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Last night the New York Rangers fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1, a terrible loss to suffer no matter who the opponent. What made it even worse for fans and players alike, however, was the fact that we fell to three of our former beloved players – Ryan Callahan, Brian Boyle, and Anton Stralman.
Personally, I went to the Garden last night strictly to watch Ryan Callahan play against the Rangers. Back when Captain Cally was part of the team, he was my favorite player. That sounds kind of immature, and like I’m a fangirl sitting by and watching with doe eyes and baited breathe, but it is what it is. I thought he was a crucial part of the team, and when he was traded I was sad to see him go. Sure, we acquired Martin St. Louis in the trade, and he won me over immensely last season, but that did not dampen the sting of seeing Callahan in another team’s jersey.
Fast forward a few months, and there I was watching Callahan play his first game against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. It was immediately clear that this game was going to be a good one. The Lightning scored two goals in the first period, one of which was credited to Callahan. A few minutes into the first period, a video that paid homage to Callahan’s, Boyle’s, and Stralman’s time on the team was displayed, and while that might have drew cheers from the crowd for the former Blueshirts, those cheers quickly turned to jeers as the game progressed.
St. Louis closed the gap slightly at the onset of the second period, bringing the score to 2-1, but the Lightning answered with two more goals of their own that period, bringing the score to 4-1 at the start of second intermission. It was almost a 5-1 game, but a Lightning goal was waved off after it was reviewed and deemed that Alex Killorn, Lightning center, interfered with Lundqvist. At the end of the third period, with only 2:51 left in the game, Callahan scored his second of the game, bringing the score to 5-1 and handing the Rangers yet another defeat.
Watching the Rangers play, it was obvious they were sloppy. There were countless turnovers and the team looked like they couldn’t keep up with the speed or puck handling of the Lightning, who, after last night’s game, lead the league in goals with a total of 71.
The Rangers are desperately in need of a defenseman if they want to stay relevant this season. Captain Ryan McDonagh has been out with a separated shoulder, but skated on his own this morning at practice, something Blueshirt fans should be extremely excited for. Last night, it appeared the Kevin Klein was the best defenseman on the ice, and it was apparent that Dan Giardi was still feeling the effects of his collision with Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin from Saturday night’s game.
Hopefully with McDonagh’s slow progress toward returning, the team can turn themselves around after being manhandled by the Lightning last night. Lundqvist himself look agitated after last night’s game, angrily smashing his stick down on the ice numerous times, putting into action the thoughts many Rangers fans had after last night’s performance.
