Posts Tagged ‘Erik Christensen’
Ryan Callahan scored twice to lead the Rangers to a 4-1 win.
The Rangers began their post Olympic push for the playoffs, minus injured stars Marian Gaborik and Michael Del Zotto, by disposing of the Ottawa Senators 4-1 at Scotia Bank Place tonight. After falling behind 1-0, the Blueshirts roared back with a 4 goal second period keyed by Ryan Callahan, who scored twice. Henrik Lundqvist was nearly flawless in goal making 24 saves to record his 25th win of the season.
Thumbs Up- Enver Lisin, who was put on waivers earlier in the day, had his best game in over a month and obviously used the situation as a motivational tool. Erik Christensen continued his strong play assisting on 2 goals and playing an impressive two way game. Brandon Dubinsky was a factor all over the ice, playing a physical contest and also scoring the go ahead goal during the second period offensive outburst. Chris Drury kept his recent string of inspiring play alive with another huge performance on the penalty kill. Corey Potter impressed with his steady play.
Thumbs Down- Jody Shelley was about as effective as Donald Brashear has been so far this season as he looked lost during a matchup that didn’t call for much physical play. Olli Jokinen had a pedestrian effort coming off a very strong showing in Vancouver. Dan Girardi, who has been the subject of numerous trade rumors, did nothing to make Glen Sather think twice about including him should the right deal come along before 3 PM tomorrow.
Three Stars
3- Sean Avery- “The Grate One” looked rested and ready following the break and was able to find his edge without going overboard. His hard work on the forecheck and his willingness to crash the net paid off early in the second period when he scored off a beautiful feed from Enver Lisin to give the Blueshirts a 3 goal cushion. A late scrum with Matt Cullen, which followed Cullen’s mistimed attempt at a body check and possible elbow to Avery’s head, finished Avery’s night a few minutes early but served notice that he is ready for what promises to be a rough and tumble run for the postseason.
2- Henrik Lundqvist- Lundvist led all Olympic netminders in Goals Against Average (1.34) and shutouts (2) and looked very solid between the pipes in his return to the Blueshirts. While the Senators did not mount the kind of offensive attack you would expect from a squad featuring Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Alex Kovalev, Lundqvist made the few tough chances he had look effortless and was the biggest reason that the Rangers picked up two important points on the road.
1- Ryan Callahan- Callahan was all over the ice tonight and took over the game during a raucous second period in which he not only got the Rangers even with a beautiful rush and top shelf goal to start the onslaught at :22 of the frame but also giving the team a 2 goal lead by slipping a backhanded rebound past sprawling Senators backstop Brian Elliot at the 17 minute mark. Without Gaborik in the lineup, the Rangers needed someone to step up and lead the offensive and tonight Ryan Callahan made himself that person, showing once again why he wears the “A” and why he is one of the few “untouchables” on the squad as the trade deadline nears.
Tags: Alexei Kovalev, Brandon Dubinsky, Brian Elliot, Chris Drury, Corey Potter, Dan Girardi, Daniel Alfredsson, Donald Brashear, Enver Lisin, Erik Christensen, Glen Sather, Henrik Lundqvist, hockey, Jason Spezza, Jody Shelley, Marian Gaborik, Matt Cullen, Michael Del Zotto, New York Rangers, NHL, Olli Jokinen, Olympics, Ottawa Senators, Ryan Callahan, Scotia Bank Place, Sean Avery, trade deadline
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Erik Christensen netted 2 goals to lead the Rangers to a 5-2 victory over Tampa Bay at the Garden.
Tags: Erik Christensen, Madison Square Garden, New York Rangers, NHL, Tampa Bay Lightning
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After the Rangers failed to score once again during 4 opportunities last night in a 4-2 loss to the Penguins, John Tortorella spent most of practice today working on his beleaguered unit’s need for more motion and creativity while getting bodies to the front of the net. To bolster the attack, Ales Kotalik, who had been a healthy scratch for the last six games, returned to practicing with the first unit and is expected to return to the lineup tomorrow night when the Carolina Hurricanes visit the Garden.
