Rangers' Identity No-Shows On The Island

Last year the Rangers finished up the season with 87 points. It was not good enough to make the playoffs. Currently we have 87 points...and we've been stuck on that number for two games. There are only four opportunities left to grab points and the Blueshirts have tough games against Conference big dogs The Flyers and Bruins, as well as hungry spoilers Atlanta and crosstown rival New Jersey. These are just the facts.

Another fact, and perhaps one that is of utmost importance, is that the Rangers need to dig deep and find their game, their intensity, their hunger and their execution which has unfortunately slipped away this week if they want to make the 2011 postseason dance. Last night's 6-2 drubbing at the hands of a much looser, much more desperate Islander team was, in one sense, anticipated (we've destroyed them all year), but also extremely disturbing (2 games in a row we've been outworked, hardly the ethic for a identifiably hardworking team playing games 77 and 78 of the season). Coach Tortorella was at a loss for words in the brief postgame interview, or maybe he was just corking the blast that he would give his team in the following day's team meeting.

The game got off to an awkward start for the Rangers when Marian Gaborik--who assisted on a Vinny Prospal goal to give the road team the lead--uncharacteristically hit Jeff Nielson from behind in front of the penalty box, seemingly knocking him out on contact and igniting a melee that somehow gave the Blueshirts a powerplay despite both McCabe and Gaborik being in the box. Gaborik was fortunately only given a 4 minute minor on the play and not a game ejection, which angered the Island crowd. The hit was questionable, but probably would've earned a player with more of a reputation for headshots a suspension; the Rangers never seemed to recover from the uneven karma.

The ensuing 5 on 3 was miserable and set up the Blueshirts to go 0-8 on the Powerplay, the Islanders gaining momentum with each kill. Other signs of early distress were the amount of 2 on 1 rushes we gave up, proving the Rangers never had command of their normally tight Defensive game. The Islanders outworked us to loose pucks and capitalized on lazy passing. We looked fatigued and drained, and there were rumors of the Flu affecting players (Dubinsky), but in the end the excuses just piled up to a scratch in the loss column. A 4 goal second period knocked Lundqvist out of the game and titled the home ice, permanently, in the Islanders' favor. A late goal by Goon/Knucklehead Trevor Gillies kicked us when we were down.

The Rangers have picked a bad time to let their foot off the gas, but the NHL season is a long and they've been resilient to long lapses in focus and intensity. The Flyers are chomping at the bit to avenge the 7-0 spanking we gave them last month, but they are also vulnerable and if there was ever a game to test our mettle it is against the team that moved into the playoffs 1 point ahead of us at this time last year. Sunday will be a war and the Blueshirts need these few days to recuperate whatever losses or illnesses they have and get their asses in gear.