Here's a look at Monday's game, with player-by-player grades for all the Rangers. I did the same for the Blackhawks game last Friday and, while each might be way too verbose to be interesting to anything with a pulse, they helped me get a good sense of how everyone did.
I'll try to do this as often as time permits, but maybe, somewhere along the line, I'll learn how to not write a book while I do it.
NASLUND-GOMEZ-DRURY:
Another quiet night for the Rangers' top trio of forwards. Combined, the three only got three shots on goal.
Naslund: B-; Another lackluster game on the offensive for Markus. No shots on goal for the Swede and somewhat limited playing time--14:35--likely due to the five times the Rangers were shorthanded. While there's no pressure on him now as the second line continues to produce, the tune may change when their boiling-hot play cools to a simmer.
Gomez: B+; While not a serious presence on the offensive end, Gomez played 2:09 on the PK, blocked a shot, had four takeaways and was 67% on his faceoffs. It's hard to ask a center to do much better of a job with the elements of the game not taking place in the offensive zone.
Drury: B; Again, little to nothing in terms of getting pucks toward the net. He and Naslund did have some close calls trying to set plays up, but all told he only officially had one shot on goal. What Chris did do, however, is log nearly 18 minutes worth of ice time, including 2:02 on the penalty kill. Drury was also a monster in the faceoff circle, winning six of the seven draws he had to take.
Of course you'd like to see more offense from your top guns, but, in Tom Renney's system, the import is placed upon sound team defense. It was there from this line and really, that's all that matters.
ZHERDEV-DUBINSKY-VOROS:
Hats off once again to the Rangers' best line. Not the best showing Nikolai Zherdev is going to have, but the three put pucks to and into the net. Can't beat that formula.
Zherdev: B; Nik only had three shots. The worst thing he did tonight was pass up on a chance for a fourth. He broke in on an odd-man rush with Brandon Dubinsky, among others, and declined to shoot--from his most fertile scoring area on the ice, no less--instead flipping the puck to the aforementioned and well-covered Alaskan. He continued to show responsibility in terms of getting pucks deep and making line changes when appropriate--two HUGE knocks on him coming out of Columbus. I like the kid. Not his best night, but not bad either. He picked up an assist in 14 minutes of work.
Dubinsky: A-; The minus is there for the nasty little giveaway that led to the Devils' sole marker. Not that Dubinsky was faced with an easy play trying to clear the zone, but he did give up the puck to Zach Parise and that same puck ended up sliding in the Ranger net off the stick of John Madden. The "A" portion of the grade is pretty easy to nail down as well. First, Dubi put a shot on goal--even if it should have been stopped--and was rewarded for doing so with his third goal of the season. Secondly, and more impressively to this observer, twice the young centerman made sprawling efforts to knock pucks away from defenders and instead direct them to waiting teammates. In both instances, his work kept the puck in the Devils' end. The second such act led to the Rangers' second goal scored by Aaron Voros. Not enough to merit the grade? The kid was a power at the faceoff dot as well, winning 75% of his draws.
Voros: A+; This grade seems like one that should be rarely given out but you can't argue with the fact that Aaron Voros had the hockey equivalent of a 4-for-4 night at the plate with a couple of homers. The word perfect seems just about right. The two goals were very similar and will make Aaron a fairly popular guy in the Big Apple if they continue to appear in Ranger highlight reels. Aaron twice parked in front of the net--his space there marked off with velvet ropes and a sign that reads "Reserved for Aaron Voros"--screened Martin Brodeur and tipped pucks past the soon-to-be Hall-of-Famer. Excellent work.
FRITSCHE-KORPIKOSKI-CALLAHAN:
Fritsche: C; Dan Fritsche played the most invisible 9:38 seconds of his career--or at least I would hope that was the case. This second winger on the third line seems to be a problematic void to fill. Dawes had been listless and, like Fritsche tonight, completely unnoticeable. I speak with a bias--one I'm fully aware of--but these two guys, and Rissmiller too for that matter, haven't done anything to merit their presence in the lineup.
Someone please tell Petr Prucha he needn't dry clean his best suit for Wednesday's game against Buffalo and instead he needs only to pull on his best blue sweater.
Korpikoski: B; Lauri gets an honorable mention in this game. His work caused a Brian Rolston hooking penalty and he set up linemate Ryan Callahan at least twice for solid scoring chances. One of those two chances also eventually turned into a unneeded shove from Johnny Oduya and another Rangers powerplay. Factor in that Korpikoski played some time on the PK and you arrive at this grade of "B."
