Valiquette to the Rescue

Today the New York Rangers (34-24-8) defeated the Philadelphia Flyers (33-26-7) by a score of 5-4 in a shootout. Coming on in relief of ineffective starting goalie Henrik Lundqvist, Steve Valiquette stopped 17 of 18 shots through overtime and then was perfect in the shootout for the Rangers. After Jeff Carter’s second goal of the game got the Flyers even at 4 with 8:11 left in regulation, Brendan Shanahan and Nigel Dawes scored in the shootout. Valiquette, who has five wins this season including three over Philadelphia, stopped defenseman Kimmo Timonen in the first round of the tiebreaker and kept out Carter’s drive after it hit the left post. That snapped Philadelphia’s three-game winning streak and extended the Rangers’ surge to 7-0-2. The wild affair featured four ties and saw both starting goalies exit the game before two minutes were gone in the second period. Martin Straka, Ryan Callahan and newcomers Christian Backman and Fredrik Sjostrom all scored for the Rangers. For a full recap go to Yahoo! Sports.

...what an absolutely entertaining hockey game between two teams fighting for a playoff berth. Lots of goals, a fight, hard hits and a shootout to decide it. NBC couldn't have asked for a better game.

...I thought this was one of the best coached games by Renney this year. He sits Hollweg, realizes he made a mistake by not starting Valiquette and makes the change before it gets too late and then, my favorite, he uses Dawes in the shootout. Great job Tom.

...Lundqvist better not see another start against the Flyers this year. Valiquette has earned the start in the two remaining contests between the teams. Should be an interesting call for Renney if the Rangers face the Flyers in the playoffs. I know I'm gettung way ahead of myself, but that's a fun senario to think about.

...congratulations to Sjostrom and Backman on their first goals as New York Rangers. Sjostrom's goal pretty much ensures we will not be seeing Hollweg in the lineup for the rest of the year. And if anyone needed a goal on this team it was Backman. After six minutes of penalties, not including the four minutes served by Staal, in his first game, Backman was then called for four more minutes of penalties in the first period today and you started to hear the boo birds only 4 periods into Backman's Ranger career. I think the only person happy about the boos was Malik, who, by the way played another solid game. But just when you thought Backman was the next target of the Garden faithful, he scores the go ahead goal on a wicked wrist shot.

...now the real fun starts with a home and home against the Islanders. Can't wait.