Big Valley played his heart out tonight. If ever the phrase “leaving it all out on the ice” was to be used, it would be for the big guy tonight. Sadly this Rangers team, filled with enough firepower to take down an aircraft carrier, can barely sputter enough goals nowadays to take down a bag blowing in the wind.

Earlier in the year, I was preaching patience with the offense. Saying almost nightly that “it would come”. But here we are more than 1/3rd of the way into the season, and this team has yet to string together more than 1 or 2 games in a row where they play even “well” offensively.

I think it may be time to make a move. Maybe just something small to shake things up. Or perhaps acquiring a guy like Jokinen, who despite saying repeatedly he wasnt having problems with Martin, may be available. If Jokinen is available, I’d throw a ton Floridas way to acquire him. Im thinking Prucha, Montoya and another prospect (Baranka? Dawes?) would be a good starting point. Or perhaps a move to get Nikolai Zherdev whose offensive total so far this year would be right at the top of our team. Or hell, maybe see if Forsberg would sign a minimum contract to take a cup run with the Rangers. I dont know folks, but at this point in time, the offensive ineptitude of this team is downright frightening.

On a night where the defense played abhorrently, and our goalie bailed our asses out of trouble time after time, you would think the offense would at least score more than 2 goals (at least Drury got into the act). You would think Sean Avery wouldn’t miss 3 wide open nets in one game. You would think a team with Jagr, Drury, Gomez, Shanahan, Prucha, Straka, etc etc would be able to muster up more offense than that against a mediocre Florida team.

Sadly, the offense is lacking, and this might be the time to try to jump start it.

Rangers Review | Comments Off

Rangers gave up 1 goal in the 2nd, and almost gave up another (which they will be paying for with a PK to open up the 3rd). Both plays were carbon copies of each other. A Panther player using speed to the outside to create separation between the forward and the defenseman, then a cutback to the middle and a shot on goal. Its something you almost NEVER see the Rangers do, and is one of the most fundamental offensive plays you should take advantage of. Jaromir Jagr gets those steps all the time, as does Straka, Gomez, Avery and Prucha, yet none of them cut back to the center of the ice to take the high quality shot on goal.

Wanna know why? Because they all look for the pass in that situation. Players need to start being a bit more selfish. Stop trying to pass the damn puck into the net, and start getting it there with authority.

Rangers Review | Comments Off

The overwhelming thoughts by just about every poster, and Sam and Joe was that the Rangers played a horrendous period. If you’ve been to my site before, you know I’m the first person to kill the team when they arent doing something right, but this time, I think it was the Kevin Weekes residual effect that hurt them.

It looked like the Rangers were so scared of being trapped in the offensive zone, and were so intent on playing defense, that they did everything wrong that you could possibly do. They were turning the puck over, they were refusing to send men deep to retrieve it, they weren’t pressuring the breakout play, and because all 5 men were actively in the defensive zone, there was no 1-pass outlet to get the puck out of the zone, it either had to be skated out, or had to be 2-passed out.

I know Vally did a helluva job in that period, but only 3 or 4 were really good saves, the rest were mediocre shots that he made look really great by whipping his glove hand out, or by not making a clean initial save. I dont want to sound like im killing the guy, since I really am only one of 2 or 3 people on this planet who felt Vally was under appreciated, and definitely could be an NHL backup goalie, but lets call it like we see it. He played great, and the Rangers were trying their hardest to protect the guy.

It happens, I think things will open up a lot for these guys in the 2nd, especially with the first goal out of the way.

Rangers Review | Comments Off