The Rangers kick off a major homestand, where they play seven of eight contests at MSG, Friday against Dallas. The Stars come in slumping, having lost four in a row, including a 1-0 defeat to New Jersey on Thursday. Kari Lehtonen played an excellent game Thursday, and with Dallas in need of a win, I would not be shocked if he was between the pipes again. Dallas is driven by their top line, led by Tyler Seguin along with Jamie Benn and the player I am really looking forward to seeing, Valeri Nichuskin, and until they hit this recent slump, they received supplemental scoring from Alex Chiasson and Antoine Roussel.
The key for the Rangers is to build off their recent success and carry that forward to home ice. This next stretch of games isn't easy by any sense, but maybe the fine play of late can be bottled up and brought back to MSG. Another option may be changing from home blue to road white to spark the team. Below are the next 14 games, and since 12 of them are local with the true road games not that far away from MSG, hopefully the team continues their hot stretch and gets the fanbase really enthused rather than wondering how they will blow the game at home. Home Games: Dallas, Philly, Tampa, Detroit, Washington, Islanders, St. Louis, Islanders, Colorado and Edmonton, Traditional Road Games: Ottawa and Pitt and Stadium Series (Road Games): Devils and Islanders),
Pat Leonard had some great information in today's NY Daily News and in his blog on the Rangers' recent 6-2-1 record driven by strong play in the third period. In the past, as you will see below, our view was that the Rangers owned the final stanza. If they led after two, you could basically write in the win, and if they were tied or down by a goal we felt that they would find a way to win. Lately, that has been the case, as the 6-2-1 record is a good portion due to them outscoring opponents 11-4 in the final frame, whereas in the first two stanzas, the Rangers and their opponent each scored 16 goals.
Leonard in his blog gave some details as to how the Rangers have done by period this year and then how they fared in the third period under Tortorella. Overall, their third period numbers this year are not great, making their recent play in that final stanza look even better:
- Here are the Rangers’ scoring breakdowns against opponents in each period this season: First period (Rangers 31, opponents 34); Second period (Rangers 37, opponents 48); Third period (Rangers 39, opponents 36).
- Here are the Rangers’ third period goal breakdowns vs. opponents during John Tortorella’s four full seasons as head coach (including the lockout season): 2012-13 (Rangers 46, opponents 36); 2011-12 (Rangers 76, opponents 61); 2010-11 (Rangers 85, opponents 63); 2009-10 (Rangers 70, opponents 71).
Rangers’ lineup, (should be same as Wednesday, Carcillo in, Miller out):
Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Rick Nash Carl Hagelin-Brad Richards-Ryan Callahan Benoit Pouliot-Derick Brassard-Mats Zuccarello Brian Boyle-Dominic Moore-Daniel Carcillo
Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi Marc Staal-Anton Stralman Michael Del Zotto-John Moore
Henrik Lundqvist
Adam Rotter, as did several others, wrote about Carl Hagelin yesterday. Much of the focus has been on his fine play, rightfully so, and can he now be considered a top-six forward, as opposed to what many of us felt, that he is a solid third liner who can at times move up. As Rotter wrote, if you look at the "second" line and "third" line, they are almost interchangeable, which is how coach Alain Vigenault is using them. "His (Hagelin) line and the line of Mats Zuccarello, Benoit Pouliot and Derick Brassard have around the same even strength averages over the last three games, between 13 and 14 minutes a night."When the Rangers are going right, AV, as opposed to Tortorella, rolls four lines pretty evenly. Plus, in this case with the third line playing so far, and at times outscoring the second, there is no reason not to play the Zuccarello trio similar minutes to the Hagelin one, adjusting based on which grouping is playing the best or generating the most chances that game. We have long spoken about the need for the "bottom six" to produce. The third line has done that, the fourth, based on what Boyle and Moore have done lately, has shown signs of doing that. If those two lines can find a way to supplement what the top two lines produces, or step in when they aren't, what you get is what you have seen lately, a Rangers team getting victories in semi-bunches.
I can see not changing what worked on Wednesday, which is why I expect Carcillo to play again. AV addressed the Miller scratching before Wednesday's game, saying: “The more I see that young player, I see that potential. If he keeps improving and if he keeps working on his game there’s a chance that, someday, he’ll become a real effective player.… Miller, who seemed to have a clear spot when Derek Dorsett got injured, is now getting squeezed out by the addition of Carcillo, so he is the extra forward. If he will remain in that state for a while and not get back in the lineup, then it makes sense to send him back down to Hartford and let him get top-six minutes again.
Time for the Rangers to boost their home record with Friday a good place to start that process.