Pre-Notes for Atlanta Tilt. . .

In other Rangers news, it only took him a few games, but Tom Renney has re-shuffled the lines again. And they'll look,, well, very much like they did to start the season.

Naslund, Drury, and Gomez, the "$18 million line - part 484. . . I'm sorry, part 2. Just seems like that was so, been there, done that. But you never know. I'd have waited til Drury scored at least 2 goals on the season. He did? No. No. I'm still not counting that first one. I'd feel better if it went off his $ss into the net instead of what didn't happen on the Island Monday night. And probably so would he. But I ramble. . .

The PS3 Line of Niki Z, Dubinsky, and Voros return again, which I'm happy about. If nothing else, I can pray for goal celebrations, cause theirs have been enthusiastic to say the least.
The 4th line remains Betts, Sjostrom, and Orr. Big shocker there.

And the 3rd line becomes Callahan, Fritsche and Dawes.

Again, Renney, close but not quite. Drop Dawes (again, will he stub his foot pre-game, maybe, possibly?) and put Prucha in there. That's the line I said I wanted weeks ago. And, YES, with Fritsche at center which he will play tonight. Because he is a center. Yes, hard to tell that when the guy doesn't play. But he is. And I hope he and Callahan show chemistry together. Because then I'll be 2/3rds right. And if I-can-do-no-wrong-Nigel does not stub his toe pre-game and misses two or three wide open shots tonight, perhaps Prucha will join Dan and Ryan on Saturday in Toronto. Stranger things have happened.

(And apologies for busting Nigel. I just really don't think anyone can tell me that guy's play has warrented 7 games in a row without a night off!)

Either way, the Rangers have to watch out tonight. If Johan Hedberg plays, he has done well against the Rangers, for one. But more importantly, I never bet against a team in one of these two situations. Their coach gets canned. Or they get blown out. The following games, they always are pumped up for. The Flyers demolished Atlanta 7-0 on Tuesday night. So I expect them to be angry and take it out on NY. Will it work? Well the Rangers don't have Sean Avery to get Ilya Kovalchuk off his game any more. So. . .


Around the League:

I actually wasn't looking for the Shanny interview in my last post. Or the Stamkos one below. I needed to look up something on Hank Lundvqist and these interviews popped up. But in searching for that one, I found a few more. And I thought this was one of the cuter.

Getting to Know Steven Stamkos:

http://thehockeynews.com/articles/18275-Getting-To-Know-Steven-Stamkos.html

Awe. haha. Kid notched his first NHL point the other night. Just seems really down to Earth. And I said it before. Eloquent. Some guys never are able to take the pressure of an interview. This kid, at an age that I was still pretty shy, does a great job.

First car: "don't have one yet." ( awe. See, he really is soooo young!)

Some of my most agreeable answers:

Favorite Meal: "Probably a good seafood linguini."

Favorite Breakfast Cereal: "Not a big cereal guy."

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "Vanilla."

Haha. Love it.

The league is in good hands. Very good hands.


**12:48pm - author's edit : It's been speculated the above lines were only practice lines. In which case, thanks for not putting Drury back on the $18 million line. . .but booooo to not playing Fritsche at center. Or not benching Dawes. Or listening to a word I say! Does Boo-ing on a blog count? Because as a rule I do not boo. something to speculate over lunch**