I would have combined the two, but after how cynical the last blog entry was turning, I thought it best to move on to a new and fresh space.
In terms of what went well last night, I'd like to take a minute to clarify something and perhaps apologize to Blair Betts.
Yes, I said apologize. I know.
Now, long before I started writing this blog, I really liked Blair Betts. I thought he was probably the most underappreciated and one of the most valuable players on the team.
And that was when this team HAD Jaromir Jagr, Sean Avery, Marty Straka, etc.
I appreciated him for the role he played. A penalty killer who does what is asked of him. A guy with no flash, but that gets the job done. A guy who doesn't say much, but doesn't need to. A true blue collar type player.
Blair Bett's game last night is a perfect example of why I once thought so highly of him. And perhaps why I should start to think highly of him again.
I attack the Rangers powerplay because, well, it's horrible. And it very much deserves to be attacked.
But I don't stop often enough to praise the Rangers penalty kill, which is spectacular.
When Betts blocked those shots last night, the Garden was louder than it's been in a long while for a PK. And, yes, at MSG they do cheer wildly for good penalty kills.
(Again, remember, not a lot of goals, they have to pick and choose their moments).
And now a moment to apologize. I was not kind to Betts earlier this year. And I know why. To me, and to many, it was a competition in training camp between Blair Betts and one of my all time favorites in Petr Nedved. And to see how truly well Petr played and then to watch him be dismissed because of Renney's apparent love of Betts, it didn't sit well with me.
I realize now, months later, I was taking it out on the wrong person. Betts does deserve a place on this team. And unlike about 75% of the players on it, he has very much earned it.
My anger over the Nedved situation should fall to Renney, Sather, and whomever else had an issue with a deserving Czech veteran having a limited but deserved role on this team. This team that can't score, let me remind you.
Secondly, I think my view of Betts this year was skewed, perhaps more than it should have been, because Betts is...well Betts. Again, not flashy, not high-scoring, not anything remarkable really. Except he is in the way he showed last night.
But I am now realizing that I was viewing Betts as just one more of the boring, non-scoring guys on this team. Another North American guy with no dazzle.
And that's true. Betts won't apologize for it. He doesn't need to.
BUT...unlike the other boring, non-scoring guys on this team, Betts actually does his job and is worth every cent they pay him.
I overlooked that, and I am sorry for my shortsidedness.
And in complete fairness to Betts - he scored 8 and 9 goals his first years here, before scoring 2 last year. While not spectacular, he chipped in. And he has done that again this year, and once again last night (empty net not-with-standing). With five goals, he does have a good chance of at least reaching his career high.
Perhaps he, too, like everyone on this team, is just trying to find a way - any way - to make anything from...well a bunch of pieces that might just not go together, but that's a story for the cynic's side of the blog.
I'll say this though. As much as I like 7-0, 5-2 scores, I'd hate to constantly be the team giving up 5 or 7 goals.
And thanks to guys like Betts, the Rangers are not one of those teams.
Kudos Blair Betts.
Other thoughts on the game:
-Anaheim does not appear as strong as I remember them to be. They are big and strong in stature, but they have not played that way against the Rangers this year, it seems. True there were two fights, but it wasn't a case of Anaheim playing smash and crash and the Rangers crumbling. I thought Anaheim would be a middle of the road playoff team, and perhaps they will be, but they have not looked the same as the team that won the Cup two years ago. Far from it, in fact.
-Pronger's legs are like freakin' tree trunks. (Sorry, that's all I have to say about that.)
- I thought Bobby Ryan would break out - last year. I may be a year behind, but I'm glad to see it.
-Voros did not have the best re-insertion into the lineup. Taking a trifecta of penalties will not look good to anyone. And he can't feel good about it. I feel almost bad for him in that, he really did seem to be a vibrant source of life to the team at the onset of the season, and that has disappeared. I'd really love to know whether it was just a natural fade, or whether at all induced by Renney's constant line juggling. We may never know. I still like to believe he's a good guy that wants to do well. The being out of shape thing drove me crazy though, I won't lie.
-Fritsche, I feel, cannot be judged. I still contend he's a better player than he is being allowed to show here. As is too often the case when Sather plays "ooo, ooo, free agent, me want" during the summers, there are just too many players and too few spots, as I've said over and over again. And if there were one, Fritsche is definitely the outside guy. But he comes in and does nothing spectacular but nothing wrong. What could anyone have expected from him - a bunch of goals? He's probably more suited to being a fourth line type player, but well, as you know the Rangers already have a plethora of those.
-Speaking of bunch of goals, I was surprised to see some last night. Namely from Naslund and Gomez. Naslund had a much better game than of late. Looked a lot more together. And gosh help me, if Renney stubbornly insists on playing Naslund and Gomez together with Callahan, I hope to goodness they start to score. Honestly.
