The most frustrating games are those in which you deserved to win but lost late due to an occurrence that was completely out of your control. That was the position the first place Rangers found themselves in during tonight’s 4-3 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center. You can say this loss shouldn’t affect the Rangers much since it doesn’t impact their place in the standings and they were still able to earn a point. However, there’s no other way to remove the bitter taste of this one from their mouths than playing again, and thankfully they will do that in less than 24 hours.
The Rangers took control of this game immediately off the opening faceoff, and when I say “immediately”, I mean immediately. Their forecheck was going just several seconds into the game led by the first line of Carl Hagelin, Derek Stepan and All-Star MVP Marian Gaborik. Despite getting off to the quick start, though, it was not until the final minute of the opening frame that this line was able to give the Blueshirts a 1-0 lead. That lead came when a pinching Anton Stralman followed up on a Gaborik rebound for a goal against the team that released him during training camp back in September.
New Jersey did have a few surges during that first period, but Marty Biron was very strong between the pipes for New York. He really shined in the second period, however, which was when the Devils stole some of the momentum back and took advantage of a Rangers team that was playing passive hockey for the time being. The Rangers repeatedly found themselves pinned in their own zone in the middle stanza, which led to a lot of aimless scrambling.
Eventually, at 8:20 of the period, Zach Parise tied the game at one apiece when he buried his own rebound from a sharp angle on Marty Biron. The Rangers were caught watching Parise after his first shot and allowed him to walk in and retrieve his own rebound. The Rangers had some pressure late in the period, but would enter intermission locked up at 1.
The Rangers began the third period on the powerplay, but, as usual, did not convert on the opportunity. Still, though, they maintained possession of the puck after that and would grab the lead once again at 2:37. On this particular play, Stu Bickel’s shot from the point was blocked in the slot, but Boyle picked up the loose puck and showed patience as a flopping Brodeur left half the net open for an easy goal.
The Devils wound find a way to tie at 15:25, with Ilya Kovalchuk beating Biron with a laser of a wrist shot from the slot on the powerplay. Again, why the Devils’ most threatening player on the man advantage was left wide open in the slot is beside me, but he made the Rangers pay for their mistake.
That mistake didn’t seem like it would hurt too much as the Rangers did answer right back with a goal of their own just 36 seconds later. The play started with Marian Gaborik leading the rush into the offensive zone, pulling up along the boards and then backhanding a pass through three Devils onto the tape of Michael Del Zotto. Del Zotto ripped a wrist shot top corner on Brodeur from the circle, once again giving the Rangers a one-goal lead.
New York looked as if they had this one wrapped up, but a strange bounce off the stanchion placed the puck right into the slot for an unattended to David Clarkson, who scored right in front to tie the game with just 47 seconds left on the clock. You really cannot get a luckier bounce at a luckier time than the Devils did on that play, but the Rangers would have to forget it and move on.
The overtime period was a real thriller with both clubs coming awfully close to getting game-winning goals. First it was the Devils trying to stuff the puck into an empty net with Biron down and out, but thankfully the stick of Ryan McDonagh was in the right place at the right time to save the day. And then down the other end, Derek Stepan’s stuff-in attempt slid across the goal line behind Brodeur but wouldn’t cross, therefore continuing play.
To a shootout we ultimately went, and Kovalchuk – first shooter for New Jersey – opened the skills competition with one of the easier goals he will ever score one-on-one with a goalie. Biron simply never moved and Kovy just sent one through the five-hole to give the home team the edge. Stepan, Richards and Gaborik would all miss for the Rangers, even with Biron keeping them alive with back-to-back saves against Parise and Elias, allowing Kovalchuk’s tally to stand as the game-winner.
Biron played very well in net for the Rangers during regulation, but I think his nerves got the best of him in overtime and the shootout. He looked very shaky and didn’t seem to have his normal focus and composure. There’s no explanation for what he was doing during that one play in OT where the Devils nearly scored on an empty-net, and he just froze on Kovy’s shootout attempt. It is what it is, though, because Biron certainly cannot be the sole blame for this loss.
Someone I was very disappointed with tonight was Brad Richards. I don’t now what the deal is with Brad, but he hasn’t been looking like himself going back to the games before the All-Star break. He hasn’t been smart with the puck, he’s not capitalizing on his opportunities and he just isn’t all that noticeable out there. His breakaway attempt on Brodeur in the second period, in my opinion, was pathetic. His shootout attempt? Possibly even worse. And Lord only knows why Tortorella keeps putting Brad in the shootout lineup this season, because he never scores in them. I personally would’ve gone with Carl Hagelin second, but that’s just me.
I’ll end my rant there because I’m not going to sit here and rip individuals (well, I guess I already started) or the team for that matter, since they win the hockey game without the bad bounce late in the third there. They didn’t play bad, but I think that a more successful powerplay maybe would’ve put them in a better position in the third period. Torts refused to talk about the powerplay after the game, saying they’re “just gonna keep on working at it.” But whatever they are working on isn’t making a difference, so maybe he should talk about it. I don’t know, just seems like simple logic to me.
Oh well, back at it in Buffalo tomorrow night.
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