Devils must keep a close eye on Rangers' Gaborik tonight

There might not be anyone who knows Rangers right wing Marian Gaborik better than Devils coach Jacques Lemaire.

Gaborik played for Lemaire for eight seasons in Minnesota.

So, Lemaire knows how dangerous Gaborik, who signed with the Rangers as an unrestricted free agent this summer, can be and how important it will be for the Devils to keep a close eye on him in tonight's game at Prudential Center.

"Gaborik is a guy that gets five shots on the net before the game starts," Lemaire said. "He's a guy that you can't give him room. You just can't. He's got too much talent for that. You've got to play him as tight as possible, no free ice."

Gaborik has two goals and an assist in the Rangers' first two games. Lemaire said Gaborik's best assets are his quick accelaration and his rapid release on his shot.

"He's got a great release," Lemaire said. "He's got a release, I don't think another player has that release in the league, how quick it comes out, comes off his stick."

It's not Gaborik's slap shot, but his wrist shot and snap shot.

"He can't slap compared to the other guys," Lemaire said laughing. "It's all quickness and I think he's got just a touch for offense. He's got that touch there. He knows where the puck is going to go. He knows what he's doing. Then, when he gets the puck, he's great with it. He's always available. You could have two  guys around him and if he gets that puck, do you know what? He's still going to get the shot because it's gone."

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Expect Gaborik to shoot the puck often tonight. He had 13 shots on goal in the Rangers' first two games.

"If you look at his shifts, you'll see what I'm talking about," Lemaire said. "He comes in and he's going to get that puck. You think he's done and because of his quickness, quick shot, quick release, he always gets a scoring chance. In Minny, he was getting five scoring chances a game. I looked at his last game, he had five. And he's not going all out there, but he's just plain smart and playing the scoring game.

"So, that's why if we you don't keep an eye on him, he's going to get the chances."

Comments

[iamtheprodigy]

We better come out to play tonight. Especially Marty. He needs his head in the game.

[embo slice]

marty made me really nervous last game...before those terrible goals he gave up, he looked out of position...it just felt like every puck thrown at net was going to go in and that's a very uncomforting feeling(probably felt that way because thats what was happening)...the first game is now out of the way, time to get our act together tonight against a hated rival

[patiently waiting]

Besides, Emery has 2 great games, and he is suddenly a brick wall, the flyers are the best, going all the way?
yeah MB30 had a bad game, but hes had over 500 good,if not great ones,,,,,how about emery? is had maybe ONE GOOD YEAR?

so thats that...MB30 earned the right to have a crappy game, he can have 10 this season, as long as he knows his great games will be in the post season, ...as a goalie gets older, he wont be as good, but his experience makes up a lot, and his DEFENDERS have to step up..YOU THINK FLUERY is great? you know with out the HUNDREDS of blocked shots and forced wide shots by PITTSBURG's defense, Detroit would have made it a early series..but the defense allowed Fluery to play at his strong points, and didnt expect him to be SUPERMAN for 7 games..
our state of Jersey expects MARTY to be superman, even on bad days yes, but come one, there is a limit

[frankied]

Well, at least Avery is not playing. Gomez and Dawes are gone. I would keep an eye on Callahan. Kid loves to shoot it from all angles.

[AK47]

Besides Lamaire, I think Rolston knows Gaborik and probably should play VS him.Play Rolston's line against Gaboriks's line but it will be better to switch Clarki and Begf. You need to be a physical against them.Prospal is to old to fly around so Zubrus can take care of him and Clarki will play Dubin. If you play physical enogh against them you never know but you have a pretty good chance to put Gaborik on IR or even on the LTIR. Just a evil wish but it could happen.

[Bad Angle Soft Goals Have to Stop]

No more softies Marty.
Beat New York

[RickyM2]

This season is definitely gonna be a nail bitter. 1 done 81 to go. I'm still very pissed about losing Shanny for the year. We should have kept his rights and reactivated him in the 2nd half. We're gonna feel his loss most in a pinch

[Damian]

Yea Ricky he can be a clutch player, I remember last season devils had that terrible game (I think it was Florida not 100% sure) and Shanny scored on the penalty shot to spark the team. We always had a veteran or 2 but now the oldest player is Marty and he looked awful on Friday, hope that changes tonight.

