Bleacher Report - Articles by Michael Polak

New York Yankees Look to Avoid Injury Bug in '09

Michael Polak — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:41:29 -0500

As we reach that wonderful time of year where baseball fans get excited over the fact that Pitchers and Catchers report to Spring Training, it’s time to take a look at the Yankees and one of their biggest strengths this season: their starting rotation.

The Yankees have lined up five pitchers that on paper surely look to be one of if not the best starting five in baseball. When looking specifically at the American League East, the Yankees will certainly be able to compete with the Red Sox and Rays with their rotation. That is, if they stay healthy.

The Yankees have spent some big bucks to put together a rotation that includes C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Chien Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain, and Andy Pettitte.

Overall, this is quite a balanced rotation when you look at it as a whole. Sabathia, Burnett, and Joba all have power arms, but C.C. and A.J. can both throw nasty breaking balls and Joba’s slider is one of the best in baseball.

Wang has one of the best sinkers when he’s on as well. Finally, having a guy like Andy Pettitte as your number five starter, when he won 14 games last season with an ERA of 4.54 is solid for a No. 5 starter. However, health is going to be a big factor for the Yankees this season.

The Yankees lost Chien Ming Wang last season midway through the year with a foot injury. Joba missed a month or so at the end of the year with a shoulder problem. And the Yankees had to deal with injuries to highly-touted youngsters Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy.

If the Yankees are going to survive and be very competitive this year, it is crucial they stay healthy. If not, they do have some depth with Hughes and Kennedy and even Alfredo Aceves if need be. However, who knows if they will be able to live up to expectations just yet?

Health is a big concern with the Yankees starters as it is. Sabathia has been healthy so far in his career, but he has logged a tremendous amount of innings in recent years. Will his arm still be able to hold up? Burnett has had a career full of injury problems and rarely pitches a full season. Wang is coming off foot surgery following his injury last season. I mentioned Joba’s shoulder problems last year. Pettitte will be 37 years old this year so age doesn’t help him in terms of preventing injury. It will be something to look out for this year.

Either way, this year’s staff certainly stacks up as one of the best in baseball this season and one of the best the Yankees have had in a long time. If players stay healthy, and with the line-up the Yankees have, I can see four of the five starters winning at least 15 games with Pettitte winning between 10 and 12.

Sabathia has a chance to win 20 games, as he won 17 last season and is now playing on a team with a much better line-up, even if it is a tougher offensive league. Burnett won 18, and while I don’t know if he’ll win that many, can certainly be a major force in the Yanks’ rotation.

Bottom line is, the Yankees have the tools to put out a solid 1-5 rotation, even if there are some injuries that occur, which there likely will be. However, if the starting five doesn’t perform up to expectations and injuries begin to mount left and right, the Yanks will be in trouble. This team’s rotation is just as good as the Red Sox, Rays, or any other team in baseball. The big question is: Will they stay healthy? I guess we’ll find out.

Lack of Discipline Leads to Another Ranger Loss

Michael Polak — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:19:51 -0500

It’s been a problem for the Rangers all season long, and it showed once again on Wednesday night in a 6-3 loss to the Canadiens at The Garden. A lack of discipline led to too many silly penalties at critical points and two big power-play opportunities for Montreal, which they capitalized on.

Heading into the third period tied at two, Aaron Voros was sent off for a questionable hooking penalty. Despite the Rangers’ strong penalty kill, they had no chance to even try and stop the Canadiens from scoring. Tomas Plekanec won the face-off back to Andrei Markov who blasted a shot by Lundqvist to take the 3-2 advantage.

A little over a minute after Markov’s goal, Callahan took an inadvertent high-sticking penalty then Scott Gomez went off 35 seconds later for an inexcusable holding the stick call. Montreal’s response? Robert Lang put one past Lundqvist of a rebound at 4:40 into the period to put the Canadiens out in front by two.

