10/22/11 Rangers vs. Edmonton Oilers

So... you think your untouchable...

Rangers against the Edmonton Oilers.

That Rangers managed to pull two points out of their game against the Calgary Flames last Thursday as Ryan McDonagh snapped home a rebound off a Dan Girardi shot to win the game with 1.5 seconds left on the OT clock. McDonagh, who has stepped up leaps and bounds in the absence of top-defenseman Marc Staal, has two goals, and two assists is the past three games, as the Rangers continue to play their game that they are being given every chance to play. That all comes down to the stellar play of Henrik Lundqvist, who has been standing on his head to stop pucks these past two games, and now the Rangers meet the Oilers as they try to knock off another Canadian team.



The Rangers are clicking on all fronts on this road trip. Marian Gaborik is getting the set-ups he needs, Brad Richards is dishing it to the right guys, and the defense is sticking together. If the Rangers can make the most of their opportunities, no matter how few they may get, they will be given a chance to win in net by Lundqvist. Against this nubile Oilers team, the Rangers may be able to pick and prod some weaknesses in their game in order to win. Make no mistake though, this is not the same Oilers team of recent years. They are retooled, younger, and have picked up players with more skill from having a top pick in the draft two years in-a-row. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Taylor Hall have combined for a total of 9 points over the first six games for the Oilers, and need to be considered legitimate threats by the Rangers. They may be young, but in today's NHL, that matters not.

The Diagnosis


The last time the Rangers met the Oilers, things got quite chippy as the Rangers routed the Oilers 8-2. But as I stated befroe, these Oilers are retooled and are going to be much more of a threat than they were last year. that being said, I think that the Rangers streak as of right now will be able to carry them to a win tonight as they are currently firing on all cylinders.

The Prediction

Rangers win 3-1

Brandon Dubinsky will get the first Rangers goal late in the 1st period.
Marian Gaborik will get the second Rangers goal half way through the 2nd.
Ryan Smyth will the the lone Oilers goal shortly after.
And finally, Derek Stepan will get the empty net goal for the Rangers to win.

Enjoy the game!