Read the official recap here.
With no disrespect to the Howard, it seemed many of our shots where channeled straight up the middle, exactly where the defense wanted them. As with many of our past games, we seemed to out shoot our opponents and still wind up on the short end of the sticks. This could only point to our quality of shots. The bottom lines echoed by commentators across different networks and analysts throughout the league are always commending our high energy game and tenacity, but whats missing is that our game is also very easy to read. The other teams defense is slowly migrating toward the board where they they can apply pressure and take away our puck movement and what few goal that we've scored in the past 5 games, have come from a higher percentage of bad angle shots.
The wings came out flat last night and our energy and defense too over causing turnovers and quick rushes toward the Detroit net. After the first period, the tides began to reverse as Detroit up its game and started to play a smarter game. Going to the boards and digging the puck off to where they're fowards could play us in open ice and then crash the net for rebounds. It was telling that Datsyuk could outplay two skaters and our backup with only inches of space. Energy alone doesn't win a game and it has to be directed with consistent lines and fundamental basics like crisp passes without cycling the puck around the endboards hoping to confuse the defense. While it creates space for players like Prospal who seems like hes on his own mission these days; going rogue and crashing the net every opportunity he gets, the itch to play certain shows but it heard seems like the rest of the team is aware of his objectives and his of theirs or theirs of each others. As a team, the only way to roll forward is communication and repetitive practice in open ice with room to work around defensive pressure.
Till Next Time Ranger Fans,
J_Undisputed
I agree with your post, J -- as I was at the game in Detroit. It was an incredibly entertaining contest and you could see it from the 'get-go' that the Rangers wanted it - even during their struggles - more than detroit did. It was a well-matched game, with the exception of how the Red Wings slowed their game down on our frenetic stretch to tie-it-up in the last 6 minutes. Prospal was unnecessarily pushing himself out of position, you could see it in his eyes how much he wanted to be the catalyst that would spark-the-team-into-winning, but to no avail. Gaborik appeared lazy and even in some defensive situations, Gabs merely did what was required of him, rather than giving beyond. (it must be awfully difficult to coach someone like Gaborik). But just as they had played as well the last three losses, whether or not they are quality shots the odds say more will go in -- the law of averages say that so I see no reason to stop doing what they are doing. Maybe it is still the adjustment period melding the once-injured vets back into the system, but I'm not sure there is anything to be done but keep moving forward at this point.
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