Callahan: B+; Callahan played a very "Ryan Callahan" kind of game. That statement seems like a cop-out, but it really isn't. Ryan Callahan does the following things when he's on his game: works diligently, forechecks with tenacity, skates hard and sends pucks to the net. He did everything on that list tonight. He was a real pest for the Devils early on, getting into passing lanes at center ice, thus disrupting the New Jersey breakout. He also buzzed in the Devils' end, winning races for pucks and flipping shots toward Martin Brodeur at every opportunity. On the record, he put up four shots, attempted another and bodychecked three Devils.
SJOSTROM-BETTS-ORR
This was a much more noticeable effort from the fourth liners.
Sjostrom: B; Several times Freddie's presence was readily apparent. He made nice plays with his stick to break up passes. He played a team-leading 2:51 on the PK and, partially a credit to Sjostrom, that penalty kill has still not allowed a goal this season.
Betts: B; Typically diligent defensive work by Blair Betts. Played a solid 2:44 on the PK and blocked three shorts--tops amongst Rangers forwards. He was a little weak on faceoffs but the rest of the pivot's numbers picked him up.
Orr: B+; He played a physical game--one shift in particular comes to mind when Colton slammed two Devils into the glass seconds apart--and also made good use of his newly-improved skating skills. One instance of this good skating came in the third when he got up ice and forced Bryce Salvador to send a puck over the glass. He also made an impressive offensive rush and was another Ranger who was in the right position several times to break up would-be, Devil-to-Devil passes.
ROZSIVAL-REDDEN
Rozsival: B+; Rozsival finished his 22:24 of ice time--sizable chunks of which were against top Jersey weapons Langenbrunner and Parise--as a +2. He was a little more active than he has been in the Rangers' rush, but wasn't a large factor in the offensive zone. That being said, he still made several good passes this evening which was more than enough of a contribution toward the offense. In the defensive zone, he blocked two shots and played solid D alongside Wade Redden.
Redden: B+; Redden had a similar evening--as far as the scoresheet will tell you--to Mike Rozsival. He too finished a +2 and logged just about 22 minutes. He was, however, a physical force at times--which Rozsival certainly was not--tallying five hits. Two of those hits stand out in my memory as particularly heavy ones which makes me think "Atta-boy Wade, blow those stereotypes away!" He also blocked four Devil attempts--one being a sure goal for the opposition--which led the team. Factor in his role in the Ranger breakout and Wade had himself a solid game.
STAAL-MARA:
Staal: A; The only thing that kept Marc Staal from a stellar, A+ rating was the fact that he got a little over-zealous this game. He came out flying in the first: hitting, making excellent defensive plays and carrying the puck up ice. His confidence was readily apparent early in the opening frame as he went coast-to-coast, ultimately trying to set up Wade Redden in the slot and as he stepped up to intercept Martin Brodeur's outlet at center ice. He did, however, make several missteps that he had to recover from. Maybe even more telling of his exemplary play, though, was the fact that he DID recover each time. If one were to go back to the tape, time after time after time Marc would retrieve the puck in his own end and, often under duress, relay it cleanly to his support along the wall. He played 18:30, killed 2:38 worth of PK time and doled out four hits.
Mara: B+; Paul Mara played another solid game alongside his partner from Thunder Bay. He whipped some shots on goal--including the one Aaron Voros was able to deflect past Brodeur. He looked more confident carrying the puck and deftly moving it around the offensive zone. The most apparent element of Mara's game, though, has been his physicality. The man is feisty as ever and has gotten in scrums or fights in what seems like every game this year. The more sandpaper the better. While on the topic, Paul also handed out two hits during his 20:17 of blueline duty.
GIRARDI-KALININ:
Girardi: B; Girardi's game is slightly disappointing as of late because of its decided lack of physicality. Girardi played a fairly sound game tonight, but the typical roughness to his game was absent.
Kalinin: B; Again, he's the player voted least likely to succeed by a plethora of pundits covering the Blueshirts, but, AGAIN, he played a solid game and did nothing to warrant such labels. He took one penalty, but he also made a heads-up play to clear the crease, blocked a few shots and wasn't beaten for a quality chance.
HENRIK LUNDQVIST: A; There's a reason this guy has been a Vezina finalist three years running. Now that he's got a more solid, puck-moving defense in front of him and forwards with an even greater commitment to the system, look out!
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[Via HockeyCanada.ca]
