Just a brief write up here about the game tonight in New York. Cam Ward will be back between the pipes. I would imagine that Jeff Hamilton and Craig Adams will return to their familiar positions on the ice. Adams will probably be asked to pick up the physicality. Matt Cullen will be fired up for sure. The rest of the team? We'll have to wait and see. A couple of questions need answering...
- Can the defense play well and win a game without Mike Commodore?
- Can they stay out of the penalty box?
- Can they kill a penalty once they get in the box?
The answers to these questions are crucial because the Rangers' powerplay is red hot at the moment. The Canes defense has not looked good without Commie in there. The boys will have their hands full again tonight, so hopefully they come to Madison Square Garden loaded for bear. According to "The Maven", the Rangers will be out to prove that they are currently the best team in the East. Ottawa certainly isn't arguing with them after their beat down last week. I wonder if Carolina will have anything to say about it? All the answers will unfold on FSN tonight at 7!
>>>>UPDATE>>>>
I just noticed on John Forslund's blog on WRAL.com the lines for tonight will be as follows:
- Brind'Amour-Cole-Whitney
- Staal-Stillman-Williams
- Cullen-LaRose-Walker
- Letowski-Ladd-Hamilton
Craig Adams is the odd man out tonight. Nic Wallin will sit because his shoulder is swollen and David Tanabe will take his place. That doesn't sound good for Nic. Those new lines look intriguing. At least Lavi is mixing things up, but it will be interesting to see if he gives those lines a chance to gell, or will he mix it back up again after a couple of shifts?
Bob Dylan