We can go as far as to pinpoint the precise moment when perhaps (though hopefully not) the fortunes shifted dramatically in the Rangers season: The start of the third period in Pittsburgh last Wednesday. Going into that period, the Rangers and Penguins were tied 1-1 even though the Blueshirts had clearly been the better team up to that point. After the teams traded goals in the first period and New York was essentially dominating Pittsburgh in the second, I remember thinking ‘this is the type of game the Rangers of seasons past would typically lose. Let’s see what happens here because this could be telling.’ The team was coming off impressive back-to-back home victories and seemed to have momentum in its favor. It was playing tough, defensive hockey and more importantly seemed well-disciplined, staying away from silly mistakes such as turnovers and cheap penalties. I had every reason to believe this season would be different from others the past decade and a half. Or so I thought.

Then that third period happened and the team fell apart, playing perhaps its worst 20 minutes this season. Pittsburgh scored three times in the first 10 minutes and the rout was on. The five goals scored against New York in that period were the most in any period so far this season. And still, the Rangers outshot the Penguins in the game, 34-33. Rangers players were as baffled as anybody. “I just played terrible, I can’t explain it,” said Henrik Lundqvist. Paul Mara also called the experience “unexplainable.”

Tom Renney and the coaching staff deserve credit for getting the team to forget the experience and focus on the next game, at Boston on Saturday afternoon. The Rangers played much better, very well even, but still lost, 1-0, thanks largely to an otherworldly goaltending performance by Bruins rookie Tuukka Rask. “We played the best team in the Eastern Conference right to the letter,” Renney said afterwards. And he was right, of course. But as nice as those type of performances are, they become exercises in frustration if the team doesn’t come away with any points. Unfortunately, these are the types of games mediocre teams (ones that go one and done in the playoffs) lose. They’re also the type of losses that leave fans with the impression these are the same ol’ Rangers after all: good on paper, solid for the most part and sometimes even capable of impressive victories. But ultimately lacking any kind of unified core that can get the team back to the Stanley Cup.

Having said all that, it would obviously be premature (not to mention highly irrational) to write off the Rangers season at this point. There are 30 games left to play (31 to be precise) and the team is well placed for the Eastern Conference playoffs. Plus we have Adam Graves night tomorrow; if that doesn’t get the team fired up, nothing will. It’s not unreasonable to expect the event to propel the team on a more definitive momentum-changing streak–a true “turning point” if you will (with a more positive outcome than what is outlined here). Hopefully, that’s what happens. But these are the Rangers, after all. Until somebody like Mark Messier comes along (and unless he’s flanked by Adam Graves and Brian Leetch), “hope” is something better left abandoned. See you tomorrow night.

Tom Renney said Valiquette plays for scheduling purposes, and Henrik Lundqvist will be in Jersey and Montreal.

But tonight the Rangers play the Flyers in a game that hopefully gets the competitive juices flowing as time is ticking away.

“Anything can help,” Renney said. “I would like to think it doesn’t matter, but these are four point games and Philadelphia is playing very well and we have to have the passion to play”

For the lines, Renney is changing the lines once again with Marty Straka moving back with Scott Gomez and Jarmomir Jagr. Sean Avery goes back with his buddy Brendan Shanahan with Brandon Dubinsky centering and Chris Drury will center Nigel Dawes and Petr Prucha.

That’s all for now.

And for some Giants news check out NYGMen.com, which I am running for the week.  

 

The Staal Brothers will take center stage with Eric facing off against Marc [In case you were wondering all three bothers spent Christmas in Carolina with Eric and Marc coming up here together].

Tom Renney is scratching Nigel Dawes, Marcel Hossa and Jason Strudwick, all have good reasons.

Hossa is still ill, but you would have to believe could play if he was contributing more. And Dawes and Strudwick may be sitting because the team may be showcasing Petr Prucha, Paul Mara and/or Marek Malik. The latter two will be paired up together on the third defensive set, while Prucha will slot back in on the third line.

According to Larry Brooks in today’s Post, Columbus is looking at those three in a possible trade. They have has scouts at the last few games with the Rangers looking at some help as the team has struggled over the last 10 games [going 2-6-2].

In the Post story, the Rangers are looking at defensemen Adam Foote and Rostislav Klesla with others may be in the deal as well, depending on how much Columbus takes back from the Blueshirts.

