Modified Postgame: Rangers Fall to Canucks 4-1

As promised, here is the modified postgame analysis due to the 10 pm start. I basically ran through every period, and also threw in some additional thoughts at the end.

First Period:

The Rangers came out and created some early chances, but then faded off and registered only four shots total in the period. The forwards were not going hard to the net and there was not nearly enough pressure on goaltender Andrew Raycroft, but at the same time, the Canucks defense did a very good job of shutting the Rangers down before they were able to set up the forecheck. Vancouver specifically keyed on Marian Gaborik, who had very limited room to skate.

Ales Kotalik had two great slap shots on goal, both turned away by Raycroft, as did Ryan Callahan when he split the defense and took the puck to the net. Raycroft made the save quite easily, but the effort from Callahan was recognizable. Besides these chances, most shots were blocked by the Canucks.

The Rangers need to stay out of the penalty box moving forward, as they were guilty of three in the period. That sort of took away the flow, hence the reason the Blueshirts were out-shot 10-4. The Canucks did, in fact, find a way to get onto the scoreboard when Mikael Samuelsson capitalized on a bad giveaway by Wade Redden in his own zone. It was not entirely Redden's fault, as it was a bad line change by the Rangers to boot.

Period 2:

The Rangers came out with a much better offensive effort in the second period, throwing fourteen shots Vancouver's way. Unfortunately, Raycroft turned all of them away, shutting the Blueshirts out through two. John Tortorella made some line changes as far as personnel goes, and they seemed to pay off and produce a solid forecheck.

It started early in the second when broke loose on Raycroft and was robbed of his first goal of the season, when I suddenly became convinced that he will get that first goal (Half-Kidding). Ales Kotalik followed that up with some opportunities of his own, as he is having himself a great game. Kotalik has let a shot go every chance he gets, and each time it has forced Raycroft to make a decent save.

Two lines that Tortorella concocted late in the second came through for the coach with some offensive pressure. The first of which was Higgins-Anisimov-Kotalik, and the other Avery-Drury-Callahan. I like what I saw from each of these units. Also, Dubinsky moved up to the first line with Vinny Prospal and Marian Gaborik.

The Rangers wasted a four minute powerplay at the end of the period, as Shane O'Brien was sentenced a double minor for high-sticking Ryan Callahan. I am quite sure Tortorella was not happy with this, and had some choice words for his club.

Period 3:

A very strange period at GM Place the third stanza was. All was quiet until Marian Gaborik and Ryan Kesler had a bit of post-whistle contact in front of the Ranger bench. Vinny Prospal and Brandon Dubinsky skated in at Gaborik's defense, when Dane Byers and Aaron Voros hopped over the bench, which was then matched by two Canucks from their bench. At that point, there were about seven skaters on the ice for each club. After a while of pushing and shoving, the refs finally sorted it all out....... at least they thought they did.

Sean Avery (who else?) began to chat it up with a O'Brien from across the benches. O'Brien then took his stick and shoved Avery in the shoulder twice with it, which led to Avery stealing the stick from his hands, and keeping it. Immediately after Avery was poked/shoved, head coach John Tortorella came over to the end of the bench, he was clearly irate by the way, and was screaming at both the refs and O'Brien. It was all finally settled after about ten minutes, and it saw two Canucks ejected from the game, and the Rangers put on the powerplay.

The Blueshirts did not technically convert with the man advantage, but two seconds after Brandon Dubinsky found Chris Higgins (Yes, I said Chris Higgins) in the slot for a one-timed goal, his first of the season/as a Ranger. After watching Higgins raise his arms up and stare at the Heavens for a good thirty seconds, play resumed.

The Rangers defense had a bit of a collapse, allowing two straight goals from Rick Rypien and Samuelsson once again. That was followed up by an empty net tap in by Henrik Sedin to seal th deal. Your final score was 4-1.

Additional Thoughts:

-Give Credit to the Vancouver defense, as they had Marian Gaborik double covered the entire net. Marian's shots were being blocked, he was getting poke-checked, and was not allowed any time to make a play. I was, however, impressed with the way Gaborik handled the situation; not getting frustrated, and continued to try and make something happen.

-Even though he allowed three goals, Henrik Lundqvist played a great game, making some huge saves on the Canucks at key points in the contest. None of the goals can really be said to be his fault.

-Ryan Callahan skated very well in this one. He may not have been able to find the back of the net, but he created some great chances and had good puck control. He has shown improvement as of late and is coming along, so I like what I see from him. The same can be said of Ales Kotalik, who also had a very strong effort in cancouver.

-Lastly, Congratulations to Chris Higgins on his first goal as a Ranger. Hopefully we will see another from him within the next fourteen games.

Back Later.....
(Sent using my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry)