Game 36:NYR-CLM, Holiday break over, Three Blueshirts played in WJC on Wed. (rangers)

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Game 36:NYR-CLM, Holiday break over, Three Blueshirts played in WJC on Wed.

By Jan Levine

Dec 27, 2018 • 9:04 am

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The Rangers return to action tonight against the Blue Jackets. Yesterday, three of the four Blueshirts participating in the WJC saw action on Day 1 of the tourney. Vitali Kravtsov is the only one who didn't play yesterday, but Russia plays Denmark, who fell 14-0 to Canada, today, so Kravtsov should have a chance to have a big first game.

US-Slovakia Highlights:

Team USA captain, Mikey Anderson, member of the defending national champion University of Minnesota Duluth, scored the squad's first goal of the game.

First USA goal :

Penn State star Evan Barratt, a product of the National Team Development Program in Plymouth, scored what proved to be the game-winning goal just under six minutes into the third period.

Game-winning goal:

Kyle Keyser stopped 13 of the 14 shots, including a penalty shot late, sent his way between the pipes to record the victory for the Americans.

Penalty shot save:

Nico Gross:

Gross played a very solid game. Not flashy, but steady. Pretty stout defensively, makes the breakout pass, able to escape the defensive zone on his own.

:K'Andre Miller::

Showed great play recognition, knew when to step up and break up a play then counterattack but also when to lay back. An innate sense, possibly due to his time as a forward before shifting to defense. Has a willingness to shoot the puck but also is able to keep the puck in the zone and create for others. Was paired with Dylan Samberg on the second line.

Nils Lundkvist played for Sweden in their 2-1 win over Finland. He was paired with Adam Ginning on Tre Kroner's third line. I asked Steven Ellis for his view of how Lundkvist played, his response is below, which seems in line with what most say about Lundkvist's game.

As New York begins action after the Xmas break, they sit at 15-14-6, which has them six points out of the nearest playoff spot. The Rangers big issue, which isn't that surprising in retrospect, seeing that this was a possible concern coming into the season, is scoring. I don't think any of us thought that the offense would struggle thus much, but we did have some worries as to where the offense would come from especially when you got past the top-six. New York's 97 goals in 35 games (2.77 per), ranks 26th in the league. if the offense doesn't pick up - and injuries haven't helped - regardless of how well Henrik Lundqvist and Alexandar Georgiev play, New York will likely be on the short end of the score in most games.

The next few weeks will be tell tale sign as to when/if New York starts the sell off. With the team mainly healthy, as Jesper Fast is close to returning and Mats Zuccarello and Pavel Buchnevich in action, if the Rangers can't score more now, they likely never will. The Blueshirts aren't an explosive offensive team, but looking at the roster, especially seeing that Chris Kreider is on pace to score 40 goals, you would think that the team would be in better shape. That has not been the case, regardless of the reasons. But if the situation doesn't reverse, aided by a rise in shots on goal, then the sell off will start sooner rather than later as we approach the February 25 deadline.

The NY Post noted why there is a decent probability that the recent 3-6-4 stretch before the break will continue in the same manner. None of the game below will be easy and the road stretch, seeing the poor mark away from MSG, surely doesn't line up for a return to the 9-1-1 form. This is where coach David Quinn will have to find a way to maintain the positive energy, continue to teach, mix-and-match where necessary and keep the squad focused:

With a 11-4-4 record at home and a 4-10-2 record on the road (the third-worst in the league), Quinn’s team will play eight of the next 12 games away from the Garden. Following what will surely be a punch in the face from John Tortorella’s hard-working Columbus team, the Rangers go on their annual New Year’s trip, this time from Nashville to St. Louis, where they will play on the night of Dec. 31. Before the mandatory bye week starts Jan. 20, there also will be trips to Colorado, Las Vegas, one last stop Jan. 12 at Barclays Center that is part of a home-and-home with Islanders, and games at Columbus and Boston.

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