The Rangers return to action off the NHL three-day holiday break with a contest in the US Nation's Capital against Washington on Friday. The game marks the start of a five-game road trip and begins a path that goes straight until the Olympic Break, at which point we should have an even better indication of the direction of this team. New York went 3-4-2 on the nine-game homestand that ended Monday night and was culminated by a pair of victories with Cam Talbot between the pipes.
The big decision heading into today's game was would be between the pipes, Lundqvist or Talbot? The answer: Talbot.
As Pat Leonard wrote, if Talbot started on Friday, it would mark the first time Lundqvist had missed three consecutive starts for any reason since Dec. 17-21, 2006, according to Elias Sports Bureau, when Kevin Weekes made three straight starts — all losses — over a healthy Lundqvist, who thereafter assumed his workhorse role for good
You could have easily made an argument for each - Lundqvist based on history in general and against the Capitals, salary and his standing as the team's top goalie while for Talbot, his numbers - .938 save percentage, the third best mark in the N.H.L. among regular goalies; while Lundqvist at .905 ranks 36th - poise and confidence between the pipes along with how the team has looked in front of him are the main compelling arguments as to why he should play. Of course, the subplot and text to all this is with the Rangers and coach Alain Vigneault turning to Talbot for a third straight start, how will it be perceived by Lundqvist, the team and the league and possibly more important, how long will that change last and is it a semi-permanent one, at least until Lundqvist re-finds his game?
The NYRangersblog did a great analysis as to a possible reason why Talbot has outplayed Lundqvist this year, the theme of which being shot distance. Against Lundqvist, shots this year are coming over a foot closer than last year and between Lundqvist and Talbot, shots on Talbot are coming from two further out that the ones Hank has been facing. Maybe that distance, and millisecond of less time to react, is why several shots have gone off of Lundqvist that in the past were clear saves. What can't be quantified by advanced stats or any sort of numbers is the Blueshirts seem to play with more emotion, discipline and speed in front of their first-year goaltender, relying on Lundqvist to bail them out while providing further defensive support for Talbot. This has been the year of the backup goalie, Jones/Scrivens in LA, Lehner in Ottawa, Bishop overtaking Lindback in Tampa, Grubauer, who starts again today for the Capitals, Harding in Minnesota, so seeing Talbot excel probably shouldn't come as that big of a shock.
The other subplot is will this be Michael Del Zotto's last game as a New York Ranger? With Marc Staal (concussion) traveling with the team and likely to return before the five-game road trip ends and John Moore moving up to the second line to play with Anton Stralman, MDZ is now on the third pairing and soon the odd man out. My feelings on trading Del Zotto are well known, but the impending return of Staal, which is rife with question marks due to his multiple concussions, may allow the Rangers to now deal MDZ for a top-six forward - though finding someone to pay that may be difficult given how devalued he is - rather than a RH d-man. Another reason why New York could shift their focus to a forward from a defenseman is that even if Del Zotto is dealt before Staal returns, as Larry Brooks pointed out, the Blueshirts likely would recall 23-year-old first-year pro Connor Allen from Hartford. Allen, who had an impressive training camp after having been signed last spring as a free agent out of Massachusetts, has been the Wolf Pack’s best defenseman.
The lines today, together for at least the time being until Ryan Callahan, who skated Friday returns, are:
Kreider-Stepan-Nash Brassard-Richards-Zuccarello Hagelin-Miller-Pouliot Boyle-D Moore-Dorsett
McDonagh-Girardi J. Moore-Stralman Del Zotto-Falk
The possible only good news about the Rangers' slow start is that they are in the Eastern Conference and Metropolitan Division. As Leonard wrote: "as poorly as the Rangers have played this season, they remain in fourth place in the weak Metropolitan Division, only four points behind the Capitals (19-14-4, 42 points). Six teams are within six points of each other, sandwiched by the first-place Pittsburgh Penguins (55 points) and last-place Islanders (29 points). Three teams from the division automatically make the playoffs." The Rangers finally woke up late in the homestand when the lines got somewhat solidified and Talbot steadied the team between the pipes. Look for McDonagh to be matched up against Ovechkin as much as possible today and the Rangers to hit Green as much as possible, like they have in the past.
Now for the big question: if Talbot steals one for the Rangers, or at least plays well and they win, does AV turn to him agains Sunday against Tampa or go back to Lundqvist? This could really interesting if that scenario plays itself out.