Rangers vs. Islanders, 7 p.m.
Posted On Monday, November 19, 2007 at at 12:14 PM by Pucks on BroadwayThe Rangers are on a five-game winning streak. The Islanders are 5 - 2 in their last seven. However, the Islanders have defeated the Rangers in their first two meetings. Needless to say, this is a monumental game, despite the date.
The first place team in the Rangers have been stellar of late as their special teams and line combinations have been able to jell. How important was that impeccable start by goaltender Henrik Lundqvist? Now that the team is rolling, you are starting to see what damage they can do with a lethal goalie, team defense and exceptional offense.
Where do concerns still lie? While I am a pessimist at heart, I try to remain realistic. Right now, the Rangers are playing well, but these line combinations are not going to stick. Yes, the second line most likely will. There is no reason to touch Shanahan, Avery, and Gomez. However, when injuries heal who goes where?
Nigel Dawes, Petr Prucha, Marcel Hossa, and Brandon Dubinsky are all on the hot seat, but they have played well enough to warrant staying.
If the Rangers want to truly compete they need to get Drury going on that top line. Straka is going to have to be there and Jagr is going to have to adapt. There isn't a reason to change now, but to have a legitimate shot, that's the way it's going to shake out.
Additionally, the Rangers defense is playing well, but are they steady enough to last over the long haul? With Malik coming back, do you place him lower and leave Staal? These are all questions that are going to need to be addressed in the next week.
As for tonight, it will be a hard fought game on both sides. The Islanders continue to have dominance over the Rangers this season, but the Rangers haven't faced them at home yet. This game could send both teams in interesting directions as they face difficult schedules in the next two weeks.
More later...