After Michal Rozsival scored two minutes later on a beautiful one-timer in front, the Rangers failed to score the equalizer and Lang put it away for good with a beautiful wrister over Lundqvist’s shoulder at 15:29 for a 5-3 lead. He would later get the hat trick, scoring short-handed on a Rangers power play late.

Montreal saw the Rangers’ success on the man-advantage against Pittsburgh Monday night, and stayed out of the penalty box until 14:50 in the third and didn’t give the Rangers a power play until there was under four minutes left.

Lundqvist also followed up his stellar performance on Monday night with one of his worst on Wednesday. Montreal’s first tally came when Lundqvist misplayed the puck behind the net and gave it right to Max Pacioretty who promptly passed to former Ranger Alexei Kovalev in front for the goal.

The second goal came when Lundqvist could not control a long shot from center ice and left a juicy rebound for Guillaume Latendresse who slapped it past the netminder. Lundqvist didn’t have the same focus but his defense didn’t help him late, especially down a man.

The Rangers first two goals game in the first when Chris Drury sent a shot off the skate of Markov and past Jaroslav Halak late in the first. The second tally came via Ryan Callahan off a slap shot after a great pass by Scott Gomez midway through the second. However, it wasn’t enough.

If the Rangers want to get back on the winning track as they embark on a season-long five-game road trip against quality opponents (Sabres, Blackhawks, and Penguins, along with the Senators and Islanders), they’ll need to be much more disciplined, especially late in games.

A Slap to Sid: New York Rangers Beat Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0

Michael Polak — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:58:33 -0500

If the Rangers were going to beat the Penguins at the Garden on Monday night, they would be forced to do a few things:

1) Get an early lead

2) Make the Penguins pay when they got a power play

3) Neutralize Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin

4) Get a stellar performance from Henrik Lundqvist.

Well, the Rangers did just that and it all culminated in a well-earned 4-0 victory over their Atlantic Division rivals. The win vaulted the Rangers back into first place in the division.

Step one was getting an early lead, and after Maxime Talbot went off for boarding 31 seconds in, Nigel Dawes checked that off the list. His wrister from the left circle went off a Penguin skate and into the net exactly one minute in to put the Rangers on the board, and giving Dawes his third goal in the last four games. This was a surprise considering how awful the Rangers man-advantage has been as of late. But it would only get better for the Blueshirts.

With the second period winding down, the Rangers capitalized on another power play opportunity, completing step number two. Matt Cooke went off for interfering with Brandon Dubinsky and off the face-off, Paul Mara blasted a slapper from the blue line past Marc-Andre Fleury for a 2-0 advantage. It was Mara’s third tally of the season.

The Rangers added two more in the third, one by Drury as he one-timed a puck right in front of Fleury of a great pass from Petr Prucha behind the net. It was Drury’s 11th of the year. Then, Scott Gomez tapped in an empty netter with the Penguins on a power play to give New York the 4-0 lead.

Not only were the Rangers great on offense, but they almost completely shut down Crosby and Malkin the entire game. While the two did get eight shots on goal, they finished without a point and were a combined -3 for the game. In addition, Crosby took two penalties (hooking and interference) in the second period that forced his team into defensive mode.

The final step to success was a great performance from Lundqvist, who had been struggling recently. Well, the Rangers certainly got it. The King stopped all 26 shots he faced to earn his first shut-out of the season. The Penguins tested him early and often, but Lundqvist stood tall and was equal to every task presented. It was a brilliant performance following a great show by Steve Valiquette on Saturday in Washington despite losing 2-1.

Now, the Rangers have some momentum to build off of as they face another talented team in the Canadiens on Wednesday before embarking on a five-game road trip. Fortunately, the furthest they’ll go is Chicago. If the Rangers want to keep the momentum, they’ll need to continue exactly what they did tonight. Play consistent, capitalize on the power play, neutralize the playmakers on the opposing team, and get great goaltending. That’s the method to success!

Who's Next?

Michael Polak — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:32:03 -0500

Out. Done. Finished. See Ya!

Eric Mangini is officially out as head coach of the New York Jets. After the Jets completed one of the most historic collapses in their history, Owner Woody Johnson elected to dispose of the 37-year old coach.

