Well, first game and the Rangers and Lightning are scoreless after one at the O2 Arena in Prague. Not for lack of quality scoring chances. That’s for sure. Both goalies have come up big thus far with Henrik Lundqvist bailing his team out making at least four saves point plank due to sloppy defensive play from the Rangers.

Mike Smith has also looked good not allowing any rebounds and making a couple of nice stops on good setups off the forecheck.

I’d give the edge to the Lightning as they were the more dangerous team offensively transitioning the puck from D to offense and getting in behind our D. That can’t happen over the next 40 minutes.

The Rangers got better as the period went on allowing just one Tampa shot over the last half of the stanza.

Other quick hits:

-As Lenny thankfully stated, Prucha is in and Sjostrom is out. He, Callahan and Korpikoski looked good in that period putting together a couple of solid energetic shifts. Korp doesn’t look tight at all even getting some PK duty.

-Kalinin as said is a nightmare. He’s awful and looks like a waste of space. Why is he paired up with Girardi? Yikes. He already was caught out of position 3-4 times and took the only Ranger penalty.

-Redden for the most part looked okay with Rozsival but did have a glaring turnover at his own blueline leading directly to a 3-on-1 rush but Artytukhin missed the net.

-Drury and Gomez both look good using their skating to generate chances including a mini shorthanded bid by the new Ranger captain and a nice setup from Gomer to Voros, who was denied.

-Zherdev also had a decent period getting one very good chance.

-Nice to see Rozsival shoot the puck. He attempted at least three getting them on net.
-D pairings I hate are Staal with Mara and Kalinin with Girardi. Staal should be with Girardi and Kalinin with Mara. Poor Girardi.

That’s all for now. I’ll be back later.