We are near the end of October, and the NHL season is a little over three weeks old. By now, many fans have had the opportunity to see their favorite team(s) play at home. Those fortunate fans have had an opportunity to tailgate in near seventy degree weather, kick back and await faceoff with optimism and hope. At most, you could see your team of choice a few games in, perhaps a game or two above or under .500. No season storyline overly alarming. You can enter the arena and cheer on your favorite players and know that a loss generally wouldn't signify the end of the world. While opening nights are traditionally a spectacle, seldom are they met with an urgency to perform and produce in hopes of "saving a season." Tell that to fans of the NY Rangers.
Who doesn't love this time of year? A comfortable walk in Central Park. Debating between a pumpkin coffee and pumpkin ale. The sports landscape is also its most busiest this time of year. (or a close second to March) Baseball playoffs begin and the NFL season enters its second month, where most teams and fan bases still have dreams of post season success. Basketball articles and stories (both pro and college) begin to pop up with more frequency as the season begins this week. Throw in a few haunted houses and hours of brainstorming and planning the trendiest costume ideas, it is a wonder people have time to sleep and eat. And just in case you couldn't stay up for those early season west coast Rangers games, or if you did and purposely went to sleep early for the east coast ones, here is a short description of what you missed? Absolutely nothing! Well, a little:
On Monday, the Rangers will come back to NY to open the home portion of their schedule at Madison Square Garden against the Montreal Canadiens. Temperatures will be in the upper-40s around game time. Expectations have been tempered, at least temporarily. The last time the Rangers opened their home schedule this late during a non-strike campaign, Truman was in office.
Most preseason publications believed that the hiring of Alain Vigneault and his up-tempo system would translate to more opportunities on the offensive end, yet through their first 8 games the Rangers have amassed, as a team, 12 goals. That is a goal and a half a game! Coming into last nights game against the Red Wings, they have given up 31 goals, with teams averaging just shy of 4 goals a game. In no game have they scored more than 3 goals. The numbers are staggeringly horrid. Making matters worse, the team is playing without Rick Nash, (out of action after suffering a concussion on October 8) Ryan Callahan, (broken thumb) and Carl Hagelin. Brad Richards has scored 5 of the Rangers 12 goals coming into their ninth consecutive road game of the season against the Detroit Red Wings. The only other forward to score a goal this season is Derek Dorsett. Henrik Lundqvist has played some pretty uninspiring hockey thus far, with fans wondering if its his current injury or his contract situation. However, Lundqvist, the Rangers all-world goalie, is the least of the teams worries. If you were coming to the garden to cheer on Marty Biron, you wont see him. He was assigned to Hartford of the AHL after two ineffective games against the Sharks and the Blues, cleared waivers and retired. The Rangers now look to Cam Talbot to back up Lundqvist. On top of all that, the schedule makers have also not been too kind to the Rangers. The first four games on the west coast against teams who currently have 7 wins or more, and games at St Louis and Detroit. Some of those West Coast games were just horrific-a 9-2 beat down by the Sharks, and two other combined Rangers goals in the three other matchups.
But nothing turns those negative vibes around quite like a last second, unexpected victory-this one coming from Derick Brassards breakaway goal with 12.9 seconds on the overtime clock to beat Detroit on the road for the first time in 14 years. Coincidentally, reports indicate that Brassard was called out by Vigneault before last nights game for needing to contribute more. I'm sure most Rangers fans were thinking that this two and a half week road trip would result in a 2-7 record, and some urgency to turn things around at home...and quickly. After looking dreadful against the Flyers on Thursday and shut out by the lowly Devils last weekend, the Rangers now carry a little (and much needed) momentum into Mondays home opener. Cam Talbot stopped 32 shots filling in for the injured Henrik Lundqvist. Mats Zuccarello scored his first goal of the season late in the third to tie the game at 2. And the Rangers are going to be home a lot-10 of the next 12 games are in NY. Maybe this is the spark that ignites this turnaround. Last nights opponent, the Red Wings have hit a rough patch themselves, losing their last 4 games. Could this be a case of right opponent at the right time? 40 shots last night on goal is a step in the right direction. As well as coming back from one goal deficits on two occasions. News of Lundqvist return to the starting lineup tomorrow night against the Canadiens, Carl Hagelin's return Tuesday against the Islanders and Ryan Callahan skating at practice today has fans optimistic that the injury plagued early season may be coming to an end. And just in time.
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