Written on 1/03/2011 by Jim Cerny
Here are some Monday morning quick hits from a reporter fresh off a New Years road trip to the Sunshine State:
Rangers Need a Helping Hand
I almost couldn't believe my eyes yesterday afternoon when I saw Rangers forward Ruslan Fedotenko grimacing in obvious extreme pain and holding his right arm/hand close to his body after blocking Bryan McCabe's slap shot.
Another injury for the Rangers. And even more head-shaking: another hand injury for the Rangers.
A team of hard-working and diligent foot-soldiers has been plagued by injuries all year---the team has lost 123 man-games to injury through 40 games this season---and, more specifically, hand injuries suffered while blocking shots have KO'd team captain Chris Drury for 31 games and currently have sidelined alternate captain Ryan Callahan for seven (and he is still 3-5 weeks away from returning to action).
And now Fedotenko, who has been a perfect fit alongside Brian Boyle and Brandon Prust on the Rangers most consistent, balanced, and persistant line all season long, takes a blast off the hand---though x-rays did not show a break.
The Blueshirts have proven to be a legit playoff contender, but their gritty identity has been skewed since losing Callahan in mid-December---and would further be taxed if Fedotenko misses some time. Despite the fact that their record has remained good since Callahan went down, they Rangers have not shown that pit-bull tendency to attack the opposition like when Cally was in the lineup showing the way with his over-the-top boundless energy and passion.
"Ryan Callahan embodies what a Ranger should be," said the club's coach John Tortorella.
And he is right. But now the healthy Rangers---and there are fewer of them by the day as there were four players sidelined by injury for yesterday's game, and that was BEFORE Fedotenko was hurt---need to step up and play as they did when Callahan was in the lineup. Dispassionate performances, like those of the last two games in which they produced one goal in more than 120 minutes of hockey down in the Sunshine State, will send this team on a freefall out of the Top 8 in the East.
The Rangers need to reclaim their identity and not let the evil hand of injury wash away the good they have created, so far, this season.
Tampa Bay Acquires Dwayne Roloson
Ironic that on a night Tampa Bay watched rookie Cedrick Desjardins play brilliantly in earning a 2-1 overtime victory over the Rangers---two nights after winning his debut 4-1 against Montreal---that the Lightning go out and acquire 41 year-old goalie Dwayne Roloson from the Islanders. But no matter the timing, it was a solid move by team GM Steve Yzerman.
Desjardins was heading back to the minors anyway, leaving the Lightning with the middle-of-the-road tandem of Dan Ellis and Mike Smith---who returns shortly from a knee injury---to backstop the top team in the Southeast Division.
While Roloson is no superstar, nor even the best goalie who may come on to the market before the trade deadline---think Tomas Vokoun, for example---he was having another strong year for a struggling Islanders team, and will definitely be an up-grade over Ellis and Smith.
Should Roloson help make the Lightning defense even a bit better---and my bet is that he will surely do that---then this is a steal for Yzerman, who for a low cost (he traded away a minor league defenseman and added the affordable contract of Roloson) gave his team-on-the-rise a better chance to win its division and, perhaps, make some noise in the post-season.
USA-Canada Meet Tonight at WJC
Canada won the international hockey event that mattered the most last year---the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver---but that doesn't mean the hockey-mad country isn't hell bent on revenge tonight vs. the United States. For it was also last year that Team USA secured a gold medal of its own by winning the 2010 World Junior Championships, besting Canada in an epic overtime finale.
Tonight Team Canada seeks its revenge, squaring off in a semi-final match-up with the United States at the '11 WJC. You just know they would love to hear "Oh Canada" played up in Buffalo on US soil following this evening's clash.
Like last year, these are two very talented teams, with the US squad perhaps holding a slight advantage in that department this time around. Goalie Jack Campbell looms to be the difference maker should the United States win.
But this is must-watch TV tonight. Catch it on the NHL Network here in the States beginning at 7:30.
Follow Me On Twitter: @jimcerny
Posted in
2011 World Junior Championships,
Dwayne Roloson,
New York Rangers,
NHL,
Rink Rap,
Ruslan Fedotenko,
Ryan Callahan,
Steve Yzerman,
Tampa Bay Lightning
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Written on 10/10/2010 by Jim Cerny
Last night in the Rangers locker room following their season-opening 6-3 win in Buffalo, I approached goaltender Henrik Lundqvist for his take on Derek Stepan's NHL debut.
Before the question was even completely out of my mouth, Lundqvist was shaking his head in disbelief and laughing heartily. And then he said the only possible thing that could sum up the rookie center's 3-goal first-game as a pro.
"Wow!"
Perhaps Lundqvist's laugh and shaking of the head said more than words---or the word "Wow"---could. Because those responses really said, "You've got to be kidding me! A 20 year-old kid, fresh out of college, scores a hat trick in his first NHL game! No freaking way! This game is not that easy."
But Stepan made it look that way. In fact he has made a lot of things seem so easy since turning pro this past summer. He has an easy-going confidence, a terrific knack for being in the right place on the ice most of the time, and is an extremely intelligent kid.