So now the team must move on and search for a replacement. Fortunately, there is a bountiful crop of candidates out there to replace him.

The obvious candidate for the job is Bill Cowher. The former Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers originally seemed interested in the job, but reports late on Tuesday said his agent told the Jets Cowher was in fact not interested.

If the Jets seriously want to improve, finding a way to bring in a guy with a 161-99-1 record and a Super Bowl title in 15 seasons with the Steelers would be their best option.

Another strong candidate is current New York Giants Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. While he does not have any experience as a head coach, he has transformed the Giants into one of the best defensive teams in the NFL.

During the 2008 season, the Giants ranked eighth in the league in pass defense. The Jets: 29th. It is clear Gang Green needs some serious help defending the pass. Bringing on Spagnuolo, a guy who has a great relationship with players and also won a Super Bowl recently would certainly be another solid choice.

After those two, the Jets have a laundry list of other coaches to choose from. Some of these include Marty Schottenheimer, Mike Shanahan, and Jim Schwartz.

Schottenheimer found success while with the Chargers and might do so again in New York. His son, Brian, who also could be a candidate for the job, is the team’s Offensive Coordinator for now as well. However, will he have another clash with front office personnel?

Shanahan was fired on Tuesday as Head Coach of the Broncos after they too collapsed their way out of a playoff spot. Shanahan is a two-time Super Bowl winner in Denver but has had some up-and-down years recently. If none of the other options work out, he is a viable fall-back option.

Schwartz, the Titans Defensive Coordinator, has also come under the spotlight like Spagnuolo with his great work in Tennessee on the defensive end. His six seasons of work have paid off in his team getting the No. 1 seed in the AFC East, thanks largely to his team having the seventh best defense in the league.

He has connections with Tannenbaum, too, which helps.

A final big question that could decide who coaches the team is whether or not Brett Favre returns at quarterback. Whether Spagnuolo or Schwartz come aboard could depend on how they view the team’s situation at the position since their focus has been on defense.

However, Schwartz could end up swaying Kerry Collins to come to the Jets since he will be a free agent. Cowher, Shanahan and Schottenheimer have worked with some of the best quarterbacks in the business and could help mold one around the rest of the talented Jets roster.

Bottom line is, there are several options for the Jets to replace Mangini. The bright lights of New York could be either a positive or negative. Either way, it is likely the Jets will get one of these five coaches.

Their roster features more notable players compared to other teams in need of a QB (Detroit, St. Louis, San Francisco). If Favre does stay on, he’ll want a prime coach to bring the team success. However, the team can’t fall into the trap of finding immediate success. Look how it turned out this past year!

Rangers-Sharks: An Unusual Statement Game

Michael Polak — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:12:42 -0500

Who would ever think a game between two teams from different conferences in December would mean so much? While it wasn’t a big factor in the standings, Saturday night’s Rangers-Sharks affair in San Jose certainly meant a lot in terms of supremacy in the NHL.

The 3-2 victory for the Western Conference Sharks proved they are still the most dominant team in the league, but the Rangers proved that even after a devastating start, they could stick with the very best in the league.

The Rangers got off to a rough start when Paul Mara went to the penalty box for holding 2:31 into the first period. Just under a minute later, Blair Betts went for high-sticking, leaving the Rangers down two men for 1:08. Despite having the best penalty kill in the league, even the Rangers couldn’t stop a relentless Sharks' attack.

Dan Boyle fired a slapper past Henrik Lundqvist 4:27 in. Then, just 25 seconds later, Ryane Clowe batted home a rebound to put the Sharks in front 2-0. It was the first time the Rangers stout PK had given up two power play goals in a game since October 15th vs. Buffalo, which was the Blueshirts’ first loss of the year.

Tom Renney called a timeout immediately after to calm down his team and the raucous HP Pavilion Crowd, and it worked. The Rangers dominated most of the period from that point on, and 10:34 in, Nikolai Zherdev capitalized on a great defensive play and fired a shot past Evgeni Nabokov shorthanded to bring New York back within one.

