I’m confused. Why, after the Rangers have gone 6-10-3 since Dec. 3 and plummeted from first to last in the division, would the NHL make them come out against the Penguins wearing ankle weights? Okay, so they picked up a tidy little 4-1 victory against the Canadiens on Saturday, but there certainly wasn’t a ton of momentum with this squad. So, why Mr. Bettman, why would you be so cruel as to punish this struggling team?
Yup, this just in: Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are that fast. And yes, they’re really that good. As in the second goal of the game, when the two of them made the Rangers look like they wearing greased up sneakers.
Crosby comes flying up the middle of the ice, jukes passed Dan Girardi, sneaks passed Marc Staal, and shoots one destined for the top right corner. Lundqvist gets a shoulder on it, making a very quality save, but guess who’s there to clean it all up? Easily, untouched and far from any harassment, Malkin stuffs home the second goal of his hat trick and the Rangers’ chances just about evaporate.
In comparing the two Atlantic Division counterparts – who, luckily for the Blueshirts, only play three more times this year – it’s easy to see why the game ended the way it did. Ryan Conklin is playing better than any goalie in the league right now, going 10-0-1 in his first 11 starts for the Penguins. Lundqvist played better than he has lately, but to say he was outplayed by Conklin (43 saves to Hank’s 19) would be an understatement.
The dumb penalties are sticking around like a pimple on prom night. Marcel Hossa seems to let his frustration out by recklessly throwing his stick at opponents. His slashing penalty in the third period killed all the momentum that was salvaged from Jaromir Jagr’s hardworking (!) wraparound goal. Let’s also not forget Paul Mara’s holding penalty in the first that lead to Malkin’s first goal. Of course, it was Malkin’s speed in concordance with Mara’s ankle weights that lead to the hold. Why Gary? We were so close to turning it around?!?
So I’m not sure if the Rangers were just outplayed tonight by two of the best players in the league and the hottest goaltender, or if it was their defunct play that made the young Penguins look superhuman. All I know is the Rangers play lately has been hard to watch while the Penguins are non-stop excitement. And if this continues, that spray Hank took in the face in the second period from Malkin (above picture) is going to be quite prophetic.