If you want your Rangers analysis three to four days late and about as half-assed as possible, well, my friend, you have come to the right place.
KEY PLAYERS:
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17
TORONTO @ NYR:
Mixing up the lines may not have really paid off with any goals, but it got several players moving in the right direction, which is always good. If Tom Renney sticks with these combinations and they really start to gel, the Rangers could have one of the deepest clubs in the East.
DAWES-GOMEZ-CALLAHAN: The trio was effective but after the Leafs started their steady march to the box, they didn't get a ton of even-strength ice time together. That being said, Gomez was re-energized, as was Nigel Dawes, and the line was generally very effective. Of course that's all relative in a sixty-five minute long game in which zero goals were scored, but still effective nonetheless.
Dawes: Welcome back Nigel Dawes. Where have you been? While it's difficult to say for certain that the line shuffling was the only factor in his reappearance, it's obvious that it at least sparked him a bit. Dawes was much more a factor in this game than he's been of late. He only recorded two shots on goal but was dangerous at least three or four other occasions.
Gomez: Scotty played one of his best games in weeks. He created for his linemates, made effective use of his speed--the penalty he drew in overtime comes to mind--and was very apparent on most shifts. He himself nearly scored on two separate occasions: while being knocked to the ice early in the second and in the third during the heart-drop-kicking stretch of play that was filled with the sound of pucks pinging off iron.
FRITSCHE-DRURY-NASLUND
Fritsche: Fritsche wasn't bad. He had four shots, nearly connected on a few other chances and made a case to stay in the lineup.
Drury: Drury had been an absolute non-factor in almost every Ranger game since coming home from Prague. Obviously that can be said about all three of the forwards on the top line, but clearly, that's why they were broken up tonight. Drury had a few high quality scoring chances, including a chip shot from in front of Toskala's cage late in the second. He was unafraid to lob pucks toward the Toronto net as he was credited with three shots, three misfired bids and two attempts that were blocked.
Naslund: If the Rangers stop winning games, the media will sink their teeth into the guy. [Yes I'm aware that I say that on a daily basis, keep quiet.] It'd be a stretch to say he's been bad, but he hasn't been good either. He's here to score. Period. He's not even getting off shots. Since Prague, he's been an absolute no-show.
ZHERDEV-DUBINSKY-VOROS: The line found itself again after the forgettable game against Buffalo. Voros was a physical presence several times, Zherdev dazzled with his skills--how about that spin-o-rama at center and the shot get got off while lying on his back to Toskala's left?--and Dubinsky was adequate. We haven't seen the rushes up ice carrying the mail from Dubi we had been accustomed to. I'm curious as to why.
SJOSTROM-BETTS-ORR
Sjostrom obviously deserves some praise for burying the shootout winner. Orr was noticeable, winning several board battles and drawing a penalty. And give it up to Blair Betts who played a whopping--and team leading--3:42 on a perfect Rangers penalty kill.
VESA TOSKALA:
This guy, albeit with a little bit of help from the iron behind him, somehow managed to keep every Ranger attempt out of the net tonight for 65 minutes, AND LOSE THE GAME! Poor bastard. I hope someone took his skate laces away.
With the performance, Vesa immediately becomes the most famous and well-known Finn since World's Strongest Man, Janne Virtanen:
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17
TORONTO @ NYR:
Mixing up the lines may not have really paid off with any goals, but it got several players moving in the right direction, which is always good. If Tom Renney sticks with these combinations and they really start to gel, the Rangers could have one of the deepest clubs in the East.
DAWES-GOMEZ-CALLAHAN: The trio was effective but after the Leafs started their steady march to the box, they didn't get a ton of even-strength ice time together. That being said, Gomez was re-energized, as was Nigel Dawes, and the line was generally very effective. Of course that's all relative in a sixty-five minute long game in which zero goals were scored, but still effective nonetheless.
Dawes: Welcome back Nigel Dawes. Where have you been? While it's difficult to say for certain that the line shuffling was the only factor in his reappearance, it's obvious that it at least sparked him a bit. Dawes was much more a factor in this game than he's been of late. He only recorded two shots on goal but was dangerous at least three or four other occasions.
Gomez: Scotty played one of his best games in weeks. He created for his linemates, made effective use of his speed--the penalty he drew in overtime comes to mind--and was very apparent on most shifts. He himself nearly scored on two separate occasions: while being knocked to the ice early in the second and in the third during the heart-drop-kicking stretch of play that was filled with the sound of pucks pinging off iron.
FRITSCHE-DRURY-NASLUND
Fritsche: Fritsche wasn't bad. He had four shots, nearly connected on a few other chances and made a case to stay in the lineup.
Drury: Drury had been an absolute non-factor in almost every Ranger game since coming home from Prague. Obviously that can be said about all three of the forwards on the top line, but clearly, that's why they were broken up tonight. Drury had a few high quality scoring chances, including a chip shot from in front of Toskala's cage late in the second. He was unafraid to lob pucks toward the Toronto net as he was credited with three shots, three misfired bids and two attempts that were blocked.
Naslund: If the Rangers stop winning games, the media will sink their teeth into the guy. [Yes I'm aware that I say that on a daily basis, keep quiet.] It'd be a stretch to say he's been bad, but he hasn't been good either. He's here to score. Period. He's not even getting off shots. Since Prague, he's been an absolute no-show.
ZHERDEV-DUBINSKY-VOROS: The line found itself again after the forgettable game against Buffalo. Voros was a physical presence several times, Zherdev dazzled with his skills--how about that spin-o-rama at center and the shot get got off while lying on his back to Toskala's left?--and Dubinsky was adequate. We haven't seen the rushes up ice carrying the mail from Dubi we had been accustomed to. I'm curious as to why.
SJOSTROM-BETTS-ORR
Sjostrom obviously deserves some praise for burying the shootout winner. Orr was noticeable, winning several board battles and drawing a penalty. And give it up to Blair Betts who played a whopping--and team leading--3:42 on a perfect Rangers penalty kill.
VESA TOSKALA:
This guy, albeit with a little bit of help from the iron behind him, somehow managed to keep every Ranger attempt out of the net tonight for 65 minutes, AND LOSE THE GAME! Poor bastard. I hope someone took his skate laces away.
With the performance, Vesa immediately becomes the most famous and well-known Finn since World's Strongest Man, Janne Virtanen:
[Thank God for Janne. I have a seriously critical lack of ammo for Finnish pop culture jokes and I was clutching at straws over here. He saved the day.]
[Via BTInternet]
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