And The Response Is?

The Rangers meet up for the second time this season with the hapless Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at the Air Canada Centre. The Rangers kicked the shit out of them at MSG last week 7-2 without playing the second period... but the story was the running Henrik Lundqvist.

Donald Brashear will be back in the lineup tonight but having him last time didn't deter Jamal Mayers from blatantly running Lundqvist. Amazingly the two morons posing as referees somehow missed this call. If Sean Avery did this to a goalie he's be suspended 50 games.

Coach Tortorella responded saying, "I don't believe we should go as far in protecting goaltenders as the NFL does in protecting quarterbacks, but if it's blatant, the way it was Monday with Jamal Mayers, that needs to be called,". Let's just hope that Tortorella is saying the right things... but will also do the right thing. The coach holds his players accountable but will he hold the opposition's?

My answer... there must be a response tonight either against Mayers or whatever goalie the Leafs start. The message needs to go out loud and clear that "The King" is untouchable. I don't need to see Brashear fight Colton Orr... go get Mayers. If the Rangers win and nothing is done about this... it will go down as a loss in my book.

Mr. Softie

When the Rangers signed Ales Kotalik for 3 years at $3 million per, I was skeptical. The word out of Buffalo was that he was soft... takes nights off... he won't go in the corners. He's basically the older poor man's Nikolai Zherdev (talk about a guy that takes nights off), without the "upside". When Vinny Prospal joined the team and Brandon Dubinsky signed the glut at forward was obvious.

Coach John Tortorella won't allow Kotalik to take nights off here. Players will be held accountable and they will sit if they do (see $5 mil a year Michal Rozsival). In an earlier post on The Beat (Rangers Trying to Ground A.O.) I guessed that Enver Lisin would be the odd man out when Sean Avery came back. I didn't think Tortorella would put a player making $3 million on the fourth line... he surprised me again. Although no one else covering the Rangers seems to be aware that Lisin and Kotalik have rotated on the fourth in every game since Avery returned.

Kotalik has responded by doing the opposite of what I heard of him. He's working hard every shift... He's throwing hits... he's going in the corners, winning battles and when you put him on the power play he's scoring. He's helped change the dynamic of the power play and that's what he was brought here to do.

He has 3 goals and 4 assists in 7 games as a Ranger. Asked to play on the fourth line he has put his head down and done what has been asked. You don't hear any complaints from him and you won't. People can say Kotalik is making too much but he's doing exactly what he was brought here to do so far... with a lot less ice time than he's used to.

Sometimes It Takes One...

Coach John Tortorella's style of play leaves teams out of gas in the third period... that's when the Rangers turn on the after burners. They have outscored the opposition 12-4 in the third coming into tonight's game against the Los Angeles Kings. But tonight, the afterburners didn't fire. The Blueshirts managed 1 shot on goal in the third... but boy was it an incredible shot.

The Rangers were outplayed tonight by a young and hungry King team. They looked like a tired team in playing their third game in four nights. "You just find a way to win when you're not on-and we were not on. We were behind in every facet of the game but we still found a way to win". Coach Tortorella added, "That's a good sign". Especially against one of the hottest teams in the league that also hadn't lost since opening night.

The problem for the Kings was that they were facing "The King". Henrik Lundqvist again was fabulous but again was run over 2 or 3 times. Would've been nice to have Donald Brasheer go after someone but he was a late scratch with an undisclosed injury. Make no mistake, Lundqvist stole this game for the Rangers and was named the first star. He made several beautiful saves highlighted by robbing Teddy Purcell point blank on a rebound with a seemingly wide open net in the first.

Vinny Prospal got the night started with a power play deflection of Michael Del Zotto's shot for his 200th NHL goal. Ryan Smyth came back with a deflection of his own just 1:10 later. A two man advantage and a brilliant Prospal feed left Ryan Callahan with a wide open net but the pass surprised him. He had a couple of whacks at it before Prospal slid around back of the net and popped it in off Kings goalie Erik Ersberg. But other than the power play (odd to have the PP be a strength) the Rangers could get little going in this one.

Brian Boyle opened the second period scoring against his former team off a nice feed from Michal Rozsival, who was otherwise disastrous. Boyle rang his first as a Ranger off the post, then Ersberg and in. Aaron Voros immediately dropped the gloves at the side of the net with Sean O'Donnell and had one of his patented throw 4 punches and fall over fights... it was a good one. The Kings answered again as Michal Handzus deflected Jack Johnson's wrist shot in for a power play goal and the score was 3-2 heading into the third.

