Video: Prust Showing Rangers How To Stand Up For Teammates vs Carcillo

This was too late from when the Carcillo cheap hit on Fedetenko happened but at least someone stood up and defended Fedetenko.

Rangers at Flyers Recap: Rangers Current and Former Doom Blueshirts

The Rangers came in looking to avenge last season’s final game while building on the most recent two game winning streak.  The outcome obviously would not be what the Rangers or their fans wanted on either front as they failed to avenge any of last year’s issues with the Flyers, didn’t get the two points and got pushed around again.  The up and down cycle continued the question now becomes whether the Rangers will snap out of it faster then they have previously and will keep this as a one game downer.  The first period showed this was not going to be their night as the effort really wasn’t there, they only managed to get 2 shots on goal, little puck possession while missing the net high multiple times.

And We're Off Early: Boogaard and Carcillo Starting Before Start

According to Andrew Gross/Jesse Spector Carcillo was yapping in the pregame skate and Boogaard came over and pushed/bumped him back to his side of the ice to get the night's festivities under way.  Just have had this feeling all day there will be a lot of PIM's tonight, but unlike many I would prefer the W and 2 points to just getting revenge on a guy even one as annoying as Carcillo.  Now if we can both it's a great night.

Video:

Link: Sather Chats with ESPN's LeBrun about Homegrown Talent; My Thoughts

For any of you who missed the article by Pierre Lebrun of ESPN this morning check the story out Rangers' homegrown players making mark as it delves into how the "youth movement" or as I prefer to think of it "homegrown movement" has progressed for the Rangers over the past few years and is showing fruit this year, with more stock maturing on the trees to come.  There is the obvious talk of Stepan as the rookie for this season and Kreider as a future guy, but it was interesting to see Sather mention some guys that I like to follow and talk about more than most of the mainstream press does in Roman Horak and Carl Hagelin.  I agree that both have the potential to be big contributors for the Rangers down the line.

The only real gripe I have with the article is the claim that the Rangers still have a glaring need at center and that there is no number 1 here.  I disagree obviously because I believe that Anisimov is a number 1 caliber center and I think he is proving that each game this season.  For some you are only a number 1 if you are a big name that is paid like one and sure there are better guys out there than Artem, but that does not mean he is not a number 1 caliber center.

Rangers-Flyers Pregame 11-4

Rangers (6-4-1) at Philadelphia (7-4-1)

Key Opposing Player: Claude Girouix (7-5-12)

Lineup:

Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan

Avery-Boyle-Fedetenko

Frolov-Christensen-Prust

Boogaard-Stepan-Grachev

Staal - Rozsival
Del Zotto - Girardi
Eminger-Sauer

Lundqvist

Biron

Chris Drury's Broken Finger; Prospal's Knee

According to Andrew Gross the injury to Chris Drury's finger in his season debut following the training camp injury was not just a break to another part of the same finger, as has been widely reported, but also a re-break in the original spot.  Gross adds that there is no timetable for the return of the captain, which is not at all surprising given that this is the second injury to the finger this year.  There is no reason to rush Drury back right now as the team is playing solid hockey and the last thing that they would want is a repeat of what just happened in that he rushes back, gets re-injured and misses another 6-8 weeks as opposed to sitting an extra week or so until he was fully ready.

Also according to Andrew Gross Prospal has no timetable for a return and is just going through the course of rehab on the knee both in and out of the pool.  I said earlier this year when the injury cropped up in training camp and the surgery to start the year that anything from Vinny this year would be considered gravy for me and I still think that way, so here's to hoping there is a lot of gravy coming.

As long as the Rangers are staying afloat or better as they have since the injuries have all come down I would expect the club to be extra cautious in bringing back any of Drury, Prospal or Gaborik until they are fully sure of their health.  It is the right course of action both in the short and long term interest of the club.

Drury, Prospal, Gaborik All Travel; Gaborik, Lundqvist on Ice

For the first since their individual injuries all three of Captain Chris Drury, Assistant Captain Vinny Prospal and Star Marian Gaborik have made the trip with the team for a road game.  Obviously in terms of geography this was not a huge trip for them to make as it is just a train ride to Philadelphia, but I always think things like these help the club out in the long term as it gives a boost to the guys who are playing and also lets the injured guys feel more part of the team than the isolation a rehab stint can be.  The biggest difference in the Rangers so far this season as in most every game they have played as a team looking out for and standing up for one another.  That obviously will be tested tonight against a very agitating Flyers squad.  Little things like the injured players making trips to road games helps that cause as it continues to build chemistry in the room, which will show itself on the ice. 

Poll: Fight Most Want To See Tonight

If Other, please Specify which fight it would be in the comments. thanks.

To get you in the mood Dubinsky vs Richards March 14, 2010:

Boogaard's Chance To Show His Value

For all those including myself who have questioned the signing of Derek Boogaard and the playing him against teams that have no need to have an enforcer in the lineup tonight is one of those games where he has a chance to erase it all.  Boogaard has a chance to erase at least some of the scorn and disdain for his obscenely high salary, to show his value in protecting his teammates and to send a message around the league that this team will not be pushed around.  After all it is because of a game in Philly last season, January 21^st, 2010 when Dan Carcillo fought Marian Gaborik and no Ranger on the ice came to his aide.