Slow start cost Rangers versus Hudson rival

October 23, 2009   ·   Derek Felix   ·   Jump to comments

It’d be obvious to say the breaks didn’t go the Rangers way tonight. Or what should be known as THE BREAK that allowed their close Hudson rival to come away with two points in a hard fought 4-2 win at MSG.

Sometimes, that’s how it is. So, a grittier Devil team did what they had to do in taking the second game in the Battle of Hudson. Once again, the road club prevailed. Truth be told, the Devils were hungrier to the puck and got a just reward. Something my brother, who celebrates a birthday today was quick to point out back at the car for the trip back.

Credit Dainius Zubrus for being in the right place at the right time to cash in on teammate Zach Parise’s hustle. Is there ever a night/shift the Zach Attack ever takes off? We already know the answer. As much as he annoys me like one of those gnats which keeps jabbing at you during the summer, No.9 is easy to respect. Oh. He was good again factoring into three of the Devs’ four including a beauty over Henrik Lundqvist’s glove that finished off a breakaway. Plus the empty netter to boot which I quickly bolted for the staircase.

Parise is the Devils’ best player. Even on a night where Martin Brodeur was strong, it was the guy that got away from our team and the Islanders in 2003 that got it done, helping MB30 get his first Garden win in forever. Well, it just felt that way. Screw the fantasy points. I’d have preferred a Ranger ‘W’ but it wasn’t in the cards. Now if only the damn Candy Canes could get some goals for Cam Ward. Another great No.30. What is it about that number and goalies? King Henrik probably thought he should’ve had Zubrus’ weird winner but how can anyone fault the man who kept us afloat after a dreadful opening 20 in which they didn’t compete?

So, how did I sum up such a dismal first following that stinker against San Jose? To the Devil fan I know who’s married to a Ranger gal Jill I also know well, I said:

“They played like a bunch of ______.“

You can fill in the blank as you like. My Ranger pal Mikey chuckled and said:

“Hey Derek, what is this? Slap Shot?“

Yes. In that moment, I channeled Reggie Dunlop (legendary Paul Newman). How I love that movie. It was on Versus a couple of weeks prior and watched with the Pop, chuckling at all the classic remarks along with The Hansons. Yes. I wanted Old Time Hockey played by my guys. And I’m not referring to Mr. Avery, who apparently isn’t allowed to throw a clean check on Mike Mottau, who did a nice job fending for himself even if Sean got the knockdown. That was the only time we heard from Avery all game. Yep. Even I noticed how unoticeable he was. Could care less if he forced his fave goalie to make a save with a routine wrister late. He stunk.

Got no problem with Mottau standing up for himself. And like our NJD blogger, I also thought it was a good statement that they’re not putting up with it. Which brings this question. So, a non-fighter like Mike Mottau can throw ‘em but not one guy wearing Ranger colors ever does the same thing. Why is that?

So, it was only natural that two unchecked Devs scored gimmes. Where was our D? Jacques Lemaire made an adjustment in that first. Oh. He trapped us to death taking away the neutral zone. But he also instructed his players to move the puck quickly and chip it behind our aggressive D, which is designed to stand up at the blueline and cheat under John Tortorella. That led to both goals in a dominant first for the road warriors. For some reason, it was like Tort’s bunch never saw a trap before. If the Devils played like chickens without heads in the second as described by Hasan, the very same applied to the Rangers that forgettable first.

Screw whatever the shots were. Our seven stunk. Unfortunately, falling behind a pair against Lemaire’s Devs wasn’t a good recipe. Oh. Sure. The Rangers were much better in the second scoring twice while outshooting New Jersey by a healthy 13-6 margin. Yes. For as putrid as they were early, the guys in home red, white and blue dominated the second using goals from Marian Gaborik (a laser 7 secs into a PP) and Ales Kotalik (forehand deke) to tie following a great save by Lundqvist that prevented 3-1. A huge save on one end while his counterpart got beat on the other.

None of it mattered in the third once Zubrus found a way to score even if it was bizarre. He got his first also cause of a dumb neutral zone turnover right into the teeth of the Devils that allowed them to shift from D to offense. Where have we seen this before? Same old script. They cashed in and then blanketed our guys the final 12:09. Oh. Sure. They got 11 shots forcing Brodeur to be good but it was one particular sequence before that cameback to bite when Gaborik forced Marty into a turnover. But Brandon Dubinsky and Co. couldn’t finish.

You have to bury such opportunities. The Rangers didn’t and paid dearly. Sure. The officials missed a couple of obvious tugs on jerseys. Most noteworthy being Bryce Salvador on Vinny Prospal. There was also a similar illegality in the final 100 seconds which went undetected. Hey. If you can get away with it, why not?

It was there for the taking but our guys just weren’t on the same page. For all the talk of Michal Rozsival and how God awful a fit he is for this system, I’ve had it with Matt Gilroy. He’s been brutal for a while and it’s time for the cynics to not give the former Hobey Baker winner a free pass. He was terrible. The guy never takes the body and has been frequently caught out of position while young pup Michael Del Zotto plays the man much better and is poised beyond his years. It’s time for the coaching staff to get through to Gilroy because if he continues to regress, get Mathieu Dandeneault signed already or call up someone.

One final thought on a bad night for me with the Rangers and Yankees again thanks to The Genius, who couldn’t run a pen to save his life. Two games in a row I ran into Dancin’ “Homo” Larry coming in. Both losses. Any questions?

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Nicklas Bergfors (1st career NHL goal, 2 SOG, hit, plus-one in 17:33)

2nd Star-Zach Parise (2 goals-4, 5 plus assist, 2 SOG, blocked shot, plus-two in 19:49)

1st Star-Dainius Zubrus (GWG w/12:09 left, 1st of season, 3 SOG, 3 hits, blocked shot, 7-6 draws in 15:16)