I tried to think of some sort of Blair Betts take on the word Bailout, but Blairout just didn’t look right, so whatever, you probably get what I am getting at with that title. In a move practically every reporter, blogger, and messageboarder was absolutely irate about, Tom Renney decided to sit 2 of the most productive Rangers over the past 10 games in favor of 2 guys who haven’t proven they are AHL caliber players yet this season. Aaron Voros and Dan Fritsche got in a game over 2 guys who most certainly deserve their ice time, and out and out embarrassed themselves. Dan Fritsche was absolutely invisible, playing a 4th line type game tonight, not generating any offense and looked nowhere near NHL game shape out there. And he was the better of the 2.
Aaron Voros really humiliated himself out there. The lifelong Ranger fan who probably is a really good guy outside of the rink, and was actually one of the few Rangers to high five the Ranger fans in Atlanta, stood out as a real goat in possibly his final game as a Ranger. Voros took not one, not two, but 3 absolutely inexcusable penalties, and I could be wrong here, but I think 2 if not 3 of them were in the offensive zone. Voros was actually rewarded for his horrific performance by getting power play shifts. On this I can actually kind of understand, because he has the size to screen the goalie and create chances for his linemates, but when a guy stands out so obviously as a cause for concern, you don’t reward him with more ice time. In the end Voros was benched, by Renney after his 3rd retarded penalty, and was summarily booed by the Ranger fans for his effort.
If not for Blair Betts though, it could have been much, much worse. Voros was in the box when the first Ducks goal was scored, but Betts showed some real heart out there on the other penalty kills to lead the Rangers PK to an outstanding performance against one of the best PP units in the NHL. Betts on one memorable shift broke his stick trying to block a shot, then pressured both point men, blocked another shot, and got the puck out of the zone, all without a stick. He also scored the final empty net goal, and his penalty killing partner Sjostrom, netted another shortie himself.
It was the specialty teams that really told the story tonight, and really is the story for most NHL teams. You score on the PP, you kill penalties, and you occasionally net a short handed goal yourself, and you’re going to win. You manage 2 short handed goals, and 2 power play goals in one game, and you’ll almost always win.
A good way to enter the all-star break for sure. I’ll have a small announcement in a day or 2. Nothing big, but it’s something that I unfortunately must do.