Coming home winning 3 out of their last 4 games, the New York Rangers were looking to get some revenge on the Pittsburgh Penguins, whom they lost to in their home opener by a score of 6 - 3. Instead, they showed how much they're really going to miss their captain, Ryan Callahan.
In the first period, they did not get the start they wanted by giving up a goal to Evengy Malkin in the first 2 minutes of the game. Even though they kept pushing after that they never managed to shake Tomas Vokoun, who played exceptionally well and faced shots with barely any bodies in front of him.
In the 3rd period, the Penguins potted 2 goals that solidified their lead. They killed off the last 12 minutes or so of the game and cruised to their second win of the season against the Rangers.
Follow me after the jump for some notes on the game.
-Henrik Lundqvist had no chance on either of the goals. He played well tonight.
-The Rangers top line of Gaborik-Richards-Nash did not get much going and they mishandled some passes.
-Marc Staal and Malkin got into a few scrums in the first period that I anticipated would escalate later in the game but that never happened.
-The Rangers should have shot the puck more and put more bodies in front of the net (something Callahan excels at).
-Sidney Crosby got away with a trip on Marian Gaborik in the 2nd period that was never called.
-As a fan, I was expecting the Rangers to try and drop the gloves to try and get MSG riled up, as well as the rest of the team. It became obvious as the game went on that Ryan Callahan helps this team create and find their identity by laying the body out at all times. What we saw tonight by NY was equivalent to a team who was scared of getting physical.
-Having said the previous, the Rangers, without their captain, made it easier for the Penguins to find their game and gain an extra step on the Rangers throughout the whole game.
-The 3rd goal for the Penguins was a breakdown by the Rangers D, but give credit where credit is due - Pascal Dupuis finished nicely against one of the best goalies in the NHL.
Next up for the Rangers are the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have massive fire power and could give the Rangers some major problems. Hopefully this does not turn into a losing streak seeing how the New Jersey Devils visit MSG on Tuesday too.
One change I would propose for that game and possibly in the future is to add J.T. Miller, since he plays his game very similar to Callahan, and adds a scoring touch. Until then, it will be important for the Rangers to get some points in their next 2 games as the schedule only makes their situation more complicated.
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