In other news, Chad Johnson was back at practice today for the Rangers after starting two games and making three appearances for Hartford (AHL) this weekend. Tortorella said he was unsure when Johnson would get another chance to start.
Erik Christensen and Donald Brashear are expected to be healthy scratches tomorrow night.
Tags: Ales Kotalik, Carolina Hurricanes, Chad Johnson, Donald Brashear, Erik Christensen, Hartford Wolfpack, hockey, John Tortorella, Madison Square Garden, New York Rangers, NHL, power play
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Aaron Voros joins the party with his first goal of the season.
All the Rangers coaches were hoping for following their impressive 6-2 win over the Canadiens on Sunday was a repeat of the effort the team gave during that victory. Not only did they receive the same effort but the players took it to another level as they jumped on the Lightning early and controlled play from start to finish during a dominant 8-2 dismantling of the visiting Tampa Bay club.
After a fight between Aaron Voros and Tampa’s Zenon Konopka off the game’s opening faceoff really got the crowd going, Brandon Dubinsky continued his inspired play of late and got the scoring started when he cleaned up a rebound in front of Antero Nittymaki to give the Blueshirts a 1-0 lead. The Rangers controlled play for the rest of the period with their strong forechecking and used tallies by Vinny Prospal and the resurgent Chris Drury to take a 3-1 lead after one period.
Dan Girardi and Enver Lisin would extend the lead to 5-1 in the second period and chase Nittymaki from between the pipes. Alex Tanguay would score on the power play late in the period to keep the Lightning withing striking distance but Henrik Lundqvist would shut the door the rest of the way.
Marc Staal, Aaron Voros (on the power play) and Christopher Higgins would put a nice bow on the blowout with third period tallies and gave the Rangers their second straight game with at least 6 goals. It still may be too early to call the Rangers’ season long offensive struggles solved but these two performances are definitely a promising step in the right direction.
Thumbs Up- Brian Boyle, Sean Avery and Erik Christensen were amongst the few Rangers who didn’t score a goal tonight but continued their energetic play that has been the catalyst on many of the offensive opportunities the team has cashed in on over the last two contests. Ryan Callahan and Chris Drury once again excelled on the penalty kill. Vinny Prospal seems to have fully recovered from his injury and was a factor tonight with a goal and an assist.
Thumbs Down- It was hard to find any negatives with tonight’s performance but the only thing that stood out to me was Artem Anisimov’s inability to get anything going offensively. I’m sure if he keeps up the work ethic he has shown so far during the first half of the year, he will find a way to break through but this is a situation that might bear watching especially if Evgeny Grachev should begin to put up numbers in Hartford.
Three Stars- 3-Henrik Lundqvist- “The King” was very strong early when the game was still anybody’s contest. His big saves during the first period gave the Rangers the confidence to continue to attack offensively. Another impressive performance from Lundqvist, who is finally getting the support he deserves from his forwards.
2- Aaron Voros- The toughest thing to do is come to the arena each night knowing that you might not be in the lineup the next game, even if you have a good outing that night. Aaron Voros has had to deal with this situation and be ready to contribute when called upon all season and up to this point his results have been hit and miss. Tonight, it was a big hit for Voros as he got the crowd involved early with a fight, was a physical presence throughout, drew a late penalty by being smart and even contributed a garbage time goal (after being rewarded with power play time by John Tortorella for his drawing the man advantage). This was Voros’ best game since early last season and i’m willing to wager he has earned another start in the Blueshirts’ next contest.
1- Marian Gaborik- For most of the year, Gaborik has been the Rangers focal point on offense and only consistent goal scorer. Tonight, he was the team’s playmaker with assists on 4 of the Rangers first 6 goals. Gaborik has to love this new found offensive output from his teammates as it takes the pressure off him to have to carry the club each time they hit the ice. He showed this evening that he is just as comfortable being a support player as being the team’s biggest star.