Both sides had good chances early in the second, but the Sharks benefited from good fore checking first when Patrick Marleau netted his 17th goal of the year 6:20 in. After a great penalty kill by the Rangers on a Fredrik Sjostrom interference call, Ryan Callahan smacked home a loose puck in front, at just about the halfway mark to bring the deficit back to a goal.

The third period was a showcase among both goaltenders, with Nabokov making several huge saves when the Rangers put an unbelievable amount of pressure on the Sharks late in the frame. New York out-shot San Jose 17-7 in the third and 34-30 in the game, but it was the brilliant play of Nabokov and potent power play right out of the gate that gave the Sharks the win.

The Rangers still have a lot to be proud of, though. They went 2-1 on the road trip to the west coast and played very evenly with the best team in the league. Now, they can regroup before they begin a crucial three-game home stand, with games against the Capitals, Devils, and Islanders and a stretch of nine-straight against Eastern Conference opponents. Those will certainly mean more in the standings!

Henrik Lundqvist Worthy of "King" Status

Michael Polak — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:08:25 -0500

After three straight seasons being named a finalist for the NHL’s Vezina Trophy for top goaltender, Henrik Lundqvist is looking to make year No. 4 the one he finally claims the title.

Lundqvist has been one of the league’s best but has yet to receive the ultimate recognition for his efforts. This season, with a very different-looking team in front of him, “The King” will look to put together his best performance.

So far, Henrik has been solid in net. Heading into Tuesday’s game against the Ducks, Lundqvist has posted a 17-9-2 record along with a solid .913 save percentage. The 17 wins tie him with Evgeni Nabakov of the red-hot Sharks for the league lead.

He also boasts a solid 2.54 goals against average, a number which was much better at the beginning of the year but is now down to 20th, which is a reflection of poor play as of late.

Through the first two months of the season, Lundqvist gave up more than three goals in a game only twice: once in Detroit and once at home against Vancouver. No big deal, Western Conference teams.

However, through just six games in December, Lundqvist has given up six goals in a game to Eastern Conference foe Montreal and an astounding eight to the Devils. At this point, one has to wonder if King Henrik is losing his edge that pushed him to his status as one of the league’s elite goalies.

However, despite Lundqvist’s shortcomings as of late, one area which has always been a consistent strong point for him has been in shootouts. This season, he’s needed to be called on more than usual to step-up and decide the game. Through two-and-a-half months, here are Lundqvist’s shootout performances:

10/25 vs. PIT- Stopped all 3 shots in a 3-2 Rangers win

11/10 vs. EDM- Stopped 1 of 2 shots in a 3-2 Rangers loss

11/15 vs. BOS- Stopped all 4 shots in a 3-2 Rangers win

11/17 vs. OTT- Stopped all 3 shots in a 2-1 Rangers win

11/26 @ TAM- Stopped both shots in a 3-2 Rangers win

11/28 @ FLA- Stopped 2 of 3 shots in a 4-3 Rangers win

12/3 vs. PIT- Stopped 1 of 2 shots in a 3-2 Rangers win

12/13 vs. CAR- Stopped all 5 shots in a 3-2 Rangers win

That all adds up to a record of 7-1 in shootouts, and only three goals allowed in 22 attempts. When the game comes down to the shootout, King Henrik has become a pretty good bet.

However, the success this season is nothing new. In his first three seasons, Lundqvist has won 25 of the 40 shootouts that he’s taken part in, second only to the Devils’ Martin Brodeur.

In a season where the Rangers want to keep their high status in the Eastern Conference, every point is important, and Henrik Lundqvist has helped the Rangers secure that extra point in the shootout almost every time out there.

When you discuss the top goaltenders in the NHL, a conversation is not complete until Henrik Lundqvist’s name is mentioned. He has been one of the best in the league, even with some rough patches, and continues to be a work horse. Despite not being the team’s captain, he has been the most valuable player year-in and year-out to the Rangers and has led the team to three straight playoff appearances.

