Pregame
No line changes for #CBJ this morning: 71-19-13; 11-55-56; 43-42-41; 10-39-40. Pairs: 7-58, 20-21, 51-47. Bob in goal.
— Rob Mixer (@RobMixer) October 11, 2014
More of the same from last game. Interesting that they will stick with the Dano, Wennberg switch on the right wing. HCTR was asked last game why he thought the move was necessary and he believed it gave the players more comfort on the PP. Anything to make the rookies feel at home is a good move in my opinion.
#NYR practice lines: Kreider-MSL-Nash Hagelin-Brass-Zucc Duke-Hayes-Stempniak Miller-DMoore-Fast. Glass a maintenance day.
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) October 10, 2014
#NYR practice D-pairs: McDonagh-Girardi Staal-Klein JMoore-Hunwick. Looks like Kostka is extra D.
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) October 10, 2014
Cam Talbot gets start at Columbus tomorrow. Lundqvist starts home opener on Sunday.
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) October 10, 2014
The Rangers most recently played the Blues to a 3-2 win with Rick Nash scoring two goals an assist. They came out extremely strong, re-watching the game the next day they were very crisp even though they are missing their first line center (Stepan). On paper the lineup doesn’t scare you the way it did last year but the Rangers have a few rookies that many in the organization and media are high on. They signed college free agent Kevin Hayes (and well known Johnny Hockey teammate) to a contract that sent ripples through the NHL this summer but the move that really caused many outside of the organization to take a second look was keeping Anthony Duclair on the big club right out of training camp. Our buddies over at NYRBlog are extremely high on Duclair and with good reason; he is about as dynamic as they come and has been told by coach Alain Vigneault that he will stick with the team only if he plays top nine minutes.
Make sure as well to give @Herman_NYRBlog and @TheNYRBlog follows as they will be giving you real time Rangers updates all game.
So Simon Hjalmarsson is back in Sweden #CBJ
— CBJProspects (@CBJProspects) October 11, 2014
As first reported by CBJ Prospects, it looks like Simon Hjalmarsson will be leaving the Jackets organization and returning to Europe. There are two distinct reasons why this upsets me, the first being that I finally learned how to spell his last name and the second being that he was a useful depth option that would have been one of the first called up from Springfield. While this hampers the Jackets in the short term I think once players return from injury this news will be forgotten in short order.
In Game
First Period:
- The pregame festivities and fun has had a distinctly different feeling from years prior. If you are a long suffering fan the buzz around this team is a long time coming.
- Anything better then a Leo Welsh national anthem? Quick answer, nope.
- Frantic start as anticipated, no real pace set just yet. Three quick icings will do that to you.
- Jackets get the first power play after an elbow from Carl Hagelin. Rangers looking rather disheveled early.
- McDonagh shorthanded surprises everyone by skating right by Tim Erixon.
- AN ARTY PARTY EARLY 1-0
- Bobrovsky injured? Tevative getting up and sending shrieks through Jackets land. All seems to be well after the TV break. But those scares seemed to be premature.
- Hunwick does his best impression of a pylon and shortly after Chaput gets called for hooking. PK time for the Jackets.
- Wennberg playing on the PK is an obvious representation of how much they trust the kid. Risky but Richards has been known to do it in his time with the Jackets.
- Clearly an elbow from Stempniak. That is two in the first period. Trying to send a message? Don’t they know Jared Boll is dressed for the Jackets? These questions and more will be answered after these messages!
- Hartnell sends message. Players keeping cheap plays in check? Huh.
- JACKETS LEAD 2-0 ON A FOLIGNO GOAL.
- Corsi be damned the Jackets are winning. Rather odd that the Rangers are targeting Anisimov, no?
https://twitter.com/nickjbiss/status/521085917852073984
Second Period
- Nash begins the period offsides. Something he perfected in Columbus. An art form really.
- Good cycle early and they were able to hem the Nash line in the zone for a sustained period of time.
- Lee Stempniak with a quick shot to make the game 2-1. Can’t leave a player of his caliber alone in front. Hopefully this will wake up the team and fans.
- A nice little response from the Jackets getting some sustained zone time in the offensive zone.
- I say this and now the Rangers are pressing hard. Crazy period thus far.
- Cam Atkinson with a goal to make it 3-1. Loving that 71-19-13 line. Muy bien!
- 4th line with a good shift after the goal. Shift results with a penalty on the Rangers, don’t see it but one can’t really complain can they?
- PP comes up with zilch. Third line comes out with Skille rather than Dano. Don’t know if that was strategic or just a poor change. Unbelievable save for Bobrovsky. WOW.
- Weird series of events on the ice. Skille looks to inadvertently run into Zuccarello. Very very ugly. Jackets somehow get PP from it all.
- Nevermind. No PP, 4 on 4 till the end of the period.
https://twitter.com/nickjbiss/status/521094124565692418
Third Period
- Heck of a sequence of events. Breakaway by Duclair then a tip by Atkinson leads to a stoppage of play.
- Frantic pace. My poor fingers can’t keep up. Skirmish in Jackets end.
- 4 on 4 for the Jackets leads to a couple of shots on goal. I’m getting tired just watching this. Sheesh.
- Have to point out Dano’s great play today. Playing a smart, smart game.
- Wennberg with a mini breakaway. Frantic pace is playing into the Rangers favor.
- Dano is rewarded for his strong play. Game is now 4-1. What a celly.
- Rick Nash doing what he does best. Makes the game 4-2.
- Don’t know how that wasn’t a penalty but alas this game has been nutty. Four minutes left and they need to protect this lead. Time for team to dig deep.
- Empty net with under three minutes left in the game.
- Atkinson with an empty netter. Starting his year off on a strong note. Jackets 5-2.
- JACKETS WIN. MORE HUGZ. 5-2.
Tweet of the Game:
If I had to describe the #CBJ in a meme… pic.twitter.com/53Z6AjUfRA
— Brad Friedman (@BradFriedman713) October 12, 2014
Post Game
An opening night win to remember, from the beginning of the game they dominated. Playing a significantly better team this time around they were up to the task. In control of the possession at even strength they showed that even when undermanned that they will be up to the task. Dano had a 91% CF, for those who don’t know that is really, really good. These young kids are showing that they deserve to be in the lineup. The next game will be against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, which should prove to be a high flying affair.
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