The Rangers will try to continue their explosive run when they visit the Flyers in Philadelphia on Thursday at 7 PM.
Tags: Aaron Voros, AHL, Alex Tanguay, Antero Nittymaki, Artem Anisimov, blowout, Brandon Dubinsky, Brian Boyle, Chris Drury, Christopher Higgins, Dan Girardi, Enver Lisin, Erik Christensen, Evgeny Grachev, fights, Hartford Wolfpack, Henrik Lundqvist, hockey, injuries, Madison Square Garden, Marc Staal, Marian Gaborik, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, NHL, Philadelphia Flyers, Ryan Callahan, Sean Avery, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vinny Prospal, Zenon Konopka
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Could Sykora be headed for an encore on Broadway?
The biggest problem for the Rangers this season has been creating offense beyond the scoring of Marian Gaborik. The team showed a flash of getting past this last game as they exploded for six goals against the Canadiens. It would be way premature to think that the club’s season long scoring woes have been solved by the fact that they are now a healthy team having returned Vinny Prospal from injury and having added Erik Christensen (who has been a pleasant surprise so far offensively) to the mix but it does look like they are moving in the right direction.
Over the last few days, there have been many reports of the Rangers’ interest in players under contract with other clubs. Names like defenseman Sheldon Souray of Edmonton, center Peter Mueller of Phoenix and Tampa Bay’s star pivot Vinny Lecavalier have all been mentioned as possible (and in Lecavalier’s case, probably unattainable) targets for Glen Sather and Co. While all of these players have had lackluster years, each of them could be impact players should they be moved by their current clubs and would still bring a bounty of young players or picks in return. This is probably not the best move for the Blueshirts at this time as they have been able to build a strong core with their young assets and surrendering any of them for these players might turn out to be a huge setback for the future in the name of winning now.
Earlier today, TSN reported that the Minnesota Wild have placed veteran winger and former Ranger Petr Sykora on waivers. The 33-year old has had an injury-riddled season since signing a one year, $1.6 million dollar contract with the Wild as an unrestricted free agent last summer. In 14 games, he has compiled two goals and one assist but has missed a total of 29 games with groin and concussion issues. If Sykora is not claimed, Minnesota can send him to the minors or place him on re-entry waivers where he could be claimed at half the price of his contract. Sykora had 16 goals and 15 assists in 40 games with the Rangers during the 2005-2006 season.
Sykora is a high energy player and a proven sniper who could give the Rangers a short term spark and not cost the team the assets it would take to bring in a bigger name. While Sykora’s current run of injuries could be cause for concern, it might be worth the risk if the team could get him at half salary on re-entry waivers (like the way they re-acquired Sean Avery from Dallas last season). The fact that the Rangers have yet to demote Wade Redden and his suffocating cap hit to Hartford to open up cap room signals that Sather believes this team does not need a huge move at the deadline (Lecavalier, Illya Kovalchuk, Dion Phaneuf) to make a playoff run but even he can see that this team needs another proven scorer. Taking a flier on Sykora would possibly provide that scorer without mortgaging the future.
Tags: Dion Phaneuf, Erik Christensen, Glen Sather, Hartford Wolfpack, Marian Gaborik, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, NHL, Peter Mueller, Petr Sykora, Sean Avery, Sheldon Souray, Vinny Lecavalier, Wade Redden
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Dan Girardi starts the rush vs. Atlanta.
After a dominating effort last night versus the Stars, the Rangers came back with an uneven performance and wasted an impressive debut by Chad Johnson while losing to the Thrashers in Atlanta by the score of 2-1 in a shootout.
