New York Rangers: A Season in Review

"We now have the official report that the New York Rangers have agreed to terms with centers Chris Drury and Scott Gomez..."-TSN, July 1st 2007

As soon as us Rangers fans heard or read that announcement, we were ecstatic. We had just become instant Stanley Cup Contenders in the eyes of the National Hockey League. The Rangers for once did not revert to signing old superstars past there prime. They went and sign the two best centers on the market, both young and in their prime. As the summer rolled along and the Rangers' roster became final, fans drew up line combinations that they hope the coaches would use and then fantasized what it would be like having this team together.

Jaromir Jagr would score 60 goals with Scott Gomez as his center, and more importantly, Gomez, a former Devil and Ranger-killer would not be opposing them anymore. Brendan Shanahan would then have a center more suited to his style of play and he would score 40 goals. Again, Chris Drury had been a Ranger killer the season before and all but ended their playoff run in 2006. He was an opposing player no more.

The Rangers roster was an all star team on paper. Two hall of fame wingers, and two marquee centers to play with them. The defense was a question mark but who needs defense when your team is going to score 5 goals a night? Oh, just wait until the season starts...

On opening night of the 2007/08 season, the Rangers scored on there first shot of the season (for the second straight year) but then quickly fell behind 2-1 to the Florida Panthers. The Rangers were actually booed off the ice after the second period. But, mid way through the third period the Rangers erupted for 4 unanswered goals and won the game 5-2. Fans celebrated the win and prepared to get used to sudden outbursts of scoring in clutch situations. With the offense and the goaltending of Henrik Lundqvist, they wouldn't lose a game.

However, the feeling didn't last long as the mighty offense was shutout in the next game by the Ottawa Senators. The Rangers offense would continue to struggle in October going 4-6-1 while scoring only 19 goals (while getting shutout twice) but the defense and goaltending was the bright spot as the Rangers gave up only 21 goals.

The Rangers' record in November was much better as they went 10-3-1 but still, something was not right. The Rangers' offense still had not scored more then 4 goals in a game and Jaromir Jagr had the worst struggle of his career. The neglect to re-sign Michael Nylander, Jagr's center was clearing proving to back fire as both Gomez and Drury struggled immensely. The only offense the Rangers were getting was coming from the defense and for a stretch of the three games, the Rangers defense scored a franchise record 7 straight goals.

The Rangers' December was one to forget as they went 6-6-1. The offense continued to struggle and Scott Gomez was no longer Jagr's center, nor was Drury. In fact, the responsibility went to rookie Brandon Dubinsky. The Straka-Dubinsky-Jagr line was amazing in a December 1st game versus the mighty Ottawa Senators. But after that the line looked clueless and the offense still struggled. Centers and line combinations were shifted once more and the powerplay that many predicted would be the best in the league was more like the joke of the NHL.

If December was terrible, January was a complete disaster. After starting out 0-4-1, including getting swept on a Western Canada road trip. Lundqvist was no longer keeping the Rangers in games while the offense struggled. Teams were exploiting the fact that if you shot high on the King, goals would come. The Rangers would finish January 5-7-1.

By February, the Rangers needed a turnaround. The offense was inept, the defense was struggling, the goal tending was sub par and the powerplay was still a joke. But then all of a sudden, the offense would come. The Rangers would go 8-2-2 in the month while scoring 5 goals four times. Things couldn't get better for the Rangers and this was evident when they had a 5-0 lead in the second period against the Montreal Canadiens. The Rangers were putting on a clinic and fans were finally satisfied that this is what we have been waiting for. Stanley Cup, here we come! But...as soon as the lead appeared, it disappeared as the Canadiens rebounded by scoring 5 unanswered goal before winning in a shootout.

What could have been a season and momentum killer turned out to be a wake up call that no lead was safe, and that in order to win, the team needed to be patient. The Rangers following the worst loss in regular season franchise history rebounded by winning the next 4 games and taking points in 8 straight games, propelling them right back into the playoff picture.

