After feeling much like I felt when they played the Blue Jackets at the Garden a week ago when they were facing a two goal deficit the Rangers came out to play in the second and showed hope as M. Gilroy took a wrist shot from the top circle that sailed home after Marc-Andre Fleury was bumped by his own player and it made for a one goal game. The Rangers were buzzing up to this point as they controlled much of the second period.
As it looked like we had a one goal game going into the third period Pittsburgh had one more rush with :10 left took one shot, it went wide got the puck again and caught a lazy team on their heels that didn't expect the Penguins to get off another shot and one sailed right by Valiquette with under a second to go to make for a 4-2 Penguins lead. The goal had to be reviewed to see if it beat the clock and it clearly did with 0.6 left, ouch.
The Rangers would strike back only :37 into the third to make for a one goal game again when Michael Rozsival slapped one in that came off a beautiful pass from Avery after some tuff work along the boards.
Up to this point I would say it was a good hockey game with that tuff break the Rangers had at the end of the second period, but then the circus came to town. Miss-communication behind the Rangers goal and Valiquette sliding back in front of his goal only to see Crosby put in his second of the night for a two goal Penguin lead. Soon after Pascal Dupuis took a slap shot from the side of the circle that snuck it's way by Valiquette as he made a week swipe at the shot with his glove that I bet he wish he had back.
It was hat night in Pittsburgh and with the Penguins on a Power Play and two already sunk for Sid the Kid he would snipe his third for the trick and you saw the Hat's Fly. 17,000 blue and white hat's made it to ice surface as the pounding was on in a 7-3 game at this point.
The Pens would add another as the gloves would start to drop in the game. Callahan, Avery and Brashear would be the ones the drop the gloves and the reason for the glove dropping was a blind side hit to the head M. Cooke took at Enver Lisin that shook him up well.
The leagues going to have to do something about these hit's to the head but I bet the Rangers hope it's after they play the Penguins on Monday night at the Garden. When Brashear tried to get at Cooke the refs made sure they didn't make it happen. This may not be the case when the Rangers play them again.
All in all the Penguins defense did a good job on the Rangers Gaborik holding him to only a secondary assist while the Rangers couldn't contain the Pens Crosby as he had a five point night with a trick and two assists and Malkin with a goal and an assist. None of the Rangers forwards scored a goal last night as only their Dee-men supplied the offense. Staal, Gilroy and Rozsival. Higgins keeps getting his scoring chances but can't seem to finish, hopefully things will turn around for him soon or his stay in New York will be short. The Rangers are now 6-11-1 in their Last 18. They will try to shake off their two back to back road blunders being out scored 13-4and focus on the rematch with Pittsburgh this Monday night.
For Video Recaps of all Rangers games this season:
http://www.puckvideo.com/rangers-2009-10.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment