Hey, pretty good headline again. I got the Flyer reference in, AND mentioned that the Rangers were in first place! (Though I was really worried the Devils were going to come back and tie their game against the Sabres after being down 3-0 with 40 seconds left - they managed two goals in 21 seconds to make it 3-2.)
Was it Blueshirt domination, or a bad win? Hard to say, really. They outshot the Flyers 34-16, and the first line seemed to control the puck for every second they were on the ice, but considering that Philadelphia is decimated with injuries and is just outright bad this year (2nd lowest point total in the league), I can't say I am thrilled with the way the Rangers played.
I am going to mimic the "Rodent" and just give a couple of notes on the game:
- Nice job by Kevin Weekes. Even though he didn't face many shots, he made the important saves when the Rangers needed them, particularly just before the Nylander goal that put the Blueshirts up 3-1.
- Props to Matt Cullen and Jarkko Immonen. Those two played very well, and created goals in ugly situations. They weren't pretty, but they count just the same. Each had a goal and an assist.
- Is that Michael Rozsival out there? He looks like he is getting very comfortable with his offensive game, kind of like what Sandis Ozolinsh is supposed to look like. While we are at it, I still can't stand to watch Marek Malik. He has been better, but I fear that when the games get tougher and faster come playoff time, he is going to be a huge liability (literally).
- Can Tom Renney please explain to us the purpose of dressing Colton Orr? If he is not going to be put on the ice to attempt to kill Derian Hatcher for his cheap, unpenalized elbow on Jaromir Jagr, what purpose does he have in this organization? I understand Tom wanted to give Prucha a night off, but please do something about a weak team taking liberties with our players. Didn't Renney recently say that players "feel better" just knowing Orr is on the bench? Does he give them foot massages between periods or something?
On to the news:
The Journal News: Called up from Hartford last week, Immonen had fared respectably in three previous games centering a line of Brendan Shanahan and Cullen. But with his future in New York still uncertain, his goal and assist last night was his best showing yet. "I feel I have to prove that I can play with this team, and I have," Immonen said.
NY Post: Well, there's one thing for sure about last night's game here against the Flyers, and that is, if Colton Orr had been in the lineup then Derian Hatcher would never have dared come up with an elbow to Jaromir Jagr's head the way he did with 7:30 to play in the second period. Wait. What's that? Oh, Orr was in the lineup. And he proved no deterrent whatsoever while providing no response whatsoever when he got onto the ice a few shifts after Jagr was felled by Hatcher.
NY Daily News: Tom Renney had dressed Colton Orr for just such an eventuality - even taking a jersey away from Petr Prucha to be so prepared. But Renney opted for discretion, two points in the standings and, presumably, vengeance delayed.
Ha, I read these after I posted my game notes!
NY Newsday: This one had all the potential for a mismatch. The last-place Flyers, who have won only eight games, had very few good chances, and Weekes was never under pressure for more than a minute. The Flyers were held to a season-low 16 shots; the Rangers had 34. The Flyers buzzed around the crease with about five minutes left, but Weekes stopped a flurry of shots until Michal Rozsival fed Straka for a two-on-one break with Nylander, who deposited a wrister for his 12th at 15:33 for the capper. That one was pretty.
NY SportsDay: Playing with a depleted lineup - filled with many, who started the year across the parking lot playing for the Philadelphia Phantoms - the Flyers under new coach John Stevens came out and played hard all game. A fortunate bounce or two could have made it a different game.
There are a couple of articles about Jed Ortmeyer and his assignment to Hartford. You can read them here and here.
Gabe is back with a new Fact or Fiction, this time debunking some myths about how the Rangers comparared to the Devils.
The Rangers will play four games in six nights, starting tomorrow night in Dallas, followed by back-to-back against the Maple Leafs and Devils this weekend. Then, next Tuesday, they will try to avenge the 7-4 whipping they sustained at the hands of the Fishsticks.
HDH
Posted by Jim at December 13, 2006 11:40 AMeMail this entry!
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