SB Nation New York: All Posts by Joseph Fortunato

Rangers Vs. Bruins: Win A Game And Make This A Series

2013-05-21T12:00:11Z

Athletes need to have short memories. You've heard the saying "You can't get too high when things are going well or too low when things are bad." Right now things have gone pretty badly for the New York Rangers. They took a tough loss on the chin in Game 1, and a terrible 20 minutes cost them Game 2. Now the Rangers are down 2-0 in a series against a very deep and good team.

You don't need me to tell you being down 3-0 would be a death blow without being a true death blow. The Rangers can't afford to be down 3-0 to Boston.

Which makes Game 3 at Madison Square Garden a must win. The Rangers play much better on home ice, it's a fact that can't be ignored. The Rangers turned the series against Washington because of twin 4-3 victories on home ice to tie the series at two. Now they need to do the same thing. Only against a better team. A more experienced team.

And there's the risk of losing the first two games on the road. Yes, the Rangers came back from such a hole in the first round, but no team in NHL history has even won back-to-back series in which they've been down 2-0.

But this Rangers team has already made history. They came back to win a series in which they were down 2-0 for only the third time in their history in the first round. They also won a Game 7 on the road for the first time in team history. Who is to say this team can't do that again?

Things needs to be fixed, though. There's no way around it. The power play has to be better (or at least get a different look), the forwards have to cover the point even when the puck isn't there and the Rangers need to keep a sustained effort for 60 minutes (or more if the game goes into overtime).

The Rangers have a ton of problems. But they're fixable. It's time John Tortorella, well, fixed them. Or at least tried.

Give Carl Hagelin and Chris Kreider more power play time. Take Brad Richards off the power play altogether. Let John Moore run the point for one of the units. Put someone (Rick Nash preferably) in front of the net. Maybe put Derek Stepan back at the point (even though he kind of looked lost there in Game 1). I don't know what the magic button is, or what the codes are. I just know that what Tortorella is inputting isn't going through or working.

That has to change sooner rather than later.

Actually it has to change tonight. The Rangers can't afford to lose this game.

Rangers Vs. Bruins: Believe

2013-05-20T16:00:05Z

I know a lot of New York Rangers fans love to be negative. And honestly, I can't blame them. The oldest fans have seen four Stanley Cups in over 85 years. One cup since 1940. Countless heartbreaks along the way. It's tough. I know it is even though I've only been a fan for 24 years - and really, to me, you can't fully comprehend sports until you're around 17 or 18 so really six years.

Isn't it funny how you have to be able to "comprehend" sports? You have to know what you're getting yourself into. You have to sign the contract. The "Work?" Invest a ton of your life, time and emotions into something you can't control. The reward? Feeling like you've not only won the championship with your team but traveled on the journey with them. The fine print? Sports reserves the right to kick you in the gut over and over again, stomp on your emotions like they're a spider in your bedroom, have no regard for your feelings at all; all the while giving you hope year after year that next year will be different.

Sometimes being a sports fan is the greatest thing in the world.

Most of the time it's the worst.

And there's the "fun." You strive for that moment when it is the best. You dream of that moment when they win it all. When Mark Messier lifted the Stanley Cup in 1994 every true Rangers fan felt like they were lifting it too. That's the moment you strive for as a sports fan. The Rangers didn't just break the curse in 1994, they did it with the help of the fans (or so we like to think). But it's a long road to get there. Some teams take a longer road than others. You never know which road your team is on. That's the risk. That's the gamble.

So when the Rangers went down 2-0 to the Boston Bruins thanks to an embarrassing third-period effort in Game 2, I felt that familiar gut punch followed by a sweeping wave of hope. That hope is what I'm going to share with you now. Because, honestly, why be negative? What's going to happen is going to happen. This team had made it this far, there's no reason not to think they can pull it out. Even if you think a comeback is irrational (I don't, but I'm generally far more optimistic than the average fan) you may as well throw yourself headfirst into it. What do you have to lose?

