Rangers Blog: Blueshirt Banter
If ever you needed to watch a textbook example on how to lose a hockey game, tonight's game between the Penguins and Rangers would be it. Granted the Pens didn't blow a huge lead to receive the 'L' after all was said and done, but a dismal third period definitely buried any hopes of pulling out the win.
A bullet-point recap after the jump...
- Erik Christensen continues to play well above his name and salary every time he goes up against the Pens. He's now scored a whopping six goals on the season, two of which have come against the Pens.
- I'm not one to speculate, but Brent Johnson played that third period injured. When he sprawled out for a save in the second period he was slow to get up, stayed down in the butterfly position on a few saves and looked like he was playing a bit more conservative in the third period. Injured or not, if he wasn't feeling right the least he could've done was flag down the bench.
- At least Sidney Crosby's point streak remains intact, now at a ridiculous 20 games. Doesn't relieve the sting of a loss, but you take what you can get at this point.
- Sid doesn't have to shoot to register a point, but tonight's game marks the second straight game in which he was completely contained. Zero shots against the Flyers, zero shots against the Rangers. Still, we're looking at three points in two games any way you look at it.
- Zbynek Michalek somehow led the Pens in shots tonight with a grand total of five. Zero found the net, and he gets the uncredited assist on the Christensen goal that deflected off his stick and past Johnson.
- I still find it hard to believe that Pascal Dupuis was given an interference call on the disallowed goal in the third. I've seen far worse not called. Further evidence that, despite popular belief, the Penguins do not have the refs paid off before each and every game.
- Evgeni Malkin's goal was a thing of beauty. Watch that entire play again and you'll see two things: 1) Sid is surrounded by four Rangers player and 2) Malkin completely undresses Henrik Lundqvist. The Pens have now scored three goals over the past two games, all of which came from the stick of Geno.
- Coyotes on Monday.