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Game 6: NYR-WAS, Finally A Familiar Foe |
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After with what could best be called a nightmarish West Coast swing, the Rangers remain on the road, but at least return to facing Eastern Conference foes the next three games before finishing the nine-game roadie against the Red Wings. Tonight's opponent is a familiar one, with the Blueshirts in DC to take on the Capitals, who they faced four of the last five years in the playoffs, including eliminating them in seven games last season in the first round.
The Rangers will be without Rick Nash, who was placed on the IR with concussion symptoms with no set timetable for his return, in addition, New York will be without Michael Del Zotto, who is sidelined with the flu. In Nash's stead and following the waiving of Arron Asham, the Rangers called up JT Miller and he will dress tonight. In addition, without MDZ, John Moore gets a shot at top line PP duty alongside Stepan, Brassard, Richards and Callahan.
The lineup tonight is:
Brad Richards-Derick Brassard-Ryan Callahan
Benoit Pouliot-Derek Stepan-Mats Zuccarello
Taylor Pyatt-Brian Boyle-Jesper Fast
J.T. Miller-Dominic Moore-Derek Dorsett
Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi
Marc Staal-Anton Stralman
Justin Falk-John Moore
Henrik Lundqvist will make his fifth start of the season.
Larry Brooks had some great information in his column today as to the difficulties the Rangers are having with Alain Vigneault's system and the impact to date with those struggles.
So read it and weep: The Blueshirts not only had been outscored 25-9 overall before facing Washington, but by an even more staggering 16-4 at 5-on-5 and 19-4 at even strength. Seven players are minus-five or worse, and that group includes presumptive linchpins Derek Stepan, Marc Staal and Dan Girardi (all minus-seven) as well as Ryan Callahan (minus-six) and Ryan McDonagh (minus-five). (The best way to view those numbers is that one would hope things could only get better).
Richards, who has recorded four goals and has been the club’s best player by a considerable margin, referred to changes in the Rangers’ neutral-zone defensive posture as an explanation — but not an excuse — for the widespread breakdowns in coverage against the rush.
“Basically, there’s a difference in when we pressure the puck in the neutral zone,” he said. “With Torts, the forwards went to the puck right away and the defense read off that.
“Now, it’s more that we want to push the puck into the middle and form a triangle where we push out and read off that. There’s an adjustment there, and if there’s a delay in reacting and the difference because of that is four or five feet, it may not sound like a lot, but it is,” Richards said. “You give up way too much ice and the other team can crisscross and create chances.”
(It's the difference between muscle and brain memory and having to think before you make a move. The game is so fast that one split second delay to think rather than react and the puck is either going the other way or the chance is lost. This too should come with time, but Brooks also wrote that the Rangers know there are certain mistakes that are system agnostic, which should not happen. Cleaning up those mistakes will go a long way to helping right the ship while the team works out the kinks in adjusting to the new system).
Carl Hagelin, who is on LTIR following offseason shoulder surgery, has been cleared for contact beginning in tomorrow's practice. He is eligible to return after missing 10 games or on October 29.
One more thing, the team is five games into the year. Granted, they haven't played well, save for the LA game and signs of life Saturday, but we all spoke about giving the system time to embed and not panicking. Unfortunately, I see everyone or way too many ready to jump off the ledge or blow up the team. Can we all just wait a bit to see if the system takes and if that expected improvement happens before discussing deals and how to remake and revamp this team?
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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