Here we go:

Rick Nash - Scored his first goal of the playoffs on a beautiful rush to the net to tie the game at two. You could see the weight lifted off his shoulders. He was an animal the rest of the period and into the third (despite most of the team deflating like a balloon with a cannonball shot through it). Sometimes with players it's all about the mental aspects of the game. Carp recently suggested that he didn't think Nash was injured after seeing that rush for the goal. I'm not so sure, but I'm not in the room and he would know better than me. I'm just saying Nash looked a whole Hell of a lot better once he lit the lamp. That should translate into Game 3 on home ice.

The Defense - Can't be much worse than it was on Sunday, right? It seems like the Rangers' defense had everything that could go wrong go wrong in Game 2. Girardi will never be that bad again, Michael Del Zotto will (hopefully) never be paired with Girardi ever again. It's doubtful the Rangers' defense will be perfect the rest of the series, but there's no way the Rangers' defense will be that bad again. That was truly the perfect storm.

The Effort - Removing the overtime in Game 1 and the third period in Game 2, the Rangers have easily hung with the Bruins and even been the better team for stretches. Yes, obviously those major breakdowns have cost them both games and those have to stop. But the Rangers have to know, as they go back to New York, that they can be the better team in this series. They have to know that what they've done has worked, they just haven't sustained it (which is a problem within itself, but we're being positive, remember?). This isn't as deep of a 2-0 hole as it seems.

MSG - The NBC broadcast was talking about MSG as though it was some kind of magical building that can make the Rangers much better and the atmosphere might throw other teams off. Oh, wait, it is. Moving on then ...

The Power Play - It can't get any worse, right? Guys? Guys? Helloooo? Is this thing on?

Ryan Callahan - He's starting to come alive. He might be injured too, to be honest, but that was a pretty big God Damn goal am I right? (I'm full of jokes today, not sure why).

The Bruins Rookie Defense - They can't be that good every game this series. Maybe the atmosphere at MSG will unnerve them.

John Tortorella - It's time for him to make adjustments. To this point he hasn't had his forwards cover the point in the defensive zone (well, until the puck gets there) and he hasn't made any changes to the power play. He has to know that the season is on the brink thanks to those two problems. He has to fix them.

Injury Concerns - I haven't heard anything about Marc Staal and Ryane Clowe, but boy do the Rangers miss them. This actually isn't that positive. Sorry, guys.

The Confidence - The Bruins underestimated the Toronto Maple Leafs and nearly blew a 3-1 series lead. Don't tell me the Rangers can't come back in this series. Don't tell me this team hasn't given you enough reasons to believe they can come back and win this series. As unlikely as you think it is - no team in NHL history has ever won two series in which they were down 2-0 - it's possible.

That's why we watch sports. Sometimes amazing things happen that blow your mind and you remember forever.

That's part of the contract, too.

Rangers Vs. Bruins: Rangers Fold In The Third, Bruins Up 2-0

2013-05-20T12:00:06Z

- Well at least we know where we are. Some Rangers fans were scratching their heads and checking roadmaps when the Rangers went down 2-0 to Washington in the First Round, at least time time around the fans know the Rangers have the ability to win the series. Then again, if the Rangers bring they're play in the final 20 minutes of that 5-2 blowout to Game 3 this is going to be a very short series.

- Which is why I can't give a reason or think of an excuse for why this team played so poorly in a game that they needed so badly. Those first 40 minutes were textbook successful hockey (minus, you know, power play goals). The Rangers created offense, were physical, tough in the corners and crashed the net. All of that (repeat: all of it) disappeared in the third as the Rangers rolled over.

- It should also be noted the Rangers had a power play with four minutes lef in the second when it was 3-2 Bruins. The Rangers didn't come close, which is ironic because that's as close as they would get the rest of the game.

- 2-for-36 on the power play in the playoffs. Not a typo. 2-for-36. The fact that the Rangers have made it this far with a power play that bad is a testament to Henrik Lundqvist and this team finding a way to win games without too much offense. Then again, the Rangers haven't scored a power play goal against the Bruins and they're 0-2. Not going to get away with that type of stuff against a team as good as Boston.

