SAN JOSE – Yes, it’s true, the Rangers did score twice on the power play in Wednesday’s 4-3 OT victory over the Ducks, and even got the winner when Jaromir Jagr applied his trademark right-circle one-timer for the first time this season, But that success, which followed Brendan Shanahan’s second-period, league-leading seventh power-play goal, allowed the Blueshirts to enter last night’s game here against the Sharks having scored just six times in their last 39 chances, a 15.3-percent rate that isn’t going to cut it.
Tom Renney has repeatedly stated he believes the power-play unit is deferring way too much to Jagr; eschewing reasonable scoring chances and opportunities to pound the puck on net to instead pass the puck to No. 68, who generally sets up on the right side half-wall.
With Jagr’s shoulder ailing, though the scorching winner against Anaheim implies otherwise, the approach has been less than an overwhelming success.
Renney has occasionally suggested he’d consider a change in personnel, but the head coach has essentially stayed with the same first unit from Game 1, and it includes Jagr-deferrers Michal Rozsival and Martin Straka (on the points) and Jagr-deferrer Michael Nylander up front, with Shanahan.
The aforementioned four power-play forwards are averaging between 6:47 and 7:02 of man-advantage time per game.
Petr Prucha is next among forwards at 3:15 per. Rozsival is averaging 5:16.Karel Rachunek is next among defensemen playing the point at 2:39.
What’s the definition of irrational behavior? Watching the same thing repeatedly and expecting the outcome to change?
Interestingly, if the fiveonfour power play is struggling because of deference to Jagr, the five-onthree unit may be failing for exactly the opposite reason – for not getting the puck to Jagr at his trigger position on the right point 40 feet from the net.
Jagr and Shanahan play the points on the five-onthree, with Prucha, Nylander and Straka up front.
The Rangers, who failed on a 46-second five-onthree against the Ducks, are somehow just 2-for-12 in 10:27 with a two-man advantage. Last year, they were money in those situations, going 15-for-38 in 25:47.
But last year, either Straka or Martin Rucinsky played the left point. Each would look to repeatedly ladle the puck to Jagr, who registered nine goals on the five-on-three. This year, Shanahan is playing the left point. He’s a shooter, too. Compounding the difference, Shanahan shoots right, making the soft pass across for the one-timer more difficult.
Following Wednesday’s game, Renney said that he’d considered switching the alignment, perhaps moving Shanahan down low and Straka up top, or in replacing Nylander on the first unit with Adam Hall to form a physical presence in front. But the coach added that he believed having two weapons up top makes it more difficult for opponents to defend.
At this stage, it’s made it more difficult for the Rangers to score.
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Kevin Weekes was back in nets for the second straight night coming off a gusty performance Wednesday in what was only his second game of the season and first since Oct. 14. Weekes was particularly strong holding his position when Ducks stormed the net and created a succession of scrambles . . . Marcel Hossa replaced Nigel Dawes on the fourth line in the only lineup change . . . The Rangers, 6-6-0 going into last night’s match, were 6-4-3 after 13 games last season.
