Amazing Saint Nik The Difference

October 30, 2008   ·   Derek Felix   ·   Jump to comments

Just call him the amazing Saint Nik. As we get into the holiday spirit with Halloween ending with the best Ranger start in franchise history, first-year Blueshirt Nikolai Zherdev continues to be the story.

The 23 year-old Russian was the biggest Broadway star scoring a goal and setting up another in the club’s 3-2 home win over a feisty Thrasher club on All Hallow’s Eve. Their fourth straight victory allowed Tom Renney’s club to finish off the quickest start in Ranger history with the team finishing October 10-2-1 for a league best 21 points.

“We can’t mistake what we’re doing here for being great,” Renney later pointed out. “We’ve had moments of greatness in every game, but it’s about sustaining that.”

Not surprisingly, it didn’t come so easy against a team which entered winless in five having gotten blown out 7-0 on home ice by Philadelphia the other night. The Thrashers came with a much better effort and were rewarded with the game’s first goal. Something that’s become a Ranger habit. They entered 4-0-1 when allowing an opponent to get on the board first.

Veteran Russian forward Slava Kozlov was the recipient of a Todd White pass after the Atlanta pivot forced Dmitri Kalinin into a turnover and quickly found an uncovered Kozlov in the slot for a perfect wrist shot top shelf putting Atlanta in front 4:42 into the contest.

If there’s one characteristic to sum up this Ranger team thus far, it’s resilient. They don’t panic when the other team scores and stays with them. That was again on display when the resurgent Markus Naslund took a Marc Staal pass inside his own blueline and then outskated two Thrashers going coast to coast wiring a shot off the far post and in for his fourth extending his point streak to five (3-4-7).

That’s how the first ended tied. In the second, Atlanta handed the Rangers an early five-on-three but they got little done following a Naslund goal which got wiped out for a kick even though that didn’t seem the intention with it going off the heel into the net. Afterwards, they rarely tested Kari Lehtonen including a third straight power play which went for naught leaving it scoreless.

Despite the team firing blanks putting an MSG crowd to sleep, the two goalies took over with Lehtonen stopping all 14 his way while Henrik Lundqvist was also sharp denying all nine Atlanta shots sent his way.

It was during the Rangers’ fourth man-advantage in the period that a stellar defensive play by Zherdev saved a shorthanded bid and possibly a goal. With his teammates continuing to fiddle around with the puck, an aggressive Atlanta PK eventually broke out and sprung White for a breakaway. But as he was making his move, the hustling Russian skated full stride diving to make a clean poke check swiping the puck without taking a penalty keeping the game tied.

“The power play might be the simplest thing to play on the ice,” Renney duly noted. “We find a way to make it hard.”

During the club’s success, they’ve pointed to strong third periods which have helped them pull out tight games. Once again, that loomed large as the Rangers took their game up a notch though it wouldn’t have been possible without Saint Nik.

With another Ranger PP about to make more fans blue in time for trick or treating, a brilliant solo effort from Zherdev with a lightning quick backhand finish top shelf gave them a 2-1 lead at 6:58. The broken play which saw Paul Mara shoot the puck down trickled off Brandon Dubinsky before coming to a Thrasher. But before they could touch it, Zherdev snuck in stealing it and then made a dash for the net deking Lehtonen for his fifth bringing the crowd to their feet.

“He’s so good with the puck,” Lehtonen later admitted after finishing with 30 saves. “It looked like he was going to go all the way to the other side, but he was able to put it up very quickly before I even knew it. He’s just one of those guys that you don’t want to let alone in front of the net. Usually something bad happens.”

But the Thrashers weren’t deterred taking advantage of a Naslund hook thanks to second-year center Bryan Little, who was left isolated to deposit his fifth from White and Kozlov tying it again with 9:32 left.

That’s when another dynamic shift from Zherdev put the home club in front to stay. After coming from the bench, he called for the puck and Kalinin obliged and then watched as the dynamic Russian circled around the net drawing defenders centering the puck which then caromed right to an open Dan Girardi, who blasted it home with Lehtonen down at 13:33.

“I just work for the team. That’s it,” the Russian Saint Nik modestly explained.

It wasn’t all roses for the still learning former 2003 fourth overall pick who then took a needless roughing minor off a draw forcing his club to kill it off before nearly setting up Scott Gomez with another great skating exhibition.

Still, there was little doubt whose star shined brightest on this night.

Three Stars

3rd Star-Paul Mara, NYR (2 assists, 2 SOG, plus-one in 20:49)

2nd Star-Slava Kozlov, Atl (goal, assist, 2 SOG, plus-one in 15:23)

1st Star-Nikolai Zherdev, NYR (PPG, assist, 2 SOG, plus-two in 16:46)

Ranger Lines:

Dawes-Gomez-Callahan

Naslund-Drury-Zherdev

Voros-Dubinsky-Fritsche

Sjostrom-Betts-Orr

Scratches:

Petr Prucha

Patrick Rissmiller

Quick Hits:

-Atlanta sniper Ilya Kovalchuk was held without a point with two shots in 19:48 while posting a minus-two.

-The Thrashers won the faceoff battle 30-26 with Marty Reasoner going 10-7. The Rochester veteran had a strong game getting four SOG including a point blank chance with Lundqvist shutting the door. Gomez was the Blueshirts’ best on draws going 13-9.

-The teams combined to miss the net 29 times: Atl-12, NYR-17

-The physicality was about even with the Rangers edging the Thrashers 28-27 despite a game best six hits from Nathan Oystrick. The Blueshirts were more spread out with Staal, Mara and Ryan Callahan all getting three.

-The first period saw an entertaining scrap between enforcers Colton Orr and Eric Boulton with the two squaring off for several minutes making some wonder if it would ever end. The Ranger enforcer landed more to get the decision but give Boulton credit for staying in and landing a few haymakers. Refs also deserve kudos for allowing them to continue.

-Dan Fritsche took Petr Prucha’s spot playing on the third line getting 13 shifts (9:26) including one great chance generated by his skating moving in on Lehtonen but his backhand stuff try was foiled.

-Mara not only earned the game’s third star but also was quite busy wearing a mic for MSG talking it up with teammates. He really seems at ease and has a lot more confidence growing into a club leader. He and Staal have become the most formidable pair.

-Wade Redden was quiet again and Michal Rozsival struggled on the power play refusing to shoot. Memo: No.68 ain’t here anymore!

-Despite not having any luck finishing, Nigel Dawes played a solid game registering five shots including a pair of great opportunities with only Lehtonen denying them. It’s just a matter of time before they start going in.

-Rangers get today off before traveling up north to the Air Canada Center for a Hockey Night In Canada visit to Toronto. Figure fellow native Stephen Valiquette to get the nod.