- Want to know what else the Rangers aren't going to get away with? Abandoning the point in the offensive zone. Washington didn't make the Rangers pay for that too badly in the first round, but the Bruins defenseman are eating the Rangers alive in terms of offense. Too much space, too much time and too many people screening Lundqvist. Put bodies on the point. It shouldn't take 120 minutes of hockey to notice that the Bruins are far more dangerous when they have time up top. Adjust.

- Another adjustment? Remove Brad Richards from the power play. Both units. I like what Richards brings to the room with his voice and his leadership but his level of play simply isn't there. He's playing 10 minutes a night as it is. He's making mistakes rookies wouldn't make. The second Bruins goal came because of two things: 1) Dan Girardi blocked the puck directly to Gregory Campbell and 2) Richards completely lost Campbell in the slot and allowed him all the space he needed to score the goal. Yuck.

- Speaking of Girardi. Worst game I've ever seen him play as a Ranger. He was on the ice for all five of the Bruins' goals. All of them. He's done so much for this team he gets a full pass in my book, but he was awful Sunday.

- I'm sure many of you will point out that Michael Del Zotto was on the ice for four Bruins' goals. He wasn't great either, but not all four of those goals were on him.

- Rick Nash scored a goal. Finally. And despite what you might think from the scoreline, it was a huge goal when it was scored. Tied the game at two and sucked the air out of the building. Nash pulled off a few vintage Nash moves and on his goal he made Zdeno Chara look like a traffic cone. Need more of that.

- Ryan Callahan had one of his best games in a long, long time.

- Here's the thing. I wanted to completely avoid going down 2-0 to Boston. They're a better team than the Capitals and they're far more experienced with success in the playoffs. The Rangers have tow games at MSG where they can even the series. Get a win in Game 3 and you keep things alive. As negative as I've been in this recap, the Rangers have shown serious flashes of good in the second round. Game 1 could have gone either way, the Rangers doomed themselves with 20 putrid minutes in Game 2, things can change for Game 3. And if the Rangers win both games at MSG, well, this is a whole new series. Easier said than done, obviously.

Thoughts?

Rangers Vs. Bruins: Close Isn't Good Enough For Rangers In Game 1

2013-05-17T12:26:58Z

- First of all, huge apology to all of you who are fighting through these server issues SB Nation is currently going through. We're expecting there to be a fix soon and things should be completely normal (and even better) by the time the Rangers take on the Bruins for Game 2. You've probably seen stories not getting posted on time and some lacking updates. We're having issues with this, too, but for the most part the major things seem to be fixed. I always say that Vox has the best support people in the business and they've legitimately been working 24 hours a day to fix these issues. So thanks for the patience there.

- Back to the hockey game. After every single loss in Washington I was furious after the game was over because I felt that had the Rangers played even a solid hockey game they would have won. Yes, that overtime loss to give the Bruins a 1-0 series lead was close, and I thought both teams were completely even though the first 60 minutes. But the Bruins won (and deserved to win) that game in the extra frame. They were quicker on the puck, had possession and completely dominated. Some of that might have been nerves for the Rangers, but most of it - I think at least - came from the Derek Dorsett penalty (he was good otherwise) that gave the Bruins eight shots and completely tilted the ice in their direction.

- And how many games are the Rangers going to lose in overtime during the playoffs? Seriously. Henrik Lundqvist - who was all kinds of brilliant - is 3-11 in the playoffs in his career. That's not a typo. At first glance you might think that's on Hank, but when you take into consideration that three of those losses came this year, and that Lundqvist has given up three goals COMBINED in regulation in those three losses, it really makes you realize the Rangers simply can't score in overtime. You can see how much these overtime losses wear on him, too. It has to be tough.

- Another tilting point in the loss? The Rangers power play. 0-for-3. The Rangers truly only had two full power plays, but they were futile enough to count for a thousand. Brad Richards doesn't belong on the power play anywhere. Not right now. Not playing like this. Start giving John Moore some more minutes. Keep Michael Del Zotto out there as long as he played like he did last night. Give Ryan McDonagh some minutes if you have to. Maybe start running with five forwards. Maybe move Rick Nash to the front of the net. Maybe move ANYONE to the front of the net.

