Changes are afoot for Game 4 tonight:
Chris Drury (ribs/side) skated and coach Tom Renney said the center felt pretty good and would test himself again in warmups.
Lauri Korpikoski, who played center in Europe and for 20-25 games in Hartford, will make his Rangers debut in place of Blair Betts, who was hit by a puck in the second period of Game 3 and will have surgery on the fractured orbital bone near his left eye on Saturday or Sunday. He will likely be sidelined at least two weeks.
Korpikoski, the 19th overall pick in 2004, said he "had chills" watching Game 3 from the stands.
On defense, it appears Jason Strudwick will play tonight in place of Christian Backman with Paul Mara.
So, Greg Moore and Pierre Parenteau likely won't play. A combination of Orr, Prucha or Hollweg could be the wings for Korpikoski, depending on Drury's status. Personally, I'd like to see Prucha in somewhere.
Straka-Dubinsky-Jagr are set. The rest, I'm speculating here; If Drury's definitely in, could be Shanny-Gomez-Callahan, Dawes-Drury-Prucha/Sjostrom and Hollweg-Korpikoski-Orr/Prucha/Sjostrom. If Drury's out, Korpikoski moves up. And I'm pretty sure lines will be juggled during the game.
Let's just wait and see.
Meanwhile, Sean Avery remained in ICU at St. Vincent's today. Renney said he hoped to stop by the hospital on his way to the game.
More from the Garden before the win-or-go-home game...
For every piece to fall in place
Forever gone without a trace
Your horizon takes its shape
No turning back, don't turn that page
Long road to ruin there in your eyes
Under the cold streetlights
No tomorrow, no dead end in sight
Under the cold streetlights
---Foo Fighters
Comments (29)
Win for my dog, who I had to put to sleep today. Her birthday was June 14th 1995, the one yr anniversary of the Rangers 94 Cup.
Oh and at her request no hollweg
Wouldn't only one of Orr, Hollweg, or Prucha be in tonight unless Drury couldn't play? Assuming they would line up with Korpikoski and Sjostrom/Shanahan.
http://www.nyhockeyrivalry.blogspot.com
Matt - I agree with your dog. No Hollweg please. I'd even take the cap hit to buy him out for next year
Struds in ??? My guess is that we'll be watching him get beat easily by the Pens.
Hollweg is playing ? i hope the fans boo him when his name is announced. he really shouldnt even be in the lineup.
To you reap what you sow, what are you talking about ? I was never on any blog except Ranger blogs. It seems that one of my many fans here on this blog used my name because they didn't have the balls to use there own Name.
Zip you didn't mention who will replace Avery. Korpi deseves a shot and so a couple other pack players.Thank god BTO is out,it should have been done after game one
Have to agree about Backman
There were a few games at the end of the regular season where he showed some promise, he really has been dreadful.
At least Strudwick will just play a simple game and won't give the puck away every 2 minutes.
Good for Korpikoski. I was hoping he'd get the shot at the 4th line center spot over Moore or Hollweg if Betts was out. I think Renney got this one right.
But with Struds in the lineup for toughness, and with Avery's spot needing to be filled on the second line, if either Hollweg or Orr dress over Prucha, I will seriously lose faith in Renney's decision-making abilities.
Matt - I'm sorry to hear about your dog. I know what you're going through.
Don't let it end. We've come too far this year.
Yup bye bye to the boys in blue! Wonder what lameo excuses all you Rag fans are gonna have after loss nmuber 4!
I can hear "Dandy" Don Meredith singing to all you Rag fans now........... "Turn out the lights, the partys over. They say that all good things must end. Turn out the lights the partys over!"
Yup a sweet song for the obsessed!
Korpikoski will play center? I don't think he ever played center.
They should put Korpikoski in for Avery, Prucha in for Shanahan who sucks, Moore in for Betts, and Byers in for Hollweg.
i see they changed up the comments,now the islander fans must have nothing to do
When The Crowds Are Gone
I don't know where the years have gone
Memories can only last so long
Like faded photographs, forgotten songs
And the things I never knew
When the skin is thin, the heart shows through
Please believe me what I tell you is true
Where's the light, turn them on again
One more night to believe and then
Another note for my requiem
A memory to carry on
The story's over when the crowds are gone
All my friends have been crucified
They made life a long suicide true
Guess we never figured out the rules
But I'm still alive and my fingers feel
I'm gonna play on till the final reel's through
And read the credits from a different view
Where's the lights, turn them on again
One more night to believe and then
Another note for my requiem
A memory to carry on
The story's over when the crowds are gone
When the crowds are gone
And I'm all alone
Playing a final song
Now that the lights are gone
Turn them on again
One more time for me my friend
Turn them on again
I never wanted to know
Never wanted to see
I wasted my time till time wasted me
Never wanted to go
Always wanted to stay
Cause the person I am are the parts that I play
So I play and I plan
And hope and I scheme
To the lure of a night
Filled with unfinished dreams
And I'm holding on tight
To a world gone astray
As they charge me for years
I can no longer pay
And the lights
Turn them off my friend
And the ghosts
Well just let them in
Cause in the dark
It's easier to see
--Savatage
Matt, sorry about your pet, I wish it was Renney instead being put to sleep.