[Falcone]

TG- What will the lines be tonight? Any idea?

[MattP]

Falcone, I read your post real quick and thought you were asking TG what the LINE was on the game tonight lol.

[Lykus]

alot of posts here were about Marty having a bad game, I agree he did not play like his usual self, but, it seemed to me that the whole team lacked mental toughness that game, especially after they failed to score on that 5-3 which happaned really early in the game. at those kind of moments team really needs veteran presence and leadership, unfortunetley Marty was not up to the task with that. I'm hoping that Langenbrunner, Rolston, Niedermayer, Zubrus and Pandolfo realize that it's part of their job to supply the leadership, I would also love Salvador and White to step up in that regard. I don't think that relying on Marty to provide that is fair as goalie needs to focus on stopping the puck and D and forwards need to focus on pushing the puck up the ice and making the plays. I tought that our young players had a good game and Zubrus and Pando where probably our better foewards out there. So what I'm saying is it's not just Marty it's pretty much all of our vets that need to get their heads into the gane fast.

[A Local Fan]

Well tonight is the first night that I really will be rooting hard for the Rangers when they are playing the Devils. I'll be at the game with my Ranger fan friends but I won't act the same way they do towards the Devils. I still have respect for my old team.

Forget Gaborik, how is this Devils team supposed to stop us. The Rangers are fast and talented and they will pinch dman and get lots of rubber at Brodeur. They will also give up some 2 on 1s and 3 on 2s but we still have Hank to save us. LET'S GO RANGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Puckster]

Marty gave up five goals in 27 shots last game. Most of the goals either went off him or through him. Three of them were really soft and the other two were questionable. I understand that the whole team was not particularly sharp last game (especially on the 5 on 3s), but Marty was the difference maker against the Flyers on Sat.

[ronmexico3]

ALFs post is a copy and paste of last year.

LOL.

i guess you can say he is the original heckling troll, albeit with unoriginal material.

[Amerz]

Anyone know how I can listen to the game using a BB cell phone? What kind of charges are there?

[modnarm]

im up for switching Clarkson and Bergfors to play against Gaborik.

[Pat]

Is Pando going to play shadow like he did w/Jagr?...not that I think he can keep up w/Gaborik. Maybe use Halishchuk to do that and let Pando refill the Gatorade.

[Puckster]

On paper the Devils have a much better team than the Rangers (whatever that's worth). We'll have to wait and see where they are both at in April to be able to determine anything for real.

[Warren]

Gotta tell ya...I thought Gaborik played great Saturday night. Callahan and Dubinsky,and Lundqvist as well. I thought Del Zotto was good and I like Gilroy's play in his own end.

The Rags might be better than I thought. Tortarella seemd to have them skating pretty hard. Whether it lasts is anyone's guess. All depends on keeping Gabs on the ice for them.

Tonight would be a good time for marty to have a nice game. Counting Game 7...he's due wouldn't you say?.

[RandomHero]

I watched the Rangers Pens game and they didn't look so good then. They had some good shifts but they played pretty sloppy. The Pens didn't even play that well and still beat them.

[TG]

They had only an optional skate today, so there were no lines this morning.

Yesterday at practice it was: Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner; Rolston-Zubrus-Bergfors; Pandolfo-Niedermayer-Clarkson; Halischuk-Pelley-Pikkarainen with Peters and Leblond playing on a line with defenseman Andy Greene at center.

[Pat]

That third line will look so much better w/Zubrus when Elias comes back.

[Speedz]

I want ZZ POPS against Gaboriks line. A dynamic line with three defensively responsible players. Zach's got a lot of speed in him too. Not to mention if Tortorella wants Gaboriks line all offense and stuff, ZZ pops forces a turn over, then they just take off and generate some chances. Idk I like top line aganist top line in this case.

[bobo]

http://www.the700level.com/2009/10/flyers-bus-trips-to-jersey-end-in-violence-stabbing.html

[RickyM2]

I hate to say it, but it looks like we're gonna get more excuses tomorrow morning.