The Rangers, who allowed almost no odd man rushes last night, were victimized over and over again by the aggressive and speedy Thrashers squad but were kept in the game by Chad Johnson. Johnson, making his first career NHL start, showed incredible poise and made some terrific saves throughout the contest. The Rangers finally solved perennial thorn-in their-side Johan Hedberg when Enver Lisin took a perfect pass from Marc Staal and deflected it past the netminder (his first goal in 11 games) to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead. They would keep that lead until midway through the third period when the Thrashers used another odd man opportunity to break through against Johnson. Both teams would have their chances in overtime but neither could finish. In the shootout, Johnson would stop all world sniper Illya Kovalchuk to give his team a chance to pull out the victory and things looked good for the Blueshirts after Marian Gaborik beat Hedberg for his first shootout goal in 4 attempts this season. Unfortunately, the next two Rangers shooters (Michael Del Zotto in the shootout?) couldn’t find the net and the Thrashers’ Bryan Little would seal the victory for the home team which had lost it’s prior 9 games before tonight.
Thumbs Up- Brian Boyle had another strong outing effort wise and continued to show some grit. Erik Christensen had a nice performance with a few very good scoring chances. Dan Girardi played well and Wade Redden showed some spurts of energy throughout. Ryan Callahan was excellent on the penalty kill. Michal Roszival gave the team some good minutes and played a good physical game.
Thumbs Down- Brashear, once again, was a non factor. Ales Kotalik took a bad penalty late and really didn’t do much in either zone. Sean Avery, who has been criticized by John Tortorella for inconsistent efforts, followed up his best game of the season with another ho-hum performance where he couldn’t seem to find the edge or intensity which carried him (and this team) vs. Dallas.
Three Stars- 3- Chris Drury- Drury showed incredible toughness tonight while blocking so many big shots throughout this game. His work with Callahan on the penalty kill was flawless and his positioning was perfect. The Rangers need more games like this from their Captain and it looks like Drury is ready to give his all for his club every night.
2- Marc Staal- Tonight was the kind of performance the Rangers expect to become commonplace for the young defenseman. He was strong on the boards, cleared out the front for Chad Johnson, hit everything he saw and most importantly locked down Kovalchuk anytime he moved across the Rangers’ blueline. Add to his stellar defensive game the great pass to Enver Lisin that led to the Rangers’ goal and you have Staal’s best game this year so far.
1- Chad Johnson- The Rangers have been looking for a backup goalie since Stephen Valiquette self destructed early on and now it’s safe to say they have found their man. Johnson showed great positioning and agility in keeping the Thrashers off the scoresheet for two and a half periods (some help from Callahan in the second period helped as well) and was impressive while stoning Kovalchuk during the shootout. Johnson deserved a better result (and a better effort from his teammates) in his first game but should be proud of himself after a very strong debut.
The Rangers will try to get back on the winning track against the Bruins on Saturday afternoon in Boston.
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Bryan Little, Chad Johnson, Chris Drury, Donald Brashear, Enver Lisin, Erik Christensen, hockey, Illya Kovalchuk, John Tortorella, Marc Staal, Marian Gaborik, New York Rangers, NHL, Ryan Callahan, Sean Avery, Wade Redden
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Sean Avery celebrates against the Stars.
The Rangers improved their record to 7-1-2 over their last 10 games with a hard fought 5-2 victory over the Dallas Stars tonight at MSG. Sean Avery, who played one of his best games as a Ranger versus his former club, had 4 points and was involved all over the ice. The Rangers used big goals from Avery, Chris Drury, the suddenly hot Ales Kotalik and NHL leading goal scorer Marian Gaborik and another standout performance by Henrik Lundqvist to hold off a hard charging Stars squad and add two big points in the chase for a playoff spot.
Thumbs Up- Ales Kotalik, who used his booming slap shot to score for the second straight game after going 21 straight contests without a tally, had another strong game and was a physical presence as well. Brian Boyle got involved and made some nice plays. Marc Staal did a good job of controlling the play in front of Lundqvist. Brandon Dubinsky had another strong performance playing with tons of heart and snarl and Chris Drury scored a big goal late to give the Blueshirts a much needed cushion. Ryan Callahan slipped one into an empty net to finish off the scoring.