If he continues to stand on his head, there’s no question we’ll see a fourth straight postseason berth and possibly a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. The sky’s the limit for King Henrik!

New York Rangers: Time For a Change?

Michael Polak — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 15:45:39 -0500

As the Rangers prepare for their Sunday evening match-up with the Calgary Flames, one has to wonder if the team has fully put Thursday night’s disaster out of their minds.

There is no question it will be hard to completely forget the 6-2 shellacking by the Canadiens in Montreal, but if the Rangers want to start winning consistently, they’ll need to.

It seems lately that the Blue-shirts have had problems either in the second game of back-to-backs or the second game of home-and-homes. Before the Rangers followed up a 3-2 win over the Penguins with their awful showing in Montreal, they followed a 4-3 win over the Panthers in Florida by getting blanked 4-0 by the same team at home.

The Rangers have proven they are a good team, but to be an elite one, they must be able to play consistent hockey. So far, they’ve yet to show that.

One of the reasons for this could be Head Coach Tom Renney’s desire to consistently put Henrik Lundqvist in net. It’s hard to blame him because “The King” has been one of the best in the business this season. However, all good goalies become fatigued over time, and it’s starting to show in Lundqvist.

While games are important all season long, these games, especially against non-divisional opponents (like Florida and Montreal), are not as critical.

It’s time for Renney to seriously consider using Steve Valiquette more often. He proved earlier in the year he could be successful when he beat Philly and Toronto in the span of seven days. After that, he didn’t play until November 1st. Then, he didn’t start again until November 22nd. This inconsistency is not only going to burn out Lundqvist, but keep Valiquette from staying fresh.

After two days of rest, it appears obvious “The King” will be back in net at the Garden on Sunday. However, what about on Saturday when the Rangers host Carolina in the second game of a back-to-back? Or the following Wednesday when the Rangers have back-to-backs out in Anaheim and LA?

If Renney wants to protect his top-flight goaltender, a few starts by Steve Valiquette would certainly help.

Quite The Return: Prucha Ignites Rangers To Win

Michael Polak — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:30:12 -0500

In a game where he needed to make a statement, Petr Prucha made one of the biggest of the season. Prucha scored the game-tying goal in the third period, and the Rangers went on to defeat the Atlantic Division rival Penguins 3-2 in a shootout.

Prucha was playing in his first game after missing the past ten as a healthy scratch due to poor play. The Rangers had suggested he go to Hartford for a conditioning assignment, but the 26-year old refused. Head Coach Tom Renney placed him in the line-up to show he could produce, and he certainly did.

After falling behind 2-0 following poor play in the first period and missed opportunities early in the second, Nikolai Zherdev redirected a Scott Gomez shot passed Penguins goalie Dany Sabourin at 10:56 of the second to bring the Rangers back within one. Then in the third, with time winding down, Petr Prucha batted home a shot by Gomez that bounced back in front of the end boards, and sent Madison Square Garden into a frenzy.

The goal was the first for Prucha in 20 games played, the last one coming back in January. The goal gave the Rangers and their fans new life, and gave them at least a point as Henrik Lundqvist held strong the rest of the way to send the game into overtime. After a scoreless frame, Markus Naslund, Nikolai Zherdev, and Fredrik Sjostrom all scored in the shootout as Lundqvist stopped one of the two shots to secure the win for the Rangers.

Now with the win, the team’s second over the Penguins in shootout fashion in two games between the squads, the Rangers got some added momentum before their contest at Montreal on Thursday. The Blueshirts are now 5-0 in the first game of back-to-backs, and with Prucha getting some added confidence, the Rangers can certainly make a statement with a win over the Canadiens. Beating two of the best in the East on consecutive days would certainly qualify.

Rangers-Canucks: The Big Reunion

Michael Polak — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:18:40 -0500

While Monday night’s game against the Senators was certainly a reunion of sorts, it definitely did not have as much meaning for the New York Rangers as Wednesday night's match-up with the Vancouver Canucks will.

