December Rangers Articles - nyr.gordtep.com

December 31, 2005 - Last Game For 2005
Rangers @ Penguins on MSG @ 1:00pm

The New York Rangers (22-12-4) are in Pittsburgh for an afternoon match-up with the Penguins (9-19-8) on New Year's Eve. Pittsburgh enters the game following a 6-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, in a game where Sidney Crosby scored his 17th and 18th goals of the season. The "one-game winning streak" is the good news for the Pens. The bad news is that the victory was just their second in the team's last fourteen games (2-12). Of the fifteen teams in the Eastern Conference, Pittsburgh finds themselves ranked fifteenth.

Dead last is a painful position to be in regardless of what your team is built on, but in this instance it is even more excruciating. Mario Lemieux made a commitment to winning "now" when the team won the draft lottery to acquire Crosby, and the collective bargaining agreement offered teams in small markets an opportunity to compete on a level playing field. Signings of expensive free-agent stars like Ziggy Palffy, John LeClair, and Sergei Gonchar have not paid the dividends Super Mario had anticipated.

The first casualty of the disheartening performances in Pittsburgh was goaltender Jocelyn Thibault, who signed on as a free agent in the off-season. Thibault has cleared waivers and is very possibly in his last NHL season with a 1-9 record and the worst goals against average in the league (4.41). Pittsburgh's plan to hold off on playing 2003 first round pick Marc-Andre Fleury has been changed. Due to the financial problems the franchise has been faced with, the initial decision was to refrain from using Fleury in the 25 games that would trigger a 3 million dollar bonus in his contract, but with the humiliation of a pathetic start, management has decided to bite the bullet and play/pay him.

Ed Olczyk, a member of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion Rangers, was the head coach of the Penguins for the first 31 games (8-17-6) before getting fired. Michel Therrien, who was the head coach of the AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre, has stepped in on an interim basis with the hopes of righting the ship. Sadly, the Penguins run in Pittsburgh is most certainly drawing to an end. There is heavy speculation that the team will be relocating to Kansas City, Houston, Las Vegas or Seattle come next season.

New York is 2-1 in the season series with the Penguins, and will still have four more games against the Penguins after tomorrow.

PENGUINS NEWSPAPERS: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Post-Gazette

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION OF DECEMBER 30TH'S ARTICLE
December 30, 2005 - Seed Speculation

Two straight overtime wins for the Flyers extended their winning streak to five games, and their Atlantic Division lead over the Rangers to five points (with a game in hand). With Philadelphia pulling ahead, the hope for a division championship is beginning to fade, and in its place is a need to secure a playoff spot. For the glass-half-empty Ranger fan, we will try to see what teams could legitimately catapult beyond the Blueshirts in case of an absolute collapse. For the sake of this argument, we will lower the bar so substantially that we approach this discussion expecting New York to be clawing for the eighth and final playoff spot.

We have discussed the likely point total (92) a team will need, and currently the Rangers are on a pace to end the season with about 104. One tangible way of looking at New York's chances concerning the playoff layout, would be to examine exactly which teams they are contending with.

There are 15 teams in the Eastern conference vying for 8 spots. Seeds 1, 2, and 3 are allotted to the three division winners. That means if the Rangers finish behind Philadelphia, regardless of records, the best they can rank is fourth in the conference. Ottawa, first in the Northeast, is widely regarded as the best team in the NHL and will likely finish first in the East. Since we are considering the Rangers to be battling for 8th, we can award the East to Philadelphia. Carolina is way out in front of Tampa Bay, and it is becoming more probable that Carolina will take the Southeast divisional crown.

1) Ottawa 2) Philadelphia 3) Carolina

That is how it looks today, and for the purpose of this article we will pencil those three teams in. It is an extremely safe bet that they will all be in the post-season if not ranked at the top of their respective divisions. Aside from the division leaders, the Sabres would also appear to be a lock for one of the remaining 5 spots. Despite dropping last night's game in a shoot-out to the Leafs, Buffalo has been on an incredible run-- registering just two regulation losses in their last twenty games (16-2-2). With the Sabres in the same division as the Senators, a first-place finish is practically impossible, but a spot in the playoffs is almost a forgone conclusion.

We can definitely rule out the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Washington Capitals. Both teams would need a miracle to overcome the atrocious starts both teams have had, and there has not been any indication that either team is capable of rising above their current locations, in the cellars of their respective divisions. The Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins are two more teams to cross off this hypothetical list. Florida trails the Rangers by 15 points, and the Bruins are 16 back of the Blueshirts.

This leaves 7 teams competing for the 4 remaining spots. Montreal and Tampa Bay are strong favorites to make the cut. If we label those two as playoff teams, we find the Rangers along with Toronto, Atlanta, New Jersey, and the Islanders fighting over 7th and 8th. Toronto is a half a dozen games over .500 and has the makings of a team that should reach the playoffs without too much difficulty. Although Atlanta is on quite a run now (6-1-3 in their last 10), their suspect goaltending has slowed them through much of the first half. Unreliability at such a crucial position is something that will could hold them down. Some very talented players up front give them an outside shot. The Devils and Islanders are both averaging one point for every game they've played, but one loss for every win is not going to be nearly enough come April.

Teams like the Islanders, Devils, and Thrashers haven't had the consistency in goal like Henrik Lundqvist has given the Rangers. Certainly Martin Brodeur is a world-class goalie, but with very poor defense, and little or no offensive support, his team is in dire straights. None of those three teams posses a player as dominant as Jaromir Jagr, however Atlanta's Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa are very close. But again, Atlanta is lacking so greatly in other areas that besting the Rangers seems somewhat unattainable. The Islanders are a team in direct competition with the Rangers and may arguably have greater depth at Forward, but DiPietro's erratic goaltending paired with the team's putrid defense make them an extreme underdog. Wednesday night's 6-2 loss didn't do them any favors either. Even the most pessimistic fan would have to believe the Rangers are a virtual shoe-in for the second season.

December 29, 2005 - Third Period Blowout

The first period of last night's game was eerily similar to the early season loss the Rangers suffered at the hands of the Islanders on Long Island. In that game, Kevin Weekes surrendered three goals on the first three Islanders shots in the first three minutes of the game. When the Islanders had been out-hitting and out-shooting the Rangers early on in the first, their 2-0 lead looked like it was just the early stages of an offensive onslaught. The scoring barrage would come later, but it would be the Rangers who were to provide it. Petr Prucha, the incredibly consistent scorer, cashed in a break-away to put the Rangers on the board, and Jaromir Jagr snapped a 5-game goal scoring drought to knot things up at 2. The second period saw the Islanders hit the cross-bar and the Rangers miss an open-net, but no pucks went in. Then came the third period bombardment by the Blueshirts. Tom Poti and Michael Nylander scored in between a sandwich of Martin Straka tallies, giving the Rangers a dominant 6-2 victory. Rick Dipietro had a very rough game in goal for the Islanders, but Henrik Lundqvist was extremely sharp for the Rangers.

