I don't think anyone could have predicted that the Rangers would come home from this road trip having gained 6 of 8 possible points. Last night was another solid win, led by Kevin Weekes. In all fairness, he should get the next start, which is Sunday against the incredible Sabres. Ride the hot guy, I always say. Wait a minute, I don't ALWAYS say that, only when it comes to who plays.
This trip was supposed to be an audition, or elimination, or whatever, for the struggling defensemen. Despite the three wins, Marek Malik still looks terrible. It will be interesting to see what happens over these next two days off.
On to the news:
The New York Post: The reunited Matt Cullen-Brendan Shanahan-Petr Prucha trio had a second successive fine evening. Cullen gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead with 00.7 of a second to go in the first, converting a breakaway relay from Prucha after Shanahan had poked the puck off Joe Thornton's stick at the top of the defensive left circle.
NY Daily News: Kevin Weekes came into this week having played just one game since last April. Last night, he played his second in two nights. And with a second straight remarkably solid performance, Weekes backstopped a resounding capper to a trip that had threatened to put the Rangers on the road to oblivion and just might have them finally pointed in the right direction.
NY Newsday: The Rangers played a patient, defense-first opening period and it paid off late when Cullen beat Nabokov on the stick side with less than a second to go. The Sharks' Joe Thornton tried a back pass in the Rangers' zone that Brendan Shanahan - who saved an earlier goal by blocking Marcel Goc's shot in the crease - knifed up to Petr Prucha who pushed it to Cullen.
NY SportsDay: With only 19 shots on goal, a little luck was needed and it came right at the end of the first. As time dwindled down, Brendan Shanahan, who also had empty net goal later in the game, took the puck away from Thornton and outleted it to Petr Prucha. Because San Jose was playing up with the clock ticking, there were no defensemen in the Shark zone, so Prucha was able to feed Matt Cullen on a breakaway, who beat Evgeni Nabokov to give the Rangers the lead right at the last second of the first.
The Rodent talks about the game, and lets us know just how Petr Prucha rebounds from those massive hits he takes.
The Rangers are now tied with the Penguins and Islanders atop the Atlantic Division. Sidney and the Crosby Kids have three games at hand, though.
Next up are the 11-0-1 Sabres, this Sunday at 5:00 pm EST. I hate when they play hockey on football Sundays.
HDH
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