Thumbs Down- Donald Brashear once again was invisible. Dan Girardi had a chance, much like Michael Del Zotto during the last game, to even things up and make a big statement when Steve Ott ran Lundqvist early on but instead gave him a token push. This might become a big problem later on in some of the more physical division matchups during the stretch run if this team doesn’t start punishing opponents who are obviously not scared of retribution for their actions.
Three Stars- 3- Erik Christensen- Since his promotion to the top line, Christensen has ratcheted up the intensity and put together a string of outstanding performances. He seems to be making the most of his opportunity and may be a candidate to return next season should his improved play continue.
2-Henrik Lundqvist- The “King” was a victim of two horrible bounces tonight or he might have had his second shutout of the season. Lundqvist, who appears to be thriving with what seems like an endless workload, had a wonderful game and kept the Rangers in this game with his timely saves during the many shorthanded situations the team faced tonight.
1- Sean Avery- If only Avery played with this much intensity every night, he’d be a Hart Trophy candidate. Obviously energized by playing the team that dumped him last season, Avery was a force all over the ice not only scoring and setting up his teammates but also taking many of the Stars’ big names off their games with his pest-like antics. Probably the best beginning to end game that No. 16 has had in a Rangers uniform and hopefully a jumpstart to a big second half of the season for a player who has proven he can be a huge momentum changer for this club.
The Rangers head to Atlanta tomorrow to face the Thrashers at 7PM.
Tags: Ales Kotalik, Brandon Dubinsky, Chris Drury, Dallas Stars, Dan Girardi, Donald Brashear, Erik Christensen, Henrik Lundqvist, hockey, Madison Square Garden, Marc Staal, Marty Turco, Michael Del Zotto, New York Rangers, NHL, Ryan Callahan, Sean Avery, Steve Ott
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Christopher Higgins rescues the Blueshirts.
In a game that saw the Rangers blow a two goal lead late after dominating most of the matchup, Christopher Higgins rescued the Blueshirts with a huge tally with just over a minute left to give them a 3-2 win tonight at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers are now 6-1-2 in their last 9 games.
Henrik Lundqvist had a very strong game through two and a half periods and the Rangers got early goals from Ales Kotalik and Erik Christensen to build a 2-0 lead they held until about 5 minutes left in the third. After Boston netminder Tukka Rask stoned Kotalik on an open net chance, Matt Hunwick (shorthanded) and Blake Wheeler scored back to back goals to erase the deficit.
Thumbs Up- Ales Kotalik looked very comfortable and definitely got a big confidence boost from his first goal in 21 contests. Michal Roszival had a solid game. Ryan Callahan, once again, was everywhere and had a monster hit late in the third on David Krejci. Michael Del Zotto added two assists and was strong on the puck.
Thumbs Down- Donald Brashear brings nothing to the table anymore and is playing on borrowed time. Wade Redden was a non factor. Enver Lisin has skated well but still can’t find the net. Del Zotto, who excelled offensively, needs to be a bigger force in protection of Henrik Lundqvist. When Marc Savard knocked Henrik down in the second period, Del Zotto followed him to the corner but did nothing that would make Savard think twice about running Lundqvist again. This has been a club wide problem this season but the youngster had a chance to make a statement and blew it tonight.
Three Stars- 3- Henrik Lundqvist- Until giving up those two late goals, Lundqvist was a stone wall against the Bruins and was the biggest reason the team had a 2 goal lead going into the third period. Henrik needs to finish games stronger if the Rangers want to make the postseason.
2- Christopher Higgins- Higgins has been a huge disappointment this season offensively but no one can question the winger’s work ethic. When Higgins fooled Rask and slipped the puck past him short side to give the Rangers the late lead it was only his second goal at MSG all year but you would never know it by his strong play at both ends. A nice reward for a player who hasn’t given up even with a huge weight on his shoulders.
1- Brandon Dubinsky- Dubinsky was the best player on the ice tonight. He skated extremely well, moved the puck, worked the boards and led the team in shots on goal. Even though he couldn’t finish tonight, he was all over the ice and was integral in setting up both of the team’s early goals. He has raised his game in the absence of Vinny Prospal and looks ready to take a bigger role leadership wise for the remainder of the season.