Scoring has been the Rangers weakness, but they found the touch last night, capitalizing on the Islanders' mistakes. Jagr, Straka, and Nylander had four points each. Jagr now has 24 goals and 35 assists to lead the league in points with 59. Petr Prucha's goal was his 18th of the year, keeping him in third place for rookie goal-scorers behind Ovechkin and Svatos.

All of a sudden the Rangers that had lost four of five, have now won two of three. Although the Flyers maintain possession of first place in the Atlantic, last night's game helped distance the Rangers from the Islanders in the playoff picture. The Islanders are now twelve points behind the Rangers and their hopes of making it to the post-season are starting to dwindle.

After a game in Pittsburgh on New Year's eve, the Rangers will return to the Garden for a five-game home-stand culminating on January 12 with Mark Messier night against the Oilers.

December 28, 2005 - Battle of New York
Rangers @ Islanders on FSNY @ 7:00pm

With the slumping Rangers (21-12-4) heading to Long Island, the New York Islanders (17-16-2) will look to capitalize tonight against a Ranger team that has dropped four of their last five. If the Islanders want to enhance their team's playoff hopes heading into the new year, winning tonight is a must.

The Islanders, led by strong forwards (Yashin, Satan, & York), and good goaltending (Dipietro) have made up for a lack of defense. Losing Kenny Jonnson, Adrian Aucoin, and Roman Hamrlik has obliterated the Islander blueline, and will likely cost them a playoff spot. In any event, if they are to make the playoffs, games like these are considered must wins.

Henrik Lundqvist will most certainly be in goal tonight, and should be for every important game from here on out. The Ranger penalty-killing will have to be better tonight than they were in Ottawa, and likely will as they are the second ranked unit in the NHL. Offense has been the most senative subject for the Rangers. New York only has ten goals in their last five games, and they'll need to get Jaromir Jagr and the power play jumping. Jagr, who leads the league in power play goals and overall scoring, hasn't quite been himself. His eleven power play goals has held up for quite some time. With only one power play goal in his last 18 games, and a five-game goal-scoring drought, Jagr needs to step it up. Perhaps a return to the form that found him netting a hat-trick on Long Island earlier this year.

ISLANDERS NEWSPAPERS: Newsday, Post, Daily News

December 27, 2005 - Best Team Tops Rangers

Optimistic fans had their visions of where the Rangers are cut down to size last night. The Ottawa Senators showed exactly why they are the top ranked team in the NHL. Ottawa's 6-2 win over the Rangers improves their overall record to 25-6-3. New York's loss paired with Philadelphia's shootout victory in Florida, bumps the Rangers (21-12-4) down to three points out of first.

Kevin Weekes found himself yanked from the net in the first period after allowing four goals in less than fifteen minutes. Henrik Lundqvist filled in for the remainder of the game and allowed two more goals. Wade Redden had a great game racking up 2 goals and 2 assists. Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley both had a goal and an assist. Both Alfredsson and Heatley now have 23 goals on the season.

Early in the first period it appeared as though this was going to be a back-and-forth game all the way. Ottawa stuck first, on the power play, just after the two minute mark, but Martin Straka got the Rangers on the board 46 seconds later after a brilliant series of passes by Jagr and Rucinsky. Five minutes later, Petr Prucha put home his 17th of the season and the Rangers had a lead. The two even-strength Ranger goals were followed by a pair of power play goals for the Senators, the second of which was Redden's game-winner.

Unfortunately for the Rangers, they just weren't sharp enough to truly compete with the more polished and refined Ottawa team. Undisciplined play by the Rangers gave the Senators opportunities throughout the game. Unforced errors in their own zone, an inability to clear the puck, and too many penalties proved to be costly to a Ranger team that has now lost 4 of its last 5.

Suddenly, the Rangers have received a reality check. A string of tight victories had them sitting in first place for months, but the ultimate goal of making it to the post-season may be a bigger challenge than was previously thought. One team the Rangers are battling with for playoff positioning will be their next opponent, the New York Islanders. Last night in Buffalo, the Sabres slammed the Islanders by a score of 6-3. The Sabres win knocked the Islanders down to 17-16-2, keeping them 10 points behind the Rangers (with two games in hand). The Rangers will be in action at the Nassau Coliseum tomorrow night, with a start time of 7pm.

December 26, 2005 - Measuring Stick
Rangers @ Senators on MSG2 @ 7:30pm

Thanks to a solid victory over Tampa Bay, the Rangers were able to thoroughly enjoy their holiday. Despite finally surrendering first place to the Flyers, New York has to be very pleased with how their teams stacks up in late December. They brought their blue-collar game back and snapped a losing streak In the aforementioned game against Tampa Bay. Jaromir Jagr looked like Jaromir Jagr again, and things appeared to be heading back on the right track. Tonight, we will know how the Rangers stack up for sure.

Without a doubt, this is a game that the team has been anticipating for some time. The Ottawa Senators are above and beyond all other teams in the league. Spectacular goaltending from Dominic Hasek has been the last line of defense from a team so good, they hardly even need it. Blueliners, Zdeno Chara, Wade Redden, and Chris Phillips are all on the lists of the league's best. Ottawa's depth at Forward is frightening. Everybody knew about the importance of Daniel Alfredsson, arguably the Sens best player, but Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley are proving to be equally as important to this franchise's success. Martin Havlat who was having a break-out season was recently injured and will be shelved for the remainder of the season, but the team hasn't skipped a beat. In addition to those superstars, players like Mike Fischer, Peter Schaefer, Chris Neil, and Brandon Bochenski are all contributing greatly on offense. The Senators lead the NHL with 16 players already reaching double-digit point totals, the Rangers have 10.

In order for New York to gain a victory over the Senators, in Ottawa, the Rangers will have to bring their 'A' game. Henrik Lundqvist will probably have to stand on his head, and Jaromir Jagr will have to play one his best games of the year. Heading into the game as huge underdogs, the Rangers have a lot to prove. Visions of when Ottawa trounced the Rangers 9-1 immediately after Jagr was acquired by the Rangers will be lingering for some. Ottawa is averaging well over four goals a game this season, and the Rangers average just over three. As Tom Renney asked his team early in the season, "How good do you want to be?" We shall find out tonight.

OTTAWA NEWSPAPERS: Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa Sun

December 25, 2005 - Happy Holidays!

