Game 51: TB 3 NYR 2, Zucc/Hayes raise trade value, Brooks' speculation... (rangers)

rangers

Game 51: TB 3 NYR 2, Zucc/Hayes raise trade value, Brooks' speculation...

By Jan Levine

Feb 4, 2019 • 5:57 pm

0comment-bubble

The Rangers feel 3-2 to the Lightning on Saturday night at MSG. New York spotted Tampa a 3-0 lead, much of the damage done in the second. before rallying for a pair of goals but they were unable to find the equalizer despite dominating play in the third. New York next faces LA on home on Monday.

Game recap:

David Quinn Post-Game:

5v5 (pretty bad by the fourth line, including Jimmy Vesey, who likely will land there again Monday)

New York played a fairly solid game, save for that stretch in the second period. But that down period was more than enough to result in the loss to the Lightning. New York outshot the Lightning 16-4 in the third period. Louis Domingue, who wins nearly every game he plays when starting so Andrei Vasilevskiy, who notched a shutout Friday can rest, made three saves and the Lightning blocked five shots after Henrik Lundqvist went to the bench for an extra skater with 2:19 remaining.

On a positive note, Mats Zuccarello, playing his 500th game and seemingly on ice most of the game (see below) scored for the Rangers (22-22-7) to extend his point streak to seven games (five goals, eight assists), continuing to ratchet up his trade value.

The same for Kevin Hayes, who tallied the Rangers' second goal.

Mika Zibanejad continued his hot run, posting assists on both goals, leaving him one assist and point shy of his career-highs in each category. Henrik Lundqvist made 20 saves to go along with his third assist of the season, but his personal four-game winning streak ended.

The below is from the NHL.com game recap. What you will notice - as is the case in most goals - a turnover or missed pinch or failure to maintain the right positioning - led to the tally. All three markers against resulted from one or the other, which isn't surprising, but Tampa's ability to create in general, but especially off a mistake or bobble, requires near perfect play or the goalie to bail out his team.

The Lightning took advantage of a Brady Skjei turnover in the neutral zone and some awful coverage after Lundqvist made a save on Ryan McDonagh, with Kevin Shattenkirk flat-footed and watching Yanni Gourde poke home the loose rebound from the paint. 1-0. Gourde had given the Lightning a 1-0 lead at 6:51 of the first period.

Early second, the Rangers’ fourth line got trapped up ice, with Cody McLeod missing a hit and Boo Nieves pinned (and punched) by Domingue behind the net. The Bolts broke 4-on-2, and Cedric Paquette set up Erik Cernak for a shot through Skjei’s screen for his first NHL goal. 2-0.

A quick exchange among the Lightning’s Elite made it 3-0, Kucherov to Victor Hedman to Steven Stamkos freezing Filip Chytil, and with Marc Staal on the wrong side of the ice. Stamkos ripped a shot over Lundqvist’s glove hand. Stamkos beat Lundqvist with a shot from the right face-off circle off a rush with Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman at 8:33 to give the Lightning a 3-0 lead.

More from the game recap. What I take from there is that Pavel Buchnevich is now out of the doghouse, at least for the time being. In addition, Shattenkirk is still viewed as the team's best offensive d-man. How this changes if/when Zucc and Hayes move will be something to watch. I presume Filip Chytil will be out in those situations, maybe Ryan Strome or Vladislav Namestnikov.

With just over two minutes left and Lundqvist on the bench, Rangers coach David Quinn sent out five forwards (Zibanejad, Zuccarello, Kreider, Hayes, Pavel Buchnevich) and Shattenkirk, and they made life difficult for the Bolts. Quinn then used his timeout so those six could get a breather and a second consecutive shift. They couldn’t force the tying goal home.

Tony DeAngelo:

From the NY Post: "But David Quinn, who had told The Post that No. 77 had been scratched for Thursday’s game at the Devils because of “a maturity issue,… said he anticipated DeAngelo would return to the lineup “very, very shortly,… which likely means Monday against the Kings."

“It’s kind of a combination of the six [defensemen] playing well enough [against the Devils] and continuing the work with Tony,… the coach said. “I will say that after the conversations over the last 48 hours and some of the things that have happened, Tony is in the best place he’s been mentally. I’m hoping that’s the case; I get that feeling.

“If we can get Tony DeAngelo to play to his ability, sooner or later, and be the player he can be, we’ll be a much better hockey team the last 30 games.…

“It’s a balancing act for sure,… Quinn said. “What I will say to that is, you’ve got to think everything big picture. Do I want to lose tonight? No I don’t, but I think big picture, if we’re going to have the type of success I think we’re capable of having during the season, you may lose a game because of [this kind of decision], but over the course of 82 games, you’re going to have a much better hockey team. “That’s something as a coach you certainly have to be aware of when you’re making these decisions. You don’t want to let the season get away from you but you also can’t make a decision based on one game, is I guess what I’m saying.…

Quinn has been consistent in this regard all season. Plus ADA has had maturity issues at every level. Once he returns to the lineup, maybe for Brendan Smith, DeAngelo might be receiving his last shot, at least in New York. His wiggle room for error or mistakes is now likely fully gone, so if ADA blows this opportunity, he could very well be somewhere else next season, if not sooner.

Brooks on Zucc and Hayes possibly leaving in trades and returning after the season:

It is premature to call it a plan, for it is more like a concept. Yet the notion of pulling off what would be quite the creative exacta appears to be crystalizing within the Rangers’ front office as the Feb. 25 trade deadline approaches.

That is, the Blueshirts are mulling an approach in which they would swap premium rental properties Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello for a combined bundle of picks and prospects before then re-signing the now-pending free agents when they hit the open market on July 1.

Now, listen. Nothing would be set in stone. No promises have been made. The idea is germinating as the opportunity presents itself. Indeed, general manager Jeff Gorton and his lieutenants must steer clear of any suggestion of pre-tampering. And this type of approach would be fraught with risk, for there is always the possibility that no matter how often Zuccarello and Hayes pledge their loyalty to Broadway, they could, A) fall in love with their new environs once traded and decide to re-up with their new teams; or, B) be overwhelmed with offers the Rangers might not be able to (or care to) match when they become free agents.

But that might not signal the end of either’s story in New York. What’s more, Zuccarello’s resurgence in which he has played his finest and sharpest hockey since 2016-17 has created the very real possibility that the organization could not only bring Zuccarello back as a free agent, but award him the captaincy upon signing him to a multi-year contract.

That no longer seems so far-fetched. In fact, it might even be part of an emerging blueprint for the Blueshirts, whose loss Saturday will be long forgotten at the trade deadline and on July 1.

I am fine with this idea. Granted, much can occur between now and then, as Brooks noted, even if a deal is reached. But this concept is one we have kicked around for a while and an idea New York is exploring as well. Part of this might depend on what transpires in free agency, but going the Chapman route, building the system, then having each return to augment what's brought in now and later, especially if Zucc ends up on third line and Hayes resumes his current role, salary cap permitting, would be a kind of win-win scenario.

Also, what's with some fans booing Ryan McDonagh when he had the puck? He didn't ask for a trade, was the team's captain and laid it on the line every game. Booing him is embarrassing, stupid, short-sighted and shows that those fans have no clue.

Show Comments
Loading...
Loading...
Loading sidebar...
0
Show comments for this article