Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Matt Gilroy Impresses All, NYR 2, NJ Devils 3, SO (pre-season)


There's nothing like a good 'ole fashioned rivalry between the New York Rangers playing the NJ Devils of Newark....regardless of when or how they are playing (pre-season tonight) you generally get an emotional game and a competitive match.

Official recap here.   

Both teams went at it and showed up -- both displaying a good mix of veterans and prospects playing professional hockey, or at least for a night or two before some will officially receive the team cut and trek north to Hartford (NYR-AHL affilliate) and some to Lowell, MA (NJ-AHL affiliate, a random little bankrupt town where they spawn little-fire-eaters).

One current Blueshirt who is certain to stay in New York City through the season is defenceman Matt Gilroy, who scored multiple goals, one in regulation and the only NYR goal in the shootout.  Gilroy drove to the net, shifting from backhand to forehand to backhand, before lifting a shot over NJ Goalkeeper Danis in the third period to make it 2-1.   Gilroy signed with the Rangers in April after winning the Hobey Baker Award as the top collegiate player and helping Boston University to the NCAA title.  Dare I say we might have an All-Star in the kid, say two, three years down the road?  Seasons ago, we saw early glimpses of what was to become of both Marc Staal and Dan Girardi -- and this 25-year old rookie looks greater, more confident and a perfect fit with the Torts system.  Am I wrong, people???  

I know, I know -- it's only pre-season and the 'big leagues' answers all the unknowns, but there is 'foreshadowing of greatness' for Mr. Gilroy and his future with The Rangers.  Two pre-season games into this season, the young'ens in Blue are impressing me and I hope...John Tortorella.   Perhaps it's just me -- desperate for hockey after a long, long four month hiatus, but tonight's game and the last half of yesterday's pre-season match against Boston (both losses) showcased an energy that we had only seen toward the end of last year's regular season.

It's refreshing to see kids wanting to be on the ice and wanting to make the squad.  Dubie.....Dubie....is that you?

tdr

3 comments:

  1. Dark, The "Youngn's" as you put it are out playing the veterans.

    I don't want to speculate this early in the pre-season but I believe Tort's want's to see some youth injected in this team.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kots...agreed. That is coaching. What was that old saying, "You CAN teach a new dog old tricks?" Maybe it was the other way around!!!? :)

    'Cuts are a coming'...maybe Hartford will have the highest payroll in it's history this year...

    Welcome back Chris...it should be a fun filled season.

    tdr

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  3. It was the Matt freakin Gilroy show!!! After the last 2 games, we were all pretty much thinking the same thing. How the hell was this guy "undrafted"? Sometimes its a level of maturity thing, I suppose. While the youngblood-esque images of some kid walking out of barn and into superstardom would be the stuff legends are made of... I'm happy at this point that Gilroy seems to display a real fire in terms of making the team and showing what he can do.. and that he chose our team to do it with. While I'm not completely sold on him as a defensive stud (definitely not the stay at home type)...I think this is Blair Betts (defensive forward with good hands, apparently -- and possibly a scoring touch) we always wanted. I have to wonder how he'd play if he was asked to tone it down for the sake of defense though.

    A few other observations about last nights game:

    - The refs are already screwing Avery. Danis lost sight of the puck and that looked like a goal before Avery had any serious contact with him.

    - Um.. Valiquette who? Ok the first goal that went past Johnson made me wince, but once he settled down...No rebounds, a good glove hand, good reflexes and hand-eye coordination. Good fundamentals in a half butterfly style. If we can work on his lateral movement without Benoit changing anything else (like making him play too deep in net), we could really have a good pick up in this kid.

    - Aaron bleeping Voros - He's already catching beatdowns in the preseason. It's embarrassing everytime he drops 'em. Someone should glue those gloves to his hands or sew them on to the end of his sleeves so he cant take them off. GEEZE...
    (Henley held his own against P3L. I thought for sure he would have gotten battered like a fish filet...If he takes nothing else after being cut today [i'm assuming].. he'll have that at least.)

    ReplyDelete

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