Next Game: Dec. 26, 2005 @ Ottawa

Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah

December 23, 2005 - Power Surge Provides W

This was a big one. Ending their home-stand on a positive note was of great importance after dropping the previous three tight games. Henrik Lundqvist returned between the pipes and was sensational, with 30 saves, in the Rangers 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. John Grahame was strong in the net for Tampa, stopping 32 of 35 Rangers shots, but it wasn't enough. New York found success on special teams going 3 for 5 on the power play, and killing 6 of 7 Tampa opportunities.

Petr Prucha initiated the scoring in the first period with his 9th power play goal. Prucha's 16th of the season was scored from right in front of the net off a great pass from Jagr. Martin Straka put New York up by two in the 2nd period when he batted his own rebound out of mid-air into the back of the net. Despite finishing 40 minutes with a 2-0 lead, Tampa made things very interesting in the third period. Ruslan Fedotenko scored in the first minute of the third, and Brad Richards ripped home a power play goal mid-way through the period to tie things up at 2 apiece.

Nolan Pratt took an atrocious delay-of-game penalty by firing the puck into the stands with three minutes to go, giving the Rangers a power play at pivotal time in the game. The man-advantage provided an opportunity for a very unlikely hero in Rangers Defenseman Tom Poti. A pass from Jaromir Jagr found Poti in the high slot-- winding up for a blistering one-timer that beat Grahame to the glove side. The goal was Poti's first of the year, and 50th of his NHL career. One minute later, Martin Rucinsky scored on the vacated Lightning net. The Rangers top line was outstanding with Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka, and Martin Rucinsky all having three-point nights.

New York's victory keeps them in sole possession of first place in the the Atlantic even though Philadelphia pulled out a 4-3 win against the NHL-leading Ottawa Senators last night. The Rangers have three days off for the holiday, and will have their next game in Ottawa on the day after Christmas.

NOTES: Tom Renney made a tough decision in scratching Center Michael Nylander after some bad penalties, costly give-aways, and poor games in the past two weeks. The top power play unit was modified quite significantly, and it began paying dividends immediately. Martin Rucinsky has been shifted to the left point, moving Martin Straka up front. Tom Poti remained on the right point, and both Jagr and Prucha stayed put up on the wings.

December 22, 2005 - Home For The Holidays
Rangers vs. Lightning on MSG @ 7:00pm

Tonight represents the Rangers opportunity to end a three-game skid and give their fans a nice present heading into the holidays. New York plays host to the Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning for the first time since winning the cup in June of last year.

Tampa Bay (18-13-3) trails the 1st place Carolina Hurricanes by 7 points, but are still favored by most pundits to take the Southeast Division title. New York is clinging to first in the Atlantic, leading Philadelphia by just one point, but having played three more games than the Flyers.

After the Rangers string of low-scoring losses, Coach Tom Renney make shake things up in an attempt to generate more offense. The Lightning are full of deadly scoring options that Ranger defensemen and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will have to worry about. Last year's MVP, Martin St. Louis, is averaging a point-a-game, but finds himself fifth on the team in scoring. Vaclav Prospal, Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavalier, and Dan Boyle rank from first to fourth. Fredrik Modin, a Left Winger with a cannon of a shot, leads the team in goals with 15. Unfortunately for the Rangers, they do not posses the depth up front that Tampa does. Jaromir Jagr (23g) & Petr Prucha (15g) have accounted for a third of the Ranger goals. It is vital to the success of the team to have Michael Nylander, Martin Rucinsky, and Martin Straka chipping in with some offense. Another area the Rangers need to make corrects is discipline. Even with a superb penalty-killing effort against New Jersey (11 for 11), the Rangers know that being short-handed so often is going to destroy their game. Jagr and Prucha are not used to kill penalties and are kept off the ice for extended periods when the team is down a man so frequently. Even when the Rangers seemed to be controlling the tempo in the Devil game, somebody would take a penalty, killing the flow and momentum the Rangers had created at even-strength.

Tonight's match-up with Tampa Bay will be the final game on Madison Square Garden ice for the year 2005. After\ taking on the Cup Champs tonight, the Rangers will have a four day holiday before embarking on a three-game road trip that concludes on New Year's Eve in Philadelphia. The Rangers return home on Tuesday, January 3rd when they will meet the Lightning once again.

TAMPA BAY NEWSPAPERS: St. Petersburg Times, Tampa Review and Tribune

December 21, 2005 - Losing Streak At 3

The New Jersey Devils topped the Rangers 3-1 last night, handing the Rangers their third consecutive loss on Garden ice. For the second straight game, the opposition scored a pair of goals in under 20 seconds on goaltender Kevin Weekes. This time it was Brain Gionta and Alexander Mogilny scoring in a span of 16 seconds, with less than six minutes to go in the third period. The two goals erased a 1-0 Ranger lead. John Madden added an empty-netter, with 13 seconds to go, giving himself a three-point night. Steve Rucchin got the lone goal for the Blueshirts. Rucchin's goal followed a tremendous diving play by Petr Prucha that got him the puck directly in front of the net. Despite a phenomenal penalty-killing game, stopping all 11 Devil power plays, New York's lack of offense is what will be remembered.

This is the Ranger team we anticipated on seeing prior to the start of the season. On opening night, we projected this-- after a few months, we expected better. Jaromir Jagr has cooled off substantially, and the rest of the offense is ice-cold. Inability to score at 5 on 5, and their impotent power play will continue to prevent them from winning games. With tough contests coming up against the Lightning, Senators, Islanders, and Flyers, the New York Rangers are faced with a potentially very bleak stretch. The catastrophe feared by fans could very well be in its early stages. If the team is unable to right the ship, all that talk of cruising into the playoffs may turn out to be absolute hogwash.

Martin Brodeur got the victory for the Devs, putting them at two games over .500 (15-13-5) and knocking the Rangers to nine games over .500 (20-11-4). Lou Lamoriello hopes to restore some much needed confidence by gaining this victory in his first game from behind the bench. Despite losing last night, the Rangers are still 3-1-1 in the season series. New York will finish up their 4 game home-stand tomorrow night against Tampa Bay.

December 20, 2005 - Devilish Disarray
Rangers vs. Devils on MSG @ 7:00pm

New Jersey is not used to having a losing hockey club, and the poor record is shaking the foundation of their very franchise. The Devils' head coach, Larry Robinson, has quit and it appears that GM Lou Lamoriello will get behind the bench on an interim basis. Robinson, 54, had been having stress-induced headaches as well as other medical problems. The Hall of Fame defenseman's decision to call it quits coincides with a bunch of other happenings within the organization. Patrick Elias returned to practice Monday after missing several months with hepatitis. Dan McGillis, who was put on waivers, was put back on the roster to replace Vladamir Malakhov, 37, who just retired.

