Marian Gaborik returned to the Rangers lineup and made an immediate impact, and netminder Henrik Lundqvist was his usual self against the Bruins, posting his fourth career shutout against the Black and Gold.
Rangers 1, Bruins 0
Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.
Nov. 1, 2009
Headliner: The Rangers desperately needed two points on Sunday with five losses in their last six games, and luckily for them, Henrik Lundqvist came to play. King Henrik earned his first shutout of the season with 29 saves against the Bruins. With the win, Lundqvist improved to 8-4-1 on the season, and he is once again making a strong case to be the Rangers' MVP this season.
Grinder: After missing their sniper for two games due to an undisclosed injury, Marian Gaborik was back in the lineup. And with their biggest offensive
threat playing against the Bruins, it's no coincidence that the Rangers came
away with a win. The Blueshirts managed to score only three goals in
the two games Gaborik missed and even though they managed only one goal against the B's, it was Gaborik who gave the Rangers all they would need against the Bruins' struggling offense.
Weak Link: Scoring goals has been a problem for the Bruins all season and Sunday
was no different. The Bruins weren't able to find the back of the net
once against the Rangers, and the B's have now scored just three goals
in their last three games. Whether it's the absence of a true goal scorer or the lack of chemistry with the lines, the Bruins have a real problem on their hands. It will need to be fixed quickly if they hope to avoid an extended slump.
Key Moment: Saying the Bruins power play has been a disaster this season would be an understatement, and against the Rangers it was as bad as advertised. The Bruins went 0-for-5 on the power play at MSG, failing to convert on the man advantage for the fourth straight game. The fact that the Bruins are .500 is a direct correlation to their inability to capitalize on special teams and part of the reason they have lost three one-goal games already this season.
What's Next: The Bruins have Monday off before heading to Detroit to take on the
reigning Western Conference champion Red Wings. Once again at .500
(6-6-1), the B's have a four-game homestand following their meeting
with the Red Wings, and a victory before heading home could do wonders
for the Black and Gold since they can't seem to find a rhythm or any
consistency.