The Rangers went 8-3-3 in March as they tried to solidify a playoff spot. The new line combinations were working even though no one could have expected them too. At the begining of the season, who would have thought that the following lines would have been put together?

1. Avery-Dubinsky-Jagr

2. Dawes-Gomez-Shanahan

3. Callahan-Drury-Straka

4. Orr-Betts-Sjostrom

Exactly. Nobody. But what did it matter, the Rangers were playing exciting hockey and winning games. With a win on Long Island on the first game in April, the Rangers clinched a playoff spot before losing the next two games in shootout and finishing in 5th place, a step up from the previous two seasons. The Rangers went 7-0 against the Devils before the last day of the season when the Devils defeated the Rangers in the playoffs and the two teams knew at that point they would face each other in the playoffs. The battle was for home ice.

With the Devils winning home ice advantage, the series was underway in New Jersey when the Rangers took game one by a score 4-1. The amount of Rangers fans at the Devils' new arena was loudly heard as the place erupted for every Ranger goal. Rangers took both games in New Jersey before coming home to an eager Madison Square Garden crowd. After trading leads the game went to over time where the Devils' John Madden banked a shot in off of Marc Staal to get them back in the series. But in game four, Staal became the hero when he scored the game winning goal with just under four minutes to go in the game. Rangers would win the series in five, celebrating on the Devils' ice while Rangers fans there celebrated.

The secondround was a whole different story. In the first round the Rangers made countless mistakes in the neutral zone but the Devils' offense couldn't take advantage of them. Pittsburgh however, jumped on the oppurtunities. After building a stunning 3-0 lead in game one and killing the crowd at the Mellon Arena, the Penguins would get on the board. With Renney not calling a time out to settle things down, it would prove costly as the Penguins rallied to take a 4-3 lead. After the Rangers tied it back up at 4, the Penguins one the game on a powerplay goal late by Evgeni Malkin. The game was lost by the Rangers and a few bad calls by the referees as Crosby embellished play after play.

By game two, the Rangers played their type of defensive style but couldn't muster up any offense and they fell 1-0. When they returned home to MSG, the crowd was ready to celebrate but an early goal killed the momentum. After a barrage of powerplay goals to put the Penguins ahead 3-1, Jaromir Jagr of the Rangers put the team on his back by scoring a goal and assisting on another and they tied the game up at 3. The Rangers were blasting shots from all over with Gomez hitting the post. The Penguins could not get control of the puck and a goal was coming soon. But then, Ryan Hollweg took the dumbest penalty a player could take and the Penguins scored on the ensuing powerplay and winning the game 5-3.

After an amazing performance by Jagr again in game four, the Rangers would win and get into the series but they still trailed 3-1. The confidently went into game five in Pittsburgh where the offense was stymied for the first two periods. They would fall behind 2-0 but tied the game with two quick, early third period goals by Nigel Dawes and Lauri Korpikoski (Playing in his first NHL game). Despite getting more chances, the Rangers couldn't capitalize and the game went to overtime. A carry-over double minor penalty was killed off by the Rangers by they could never get momentum as play was in their end for the entire overtime. Marian Hossa would eventually get the game winner on a play that an offside call was missed on (as confirmed by TSN and CBC broadcasts).

The Rangers season came to an end there. So, now comes the million dollar question, was it a successful season? My answer is not a definite answer but it was a somewhat successful season, and I'll leave it at that. With so many new players in the line up and high expectations, it's disapointing, but the future is bright. The Rangers have a solid core of youth mixed with experienced players. One problem is the status of Brendan Shanahan (39) and Jaromir Jagr (36) who will both contemplate retirement this season. As a Ranger, "Shanny" has done all he could and had a great two seasons but there is no reason for him to return (as an assistant coach, maybe). But as for Jagr, he will most likely return as he and GM Glen Sather will work something out.