B R O A D W A Y***B L U E S H I R T S

Jwmcc wrote:

that's true, according to the Elias Sports Bureau

October 24, 2007
Snakebitten Rangers Shut Out Again
UPDATE: Thomas Pock waived, Ryan Callahan likely out tomorrow with a slighly sprained knee, per Rangers Report -- badly bruised, according to BB reader Marc (his girlfriend attended to Callahan at MRI). Look for a call-up from Hartford to replace Pock/Callahan -- won't be Dave Scatchard, who is sidelined with a groin strain.

Only two teams have given up fewer goals per game this season than the New York Rangers, and those teams are a combined 13-1-1. Only one team has taken more shots on goal per game than the Rangers, and that team is 8-1-0. Only two teams have a larger positive differential in shots for vs. shots against than the Rangers, and those teams have a combined record of 10-4-1. Only ten teams have given up fewer shots on goal per game than the Rangers, and those teams are a combined 43-28-5. Only seven goalies have a better goals against average than Henrik Lundqvist's 2.00, and they have a combined record of 28-6. Only seven goalies have a better save percentage than Henrik Lundqvist's .927, and they have a combined record of 31-6. By every measure, the Rangers should be at their rightful place among the league's elite -- except one: goals.

The Rangers are dead last in the league in goal scoring. They've scored the fewest goals of any team. They are the only team who don't even average the meager sum of two goals per game (1.62). They've been shut out three times and have scored just one goal twice in eight games. They've been shut out twice in a row now, and in the last four games have only scored power play goals and only when they were trailing by three. They have had three periods in which they've scored three goals or more, and have scored just three in total in their other 21 periods of play, plus one overtime and one shootout. So it's hardly a surprise that they've stumbled out of the gate at 2-5-1, 1-5-1 since opening night, 0-3-1 in their last four.

Last night in Pittsburgh, the Rangers did everything but score. They outshot the Penguins 36-22 (73-44 in total shot attempts). They dominated all but two shifts per period plus the five power plays the Penguins were gifted by referees playing to Versus's "Sell Sidney" promotional effort (while the Penguins were allowed to freely trip Rangers left and right, especially around the net). They skated hard and with purpose and made plays. But nothing went into the net. Despite all their good work, they were shut out for the second straight game by a goalie who didn't have to make a single big save -- all of their best chances they either shot wide (including three off the goal frame) or shot into a defender or the goalie.

Every Ranger except one felt that they were on the right track pouring shots onto the net, knowing that eventually they would start going in. Perhaps the most important of that group was Lundqvist himself, who has given up just one goal in the past two games but has lost both. "Don't change anything, just keep playing the way we are," he told the Daily News after last night's game. "Maybe a little bit more intense, be a little more hungry. We're doing all the other stuff right. The 'D' play is great." The lone exception was Jaromir Jagr, who took twelve shots last night but got only four on net (one hit iron) -- his line with Scott Gomez and Marcel Hossa took 21 total shots but put only eight on goal. Jagr told the News that he thinks the Rangers need to be more patient and generate higher quality scoring chances.

Either way, Jagr has to be front and center in solving this problem. He has just one goal in eight games, the slowest start of his career in a season he promised would be his best ever. And he is the captain, so he must lead the Rangers out of the quagmire they have dug for themselves. Right behind him is Brendan Shanahan, who also has just one goal in eight games despite leading the league with 50 shots on goal. A few games ago, Shanahan could say his shots were high quality shots, but not the past two games. Larry Brooks raises some valid concerns in the Post about whether age has finally caught up with Shanahan.

These are the team's leaders, a pair of 600-goal scorers who are sure Hall of Famers. Coach Tom Renney said before the season that if things were going well, he'd stand behind his leaders, but that if they faltered he'd get in front of them. He did all the right things preparing the team for this game -- simplifying the attack, focusing it on net, sticking to a sensible line rotation, and getting a good effort in every zone. Now he has to take an intangible step to break the logjam. Maybe this wouldn't have happened had he started the season with the line configuration he said in pre-season was obvious to the whole world -- maybe they would have worked the kinks out by now. Now that he's squandered his early-season cushion, he has to come up with something to turn the team's fortunes -- and it's not going to be an X or an O or a new line that does the trick.

Other games reports: the Times, Newsday, NYR.com, NHL.com, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and Post-Gazette. Game notes from the Post-Gazette (including a summary of Jagr gambling allegations from a new book that we've seen before) and USA Today. Pre-game notes from the reporters' blogs -- Blueshirts Blog on Sean Avery, plus Blue Notes. The Times has a report on yesterday's hearing in the Rangers' lawsuit vs. the NHL over their web site. On the prospect front, the Courant has a feature on Greg Moore, Matt Zaba impressed in his pro debut in Charlotte (Chris Holt was recalled by the Wolf Pack to take the place of Al Montoya, out with a back injury), Jess Rubenstein has an update at Prospect Park, and Mitch Beck checks in at Howlings.

Posted by Dubi on October 24, 2007 at 12:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (53)