG was scored for payback from a hit from last season. To me, there are other ways of settling scores without throwing the game away.

[Ant]

How mara was supposed to know he was a chicken and wouldnt drop the gloves

[malto meal]

I too felt from the broadcast that as soon as the juvenile whistle started that we were going to blow it. I just don't understand, why not enjoy yourself by rooting with a Let's Go Rangers and not something that most Rangers fans don't even understand, its origin and its usefulness

[rangerbill94]

Slinky

"The second line shouldn't be carrying the team..." I agree. However, the first line shouldn't be carrying the team either! On any given night one line may need to "carry" the team, but all three lines need to be providing production if we want to have a cup contending team. The fourth line needs to "chip in" every now and then. Right now the 1st and 3rd lines are not getting it done offensively. Defensively, they are doing just fine. Maybe tonight we will get to see three lines putting on great pressure.

LGR!