The Rangers and Senators meet in Game 3 at MSG on Tuesday. While the Ottawa fans are reveling in the 2-0 series lead, the New York faithful has spent the time since Game 2 ended - and likely even during it - rightfully questioning the coach's strategy and usage/misusage of personnel. That personnel will have some tweaks, though not in the area most of us had hoped.
Forwards lines progressions:
How series started:
20 Chris Kreider - 93 Mika Zibanejad - 89 Pavel Buchnevich 26 Jimmy Vesey - 21 Derek Stepan - 61 Rick Nash 10 J. T. Miller - 13 Kevin Hayes - 36 Mats Zuccarello 40 Michael Grabner - 24 Oscar Lindberg - 19 Jesper Fast
After the first period Saturday:
Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad-Mats Zuccarello (Zucc up from third line) J.T. Miller-Derek Stepan-Rick Nash (Miller up from second line) Michael Grabner-Kevin Hayes-Jesper Fast (Grabner and Fast up a line) Jimmy Vesey-Oscar Lindberg-Pavel Buchnevich (Vesey down from second, Buch from first line)
Practice lines Monday:
Kreider-Zibanejad-Zucc (no change from second period on Saturday) Vesey-Stepan-Nash (Vesey back where he started the series) Grabner-Hayes-Fast (same as how Saturday's game ended) Miller-Lindberg and Glass/Buch rotating (Miller down, Glass possibly in, Buch same as how Game 2 ended. Buch is still on PP and Glass got one rotation on the line, per Steve Zipay)
Buch was benched Saturday possibly due to him trying to carrying the puck through the neutral zone trap and losing it there. Now, whether that was worth him playing under six minutes, I leave that for you to decide, but you know my view. In addition to that, Lindberg was also benched, as AV went with 10 forwards; three lines and one sub, in this case Vesey.
Restoring KZZ is fine with me, same with the VSN line, as that trio has been solid this series and playoffs in terms of puck possession. Rolling that third line makes some sense, as Grabner's speed is a weapon, as we saw on his SHG on Saturday, and he has had some chemistry with Fast. Plus, both of those wingers help balance out Hayes and maybe will get him going. The problem is the fourth line isn't a true fourth line, but if Ottawa continues to dress who they have - which may change with Tom Pyatt now ready and Clarke MacArthur's status not 100% confirmed - then AV could use this more offensive line. Miller at one point was a fourth liner and maybe needing to grind and muck will help reset his game, which has trailed off substantially this year and historically during the playoffs, as he has just one goal in 36 games.
Glass still might be in, but only getting one rotation with Buch still on PP seems to indicate that he might not dress. If Glass does go, AV might spot that fourth trio, as he did Saturday. If that happens, hopefully Lindberg, whose possession numbers have been extremely strong, gets a real shot at playing and not under six minutes. If it's Buch, then use his skill, which has generated chances at a higher rate than most.
Blue line :
Needless to say a substantial disconnect exists between what coach Alain Vigneault feels, or at least says, and what the fanbase thinks:
“Right now, I like the look of our pairs and I don’t see myself making any changes there,… Vigneault said.“Minutes are based on how you’re playing,… Vigneault said. “Not everybody’s game on different nights is the same. On some nights, certain players have got their execution and their ability to make plays higher than others — even if they have more or less experience. In Brady’s case, obviously, he had a pretty good night. (He) got caught there on that four-on-four where he got beat wide and they scored a goal, but other than that he played some pretty good minutes — moving his feet, moving the puck and jumping up in the play when the opportunity was there.…
“We were looking for certain matchups and sometimes within a game’s flow and the matchups, sometimes certain players get lost for a couple of shifts or a couple of minutes and that’s what happened,… Vigneault said after being asked about Smith’s benching. “It wasn’t performance-related. He was playing a good game, he was playing with bite. It just happened that way.…
All of this results from what we have seen throughout the years AV has been in New York, but especially the late game collapse Saturday. The bridging off point was Skjei not playing over the final 6:48 of the third period, while Smith didn’t see the ice over the final 5:37 of regulation. If Game 2 against Montreal lit the fuse, then this one was the gasoline and major explosion.
Based on the above quote, AV wants to play Staal-Holden as he clearly doesn’t trust the other options of Klein, Clendening & Kampfer. We can argue all we want on this, but that view isn't changing. But if you are going that route, then you have to move up Skjei-Smith and give that duo 2nd pair minutes, especially late in games, The failure to do so may be his biggest failing and for which there is no excuse.
