Posted by It’s been four long years since the New York Rangers last visited the United Center in Chicago to take on an original six rival in the Blackhawks. It was on that windy December night in 2005 when the Rangers played a game eerily similar to how they’ve been playing this season. For sixty minutes the Rangers fired shot after shot on goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin yet they were only able to put one puck passed him. They also failed on every single one of their ten powerplay opportunities in the game. Sound familiar?
Then the game went to overtime and despite being outplayed and out shot, the Blackhawks would rally for a 2-1 when they capitalized on a powerplay given to them when Martin Rucinsky took a lazy hooking penalty midway through.
Tonight, however, I hope the result is a lot better although I’m not feeling too
positive about this one.
The Rangers come into tonight’s game on a two game winning streak, two games in which the Rangers did not play a full sixty minutes, only to turn it on in the second period and beyond to blast away shots at their opponents and only end up scoring 2 goals in each affair. The Rangers powerplay finally came through in their last game versus the Islanders and that is something that will need to click if the Rangers are to sustain their dwindling hold on the first place seed in the Atlantic Division.
They continue to show promise, but not consistency as their lack of a solid scorer is being shown. So many shots, so many juicy rebounds, yet no goals. Perhaps the answer to that is coming in the approaching weeks but I will save that for a later article.
Back to tonight’s game; the Blackhawks have sh0wn themselves to be one of the best and youngest teams in the league, a team that will not only beat you but beat you while having fun and putting on a show. Patrick Kane and Jonathon Toews lead the way while the veteran goaltenders Khabibulin and Huet are there for the backstop.
I fully expect an exciting game tonight as the Rangers are nice and rested and usually wake up to play against the good teams. Henrik Lundqvist will be in net while his opponent will most likely be the “Bulin Wall” himself because of his immense success against the Broadway Blue Shirts. Don’t miss out on this game and if you are, make sure to Tivo it, because it’s going to be one hell of a hockey game.
Final Prediction: Chicago 4, New York 3 in Overtime. I see the Rangers getting off to another slow start but rebounding to keep up with the Blackhawks. Lundvist will be fantastic early while the offense and defense sleeps and when they wake up, the goals will come. Look for the Rangers to take the lead midway through only to have it evaporate in the early stages of the third period. The game will then be calm from there on out until it gets to overtime where the Blackhawks will eventually put the Rangers away. Nikolai Zherdev will score twice while Wade Redden will net the third Ranger goal.
Notables: Zherdev leads the Rangers in assists (25) and points (37) while Markus Naslund leads in goals (14). Colton Orr has the edge in penalty minutes (93) while Marc Staal leads the team in plus/minus and remains the only Rangers defenseman in the plus (+7). Patrick Kane leads the Hawks in assists (26) and points (42) while Patrick Sharp leads in goals (21). Ben Eager has the lead in penalty minutes (84) while defenseman Duncan Keith continues his amazing play and positioning (+23).
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