Blue Jackets Games 1 and 2 Preview: The NY Rangers

By William Espy

The Blue Jackets have an interesting start to the season as they will play a home-and-home with the Blue Shirts on October 9^th and the 10^th. The Rangers will be a difficult test for the Jackets, as they are not a slouch in any area. Backstopping them in at least one of the games will be “the King” Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist will likely play in the game at Madison Square Garden, which leaves the question about who will start on the 9^th at Nationwide. While it is not unheard of for a goaltender of Lundqvist’s caliber to play two consecutive nights, it is highly unlikely the Rangers will do this directly at the start of the season. If Antti Raanta gets the start in one of the games, it will not be as much of a given as some may think. The newly acquired Raanta comes from a Blackhawks team that was phenomenal defensively, however the Rangers are not much of a step down. Expect both games to be a goaltending duel.

Goaltending Predictions:
 

10/9/15 – Antti Raanta vs Sergei Bobrovsky

10/10/15 – Henrik Lundqvist vs Curtis McElhinney

The Rangers have a highly impressive defensive corps containing players like their captain Ryan McDonagh, Marc Staal, Keith Yandle and an aging Dan Boyle. The Blue Jackets will have to try to capitalize when Yandle and Boyle, who are both more regarded for their offensive game rather than their defensive ability, are on the ice. Kevin Klein and Raphael Diaz are both still a question mark on the blue line this year, however both have been great this preseason. Klein has posted four points in two games while Diaz has four in three. Defensively the Rangers have a lot of talent and will be tough to beat, however they are small compared to the Blue Jackets which is something the Jackets will have to take advantage of.

Offense is just as big of a threat in the Big Apple, they have a mix of power, speed and talent which gives them the ability to overcome almost any obstacle. Last season they finished third in the NHL in goals for, behind only the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Dallas Stars. While they lost players like Martin St. Louis and Carl Hagelin, there are many players on the team who can likely fill those spots fairly well. JT Miller is set to probably play his first full NHL season, Chris Kreider has been exponentially progressing each year, and Emerson Etem is still waiting for his breakout year. Derek Stepan was on pace for a career best year last season, however he finished two points short of his career high in only 68 games.

For the Blue Jackets to do well in this series, they will have to be at their best in every aspect of the game. They cannot afford to have any type of defensive breakdown, nor can they have an offensive slump.