Mr. Clutch delivers again

April 1, 2008   ·   Derek Felix   ·   Jump to comments

 

Mr. Clutch once again delivered for the Rangers. When they needed it most with the playoff race extremely tight entering the season’s final week, Chris Drury scored another big goal, tallying on the power play in overtime to lift his desperate club past the Atlantic leading Penguins 2-1 last night at Madison Square Garden.

Having already assisted on the weirdest power play goal you’ll ever see (Jaromir Jagr got credit for his 21st after video replays on Versus Network confirmed that Scott Gomez’ high stick never touched the puck with it instead going off Rob Scuderi’s glove banking off Marc-Andre Fleury- got all that?), Drury delivered a money goal in OT when he got to a loose puck and wired his club best 24th through a Gomez screen past Fleury to lift the Blueshirts to a huge win.

“His [Drury] positioning is as good a compliment as anyone can pay because he is really good at that,” a happy Rangers coach Tom Renney expressed after his team pulled even with the idle Devils for fourth in the conference- a point better than Ottawa with three games left.

If the former Sabre was barely noticeable during a disappointing first half, the crafty two-way pivot has been the total opposite morphing into his team’s best player during this critical stretch. Not surprisingly, the respectable man who grew up a Ranger fan has scored many big goals during a two month span which has seen his underachieving club imitate last year by coming on strong to get back into playoff position. They need one more win to insure a third straight berth this Spring.

“I never think of my game in that light,” Mr. Clutch replied about his flair for the dramatic. During a nine-year NHL career with four teams which has included a Calder Trophy and Stanley Cup with the Avalanche along with leading Buffalo to a President’s Trophy a year prior and within a game of the Finals in 2005-06, Drury’s managed to make his goals count saving a vast majority for big moments.

How else to explain the high percentage (20.3) of his 217 goals which resulted in deciding tallies?

“I just play my same game. Just go hard every shift.”

It’s no accident. Anyone who’s followed his career knows better than to doubt Drury when the game’s on the line.

So, can a Drury-led Ranger team make some playoff noise assuming they clinch? Sure. But there remain questions about why under Renney’s system that they don’t score more goals. There’s certainly enough talent. Even if Jagr’s not what he once was along with savvy vet Brendan Shanahan, who left with a lower body injury, there’s plenty of talent on this roster.

Especially with Gomez continuing to play through rib pain at a high level notching two helpers to hike his team-leading point total to 71 (16-55-71). Marty Straka and Sean Avery are perfect complementary speedy wings who can play in any situation. The rookie trio of Brandon Dubinsky, Nigel Dawes and Ryan Callahan continue to play well getting very involved physically on the forecheck while generating quality chances.

In particular, Dawes had a standout game coming close to setting up a couple of goals if not for two posts which rejected linemate Callahan and himself off an impressive sequence. Both forwards were outstanding.

On this night, the same couldn’t be said for the usually detail oriented Dubinsky, who got caught trying to stick up for Jagr after a Brooks Orpik healthy check and never got back in the proper position on Pens’ forward Max Talbot’s tying marker with 9:57 remaining in regulation. While it was commendable that the 21 year-old from Anchorage, Alaska was so eager to stand up for his gifted linemate, it wasn’t the right time. Especially when his club was nursing a one-goal lead in which they’d played extremely well in controlling large portions. They needed it after losing a tough one by the identical 2-1 score which eliminated them from taking the division.

By at least getting it to OT, the Pens on the other hand are now at 100 points- two better than the Habs for home ice in the East. They also need just one point to clinch their first Atlantic in over a decade. Either a combination of a point in their final two games or a Devil OT loss will allow Pittsburgh to wrap it up. The Devils have two extra games left including a visit to Long Island later tonight. The Pens will host the Flyers tomorrow.

Notes: Both goalies were once again excellent for a second straight day with Fleury razor sharp in making 25 stops for the hard luck loss while Henrik Lundqvist turned aside 21 of 22. … After connecting twice more in five tries, the Ranger power play has actually scored in three straight going a remarkable five-for-12. … D Marek Malik sat out a third game in a row with Paul Mara again taking his place while effectively working with new partner Christian Backman, who looked much more confident with the puck in all facets. … Rangers have a couple of days off before a home-and-home with the Islanders starting Thursday at Nassau Coliseum.