New York Rangers (31-31-9) @ Boston Bruins (31-27-12)
12:30 PM ET, Sunday, March 21, 2010
TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Click Here for more Free Expert NHL Hockey Picks
- The Boston Bruins rank 30th on offense, and average 2.4 goals per game. The Bruins are 17.5% on the power play and have 40 power play goals.
- The New York Rangers rank 24th on offense, and average 2.6 goals per game. The Rangers are 18.5% on the power play and have 49 power play goals.
- The Bruins average 2.4 goals per game at home, and give up 2.5 goals against on defense.
- The Rangers average 2.2 goals per game on the road, and give up 2.6 goals against on defense.
It is hard to believe that there is so many must win games in the NHL when there is just over four weeks left in the regular season. Sunday’s matchup between the Rangers and Bruins is one such game that will go a long way in determining which team will be playing in May and which teams won’t.
The New York Rangers have truly been struggling on and off the ice. They are 4-4-2 in their last 10 games and have developed more internal issues between coach and players during that span. In fact, they have been surpassed in the standings by an Atlanta team that appears to have a little heart and desperation at this time. Do the Rangers want to succeed or have they simply given up on their coach? A game against the Bruins will go a long way to answer that question.
The Rangers have been struggling with consistency in the last while and there is no chemistry on the forward lines at all. Newly acquired Oli Jokinen has been brutal and is showing why the Flames were happy to dump him. Marion Gaborik has been invisible and Henrik Lundqvist has been average. Their 2-6 record in their last 8 games is a pretty good reflection of where this team is right now – a mess!
Well, the Bruins came out flat to say the least in a game that was billed as a “must see” matchup in the Boston media and the national media as well. The Bruins were only able to muster 17 shots against a team that they really wanted and needed to beat. Boston is 4-5-1 in their last 10 games and only has a three point lead on both the Rangers and the Thrashers for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
The Bruins are truly scuffling at the wrong time. They have the worst offense in the NHL and although it was not hindering them earlier on in the season, their ineptitude has caught up to them. David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron have provided some offense, but they appear to be the only reliable scorers on the roster right now. If goaltenders Tukka Rask (who lead the NHL in goals against average) of Tim Thomas have an off night, the Bruins are in a world of hurt. The Bruins, right now look more like the teams that lost 11 straight in January then the teams that was near the top of the Eastern Conference standings in November.
So who wants it – who wants to go to the playoffs? Your guess is as good as mine. Both teams have been awful, but one team still appears to be a cohesive bunch – one that will literally fight for each other. I’ll take that team.
Pick: Boston Bruins
Click Here for more Free Expert NHL Hockey Picks
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.