Boyle and Boogaard Can't Scare Up Two Points In Rangers 5-3 Loss to Capitals.

Scott Levy/NHLI via Getty Images

Not even a combined three goals from the giants that are Brian Boyle and Derek Boogaard could get the Rangers a much needed home ice victory as they fell 5-3 to the Capitals and maybe more importantly to a pitiful 2-5-1 on home ice on the young season.  The positive story of the night that will get lost was the two goals adding to his new career high of 7 for Brian Boyle as it will be overshadowed by enforcer Derek Boogaard netting his first goal since 2006 ending a 234 game drought that was seen as likely to break Ken Danyeko's record for most consecutive games without a goal. The effort was much better tonight and the Rangers had multiple leads but could not stop the high powered Capitals attack enough on the evening and they are not talented enough even at full strength to just trade chances with the club on the side of the ice tonight.  For the most part they did a pretty good job of containing Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom and Green, but it was the supporting cast showing why the Capitals are again considered a contender as they picked up the goal scoring slack and the team still came away with 5 with none of the stars scoring a goal.  Ranger fans will no doubt spend the next two days perched on the ledge, praying for the return of their superstar forward, but don't expect him to ride and save the day until at least Sunday and remember as bad as it looks the team is still 7-7-1 after 15 games.  Of more concern is the home record and the fact that the Rangers are now 1-7-1 when tied or trailing heading into the 3rd period.

Full details of the game inside.

Video: Boogaard Goal

The event that everyone predicted coming into the game I am sure.

Rangers vs Capitals: Final Notes (Injury Timetables)

The only scratch from the lineup tonight will be Matt Gilroy again on defense.  Tortorella said he has to play his top six D and obviously he does not see Gilroy as fitting in that description as this will be his 5th straight scratch.  The lineup is as I projected in the pregame notes:

Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan
Avery-Boyle-Prust
Frolov-Stepan-Fedotenko
Boogaard-Christensen-White

Other player comments were he just wants a goal from the Frolov-Stepan-Fed combination and that Christensen isnt giving enough production but will stay in for now.

On Injured players

• Jesse Spector infers from Tortorella comments that Gaborik more likely for Sunday than Thursday (I prefer that as I dont think 2 days of contact practice is enough)
• Prospal timetable laid-out as Mid-Late December
• No timetable on Drury

Video: The King Robbing the Caps Over Last Few Years

No doubt the Rangers will need a few of these type saves if they are going to win tonight.

Henrik high glove on Semin last season

Game 15: Rangers vs Capitals Preview

Rangers (7-6-1) vs Washington (10-4)

Key Opposing Player: Alexander Ovechkin (8-10-18)

Lineup:

Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan

Avery-Boyle-Prust

Frolov-Stepan-Fedotenko

Boogaard-Christensen-White

Staal - Rozsival
Del Zotto - Girardi
Eminger-Sauer

Lundqvist

Biron

Gaborik Return Date Known Tomorrow: Thursday or Sunday the Options

The Rangers missing superstar Marian Gaborik who has been out since Oct 15th with a separated shoulder from a Colby Armstrong hit said today that after tomorrow's practice he will know if he is coming back Thursday vs Buffalo or Sunday against Edmonton.  That news is according to Jesse Spector and Andrew Gross.  Obviously this is going to be a welcomed addition to the Rangers lineup when you get your best offensive threat back and hopefully the Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan line will continue their high play and Gaborik will be on a line that gives them some help.  How strange would it be to have two lines that can actually score the puck?

More thoughts inside

Tonight's Game Huge for Derek Stepan

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Tonight when he takes the ice for the first time in seven games he will do it starting on a line other than the fourth and away from the likes of Derek Boogaard.  Stepan was relegated down the lineup because his play dramatically slipped from early in the year not only in terms of production but in terms of impact during his shifts.  In other words, he started to look like a rookie after playing like anything but one throughout the preseason and early regular year.

Rangers Week Ahead Starting 11-8-2010

With all the news that came out yesterday and the traffic that came with it I decided to hold back the look at the Rangers week ahead until this morning.  For those who haven’t seen it before this is just an overview of the upcoming opponents the Rangers have on the schedule. 

This week the Rangers will be at home for all three including Tuesday against Washington, Thursday against Buffalo and Sunday against Tom Renney’s Edmonton Oilers.  The Rangers are coming off a week in which they alternated wins and losses and only had one real good outing in my opinion.  They will look to right the ship both in terms of getting back on the winning track and being better at home this week.  At first glance the game vs Washington is obviously the toughest with the other two seeming very winnable, but as we have seen with the Rangers they love nothing more than to make a winnable game difficult.