-And that will bring me to my other point. Which is that Gomez, being the highest paid, should, on most levels, be the best player on the team, or make the guys he plays with the best players on the team. It's a simple thought I doubt many will argue with, but that has yet to happen. I think that's what bothers me the most. Maybe he's STILL not being put with the right guys. Maybe he's having a really, really off year (because honestly it's not as if last year was stellar either). I'm not sure. But any complaint of him, probably stems from that. I have to believe he's trying though, as I have to believe they all are.
-Lastly, since I've lauded Blair Betts and mentioned Petr Nedved, of course my mind goes back to thinking just how much I wanted Nedved on the team and how much I still, from time to time, think he could be useful to this team. So if he couldn't have replaced Betts on the 4th line, how nice would Nedved be centering our 3rd line of [insert names of random interchangeable parts here], while Dubinsky took the 2nd, and EITHER Gomez OR Drury centered the top line? How would that look. I mean, close your eyes and picture it. Seriously you should, because with Gomez AND Drury both on the team, it's all really a dream sequence anyway right.
Everyone keeps saying Prucha/Gomez/Zherdev, which, sure, I'd love to see, I really would. But tonight I'll think of Prucha/Nedved/Zherdev. What a pretty foreign line that would be.
My dream. And Tom Renney's European Nightmare.
********
Over All-Star break, I'll check in with a few thoughts from around the league, see where certain teams are at, some surprises so far this year. Seriously lots of interesting stuff happening. But I'll wait til the weekend for that. :)
Peace.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
A Cynic's Post-Game Thoughts. . .
Now I'm not sure what I can really say here that hasn't been said. They started horribly - again - and I feared the worst, given how Sunday's game had gone.
Thankfully, the team seemed to wake up. There were positives to draw from, namely a night where the powerplay shockingly scored two goals, and didn't give up any shorties to the other team. In fact, the Rangers scored two short handed goals of their own.
I'm just going to say one small thing.
Do not get used to this.
Maybe that's cynical or pessimistic, but I choose to think that's being a realist. This team has shown absolutely no level of being consistent this year. None. On the powerplay. In their energy come game time. In the way they approach one game to the next. None.
So as much as there was no real reason they played as poorly as they did Sunday, there, to me, was no real reason they played as seemingly well as they did yesterday.
Just another of the many questions surrounding this year's team.
Maybe this all sounds generic and like a cop-out, but it's true. True. True. True. The Rangers of this year are a team of questions. A team being led by team commaraderie, which either leads them to low-scoring, mediocre wins, or boring lifeless losses. There seems to be no in between.
And I guess that's okay. It's boring and it got old REAL quick for me, but that's okay. I guess I'm still naive enough to be waiting for the magical moment when it all clicks and they can play inspired hockey for the full 60 minutes. When they can show up to every game. When they can start as they finish. And when they can score and have it appear it was by design and not by accident, as to me most goals they score appear to be.
Still the Rangers go into the All-Star break in nice position for a bunch of guys that despite their salaries, we perhaps should not have expected too much from.
Maybe they are grossly over-achieving.
Hmmm?
I'll ponder that for a few minutes.
Thankfully, the team seemed to wake up. There were positives to draw from, namely a night where the powerplay shockingly scored two goals, and didn't give up any shorties to the other team. In fact, the Rangers scored two short handed goals of their own.
I'm just going to say one small thing.
Do not get used to this.
Maybe that's cynical or pessimistic, but I choose to think that's being a realist. This team has shown absolutely no level of being consistent this year. None. On the powerplay. In their energy come game time. In the way they approach one game to the next. None.
So as much as there was no real reason they played as poorly as they did Sunday, there, to me, was no real reason they played as seemingly well as they did yesterday.
Just another of the many questions surrounding this year's team.
Maybe this all sounds generic and like a cop-out, but it's true. True. True. True. The Rangers of this year are a team of questions. A team being led by team commaraderie, which either leads them to low-scoring, mediocre wins, or boring lifeless losses. There seems to be no in between.
And I guess that's okay. It's boring and it got old REAL quick for me, but that's okay. I guess I'm still naive enough to be waiting for the magical moment when it all clicks and they can play inspired hockey for the full 60 minutes. When they can show up to every game. When they can start as they finish. And when they can score and have it appear it was by design and not by accident, as to me most goals they score appear to be.
Still the Rangers go into the All-Star break in nice position for a bunch of guys that despite their salaries, we perhaps should not have expected too much from.
Maybe they are grossly over-achieving.
Hmmm?
I'll ponder that for a few minutes.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Prucha and Korpikoski's Shared Character. . .
Voros and Fritsche in.
Korpikoski and Prucha out.
