Rangers get measure of revenge on Island

March 7, 2008   ·   Derek Felix   ·   Jump to comments

 

This time, Tom Renney’s Rangers finished the job. A couple of nights removed from a tough shootout home defeat at the hands of their bitter rivals, the Blueshirts heeded the coach’s message coming out with a 4-1 victory over the Islanders in the back end of a home-and-home to take three of four points.

“Not that we want to put ourselves in the situation where we’re going into the third periods with one-goal leads, but it’s certainly good practice,” the game’s No.1 Star Sean Avery explained to the AP after notching two goals to improve his team to 8-0-3 in their last 11.

“It’s good for us to have that in the back of our heads that we can go into the third and hold the lead.”

While it was all good for Avery and his teammates, the same couldn’t be said for Ted Nolan’s Islanders, who for whatever reason didn’t come out with the energy needed to keep pace with the eighth ranked Flyers (3-2 winners over Tampa Bay). Instead, they allowed their hated opponents to get the early jump on them courtesy of a Brendan Shanahan breakaway tally just 1:29 in on a delayed penalty.

Though they finally settled down and put together a couple of very strong shifts where they had the Rangers pinned in, the Isles couldn’t bury their opportunities. It was eerily similar to the start the Rangers had the other night and ultimately pay the price for.

Instead of tying it, they saw the Blueshirts increase their lead to two when an open Avery neatly redirected a Marek Malik shot pass by Islander backup Wade Dubielewicz at 13:25. Some solid board work by rookie pivot Brandon Dubinsky kept a strong shift alive allowing the puck to go to Malik at the left point, who patiently waited for Avery to get in place before firing.

This is the same guy who draws the fans’ ire and can’t possibly stay in the lineup. He’s flawed. Everyone knows that but this guy isn’t nearly as brutal as the fans make him out to be. He’s been a key contributor during this run. It’s about time those fans found a new whipping boy. The guy imitating a traffic cone wearing No.55 might be a good start.

The Rangers outshot the Islanders 12-10 in the first but the second would be dominated by their nemesis. A couple of bad penalties by Malik and notably partner Michal Rozsival, whose half ass clearing attempt wound up in the stands for an easy Delay of Game call helped swing the momentum.

Though Nolan’s club couldn’t buy a power play goal if their lives depended on it, it did allow them to control the play and start getting their aggressive cycle going. Eventually, the hard work paid dividends when gritty third line winger Sean Bergenheim’s wrister deflected off Malik and Rozsival past Henrik Lundqvist for his second in two games to slice the deficit in half at 10:34.

His ninth came from in close where he outmuscled a Ranger to get the shot off. Miroslav Satan and Richard Park picked up assists.

The Isles continued to play well attacking a suddenly vunerable Ranger D by getting pucks in and winning the battles along the boards. The problem was Lundqvist wasn’t cooperating. Unlike the other night where he struggled, the 26 year-old Swede was on top of his game making critical stops with all sorts of traffic in front. He would match his age with 26 saves by the game’s conclusion.

An undisciplined Avery high stick gave the Isles another man-advantage but once again, they couldn’t get anything done summing up the latest frustration.

“It’s awful. It’s awful,” disappointed team captain Bill Guerin later said of his team’s inabiity to score on the power play. “We’ve tried to figure it out. We’ve tried to do different things every game. I don’t know what it is.”

They entered just two for their last 41 over the past 10 contests. They took the collar in five chances Thursday night at Nassau Coliseum before a sellout mixed with both team’s fans.

After being outshot 14-5 and severely outplayed in the middle stanza, the Rangers came out much better in the final 20 outshooting the Isles 11-3 and scoring twice to put the contest away.

Just like the first, an early goal helped their cause when some hustle by improving freshman Nigel Dawes paid off. Having already assisted on Shanahan’s 22nd, the 23 year-old Manitoban this time was sprung by a Chris Drury pass but stopped by Dubielewicz. However, he hustled getting to the loose puck centering it to keep the play alive. Eventually, it came to Marc Staal who took a shot which Scott Gomez deflected home for his 15th only 72 seconds into the period.

It was Dawes’ second helper of the night giving him points in five of the last six. Over that span, he’s tallied three goals and four assists for seven points along with a plus-five rating. His rapid development since his recall from Hartford in mid-January has really transformed the Rangers into a well balanced offense with three lines capable of hurting you.

No longer can teams just hope to contain Jaromir Jagr and figure they’re guaranteed two points. Speaking of No.68, he might not have had any points but certainly played well and easily could’ve had three or four points. His work was real diligent along the boards and generated several opportunities such as a gimme for Avery, who somehow hit the post on an NHL version of a slam dunk. What Jagr is doing better now is moving with and without the puck making him a more difficult cover and creating more space for teammates.

Avery added an empty netter for his 13th with 58 ticks left to put the finishing touches on a solid night in which his team gained ground on the idle Pens cutting their division lead to four points.

For the Isles, it was extremely disappointing. Especially given how they prevailed the other night and with the Flyers getting a Jeff Carter third period tally last night to hurt even more. With 13 games left, the Isles trail them by five points with Philly holding an extra game at hand.

“We’re going to have to win a lot of those, and some people are going to have to lose,” a philosophical Guerin pointed out of having to jump over three teams with not much time remaining in their season.

“Nobody is quitting. We’re going to keep going and see where everything falls after 82 games.”

They’ll hope for similar end results a la last year’s miraculous final week with Dubielewicz playing the unlikely hero. Speaking of which, there were a few questions as to why the likeable backup got the nod with All-Star No.1 Rick DiPietro back with the club.

It’s not like he played poorly in turning aside 24 of 27 with the three Ranger goals all coming on quality chances with poor defensive breakdowns.

“He’s a hot hand,” Nolan explained. “You can second-guess yourself, ifs, ands, buts and everything else. I mean, Dubielewicz has been playing well. Ricky’s had three or four days off. It’s kind of unfair to put him into a situation like this. Now, he’s got two practices, and he’ll run with it from here on in.”

“It would’ve been nice to be the hero, but what can you do?” Dubielewicz observed. “You can’t sit around and pout and worry about it now. I’ve got to regroup and start working hard and get ready if I’m going to get another chance to play.”

Would DiPietro have fared any better given how the Rangers got their offense? Highly debatable. He’s their franchise goalie but Dubi was 2-0 vs the NYR for his career and had played well in the last two games.

I’m not going to kill Nolan here. Ultimately, his team just didn’t play with the kind of consistency in all facets to come away with the ‘W.’

They’ll just have to regroup quickly when they visit those eighth seeded Flyers tomorrow night in what amounts to must win. And by that, I mean regulation with Philly getting absolutely nothing.

Notes: More than half Avery’s goals have come in the last 13 games. He has 10 points (6-4-10) in his last 10 contests. … Staal, who notched an assist was very impressive in this game taking the body and making up for shaky partner Christian Backman, who somehow wound up plus-two. Yes. He’s new and was a little better with his decision making last night but it’s clear as day that the ex-Blue has zero confidence and needs a few practices to work with the staff. … With a goal tonight, Bergenheim has three points in his last four and continues to improve for the Isles. The former 2002 first round pick has already established career highs in games (65), goals (9), assists (11), points (20) and penalty minutes (50). … Rangers visit slumping Boston Sunday in what amounts to a game for sixth. They lead the B’s by two points after Boston was thumped by the Leafs 8-2.