Pregame: Rangers Host Bruins in Sunday Matinee

Heading into this afternoon's contest with the Bruins, the Rangers have dropped two consecutive game due to a lack of effort and emotion. At the same time, star forward Marian Gaborik has been absent from the for both of those games due to a minor knee injury suffered this past Monday against the Phoenix Coyotes. Nonetheless, this team still has the ability to display effort even when without Gaborik, so there are no excuses for the past two defeats. The Bruins have been cyclic through their first twelve, currently holding a record of 6-5-1.

Unlike in previous games, there is a good chance that Marian Gaborik will return to the lineup this afternoon, but Torotrella has said that it will be a gametime decision. Also on the list of gametime decisions are forwards Sean Avery and Chris Higgins, who did not participate in the Minnesota game due to lower body injuries. I am more concerned with Gaborik being good to go more than anything right now, because this Ranger team has been lost without him. For Avery, having him in the lineup is always a plus. I wish I could say the same for Higgins, but he just hasn't been there, figuratively and literally. I am hoping that the night off presented him with the opportunity to get his head straightened out, and finally begin to produce as a Blueshirt.

It is likely that two of the three individuals listed above will play in the game, so that saw the Rangers sending P.A. Parenteau back down to Hartford, as I reported last night. Dane Byers will probably be playing in his second game as a Blueshirt this afternoon.

Today's Projected Lineup (Including Gaborik and Avery):

Lisin - Prospal - Gaborik
Avery - Drury - Kotalik
Byers - Dubinsky - Callahan
Brashear - Boyle - Voros

Staal - Girardi
Redden - Gilroy
Del Zotto - Rozsival

Lundqvist

Scratch(es): Higgins (left foot), Gaborik/Avery?

By all means, this lineup is not definite and is subject to change. I will have detailed updates of the lineup closer to gametime posted on my Twitter, so be sure to check there prior to the drop of the puck.

Now it is probable that Lundqvist will play in this game, as he has his memorial mask of goaltender Jacques Plante, the player that took a shot to the face and then returned the next game wearing a mask to forever change the way goaltenders would play, already set to go. Tomorrow will be the 50th anniversary of that historic date, so all NHL netminders that are in action will be wearing special masks to honor Plante. Here is a description of Lundqvist's courtesy of Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants:

It features a depiction of Plante’s unprotected big ears and also an image of a ticket stub from that historic game.

The Rangers offense clearly needs a boost being that they have only recorded three goals in the last two games against teams that were having problems keeping the puck out of their own net. Obviously Gaborik will play a big part in this, but there also needs to be contribution from dormant players such as Drury, Callahan, Dubinsky, Higgins, etc. Captain Drury has only one point in his last eight games. Yea, real clutch forward we have on our hands.

Callahan has been far from impressive so far this season, as he has only scored two goals in fourteen games played, cannot seem to control the puck, and has not even been registering shots on goal as of late. Another problem I have noticed with Callahan is that he carries the puck too wide on the rush, and is forced to the outside, leaving him with no other option but to take a low percentage shot from a bad angle. Callahan needs to start using his vision and look to make the pass, because this outside shot thing just isn't working.

Dubinsky has had a similar problem, but more of trying to make low percentage passes rather than shots. Brandon just has not learned that throwing the puck aimlessly through the neutral zone results in a turnover eight out of ten times. In Tortorella's system, there is an emphasis on smart and successful play in the neutral zone, and Dubinsky has seemed to ignore that fact, which is why he finds himself benched like he was last weekend in Montreal. At least once a game he is guilty of it, and I do not understand what makes him go out and attempt the same failing play game after game. There is a simple solution to this problem; Dump and Chase. Shouldn't be too hard to comprehend.

The defense continues to drag this team down every night, and have not been playing up to par. Marc Staal has been playing in his worst stretch of his career lately, and it is about time that he puts his foot down and gets himself moving in the right direction. Staal is our best defensemen, no question, but he must play like it, and so far even Wade Redden is looking much better than him.

In fact, Wade Redden has looked far better than any Ranger defensemen over the past couple of weeks. It is a tremendous feeling to finally see your highest payed blueliner begin to play solid hockey instead of AHL hockey. Redden has been a pleasant surprise, but one can only hope that he can continue his great play, and I believe he can as long as Tortorella is coach, as the veteran has flourished under the system.

Mike Del Zotto has been rather quiet during the two game losing streak, but he has had his best performances while playing at Madison Square Garden, so we hope for the best today because this defense needs any surge that they can get at this point.

Bruins Projected Lineup:

Marchand - Bergeron - Ryder
Sturm - Krejci - Recchi
Paille - Sobotka - Wheeler
Thornton - Begin - Bitz

Chara - Morris
Hunwick - Wideman
Stuart - Ference

Thomas

The Bruins will be without two key top six forwards in their offensive rotation today in Marc Savard and Milan Lucic. Savard is the offensive star on this team, and the Bruins without him is similar to the Rangers without Gaborik, just to give you a feel of how much they will miss him. Despite the absence of those two, the B's are still a very deep team with a BIG defense in terms of size. Not to mention that they have a stellar goaltender in Tim Thomas to back them up as the last line of defense.

With the Bruins offense hurting, the Rangers must control the puck through the neutral zone and be sure to not cough up a turnover. We have not seen the Rangers play their up tempo control game lately, and now is a good opportunity against a club missing two key individuals.

As I mentioned above, keep tabs on my twitter account for any lineup changes and updates prior to puck drop.

(Images courtesy of AP Photo and Reuters Pictures)