The NHL resumes game action Tuesday after a full three day break in which there were no practices. New York starts up their play tonight, facing Ottawa at the Garden. This is the second time the two teams meet. In the first, also at MSG, Ottawa defeated New York 2-0 on November 27 aided by an excellent performance by Craig Anderson and one of the first signs as to how effective clogging the neutral zone stymies the Rangers' attack.
As there has been no practice, lineups and like combinations won't be known until after the morning skate. One line that should remain together is the Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Mats Zuccarello trio, who were the only good line Friday against Minnesota. The second and third lines may be placed in a blender and poured out accordingly. With Rick Nash, Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich still sidelined, the 12 that dressed against Pitt and Minny will be playing tonight. Coach Alain Vigneault has to determine who to skate alongside both Kevin Hayes and Oscar Lindberg, as they center the second and third line. Jimmy Vesey, Michael Grabner, J.T. Miller and Jesper Fast are the likely wingers but in what combination?
In the blue line, look for Brady Skjei, following his one game benching for lackadaisical play late in the Pittsburgh game, to re-enter the lineup. Who he plays with remains to be seen? Dundee and others have indicated they want to see Ryan McDonagh and Skjei as a pairing. This duo is one I expected to see later in the year. But as Larry Brooks pointed out, that time may be now for a variety of reasons.
But before general manager Jeff Gorton deals a young forward for a d-man or pays big money to a free agent, the Rangers should find out whether Skjei, a lefty, can handle the switch to his off-side that he first tried during the second half of last year with AHL Hartford before playing a pair on the right with McDonagh in the playoffs against the Penguins and three on the right with Marc Staal the middle of last monthThe Rangers need to find out whether this talented, confident 22-year-old can be a long-term answer on the right … and whether and by how much McDonagh, whose own game had leveled before skidding off the rails last week, would benefit by playing with a more mobile partner.
McDonagh has played 73 percent of his five-on-five minutes (440/605) with Girardi; 17 percent with Holden (105); and only 1.4 percent with Skjei (9). McDonagh is the Rangers’ best player. Putting the captain in his best position to succeed is a worthy endeavor.
And Vigneault should make this move even in the unlikely event that it costs the team a game or two over the next couple of weeks. The Blueshirts might have to take one step back to take two or three forward either later this season or next season. Not only is there nothing wrong with that, such forward thinking is necessary.
Let's say AV listens to this clarion call. What are the other pairings? Marc Staal and Nick Holden have been the best overall pairing this year for New York. But, do you go with Kevin Klein and Dan Girardi as a duo? First, that puts two righties together, which makes little sense. Second, you end up taking your worst d-man so far in Klein and pair him with a somewhat similar player in G, which is setting yourself up for failure. As such, AV would likely switch Holden to his left side and have him play, probably with G, pairing Staal and Klein again. I would play Adam Clendening again, but put him with Staal as he was part of the time Friday, scratch Klein and pair Holden with G. None of these are great options, just the best of what's available.
Update as of 10:45 am: Lundqvist has the flu, so Antti Raanta gets the start. If there is a silver lining, because of the three-day holiday break with no practice, it's possible no one else on the Rangers' gets the ill. The only question is if Lundqvist was sick before the break, but others likely would have gotten it by now. With Lundqvist out, expect the Rangers to promote someone from Hartford to serve as Raanta's back up.
Brooks also pointed out two more concerns, each of which we discussed recently. First, lots of red flags in the Rangers' game the past two games. This is a carryforward of what we saw a bit in late-November but at a much broader level. New York needs to get back to their structure and improved communication that we saw earlier this year or it could go off the rails.
The Blueshirts were disconnected and disengaged, their forwards delinquent in their duties without the puck. The work ethic, for the first meaningful stretch this season, was questionable.If it happens again, regardless of the identities of the culprits, Vigneault must act accordingly. Though the Rangers are in a very good spot regarding the playoffs, slippage in work habits will ensure a return to the rabbit’s hole through which the 2015-16 Blueshirts disappeared.
While the overall goals against numbers are solid, even though its skewed by back to back games of seven goals allowed, there are concerns. First, the even strength save percentage is middle of the pack again. Second, the team isn't generating enough shots on net, due to their style of play, which has led to too many one and done rushes with no rebound opportunities generated or cashed in from in front of the net.
The Rangers overall GAA is 2.44 - ninth in the league - but it was 2.12 through the first 17 games of the second segment before last week’s twin calamities, and that despite a below-average even-strength save percentage of .922 that ranks 18th in the NHL. There are inferior shot-attempt percentages that are reflective both of the team’s rush/perfect-shot style and difficulty escaping its own end on the first (or second) try.
Despite the absence of Anderson, who is out on personal leave due to his wife's absence, Ottawa has been hit lately. Thanks to the solid goaltending of Mike Condon, the Senators have won four in a row and are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. Condon, standing in for Anderson, is 8-3-2 overall and has the net all too himself with Anderson, who is 12-6-1, and Hammond (high ankle sprain), both sidelined.
Ottawa is currently second in the Atlantic Division with 43 points, just three behind Montreal for the division lead. Erik Karlsson leads the team, but Mike Hoffman, Mark Stone, Kyle Turris and Derick Brassard provide help up front. Bobby Ryan also has been hot as well, bolstering the top-six.