Game Thread: 12/27/13 • Rangers at Washington Capitals • 7:00 PM • MSG2 [HD]

[Johnnydollaz89]

Team Statistics:

GP: 38 | W: 18 | L: 18 | OTL: 2 | PTS: 38 | ROW: 16
Conference: 9th | Home Record: 8-10-2 | Away Record: 10-8-0 | S/O: 2-1
Last Ten: 4-4-2 | Streak: Won 2

Goals Per Game: 2.26 (27th)
Goals Against Per Game: 2.66 (15th)
Goal Differential: -14 (22nd)
PP Efficiency: 18.6% (13th)
PK Efficiency: 85.5% (6th)
Face-Off Efficiency: 49.4% (18th)


Team Leaders:

Goals: Brad Richards, Chris Kreider (9)
Assists: Brad Richards, Mats Zuccarello (17)
Points: Brad Richards (26)
+/-: Chris Kreider (+9)
PIM: Derek Dorsett (103)
TOI/G (Defenseman): Ryan McDonagh (24:22)
TOI/G (Forward): Brad Richards (19:17)


Starting Lineup:^

Rick Nash "A" / Derek Stepan / Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider / Derick Brassard / Carl Hagelin
Brad Richards "A" / J.T. Miller / Benoit Pouliot
Brian Boyle / Dominic Moore / Derek Dorsett

Ryan McDonagh / Dan Girardi "A"
John Moore / Anton Strålman
Michael Del Zotto / Justin Falk

^ Subject to change


Starting Goaltender:

Save Us, Calm Talbot

GP: 12 | W: 8 | L: 2 | OT: 0
GA: 18 | SV%: .938 | GAA: 1.60 | SO: 2


Healthy Scratches:

Taylor Pyatt


Injuries, Suspensions, Misc:

[RW] "C" Ryan Callahan [IR] — Sprained MCL; Out 4-6 weeks
[D] Marc Staal [IR] — Concussion; out indefinitely

Team Statistics:

GP: 37 | W: 19 | L: 14 | OTL: 4 | PTS: 42 | ROW: 11
Conference: 7th | Home Record: 12-8-1 | Away Record: 7-6-3 | S/O: 8-3
Last Ten: 5-3-2 | Streak: Lost 1

Goals Per Game: 2.95 (7th)
Goals Against Per Game: 2.95 (24th)
Goal Differential: +5 (12th)
PP Efficiency: 25.9% (1st)
PK Efficiency: 81.9% (16th)
Face-Off Efficiency: 49.8% (17th)


Team Leaders:

Goals: OvenChicken (30)
Assists: Nicklas Backstrom (33)
Points: Nicklas Backstrom (42)
+/-: Mikhail Grabovski (+6)
PIM: Tom Wilson (80)
TOI/G (Defenseman): John Carlson (24:8)
TOI/G (Forward): OvenChicken (21:16)


Starting Lineup:^


Alex Ovechkin "C" / Nicklas Backstrom "A" / Marcus Johansson
Eric Fehr / Troy Brouwer / Mikhail Grabovski
Martin Erat / Jason Chimera / Joel Ward
Aaron Volpatti / Tom Wilson / Jay Beagle

Mike Green "A" / Dmitry Orlov
Karl Alzner / John Carlson
John Erskine / Steve Oleksy


Starting Goaltender:^

Philipp Grubauer

GP: 7 | W: 4 | L: 1 | OT: 1
GA: 14 | SV%: .934 | GAA: 2.20 | SO: 0

^ Subject to change


Healthy Scratches:

Brooks Laich


Injuries, Suspensions, Misc:

[D] Jack Hillen [IR] — Right tibia surgery; Out 4-6 months
[F] Michael Latta [IR] — Lower body injury; No timetable

Grabuer beat us last time, probably will again.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Rangers lose 3-2 in Washington, Talbot is human after all. Goals from Pouliot on the PP and Hags short handed.

Pouliot has been hot. Finally looking like the player we sigbed him to be. Up to 8 goals on the year and one short of Kreider/Richie for the team lead.

Stralman went down with an injury and necer returned, Connor Allen had been re-called from Hartford.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

The Doobster has taken notice of Pouliot's contributions down low, especially on power plays. Very impressive.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

It's been working as of late, that benching must have really got to him. Glad it did though, guy has a ton of talent, just doesn't utilize it, but he has been lately.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Seems like the Rangers played better just that Grubauer stole this one.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Just like he did at the Garden last time we played them. We suck against no mame backups, always have, always will.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Grubauer has been shutting a lot of teams down tho. Looks like the Caps are going to be giving away another young goalie. Probably Neuvirth.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Like usual, sure a trade will come soon enough.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Islanders or Oilers should make a move.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

They showcase em against us and then move em, same as they did with Varly. Isles desperately need a goalie, will be tough to move him in-division though.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

They showcase em against us and then move em, same as they did with Varly. Isles desperately need a goalie, will be tough to move him in-division though.

Oilers would be ideal. Yakupov & Ovechkin on the same team could be very scary.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Don't thinkbthey will move Yak for him though. Think they would want Washington to add more to Neurvith/Grubauer

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

True probably not Yakupov for Geubauer. More like a mid 1st round draft pick from some team tho.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Most likely, gonna drive a hard bargain for Yak, and even though he's struggling, can't blame them.

 

[Pastafazul]

talbot was terrible, sather better do something real quick cause this is the time of year, well we are gettin closer to time of year where teams bare down, or we will be bottom dwellers real quick. sather wake the puck up and find players who can compete with the capitols bruins etc: this team sort of stinks, and pretty wimpy.

 

[Pastafazul]

talbot staal & delzotto for........ well you guys name it, i don't know hockey

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

What do you guys think about Rick Nash? Last year I was saying the Rangers might have given up a lot of center depth to get 1 player, but this year both Dubinsky and Anisimov are outproducing Nash on an individual level. I understand he sustained a serious head injury earlier in the season but he's been generally invisible in the games he's been healthy as well. Seems that people always criticize guys like Lundqvist, Del Zotto, Callahan, etc, but it seems that Rick Nash always gets a free pass. He earns big bucks to score yet he's not even top 6 on the team in scoring so far.

 

[Pastafazul]

doobie, u no i pull no punches with this team or any of its players or coaches.... NASH is not a leader, he's got offensive skills, but he's not the game changer, he did nothing in columbus, and he really is doing nothing much here either, he needs to stay in a small market environment.

he's been here long enough and i think that is a fair assessment.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Yeah if I'm the Rangers I would rather buyout Rick Nash than Brad Richards. At least Richards is a proven leader, at least Richards is there for the right reasons. Can't say the same about Nash.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

I still think the Nash deal you make 10/10 times, no regrets.