The Devil Dynasty that has won three Stanley Cups in the past ten seasons was built with a strong defensive core. Martin Brodeur has been a premier goaltender since winning the Calder Trophy as the Rookie of the Year in 1994. In front of Brodeur, up until this season, had been Scott Stevens and Scott Niedermayer. Stevens' retirement and Niedermayer's decision to join his brother in Anaheim have both greatly contributed to the teams' downfall. Aside from the damage of losing top players year after year, the new rules haven't done them any favors either. Restricting a goaltender from going into the corners to play the puck has minimized Brodeur's effectiveness and overall dominance of the game. The removal of the center ice red line and increased size of the offensive zone has diminished the efficacy of their defensive style of play.

Despite a first place ranking, New York has plenty of their own problems as well. Riding a two-game losing streak, the Rangers are in desperate need of some goal scoring. Petr Prucha's 6-game goal scoring streak, a stretch in which he lit the lamp 9 times, is over. Jaromir Jagr has only 2 goals in his last 10 games played. Scoring options are few and far between beyond those two players. Martin Straka, Michael Nylander, Martin Rucinsky, and Steve Rucchin need to step up their offensive game. Players like Marcel Hossa and Dominic Moore need to return to the form they displayed in the early going. As I mentioned yesterday, if a trade for a scoring forward (i.e. Sykora) doesn't occurr soon, I would anticipate the Rangers calling up a couple of the Wolfpack's leading scorers. Alexander Giroux, Jarkko Immonen, and Nigel Dawes are prime candidates for a promotion.

NEW JERSEY NEWSPAPERS: Star-Ledger, Post, Daily News, Bergen Record, Times

December 19, 2005 - Rangers Snowed In

The Colorado Avalanche came to town and downed the Rangers by a score of 2-1. Both Colorado goals were scored by Joe Sakic within a span of 20 seconds in the 2nd period. Sakic's second goal was on a penalty shot after being taken down with a clear path to the net. The Rangers picked up their only goal of the game with 20 seconds to go in the 2nd, when Ryan Hollweg batted home a rebound on Colorado Goalie Vitaly Kolesnik. Kolesnik turned aside 29 of 30 Rangers shots, and Kevin Weekes saved 15 of 17 Avalanche shots.

The Rangers loss to Colorado comes less than 24 hours after the Avalanche were beaten by the New York Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum. This stretches the Rangers losing streak to two, which equals their worst of the season. At ten games over .500 (20-10-4), the Rangers actually have a lot to worry about right now. Their offense is far too limited, and that problem is finally being exploited. Jaromir Jagr is the primary offensive weapon, and the focal point of virtually every significant scoring chance the team has., The teams number two option is Petr Prucha, whose scoring streak was snapped at six games. Opposing teams are finding ways to limit Jagr's effectiveness and in doing so, limit the Rangers scoring output.

Petr Sykora and Brian Leetch would both have helped the Rangers out tonight. The need for a legitimate point man on the power play is becoming more and more of a necessity. The combinations of Straka, Poti, Tyutin, Malik, and Rosival aren't cutting it. With just 6 goals in 64 power plays over their last 11 games, something's got to give. It is unfair to expect Jagr to single-handedly win every single game. Changes must be made to kick start the offense. If it isn't a trade or trades, it might just be the promotion of Nigel Dawes and Jarkko Immonen from Hartford to the big club sooner rather than later.

Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils will take on the Rangers in their 5th meeting of the season tomorrow night at MSG. The Rangers are 3-0-1 against the Devils so far this year.

December 18, 2005 - Avalanche Downhill
Rangers vs. Avalanche on MSG @ 5:00pm

After playing only one game in the last week, the Rangers and their fans are quite ready for hockey. The Broadway Blueshirts (20-9-4) will play host to the Colorado Avalanche (16-13-3) in their only meeting of the season, tonight at MSG.

Following Saturday's 5-4 loss to the New York Islanders, the Colorado Avalanche sit in the 8th place position in the Western Conference. Barely squeezing into the playoff picture is a far cry from the team that was consistently on top of the NHL. Since moving from Quebec in 1995, Colorado's franchise established a firm legacy of winning. When seeing the Avalanche logo, one immediately is reminded of Stanley Cup rings and unstoppable teams. Things have changed over the past couple years. The first big blow to the team was a few years ago when Patrick Roy's retirement, forcing them to go with David Aebischer as their full-time goaltender. In this past off-season the roster went through major adjustments as well. Peter Forsberg and Adam Foote, staples in the Avs organization, and among the league's elite, both sought greener pastures; as did Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne. With all of the departed talent, the team retained a core nucleus of Milan Hejduk, Alex Tanguay, and Captain Joe Sakic. One pretty substantial addition this season has been a rookie sharpshooter, from the Czech Republic, by the name of Marek Svatos. Svatos collected a pair goals last night on Long Island, taking his season total to 17, which is second among all rookies, behind only Alex Ovechkin (18).

New York was dealt a tough loss by the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, dropping their home record to 10-3-2. Coach Renney will look to ride Petr Prucha's hot streak and try and translate it into some more victories. Prucha is expected to play on the second line with Steve Rucchin and Martin Rucinsky. Jaromir Jagr will likely play with his early-season linemates Martin Straka and Michael Nylander. It is believed that Kevin Weekes will get the start in between the pipes.

COLORADO NEWSPAPERS: Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News

December 17, 2005 - Scheduling Conflict

One game in a span of seven nights is torture to hockey-crazed Rangers fans, lest we forget the entire year that was completely devoid of the world's greatest sport. Also, keep in mind how horrid recent seasons have been up to this point, making this year all the more fun. After completing 8 out of 10 games against sub-.500 clubs, the Rangers are now in the midst of a six-game span with some of the most challenging opponents they will face all season.

Upon finishing up their set against Western Conference teams, the Rangers have string of games against very competitive Eastern Conference rivals. The Devils at the Garden and the Islanders at the Coliseum sandwich a home game against Tampa and a road game against the Ottawa Senators.

The games with the Islanders and Devils still hold additional importance since those are two teams that New York finds themselves competing with in their own division. The game with the Cup Champions is definitely significant in determining where in the conference. In fact, based on winning percentage, if the season ended today it would be Ranger and Lightning in the first round.

One day after Christmas, New York faces what is quite possible their toughest task of the 05-06 season. Ottawa has had remarkable success be it on the road (12-3-0) or at home (10-2-2). As a team they are averaging more than four goals a game, and the tandem of Hasek and Emery have allowed only two goals per game. With so many deadly offensive weapons (Alfredsson, Heatley, Spezza) and the best defense in the league (Redden Chara, Phillips), Ottawa is almost unbeatable in a seven-game series. Everybody's odds on favorite will be the most challenging match, on paper, for the Rangers this year.

