Zuccarello skated in full gear on Monday morning

[chuckd3534]

Mats Zuccarello skated in full gear on Monday morning at Madison Square Garden (Johnston, May 18).

Zuccarrello has been out since taking a puck to the face during Game 5 of the Rangers’ first round series against Pittsburgh on April 24.

Late last week, Alain Vigneault said that Zuccarello was progressing, but did not offer additional details.

 

[chuckd3534]

Game 4 or game 5 return I'd guess. Game 5 is 6 days from today.

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

Contact?

 

[chuckd3534]

My guess would be this is step one. If he has no issues tomorrow I bet he goes full contact by Wednsday or Thursday. Then can play Friday or Sunday, but I'll say Sunday if I were betting.

 

[chuckd3534]

Q. What can you tell us about Zuc taking a twirl today, and how encouraging is it that he’s back out on the ice?

COACH VIGNEAULT: Yeah, he’s just going through the process of getting healthy. He’s skated a little bit on his own today, and I’m assuming that’s going to get a little longer here as we move forward.

 

[Pastafazul]

Great news, had he come back at anytime in cap series , they would have put him out of commission , as mick would have said, POIMIENTLY!!!

 

[Ranger71]

Just keep the stick-wielding RMcD away from him!

 

[kreidertime]

If the Rangers win this game tonight I see Klein doing something.

 

[Stepupstepan]

Yeah, Klein has had a quite playoffs so far. Maybe he is still not 100% healthy.

 

[Rangers94]

Even if Zucc comes back, it's not going to dramatically change things. As I said in a different thread, AV is loyal to his players to a fault. He's NOT going to scratch MSL, and he's not going to move him from the PP. Having Zucc back just means that Sheppard will be scratched and Fast will inevitably wind up on the 4th line. It's frustrating because we all as fans can clearly see that MSL is done and I don't know what's worse....AV not seeing that and thinking MSL is still doing a good job, or AV realizing it but hoping that MSL can still get it going. Either way, it's killing this team right now.

 

[Messiah717]

Even if Zucc comes back, it's not going to dramatically change things. As I said in a different thread, AV is loyal to his players to a fault. He's NOT going to scratch MSL, and he's not going to move him from the PP. Having Zucc back just means that Sheppard will be scratched and Fast will inevitably wind up on the 4th line. It's frustrating because we all as fans can clearly see that MSL is done and I don't know what's worse....AV not seeing that and thinking MSL is still doing a good job, or AV realizing it but hoping that MSL can still get it going. Either way, it's killing this team right now.

It's the old adage of how a coach will always continue to have faith in his players. How the next game is the opportunity for somebody to redeem themselves. Not like he's done anything the prior 13 games but last night was just terrible. Has a great chance and somehow misses the net and then falls down for no reason on the 5 on 3 which leads to a goal.

 

[NYR31]

If MSL goes on and scores the game winner in Gm 3 people will say "glad he stuck with him!". It's easier to say that X player should get benched than to actually do it because you just don't know.

 

[chuckd3534]

Don't know what...that he might score a goal? You are 100% right, he MAY score a goal in game 3 or game 4 or any game, very possible of course. With that said I KNOW he has scored ZERO goals in 14 playoff games thus far. I also see with my own eyes that he is badly hurting the team with his mistakes.

Now with that said, I don't get on MSL because I think it is simply the dude is 40 and he isn't the player he once was. I can't kill somebody for that, no one beats father time.

I also have no issue with playing MSL here and there to see if he gets going, although I think I would scratch him in game 5 or 6 if/when Zucc is back. At this point I would move Miller up to play with Hags and Moore and see how that line plays. Maybe spot MSL in here and there and also let him play wth Glass and Sheppard. I know that is tough for a player of MSL's stature, but I don't think the answer is continuing to play him on the 1st PP unit and in a top 9 role when he has been bad through 14 playoff games with zero goals.

Now with that said, 100% for sure he can come out tomorrow night and score two goals in game 3...certainly can happen, and I hope it does.

 

[theProdigy223]

I dont think you can take MSL out of the top 9. The 4th line has actually had a few good games in a row. Even the line MSL is on hasnt necessarily been a disaster. I think at least until Zucc is back, you have to keep him in the top 9.

The PP is a completely different story. He needed to be out of there weeks ago. His trademark one timer from the right circle has not worked. Half the time he fans on it.

 

[chuckd3534]

My bigger "issue" with MSL in the top 9 is I want Miller up there. If you are going to play Moore up there, I rather have Miller up there than MSL.

So I actually don't disagree with you Prod in that I don't want MSL out of the top 9 because he has been a disaster as much as I want Miller IN the top 9. That is my bigger focus. At this point with us unable to score and playing a team we need to score against to win, I want Miller in a top 9 role.