- The ideas above might not be good. I'm just spewing thoughts after another crushing playoff loss. But the Rangers have to do something. It's the same exact thing every single time. And it doesn't work. The Rangers are 2-for-30 on the power play in the playoffs. I don't even have a joke or a statement for that. It's too alarming. I actually need to wash my hands before I keep writing these notes because I feel dirty.

- Moore should have played more in overtime. I don't know if John Tortorella was being cautious after he was hit with the puck (he probably was) but Moore can skate around pretty much any pair of Bruins defenders. I know he's a defenseman, but when you need a goal and the other team is dominating you have to take chances. He looked fine to me.

- So did Chris Kreider, who was making things happen and wasn't a liability in his own end. But Kreider only played 11 minutes, so.

- Del Zotto was awesome. Hit a crossbar, played almost 30 minutes, had two hits, three blocks and four shots. He's picked it up since Game 6 of the First Round.

- Derick Brassard was really good (he grabbed an assist on the McDonagh goal) but the pass/turnover in overtime caused the Bruins 2-on-1. That was followed up with Mats Zuccarello not staying with his man which was followed up by Anton Stralman not sliding to block the pass which was followed up with the overtime goal. Some pretty big mistakes there starting with Brassard. Otherwise? He was still making things happen.

- Another good game for Nash. One of the better ones we've seen. Some media members still don't think he's 100%. I agree. But if he can keep playing like that the Rangers should be fine. Still, you would love to see him pot one in overtime or something.

- Big game from Derek Stepan, too. And I'm not just talking about the goal.

- McDonagh has a lot of offense to his game, he just hasn't been able to use it with the Rangers because they need his defense so much. But that goal was a rocket from the point.

- Didn't love Ryan Callahan's game at all. He's been off and on all playoffs. Maybe he's hurt, too.

- The Rangers really miss Marc Staal and Ryane Clowe. A lot.

- Here's the good news. The Rangers hung with the Bruins without any issues. Aside from the overtime you could even talk me into the Rangers being the better team for a really good portion of that game. You would think the Rangers have to win Game 2 in Boston, especially because the Bruins are deeper and more well-rounded than the Capitals, but this is another series that can truly go either way. Shake it off, move on. It wasn't a bad showing at all.

Thoughts?

Rangers Vs. Bruins: Second Round Bantering Points

2013-05-16T12:15:52Z

- First of all, I wrote a couple of stories yesterday that you guys might have missed. We had some massive server issues yesterday so just make sure you take a look. One of the stories was on Rick Nash's second chance in the second round. The other was on the New York Rangers sudden plethora of depth. Give em a read if you missed them during the madness yesterday.

- So we're not the only ones talking about how good Derick Brassard has been for the Rangers. It's also surprising him a bit, I guess. NHL.com has a really good story on his coming out party in this year's playoffs. Take a look, it's worth the read. The point with Brassard isn't just that he's been good, it's that he's been that good on this stage.

- The Boston Bruins are a much deeper team than the top-heavy Washington Capitals. So when I saw reports that John Tortorella had once again split Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi (he did it in Game 7 against the Capitals) in practice I wasn't surprised. There are more players for the Rangers to worry about when it comes to Boston's offense.

- Which is why it's such a good thing that Anton Stralman and John Moore have also stepped up in a big way on defense. It would be a fantastic if Marc Staal came back to help even out the defense but I don't have a good feeling about his return this season (note: this is a feeling, I have no inside information on the subject). So having Moore and Stralman (and Michael Del Zotto if it's the Del Zotto from Games 6 and 7) able to soak up big minutes will be huge.

- And, of course, Henrik Lundqvist is going to play a huge role, too. The Rangers didn't give up a single goal in the final 120 minutes of the first round. But that can't be expected in every series. The Rangers are going to have to find a way to give Lundqvist some cushion. That's not just about playing well in front of him, it's also about putting goals on the board.

- A guy who really didn't get as much credit as he should have from the first round is Derek Dorsett. He's a guy who can get under the other team's skin, drop the gloves if he has to (he didn't have to against Washington), brings a ton of physicality and can play big minutes without being a serious risk on the ice. He's not going to give you a ton of offense but he doesn't have to. He can play the game, and he fits the Rangers' system perfectly. He drew penalties against Washington and was huge in Game 7. He's gotten even better as the season has gone on.