The Rangers’ 4-2 victory over Ottawa on Monday night featured Wade Redden getting to see several of his old teammates from his days north of the border. The same could be said for Markus Naslund on Wednesday, who will be reunited with the team he captained for seven seasons.

However, this meeting will hold much more significance, because Naslund was the face of the Canucks franchise and its true leader.

It will now be up to the Rangers' alternate captain to block out all the hype that will be created by the media, and lead his team to a fourth-straight win. The Rangers (14-5-2, 30 points) have won back-to-back shootout contests, and surely want to end this one in regulation and get some rest.

However, that might not be so easy, considering they’ll be facing one of the best teams in the Northwest Division.

The Canucks (10-6-2, 22 points) fell into second place with the Wild’s win over the Penguins on Monday night and will be looking to right their ship after a weak 2-1 shootout loss to the Islanders on Monday night. Vancouver is a much better team than that, and they will certainly have their work cut out for them against a significantly-stronger Rangers squad.

The biggest thing this game will come down to is goaltending.

You can’t ask for a much better match-up in net then Roberto Luongo and Henrik Lundqvist. With Marty Brodeur out, these two will be the likely two vying for the Vezina Trophy this year.

Goals will be at a premium in this game, and the first team to score could be the team that comes out on top. However, the Rangers have proven lately that they won’t give up no matter how much they fall behind.

I expect this to be a close game, featuring dazzling performances again by both goalies. It wouldn’t surprise me if this game had to go longer than 60 minutes, but the Rangers are too hot to fold right now.

My Prediction: Rangers 2, Canucks 1 (OT)

Rangers-Senators: Another Blueshirt Comeback

Michael Polak — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:34:47 -0500

Well, while my prediction might have been a little off (4-2 Rangers), the Rangers still came from behind to win yet another contest and keep their momentum going. The 2-1 shootout win over the visiting Senators gave New York its third straight triumph, all of which were come-from-behind victories. With the win, the Rangers improved to 14-5-2 overall, as they cracked the 30-point mark just 21 games into the season. As for the Sens, they fall to 6-9-3, with a Northeast Division worst 15 points.

Again, the Rangers relied on late heroics and the stellar goaltending of Henrik Lundqvist to earn this win. After falling behind 1-0 in the second on Daniel Alfredsson’s fourth goal of the year, the Rangers finally were able to find the net at 7:17 in the third. Fredrik Sjostrom sent a shot past Alex Auld to tie the score at one. For the fourth-line winger, it was his second tally of the year, with Blair Betts and Marc Staal getting assists. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 27 of 28 shots in goal, including all three shootout attempts by the Senators (Jason Spezza, Jarkko Ruutu, and Antoine Vermette).

As for the Rangers in the shootout, Nikolai Zherdev came up with the first tally, firing a wicked wrister past Auld in the first round. After that, Sjostrom along with Chris Drury, were both denied, but it proved to be a moot point as Lundqvist came up big again.

Now for the Rangers, they can rest up and begin preparation for a Western Conference matchup with the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday at MSG. That game will be no easy task for the Blueshirts, as the Western Canadian squad comes in with a 10-6-2 record, good for first place in the Northwest Division. In addition, Vancouver will want to rebound after they lost 2-1 in a shootout to a weak Islanders squad on Monday night. It should be a good one as always from The Garden!

Rangers-Lightning: New York Responds

Michael Polak — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:47:48 -0500

Well, the Rangers certainly did a nice job responding to my previous article.

Thursday night’s 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Garden featured everything the Rangers were not doing before, and what they needed to do to rekindle the magic they had to start the year.

First and foremost, they scored goals and put pressure on Lightning goalie Mike Smith all night. Second, they played a complete game, putting together a full 60 minutes of effort that resulted in a nice win.

Finally, guys that needed to improve their play did just that.

The power play for the Rangers was much better, going three for five over the course of the game. The home team capitalized on poor penalties taken by the Lightning, got pucks to the net, and put the Lightning defense on their heels. In addition, the penalty kill even got into the act with a shorthanded goal—their first of the season.

