LIVE BLOG: 3/24/2010 – Islanders @ Rangers

Welcome to what we hope will become a regular tradition here at Broadway Hockey Daily: the live blogging of Ranger games. I’ll be providing short updates as often as I can during periods, with more detailed thoughts during the intermission. We’ll be working from the ground up, with the most recent updates at the very top of the post and the earliest ones appearing at the bottom.

9:39 – That’ll do it for this one. It’s the third shutout of the season for Henrik Lundqvist, and it’s a 5-0 win for the Rangers. Lundqvist, Avery, and Gaborik are the third, second and first stars, respectively. The Rangers are now two points back of the Atlanta Thrashers for 9th place in the East, and five points back of the Bruins for the 8th and final playoff spot with just nine games remaining in the regular season. Remember, come back to Broadway Hockey Daily shortly for post-game thoughts.

9:37 – It’s hard to believe the Islanders are approaching 30 shots on goal. It doesn’t seem like they’ve done much at all offensively.

9:33 – 5-0 is the score with just over two minutes remaining. Be sure to return to Broadway Hockey Daily once the clock expires for post game reactions.

9:31 – Finally, with just seconds remaining on what turned out to be six consecutive minutes of power play time, the Rangers make it 5-0. A shot from the point by Girardi weaves its way through a pack of bodies screening Roloson.

9:29 – The long powerplay opportunity seems to be a microcosm of the entire game for the Rangers. Numerous quality scoring chances, but trouble finishing.

9:24 – Avery continues to throw the Islanders off their game, drawing another penalty, this time on Trevor Gillies. Avery hit Tavares hard in the corner right after Gillies had slashed Callahan. Gillies then jumped Avery, and he’s done for the night. He gets a double-minor and a ten game misconduct, while Blake Comeau also picks up two minutes for his involvement. The Rangers end up with a full two minute, five-on-three advantage.

9:21 – Late in the third period, the Penguins have tied up the Caps, 3-3, on a goal by Jordan Staal.

9:19 – The Islanders fail to take advantage of the ease up on the part of the Rangers, and instead, allow Gaborik to come in all alone and give the Rangers a 4-0 lead on a tremendous backhand shot that beat Roloson, glove side. Impressive blueline-to-blueline pass from Dan Girardi to send Gaborik into the Islander zone.

9:14 – As poorly as the Islanders have played, the Rangers have indeed let up a bit in this third period. With so many important games coming up, starting with a game in New Jersey tomorrow night, why not continue to compete hard and stay in that frame of mind?

9:11 – I can’t recall many, if any, games this season where Henrik Lundqvist has faced a lighter workload. It must be a welcome change from the enormous effort he usually has to give just to keep his team in games. Of the Isles’ 17 shots, few have been quality scoring chances.

9:07 – Four minutes into the third period, and the Rangers have doubled the Islanders as far as shots on goal are concerned: 34-17.

9:04 – Anisimov continues to find scoring opportunities, but the Islanders just seem to be standing around in the defensive zone at this point.

9:01 – The third period begins with Sean Avery injuring Dustin Kohn. Even with as much attention as Avery draws from referees, few players in the league have mastered the art of getting away with breaking the rules on the ice the way Avery has.

8:47 – Well, even Scott Gordon’s furor doesn’t seem to be enough to wake the Islanders up from their slumber. They really have come out with a poor effort tonight. All except Roloson, that is, who has made some great saves. The strength of the opposition’s goaltending aside, however, it’s a bit disheartening that the Rangers only have three goals right now. No need to be greedy, true, but they’ve absolutely owned this game, and they’ve had enough chances to have a five or six goal lead at this point. Then again, it’s just a reflection of the team and the season as a whole. Even during the rare moments when the Rangers are getting a lot of chances, they’re still having trouble scoring.

8:42 – Avery continues to pester the Islanders as the second period comes to an end. Roloson manages to keep the deficit at three heading into the third period.

8:39 – Drury is having a typically strong game defensively. He takes away another neutral zone puck. The Islanders have not shown nearly enough care in handling the puck in the neutral zone.

8:34 – The Islanders continue to hang Dwayne Roloson out to dry, but he’s holding up as best he can. The Islanders took a chance on the penalty kill, and it backfired on them, as Gaborik ended up with a breakaway. Roloson, however, stopped the Ranger sniper.

8:32 – Jokinen on the ice during the power play for the first time tonight, but as a forward rather than as a defenseman as had become the norm since he was acquired from the Flames earlier in the season.

8:31 – Take a penalty, draw a penalty. That’s how it often goes for Sean Avery, and that’s how it’s going tonight. After his own stint in the box, Avery takes a late hit from Trent Hunter that sends the Islander veteran to the box for charging. Third power play of the night for the Rangers. Avery having a strong game, sticking to what he does best: agitating.

8:29 – O-3 on the power play tonight for the Fishsticks. They did a better job of keeping the puck in the Rangers’ zone on that last one, but they never developed any strong scoring chances.

8:27 – Avery sent off and the Isles are again on the power play. For anyone interested, the Pittsburgh Penguins hold a 2-1 lead late in the second period of tonight’s huge match-up in the nation’s capital against Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.

