The Rangers kick off a rough stretch of games with a contest Saturday against the Panthers. New York comes in off a solid 5-2 win over the Lightning while Florida has won seven in a row. That hot streak has them just one point behind the Canadiens for first in the Atlantic with three games in hand while the Blueshirts, due to their 5-10-2 mark in their last 17 games, now sit one behind the Islanders and in third in the Metro.
For New York, it's the same lineup that faced Tampa Bay. That means Dan Girardi, despite his swollen right knee, will play and Dylan McIlrath is benched again. I made my feeling well-known in my blog yesterday and the hope has to be that the kneee doesn't swell up during or impede Girardi during the game.
In addition, Kevin Hayes will be be scratched for the second straight game. Coach Alain Vigneault is sending a clear message to Hayes and said "Kevin Hayes the person is really a great kid...But the hockey player right now isn't totally doing it for me." If Hayes doesn't use this wake-up call to practice and play the right way, then nothing will get through to him. While the coaching staff may be tearing him down with these moves, as seen from the NY papers today, the players are building him back up. To a man, they have noted how each of them have faced and been forced to rebound from challenges and that this helps create character. Hopefully that message sinks in.
Over this next upcoming stretch of games, we will learn a lot about the Rangers. After Florida, New York plays Dallas on Tuesday, Washington on January 9, Boston on January 11, the Islanders on January 14 and then the Capitals again on January 17. Strong performances will go a long way in showing that the slump was truly just a slump and not a true indication of the talent of this team. Poor efforts and possibly more important, poor results, and Wednesday's game against Tampa Bay will be viewed as the aberration and not the norm.
Those games are in the future, first and foremost will be the task of defeating a good Florida squad. Jaromir Jagr has clearly found the Fountain of the Youth in the Sunshine Stare while Aleksander Barkov is showing why he was the second overall pick in the 2013 draft. Add in Jonathan Huberdeau, Calder Trophy winner Aaron Ekblad and Roberto Luongo and it's not hard to see why Florida is playing so well and GM Dale Tallon received a three year extension today.
Rangers-Panthers tonight. Let's Go Rangers!!!