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Game 60: NYR-TOR, Rangers face Maple Leafs north of the border |
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The Rangers face the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Thursday. Toronto comes in off consecutive wins and are 5-3-2 in their last 10, sitting third in the Atlantic Division. New York fell 3-2 to Montreal in a shootout Tuesday but are 7-1-1 in their nine.games.
Six-plus days. Six more days to hear all the rumors about Kevin Shattenkirk. Six more days for us to endlessly debate the merits of dealing a first round pick and prospects. Six more days for names such as Patrick Sharp, Anton Stralman, Jarome Iginla, Shane Doan, Brian Boyle, Brendan Smith, Thomas Vanek, Cody Franson, Radim Vrbata, Michael Del Zotto, Alexandre Burrows, Johnny Oduya among the myriad of Anaheim d-men or several others in the NHL would be a good and/or the right fit in New York. Six more days to argue the merits of trading or keeping Rick Nash before the deadline. Six more days to figure which d-man would have to go and how the lineup should be configured if any of the above come to Broadway. Six more days to discuss if GM Jeff Gorton should fully go for it and if he will pull an unseen trade out from his hat. settle in, a long 144+ hours upcoming.
On the ice Thursday, the Rangers will have their hands full. Defensively, the Maple Leafs have been a tire fire lately, as Frederik Andersen has allowed 33 goals his past nine games. Curtis McElhinney, who the Rangers beat up in Columbus on January 7, resulting in his placement on waivers and landing in Toronto, has outplayed Andersen lately. But where Toronto makes their money and is so dangerous is up front. Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner (currently injured), William Nylander and Nikita Zaitsev all have brought a breath of fresh air and offensive talent to Ontario. Add in James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak, Nazem Kadri and Morgan Rielly, and lately, filling in for Marner, Josh Leivo, and you see why the Maple Leafs are so dangerous offensively.
After scoring four goals in four straight games, New York has tallied just none the past four games, but are 2-1-1 in those contests. Unless they clamp down defensively, the Rangers will have to exploit a struggling Toronto defense. The talent up front is clearly there, the execution, especially on the power play, has been lacking at times. I would expect some changes on the man-advantage Thursday. Maybe Michael Grabner gets a shot to bolster a moribund power play and hopefully the set up and scheme is tweaked a bit.
Following Thursday's game, New York faces New Jersey on Saturday and then Columbus at home Sunday. Look for Henrik Lundqvist to be between the pipes Thursday and sit one of the two games, likely New Jersey, for Antti Raanta. Following those two games, it's a match up Tuesday at home against Washington to close out February. March begins with a game in Boston on 3/2 and then a home game against the Canadiens on 3/4. Four straight road games, 3/6 (Tampa), 3/7 (Florida), 3/9 (Carolina) and 3/12 (Detroit) lead into a home game against the Lightning on 3/13. Then the schedule gets really weird, as NewYork is off for three days and then plays Florida at home on 3/17 and Minnesota on the road the next day. after two off-days, it's in new Jersey on 3/21 and home the next night versus the Islanders. A trip to the West Coast is next. After two off-days, it's LA on 25, Anaheim on 3/26 and San Jose on 3/28 followed by a home game against Pittsburgh on 3/31 to close out the month. April has four games: 4/2 against Philly at home and 4/5 on the road at Washington, then back-to-back games, 4/8 in Ottawa and 4/9 at home against Pittsburgh. A total of six back-to-backs in a bout a month span and 23 games in 46 days to end the season.
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