Big Blue Huddle

Our get up and go, must have got up and went...

A Rangers player being interviewed in the Locker Room after the game, said "These back-to-backs are tough".
Thinkin' that one of the two games is away, raises the bar a bit.
Also, in the 2nd game we have a Team that typically plays us tough and is low in the rankings, stets up a strong Trap game scenario.

BREAD, BREAD, and more BREAD

This Team does not panic. They stick to their game plan even when they are down a couple, and playing poorly.
We again, dominate on the Dot. Largely thanks to Shesty, we get out of the 1st only down a couple.
Laviolette's deaft shuffling of the Lines in the 2nd jump started our Game. That's what experienced winning NHL HC's can do.
We give up a Short Handed Goal on a PP. Then come right back to score on the same PP. We rarely lose our focus.
Our Leadership (Staff and Players) are getting the job done.

Thus far, the difference I observe between last season's Team and this season's Team can be summed up in one word
'INTESITY'. Credit Laviolette with instilling this attitude right from the get-go with having much more competitive practices. Vesey explained in his Presser, that results of Practice are posted after each Practice.
This is a major upgrade over the soft Practice tempo that took place last season.

Front to back. side to side, we are hard on the opponent's stick. We finish our checks. We have a 4th Line that is reecking havoc in numerous

Anyone that has lost confidence in Shesty, fear not! The jaw-dropping saves he made in the 3rd say it all for those who were concerned (including me) bout Shesty's game
Bread his 12th, Miller's sweet 1 timer, and Vesey got a favorable ruling on a high stick challenge re; the Game Winning Goal. Vesey was a high scoring F at Harvard that struggled scoring when he came into the NHL.
He just notched his 5th tally of the season at the 1/4 mark.

Our "C" Jacob Trouba threw several huge body-checks. He also blocked another five shots tonite, including a key block with five ticks remaining during
six on four Hockey. Laffy faked a shot and made a tremendous cross ice pass into Bread's wheel-house for his tally.
The Motor City's Goalie matched Shesty's play tween dah pipes.  Fox played 21 mins. in his return from a strained MCL knee ligament.
He said he felt good after a few shifts. Detroit scored their two Goals in a span of 31 seconds. In a previously never before seen by the color commentator who was a former Player, a Detroit Player pulled our Player's stick upward to strike him in his mouth. He even cut himself to draw a four min. Penalty.
He got exposed as a fraud during a video review by the Officials. Detroit's HC kept waving his hand with five fingers extended, urging the Officials to call a five minute Penalty. Thinkin' either Detroit's player or HC should've received an Unsportsman Conduct for the stick in the mouth ploy.

got it - TNT
Fox is back
Johnny Bodzinkski replaces Kakko

Anybody know what channel tonight's game vs. Detroit is on?

I took another glance at Melanie. Yeah DB, she does have a bit of the FF goin' on...

Who dah heck knows what happened? But Melanie is smoking hot

Gman, a stupid amount is what it takes these days. Hopefully the Rangers will reward your loyalty. My Dad had season tix from mid 60's -mid 70's, I Attended many a Game at MSG watching those Blueshirts fly around that Ice. Worst memory, was watching the Bruins take turns hoisting the Cup on MSG Ice. That, Along with Goalie Gerry Gheevers giving the Rangers faithful the finger...

Kane was deadwood last season. Highly doubt Drury will re-visit that move

Yeah, you can dominate on the Dot and still get blown out...
With 12 mins. left in the Game, we score seven seconds into a PP and cut the score to 1-2.  Perfect spot to take over the Game.
So what do we do?
We let them score three unanswered Goals...

Shocked at how we made the best in the east look so beatable. 
And without our best Player, who has been skating for nearly a week now.
They call a TO and respond. We call a TO and we respond.  We score a couple, they score a couple, we score, they score then we score three.
With the Game we are putting on the Ice, is there anything we can't do?
Laviolette has showed he knows what to do, and when to do it.

Our 4th Line has become a real weapon as of late. Our PP & PK are clicking. And our Goaltending is the best tandem in the NHL.
Our Captain leads the NHL in Blocked Shots.  Krides is tied for most PP Goals. I think we give up the least amount of Goals and have the most Wins.
Yeah, as mentioned, it's early, but this sure feels GREAT!!!

Quick pitches his 60th Shut Out
Hank and Valley broke down Quick's game and how it has evolved for the 37 year old Netminder. Great stuff! Basically they marveled over how compact he stays, and his ability to play the exactly correct angle to the shooter.
Well, I'll be having a big slice of Humble Pie, again. Five mins. into the Game, Laffy takes a pass and gets a step on the last Pitt defender.
He pulls the Puck to his backhand, and throws the Puck over the shoulder of the Goalie. Yes, it was the same shot he used in the Shoot Out previously.
Pitt owned the first five mins until then.  Who knew that Laffy's Goal would be the Game Winner...

Tight checking ensued, with both Teams having quality chances. Trouba with some open ice bombs.  Pitt went 0-5 on the PP.
Quick made saves that I couldn't track the Puck on, but he did. We blocked alot of shots for Quick. Our 4th Line C and former Pitt player Bonino leads all F's in the NHL for Blocked Shots. Pitt did score, but Laviolette challenged on an Offside call and the Pitt Goal was disallowed.
Sid the Kid & Malkin had a few quality looks, but Quick stood tall in Net.
Heck of a W at the Igloo!!!

I would start Quick at the Igloo. Give Shesty some time to work on his game with Benny (the Goaltending whisperer).

Also, during Pre-season(?) I commented that both Kakko and Laffy wouldn't measure up to being promoted by Lavolette to #1 RW Kakko and #2 RW Laffy. Well, I missed badly on my Laffy prognostication, he's been an effective  Player. Thus far, his game is light years beyond what we have ever seen from him. He's playing his Off- Wing being centered by Marchand who's really thrived in Chityl's absence. Bread is the 2nd Line LW and is off to a MVP season.
Chytil may have another concussion, the latest in a series of similar injuries. The fear here is this concussion could be career threating.
However, I've been spot on With Kakko's struggles. He's been demoted to the 3rd Line, replaced by (I think) Blake Wheeler. Unfortunately, Wheeler doesn't look to be a long term answer for #1 RW. So, as I previously mentioned, Drury will have to work his magic and find us a legit #1 RW.