Courtesy of Sam Weinman:
http://rangers.lohudblogs.com/2009/01/20/voros-and-fritsche-in-for-korpikoski-and-prucha/
"Renney said the move was more a match-up decision against the bigger, physical Ducks. Although Prucha hadn’t been told as much by Renney, we passed along what the coach told us after the morning skate.
'You know more than me,' an amused Prucha said. 'Aaron is a bigger, stronger guy than me, so he can play more physical. So if coach wants to match up against bigger players, he’s probably a better player than me for that.'
Spoken like a true good soldier.
Meanwhile, Korpikoski didn’t seem too annoyed, either, perhaps because he’s emerged from these benchings before.
'Of course it’s disappointing when you’re not playing,' Korpikoski said. 'You want to play every game. But you do what the coach tells you to do. There’s nothing you can say or do. You just keep working hard and when you get the opportunity again, be a little bit better again. I’ve been in this situation before and it doesn’t help to pout. You just have to stay positive and have a good attitude.'
Well I'm happy to know Prucha can be a good example for the other young kid Renney is abusing. At least they both have good attitudes. Better than I would under the circumstances, I'll be honest.
And you know, I don't like to do this. I don't get some sick pleasure out of it. But part of me hopes - hopes - the Rangers fall flat on their faces tonight. And the Ducks rip them apart.
At least part of me does. Which would make me sad, if I wasn't so angry.
Because, honestly, of course the two young EUROPEAN kids come out. We couldn't very well sit anyone else, now, could we Tom? Some AMERICAN centers or some CANADIAN 4th liners perhaps? No. Course not.
And just because I said I might, I'm copying my mini "rant" posted on NYR Devotion - Some Like it Blue (http://somelikeitblue.blogspot.com/)to further compliment how I am feeling today:
****
Renney should bench himself, and Drury/Gomez/Redden, and whomever else takes up the majority of the ice time they don't deserve. Because until they bench the "big" name guys that aren't producing and truly get new life in there, nothing will change.
I know we all love Pete. And Lauri is great. But they are not the reasons the team is losing when they lose. (although honestly Pete's play might have had a role in them winning when they won). But they are not the true reason either way. Therefore, it doesn't matter who Renney chooses to swap out in the 3rd line carousel/musical chairs/roulette wheel charade I've often talked about. What matters is that Gomez and Drury, both centerpieces to this team's offense, are not getting it done. They shouldn't have both been here in the first place, but since they are now, something has got to be done to fix the problem. Redden, the supposed great powerplay quarterback who was here to help aid the offense, can't play in either zone. And yet all three guys play big time minutes. As do many others who are skating by, literally.
Someone the other day (on Rangers Report blog) brought up something that was probably SO obvious I failed to see it. Gomez, even more than the everyone's favorite boring captain Drury, does not seem to have been able to play well with anyone. Do you remember him clicking with anyone, really? Cause I don't.
And that, THAT, is going to drag down this team more than who is playing on the shuffling 3rd line. Because without some major connection on this team, by the players that are getting paid and not earning their minutes, it doesn't matter who else plays or doesn't play. (And I don't mean the off-the-ice huggy-feely we love each other crap.)
What DOES matter though, is that, by thinking he can fix the whole messed up team, by swapping out a few smaller pieces, Renney is making the situation even worse. Worse because he's treating Prucha and Korpi like crap and sending the wrong message. And worse because, as we the fans know, these guys show more heart and more drive than the players that remain in the lineup, night in, night out.
And that IS his fault.
****
I'm so not looking forward to the game tonight. I'm glad Prucha/Korpi are taking this like character guys. Because I am not taking it so well.
Korpikoski and Prucha out.
Courtesy of Sam Weinman:
http://rangers.lohudblogs.com/2009/01/20/voros-and-fritsche-in-for-korpikoski-and-prucha/
"Renney said the move was more a match-up decision against the bigger, physical Ducks. Although Prucha hadn’t been told as much by Renney, we passed along what the coach told us after the morning skate.
'You know more than me,' an amused Prucha said. 'Aaron is a bigger, stronger guy than me, so he can play more physical. So if coach wants to match up against bigger players, he’s probably a better player than me for that.'
Spoken like a true good soldier.
Meanwhile, Korpikoski didn’t seem too annoyed, either, perhaps because he’s emerged from these benchings before.
'Of course it’s disappointing when you’re not playing,' Korpikoski said. 'You want to play every game. But you do what the coach tells you to do. There’s nothing you can say or do. You just keep working hard and when you get the opportunity again, be a little bit better again. I’ve been in this situation before and it doesn’t help to pout. You just have to stay positive and have a good attitude.'
Well I'm happy to know Prucha can be a good example for the other young kid Renney is abusing. At least they both have good attitudes. Better than I would under the circumstances, I'll be honest.