 

[Disturbed]

It is amazing that we are talking about being 1-1 in the ECF and we have gotten NOTHING from Nash or St Louis other than a 6 goal from Nash to go up 3-1

That's it. Not to mention all the mistakes by Marty

All you can really do is hope both of them contribute at some point. They don't need to dominate and wont but they can contribute.

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

It's the old adage of how a coach will always continue to have faith in his players. How the next game is the opportunity for somebody to redeem themselves. Not like he's done anything the prior 13 games but last night was just terrible. Has a great chance and somehow misses the net and then falls down for no reason on the 5 on 3 which leads to a goal.

ok we need to calm down a bit on this NO REASON part...did you see where Boyle's pass was..in his skates...and to make matters worse..why was the pass to the point anyhow...two of the 3 defensemen were up high..the puck should have gone done low

 

[Disturbed]

St Louis has to know he is the last person between the TB goal there but Al is right that was a HORRIBLE pass by Boyle who wasn't pressured.

Gotta flush the game guys. It was weird in many ways and I would be lying if I told you I wasn't concerned about Nash and St Louis's lack of production but I don't think MLS has completely lost it over a 2-3 month period. He doesn't have to carry the team just need him to score a couple of goals. Besides if you bench him you are going to put Lindbergh in there with no playoff experience?

I don't have a problem shuffling lines and lowering ice time and taking MLS off the PP but to win the cup they are going to need his production. At some point we have to just hope

 

[theProdigy223]

This is very true, Boyle passed it to St. Louis' right skate which as a lefty-shot completely handcuffed MSL. Awful pass by 22. But you would think that someone with MSL's experience and hockey sense would know not to play around with it in that situation. It's a sympton of a guy strugging and trying to do too much. Boyle and Brassard were both even or lower than the TB PKers. MSL was on the point by himself with the 2 Tampa guys closer to him than any Ranger. When he got the pass he tried to kick it to his stick for a clean handle and pass down low while he should have just gotten his stick on it and sent it back to the corner and out of harms way. It's a 5 on 3 with all 3 TB PKers inside, just send it to the boards and tell Boyle to try again.

Dis is right in that we need him (and Nash) to make noise offensively if this team is going to do anything. You give up a bad chance the other way, fine. But MSL has to balance that out and contribute something offensively as well. Yes I know he had two assists yesterday. Not enough.

 

[chuckd3534]

Poor pass, but that is on MSL. He needs to realize the situation there. On top of that twice on the 5 on 3 he skated with the puck from down by the net up to the BL for no reason, happened right before the breakaway there, just out for a friendly skate maybe...LOL.

As for scratching him, no way you can do it now. As Dis said who would you put in for him? I would move Miller into a top 9 role though. And if we are sitting here after two games in TB and MSL still hasn't done a darn thing, then I would think about scratching him for Zucc. You cannot even entertain that thought until Zucc is back though.

In the meantime, shut us all up MSL and score two goals tomorrow night please....

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

Poor pass, but that is on MSL. He needs to realize the situation there. On top of that twice on the 5 on 3 he skated with the puck from down by the net up to the BL for no reason, happened right before the breakaway there, just out for a friendly skate maybe...LOL.

As for scratching him, no way you can do it now. As Dis said who would you put in for him? I would move Miller into a top 9 role though. And if we are sitting here after two games in TB and MSL still hasn't done a darn thing, then I would think about scratching him for Zucc. You cannot even entertain that thought until Zucc is back though.

In the meantime, shut us all up MSL and score two goals tomorrow night please....

Ill agree im fed up with his carrying the puck from the goal line to the BL...that has to be some sought of stupid PP setup because how the fuck no one on the team is yelling at him for that constant shit...

Between that and Nash shooting from outside the dot when he is one on one with a defender is killing this team

 

[chuckd3534]

I agree...it is very frustrating Al...

 

[strudwickisthebest]

The problem with Miller is his offense is worse than MSL... 0 goals for him too

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

I mean these guys have to watch game tape in a room together...someone needs to say..hey bro...WTF ARE YOU DOING?

 

[chuckd3534]

Not sure that is a fair comparison though strud. Miller gets limited time on the PP at best AND he is playing on the 4th line now with Sheppard and Glass. MSL has had many more chances in scoring situations than Miller.

But overall Miller is no savior I agree. I just like his size and skill combo better than MSL's at this point.

 

[Stepupstepan]

I just dont see AV taking out MSL. He is gonna live and die with him until the end. Once zucc comes back, Sheppard or Glass will be scratched.

 

[Disturbed]

The funny thing about MLS is historically he's a great playoff guy. I realize in sports that when you lose it age wise it's a pretty drastic fall off a cliff but with MLS it's literally been horrific. I refuse to believe he went from an older but still good player at 39 to completely worthless in a year.