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The Pack did something I really hate in hockey.? They collapsed into a defensive mind frame for almost an entire period.? I dont know how many hockey games I have seen in my life where teams do that and get burned, but its enough to know that is NOT how you play hockey, despite what the Devils may say.
Still though, the Pack played well, Ive got no complaints at all.? Now if youll excuse me, its Saturday night, I better go head out and have some fun!
-Inferno
Im eating my dinner here at the same time so this one is going to be a bit abrupt, but that was a good period of hockey.? Although the Pack gave up the lone goal, off of a poor turnover no less, they still played very very good hockey.? Theyve been unlucky, but im ok with that, you make your own luck sometimes.
Jas over at the HF boards had this to say:
“I have a theory. I wonder if next year, we don’t see anyone come up from Hartford, and we see the influx of kids from juniors - the likes of Staal, Sauer, Dupont, Pyatt and Anisimov are added to Dubinsky, Korpikoski, Callahan, Byers and Baranka - who will get time with this crop so further chemistry builds. The basic core plays another year together, Jagr and his crew finish up one more year, and the wave of kids starts in summer 2008. If that happens, there’s going to be another year of teeth-gnashing on HF.”?
I think that is actually a pretty good way of doing things, but I dont see the Rangers just all of a sudden dumping players and bringing in 5 rookies or something like that.? I still think its going to be a phasing in process.? I expect to see Callahan and Staal with the big club next year, and I think youll see more kids being put in year after year.
The problem is, which i think Jas is alluding to, that the current crop of Rangers dont play hockey this way, and perhaps some of the big clubs bad habits may start effecting these kids.? Strange to say, but its true.
-Inferno
Luckily todays Hartford Wolfpack game is being aired so I am getting a rare opportunity to watch the kids.? Tenacious is really the best way to describe them, along with well-coached.? They skate back HARD, and you NEVER EVER see a guy cherry picking at the other teams blueline, youll always have 5 men below the center red line with at least 3 in their own zone supporting the puck. Its something you almost never see with the Rangers. These guys support the puck so well its not even funny. There are always at least 2 options open to any player carrying the puck, and they are always very obvious. The team is a joy to watch.? Another thing that is obvious is how fast they are.? I mean, they are really really fast, and never stop skating, its like a team full of Martin Strakas as far as how they keep going, with obviously slightly less speed.
Another thing you notice is that Brandon Dubinsky is a friggin monster. its like watching zdeno chara skating out there, i dont know why he looks so friggin huge, but its crazy how noticable he is.
Getting back to the actual game, Hartford absolutely dominated that period. could have been easily 6-0. Montoya shoulda had the goal, though it might have been screened, the angles they have dont really show it very well.? Providences’ goalie has been terrible though, hes leaving big juicy rebounds on every shot.? Keep shooting fellas!
-Inferno
Let’s forget that the Rangers let 2 gimme points get away in a game they absolutely had to have. Let’s forget for a second that Jaromir Jagr took a vicious body check that seemed to hurt him. Let’s also forget the Marek Malik hurt his shoulder again on a seemingly innocent play and was unable to play following the hit. Let’s even forget that Henrik Lundqvist took a shot off his shoulder that hurt him bad and caused him to not be able to play in the 3rd period. Even if you ignore all of those things, this game was still a friggin nightmare physically for the Rangers when their heart and soul Brendan Shanahan accidentally collided with Mike Knuble. The powerful collision hurt both players, but Shanahan fell very awkwardly and it appeared his head hit the ice and also snapped back very violently. My initial reaction was that Shanahan might have had spinal damage as he was not moving at all, no arms, no legs, nothing. However after several frightening minutes of laying on the ice Brendan did move his leg a bit, and even started talking after another few minutes. Word sent by the Rangers a little later on was that Brendan was alert, and could move all of his limbs. I stopped caring about the hockey game at that point, as my sole concern was to hear that Shanahan was ok. We got word shortly after Matt Cullen scored one of the prettiest, and coincidentally meaningless goals I’ve seen all year.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Brendan and his family. I hope its just a concussion.
Get well soon Brendan.
-Inferno
UPDATE:
Sam Weinman has a great update for us:
“Shanahan will be kept overnight for observations but X-rays and CAT scans were clear.”?
-Inferno
That was not good.? Rangers just looked totally discombobulated in that period, and VERY passive.? One has to wonder if that old theory that you get physical with the Rangers and they wilt like a tulip doesnt apply.? Rangers looked very much the team that I predicted to be done with it in the 2nd.? I think the fact that they were trailing in the first despite dominating the period killed their confidence.? I hope the crowd booing them really gets them pissed, because they looked very flat out there, and getting angry might change all that.? Sorry for the abruptness of these posts, phone calls keep interrupting me.? People should know by now not to call on gameday!
-Inferno
This one will have to be quick, 2nd periods about to start, but Sam Rosen said it best.? The Flyers were just BEGGING the Rangers to win this game, and the Rangers have been unwilling to oblige.
-Inferno
Been in contact with our good friend NHL INSIDER, heres the latest:
-NHL INSIDER