And you know, I don't like to do this. I don't get some sick pleasure out of it. But part of me hopes - hopes - the Rangers fall flat on their faces tonight. And the Ducks rip them apart.
At least part of me does. Which would make me sad, if I wasn't so angry.
Because, honestly, of course the two young EUROPEAN kids come out. We couldn't very well sit anyone else, now, could we Tom? Some AMERICAN centers or some CANADIAN 4th liners perhaps? No. Course not.
And just because I said I might, I'm copying my mini "rant" posted on NYR Devotion - Some Like it Blue (http://somelikeitblue.blogspot.com/)to further compliment how I am feeling today:
****
Renney should bench himself, and Drury/Gomez/Redden, and whomever else takes up the majority of the ice time they don't deserve. Because until they bench the "big" name guys that aren't producing and truly get new life in there, nothing will change.
I know we all love Pete. And Lauri is great. But they are not the reasons the team is losing when they lose. (although honestly Pete's play might have had a role in them winning when they won). But they are not the true reason either way. Therefore, it doesn't matter who Renney chooses to swap out in the 3rd line carousel/musical chairs/roulette wheel charade I've often talked about. What matters is that Gomez and Drury, both centerpieces to this team's offense, are not getting it done. They shouldn't have both been here in the first place, but since they are now, something has got to be done to fix the problem. Redden, the supposed great powerplay quarterback who was here to help aid the offense, can't play in either zone. And yet all three guys play big time minutes. As do many others who are skating by, literally.
Someone the other day (on Rangers Report blog) brought up something that was probably SO obvious I failed to see it. Gomez, even more than the everyone's favorite boring captain Drury, does not seem to have been able to play well with anyone. Do you remember him clicking with anyone, really? Cause I don't.
And that, THAT, is going to drag down this team more than who is playing on the shuffling 3rd line. Because without some major connection on this team, by the players that are getting paid and not earning their minutes, it doesn't matter who else plays or doesn't play. (And I don't mean the off-the-ice huggy-feely we love each other crap.)
What DOES matter though, is that, by thinking he can fix the whole messed up team, by swapping out a few smaller pieces, Renney is making the situation even worse. Worse because he's treating Prucha and Korpi like crap and sending the wrong message. And worse because, as we the fans know, these guys show more heart and more drive than the players that remain in the lineup, night in, night out.
And that IS his fault.
****
I'm so not looking forward to the game tonight. I'm glad Prucha/Korpi are taking this like character guys. Because I am not taking it so well.
Monday, January 19, 2009
And I'll Turn It Over To You Larry [UPDATED]. . .
After games like yesterday, I greatly look forward to waking up and reading Larry Brook's column in the New York Post to make some sense of the apparently non-sensical.
He did another great job of that today.
Here are the highlights:
"Somehow, the Rangers almost always look far worse in losing than they appear impressive in winning."
That statement is so damn true it hurts. When they lose, they lose ugly. When they win, they often win in such an uninspiring fashion, it feels like a loss.
There've been so few wins this season that truly felt like wins, I'm now struggling to think of an example to type here. An example of a decisive, all-around, courageous, passionate, team win.
The one early game against the Devils at the Garden came close, the game (not so long ago) against Pittsburgh at the Garden two weeks ago today was another perhaps.
But with 27 wins and more than halfway into the season, it's hard for me to accept that there hasn't been more to cheer about.
"An optical illusion" their record is according to Brooks. And he's right. I've been saying "smoke and mirrors" for a few months now. This team has been lucky at times, but they got exposed - again - in the worst way yesterday.
Unfortunately, they'll probably somehow scrape together one of their Renney-patented 2-1 victories at the Garden tomorrow, to make everyone think it's A-OK in Rangerland. And the team, as constructed, will live another day.
But as if there is anything they can really do about that? Personnel wise I mean. But that is nothing new. As I mentioned late last week, they are stuck with most of this un-tradeable lot for at least the next three seasons.
Oh, but of course, they can swap healthy scratches, right?
"Renney broke up the line late in the third, replacing Callahan with Nigel Dawes. The coach, at the same time, shifted Callahan onto the unit with Chris Drury and Petr Prucha. Why does it seem that the move was a precursor to sitting Prucha tomorrow night and replacing him with Aaron Voros, a scratch throughout the road trip?"
Even before the lines were officially switched yesterday, I figured this is the perfect type of game for Renney to say, oh, this, this isn't working, let's shake it up. And I figured, of course, it'd be Prucha taking a seat in order for him to do so. So reading this was not a surprise. It made me nauseated, but it was not a surprise at all.
I mean, surely - obviously - it was Prucha's lack of intensity and lack of scoring or his defensive liability - his soley - that caused yesterdays embarassment on ice.
Obviously.
