October 13, 2009, Toronto Maple Leafs-New York Rangers game story for Metro (NY) Newspaper
Rangers roll Leafs
Blueshirts with 5th straight in a blowout
What we saw last night at MSG
1 Streaking — This season’s Rangers are beating the teams they are supposed to beat. What adds to the excitement of their fifth straight win is the fact it came less than 24 hours after the Blueshirts beat up on the league’s premiere teams, the Ducks. There’s no letdown with this unit so far.
2 Getting defensive — Last season, Rangers’ defensemen combined for 25 goals. While complimentary of their work in their own zone, John Tortorella lamented the lack of offense from the back end and vowed that would change in 2009-10. It has. Through six games, the Rangers have seven goals from their defensemen—including tallies from Wade Redden and Dan Girardi last night.
3 Lifeless Leafs — Toronto added toughness in the offseason by signing players such as Colton Orr, but this is one sorry team right now.
The difference is palpable.
A one-goal lead going into a third period one year ago would have meant a Rangers team that played not to lose instead of skating for a win.
This year, the Rangers are content to press the issue. And it has paid dividends.
In every conceivable fashion, the Rangers outclassed Original Six rival Toronto in a 7-2 laugher at the Garden Monday night. The last time the Rangers scored seven goals in a game was April 1, 2007, in Toronto (coincidentally enough a 7-2 win). Last night’s win comes 24 hours after the Rangers shut out one of the premier teams in the Western Conference, Anaheim, 3-0. The Rangers’ next game is Wednesday night at MSG against Los Angeles.
The Rangers got across-the-board scoring. Defensemen Dan Girardi scored twice, and Wade Redden recorded his first goal of the season. Upfront, Sean Avery (two), Ryan Callahan and Marian Gaborik (one each) added tallies.
Holding a 3-2 lead after the first 40 minutes, John Tortorella’s charges came out flying in the third and peppered Toronto goaltender Vesa Toskala for four goals. Toskala, who has become a whipping boy in Toronto for the Leafs’ ineptitude, only stopped 26 of 33 shots.
After losing in Pittsburgh, 3-2, on Opening Night, the Rangers have won five in a row and are tied with the Penguins atop the Atlantic Division. Avery pointed to the Rangers’ new philosophy as a reason for the team’s success.
“I think a lot has to do with the way we play. Because we get on the forecheck and we are relentless on the puck, it makes a big difference in our game,” Avery said. “We have a lot of guys that can skate and a lot of guys that fit into the system and a lot of guys that are playing within the system. When you have all those ingredients, it is a pretty good recipe.”
The biggest positive for the Rangers in the very early season has been the play of the defensive corps. In 2008-09, Rangers’ defensemen totaled 25 goals. Through six games this year, the Rangers have six goals from their defensemen. The Rangers’ defense corps combined for three goals, two assists and was plus-eight.
“It is the play away from the puck that is going to create all the offense. Our ‘D’ has really bought into standing up in that neutral zone and, when they get an opportunity, joining the rush,” John Tortorella said afterward. “If you are going to win consistently in this league, we need to get scoring all the way through and we have been stressing that with our ‘D.’ Danny (Girardi) scores (on) a slap shot (in the second period), right through him.”
It certainly did not hurt that last night’s opponent was the Bay Street Buffoons. When he officially took the reins in Toronto last November, GM Brian Burke boasted that the Leafs would play with “pugnacity, testosterone, truculence and belligerence.”
In the offseason, Burke added to Toronto’s muscle by signing free agents Colton Orr, Mike Komisarek, Francois Beauchemin, and trading for Garnet Exelby. But, other than trading for former Boston sniper Phil Kessel, there is precious little firepower. The Leafs are 0-4-1 and all too often appear to be more interested developing its self-esteem by winning fights instead of hockey games.
“After the second period, I felt real good about our chances, real good about how we were playing. We were back to competing but (made) the elementary mistake of not moving the puck quickly. They turned it into a forecheck chance and it ended up in our net. We got really scrambled after that, like an unconfident team would. We’ve got to find a way to regroup here,” lamented Leafs coach Ron Wilson. Wilson, who will coach the American Olympic Team in the 2010 Vancouver Games.
“[The Rangers] are a strong team. They’ve got speed. Their young defensemen really move the puck. Just about everybody up front was playing disciplined, getting the puck in and forechecking. You are seeing the influence Tortorella has on the team, the relentless work ethic they have right now.”
posted by Denis P. Gorman at 1:46 PM
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