5 Things About Rangers/Islanders (Game 2 - 2010/2011). . .

Welcome back! =)

Before I get to any of the Coyotes/Prague stuff (which I will) just wanted to start with some comments on today's NYRs game. I was not able to see Saturdays. Sounded like a fantastic game. And as upset I couldn't see Stepan's amazing performance live - simply thrilled for the kid. He has been impressive and this is only the beginning. Great stuff.

Meanwhile, there was a game on the Island today. I just finished watching in its entirety, hence the delay.

FIVE THINGS:

* Again, I didn't see Game 1 of the season, but both Callahan and Dubinsky looked much improved to me in today's game. Untimely penalties aside, of course. These two players need to be two of the team's most important. I saw almost indifferent play (indifference, Callahan? I know, I didn't think it possible either), from both in most of the pre-season that I saw. Glad to see they've stepped up a bit. Everyone else was doing so and proving themselves; these staples to the team had no choice but to do the same.

* I thought the team, for the majority of the game, passed well. After so many years of watching a collection of epic lack of connective passes, this team has a good sense of where their teammates are, and I'm liking what I'm seeing. We all know Gaborik can stickhandle with the best of them, but how nice to see, for example, the connection formed between Stepan, Avery, and Fedotenko. Three guys in serious question going into camp about where they stood. Three guys that in the pre-season and today's game that I feel really good about. Stepan needs some form of stability because he's a rookie. Avery needs some form of stability because, well, he's Avery. Good things all around.

* Speaking of Avery. I was on twitter earlier and desperately wanting to see the link everyone was posting. I just now watched after the game was over. Look. I never loved what Avery did two years ago. It was certainly not necessary and certainly distasteful. But I was clear in defending the fact that he is not a criminal, not a villian - any more than the anyone else in this league - and that his suspension was in my opinion both excessive and unnecesssary and certainly having to do more with who he was than what he did. I still don't doubt that. So we take Wisniewski. Crude - yes. Unnecessary - probably. Worth six games - no. Worth anger management - certainly no. But, for the league to do nothing would be wrong. If Avery's remarks were crude, hurtful to Dion Phaneuf and his girlfriend, and unbecoming an NHL player, how can the NHL disciplinarians look at what happened today and say that Wisniewski's actions were not a) crude and b) unbecoming an NHL player. To me that's clear as day. So I'll be very curious how this shakes out. The NHL has already looked foolish in their a) suspending Avery so harshly in the first place and b) being so biasedly unwelcoming in his return to the NHL later that season. If they make no example of this, they pretty much prove what we already know - do what you want in this league, just as long as your name isn't Sean Avery.

* A shame that the Rangers took those untimely penalties late in the third that allowed the game to get away. And a shame that it was Marc Staal, arguably the Rangers best 5-3 penalty killer (next to Hank) that was in the box for the high-sticking call. Still doubting how valuable he is? I'm not saying the Islanders don't score on the PP there, but I'm kind betting they don't score twice.

* Speaking of the defense, how beautiful is it to see the shots coming from the point, like evidenced in Girardi's and Del Zotto's goal. The Rangers have the guys that can do this (Staal hit a post in the game, and Rozsival has been known to hit the net from time to, well, time). They have to do it. I see this team being more offensive than last year, but it has to come from the defense. The NYRs started last season getting those contributions, and then it disappeared for most of the year. It can't happen. Look at successful teams, and know, it can't happen.


What can I say - I like this team. I - for the first time in a what seems like a really, really long time - like pretty much every person on this team. So far they've looked good, shown good work ethic, quickness to the puck. I like it - a lot. I like them - a lot.

But, point is, let's not get ahead of ourselves. One, because two games never does a season make. Obviously. And two, because, for the last two years the Rangers, too, have started the season well - amazingly well. And, then proceeded to stumble and flounder and go up/down, up/down, up/getting the picture here...? So, it's early. It's still early.

