There. I finally saw it. That spark, that moment when you can see that expression on a persons face when they figure out a complex problem. An epiphany, or moment of clarity if you will. It happened tonight, and it happened when Jaromir Jagr reared back and fired a slapper that found its way into the net. From that point on the Rangers finally seemed to play….right. I don’t know how else to say it, but everything just looked in synch, and flowing properly. A puck found its way into the net, and you just sorta knew, the Rangers were going to be ok. So there you have it, despite playing a relatively “meh” first period, and a bad luck second period, the Rangers looked to be over that hurdle, to me, after the final horn.
I think part of it may be seeing Jaromir Jagr take a puck to the face, lose half a dozen teeth, and yet not miss a shift, and continue to play well, including a backchecking effort the surely saved a goal. I was all over Jaromir for his performance here in Atlanta, but since that game, he’s been great, I have no complaints whatsoever about him or what he has been doing out there. Really the whole first line has looked solid for a while now, and there is no way I would separate them. Marcel Hossa brings a solid defensive presence along with the ability to break up passes, to retrieve pucks, and to use his sizeable frame to create time and space for the smaller Scotty Gomez.
Chris Drury, Brendan Shanahan, and Nigel Dawes also seemed to get more comfortable with each other. Chris almost looks like defensive a left winger at times, with Nigel Dawes being the center who decides where the puck should go. Its an interesting dynamic for sure, and is something to watch for, but if it works, who cares, ya know?
Ryan Hollweg played pretty decent as well, he had a great drive to the net, and brought some speed and aggression to the third line, but I still think he is the wrong guy to have there. Lauri Korpikoski, who is playing in Hartford, has to be the guy in that spot right now. He’s about as fast, if not faster than Hollweg is, is bigger, stronger, has better hands, and plays better defense. Really, hes Marcel Hossa, for the 3rd line (at times). I still don’t understand why Hollweg is playing on the 3rd line, when he is tailor made for the 4th line as an energy player. Ryan better watch out, because if he doesn’t start to produce, it won’t be Lauri that takes his job, it will be Callahan, Straka, and Avery who do, because when those 3 come back from their injuries, the odd men out right now have to be Hollweg and Orr.