Sunday, January 24, 2016

Rangers Feed On Patsies

Well the Rangers cuffed around that old punching bag, i.e. the Carolina Hurricanes, I believe it's nine in a row and tonight they play the staggering Ottawa Senators. Thank God the NHL is packed with more losers than winners. Of course listening to Sam and Joe there are 30 contenders in the NHL.

But not all the news is bad. The young guns are beginning to show their mettle. JT Miller is starting to show his grit and scoring as has Hayes and Kreider. Now if we can get McIlrath in the lineup and Boyle on the bench or out of town we might rejuvenate the team. Our PK was hurting and we went out to get journeyman Paille who might help with meaningful ice team. However, we have a power play that sucks and we keep rounding up the usual suspects and it sucks worse.

So it's two games before the all star break and the Ranger playoff hopes depend more on the futility of the pretenders behind the Rangers. Remember the Rangers are 0-5 against the Caps and Islanders. Also they are winless against Montreal and Florida of the Atlantic. So maybe we make the playoffs, but where do we go from there? This team doesn't look like it has a run in it. The defense looks pedestrian the offense is sporatic and the coaching is questionable. The good news. Lundqvist!

ICINGS: The T/Birds have two regular season games, tonight and Monday, and are sitting in seventh place with a one point lead over the eighth place team. Should be an interesting finish.

Friday, January 15, 2016

Rangers Slowly Fading

What's that old line? There is no there, there. The Rangers came out with gusto, shot a lot of pucks and missed a lot of shots. In fact they missed a lot of open net as Islander goalie was often out of position but the Ranger radar was missing. So, for the second time in three games the Rangers blew a third period  lead. Last year, a third period lead led to two points. But theses are different times. This is a different team.

The Rangers hit their peak two years ago with their Stanley Cup Finals loss. Last year was the Conference Finals loss. This year they may not make the playoffs. Four points separates them from extinction. Four points. What's the difference?

Difference is the team is older and their have been more injuries. Stepan, Girardi, Kreider and Klein have all had some sort of injuries. Plus a key player, Carl Hagelin is gone because of the cap.. So we got Stoll and he is gone. We got Etam and he is gone. So we basically gave away Hagelin for nothing and a sparkplug is missing.

The coach doesn't help with his lineups. He insisted on playing a hurt Girardi with a healthy McIlrath on the bench. Girardi and the coach lost the game to Washington. Girardi with the giveaways and the coach failing to call a timeout near the end of the game. You think he is saving that timeout for the playoffs?

So the Rangers are floundering and with red hot Philly and scalding Washington coming up on the road the Rangers either should rise to the occasion or go into oblivion. Interesting weekend coming up, stay tuned. Hopefully Lundqvist will be King again but that can't happen if the loyal troops don't protect the King in front of his domain. The Rangers need to fix their radar and start scoring goals.

Of course, this team may not have it in them to rally and a big shakeup may be necessary. I'm not talking about dumping Yandle because he becomes an UFA next year. I'm talking about major shakeup. No one should be exempt, no one. Wake up, GM.

ICINGS: The Pundit had a rough holiday season spending some time in an ER. So have been lax in posting. Will try to be more consistent.
After a stirring 5-0 win that gave them a three point lead for a playoff spot, the T/Birds blew a 4-1 lead and loss 5-4 to drop back into a dog fight for the last playoff spot. 

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