It certainly wasn't a work of ark, but as they say, an ugly win is much better than a pretty loss. There were several breakdowns and mistakes, but the Rangers did enough to win 5-2 against the Panthers on Wednesday. The victory improved the team's mark to 3-1 on their current five-game road trip and upped their mark to a game over .500 for the season.
Game Highlights:
The reconstituted power play combinations were the difference in the win. On the first goal, a beautiful tic-tac-toe passing play resulted in the goal. John Moore dished it to Derek Stepan on the half-boards, who went cross-ice to Mats Zuccarello. Zucc's shot/pass was tipped beautifully by Derick Brassard past Tim Thomas. We will revisit the PP later.
The second and third goals were a result of luck and hard work. The second by Brad Richards was an innocuous play where Richards used Brian Campbell as a screen, but the goal was also made by Carel Hagelin going hard to the net, tying up the defenseman and creating a double-scrren on Thomas. The third goal was good rush up ice, then a bad turnover, which Rick Nash buried.
Of course, it wouldn't be the Rangers if they didn't make it interesting. Zuccarello had a horrible turnover when he could've cleared the zone, trying to go up the middle weakly. It went right to Brad Boyes, who got it over to Scottie Upshall for the goal (backhand, top-shelf over the glove, Hank's kryptonite area). The second goal was almost as bad. A neutral zone turnover by Hagelin resulted in the puck ending up on Nick Bjugstad's stick. Bjugstad caught Ryan McDonagh flat-footed with poor gap control, and he abused him, using his size and speed to go past him to backhand and past Lundqvist (though that should have been one he stopped short-side). At that point, all of us are thinking, can this rally be happening? Could a 3-0 lead be blown in the third?
This is where the PP was huge again. Ryan Callahan stole the puck and the result was a penalty. On this one, great work down low by Chris Kreider, occupying Thomas' attention, gave Zucc a chance to redeem himself for the turnover and he buried the backhand late for the two-goal bulge. On the empty netter, McDonagh had great patience and he put it out where Hagelin could use his speed to get the puck and score.
To beat Boston and/or Vancouver, the Rangers are going to have to be a lot better on- and off-the-puck. Too many breakdowns in the neutral and defensive zone. Inconsistent offense at even-strength but the power play, which has been an issue lately, bailed the team out for the win. In addition, Lundqvist was solid between the pipes, especially early on and when the Rangers had a 1-0 lead to give the team a chance.
I thought Taylor Pyatt was decent coming back into the lineup and replacing an injured Derek Dorsett. The Boyle-Moore-Pyatt were strong on the forecheck. If Dorsett is ready Friday, sit Benoit Pouliot and keep Pyatt in.
The Michael Del Zotto situation took another turn for the worse yesterday. If you don't think you are getting enough out of him and Justin Falk is a better player and first right now, fine. But don't demean him by not telling him he is being scratched and don't do just before game-time. If no deal can be made for a right-handed, third-line d-man to play 15-17 minutes, you may end having to stick with Del Zotto. Based on the treatment to date, to expect him to seamlessly fit back in the lineup and play with confidence is a major stretch.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL!!!