It couldn't possibly be that - yet again - the entire team was exposed for the frauds they are. That they are a "rotten," uninspired team, that somehow managed to bore their way to the top of the conference.
And one of the few exciting and inspired players - the guy who started the renaissance against a flailing Islanders team on Garden ice, the guy who scored the only goal a few days later in Washington, and the guy whose gutsy play from his rear end a week later in Ottawa lead to the game winning goal - is going to take a seat because, really, who else can the coach blame?
I'd be more disturbed, if I didn't know it was coming, somewhere down the pike. Team efforts - good team efforts - were going to come to an end soon. Or, rather, this team was going to be exposed for their complete and utter lack of them.
That time came yesterday.
Oh and make no mistake. These are not your father's New York Rangers.
Hell, they are not even the New York Rangers of my youth. At least those guys weren't boring. At least they weren't as life-less as the bunch of "oh but we love each other" drones I saw yesterday and that I've seen most of this season.
And the one guy that isn't a boring drone, he'll probably take a seat tomorrow.
A shame really. Just truly a shame.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/01192009/sports/rangers/rangers_road_trip_ends_with_ugly_loss_150857.htm
**Author's note on edit:
Please note that I read Larry's column on my own this morning before readng Sam Weinman's Rangers Report. But apparently he agrees with me. Great line by Brooks:
http://rangers.lohudblogs.com/2009/01/19/critical-juncture/
He did another great job of that today.
Here are the highlights:
"Somehow, the Rangers almost always look far worse in losing than they appear impressive in winning."
That statement is so damn true it hurts. When they lose, they lose ugly. When they win, they often win in such an uninspiring fashion, it feels like a loss.
There've been so few wins this season that truly felt like wins, I'm now struggling to think of an example to type here. An example of a decisive, all-around, courageous, passionate, team win.
The one early game against the Devils at the Garden came close, the game (not so long ago) against Pittsburgh at the Garden two weeks ago today was another perhaps.
But with 27 wins and more than halfway into the season, it's hard for me to accept that there hasn't been more to cheer about.
"An optical illusion" their record is according to Brooks. And he's right. I've been saying "smoke and mirrors" for a few months now. This team has been lucky at times, but they got exposed - again - in the worst way yesterday.
Unfortunately, they'll probably somehow scrape together one of their Renney-patented 2-1 victories at the Garden tomorrow, to make everyone think it's A-OK in Rangerland. And the team, as constructed, will live another day.
But as if there is anything they can really do about that? Personnel wise I mean. But that is nothing new. As I mentioned late last week, they are stuck with most of this un-tradeable lot for at least the next three seasons.
Oh, but of course, they can swap healthy scratches, right?
"Renney broke up the line late in the third, replacing Callahan with Nigel Dawes. The coach, at the same time, shifted Callahan onto the unit with Chris Drury and Petr Prucha. Why does it seem that the move was a precursor to sitting Prucha tomorrow night and replacing him with Aaron Voros, a scratch throughout the road trip?"
Even before the lines were officially switched yesterday, I figured this is the perfect type of game for Renney to say, oh, this, this isn't working, let's shake it up. And I figured, of course, it'd be Prucha taking a seat in order for him to do so. So reading this was not a surprise. It made me nauseated, but it was not a surprise at all.
I mean, surely - obviously - it was Prucha's lack of intensity and lack of scoring or his defensive liability - his soley - that caused yesterdays embarassment on ice.
Obviously.
It couldn't possibly be that - yet again - the entire team was exposed for the frauds they are. That they are a "rotten," uninspired team, that somehow managed to bore their way to the top of the conference.
And one of the few exciting and inspired players - the guy who started the renaissance against a flailing Islanders team on Garden ice, the guy who scored the only goal a few days later in Washington, and the guy whose gutsy play from his rear end a week later in Ottawa lead to the game winning goal - is going to take a seat because, really, who else can the coach blame?
I'd be more disturbed, if I didn't know it was coming, somewhere down the pike. Team efforts - good team efforts - were going to come to an end soon. Or, rather, this team was going to be exposed for their complete and utter lack of them.
That time came yesterday.
Oh and make no mistake. These are not your father's New York Rangers.
Hell, they are not even the New York Rangers of my youth. At least those guys weren't boring. At least they weren't as life-less as the bunch of "oh but we love each other" drones I saw yesterday and that I've seen most of this season.
And the one guy that isn't a boring drone, he'll probably take a seat tomorrow.
A shame really. Just truly a shame.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/01192009/sports/rangers/rangers_road_trip_ends_with_ugly_loss_150857.htm
**Author's note on edit:
Please note that I read Larry's column on my own this morning before readng Sam Weinman's Rangers Report. But apparently he agrees with me. Great line by Brooks:
http://rangers.lohudblogs.com/2009/01/19/critical-juncture/
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Was Their Anything Redeeming About Today's Rangers Game. . .?