The Blueshirts have 13 games to play in January, and will only have a 3 day gap without games occur one time. February is quite different due to the Olympic break. Despite two sets of 3 games in four nights within the first two weeks of the month, there will be 18 straight nights without a game. However, the Rangers could have more players competing in the Olympic games than any other NHL squad. Several Ranger players are sure to compete for the Czech Republic (Jagr, Rucinsky, Straka, Malik, Rosival, and perhaps Prucha) and Sweden (Lundqvist, and Nylander) among other countries.

Tomorrow night will be Rangers and Avalanche at Madison Square Garden with a special start time of 5:00pm.

December 16, 2005 - NYR Trivia

Here are a few trivia questions, some of which were generated by yesterday's article and ensuing heated discussion:

1) How many Ranger Rookies have won the Calder Trophy?

2) Petr Prucha has scored in six straight games; what is the Ranger record for a Ranger Rookie Goal-Scoring streak?

3) When was the last time a Ranger led all rookies in goal scoring?

4) What is the longest goal-scoring streak in Rangers history?

5) What is the longest point-scoring streak in Rangers history?

e-mail your answers to nyr@gordtep.com

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION OF DECEMBER 15TH'S ARTICLE

December 15, 2005 - Calder Candidates

2005-2006 presents the NHL with one its finest classes of rookies in recent memory.

Sidney Crosby, drafted first overall by Pittsburgh earlier this year, was the most talked-about rookie since Eric Lindros. Unbelievably, the 18-year-old Center is proving to be well worth the hype. Dubbed "The Next One" by the media, Crosby plays along side a 40-year-old legend in Mario Lemieux. Although the Pens have disappointed the fading fanbase, Crosby has not-- averaging a point-a-game through the first third of the season. Sid 'The Kid" has displayed a hockey sense far beyond his years. His offensive awareness and play-making ability would lead you to believe he has been in this league for decades, and yet he hasn't even lived that long. Crosby's stick-handling ability and scoring touch rank among the best in the world.

The first overall pick in 2004, Alexander Ovechkin, has been lighting the lamp consistently for the Washington Capitals. Ovechkin, 19, is already one of the most exceptional all-around players in the league. Alex "The Great" shows as much consistency with scoring goals as he does taking the body. Fearless on the ice, Ovechkin brings a tough physical game to pair up with his phenomenal finesse. The passion and intensity of this youngster are on par with the most seasoned and skilled veterans in the league. He plays Left Wing on Washington's top line, and has unquestionably been his team's most valuable player thus far.

A darkhorse in the race for Rookie of the Year comes from New York by way of Sweden. Henrik Lundqvist, 23, had proven himself on the international level before taking the NHL by storm. In 04-05, Lundqvist led the Frolunda Indians to the Swedish Elite League Championship, going 12-2 in the post-season with a 1.05 Goals Against Average, and a .962 Save Percentage. This year, his early season heroics have made him an instant crowd favorite at Madison Square Garden. Henrik is a huge reason behind the Rangers surprising success, and is beginning to hear his name mentioned with Crosby and Ovechkin as one of the sensational first-year NHLers.

In addition to "the big three," there are several others throughout the league worthy of mentioning. Dion Phaneuf in Calgary and Brent Seabrook in Chicago are two of the best new defenseman out there. Both players are integral parts of their teams power play, and are logging large amounts of ice time to shut down the oppositions top lines. Petr Prucha of the Rangers and Marek Svatos in Colorado are both extremely talented Right Wingers from the Czech Republic in their NHL debuts. Prucha and Svatos join Crosby and Ovechkin to comprise the select group of NHL rookies with goal totals already reaching the teens. Two other names worth mentioning are Alex Steen, Toronto Center, and Tomas Vanek, Buffalo Left Wing; each player has already picked up 20 points in the young season. As things continue to unfold, the leading candidate(s) will likely develop more clarity. However, with the amount of exceptional prodigies in the league, it is not going to be an easy decision when choosing who walks away with this year's Calder Trophy.

December 14, 2005 - Pushed Around

On paper, the Canucks are a solid team. On the ice, they're even stronger. The Vancouver Canucks came into Madison Square Garden last night and forechecked the Rangers unlike any other team has been able to do all year. Lack of a substantial physical presence was among the reasons New York found themselves outplayed. Bertuzzi's intensity, toughness, and breakaway goal (off a phenomenal two-line pass from Ed Jovanovski) were all reasons why Ranger fans began wishing he was on our side. Ryan Hollweg battled with Bertuzzi in the second period in what ended up giving him 17 minutes of penalties-- keeping him out of nearly a third of the game. The other two forwards on the top line (Morrison and Naslund) both played strong games. Even Anson Carter, who was a total bust during his stint with the Blueshirts, had a good game playing with the Sedin twins. Mattius Ohlund was among the three stars of the game, and logged approximately 28 minutes of ice time, substantially more than any other player on either team. Alexander Auld also gave the Canucks great goaltending.

Although outplayed, the Rangers hung right in there, and had an opportunity to tie, if not win, this game. Petr Prucha continued his remarkable play cashing in two goals, as well as hitting a goal post in the 3rd period. Prucha is rapidly becoming a candidate for the Calder Trophy with a 11 goals in his last 11 games, a six-game goal scoring streak, and now a total of 15 on the year. His first was a beauty on the power play where he flipped the puck up over Auld's right shoulder from the doorstep. Prucha was actually putting home a rebound off his initial deflection of a Poti shot from the point. Prucha's second goal came off a blistering slapshot from the top of the right circle, following a brilliant feed by Nylander. Matt Cooke scored what proved to be the game-winner with under five minutes to go in the third period when Nylander failed to clear the puck out from in front of the goal crease. Henrik Lundqvist had to make some excellent saves, particularly early on, keeping the Rangers right there with one of the elite teams in the Western Conference. Although Lundqvist cannot be faulted for the Bertuzzi or Cooke goals, the second Vancouver score (scored by Daniel Sedin) could be classified as a soft one. After cylcling tin the Rangers' zone, Sedin let a wrist-shot go, that Lundqvist wasn't expecting, and the puck found its way to the back of the net. Nylander's painful give-away ended up costing the Rangers at least a tie.

In addition to Prucha's tremendous offensive output, the Rangers had some excellent penalty-killing from Moore, Ward, Betts, and Ortmeyer. New York killed off all five Canuck power plays, and remains the second best penalty killing team in the league. In spite of the loss, New York has proven once again that they can hang with the toughest teams in the league, and were able to come from behind to tie the game on twice. The Rangers will now have four nights off to rest. They'll return to action Sunday night at home against the Joe Sakic and the rest of the Colorado Avalanche.