- And Brian Boyle, of course. A lot of you guys thought the Rangers didn't need him during the regular season, but he's showing his worth in the playoffs in a big way. His physicality will be big, too.

- See how much we're talking about physicality? For good reason. The Bruins are one of the toughest teams in the league. It's going to play a big factor in the second round.

- And of course, Nash needs to start scoring. So does Ryan Callahan. Brad Richards needs to be better, too. Nash is, however, going to probably be shadowed by Zdeno Chara. So long as the Rangers depth keeps scoring, Nash might be able to make more space for guys like Brassard and Mats Zuccarello.

Thoughts!

Rangers Vs. Bruins: Rangers Showing How Deep They Are

2013-05-15T17:11:27Z

Last season the New York Rangers inability to get past the New Jersey Devils and into the Stanley Cup Finals was attributed to two main points. The first was the Rangers lack of scoring (both at even strength and on the power play) and the second was the Devils third and fourth lines were far superior to the Rangers third and fourth lines. And while star power holds a lot of weight in the NHL, quality depth is almost just as important.

That was on display in the Rangers seven-game victory over the Washington Capitals in the first round of the NHL Playoffs.

If I would have told you before the playoffs started that the Rangers would be playing the Capitals, and Rick Nash, Ryan Callahan, Brad Richards and Ryane Clowe would combine for just two goals and five assists you probably would have thought the Capitals would have run the Rangers out of the series. The reality? The Rangers depth outplayed the Capitals.

Arron Asham had two goals, Taylor Pyatt had a goal and two assists, Brian Boyle had two goals and an assist and Derek Dorsett had an assist. Then there were guys like Derick Brassard (who was considered depth when the series began but is now primary scoring) with two goals and seven assists, Mats Zuccarello with a goal and four assists, Carl Hagelin with two goals and two assists and even Dan Girardi and Michael Del Zotto scoring a goal and an assist each.

Now compare that to the Capitals leading scorers being Joel Ward, Mike Green and Mathieu Perreault with four points each. Nicklas Backstrom with a goal and two assists, Mike Ribeiro with a goal and an assist and, of course, Alex Ovechkin with just a goal and an assist. Obviously Ryan McDonagh, Henrik Lundqvist and Girardi deserve a ton of credit for shutting down the Capitals' top line, but the Capitals did the same to the Rangers. The difference? The Rangers depth showed up. The Capitals depth did not.

Of course, you can't just look at the goals and assists to see who's been playing well, but if you've watched the games it's quite clear the Rangers depth is showing it's true colors. When the Rangers traded for Nash we talked at length about what it did to the team's precious (and seemingly thin) depth. But after the Marian Gaborik trade things are different.

The Rangers got three quality players who John Tortorella can trust. Dorsett and Moore were playing big, important minutes in Game 7. That doesn't happen with Tortorella unless he trusts you. It doesn't matter who you are, what you're paid (ask Richards) or what stock the organization has in you (as Chris Kreider), you're not playing if he doesn't trust you.

With Clowe out, sure, Tortorella may have had to lean on a player or two he wasn't expecting to. But Dorsett and Moore simply got the job done for the Rangers in Round 1. Especially Moore who stepped up when Marc Staal was finished for the rest of the first round.

And, of course, Brassard, who we've also talked about at length so no need to go into him again here. He was the Rangers best player not named Henrik Lundqvist in the first round. Although you could talk me into putting McDonagh and Girardi above him, too. Maybe.

The point is the Rangers top guns didn't get the job done. In Clowe's case - and yes, I'm putting him in primary scoring territory because the Rangers brought him in with the intent that he would be a big part of the playoffs - it's due to injuries. Either way, the Rangers have the extra wheels to get them going.

That's a lot different than last year's playoff run.

Hopefully this year's result will be different, too.

Rangers Vs. Bruins: Rick Nash's Time Is Now

2013-05-15T12:10:33Z

Opportunities are sometimes born from second chances.

