Rangers split weekend games, waiting on Hayes/McQuaid, Zucc injured (rangers)

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Rangers split weekend games, waiting on Hayes/McQuaid, Zucc injured

By Jan Levine

Feb 24, 2019 • 9:12 pm

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The Rangers split the weekend, defeating New Jersey 5-2 on Saturday and falling 6-5 in overtime on Sunday to the Capitals. The lineup, see below, in both contests was the same, as Mats Zuccarello, Kevin Hayes, and Adam McQuaid were benched Saturday with Zucc dealt Saturday night and Hayes/McQuaid awaiting deals from the press box Sunday. Alexandar Georgiev started Saturdfay while Henrik Lundqvist was between the pipes Sunday. New York is playing out the string and with the deadline Monday at 3pm, we await to see who besides Hayes and McQuaid might be dealt. i know Vladiislav Namestnikov's and Ryan Strome's names have been mentioned a lot by Rangers' fans, same for Jimmy Vesey. Possible that one or more go, but I view this as a long shot rather than likelihood of happening.

Lines: Chris Kreider-Mike Zibanejad-Jimmy Vesey Vladislav Namestnikov-Ryan Strome-Jesper Fast Filip Chytil-Lias Andersson-Pavel Buchnevich Brendan Smith-Boo Nieves-Connor Brickley

Brady Skjei-Neal Pionk Marc Staal-Tony DeAngelo Fredrik Claesson-Kevin Shattenkirk

Game recaps, Saturday and Sunday:

A few thoughts on both games: 1) The newly constituted top line, following the sitting and then deal of Zucc, continues to roll. Kreider has goals in both games. Zibanejad had a pair of assists in each contest and hit the post today, while Vesey had a goal and an assist Saturday and Sunday. i have made my view on extending Kreider long-term well-known, including possibly making him the captain while Zib just continues to roll. Vesey has grown tremendously under Quinn, going harder to the dirty areas. With 15 goals, he is two shy of his career-high set last year, while his 32 points are the most of his career. His draft status and all that went on after he turned down Nashville and wouldn't sign in Buffalo skewed the viewpoint of him. To me, he is a solid third line player who could move up as needed. t $2.275 mil for one more season and then an RFA, keeping Vesey around makes a lot of sense rather than getting a mid-tier pick.

2) Chytil-Andersson-Buch saw a bit more ice time today than yesterday. I would like to see this unit remain together the rest of the season. Buchnevich has played better since his return, looking a lot more engaged on the ice, picking up his physical play. The talent is there but he looks to be doing a better job at the other aspects of the game. Chytil was better Saturday than Sunday, clearly evidenced when he failed to mark Nic Dowd, leaving him wide open in front for the goal, and he is on the wing, which is the only downside of this trio. Because if you think he is to be a center of the future and a major hole exists as the 2C, then you may need to swap him and Andersson, who hasn't looked out of place since his promotion.

3) The 11/7 deployment is fine for now. Once Brett Howden returns in a week or so, go back to the regular alignment. I thought Brendan Smith had been better on the blueline before getting moved to wing. Once the lineup is back to a semblance of normal, who sits on the blueline, even without McQuaid? Plus, how do you reincorporate Ryan Lindgren back into the rotation?

4) Skjei looks like the old Skjei lately. Reading plays better, knowing when to pinch and fall back. Looking a lot more confident, especially in his own zone. Don't love him with Pionk, as would rather he plays with Claesson. But maybe we see him and Lindgren down the stretch.

5) ADA has been the team's best blueliner the last few weeks. Now that the maturity issue is over - or so it appears - his talent on the ice has been on display. i know some think New York should explore the market for him, but if the organization believes he could be a key part of the rebuild, then he needs to remain. ADA still needs work in his own zone, partially seen in his minus-two Sunday, but if the raw talent can continue to be molded, he has second pairing upside.

6) Love the push back today. Would have been easy to just roll over and give up down 5-3 in the third. But they rallied and forced overtime. Plus, they kept responding in what was a very chippy game, taking no garbage from Washington.

Steve Valiquette:

David Quinn Post-Game:

7) The 3-on-3 overtime Sunday was unreal hockey to watch. Tremendous action on both ends of the ice. End result wasn't idea but fun hockey.

Rangers thoughts on Zucc:

Marc Staal:

Sam and Joe:

MSG Network capturing the true Zucc, who impacted everyone while in NY:

Henrik Lundqvist, full post-game and then the extended piece on Zucc, when he stops the interview:

Zuccarello's first - and possibly only - goal as a Star:

Zuccarello's injury, looked like wrist or forearm on the blocked shot, which likely will keep him out at least four weeks and could end his season:

Bob McKenzie:

With Zucc out and Jamie Benn injured today, the shift in focus for Rangers' fans is to go from hoping for a long playoff run to Dallas falling in the standings, moving the second round pick up higher in the round.

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