December 13, 2005 - Mount Vancouver
Rangers vs. Canucks on MSG @ 7:00pm

The Rangers return home tonight continuing their string of Western Conference battles. Vancouver (18-9-2) comes into the Garden sitting in second play in the Northwest Division, just two points behind the Calgary Flames. The Canucks enter tonight's contest winning their last two games, including a shootout victory over the Ottawa Senators. Markus Naslund, clearly the Canucks MVP through the first 29 games of the season, currently leading his team in Goals (16), Assists (18), and Points (34). In addition to the superb play from Naslund, Todd Bertuzzi has had a strong start and is proving to be among the elite Power Forwards the NHL has seen in some time. Despite the controversy surrounding the relationship of Bertuzzi and Coach Marc Crawford, Bertuzzi spoke to the press yesterday to adamantly deny rumors that he requested a trade.

The only thing preventing the Vancouver Canucks from being considered favorites to make it to the Cup Final is their weakness in the crease. Dan Cloutier, former Ranger, has not been the clutch goalie fans at GM Place had hoped he would be. Alexander Auld has been filling in between the pipes for the last 8 games, while Cloutier has been out with a knee injury. Although Cloutier may start in tonight's game, his days as Vancouver's top netminder are most certainly numbered. The Canucks, as well as the Colorado Avalanche, have coveted Florida Panthers star goalkeeper Roberto Luongo. Various reports throughout the NHL have already speculated that a deal for Luongo will be made sooner rather than later. In order for the Canucks to transform "good" to "great," they will need to sure up their goaltending situation.

New York will be playing their lone game in a span of seven nights, and their 5th out 6 in a row against a team out of the West. The Colorado Avalanche, also involved in the Luongo sweepstakes will be in town on Sunday night. Tom Renney has a tough decision to make regarding who starts in goal. If he opts to go with Kevin Weekes, that will give Henrik Lundqvist 10 days off in a row. Lundqvist, the Garden fan-favorite, has been so strong at him that it would be a difficult move to refrain from starting him. ESPN reporter John Buccigross wrote an article this week mentioning Henrik as a strong candidate for the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year. Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Dion Phaneuf, and Brent Seabrook are all strong candidates as well. Another man that has opened some eyes lately is the Rangers own Petr Prucha. With 9 goals in his last 10 games, Prucha is garnering respect and attention which could very well payoff with serious consideration when deciding the award winner for top rookie. Jaromir Jagr is among the early-season favorites for the Hart Trophy which is awarded to the NHL's Most Valuable Player. With 7 points in the last 2 games, Jagr hopes to keep things rolling tonight for the Broadway Blueshirts.

December 12, 2005 - Needing Ninety-Two

The number on the back of Michael Nylander's sweater represents the key to unlocking what has seemingly become the most recent curse of the New York Rangers franchise. In order for a team to make that playoffs in the "new" NHL, where there are no more ties (Just ask JD and Bobby Granger), statistical analysis says that a team will need 92 points to clinch 8th and final playoff position in the Eastern Conference. As it stands right now, the Islanders & Maple Leafs are each on pace to achieve approximately 90. With that being said, Ranger fans are asking themselves if they could fall behind the pack and miss out on getting "Cup Crazy" for an 8th consecutive season. Sitting atop their division after 32 games, it is very likely that New York will be in the playoffs for the first time since 1997 where Gretzky carried the Blueshirts to the Conference Finals where they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers.

So, let us assume that 92 points (10 wins over .500) is what they will need to guarantee entry into the tournament for Lord Stanley's Cup. Granted, the Rangers are currently battling it out for first place, but after as long a drought as the Rangers have had, and how little was expected of this team prior to the start of the year, securing a playoff birth (regardless of what seed) is was fans are concerned with. Today, the Rangers have 44 points in 32 games, or 1.375 points per game. When factored out through the rest of the season, they stand to earn approximately 113 points. Even if this team collapses and goes a mere .500 for the rest of the season, they will find themselves making it without much difficulty. According to our 92 point number, the Rangers can actually go 24-26, or any combination including overtime losses that gives them 48 points, and still squeak in.

Imagine if you will, the worst case scenario; Jaromir Jagr is hurt-- well, in that instance, the Rangers are done. Barring a catastrophe of that magnitude, or a string of serious injuries, New York should very easily make it to the second season. Skepticism is certainly to be expected when taking into account how much older all of us are now than the last time we were able to watch the Rangers vie for the silver chalice. In spite of each of the previous years failed attempts, any objective follower of hockey would have to pencil the Rangers in.

December 11, 2005 - Bizarre Victory

No, it wasn't pretty, in fact it was the ugliest win the Rangers (20-8-4) have had all year, but somehow New York came out on top of the St. Louis Blues by a score of 5-4 on an overtime goal by Martin Rucinsky. Rucinsky's OT goal (his second of the game, 8th of the season) was a one-timed shot off a Jagr pass the completely missed the net yet caromed off the boards, off of Patrick Lalime's rear-end, and into the net. In addition to assisting on the game winner, Jaromir Jagr had a goal and 2 other helpers for his first 4-point night of the season, taking his league leading point total up to 50. The game-winning goal came after the Blues managed to tie things up on a Mike Sillinger tally, that was initially waved off for being touched with a high-stick and later overruled by the video judges, with a mere eight seconds remaining in regulation. Keith Tkachuk was clearly St. Louis' best player, notching two goals to give him 7 in the 8 games he has played this year.

Kevin Weekes made 27 saves in his return from an injury and managed to pull out a victory. Weekes was good, particularly during the many Ranger penalty kills. Once again, New York had great difficulty staying out of the box, allowing St. Louis to go 2 for 13 on the power play. Petr Prucha extended his goal scoring streak to five games with a power play goal in the third period. The officials were busy, calling 22 penalties in all (including 8 hooking minors).

It is nothing short of fascinating that the Rangers can handily defeat a team at the top of the league (Nashville) 5-1, and struggle so mightily with the teams at the bottom of the league (St. Louis, Washington, Pittsburgh, & Chicago). In any event, the fact that the New York Rangers have 20 wins this early in the season is a remarkable feat. In 2003-04, on a team loaded with all-stars, it took the Rangers until early February to pick up their 20th triumph. Through all of the tight games and struggles to squeak out each and every point, the Rangers are on quite a run, picking up 19 points out of a possible 22 in their last 11 games.

The St. Louis Blues have a record that spans all four major sports in reaching the playoffs for 25 consecutive seasons, and it appears that this is the year their streak will be snapped. Ironically enough, tonight's result, however filthy it was, gave the Rangers two more points toward ending what is currently the longest NHL playoff drought at seven seasons. Barring a disastrous second half, New York should easily find themselves in the post-season, quite possibly as Division Champions.

The Broadway Blueshirts are back at the Garden on Tuesday night to skate against the Vancouver Canucks (18-9-2).

NOTES: Coach Tom Renney opted to dress Marcel Hossa and Jason Strudwick, while scratching Ville Nieminen and Ryan Hollweg.