AT ALL?
Umm, yes.
The fact that it ended.
I might have not had a great feeling about the game to start.
Early game. Versus Pittsburgh. In Pittsburgh. On NBC.
It had all the makings of the game the Rangers would have to work harder than usual at to win.
Unfortunately as it turned out, they didn't work hard or at all.
I can't say it was the worst game. Ever. Or for the season. But it has been a long, long time since I can say there was nothing - not one thing - that was redeeming on the part of the Rangers and their play. Not one thing.
And that's staggering.
Naslund failed to shoot the puck numerous times. Gomez pulled his typical dipsy-doodle without direction. Kalinin was on the ice every single second, it seemed. Hank gave up a horrible goal on the 2nd one. Their powerplay was lifeless, not at all shockingly.
No one seemed to skate. No one seemed awake. And with a few minor exceptions, no one seemed to want to take the body.
The Rangers saw, more than once this year alone, that the way to win against Pittsburgh, is to take the body, and play physically against Malkin and Crosby.
They couldn't get it done.
Or they wouldn't.
And that's what was embarassing. I don't mind going to a game and having them lose. I don't. I've been a Rangers fan long enough to know they don't always win.
But my gosh, at least show up.
What I'd assume was the Penguins newly constructed 4th line, the one with Menard, skated like pros around the Rangers. And we're all fully aware they were just in Wilkes-Barre last week.
Tell me how that's acceptable?
Everytime Orr tried to get Godard to fight, I just kept saying, do it already. Get it over with. Anything to add some life to the mess that was occurring.
Even better? When the Orr, Crosby scuffle was going on, a guy a few rows behind me said, "oh sure Renney. play it that way. You go after our best guys. we'll go after yours. Gomez."
I rolled my eyes. I know he's the highest paid and I know he's our #1 line center - for what both of those two things are worth I have no idea - but seriously. Gomez. I laughed. And I laughed too that this guy thought Renney had any responsiblity for that.
I almost WISH Renney would have told Orr to go and level Crosby or Malkin. It worked last time. Crosby was on his butt, on MSG ice, and boo-ed with out mercy just less than two weeks ago. And today, all Penguins skated freely.
The Rangers legs were gone. They were life-less. Truly life-less. I sincerely hope I don't see this again on Tuesday against the Ducks at the Garden. I'm not sure I can take it again. But with these players constructed on this team, I am not sure what can be done to change it. I don't think anything can. At least not now. Not for a while.
The Rangers needed a game changer today. Someone to go out there and SHOW their team that such a lackluster effort was unacceptable.
The Rangers do not have such a player. They don't. They have guys that play well at times, and perhaps for stretches. But they do not have someone that could have pulled them from the funk that was today's game. When Pen went up 3-0, it was over. There was no one to turn it around. It was that obvious.
A shame. A shame. A shame. Just an out and out game where I have nothing positive to say.
Except that it ended, of course.
Umm, yes.
The fact that it ended.
I might have not had a great feeling about the game to start.
Early game. Versus Pittsburgh. In Pittsburgh. On NBC.
It had all the makings of the game the Rangers would have to work harder than usual at to win.
Unfortunately as it turned out, they didn't work hard or at all.
I can't say it was the worst game. Ever. Or for the season. But it has been a long, long time since I can say there was nothing - not one thing - that was redeeming on the part of the Rangers and their play. Not one thing.
And that's staggering.
Naslund failed to shoot the puck numerous times. Gomez pulled his typical dipsy-doodle without direction. Kalinin was on the ice every single second, it seemed. Hank gave up a horrible goal on the 2nd one. Their powerplay was lifeless, not at all shockingly.
No one seemed to skate. No one seemed awake. And with a few minor exceptions, no one seemed to want to take the body.
The Rangers saw, more than once this year alone, that the way to win against Pittsburgh, is to take the body, and play physically against Malkin and Crosby.
They couldn't get it done.
Or they wouldn't.
And that's what was embarassing. I don't mind going to a game and having them lose. I don't. I've been a Rangers fan long enough to know they don't always win.
But my gosh, at least show up.
What I'd assume was the Penguins newly constructed 4th line, the one with Menard, skated like pros around the Rangers. And we're all fully aware they were just in Wilkes-Barre last week.
Tell me how that's acceptable?
Everytime Orr tried to get Godard to fight, I just kept saying, do it already. Get it over with. Anything to add some life to the mess that was occurring.
Even better? When the Orr, Crosby scuffle was going on, a guy a few rows behind me said, "oh sure Renney. play it that way. You go after our best guys. we'll go after yours. Gomez."
I rolled my eyes. I know he's the highest paid and I know he's our #1 line center - for what both of those two things are worth I have no idea - but seriously. Gomez. I laughed. And I laughed too that this guy thought Renney had any responsiblity for that.
