rangers blues

Photo: AP

The Rangers won their first game of the season on Sunday night, but did so in a manner that wasn’t that impressive. It looks like Alain Vigneault backed off the 11F/7D train for now, which is good. The Rangers also limited quality chances and Royal Road chances against, which is good. However they were crushed in possession, which is bad.

If they keep the quality chances down and get more sustained offense/breakouts/zone exits, then it’s a huge step in the right direction. It’s about both quantity and quality. They’ve had one or the other so far, but never both. St. Louis is going to be a tough challenge to try to find consistency, but the Rangers are too good to be as bad as they have been. Perhaps this is the opponent they need to get things going.

Blues Systems

Mike Yeo is the new man in St. Louis, replacing Ken Hitchcock. I haven’t watched St. Louis that closely since he took over, but Yeo ran a nice balance of aggressiveness and passiveness in Minnesota. Expect a 1-2-2 forecheck that rotates between pressuring the puck carrier low and taking a more passive stance high, depending on game situation. Also expected straight zone coverage in the defensive zone, with some pressure on the points to force turnovers. Special teams isn’t going to be crazy, with a hybrid umbrella/1-3-1 powerplay and a zone penalty kill.

Blues Lines

Vladimir Sobotka-Paul Stastny-Vladimir Tarasenko
Jaden Schwartz-Brayden Schenn-Dmitrij Jaskin
Magnus Paajavri-Ivan Barbashev-Tage Thompson
Scottie Upshall-Wade Megan-Kyle Brodziak

Joel Edmundson-Alex Pietrangelo
Carl Gunnarsson-Colton Parayko
Vince Dunn-Robert Bortozzo

PP1: Schwartz-Stastny-Schenn-Tarasenko-Pietrangelo
PP2: Sobotka-Barbashev-Thompson-Parayko-Dunn

Carter Hutton gets the start.

Rangers Lines

Chris KreiderMika ZibanejadPavel Buchnevich
Jimmy VeseyKevin HayesMats Zuccarello
Michael GrabnerJT MillerRick Nash
Adam Cracknell-David DesharnaisPaul Carey

Marc StaalRyan McDonagh
Brady SkjeiKevin Shattenkirk
Nick Holden-Steven Kampfer

PP1: Zibanejad-Kreider-Buchnevich-Zuccarello-Shattenkirk
PP2: Nash-Desharnais-Miller-Vesey-McDonagh

Henrik Lundqvist gets the start.

Scratches/Injuries: Jesper Fast (hip), Tony DeAngelo (healthy), Brendan Smith (healthy)

Crazy Prediction: AV gets fired in the second period.

Game time is 7pm.

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