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION OF DECEMBER 10TH'S ARTICLE

December 10, 2005 - Wins Spawn Rumors
Rangers @ Blues on MSG @ 8:00pm

In what was considered by many to be a rebuilding year, the New York Rangers have established themselves as one of the top 5 teams in the league with more than a third of the season in the books. Outstanding play up front by Jaromir Jagr, hard-working checking lines, and superior goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist are all reasons why the Rangers have been glued to first place in the Atlantic Division since opening night.

The situation New York (19-8-4) is now faced with can be rather tricky. Glen Sather has to decide who stays, who goes, and who is to be added as the playoffs draw closer. It is doubtful that Sather himself, and perhaps even the coaching staff headed up Tom Renney, could have predicted the degree of success this team would have. Who knew Petr Prucha would have 12 goals in early December, and add two shootout game-winners to boot? Jagr, as great as he is, was not expected to carry the Rangers offense on his back the way that he has. Jason Ward, Dominic Moore, Jed Ortmeyer, and Blair Betts grinding it out and giving the Rangers the 2nd best penalty killing in the league was not anticipated. Nobody thought Malik and Rozsival would be a legitimate 1-2 on defense. In spite of all pre-season doubt, the Rangers are cup contenders. This is where things gets difficult.

Is it necessary to make changes to a team with such excellent chemistry? The quick reaction might be no, but when taking a closer look it becomes apparent that this team has gaping holes within their lineup. The power-play has two options: a) Give the puck to Jagr and let him score from the half boards b) give the puck to Jagr and let him find Prucha in the slot. However deadly those weapons are, the Rangers need more options. New York is desperate for a legitimate point-man to quarterback the power play, much the way Brian Leetch did for fifteen years. Interestingly enough, Brain Leetch's name has been thrown around in various circles as a player the Rangers should go after. Truthfully, he would take care of their biggest problem. Another offensive defenseman, essentially someone doing what they had hoped Tom Poti could do, is desperately needed. Leetch is also a very underrated defensive defenseman and still considered one of the top 10 in the NHL. The problem is deciding how much Leetch is worth. Leetch, 37, is at the tail-end of his career. When he was dealt to Toronto at the deadline of '04, the Rangers acquired Jarkko Immonen (leading scorer in Hartford), Maxim Kondratiev, and two draft choices. It is doubtful that New York would be willing to part with the same in return for Leetch two years later. If Leetch's price tag is too high, New York could always chase a lower level offensive-minded defenseman such as Sandis Ozolinsh. Ozolinsh, currently on the floundering Anaheim Mighty Ducks, could bring scoring talent to the Rangers blueline that none of their current defenders posses.

Although Jagr has lit the lamp with incredible frequency, and still leads the NHL in points, there have been very few others with enough offensive consistency to give New York the scoring depth they will need to compete with the likes of Ottawa in a seven-game series. Petr Sykora (also on the Ducks) could be a perfect fit. Sykora, who turned 29 last month, is a highly skilled player that has a lot to offer the Rangers. Sykora, a native of the Czech Republic, would fit in nicely with players like Straka, Rucinsky, and Nylander. Again, the Rangers will have to make a decision as to how important particular prospects are when weighing whether or not to make the deal.

Tsn.ca posted an article last night that mentioned Todd Bertuzzi coming to the New York Rangers. Bertuzzi, 30, is arguably the best power-forward in the game, and would bring an incredible amount of toughness and scoring power that could substantially increase the Rangers chances of going far in the post-season. As much as the Rangers would love to hang on to their blue-collar workers, Bertuzzi is the type of player you have to make sacrifices to get. When offered a player of his caliber, you must first decide which players are absolute untouchables. In my view, only Jagr, Lundqvist, and perhaps Prucha, have "untouchable" status. A goaltender would certainly head to Vancouver in this deal, likely Kevin Weekes, but perhaps even Rangers first round pick Al Montoya. With Lundqvist's sensational play, Montoya is seemingly expendable. Young up and coming players like Moore and Ward would have to be on the Canucks want-list. Although months remain before the trade deadline, you can be sure Sather and company are already pondering the possible deals that must be considered by a team on the brink of cup contention.

The Blueshirts are back in action tonight, this time against the worst team in the NHL. Keith Tkachuk and the rest of the St. Louis Blues come into tonight's game with a 5-17-3 record.

ST. LOUIS NEWSPAPER: St. Louis Post Dispatch

December 9, 2005 - Predators Eaten Alive

All the doubters had their mouths shut last night after the Rangers convincing 5-1 victory in Nashville. Henrik Lundqvist was outstanding once again, making 30 saves, and improving his record to 12-4-3. Petr Prucha notched two more goals, taking his season total to 12, and extending his streak to four games (6 in that span). Steve Rucchin snapped a nine-game goal-scoring drought with a pair in the second period. Jaromir Jagr initiated the scoring with a wrap-around in the first period, and picked up assists on the next two goals. Tomas Vokoun left the game after the first period, in which he surrendered two goals, due to an ankle injury. Chris Mason allowed three goals after replacing the starter. Exceptional penalty killing early on set the tone for New York, and shortly after came the offense onslaught.

Entering last night's game, Nashville had gone 11 straight games with a power play goal (19 in that span), but the Rangers killed off all 8 Predator power play opportunities. New York's victory gives them an 8-1-1 record in their last 10 games, and snapped Nashville's four-game winning streak. The first-place Rangers now lead the Philadelphia Flyers by 6 points in the Atlantic Division. Although the Ottawa Senators have played six fewer games, The Rangers (19-8-4) are now tied with the Sens for the most points in the NHL.

The Rangers are off tonight, but conclude their Western Conference road trip tomorrow in St. Louis against the last-place Blues (5-16-3).

December 8, 2005 - Getting The Point
Rangers @ Predators on MSG @ 8:00pm

Martin Rucinsky's high-sticking penalty in overtime gave the Blackhawks the opportunity they needed and Tyler Arnason cashed in the game-winner. Nikolai Khabibulin had a stellar night stopping 30 of 31 Ranger shots. When figuring out what went wrong in last night's 2-1 OT loss, New York can look no further than the failure to convert on any of their nine power play opportunities.

Both teams seemed lifeless early on without either team registering a shot on goal for several minutes to start the game. Aside from Chicago's OT goal, the only other scoring occurred in a span of 18 seconds mid-way through the second period. First it was Petr Prucha extending his goal-scoring streak to three games, Prucha has netted four during that span. The goal was Prucha's 10th of the season (not including two shootout-winners). Jaroslav Spacek tied things up on the next shift.

