The Rangers "Big Push Plan" has been simplicity itself.
1. Get Vincent Trocheck back and beat Humpty Nashville. DONE! (At home, no less!)
2. Go to Tampa Bay and destroy the already seriously wounded Bolts. DONE!
3. Fly to Columbus and bait -- then beat -- the bottom-feeding Blue Jackets. DONE!
4. Home tonight vs. doddering Detroit for a two-straight win streak at home: SHOULD BE DONE!
Now that wasn't very hard was it? Nor should it be tonight against the Never-Make-The-Playoffs Red Wings.
In a very subtle – yet significant – way, the Rangers are off and running nor should there be
any excuses, rationales or any other kind of complaints. And The Maven says that for a reason.
The Trocheck Era is here; also with a little hope, when the spirit moves him, from J.T. Miller, who should be the alternate captain; but that's another story.
Trocheck and Miller combined to soil the Blue Jackets with their shootout histrionics enroute to the 2-1 victory why-oh-why-Ohio.
"The keys here," says The Old Scout, "were – and are – momentum and confidence. The team turned 180-degrees in the right direction when Trocheck returned and the W's started to rise."
So was the goaltending last night with Igor Shesterkin the difference in a tight game that went beyond overtime and into the Shootout.
The Rangers Show Newfound Identity in Win Over Blue Jackets
The New York Rangers’ newfound identity instilled by Mike Sullivan was on full display on Saturday night in their 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Maven's latest Roundtable V.P. – the very insightful no-holds-barred Lloyd MacKay – has earned his spurs with this Blueshirt X-Ray.
"Noah Laba continues to shine," says MacKay. "He has a good physical presence and doesn't look like a rookie. J.T. Miller impressed me. He's a guy I'd want on the ice late in a tight game or in overtime.
"On defense, Carson Soucy and Slava Gavrikov impressed me. Both are really talented."
Bottom Line: The club is on the move and should dispose of the Red Wings tonight without too much trouble. Jonathan Quick should beat any of the two Detroit sieves!