Isn’t this fitting? Like Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, like chocolate versus vanilla, like a cheetah and a gazelle, no matter what, it seems like all roads run through Jersey when it comes to the playoffs, doesn’t it?
Yes, finally, the real fun can begin. The time has come, ladies and germs, for the Stanley Cup Playoffs once again. What better way to kick things off then yet another Rangers-Devils series that is bound to be, at the very least, low-scoring…er, that is, entertaining.
Seriously, though, as long as you don’t mind a lack of fours and fives on the scoreboard, this should be one hell of a series.
After losing the chance at home ice - as well as the game in a shootout - on Sunday, the Rangers now must settle for starting out on the road. The Prudential Center in Newark will house the first two games of this opening round series between the two cross-river rivals and it is, as always, imperative that the boys in blue take one game, if not both, in Jersey.
Without a doubt, no mention of this series will come without a parallel mention of the Blueshirts’ 7-1 record against the Devils this season, but while athletes often spew the same ol’ rhetoric, in this instance, they aren’t just talking when they say that that stat means little. Anyone who watched those games knows how close many of them were, how many of them could have gone either way. This is a fresh start and I doubt anyone in the Jersey locker room is paying much heed to it and the Rangers would be foolish to have a sense of superiority because of it.
What’s so interesting about this series is how evenly matched these teams are. The Rangers had the league’s sixth-worst offense, while New Jersey was fourth from the bottom. Defensively, New York ranked fourth from the top in goals against per games, while the Devils were next best.
As successful as the Rangers have been since the All-Star break, going 18-5-7 over their final 30 games, they still had a lot of trouble scoring goals. Plus, you’ve got arguably the greatest goalie in the history of the game looking you right in the face.
Both of these teams have superb goaltending and excellent team defense. The difference in this series will be which team can manage to break out of their defensive shell, open up their game a little bit and pot some goals.
The Rangers need to hope, more than anything, that Jaromir Jagr can carry over his play from the last two weeks of the regular season into the post-season. He probably still can’t do quite what he used to be capable of, but #68 was fired up, not shying away from some physical contact in that final game.
If Jagr can maintain the level of play he’s shown of late, that adds an element to the Rangers offense that wasn’t quite there for much of the season. Yes, Jagr ended up tied for the team lead in goals (with Chris Drury, at 25), but he wasn’t a real threat for most of the season like he has been before.
A full-steam Jagr would give the Devils another big option to worry about, perhaps making things easier for guys like Scott Gomez, Sean Avery and Brandon Dubinsky, all of whom have cooled off over the past few weeks after catching fire during the Rangers hot streak about a month ago. The better Jagr plays, the more Brent Sutter will focus Dainius Zubrus, Mike Rupp, David Clarkson and especially Colin White on him. I’m sure the less the other Rangers see of Colin White, the better, as the Devils lack any other true shutdown defensemen. Johnny Oduya is a nice player, but he doesn’t exactly strike fear into the hearts of opposing forwards.
An ignited Jagr would also hopefully fuel a power play that, simply put, must get better if this team has any chance at a serious playoff run. The Blueshirt power play was ranked 20th this season. The only Eastern Conference playoff team that was worse with the man advantage was in fact New Jersey, at 25th.
2008 is not 2006, however. Jagr alone can no longer make or break this team. The rest of the Ranger forwards must be factors offensively, as well.
Obviously, a lot of focus will be on Chris Drury. I’m sure every Ranger fan has heard his name and the word clutch so many times in the same sentence that their heads are ready to burst, but now comes the time where Drury makes his money, as they say. He certainly did it against the Rangers last year. Can he do it again, now as a member of the team? Considering he led the team with seven game-winning goals this year, I’m not very worried about him.
I’m also not too worried about Nigel Dawes and Ryan Callahan. Callahan was a great addition for the playoff run last year and he’ll be the same in-your-face presence he always is. He’s become the new Jed Ortmeyer, with the potential for a little bit of offensive production. As for Dawes, he’s really blossomed before our eyes this year and that will continue in these playoffs. If the Rangers have a strong showing in these playoffs, Dawes will be a significant part of it.
Then of course, there are Brendan Shanahan and Martin Straka. Unfortunately, the longer the season draws on, the more we see age and injury getting to these guys. I’m not sure what Renney’s plan is with Shanahan, but if the intent is to play the veteran on the fourth line with Blair Betts and Freddy Sjostrom, it isn’t that bad an idea.
Shanahan has become less and less effective at even-strength, as his quickness continues to dwindle. Why not save his energy for penalty-killing, where his great hockey sense remains an advantage, as well as the power play, where the threat of his shot at least draws significant focus from opposing penalty-killers?
If only there was a way to cut down Straka’s even-strength minutes, as well. His willingness to sacrifice his body and his still-impressive speed makes Straks a great penalty-killer, but his inability to produce points consistently at even strength is becoming more and more of a problem.
The onus, as well as the pressure, will be on the Ranger forwards in this series. Scoring comes at even more of a premium in the second season, so the Rangers must find a way to capitalize on the few chances they’re likely to receive. As has been the case all season, that pesky power play may be at the center of scrutiny if the Rangers fall short in this series, or the playoff run in general.
Over the last few months, though, the team has been among the league’s elite, going 18-5-5 over their last 28 games. The team’s success can be attributed to several factors. The emergence of the team’s youth, such as Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan and Nigel Dawes, has been complimented by Drury finally settling in as a Ranger.