The optimistic Ranger fan would say that the Rangers are 7-1-1 in their last 8, without out a point in only one game, and with merely one regulation loss. Taking a closer look, the realist will recognize there have been major holes in the Rangers game in the past 5. With Jagr and Prucha as the team's only offensive options, New York has little chance of achieving any level of success for the remainder of the season.

The Rangers are back on the ice tonight in Nashville. Last night, The Predators picked up a 5-2 victory over the Capitals. Marek Zidlicky and Steve Sullivan each scored a pair, and Scott Hartnell added an empty-netter. With Tomas Vokoun has established himself as an elite goaltender, and Paul Kariya has proven that he is still among the top players in the game, the Predators are just one point behind the first-place Detroit Red Wings in the Central Division. Nashville (18-4-3) has the second best winning percentage in the NHL, only Ottawa is better. No matter how you slice it, the New York Rangers will be put to the test in this one.

NASHVILLE NEWSPAPER: Tennessean

December 7, 2005 - Here Come The Hawks
Rangers @ Blackhawks on MSG @ 8:30pm

It's Pearl Harbor day, the Hawks play host to the Rangers tonight at the United Center, and there will be no sneak-attacks in either team's game-plan. With the schedule for the "New" NHL, East vs. West rivalries are all but extinct. Tonight's "Original Six" contest carries less weight as the two teams are not actually competing with one another. In any event, a win is a win. Chicago enters the game dropping five of its last six, and the Rangers show up having won seven of their last eight.

The Blackhawks are off to a disappointing start after emptying their wallet in the off-season to lure Nikolai Khabibulin away from the Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning. A couple bright spots for Chicago this season have been the stellar performances by rookies Pavel Vorobiev and Brent Seabrook. Vorobiev is a skilled forward and Seabrook an outstanding defenseman. Seabrook has seen his minutes soar due to Adrian Aucoin's absence from the lineup. Twenty-five year old, Mark Bell leads the Hawks in goals, points, and plus/minus. He, Kyle Calder, and Martin Lapointe are the offensive threats the Rangers defense will likely focus on, particularly on the power play.

Petr Prucha will look to extend his goal scoring streak to three games, and Jaromir Jagr will try to make it four in a row with a point. Henrik Lundqvist will play goal for the fifth consecutive game, while Kevin Weekes is still out with an ankle injury.

After tonight's game, the Rangers head to Nashville where they will play tomorrow night.

NOTES: Thanks to WA2K99 & RRANGER... Vorobiev is OUT of the lineup tonight & Aucoin will be a game-time decision.

CHICAGO NEWSPAPERS: Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Herald

December 6, 2005 - Wild Win For Rangers

Home-ice continued to be an advantage Monday night for the Rangers. With their 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild, New York improved to 10-2-2 at the Garden this season. The win also expanded the Rangers lead over the Philadelphia Flyers to 5 points in the Atlantic Division.

The Rangers started strong, but ran into trouble in the second period. They kicked it up a notch in the third out-shooting the Wild 19-4. Petr Prucha scored his 8th & 9th goals of the year, and Martin Straka added an empty-netter to go along with his assist on Prucha's game-winner. Martin Rucinsky tallied three assist in his return to the lineup, and Jaromir Jagr had two helpers as well. Henrik Lundqvist sure made Saturday's loss look like an aberration with a solid outing, turning aside 22 of 23 Minnesota shots.

Dwayne Roloson was exceptional between the pipes for the Wild, stopping 37 of 39 shots against him, with the only two Ranger goals he allowed occurring on the power play. Pascal Dupuis picked up the lone Wild goal with under a minute to go in the second period that knotted the game up at one apiece. New York's strong defensive work shut the Wild down on all five of their power plays and held the team's top offensive threats (Gaborik, Rolston, and Bouchard) without a point.

NOTES: Rangers Head Coach Tom Renney has made some adjustments to the lines, most notably on the first line where he shifted Martin Straka to center, in between Jagr and Rucinsky. Petr Prucha has cemented his spot on the teams top power play unit. Prucha, normally a winger, is now being used to take faceoffs on the power play in which he won 6 of 8 draws. Ryan Hollweg and Tom Poti were kept out of the lineup for the second and third straight game respectively, but both are likely to make their returns Wednesday night in Chicago. In a post-game interview, Petr Prucha insisted that he did not touch the puck on the Rangers first goal and that it should be credited to Jaromir Jagr.

December 5, 2005 - Rebound Night
Rangers vs. Wild on OLN @ 7pm

Tonight marks the Rangers first encounter with a Western Conference team in the 05-06 season. The Minnesota Wild (10-11-4) are in town to take on the Rangers (17-8-3).

After winning six in a row, the Rangers had their streak snapped by Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Saturday night. Although this marked the Rangers first loss since November 17 (5-1 to Carolina), New York has stumbled in its last three games. Henrik Lundqvist will be in goal for the Blueshirts, and will have a golden opportunity to bounce back in tonight's match-up with Minnesota. The Wild enter the game having won only two of their last nine games. Their three game losing streak is somewhat deceptive as it includes shootout losses to New Jersey and Columbus.

The Rangers will look to contain Marian Gaborik who has been extremely hot with four goals and seven assists in just eight games this season due to hip and groin injuries.

The time in goal for the Wild this season has been split between Dwayne Roloson (3-8-1) and Manny Fernandez (7-3-3). Roloson is expected to get the start tonight at the Garden.

NOTES: With Martin Rucinsky and Ryan Hollweg returning to the lineup, Coach Tom Renney is expected to scratch Colton Orr and Marcel Hossa. Tom Poti (groin) and Kevin Weekes (ankle) are both expected to be out again.

MINNESOTA NEWSPAPERS: Star Tribune, Pioneer Press

December 4, 2005 - Streak Snapped

Last night in Washington was no doubt the Rangers worst game of the year. Thankfully, the Wild are in town on Monday giving the Blueshirts a chance to bounce back. After games like the one last night, fans start to forget about winning the division. You might remember that before the year started New York was considered an extreme long shot to even make the playoffs. John Davidson was right (on last night's telecast), NYR could have benefited from having Hollweg in the lineup, but Nylander-Straka-Jagr should have been more effective early in the game. Rucchin & Hossa haven't contributed to the offense in seemingly forever. Unfortunately, the scoring options aren't there. The Caps are terrible, but they were able to consistently pour on the heavy offense, even directly after scoring goals.

Even if Henrik was at his best (which he clearly wasn't), the Rangers weren't going to win that game. The truth is, this was the third straight match-up in which the Rangers were outplayed. After winning six in a row, a loss is acceptable. It is now up to Coach Renney to get these guys to shape up and play with some more passion tomorrow, and prevent this loss from sending the Rangers into a tailspin.

Realistically, as the Rangers sit at 9 games over .500 in early December, if they play .500 hockey from here through the end of the year, New York should easily make the playoffs.