The first period saw the Rangers play perhaps their best period of the year at even strength. They did give up a few chances shorthanded, but that's to be expected when you're facing the league's top power play and you end up down 5 on 3. Anton Stralman and Taylor Pyatt took successive hooking penalties, but the iron three of Dan Girardi, Brian Boyle, and Marc Staal stood firm and the Caps, thanks to Joel Ward missing and whiffing on a goal mouth chance, came up with nothing.
The Rangers had a few opportunities, none better than a 3 on 1 that Derek Dorsett fired a shot into Caps goaltender Braden Holtby. However, the period ended in a scoreless tie.
The second period finally saw the score change, and for the first time since their only win of the year in Los Angeles, the Blueshirts took the initial lead of the game. John Moore, who looks and plays more and more like a Second Ryan McDonagh, fired a laser of a wrist shot that somehow evaded the glove of Braden Holtby and ripped iron, then net. A sneaky pass from Brad Richards set up the goal for the young defenseman, his second goal in a New York Rangers uniform.
It took the Rangers a whopping 1:46 to double their lead as the Captain, Ryan Callahan worked a gorgeous cycle down low with Derick Brassard and once again, Brad Richards, with Richards throwing the puck in front, Callahan tipped it into the air, and smacked it home out of mid-air. The goal was incredibly talented, but the celebration was fantastic as Callahan threw himself into the boards and glass in front of a bunch of Capitals fans who slammed the glass and yelled back at him, as if he had just rubbed an open cut with a giant alcohol swab.
The third period saw no offense, but a scary moment in the first minute of the third period had all Rangers fans holding their breath, Derek Stepan, as he was backing out of the zone, was blindsided by the Capitals' Troy Brouwer and took a shoulder right to the head. As I discussed earlier today with fellow Ranger fan and future Blue Reviewer Jamie Robinson, this hit was completely avoidable, but chances are will go unpunished. In fact, as Jamie told me today, the NHL ruled it "an accident" and a "hockey play". IF that's a hockey play, then someone did not learn how to properly play hockey. Brouwer heads to his bench for a change, Stepan is backskating and never sees him coming. Instead of speeding up or slowing down to adjust to Stepan, Brouwer raises his arms to appear as if he is defending himself and nails #21 in the brain bucket. Stepan was on the ice for a good long while, then went for what I can only assume are the standard battery of concussion tests. Luckily for Rangers supporters, after about eight minutes, Stepan was back, took four more shifys, and was on the ice as the game ended. I'm sure he'll be re-evaluated, but with Rick Nash already suffering from a concussion, the Blueshirts can ill afford to have #21 out of the lineup.
That being said, I just got a notification from ESPN that somehow Ryan Callahan has a broken thumb and will now be out 3-4 weeks. This is a huge blow, but maybe another young player gets a chance to shine. I was thinking again of Chris Kreider, but I see again through ESPN that the Rangers have sent down Cam Talbot - wait, what? - and recalled Jason Missiaen, who is a 6'8 goalie and to replace the captain.....welcome back to New York.......Darroll Powe. Wait......WHAT??? You could have given me 10 guesses and I wouldn't have guessed Darroll Powe.
Oh well.......the Rangers take the ice again on Saturday against the Devils. Look for the first fully acknowledged non-friendly preview before then, because if my kid had a choice of being caught with a Hustler magazine or a Devils hat.....I'd buy a subscription. In case you can't tell, I.....BLEED BLUE.
The second period finally saw the score change, and for the first time since their only win of the year in Los Angeles, the Blueshirts took the initial lead of the game. John Moore, who looks and plays more and more like a Second Ryan McDonagh, fired a laser of a wrist shot that somehow evaded the glove of Braden Holtby and ripped iron, then net. A sneaky pass from Brad Richards set up the goal for the young defenseman, his second goal in a New York Rangers uniform.
It took the Rangers a whopping 1:46 to double their lead as the Captain, Ryan Callahan worked a gorgeous cycle down low with Derick Brassard and once again, Brad Richards, with Richards throwing the puck in front, Callahan tipped it into the air, and smacked it home out of mid-air. The goal was incredibly talented, but the celebration was fantastic as Callahan threw himself into the boards and glass in front of a bunch of Capitals fans who slammed the glass and yelled back at him, as if he had just rubbed an open cut with a giant alcohol swab.
The third period saw no offense, but a scary moment in the first minute of the third period had all Rangers fans holding their breath, Derek Stepan, as he was backing out of the zone, was blindsided by the Capitals' Troy Brouwer and took a shoulder right to the head. As I discussed earlier today with fellow Ranger fan and future Blue Reviewer Jamie Robinson, this hit was completely avoidable, but chances are will go unpunished. In fact, as Jamie told me today, the NHL ruled it "an accident" and a "hockey play". IF that's a hockey play, then someone did not learn how to properly play hockey. Brouwer heads to his bench for a change, Stepan is backskating and never sees him coming. Instead of speeding up or slowing down to adjust to Stepan, Brouwer raises his arms to appear as if he is defending himself and nails #21 in the brain bucket. Stepan was on the ice for a good long while, then went for what I can only assume are the standard battery of concussion tests. Luckily for Rangers supporters, after about eight minutes, Stepan was back, took four more shifys, and was on the ice as the game ended. I'm sure he'll be re-evaluated, but with Rick Nash already suffering from a concussion, the Blueshirts can ill afford to have #21 out of the lineup.
That being said, I just got a notification from ESPN that somehow Ryan Callahan has a broken thumb and will now be out 3-4 weeks. This is a huge blow, but maybe another young player gets a chance to shine. I was thinking again of Chris Kreider, but I see again through ESPN that the Rangers have sent down Cam Talbot - wait, what? - and recalled Jason Missiaen, who is a 6'8 goalie and to replace the captain.....welcome back to New York.......Darroll Powe. Wait......WHAT??? You could have given me 10 guesses and I wouldn't have guessed Darroll Powe.
Oh well.......the Rangers take the ice again on Saturday against the Devils. Look for the first fully acknowledged non-friendly preview before then, because if my kid had a choice of being caught with a Hustler magazine or a Devils hat.....I'd buy a subscription. In case you can't tell, I.....BLEED BLUE.
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