None of this can happen until tomorrow anyway, since the NHL roster freeze goes until tomorrow.

With Avery, the Rangers had a hot November, and vaulted into first. Without him, the team struggled this month, losing seven of nine.

Renney is alos scratching Paul Mara with Marek Malik in and Petr Prucha also may be sitting in favor of Nigel Dawes, but we will find out more about that later.

 

“I hope not,” Renney said. “This is the Ottawa Senators. This is the NHL. This is what we get paid to do to put a product on the ice in front of our fans. They want to support us for the right reasons. We have to play.”

The fans will get to see the play of Sean Avery, who Renney said will provide spark to the team as he comes back from surgery back on Nov. 27. The wrist is fine and after the doctors checked it out this morning, he was given the good to go.

“What he brings us is what he always has,” Renney said. “He’s an intelligent player, who doesn’t scarifice the defensive side of the puck to do his things. I like his speed, naturally. He’s an abrasive guy.”

What Renney is hoping for is a trickle down effect, where the rest of the Rangers follow No. 16’s lead.

“To a point,” said the coach. “There are a number of times during the hockey season where you are looking to establish traction and gets parts of your game back. When he is not in the lineup, there’s a vital part of our game that is missing to a point. He helps everybody to understand this is [what we are missing.]”

Avery will be in. Petr Prucha is a scratch, along with Paul Mara. Marek Malik in, as will be Nigel Dawes on the third line.

Marcel Hossa is out and will be replaced by Nigel Dawes. Greg Moore will be on the third line replacing the demoted Ryan Callahan and Jason Strudwick is on the fourth line replacing Ryan Hollweg.

That means Marek Malik is back with Michal Rozsival and Marc Staal will be with Paul Mara.

Confused yet?

Outside of Lundqvist none of these moves are too earth shattering as they take on the Phoenix Great Ones – I mean the Coyotes.

Speaking of the Great One. Wayne Gretzky has laryngitis and can’t address to the media.

BTW, a good friend is back. Hockeybird, who has been very helpful to me has returned and Bird is posting his daily posts again. He went offline back in October and now is back.

Towards the end of practice, some of the Rangers were hitting pucks off a piece of wood in front of the net to practice rebounds, which is something Chris Drury brought from Buffalo as part of his routine.

Tom Renney put Marek Malik back on the top pairing with Michal Rozsival, while Marc Staal skated with Jason Strudwick.

I asked the coach if these next two games, against division leaders Ottawa and Carolina, were a test and he said that they were and if they can compete with these teams, we may have better insight on how good the team is.

 

Now, he will be coming back, so expect No. 8 to be back there over the weekend. The question is where he will play.

Expect Jason Strudwick to get scratched as Malik filters back into the lineup, but it’s questionable if he will be lining up with Michal Rozsival. Marc Stall fits very nicely at the top and deserves to stay up there, while Malik, who at times can be the Garden pariah, makes some mistakes which cost the Blueshirts.

Breaking up Dan Girardi and Fedor Tyutin doesn’t make sense, so that leaves Paul Mara. Now, Mara has played much better as of late and seems to be getting his stride on. Both he and Strudwick have chemistry together and will that translate with Malik? Or does Renney put Marc Staal back with Mara and Malik with Rozsival, so they can work together.

Believe it or not, the Malik – Rozsival pair worked well together over the past few years and Malik, who has a greak reach does make up for his speed deficiencies.

Also by showcasing Malik, the Rangers may look to trade him towards the deadline and let Strudick play or even bring up someone like Ivan Baranka, who played well last week against Tampa.

The bottom line, no matter how much the fans don’t like him, Malik is here for now.

And I will be at practice tomorrow, so there will be an update from there on this blog.

It also marks the return of Michael Nylander, who will be coming in as a member of the Caps after signing a deal with Washington during the summer.

The 3-0 Caps have been playing well, but the 1-2 Rangers are hungry for a win.

 

Same lineup as Saturday with Jason Strudwick dressing in favor of Paul Mara and skating with Marc Staal. Renney said he liked Strudwicks influence on Staal on the ice and the bench.

Also this is Henrik Lundqvist’s first game back at the Coliseum since Ice Girl Gate last year…

More Later…