Yesterday I thought that a game against the Isles was just what the Rangers needed to snap out of this slump they have been in. Well, despite some shaky play early in the game, and despite being physically pounded in the opening minutes of the game, the Rangers held on through two periods only to explode in the third with four goals.
The line of Straka, Nylander, and Jagr combined for twelve points (four each). Tom Poti added his second goal of the year, and Petr Prucha continued his great play with yet another goal. Henrik Lundqvist started off poorly, giving up two goals in the first seven minutes, but then shut the door and held the Isles scoreless for the remainder of the game.
I still had some concerns regarding the lineup. I cannot understand Tom Renney scratching Ryan Hollweg in a game that was sure to be physical. Colton Orr and Ville Nieminen were in the lineup, but Orr played just over three minutes and Nieminen only played about nine after taking two consecutive holding penalties in the first period. I feel you need an energy guy like Hollweg in there just to shake things up a bit. Nieminen was not credited with even a single hit on the official scoresheet.
Nonetheless, it was a good win for the Rangers. Jagr got back on the goalscoring bandwagon, they got five points from their defensemen (Poti had a goal, Tyutin had 2 assists, Malik and Kaspar had an assist each), and they came back from a 2-0 deficit against a division rival. I'll take it.
Larry Brooks beats up on Alexei Yashin a bit in today's article: Could there have been a greater contrast between the two New Yorks' two signature players? Could there have been a better illustration of the gulf in leadership between the Rangers' No. 68 and the Islanders' No. 79? For while Jagr was making an indelible imprint in the match by recording a goal and three assists to key a 12-point night for himself and linemates Martin Straka (2-2) and Michael Nylander (1-3), Yashin's imprint was as enduring as one left on the edge of the beach at high tide.
NY Post: "When you're down two against Ottawa it's different than being down two against the Islanders," Jagr said after lighting up the Isles for a goal and three assists. "I respect every team in the NHL but I think there's a difference between the Islanders and Ottawa right now."
NY Daily News: The victory was just the second in six games for the Rangers but it served as a resounding response to the beating they had absorbed in Ottawa Monday night. And it opened a 12-point gap between the local rivals, sending the Islanders back to the .500 mark from which they have so far been unable to break free.
The Journal News: They hoped each would bring out the best in the other at a time when both needed to improve their play. But that was true only for the Rangers last night as they scored six unanswered goals to beat the Islanders 6-2 in a playoff-like atmosphere at Nassau Coliseum.
NY Newsday: The Islanders weren't booed off the ice last night at Nassau Coliseum. Whatever jeers rained down from Islanders fans were drowned out by the raucous cheers from the Rangers contingent in the sellout crowd of 16,234 at the end of the Blueshirts' 6-2 drubbing of the home team.
NY Times: Islanders Coach Steve Stirling would later compare the Rangers' top line to a firecracker, but the pyrotechnics started with an earlier request by Rangers Coach Tom Renney. He asked his team just to play hard and smart.
The Rodent once again gets to talk about Petr Prucha, as well as last night's game.
The guys over at NY Sports Day have a good article on Tom Poti and his spot as Garden whipping boy.
Before last night's game, Maxim Kondratiev was sent down to Hartford. His roster spot has not been filled yet. Coach Renney indicated that Maxim needed some more playing time in order to work on his strengths rather than have his weaknesses exposed up in the NHL.
The Rangers will finish off 2005 in Pittsburgh to face the struggling Penguins on Saturday. Hopefully they can carry some of this scoring momentum into that game as well.
Some of the Hockeybird faithful are having a pick-up roller hockey game tomorrow night (Friday) from 7 to 9 pm in Bethpage, Long Island. You can find out more on the Messageboards. Get-togethers are somewhat of a tradition among readers of Hockeybird, and always result in a good time, be it playing a hockey game, attending a Rangers or Wolf Pack game, or a jam session of the might Judas Crease. Don't be shy.
HDH
Posted by Jim at December 29, 2005 12:02 PMeMail this entry!
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