1/19/11 Rangers vs. Maple Leafs

Eddie Shore? Old time hockey?

Rangers against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Rangers are coming into this game on a bit of a slide. The Rangers have dropped their past two games, Marian Gaborik is snake-bitten beyond all belief, and the injuries have been piling up. Most recently, the team announced that forward and team leading scorer Brandon Dubinsky will be sidelined for about 3-4 weeks with a stress fracture in his leg. The Rangers reported that Brandon Dubinsky had been dealing with the pain for a little while, but it just became too much and he had to get it checked. Now, if there were ever a time for Marian Gaborik to come up big, NOW is the time to do it. The team needs leadership right now. The playoff race is getting close. Marian Gaborik NEEDS to score to boost the Rangers. He needs to pull off the big single handed plays he's so good at, and now is the most important time for him to start.

The Maple Leafs are slowly but surely working their way up the Eastern Conference standings, going 5-4-1 in their last ten games. Nikolai Kulemin has three goals and six assists in his last six games, and has improved his play. The Maple Leafs, having beaten the Rangers earlier this season in overtime thanks to Phil Kessel, are a contender tonight, and are more threatening now then they have been in the past.

My Diagnosis

In all, I think the Rangers are able to still win despite the overhaul of injuries around them. However, in order for them to do that, players NEED to convert who have not recently (I'm lookin' at you, Gabby) in order to keep the Rangers in the game. The games are getting too close for comfort, and the goals are not being put up. In order for them to win, the Rangers are going to need to come together as a team and pull out all the stops to get the goals.

My Predictions

Rangers win 2-1

Derek Stepan will get the first goal of the game coming in the 2st period.

Nikolai Kulemin will pot one for the Maple Leafs half way through the 2nd period.

And finally, Brandon Prust will get the game winning goal late in the 3rd period.

Enjoy the game!