The Blueshirts also played for a full 60 minutes to earn the win. This Tampa team was much better than the one they saw in Prague to start the year. However, the Rangers were not thrown off, and did their job in all aspects of the game.

While the offense clicked, the defense also made several great plays to prevent great scoring chances. Martin St. Louis’ goal came on a great move, and Malone’s tally was one Lundqvist probably will tell you he should’ve stopped. However, Henrik played great in net and made some spectacular stops.

Several players who had struggled so far this season played vital roles in the win. Chris Drury stood out the most, netting a hat trick with three fantastic goals—two of them on the power play and one shorthanded on a great move.

Marc Staal scored his first goal of the season off a great shot from the point, after Tampa closed to within 3-2. While Prucha and Sjostrom didn’t score, their lines put some good pressure on the Lightning D and upped the Rangers tempo.

In addition, the Rangers controlled the game physically. While several players had big hits, one moment that clearly stood out was Aaron Voros’ play in front of the net. It was so similar to Sean Avery that Mike Smith got so enraged he started slashing and fighting Voros, and got called for nine minutes of penalties. Very good play by Voros—exactly what his team needed.

While there were still some things that could have been improved, such as defensive giveaways and silly penalties, the Rangers played a solid game overall, and it resulted in a win. Now the team needs to continue the momentum into the upcoming games against the Capitals and Oilers.

With four of their next six games at home, we’ll see if this team can win when and where it needs to.

Rangers Now Back to Earth After Meteoric Start

Michael Polak — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:35:40 -0500

After a tremendous start to the 2008-09 season, it appears the Rangers have descended from the stratosphere. The Rangers are still one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, but back-to-back losses against the lowly Maple Leafs and Islanders have left the team’s fans base feeling a little on edge.

What the Rangers’ recent lull has come down to is a lack of complete play, especially in the third period, and an inability to create a substantial amount of offense. Let’s look at these two recent losses against Toronto and the Islanders.

The Rangers generated just three goals against two of the worst teams in the league while giving up seven. In Toronto, the Rangers played a solid first two periods, arguably the best two that can be played on the road, before falling asleep and giving up five goals in just over five minutes. That is unacceptable.

At home against the Islanders, the Rangers were able to get pucks on the net but were unable to bury rebounds like winning teams would. That, coupled with another weak third-period performance, led to two short-handed goals by a very poor Islanders squad and another loss. Not just a loss, but a regulation loss in which not even one point could be mustered. That is also unacceptable.

If these Rangers are who they claim to be, they must go out there and prove that they can be winners. While still one of the elites, this team has too much talent to just go out there and put up two goals a night. Guys need to start stepping up early and put the team in a position where every game late in the season is not a must-win like it has been in recent years.

Here are some of the players I feel need to get going if the Rangers are to be a serious contender for the Stanley Cup:

Chris Drury

The 25th captain in Rangers history has just two goals and three assists through 15 games. His numbers aren’t terrible, but he needs to find the net more and become a better leader, especially on the power play, which is second-worst in the league.

Nigel Dawes

The sophomore has played in 12 games thus far and is without a doubt experiencing the dreaded sophomore slump. He has just one goal and one assist despite 23 shots on net. He’s taken some good shots, and eventually one will go through, but he needs to rekindle his accurate shot once again to become the lethal player we’ve seen in spurts.

Fredrik Sjostrom/Petr Prucha

The fourth line is never a scoring line, but if this team wants to have success, all four lines need to produce. I like what I’ve seen from Blair Betts, and Colton Orr has been the tough player he always is. However, Sjostrom can certainly improve and help the likes of Petr Prucha with his play, which has also been rusty.

It all starts Thursday night in a must-win against another inferior team, the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Blueshirts took two meeting earlier in the season out in Prague and must continue that dominance to get back the confidence this team once had and the fans once had.

The talent is there, the desire is there, but the execution is still lacking. We’ll see if this team can find it.