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Established in 2006 as a Community of Reality

Welcome to the Neno's Place!

Neno's Place Established in 2006 as a Community of Reality


Neno

I can be reached by phone or text 8am-7pm cst 972-768-9772 or, once joining the board I can be reached by a (PM) Private Message.

Established in 2006 as a Community of Reality

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Established in 2006 as a Community of Reality

Many Topics Including The Oldest Dinar Community. Copyright © 2006-2020


    Rangers limp into XMas break off back-to-back stinkers

    jedi17
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    • Post n°1

    Rangers limp into XMas break off back-to-back stinkers Empty Rangers limp into XMas break off back-to-back stinkers

    Post by jedi17 Mon 26 Dec 2016, 7:25 pm

    Rangers limp into XMas break off back-to-back stinkers

    The Rangers ended their pre-holiday break schedule with a second straight blowout, this one coming at the hands of the Wild. A 1-1 tie after one faded into oblivion as Minnesota scored five times in the second while chasing Henrik Lundqvist. The end result was a 7-4 loss, sending New York into three days off trying to regroup and rediscover their game.

    Adam Clendening got into the lineup, starting the game with Marc Staal, then moving to skate with Kevin Klein while Staal was paired with Nick Holden, but it came at the expense of Brady Skjei. The rationale for this change has to leave to you scratching your head and wondering what coach Alain Vigneault has been watching. Plus, even if the below is accurate, how about practicing what you preach about earning ice time with others.

    “I thought the last little while he’s (Skjei) been kind of struggling,” Vigneault said following Friday’s 7-4 loss to the Wild at the Garden for which Skjei was a healthy scratch for the first time. “When we were looking at the scoring chances [against] and all the other [information], we felt this was the best move.”

    The NY Post added it is believed Vigneault specifically was alarmed by Skjei’s lackadaisical play behind the net on the sequence off which Nick Bonino scored the Penguins’ final goal at 19:49 of the third period


    So, you scratch Skjei based on a goal that occurred with 11 seconds to go in a 7-2 blowout. But ignore the poor play of Ryan McDonagh, Dan Girardi and Klein, each of whom were markedly worse during that contest? In addition, Klein has struggled mightily for a while, yet he is run out there nightly, and Girardi was to have received rest to keep him fresh, but that has happened in just one game so far this season.

    Let me be clear, since the last blog everyone though I was pining for Clendening. It's not Clendening per se, but it's having a similar standard to be followed. That standard will bend based on the d-man. Meaning, McD gets some leeway for all he does. Plus, I can understand G and Klein having some as well, but eventually, that good will and possibly banked positives wear out and those who deserve play should be the ones suiting up. AV isn't living up to that mantra.

    Up front, the only good line was the Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Mats Zuccarello trio. The other three lines were invisible at best. There was no semblance of an attack from the other lines, as they generated no offense. The Michael Grabner-Kevin Hayes-J.T. Miller line was a combined minus-nine and had a total of three shots on goal. The absence of Rick Nash - for at least one more game - has been extremely noticeable the past two games. Add in missing Mika Zibanejad for at least three more weeks and Pavel Buchnevich - out for 21 straight games Nov. 12 - since until after the Rangers' January 8-12 bye, and this next stretch of games takes on even more importance.

    I remarked after the blowout to Pittsburgh that the only saving was that Henrik Lundqvist wasn't between the pipes, which allowed the positive vibes from his three-game win streak to remain. That vibe was not evident Friday, as Lundqvist was pulled after allowing four goals in the first 24:55 of the game. But it wasn't just surrendering the four goals, it's that the one allowed to Mikael Granlund in the first and two of the three in the second were soft. Just when you thought Lundqvist had turned the corner and put his early-season woes behind him, he puts forth an effort as he did Friday and all that work is for nought.

    The Blueshirts, following Friday's loss, will play 13 days over the next 38 days. Kreider has said rest was a weapon. Well, Friday that weapon was a dud. But with the current Christmas, the All-Star break and the bye week from January 8-12, fatigue should not be an issue. In addition, the slower schedule should allow all those absence to get back without missing a majority of games.

    Last season, the Rangers faded starting around Thanksgiving following a hot start. The ridiculous level of goaltending was unsustainable. This year, we knew the shooting percentage was unsustainable. But, we thought the goaltending - e.g. Lundqvist - would round into form, and even if the offense regressed a bit, it still would be sufficient enough to get wins. The problem is the D and the goaltending have struggled while the offense - especially the power play - has regressed quicker and broader than expected, resulting in a major step backwards. 


    Unless this team re-finds it's identity, is willing to pay the price on both ends, has a coaching staff able to adjust appropriately and stems the negative tide quicker in games in which they are struggling, New York will at best be playing for a Wild Card spot in the deep Metro Division.
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