8:25 – Always nice when alumni join the broadcast for a part of the game, and few do it better than the very personable Mike Richter.

8:23 – The power play ends with the second unit on the ice. Again, no Jokinen, with Gilroy and Girardi at the points.

8:20 – Del Zotto and Rozsival manning the points on the power play again. No sign of Jokinen, who played just three minutes and change in the first period.

8:19 – Tim Jackman goes off for high-sticking, giving the Rangers their third power play chance of the night. A goal here would put the Blueshirts in a very comfortable position.

8:17 – Brilliant drop pass in his own zone by Dubinsky allows Gaborik to stretch the ice and find Christensen sneaking into the Islander zone behind the defense, but Roloson somehow shuts the door and keeps the puck from crossing the line.

8:15 – Unlike the Rangers, the Islanders have not made much of an effort to keep the Rangers to the outside. The Islander wings are not coming up high to cover the Ranger defensemen, and that’s giving them the room to move in, while also opening up passing lanes.

8:13 – The Avery-Drury-Callahan line continues to play well. A takeaway by Avery leads to another post, this one off the stick of Callahan. EDIT – The shot hit the glove of Roloson first, and then bounced off the post.

8:10 – More smart hockey from Anisimov. Good positioning and stickwork in the neutral zone by the young Russian forces a turnover that leads to an extended opportunity in the offensive zone, ending with an Anisimov backhander that was gloved up high by Roloson.

8:08 – We’re underway in the second period. Nice passing sequence from Callahan to Avery to Drury on a shot that was stopped by Roloson. Boy, on a contending team, that trio could make one hell of a third line. Unfortunately for the Rangers, they make up the team’s second line tonight.

7:55 – Something that has become a bit of a common problem for the Rangers this season is maintaining pressure and intensity. Too many times this year they’ve started games encouragingly, only to get away from their gameplan. Now, as far as tonight goes, the Islanders did not come to play in that first period, but while they aren’t a very good team, they are known for being a hardworking team. It’s an attitude that comes from their head coach Scott Gordon. Considering how many players on their team are young guys who are trying to secure roster spots for NEXT season, I’d be very surprised if they don’t come out with a lot more of an edge in the second period. If the Rangers are really serious about staying alive in the playoff race, they can’t afford to let up in the second or third periods.

7:48 – Impressive opening stanza for the Rangers as they take a 3-0 lead into the first intermission.

7:45 – Aside from one point shot from Streit that went off the iron, another solid penalty kill for the Rangers.

7:43 – Another power play for the Islanders, but they’re foiled again by the shot blocking prowess of Chris Drury. Yet another great block for the league leader among forwards.

7:35 – The Rangers should be down two men, but Dubinsky gets away with tripping Mark Streit just inside the Ranger zone.

7:34 – Weak hooking call on Brandon Prust gives the Islanders their first power play of the game. Great effort by Ryan Callahan, playing with an injured leg, early on the penalty kill.

7:33 – The few times the Islanders have been able to gain the Rangers’ zone, the Blueshirts have done a good job of keeping them to the perimeter and not allowing them to penetrate. That’s something the Rangers have not done very well with any consistency this season.

7:27 – It’s a Power Play Goal! Michael Del Zotto finds a wide open net following an absolute beauty of a pass from Gaborik. No Olli Jokinen on the power play after a lousy performance from the recent acquisition in the loss to Boston on Sunday afternoon. Another Tortorella decision that seems to have paid off early in this game.

7:25 – The Rangers will have the first power play of the game as Trent Hunter gets sent off for slashing. Big chance for the Blueshirts to take a commanding 3-0 lead here if they can convert on the man advantage.

7:22 – Two more big chances by the Rangers, one by Avery and another opportunity for Artem Anisimov. The coaching staff may have lit a bit of a fire under the rookie by sending him to the fourth line to start the game. The lanky Russian is skating very well early on.

7:19 – Bad pinch by Bruno Gervais gives the Rangers an odd man rush that results in a Marian Gaborik goal. Nice job by Gabby following up the failed attempt by Staal and Dubinsky.

7:18 – Looks like that goal woke up the Islanders just a bit as they seem a little bit more alert, finally.

7:15 – Roloson loses track of the bouncing puck in traffic for just a moment, allowing Anisimov to roof the biscuit over the shoulder of the Isles’ veteran goaltender. The Rangers don’t look ready to concede the season just yet, they’re off to a strong start here.

7:13 – Classic Ranger luck early on as Prust jabs the puck past Roloson just moments after the whistle had blown the play dead.

7:11 – Looks like Torts wants shots, shots, and more shots. The Rangers have come out firing.

7:08 – Lundqvist versus Roloson is your goaltending matchup tonight.

7:03 – Rangers will open with the following lines:

Dubinsky-Christensen-Gaborik

Avery-Drury-Callahan

Jokinen-Prospal-Lisin

Shelley-Anisimov-Prust

Staal-Rozsival

Del Zotto-Girardi

Redden-Gilroy

As we all know at this late point in the season, though, with John Tortorella behind the bench, these lines are bound to change sooner rather than later.

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