For anyone who ever questions Henrik Lundqvist's value to the Rangers and his status as an elite goalie, have them check the highlights from last night's game. It was Hank early, middle and late and everything in between. He was the main and possibly the sole reason the Rangers pulled out a 3-2 win over Dallas on Thursday. Yes, Rick Nash scored a goal as did Chris Kreider and John Moore, but if it wasn't for Lundqvist and his 41 saves, the Blueshirts would have lost and likely gotten blown out.
Game Highlights:
The Rangers jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first period thanks to a great outlet pass from Lundqvist to Ryan Callahan, who touched it over to Nash. Nash deked out Kari Lehtonen and gave the Blueshirts an early lead. from then on, it was all Dallas. Their speed and ability to use lively boards to their advantage gave them a dominant edge on New York. The numbers tell the tale. Other than winning 72% of their face offs in the first, New York was outshot 23 to 6 in the period, including 22-3 after the goal. Dallas had eight shots in a row at one point. Tonight, the Rangers allowed more in the first period Thursday than they did in the whole game against Boston.
New York was better in the second, as the shots were even at 13. But at the end of the period, the score was 1-1. The Rangers finally got a lucky break as a wrist shot from Chris Kreider deflected off the D man to make it 3-1 and 37 seconds later, John Moore made it a two-goal advantage. Amazingly, both were at even-strength, which has been a major failing for NY lately in their goal-scoring struggles. Of course, it would be a Rangers game if it wasn't a one-goal one late, and when Alex Chiasson scored, it was nail-biting time down the stretch. That's when Hank was a beast again. Saves on Benn multiple times after he undressed the D were the highlights but he was a stone wall between the pipes.
Michael Del Zotto:
Pat Leonard had a great description on the goal by John Moore and then the one by Alex Chiasson, each of which had MDZ as a critical component.
Leonard: Del Zotto, back in the lineup after three games as a healthy scratch, pinched along the right boards and dug the puck out to Carl Hagelin to his left. Hagelin sent the puck down to the bottom of the right circle to Derick Brassard. At that point, Derek Dorsett and Hagelin both skated directly to the front of the net. When Brassard sent a cross-ice pass to Moore at the opposite point, Dorsett and Hagelin and their trailing defenders screened Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen, and Moore topped it all off by picking the top far corner..
I did think Del Zotto’s pinch in to the offensive zone that led to an odd-man rush and Chiasson’s third-period goal was poorly timed, considering he had to know by the scenario that he wouldn’t have support with two Ranger forwards already down low in the offensive zone and Brassard even with him.
We are so quick to criticize Del Zotto that regardless of what he does, he will be a whipping boy. Was he great last night? No, but he was passable. He adds an offensive skill that the Rangers need. Does he need to be smarter and recognize when to pinch and when to lay back? Of course he does, but you have to take the good with the bad and hope he gets better, and that has been the big issue. The same mistakes keep repeating themselves, but of you are going to live through the ones made by Moore etc., you need to do the same with MDZ and not deal him for a borderline top-six forward.
I thought Benoit Pouliot was better! as he made a few nice plays on the backcheck to break up chances. That said, I still could see JT Miller in the lineup Saturday. The Boyle-Moore-Dorsett line was strong again and Dorsett played more under control, which was needed. Nash lends such a high component to this team, it's sometimes overlooked. But his ability to generate chances, control play and create for others is only going to improve as he plays a few more games after being out so long.
On defense, I thought that Staal, save for a few bobbles was strong. Stralman was okay, though he is still looking for his jock after Benn, who I think we all realized last night just how good he is, undressed him, same with McDonagh late on a great save by Hank. Unfortunately, I thought Girardi was their weakest D man, which has been the case all too often this year. Maybe the style of play is why he was so good, and if his struggles continue on, you are going to have to think long and hard if you want to re-sign him, and if so, how high and for how long are you willing to go?
A win is a win is a win. After losing a game we all thought they should win Tuesday and maybe Sunday as well, the Rangers got a victory in a contest they likely should have lost. The main reason for that is one person...Henrik Lundqvist.
On to Nashville...