The Rangers play their final game before the three-day holiday break Friday against the Wild. Minnesota, led by Eric Staal and Devan Dubnyk, comes in on a nine-game winning streak and sit second in the Central Division. New York, by virtue of their blowout 7-2 loss to Pittsburgh on Tuesday and Columbus 7-1 win over the Penguins yesterday, are now third in the Metro Division.
"Rest is a weapon," so says Chris Kreider. I agree to an extent, as nine games in 15 days with a depleted roster hasn't helped New York. But so is backchecking and fundamentals and practice. Which is why, the Rangers, who practiced for the first time nine days Thursday, worked extensively on backchecking and special teams. The latter has been a mixed bag, as the penalty kill, prior to Tuesday's meldown, had been good while the power play has been meh. What I did find interesting is that at the end of practice, Vigneault also had them skating sprints, which may be viewed as a punishment for a lack of focus and poor play Tuesday or living the axiom of "legs feed the wolf, boys," espoused by Herb Brooks.
Tonight's lineup is still in flux. Up front, it will be the same 12 forwards, which is due to the absences of Rick Nash (groin), Mike Zibanejad (fibula) and Pavel Buchnevich (back). This means the Rangers will start the game: 20-21-36, 40-13-10, 26-24-19, 12-46-73. Vesey is on the third line and Grabner on the second. The good news is that Zib has shed his walking boot, but he is still 3-4 weeks away. Maybe they get Nash back Thursday the 29th against Arizona and Buchnevich the week after. But for now, what is here and what we see is likely what we fill get until at least next week.
Now the blue line. Adam Clendening, who has played just three times since Oct. 22 and just eight of the first 35 games, was on the second power-play unit and paired at even-strength on the right side, rotating with Nick Holden and Brady Skjei on his left. Coach Alain Vigneault said Holden will definitely play tonight, but Clendening isn't 100% in, but there are “two or three guys… who could come out of the lineup if Clendening is in. As of this AM, it's Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi and Marc Staal-Kevin Klein, on the other two pairings
What's really head scratching is AV's explanation as to why Clendening has sat while Girardi and Klein are run out there nightly.
>blockquote> “Again, when you talk about these scenarios, you’re always talking about in an ideal world,… Vigneault said. “And right now, in my ideal world, in my division, it’s crazy. So, I mean, you just look and nobody is losing. … So this resting thing — everyone is trying to get in. So you have to play what you feel is your best lineup, and that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to win games.…
This makes sense how? First, sometimes you need to lose a battle to win the war. If sitting G or Klein for example results in a loss but they are fresher and better in the playoffs or late in the year, isn't that a wiser course of action? Second, Vigneault said in October that Girardi would occasionally sit out games for “precautionary… reasons following his early-season hip and groin issues. But, as pointed out in the papers and we have said previously, Girardi has played every game since Nov. 8. While he has been steadier, he hasn't been great lately and is miscast on the top pairing. But, let's suspend belief and say he should not be rested, what's the excuse for Klein playing? He has regressed dramatically and you have a RH shot d-man available to play who also fills the need on the PP and you keep sitting him and playing Klein?
As noted above, Minnesota under Bruce Boudreau is on a roll. As the preview on NHL.com notes:
- Minnesota, often known as being a defensive team, is middle of the pack in goals for this season with 94, good enough for 12th in the NHL.
While the goal scoring is up -the team scored 213 goals in 82 games a year ago - that strong team defense has carried over, as Minnesota has allowed the fewest goals in the NHL with just 58 in 32 games this season.
Goaltender Devan Dubnyk is off to a great start with the Wild again. He's 17-6-3 with a 1.57 GAA and a .948 SV% with five shutouts in 26 games. He got the start - and win - Thursday night in Montreal, so Minnesota could start Darcy Kuemper, who is 3-2-1 with a 2.97 GAA and a .907 SV%, which would help the Rangers.
- Staal, misused in New York on the wing and with lesser talent, has been great for Minnesota after signing with them this offseason. He has 11 goals and 15 assists in 32 games, scoring the game-winner shorthanded last night, was named Third Star of the Week in the NHL this past week. In 20 games after being acquired by the Rangers last year, Staal had 3 goals, 3 assists. I am sure he will be motivated tonight.
"Rest is a weapon," let's see New York use it wisely tonight.