MONTREAL – The best penalty-killing unit in modern Rangers history was formed by Walt Tkaczuk and Billy Fairbairn, linemates on the imposing Bulldog Line, partners who specialized in ragging the puck while a man down for Emile Francis’ glamour teams of the early 1970s.
Now, though, their claim to that unofficial title is being challenged by the Blair Betts-Fred Sjostrom tandem, the primary killers who have boosted the Blueshirts to the top of the NHL with an 87.6-percent efficiency on the penalty kill – which, by the way, is unequalled in franchise history.
There have, of course, been other good ones between The Cat and The Present, and no, this isn’t one of those Dr. Seuss yarns. Steve Larmer was terrific, and so was Adam Graves. Anders Hedberg was outstanding, and Ron Duguay was always a threat while a man down. Eddie Johnstone and Don Maloney were dangerous. Esa Tikkanen? Mike Gartner? Not at all bad. And Mark Messier knew how to get the job done, didn’t he?
But no tandem since Tkaczuk and Fairbairn has become so identified with killing penalties – except on the affirmative – as Betts and Sjostrom, who are unusual not only because of their success rate, but because of their even-strength status as fourth-liners.
Look around the NHL. Penalty-killers are most often culled from either the first line or the checking line. But that’s not the case with the Rangers – not under coach Tom Renney. And there is no doubt that Betts and Sjostrom have lineup spots etched in granite because of their work on the penalty kill.
“There isn’t a player on our team who doesn’t appreciate in a very big way what those two guys mean to us,” Henrik Lundqvist said. “We know that we can count on them every single game. That’s huge.”
Betts is the north-south rugged Canadian. Sjostrom is the speedy Swede. Betts’ offensive talent is modest. Sjostrom had enough offensive ability to be selected 11th overall by Phoenix in the 2001 Entry Draft. They fill in one another’s blanks. And they see penalty killing with a unified vision.
“We want to be aggressive and attack the puck whenever we can,” said Betts, who was acquired from Calgary in the Chris Simon deal during the trade deadline purge of 2004 and thus has been on the Rangers roster longer than any other player.
“We read off each other well.”
Chris Drury and either Ryan Callahan or Scott Gomez form the second penalty-kill unit. Brandon Dubinsky and Lauri Korpikoski are also part of the mix. But the club’s penalty-kill identity is wrapped up in Betts and Sjostrom, who just might be the best tandem in franchise history.