"He has an inner confidence about him, yet he is very respectful and always asking questions, trying to learn," said Rangers head coach John Tortorella. "He loves challenges, and we have challenged him a lot along the way here."
Stepan became only the fourth player in the entire history of the National Hockey League to score three goals in his first game. I was fortunate enough to be up in Buffalo and cover his great accomplishment. Following is a behind-the-scenes look at Stepan's big day and night (and a little more, too).
Saturday
11:15-The zamboni is cleaning the ice following the Sabres morning skate at the HSBC Arena. An eager Stepan, his NHL debut roughly eight hours away, is sitting on the Rangers' bench alongside defenseman Dan Girardi watching the zamboni. No other players are on the bench just yet. Makes you wonder if the kid is super excited, insanely nervous, or always one of the first ones out at the morning skate.
11:30-Stepan and his teammates hit the ice for the quick skate, which is meant to wake the players up, get the blood flowing. Stepan skates with veteran linemates Sean Avery and Ruslan Fedotenko during line rushes, and he will center those two as he did late in the pre-season.
11:45-Tortorella meets with the media outside the Rangers dressing room. When asked if he will have to keep an eye on Stepan, fearing the kid may be a bit nervous on this night, Tortorella sounds almost prophetic when answering, "I don't think that's going to be a problem because I think he embraces his challenges...I think he'll be a good player for us tonight." Little did I know that Torts had just written the lead to what would be my post-game story
on the Rangers web site later on in the evening.
12:00-I chat with Stepan by his corner locker and ask him a few questions about nerves. "Slept well last night", "Think I'll be more excited than nervous", "Not thinking about being nervous...but if you keep asking me about it...!" are just some of his relaxed answers.
12:45-Back at the team hotel Stepan meets with family and friends, including his Mom, who drove to Buffalo from Minnesota. Next it's a little lunch with his teammates and then a nap (later on he told me he had no problems napping!).
First Period-Stepan had joked to me in the morning that on his first shift he might just "take a skate" and let Avery and Fedotenko handle the puck just to get acclimated to his first NHL game. In reality, Stepan steals the puck along the left wall in the offensive zone, and though his centering pass is knocked away, it almost leads to an early scoring chance. Kid seems on top of his game. At 10:53 he is credited with his first NHL goal when Girardi's slap shot is deflected by the rookie, bounces of Buffalo's Tyler Myers, and slips across the goal line. "That's the way everyone's first goal is. They're never pretty," Stepan tells me later.
Second period-With the Rangers 2-1 lead hanging by a thread, thanks to Lundqvist's brilliance in net, and with the visting team being outshot by a wide margin, Stepan kills the home team's momentum by getting free in front and lifting a rebound of Marc Staal's point shot over Ryan Miller's glove. 3-1 Rangers 15:08 into the second. Then with 1:40 left to play Stepan whips a shot from the slot into the back of the cage off a pretty feed from Avery. 4-1 Rangers. Hat Trick in his NHL debut for Stepan. Torts told me today, "What I really liked is that he didn't go all crazy about it. He was excited, but he expects to do good things."
Third Period-As amazing as his NHL debut was, incredibly Stepan's night could have gone even better. He misfired on an odd-man rush up ice and then missed with a long shot at an empty net after Miller was pulled for an extra attacker. Kid could have had four, or five, goals on the night!
Post-Game-I am the first reporter to get to Stepan, who is more than willing to chat---he always is, great kid---though he undresses quickly at the same time because you can tell that he has the rookie fear that he might miss the team bus to the airport. I feel like saying, "Relax. Tonight, they're not going anywhere without you!". Typically, Stepan is gracious in his praise of his linemates and downplays his huge night, though he does confess, "This was exciting...the hockey gods must have been looking down on me." As I leave Stepan he is besieged by a media horde, so I seek out others for opinions on what Stepan accomplished. Lundqvist offers, "What can you say about a first game like that? We'll let him enjoy it tonight, but tomorrow it's back to work and it's forgotten. It's going to be our job to help guide him through his first year. But he is very mature kid and I think he'll handle it well." Brandon Dubinsky said, "It's awesome! He's such a great talent and is going to be a really big part of the team. Best thing about him is he's confident, but pretty mellow, stays with that even keel." Staal added, "He was smart, in the right place, didn't get caught running around, and it transferred into three goals because he was in the right position. It's impressive."
10:30-Stepan heads to the bus after saying goodbye to Mom. Then on to airport where the charter takes him and his teammates back to New York.
Sunday:
12:00 Noon-Just as Lundqvist said 14 hours earlier, it's back to work. Stepan is on ice with his teammates practicing for Monday afternoon's showdown against the Islanders. Three goals in your first game, kid? No problem. Now let's see what you can really do!
Follow Me on Twitter at: @jimcerny and @thenyrangers
Posted in
Brandon Dubinsky,
Buffalo Sabres,
Derek Stepan,
Henrik Lundqvist,
John Tortorella,
New York Rangers,
NHL,
Rink Rap,
Ruslan Fedotenko,
Ryan Miller,
Sean Avery
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