The Rangers next game is Wednesday when they host the Dallas Stars at MSG
Tags: Ales Kotalik, Blake Wheeler, Boston Bruins, Brandon Dubinsky, Christopher Higgins, Dallas Stars, Donald Brashear, Erik Christensen, Henrik Lundqvist, Madison Square Garden, Marc Savard, Matt Hunwick, Michael Del Zotto, Michal Roszival, New York Rangers, NHL, Tukka Rask, Vinny Prospal, Wade Redden
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Ryan Miller has won three straight against the Blueshirts.
The struggling Rangers (13-13-1) visit the red hot Buffalo Sabres (16-7-2) tonight at HSBC Arena at 7 PM. The Sabres are coming off four straight wins in which they have scored a combined 18 goals. Sabres backstop and Vezina Trophy front runner Ryan Miller (16-4-2, 1.84 GAA) will be opposed by Henrik Lundqvist (11-10-1, 2.74 GAA) and will attempt to build on his impressive career numbers (8-3-2, 2.38 GAA) versus the Blueshirts.
Probable Lines and Defense Pairings:
Vinny Prospal- Artem Anisimov- Marian Gaborik
Sean Avery- Chris Drury- Ryan Callahan
Christopher Higgins- Erik Christensen- Ales Kotalik
Enver Lisin- Brian Boyle- P.A. Parenteau
Marc Staal- Michal Rozsival
Michael Del Zotto- Dan Girardi
Ilkka Heikkinen- Matt Gilroy
Tonight is the first game for Rangers newcomers Erik Christensen and Ilkka Heikkinen. Let’s hope these two can provide some sort of spark offensively and a week of practices has fixed some of the defensive breakdowns which have become commonplace as of late. If the Rangers struggle early on either end, this one could easily turn into a laugher for the high powered home team.
Tags: Buffalo Sabres, Erik Christensen, Henrik Lundqvist, Ilkka Heikkinen, New York Rangers, NHL, Ryan Miller
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On a busy day for Glen Sather and Co., Stephen Valiquette’s career as a Ranger may have come to an end as the team waived the backup netminder for the purpose of sending him to Hartford for conditioning. If Valiquette clears waivers he will remain with the organization but chances are good that another team will take a flier on the veteran goalie. Impressive youngster Chad Johnson, whom the Rangers acquired at this year’s draft in a trade with Pittsburgh, was recalled from Hartford to replace Valiquette as the team’s primary backup to Henrik Lundqvist. Johnson has performed well this season posting a 10-6-1 record with a 2.10 GAA.
The Rangers followed these moves with a waiver claim, picking up veteran center Erik Christensen from the Anaheim Ducks. Christensen, 25, was a third round pick of the Penguins in 2002. He has 42 goals and 56 assists in 226 career games. This season for Anaheim, he had zero points in nine games. The 6-1, 203 lb. pivot had 18 goals for the Pens during the 2006-07 campaign. Christensen will give the Rangers added depth at the center position until Brandon Dubinsky returns from his injury.
Donald Brashear missed practice today and according to Coach Tortorella is “injured” and could be “out for a while”. Better news is the staus of Wade Redden whom Torts believes “is likely to play Saturday” when the Rangers return to action vs. the Sabres.
In Juniors news, Rangers prospects Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider and Ryan Bourque were all selected to the Team USA preliminary roster for the 2010 World Junior Championships. Rangers prospect Evgeny Grachev was expected to play for Russia at the WJC but reports are stating that the Blueshirts have told Russian officials that they are not prepared to let Grachev participate at this time. The Russians will file an appeal with the IIHF and I’m sure we will hear more about this situation over the coming days.
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Chad Johnson, Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan, Donald Brashear, Erik Christensen, Evgeny Grachev, Glen Sather, Hartford Wolfpack, John Tortorella, New York Rangers, NHL, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ryan Bourque, Stephen Valiquette, Wade Redden
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