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Post by mbest (ANA) on Aug 24, 2016 2:45:17 GMT -5
As the Rangers cling to a last ditch hope for the postseason, no player has symbolized the team's season more than defenseman Cam Fowler.
The New York media lately has been a bit unfair to the offensive defenseman, who has set career highs this year in assists (35), points (43) and is assured his all-time best in plus-minus (currently +26). However, 37 of those 43 points came before the all-star break. After being snubbed for the game, he has posted just two goals and four assists in the past 32 games. He is a minus-4 since then as well.
As Fowler has gone, so have the Rangers. After a 30-16-2 start, New York is 15-15-2 since the break.
At a press conference this week, GM Mike Best tried to put a positive spin on the year. "Obviously we still hope to make the playoffs. Nonetheless, we proved we could play with anyone this season," he said. "We swept Vancouver and Calgary and went 1-0-1 versus St. Louis. We played the Islanders evenly."
Unfortunately, the two teams the Rangers most needed to beat down the stretch - Detroit and Washington - are the teams they can't seem to play with. The Wings have outscored them, 12-5, the last two meetings and the Capitals also have hung nine goals on the normally tough defensive unit the past two match-ups. New York is also 0-9 vs. the Flyers the past two seasons.
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