The Rangers look to get back to their winning ways tonight against Columbus. New York saw their six-game win streak end Wednesday against Chicago in their first of two games on the road. The Rangers played 13 of their first 18 games at home, and following these two contests on the road, skate at MSG for four of their next five games.
In no shock to any of us, Brendan Smith, who had been scratched the past six games and eight of the first 19 contests, gets back into the lineup. Smith replaced Steven Kampfer. Coach Alain Vigneault has several d-men he could have scratched, including Ryan McDonagh, but opted to sit Kampfer. Below are some quotes from AV that spell out why Kampfer and what Smith needs to show to remain the lineup.
Is Smith going back in, "yes. It's been a few games now, like you saw, Kampf is coming out. If it was strictly on yesterday's game, Kampf wouldn't be coming out. Quite a few players didn't play as well as he did but the 6 games prior and the couple before played good and a few had money in the bank and Kampf will come out and Smytty will come in and hopefully play well for us."
Will Smith get a run of games, "this is game by game for everybody. We have one spare up front and one on D. Logically, some guys have more money in the bank than others, but we have been playing some pretty good hockey lately. After watching the game, a real good first period and in first half of the second period we got away from the entries in the offensive zone, then we had that four minute span at the start of the third where they took over. We tried to respond but gave up a 5th goal."
Smith will have to show you something, "everyone will have to show something, he is not the only one. Everyone has to come out and play well and that is what we expect as a group tomorrow."
I found the quotes fairly revealing in terms of the mindset of making a change. For all the criticism we give AV, at least per the quotes, there is a clear thought process and not just a knee-jerk response when making a move. AV praised Kampfer and found the money in the bank part of the quote the most interesting, since it evidences that he is aware certain players likely may have deserved to be scratched but have a history that gives them more leeway. You could argue the same about Smith, but his play had fallen off and if the rumors of him being out of shape are true into the mix, it’s no surprise he sat.
Paul Carey will be scratched for the third straight game and the 12th time in the past 15. For Carey, it likely will take an injury to get back in the lineup. Boo Nieves and David Desharnais have each played well enough to remain in the lineup, at least until a deal possibly is made. New York has been lousy 5v5, carried by the PP of late, and if those issues continue, a switching of the lines might occur. Personally, I think the current combinations should remain and hopefully chemistry arises, but a few more games where that is not the case, and the blender will come out.
The light travel schedule and days off between contests has enabled AV to call upon Henrik Lundqvist almost for every game this season. Ondrej Pavelec has started just three times in the first 19 games, the most recent coming Oct. 28 in Montreal. Pavelec did get in for the last 13:18 against Chicago when Hank was pulled, but with no back-to-backs upcoming, it may not be until one of the games Dec. 8-9 that Pavelec starts. That may be fine for now, but AV has to balance keeping Lundqvist sharp but also rested while keeping an eye on the record, especially after the slow start for New York.
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