Shortly after lambasting Nigel Dawes, he makes a beautiful, and I really do mean beautiful, play to set up Brandon Dubinsky for his first NHL goal. Brandon has impressed the heck out of me in this one. As you probably remember, I wasn’t too high on the kid, but he really looked rock solid tonight with 1 goal, and 2 posts. He also drew a penalty, and played well with the puck and set up Marcel Hossa for a near gimme goal only to have Marcel shoot it about 4 feet wide.

The Rangers were definitely playing with an injured Jaromir Jagr. You could just tell how much it hurt the guy to skate out there, especially to take the first step. He had no acceleration whatsoever, and really just rotated his body to keep control of the puck rather than skating like he usually does. I saw you sit Jaromir out and let him get healthy. These games mean very little in comparison to the games later in the season and the playoffs.

Henrik also was, you know, pretty good. Making some mind blowing stops, countless of them point blank, and, unlike MAF, he smothered the initial shots or directed rebounds to the corners rather than leaving juicy slot opportunities for the opponents.

The offense is just about there guys, 4 goals, 4, maybe 5 posts,

I have to head off to do some other stuff at the moment, so I’ll just leave it at that.

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Just like the first period, the Rangers really came on strong here. They’ve already scored 3 goals, have already hit 2 posts (maybe 3?), have drawn a lot of penalties through hard work, and sustained pressure, and are just flat out playing great. Though one has to wonder how much of this is on MAF, the most overrated goalie I’ve ever seen. The guy is a walking bumper out there. Everything that goes into him, comes back out into the slot. Rangers have noticed that and are driving hard to the net. This is a very strong showing for the boys in blue, just keep it going.

Just a though, Dubinsky has been playing some great hockey in this one. I was against putting him on the first line, but it seems to be working, get Hossa the hell off that line once Straka comes back, and we’re good to go.

Nigel Dawes has been invisible for a while now. hes a very streaky player. On for 3 games, off for 7 games, on for 5 games, off for 4 games, no consistency from him at all. I mean you literally don’t even notice him on the ice out there. Isn’t doing anything to make me take notice, not positively, not negatively.

Imho, he has to be sent back down once Cally is back.

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See there, I’m not all about the negativity! All I want is my team to play to the way they are capable of. Against a very strong offensive team (numbers aside) the Rangers put on a clinic of how you can use puck control, and smart defense to counter attack the enemy, like we should be doing. The first 7 minutes was kind of a feeling out process, where the Rangers seemed a little…I almost want to say nervous. Anyway, after they got that out of their system then definitely brought their lunch pails with them and went to work.

I would like someone explain to me why Brandon Dubinsky didn’t draw a call when he was very dangerously crosschecked head first into the boards. Those are the kinds of plays that can end up in paralysis. I was 1000 times more angry about that then the goal allowed.

Rangers, hopefully, have turned the page. I think we’re seeing a genesis of a team from offensively inept, to the offensive juggernauts that then can be.

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