I almost WISH Renney would have told Orr to go and level Crosby or Malkin. It worked last time. Crosby was on his butt, on MSG ice, and boo-ed with out mercy just less than two weeks ago. And today, all Penguins skated freely.
The Rangers legs were gone. They were life-less. Truly life-less. I sincerely hope I don't see this again on Tuesday against the Ducks at the Garden. I'm not sure I can take it again. But with these players constructed on this team, I am not sure what can be done to change it. I don't think anything can. At least not now. Not for a while.
The Rangers needed a game changer today. Someone to go out there and SHOW their team that such a lackluster effort was unacceptable.
The Rangers do not have such a player. They don't. They have guys that play well at times, and perhaps for stretches. But they do not have someone that could have pulled them from the funk that was today's game. When Pen went up 3-0, it was over. There was no one to turn it around. It was that obvious.
A shame. A shame. A shame. Just an out and out game where I have nothing positive to say.
Except that it ended, of course.
Friday, January 16, 2009
I So Wish I Was Watching This. . .
I'm in Pittsburgh listening to the 3rd period online, and Kenny/Dave just said the Blackhawks got their fifth 5-3 powerplay of the game!
WHAT!?!?!
Then Dave Maloney, who I love by the way, goes into the refs hardcore saying they are jokes. Referees are jokes in the NHL. Think a great league like this could get some guys that know the game! He was really animated. Wow.
Hardcore stuff. I love that he has the guts to say things how they are. Too few people do.
Now, again, I wish I could see this. Apparently Coach Renney showed a pulse on the bench? He's capable of that? I have only seen that once or twice before, and barely to the magnitude this sounds like it was.
Good thing I tivoed the game, although apparently the broadcast is rather crappy on MSG alternate.
In looking at the game summary:
Girardi fought - again?
Staal got a 10 minute misconduct - for what?
Prucha got time on the PP - did Renney confuse the 3 and the 5 on the jerseys?
Yikes!
And now there are pigeons in United Center? Oh boy.
Now to OT...
And Drury scores...
In OT....
On the Powerplay?
Dave Maloney: "Grittiest game of the season for the Rangers."
I repeat. Yikes.
I won't be able to give any real opinion on this game until I see it, if I even get a chance to watch the game on Tivo sometime next week, so this is the best I'm going to do. Random stream of consciousness in-game.
I should listen to games on radio more often. Kenny/Dave are an enjoyable combo and an interesting change of pace for sure.
Oh but before I go, watched the Pens/Ducks game because, well, that's the game of choice out here. Both teams moved the puck well. Some scrappy stuff. And a hilarious wrestling match involving Corey Perry and Evgeni Malkin at the end of the game. I can't wait to see Bobby Ryan on Tuesday for Anaheim.
Okay wait. . . Kenny/Dave just said that Drury had two goals tonight and now leads the team in goals.
I am going to take an Advil and go to bed after hearding that.
Yikes!
:)
WHAT!?!?!
Then Dave Maloney, who I love by the way, goes into the refs hardcore saying they are jokes. Referees are jokes in the NHL. Think a great league like this could get some guys that know the game! He was really animated. Wow.
Hardcore stuff. I love that he has the guts to say things how they are. Too few people do.
Now, again, I wish I could see this. Apparently Coach Renney showed a pulse on the bench? He's capable of that? I have only seen that once or twice before, and barely to the magnitude this sounds like it was.
Good thing I tivoed the game, although apparently the broadcast is rather crappy on MSG alternate.
In looking at the game summary:
Girardi fought - again?
Staal got a 10 minute misconduct - for what?
Prucha got time on the PP - did Renney confuse the 3 and the 5 on the jerseys?
Yikes!
And now there are pigeons in United Center? Oh boy.
Now to OT...
And Drury scores...
In OT....
On the Powerplay?
Dave Maloney: "Grittiest game of the season for the Rangers."
I repeat. Yikes.
I won't be able to give any real opinion on this game until I see it, if I even get a chance to watch the game on Tivo sometime next week, so this is the best I'm going to do. Random stream of consciousness in-game.
I should listen to games on radio more often. Kenny/Dave are an enjoyable combo and an interesting change of pace for sure.
Oh but before I go, watched the Pens/Ducks game because, well, that's the game of choice out here. Both teams moved the puck well. Some scrappy stuff. And a hilarious wrestling match involving Corey Perry and Evgeni Malkin at the end of the game. I can't wait to see Bobby Ryan on Tuesday for Anaheim.
Okay wait. . . Kenny/Dave just said that Drury had two goals tonight and now leads the team in goals.
I am going to take an Advil and go to bed after hearding that.
Yikes!