Looking forward to Game 3::
1) Get traffic in front of Craig Anderson
Ryan McDonagh's goal on the PP in Game 1 came about because Chris Kreider was right in front of the net. Kreider's goal came about because Mats Zuccarello was engaged with a d-man, blocking Anderson's line sight. The same with Skjei's two goals on Saturday, traffic in front, first by Kreider, second by Grabner.
But beyond that, not a ton of traffic in front of Anderson.
2) Create offense from the forwards 5v5
Two goals Saturday came shorthanded while a pair was scored by Skjei. In Game 1, it was McDonagh on the PP. What you see is little created 5v5 and especially little created by the forwards. In addition, against Montreal, much was created off the forecheck. In games 1-2, not a lot, which takes away a huge component of New York's offense.
3) Commitment to defense
That means forwards and defensemen. We have rightfully taken the d-men to task for their performance, especially in Game 2. But the forwards are not absolved as well. Marc Methot's goal was as a result of poor backchecking by the forwards, in this case Stepan and Nash. Marc Stone's off the faceoff also came about due to a poor job by the forwards. The D must be better, but if the forwards don't come back and close off the slot, no matter how good the D plays, it won't matter. Same as Carp said,, the Rangers’ wings need to do a better job of getting low in their zone, boxing out and taking away the Senators’ sticks, just as Turris did to Nash in the overtime. If that was done to Methot or Stone, maybe it's a different ending.
Blueline moving forward:
Two weeks ago, New York signed Alexei Bereglazov, who is 6-4, 200 but also a mobile d-man. He is a left handed defenseman who plays the right side, adding to the depth on the back line and one of the first GM Jeff Gorton knows that a major issue exists there.
Monday, New York beat out potentially up 20 other teams, but especially the Kings and Blackhawks, to Neal Pionk from the University Minnesota-Duluth. Pionk is a strong puck-moving, right-handed defenseman, that can play the left side. Maybe he pairs witj Bereglazov next year at Hartford.
Pionk, 21, capped his second collegiate season by helping lead Minnesota Duluth to the NCAA Frozen Four title game. The 6-foot, 190-pound Pionk had seven goals, 27 assists and 25 penalty minutes in 42 games this season, finishing fifth among NCAA defensemen with 34 points and second among NCHC defensemen. He is an NCHC champion this season and was named to the 2nd All-star team. One additional nice aspect of his game, as Josh Khalin pointed out, is that Pionk also has a bit of a mean streak to him and sometimes has the temper get the best of him. He will try to line players up for hits at open ice, which coupled with his scoring made him a force in all three zones.
When asked why he signed with the Rangers, Pionk said: “I liked everything about it. I took a visit out there last week and I really liked their management staff. I met the head coach, Alain Vigneault, and was comfortable with him. I like their style of play and I like the team’s success the past few years. I’m looking forward to it.… (hold your smirks and critical comments) In addition, the Rangers may be interested in signing Czech defenseman, Radim Simek. He has been described as a strong two-way LHD, plays PP and PK, makes smart use of his stick in d-zone, loves to shoot and get the puck on net and sound positionally. Adding depth, regardless if the level of the league he played in, is always valuable.
As seen by the additions of Bereglazov and Pionk, Gorton recognizes the D is bereft of puck-moving talent. With those two in the fold, added to Ryan Graves, Sean Day and Sergei Zborovskiy, New York finally has some blue line depth. I think all of us believe that Smith should be brought back to go along with McDonagh and Skjei. Then it gets dicey.
To move Girardi or Staal, either by trade or expansion, no-movement clauses have to be waived. Maybe G's playoff resurgence draws some interest and he might be easier to move than Staal, although some may believe Staal has also had a resurgence and might take another step towards past performance next year. Holden will be exposed in the expansion draft, but no guarantee he is selected. Klein also will be exposed or looked to be dealt with one year and $2.9 million left on his contract. If Holden comes back as a seventh d-man, it's not the worst thing that could happen. Klein would eat up more cap room and after what we saw this year, he needs to go.
My guesstimate is that G is back as is Holden. Smith is re-signed, leaving Smith-Skjei and McD-G with Holden as seventh. You need a third pairing or maybe a new top RHD if move G down the pecking order. Kevin Shattenkirk will continually be mentioned until he signs elsewhere, which to me is more likely than it was before, unless he comes at a major discount. I know dealing for Drew Doughty was mentioned in the comments, but no way I deal Skjei, 2 #1s and another asset and take back Dustin Brown's albatross of a deal. Give Graves a shot in camp at a third pairing role and see who else is available.