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New York Rangers Notes

Rangers vs. Islanders: A Bad, Costly, Lopsided Win

Yes, it's two more points. Yes, they're still only two points out of a playoff spot. But getting outshot 78-34 while outscoring opponents 10-4 in the last two games tells the unsustainable true story.

Rangers vs. Islanders: A Bad, Costly, Lopsided Win
© Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
  • Before we get to that game—and I'm sure we'll talk about this on the podcast, as well—I want to say a word about Al Trautwig. At this point, many of you know that I grew up in the midwest. So I didn't have Al Trautwig as a regular part of my Rangers (or Yankees) viewing experience until the 2010s. But that didn't mean I didn't know who Al was or, at the very least, I knew his voice. When the Rangers won the Cup in 1994, my brother sent me a care package from NYC that included "Oh Baby!", the MSG-produced Rangers Stanley Cup video. For the youngest of our readers, this was on VHS, which is something you can Google or probably go see in a museum. I probably watched it a few hundred times. Anyway, it was narrated by Al Trautwig, and if you really pressed me, I could probably remember his narration word-for-word. Tremendous broadcaster. RIP.
  • Let's be clear about what this game was: a matchup of two not-good hockey teams. You could have equally seen the Islanders winning 5-1, because a few days ago you saw the Rangers give up eight (8) goals to the Buffalo Sabres.
  • Joe talked some about this in his game notes from the Penguins game. Peter Laviolette's lineup and line combination choices right now are like a piñata: you can hit them from almost any angle and it'll yield some reward. Here's what we got in line rushes:
  • I suppose any time you can cut Zac Jones's conditioning stint short and call him back up after only playing two games in Hartford just to have him sit in the press box, you just absolutely have to do it. Or, something. Now, as it turns out, they probably going to need him next game with both K'Andre Miller and Adam Fox leaving this game with upper body injuries. But, the original point stands.
  • There's an extent to which the people saying 'who cares about the line combos until after the trade deadline' are right. Unless I'm completely gauging this situation wrong, the Rangers will be conservative sellers—moving out pending UFAs and, if they add any NHL pieces, only players with term—so there will be spots to fill after March 11. So I'll save getting really animated about these choices until after then.

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