Ranger Blues at Home Continues

NHLHS writer Brandon Augienello gives his post game thoughts on the New York Rangers recent downfall.

Down 3-2 early in the third period, the New York Rangers had a glorious opportunity to tie the game, when they were on a 1:17 two-man advantage. But being that this is, infact the Rangers we are talking about here, the end result was as typical as it was painful.

Not only did the Rangers fail to score, they didn’t even produce a single quality scoring chance. And while they did briefly tie the visitng St. Louis Blues, with a blueline softie from Wade Redden (this isn’t a typo), the Rangers did inevitably fall victim at home, yet again, by the score of 4-3.

The game winning Blues goal came from the stick of Paul Kariya, the 400th of his National Hockey League career. Pardon the Rangers fans in attendance for not congratulating the 16 year veteran on this outstanding achievement, they were too busy lustily booing the team that has failed them time and time again this season. This now puts their Madison Square Garden record at a dismal 15-17-6. Not exactly home cooking on 33rd Street and 7th Avenue.

The contest started off on the wrong foot, when Brad Boyes scored, just a little over a minute into the first. To their credit, which is something they don’t deserve  much of, the Rangers responded with a power play goal by Ryan Callahan knotting the game at 1-1. Marian Gaborik, who by game’s end notched his eighth three point game of the season, put the Rangers up 2-1 late in the first period. That goal put him three shy of the impressive 40-goal mark.

In the second period though, the misery began.

Despite the Blueshirts escaping the first period with a lead, they were sloppy in their own end and allowed too much open space for the visitors to skate with. And since the Rangers were never known for having luck on their side, they lost the lead and in a hurry.

When you think of Mike Weaver, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Okay, like me, you must have answered a good stay at home defenseman that couldn’t shoot the puck into the wide side of the ocean from the edge of a pier…right? Well, on this night, we would have all been wrong, as he tied the score at 2-2, with his first goal since the invention of the automobile, pouncing on a Chris Drury defensive zone turnover. Erik Johnson, the standout United States Olympian, gave the Blues the lead that they would maintain until almost midway through the third period.

Early in that third period saw the turning point and the eventual downfall of the Rangers on this night.

With Johnson and fellow Blues defensemen Roman Polak both in the penalty box for delay of game calls, the Rangers, as I alluded to earlier, had a glorious chance to not only tie the game, but take momentum back from St. Louis. But these are the Rangers, don’t you know, why in the world would they want to make life easy for themselves? Inexplicably unable to find a good shooting angle, even being up two men, the Rangers managed just one feeble shot on goal and infuriate the loyal fans in the process.

That wasn’t the only thing angering the crowd. Henrik Lundqvist, who is usually the anchor on this team, sunk the Rangers on this night with probably his worst performance of the season. On just 16 shots on goal, Lundqvist allowed four pucks to find the back of his net. That kind of save percentage is good…if he were an indoor lacrosse goaltender. Not to say every goal was his fault, but there is absolutely zero margin for error for the man known as King Henrik. On this night, he let them down, but he knows he did and he is not making any excuses for himself.

“I don’t know what to say except that it’s really frustrating and disappointing not to get the two points tonight,” said Lundqvist, who finished with 12 saves. “I know that I have to play better.”

On this team Hank, you are not alone!

Brandon Augienello
NHLHS Senior Writer
brandon@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @HockeyGuy_B