Rick Nash was probably mentally preparing for the onslaught that was coming. As the Washington Capitals waltzed off the Verizon Center ice after Mike Ribeiro's overtime game-winning goal to give the Capitals a 3-2 series lead who could have blamed him? Nash hadn't scored a single goal in the series. And today, after the New York Rangers staged a remarkable two-game defensive show to best the Capitals in seven games, Nash still hasn't hit the scoresheet with a goal.

But that's almost sort of not the point right now. Winning has a funny was of masking problems. Winning has a funny way of erasing the past. And now that the Rangers are through to the second round of the NHL Playoffs, not only do they have a clean slate but so too does their star sniper.

Nash was so much better in Games 6 and 7 it almost makes you wonder if he actually is injured. In Game 6 he was screening Braden Holtby for Derick Brassard's precious game-winning goal. He was also a constant presence in Game 7, earned an assist, and had another one of those "impacts the game without scoring" games. They were consistent in the beginning of the year before Nash, well, starting scoring -- he finished the season on a 39-goal pace despite the slow start.

But all those numbers can be stored away now, that is, of course, unless it continues in the second round.

Think about all of the Rangers biggest success stories this year? Removing the emergence of Derek Stepan it would have to be Brassard, John Moore and then Mats Zuccarello in that order. The similarities between the three? They all got second chances with the Rangers.

Zuccarello was brought back for his second stint in the NHL after a year in the KHL. I think that year in the KHL really helped him develop into a better player. Moore is finally getting an opportunity to show off what type of defenseman he really is. He's getting bigger minutes, he's playing on the point in the power play and he's playing in a more offensive role. There was no room for him to do those things in Columbus. There probably would be a ton of room now.

Then, of course, there's the Rangers' first-round hero Brassard. After going scoreless in the first two games of the playoffs he reeled off two goals and seven assists for nine points in the final five games. That included a fantastic three-point performance in a must-win Game 3, two jaw-dropping assists in Game 4, the game-winning goal in Game 6 and two assists in Game 7.

So consider Thursday the beginning of Nash's second chance. I think a lot of the reactions to Nash's first round performance aren't exactly fair. Yes, he's the guy who is supposed to be scoring goals, so some blame has to fall on his shoulders. But Arron Asham scored as many goals as Ryan Callahan, Nash and Alex Ovechkin combined in the first round. It wasn't just Nash who wasn't scoring. And it certianly wasn't just Nash's fault that the power play was an incredible 2-for-27 in the series.

Remember, Nash was an animal in Game 1 (he had eight shots on goal), he hit the post with nine minutes left in Game 2, he recorded an assist in Game 3 and he came alive in Games 6 and 7. There are a lot of "what ifs" when it comes to Nash's first seven playoff games as a Ranger. Those get erased too if he can find his game in the second round.

The Rangers made serious strides to get out of the first round after going down 0-2 in the series. Brassard and Zuccarello were a huge part of the offensive outburst to get the Rangers over the hump. Moore stepped up in a big way with Marc Staal out. The Rangers as a whole came together. Henrik Lundqvist was Henrik Lundqvist.

Now it's Nash's turn to find himself in the playoffs. This is his second chance.

It's time to use it.

Rangers Vs. Bruins: Round Two Schedule

2013-05-14T12:31:56Z

So I totally stole this from Stanley Cup Of Chowder (that's the fantastic Boston Bruins blog on SB Nation, go give them a visit), but here's the official schedule of the second round:

Game 1: Thursday May 16th, 7:30pm, NBCSports

Game 2: Sunday May 19th, 3:30pm, NBC

Game 3: Tuesday May 21st, 7:30pm NBCSports

Game 4: Thursday, May 23rd, 7:30pm, CNBC

Game 5 if necessary: Saturday, May 25th, TBD

Game 6 if necessary: Monday, May 27th, TBD

Game 7 if necessary: Wednesday, May 29th, TBD

The Rangers get a nice little break before playing Game 1, which is nice since they had to go back-to-back for Games 6 and 7 against the Washington Capitals. There's also nice breaks between most of the games, so we don't have to see what we saw in the first round again.

The Rangers are obviously on the road in this series. Which means the Rangers play their first home games Tuesday and Thursday next week.

Thoughts?