If on March 7th anyone had told me the Rangers would be even in points with Martin Brodeur and the Devils on March 27th and be 7-0 in their season series, I would have sent them to Bellevue for a check up from the neck up. Well, call me crazy!

After a disappointing loss to Philadelphia in overtime on Tuesday wherein the Rangers went 0 for 5 on the powerplay, they were able to turn their powerplay around last night and go 2 for 3 against the Devils. Prior to last night the Rangers were 0 for 30 and 24th in the league on the powerplay. So, why the success last night?

Have the coaches finally gotten through to some of the players to take the shot in traffic, to keep cycling and moving their feet and to stop all the lateral passing? Let us live in hope. Last night, the Jagr, Dubinsky, Straka, Roszival and Backman unit burned a full minute and didn’t get a shot off.

Drury, Gomez, Shanahan. Mara amd Girardi came out as the second unit. Shanny takes a shot from 40 feet out. Marty saves it and Gomez chases down the rebound behind Brodeur. He passes it out in front to Shanny who is now waiting in the slot. Shanny roofs it over Brodeur and scores! This is the classic Detroit set play. Yzerman from behind the net to Shanahan. He scores! Zetterberg to Datsyuk from behind the net. Datsyuk scores! You get my drift. This is the same play I described at the Coach’s Forum in detail for Renney, Pearn and Pelino in November. Apparently, either they didn’t listen or the players refused to execute.

Second powerplay, Renney goes first with Gomez, Drury and Shanahan. They fight to keep the puck down low. This time Gomez finds Backman just on the ice at the point. Gomer threads a perfect pass to him. Backman sends a laser stick side high on Marty and scores. Backman redeems himself for that terrible giveaway to Parise and ties the game.

On the third powerplay, Gomez, Drury, Shanny unit are checked relentlessly and don’t get a shot. The Devils penalty killers are quick studies. The Jagr unit comes on and New Jersey almost gets a shorthanded goal on a failed lateral pass attempt by Rosival coming out of the Rangers zone.  Hey, two out of three is a hell of a lot better then 0 for 31.

I hope they finally get it now and continue to improve on the powerplay for the rest of the season and into the playoffs. Let’s see how long Renney will go with Gomez, Drury and Shanahan as his first unit. I would like to see him send out Dawes, Dubinsky and Callahan as the other unit. Cycling, movement and crashing the net for rebounds will put pucks in the net. Endless peripheral passing and waiting for the perfect shot have not gotten it done and won’t get it done. Save Jagr and Straka for five on five.

Next time we see Marty and his Merrymen is on April 6th. Let’s hope on April 7th the Rangers 8-0 against the Devils and getting ready for the first round of the playoffs.