:)
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Boudreau's Son, Jumbo Joe, and Mats With Hair. . .
So I finally got around to watching last weeks After Hours on HNIC. Only five days late, but I was so tired after the Rangers/Ottawa game I didn't stay up as late as I usually do. I know, excuses, excuses.
The highlights:
Bruce Boudreau's son - Brady - is adorable. He interviewed Brooks Laich, Dave Steckel, and Mike Green on a segment shown on Hockey Tonight. For those of you keeping track, Green's new nickname is Lambor-greenie, for his new vehicle. Good stuff.
Mats Sundin was the guest on After Hours after the Sharks/Canucks game. Shocking I know. Scott Oake said, it only took Mats sitting out six months and signing with a western Canadian club for him finally to appear on After Hours. He then asked if he regretted the decision now that he was here. On the show. Ouch. They did tell him he boosted their ratings though.
Mats was given a test to see which Sedin twin was which. I, by the way, think I've finally figured it out. But, sorry Mats, I'm not telling.
Mats fielded a phone call of questions from Glen Healy, former teammate with the Leafs and a genuinely good guy. Mats responded not so much in answers, but with a "fact" that the reason Scottish people, like Glen, wear kilts, was because the Vikings came downt to Scotland and made them.
He said he's still waiting for a response from Healy.
The best part, though, was watching clips of Mats from Draft Day - with hair. People think he's unattractive or menacing, and while I've never agreed with them on either front, he was an adorable little blond kid. He really was.
Like him or not, and I honestly always did, he's had a great career in this league.
Lastly:
Jumbo Joe Thornton gave another good interview, pre-Mats, with a few laughs. First he takes off his shirt pre-interview so appears with only a towel draped around his neck.
Not far into the interview, a voice heard in the background says, "Joe, put your shirt on. You are going to scare the kids!"
The voice?
Jeremy Roenick.
:)
At the close of interview Scott Oake asks Thornton to say something to PJ Stock who is coming on to do score updates. Joe says, "how am I looking buddy," or something along those lines. [Joe joked weeks earlier that there was an over 30 (or 40) league PJ could join in San Jose].
When we finally get to PJ after McClean, Hrudey, and Milbury joke about how cold Joe must be in that hallway, he jokes about how he looks and why aren't they getting on him because he looks like:
"A milk bag."
You can't make this stuff up.
On PJ's list of those snubbed for the All Star game - Patrick Marleau, Mike Green, Brian Rafalski, David Kreiji.
To which McClean said, "I"m working the game and I might not even watch it."
Gotta love it.
The highlights:
Bruce Boudreau's son - Brady - is adorable. He interviewed Brooks Laich, Dave Steckel, and Mike Green on a segment shown on Hockey Tonight. For those of you keeping track, Green's new nickname is Lambor-greenie, for his new vehicle. Good stuff.
Mats Sundin was the guest on After Hours after the Sharks/Canucks game. Shocking I know. Scott Oake said, it only took Mats sitting out six months and signing with a western Canadian club for him finally to appear on After Hours. He then asked if he regretted the decision now that he was here. On the show. Ouch. They did tell him he boosted their ratings though.
Mats was given a test to see which Sedin twin was which. I, by the way, think I've finally figured it out. But, sorry Mats, I'm not telling.
Mats fielded a phone call of questions from Glen Healy, former teammate with the Leafs and a genuinely good guy. Mats responded not so much in answers, but with a "fact" that the reason Scottish people, like Glen, wear kilts, was because the Vikings came downt to Scotland and made them.
He said he's still waiting for a response from Healy.
The best part, though, was watching clips of Mats from Draft Day - with hair. People think he's unattractive or menacing, and while I've never agreed with them on either front, he was an adorable little blond kid. He really was.
Like him or not, and I honestly always did, he's had a great career in this league.
Lastly:
Jumbo Joe Thornton gave another good interview, pre-Mats, with a few laughs. First he takes off his shirt pre-interview so appears with only a towel draped around his neck.
Not far into the interview, a voice heard in the background says, "Joe, put your shirt on. You are going to scare the kids!"
The voice?
Jeremy Roenick.
:)
At the close of interview Scott Oake asks Thornton to say something to PJ Stock who is coming on to do score updates. Joe says, "how am I looking buddy," or something along those lines. [Joe joked weeks earlier that there was an over 30 (or 40) league PJ could join in San Jose].
When we finally get to PJ after McClean, Hrudey, and Milbury joke about how cold Joe must be in that hallway, he jokes about how he looks and why aren't they getting on him because he looks like:
"A milk bag."
You can't make this stuff up.
On PJ's list of those snubbed for the All Star game - Patrick Marleau, Mike Green, Brian Rafalski, David Kreiji.
To which McClean said, "I"m working the game and I might not even watch it."
Gotta love it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