Now the 1 third period shot I was talking about... yeah that was taken by Marian Gaborik so it wasn't really so much of a shot but a canon. Gaborik made a play in the defensive zone to get the puck around to Dan Girardi, then flew the zone. Vinny Prospal blindly threw the puck toward Gaborik who calmly gathered the puck with one hand as the pass was behind him... strolled down the left side to the hash... and unleashed one of the sickest snap shots I've ever seen. Top right corner in the blink of an eye. You pretty much felt bad for Erik Ersberg as no one could've stopped this thing. One big shot and one huge goal. The Rangers held on despite being outshot 10-1 in the third to win their 6th in a row, beating the Kings 4-2.

Notes:
Marian Gaborik made sure to pick up the puck on Prospal's 200th. Later while shorthanded on an empty net elected to be unselfish and slide the puck to Prospal for his hat trick but Jack Johnson swatted it out of mid air. Marian Gaborik is looking to be your other assistant captain and should be... Would've been nice if Brian Boyle had gotten a star in this game being that he scored against his old team and it was the game winner... Ales Kotalik had two assists and hit the post again... Michael Del Zotto leads all rookies in points with 2 goals and 5 assists... Gaborik leads the team with 6 goals, all scored in the third.

Rolling...

The Rangers won their 5th in a row last night beating a win less team in blowout fashion. They pummeled the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-2. The last time the Rangers scored 7 goals was on April 1st, 2007 against the Leafs with the identical score (been a while since we've seen goals... it's nice). Sean Avery had two goals in that one... he went to work in this one too. The Rangers scored them all while taking the second period off and being bailed out by the fantastic goaltending of Henrik Lundqvist.

"We were dominant from the start and came out strong in the second but then we stopped playing, so Torts wasn't very happy," said Vinny Prospal. Whatever Tortorella said in the locker room... and I'm sure he said a bunch... worked because the Blueshirts came out and just buried the Leafs with four goals in the third. Two by Sean Avery giving him 3 points two games since returning from a sprained knee.

Wade Redden continued his resurgence with a goal and two assists. He's been very good this year so far... not $6.5 million good... but good. Dan Girardi is the playing the best he has in a while and scored 2 more giving him 3 in his last 2 games. Marian Gaborik continued his torrid pace with another goal and assist giving him 9 points in his first 6 games.

The L.A. Kings are coming in tomorrow and it will be a much bigger challenge for the Rangers. I will be there in the blue seats in section 403.... gettin' after it. Expect the Blueshirts to maintain their focus in this one...

Notes:

Colton Orr returned and went at it with Donald Brashear 10 minutes into the first. It was a good scrap with the edge going to Brashear.... Christopher Higgins continues to play well but can't score but I expect a breakout from him soon.

Domintation...

The Rangers absolutely demolished the Anaheim Ducks tonight at the Garden. The final was 3-0 but the score was not reflective of the play. The Blueshirts hit 3 or 4 posts and the Ducks were never allowed in this game.

What can you say? Every player did their job tonight including backup goalie Steve Valiquette, who got his first start of the season. His biggest test came after a Marc Staal (first bad play this year) turnover in the second left Todd Marchant walking in alone. Valiquette calmly turned it aside in route to the shutout.

The third period began scoreless though the Rangers had outshot the Ducks 24-12. Marian Gaborik continued his point streak carrying the puck on the power play from the right corner to the point. He made a sick move and pass to Michael Del Zotto who slid it down to Ales Kotalik in the bottom left circle for a one timer. Though he didn't get all of it and Scott Niedermeyer deflected it, it had enough to get through J.S. Giguere for a 1-0 Ranger lead.

Sean Avery also made his season debut and was solid. He played on the third line with Enver Lisin and Ales Kotalik taking turns with the fourth line in Aaron Voros' place. Avery saw some power play time in the third and made a play to Vinny Prospal from behind the net. Prospal fed Artem Anismov on a bang-bang play for his first NHL goal.

Dan Girardi and Marc Staal (except for the turnover) were just dominant in their own zone. Girardi added a short-handed empty netter from the corner of his own ice. He deserved it. Wade Redden played solidly again in what could be a statement year for him.

It's so refreshing to watch a team that is coached the right way. The Rangers just never stopped coming. Even with a 2-0, they turned up the heat. Anaheim did not have one quality scoring chance in the third. The Rangers are really starting to look like a team and one thing is for sure... they will not be outworked.

Notes:

Gaborik has scored a point in every game as a Ranger (4 goals, 3 Assists)... Brian Boyle continues to impress and be a good penalty killer... Henrik Lundqvist will be back in net against Toronto at the Garden tomorrow... Michal Rozsival responded from his benching with a strong effort... Refs believe it or not called a good game... amazing.

