Tonight’s game can be summed up in two words: Marian. Gaborik. The Slovakian sniper absolutely stole the show for the Blueshirts tonight.
The Rangers found out prior to the game they would be without leading scorer Brandon Dubinsky. Enter Marian Gaborik.
After being benched in the final periods of Sundays game against the Flyers, Gaborik responded in a big way potting 4 goals and adding a helper against a clearly overmatched Leafs team.
Ruslan Fedotenko also scored a goal before being injued and not returning to the game. This is just more bad news for the Rangers who have been decimated by injuries.
Boyle and Zuccarello also tallied for the Blueshirts. Henrik Lundqvist made 22 saves for his 7th shutout of the year and 31st of his career.
The Rangers now move into sole possession of 6th place in the East, just one point behind the Capitals.
The Rangers play again tomorrow night against the Hurricanes in another important game for the Rangers. If they can get 8 out of 10 points, including tonight’s game and the next four, they will be sitting pretty prior to the All Star Game.
Did anyone else find that game a tad boring?
1)Man alive, for the first two periods of the game the players looked completely lethargic. The first goal against the Rangers was just a terrible BS goal. If Avery would have taken the body to Samsonov instead of trying to poke check him with his stick Hank would have had his second shutout of the season.
2) SHOOT DAMMIT! This isn’t criticism, but dammit Gaborik shoot the puck! Don’t try to go all finesse and slide it through his pads. Gabby could of had a trick last night if would have just shot the puck. But, this isn’t criticism as he is the best and most gifted player on the ice most nights.
3) Dubinsky’s goal was pretty. First he makes a great play to keep the puck in the zone and keep the play alive. Then Prospal with a great cross-ice pass to Gabby who shuffled it to Dubi who back-handed it over Ward and into the net.
4) Gaborik always seems to be in the right place at the right time, eh? That shot by Rozsival where he broke his stick and it hit the backboards and Dubinsky just flung it out in front of the net. The defenseman for the Hurricanes, I think it was Gleason, had the puck on his stick and Gaborik just stole the puck and put it away into the emptied net.
5) Hey Drury, Marc Staal can score from his own zone and you can only hit the post? Take some notes, eh?
6) Hank, as usual, stole the game once again. He didn’t have to make the spectacular saves like he did in Philly, but damn did he keep the team in the games or what? This is now eight of the last nine games where he has kept opponents to two goals or less.
Marian Gaborik was named the NHL’s third star of the month for November. Gaborik had 11 goals and 8 assists in the month of November. He currently leads the NHL in goals with 21 and is second in the NHL with 37 points, 2 behind Joe Thornton. If Gaborik keeps this pace up, he will finish the season with 100+ points and 50+ goals.
