Afternoon all,

Another game against the Bruins. Another one goal game. This was the 16th time in the last 20 games matches between these two Original Six rivals that was decided by a single marker. The fact that the Rangers prevailed yet again - their third victory over the B’s in three tries this season and without Captain Ryan Callahan for the third consecutive game, shows how they can take the champs best shots and still come away with the win. They’re now 12 points ahead of them in the standings. 

Here are my thoughts on today’s tilt:

Great out of the gate: Ruslan Fedotenko and Carl Hagelin score in the first 6:15. For Hagelin, it was his 12th of the season. Great pass by Brad Richards on this one, sensing that #62 would beat the Bruins defense down ice for the bomb. It worked.

They need to play better with the lead: This is the second game in a row where the Rangers blew at 2-zip lead. You really can’t do that against any team in the NHL. But when you give a team as good as the Bruins a window of opportunity, they can take the game over. And that’s exactly what they did in the second half of the first period and the entire second period. Anton Stralman’s horrible pass up the middle of the ice in his own zone for the 2-1 goal is something that kids are taught not to do when they’re five years old. Gotta go up the boards on those passes. 

Brawling Brandon: This is no secret - Brandon Prust is one tough SOB. However, he needs to show much more restraint when it comes to who he mixes it up with. He got clocked pretty good by Milan Lucic in their first-period punch-up. #17 for the B’s is a mean man - and he took it to Prusty pretty good.

#32 for #10: Marian Gaborik’s third-period marker gave the Rangers a 3-2. He’s scoring a lot of timely goals this year - including the OT winner against the Bruins in January up in Boston.

Stepan steps up big time: Just :39 after the Bruins knotted the game at 3, Derek Stepan rips one from the off wing over Tim Thomas’s shoulder for the game winner. This kid can certainly deliver in the clutch. 

DZ back on D: Michael Del Zotto, back in the lineup after missing a couple of games with a recurring hip injury, played more than 20 minutes and had the primary assist on Stepan’s clincher.

Lousy Lucic: So not only did Mr. Lucic beat up Brandon Prust in the first period, he hit Ryan McDonagh in the chops with this gloves on, not once - but twice at the final buzzer. Couple of cheap shots there by #17 for the B’s. Let’s see if the Rangers complain to Sheriff Shanahan about it. 

The game was a smash: 33 hits for the Rangers, with only 15 for the Bruins.

42-15-7 heading into Tuesday night’s match-up against the Devils in Jersey. First overall in the NHL standings. 

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

Later.