2006-2007 New York Rangers: Building the Foundation

2006-2007 New York Rangers: Building the Foundation

2006-2007 New York Rangers: Building the Foundation

Throughout the 2000’s the New York Rangers appeared to be a solid enough team in the NHL to make the playoffs. However, the problem for the Rangers had always been that they were not able to go deep into the playoffs. Building the foundation of a Stanley Cup contending team normally takes some time, and for the Rangers their foundation appeared to be built within this decade as they would start contending in the playoffs.

The New York Rangers went 42-30-10 (overtime losses) with 94 points, finishing 13 points behind the New Jersey Devils in the Atlantic Division. The Rangers went 21-15-5 both at their home of Madison Square Garden and on the road. In head-to-head play the Rangers went 6-2 against the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-0 against the Boston Bruins, 3-1 against the Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals, 3-3 against the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins, and 2-2 against the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Right winger Jaromir Jagr was the Captain of the Rangers at this time and he continued to show the rest of the NHL that he still had what it took to produce offensively. Jagr had 30 goals and 66 assists for 96 points with 7 power play goals, 34 power play assists and 5 game-winning goals off 324 shots. Center Martin Straka was an Assistant Captain for the Rangers and he also produced. Straka had 29 goals and 41 assists for 70 points with 8 power play goals, 20 power play assists and 6 game-winning goals off 165 shots. The other Assistant Captain for the Rangers was left winger Brendan Shanahan and he had 29 goals and 33 assists for 62 points with 14 power play goals, 17 power play assists and 3 short-handed goals off 295 shots.

Center Michael Nylander had 26 goals and 57 assists for 83 points with 14 power play goals, 23 power play assists and 4 game-winning goals off 193 shots. Center Petr Prucha 22 goals and 18 assists for 40 points with 8 power play goals off 136 shots. Center Matt Cullen had 16 goals and 25 assists for 41 points with 3 short-handed goals off 217 shots. Defenseman Michal Rozsival had 10 goals and 30 assists for 40 points with 7 power play goals and 13 power play assists off 104 shots. Defenseman Karel Rachunek had 6 goals and 20 assists with 11 power play assists off 99 shots. Left winger Marcel Hossa had 10 goals and 8 assists off 83 shots.

One of the main reasons for the resurgence of the New York Rangers was because of the stellar play of one who protected the net. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist began to ascend to the top of the best line of goaltenders the NHL could offer. Lundqvist went 37-22-8, allowing 160 goals off 1927 shots in 4109 minutes, recording 1767 saves, a .917 save percentage, a 2.34 goals against average and 5 shutouts. Helping Lundqvist in relief would be secondary goaltender Kevin Weekes who went 14-4-6, allowing 43 goals off 355 shots in 761 minutes, recording 312 saves, an .879 save percentage and a 3.39 goals against average.

There were only 3 key months of the regular season for the Rangers, and they would be an 8-3-3 month of November, a 6-5 month of January and a 10-2-3 month of March.

A pair of 5-game winning streaks would fall right into the laps of the Rangers. The first winning streak began on December 7 with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, and it ended on December 14 with a 5-2 win over the Dallas Stars. Their second 5-game winning streak began on March 17 with a 7-0 pounding of a shutout over the Boston Bruins, and it ended on March 25 with a 2-1 overtime victory over the New York Islanders.

The Eastern Conference Quarterfinals was a good first test for the Rangers as they would go on to handily sweep the Atlanta Thrashers 4 games to none. In Game 1 on April 12 at the Philips Arena the Rangers beat the Thrashers 4-3. At 12:50 into the 1st period Jaromir Jagr scored a goal, and then at 16:47 in Michal Rozsival scored a power play goal. At 19:01 in Atlanta had a power play goal scored by center Eric Belanger. At 10:52 into the 2nd period Marcel Hossa scored a goal, and then at 12:19 in defenseman Shane Hnidy scored a goal for Atlanta. At 16:56 in Michael Nylander would make his presence felt as he scored a goal. At 5:50 into the 3rd period left winger Pascal Dupuis scored another Atlanta goal, but it wouldn’t be enough.

In Game 2 on April 14 the Rangers won 2-1. Center Sean Avery scored a goal for New York at 8:08 into the 1st period. In the 3rd period left winger Ilya Kovalchuk scored for Atlanta to tie the game at 1-1, and then Brendan Shanahan came through for the Rangers with a goal at 15:59 in.

In Game 3 on April 17 at Madison Square Garden the Rangers shut out the Thrashers in dramatic fashion as they won 7-0. Just 0:32 into the 1st period Michael Nylander scored his first goal of the game, and then at 9:45 he scored his second goal of the game. Defenseman Marek Mailk scored a goal for New York at 12:26 in. Right winger Ryan Callahan would score goals at 6:27 and 17:21 into the 2nd period respectively, with his second goal coming off a power play. At 8:58 into the 3rd period Shanahan scored a power play goal, and then at 15:54 Nylander would secure a hat trick by scoring his third goal of the game off a power a play.

Finally the Rangers completed the series sweep with a 4-2 win in Game 4 on April 18. At 6:38 into the 1st period left winger Keith Tkachuk scored for Atlanta, but New York responded with a power play goal by Rozsival at 7:57 in. At 12:26 into the 2nd period defenseman Greg de Vries scored for Atlanta, and then Shanahan responded with a goal at 18:18 in. At 2:06 into the 3rd period Matt Cullen scored a goal, and then an empty net goal scored by Jagr at 18:27 in sealed the deal.

The Eastern Conference Semifinals would be as far as the Rangers would go in the playoffs as they would be eliminated 4 games to 2 by the Buffalo Sabres. In Game 3 on April 29 at Madison Square Garden the Rangers won 2-1 in a thrilling double overtime contest. Just 0:33 into the 2nd period Jagr scored a goal. At 12:14 into the 3rd period Buffalo had a power play goal scored by center Daniel Briere. It would take many minutes later for a deciding goal to be scored, and Rozsival provided that goal at 16:43 into the 2nd overtime period.

In Game 4 on May 1 the Rangers won 2-1 to even the series at 2 games apiece. Just 0:45 into the 2nd period Jaromir Jagr repeated what he had done in the previous game by scoring quickly. At 8:31 into the 3rd period Brendan Shanahan provided an insurance goal by scoring off a power play. At 9:04 in the 3rd period right winger Ales Kotalik scored for the Sabres, but it wouldn’t be enough.

The Rangers would keep their roster steady enough to make more runs in the playoffs for the next few years, and as they entered the decade of the 2010’s they would experience more postseason success.