You Get What You Pay For...

What an effort by Rangers at the Verizon Center against Alexander Ovechkin and company. The Blueshirts dominated at even strength... but unfortunately this is the NHL so there was no even strength play. I'm amazed they still can call this mess hockey. If someone skates by a stick and falls... penalty. And they wonder why no one watches their "big time" coverage, which takes place on a hunting channel that no one has ever heard of.

Embarrassingly bad calls to Brandon Dubinsky and Daniel Girardi (creating a 5 on 3) in the first provided some good laughs. Then an equally embarrassing non-call in the second when Brooks Laich water-skied off Michal Rozsival with a hook that was somehow deemed a clean play. It directly resulted in a quality scoring chance for the Caps. Rozsival's turnover in the first led to Alexander Semin's goal. He took a holding penalty 6:45 into the second... and didn't play another second. That's accountability.

Without Rozsival, the 5 man defense was incredible. Dan Girardi (24:04) and Marc Staal (23:57) were lights out holding Alex Ovechkin scoreless for the first time this season. He had been averaging 3 points a game coming in. Matt Gilroy was fantastic logging the most ice he has so far with 21:33. Wade Redden continues to be solid and logged 20:46. You just can's say enough about the poise and skill of Michael Del Zotto at 19 years old.

Ryan Callahan had an upper body injury earlier in the day and was questionable but played... and boy did he play. He was killing yet another power play in the second and was exhausted. With no gas in the tank he took the puck away from Alex Ovechkin and beat him and Semin down ice for a beautiful backhand goal through the legs of Jose Theodore. The penalty had just expired so it was not a short-handed goal.

The third line apparently has heard Sean Avery is coming back. With limited ice tonight, they were solid. They had great down low work in the second that resulted in a close quarters tic-tac-toe goal from Enver Lisin to Artem Anisimov to Ales Kotalik, who went back hand top-shelf. It was Anisimov's first NHL point. No one wants to sit on Sunday.

900 penalties in the game (2o minutes in minors through 2 or one period gone)... At one point Joe Micheletti couldn't even locate the Christopher Higgins penalty on replay. The Rangers were pressuring early in the second when Tom Poti stuck his stick through the legs of Dubinsky and blatantly took him down.. no call.

The Rangers handled adversity not only from the refs but from their goalie. Nicklas Backstrom got his first goal of the season with a harmless dump in that Henrik Lundqvist flat out missed. Backstrom later scored on... you guessed it... Washington's 90th power play of the night to put the Caps up 3-2.

Perfect excuse for the Rangers to collapse no? No... It's not a problem when you have Marian Gaborik. He responded :18 seconds later with a slap shot through the legs of Theodore. Gaborik scored again and essentially ended it 2:33 later on the power play after Del Zotto fed him perfectly through center. A wicked wrist shot through Theodore's legs again and the Blueshirts win 4-3. It ends up being as huge a win as you can have in October as this team continues to be resilient and build character.

Notes:
John Tortorella went with two forwards and one defenseman on 5 on 3 disadvantages... Donald Brasheer and Aaron Voros both took dumb penalties in the third... Chris Drury was amazing in this game doing all the things a leader should do (even though he's making $86,585 per game)... Christopher Higgins is getting stronger and more comfortable each game he plays... Vinny Prospal doing all the little things.

Rangers Trying to Ground A.O.

The Rangers are in D.C. tonight to try to stop the unstoppable Alexander Ovechkin. He has 9 points through 3 games this season while Niklas Backstrom has 8 assists. Oh yeah, and Alexander Semin has 4 goals and 3 assists. It'll be a nice welcome to the NHL for Michael Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy.

Steve Zipay of Newsday is reporting that Ryan Callahan may be questionable for tonight with an upper body injury and the Rangers have called 19-year-old Evgeny Grachev back up. He should've made the team out of camp anyway but there's just no room. Now with Sean Avery unable to go and possibly Callahan... there is. Avery is targeting a return Sunday vs. Anaheim.

The question remains who will sit when Avery comes back? Enver Lisin had an impressive preseason but has been quiet since the season started. Then again, Artem Anisimov hasn't exactly been stellar centering the third line other then preseason. It will definitely be one of those two and neither of them should be on the fourth line, which is operating very well with Brian Boyle, Aaron Voros and Donald Brasheer. They had some important third period minutes against the Devils the other night and dominated the puck down low.

My guess is Lisin will be the guy. But if Grachev comes in here tonight and plays well... well then we have a whole other list of questions....