Strudwick had that OT goal against the Penguins, I think defensively he is steadier than Backman.
Also why not play Paranteau instead of Sjostrom who hasn't done much?
too bad we didn't trade for Gill instead of Backman
I wish Hollweg hit bob from behind along the boards amongst all the other boys drilling bob from behind.
Bye Bye Rangers! Bye Bye Avery! Couldn't happen to a bigger dope!
Yup. Join us Rags fans. Join the Islanders on the golf course this spring. At least we didn't overpay millions in contracts to preening old "stars" who can't compete come playoff time.
Avery's loss will either ignite your team to win one, so it's no shutout - or total collapse.
I guess Korpikoski will get around 6 minutes of ice time Renney- style.
Isles fans are funny, no one over paid for Gomez or Drury as they signed for the market value, to say other wise is STUPID. As to joining them on the golf course, yet the golf course is for teams that actually make the PLAYOFFS. Of course the Isles are not going to overpay for anyone as they can't do it period. They are too busy giving up the franchise future to make a late season trade for a Ryan Smyth type who has no intentions of staying anyway. But as to signing overpaid aged players who can no longer deliver I guess Billy Guerin may fit this mold, as to overpaying for a player I guess Mike Cumry might fit, it can go on but whats the use, one would only be answering a MORON nad the result of that is wasted energy. PS Maybe a 15 yr contract for an average goaltender who is injured regularly is also a bit STUPID
Bob - Korpikoski played center for a good portion of the season in Hartford this year.
Philosophical question if the Rangers sign players who can't perform in the playoffs, who do the Isles sign as they DO MAKE the playoffs period? WOuld it be better ot be a playoff team or not to be a playoff team? I'm guessing Isles fans agree that it is better not to be a playoff team. Why not stay on your own blog? Opps there must be no blog as the season has been over for several weeks. It must be way more painful to be an Isles fan than it is to be a Rangers fan. IS there an Isles game tonight? Too bad, the next Isles game will be in OCT and the last one will be 2nd week of April, 82 games and not a penny more. Get ready for the next 82 and go away. Watch them with BOB
Well Prucha played center in Europe and is pretty good on faceoffs in NHL, but Renney never bothered playing him at center.
Signing both Drury and Gomez was a mistake. They age good players, but we just have way too many small forwards, and on top of that they aren't very physical. We need to get some big forwards, we are not going anywhere with a bunch of 5'10" forwards. And our big guys like Jagr, Shanahan, Betts, Sjostrom, play like they are 5'8". Only big forwards we got is Dubinsky and Orr.
if Avery, Prucha, Gomez, Drury, Callahan, and Dawes are all back next season, that means 6 out of 12 forwards are 5'11" or under. We cannot afford any more, we need big forwards like Korpikoski, Dubinsky, Byers, Moore, Anisimov and somebody else from trade or free agency and Orr as an extra goon.
Use Bourret in a trade, doesn't look like he will get a chance with this organization.
And we need tough big defensemen that would intimidate other team's forwards with their physical play, not with their poke checks.
msg4ever
You're obviously ignorant of the fact that Sidney has already taken what you call "a hometown discount".
He could have signed for Ovechkin money, but instead signed for 8.7 Million a year, for five more years, to stay in Pittsburgh.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07192/800800-61.stm
Don't be jealous now.
Actually, unless a team wins the cup or conference, it's better to not make the playoffs. The Isles get 5th selection this year and no cup while the Rags get a low pick and no cup. The Rangers with all their "talent" were predicted to win the cup since last summer and flopped majorly. The Isles were expected to do nothing and did so (especially the 2nd half of the season). And if the Rags are so great, why do their fans keep comparingthem the the lowly Isles (who owned them this season).
B and G....the hometown discount for Crosby??? It is only a hometown discount because "Ovechkin Money" didn't exist until Ovechkin was signed--which was well after Crosby signed.
Malkin WILL be looking for "Ovechkin Money", because he won't have the endorsement dollars that Crosby gets, and he doesn't get the "stay at Mario's house rent free" deal that Crosby got. That said, the cap is supposed to go up, so you should be able to sign them.
But Dude's right you better win the cup now, because with that much money tied up in two forwards, and potentially a third with Staal, you got yourself a new version of the Tampa Bay Lightning, minus the Dan Boyle on the back end.
Enjoy it while it lasts!
no team should have 2 bluechip mega-superstars at one time, and there is no way Pit will be able to afford him and the rest...let's just hope they sign Hossa, this way they def. won't have the $ for Malkin...that being said, I doubt very much the Pens will be able to afford Malkin, but know which NHL team can, and he'll look great in a Rangers Uniform \ _ /