More on the NYRs when I get around to watching Saturday's game on Tivo, or when the league makes a comment on today's gesture of the moment. And more sometime this week/weekend on Yotes as promised.

=) Happy Hockey season everyone!!!

Five Things on the Rangers/Islanders Game. . .

As I wrote in the comments of the last post, I did not watch, so instead, some numbers for you:

* Callahan's two goals now give him 4 goals in the last 4 games and 6 in the last 10. It's important to everyone to contribute, yes, but this was one of the BIG guys that needed to be.

* When Cally scored his second goal (Rangers 3rd of the game) it was the first time the Rangers scored 3 goals in a game in the last 8 games.

* When they scored their 3rd goal, that was only the 5th time in 22 games they had scored more than 2.

* Gaborik's goal, his 24th of the season, was his 12th powerplay goal. That ties his career high.

* With 2 goals and 2 assists Callahan had his first 4 point game of his NHL career.


It'll be interesting to see how it carries over.

Five Questions on the Rangers/Islanders Game. . .

Okay forget things, we're going to do questions. Here goes:

* Do you blame Tortorella for the state of the current team? Are you mad that "safe is death" seems to be words, not actions?

* Who is the most detrimental to the team at present? Drury with his 7 million, or Redden with his 6.5? (And yes, both can be an acceptable answer although I have my preference).

* Who thought Avery was going to get kicked out of the game - right, wrong, or indifferent - just for looking at Roloson the wrong way, let alone taking a swing at him?

* Who is able to admit to themselves what may just be the real and honest truth? - The Islanders are, right now, a better team than the Rangers. Who thought that'd be so when the season started?

* What do the Rangers do to fix this? Do they bench someone, make a trade? Tear it up? What do they do? Because, honestly, what can they do?


I like this group a lot better than last year, but after tonight I am convinced this year's team is having worse problems than last year's team - at least on the surface. Yes, last year they were happy and they couldn't score. Last year they had no personality where this year you WANT to like them. Last year they had a fast start and tumbled, JUST like this year. What gives? I honestly am beyond baffled. Tortorella promised changes for tomorrow. I'm just as baffled as the next guy in what exactly that will be...

Five Things About Rangers/Islanders. . .

* I didn't feel good about this game when the Islanders went up 1-0.

* The Rangers, correct me if I'm wrong, didn't have control of this game for one minute?

* The Islanders deserve all the credit for playing fast and hard against their rivals and making the plays necessary to win.

* Hank was apparently upset with Girardi on the gimme-goal the Isles scored. He was upset? Was there ANY defensive zone coverage tonight? Any at all?

* Congrats to P.A. Parenteau for his NHL first. At least someone on the NYR team remembered why they were on Long Island tonight.


Seriously, nothing much to say. I saw as much as one can see from a bar filled with angry, screaming Yankees fans. But...not a good enough effort. I realize the Islanders treat this like a Stanley Cup of sorts, but ...come on. First game against them for the season and that is the response? I realize there is no Gaborik but ...seriously is that what the NYRs become without him? Not the most I've watched of a game this year, but the most concerned I've been in the short season. Need a big effort and a big win next game.

Who Says You Can't Go Home. . .

As long as I've taken time to clarify what I did in my last post, let's get back to the real hockey stuff, and back to the NYRs.


Rangers/Isles

So on Wednesday I made my first trip to Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Its pretty hard for me to believe - and perhaps for you as well - but I had just never had the opportunity to go. But I finally did.

The day after trade deadline day. On a day where so much shook my immediate hockey world as three Rangers departed, and two new Rangers made their debuts.

Oh and some guy named Sean Avery might have played too.

;)

Before we get to the game, let me get this out of the way. Despite everyone - it seems - warning me for years of what a dump the Coliseum is, I did not think that was true. Despite traffic - both inside AND outside the arena - it was a great rink. The arena cooridors were horrific to navigate because everyone is walking the same narrow path. But this is no different to me than the old Brendan Byrne or the historic Spectrum. However, as those two buildings no longer house NHL teams I think that alone is a reason the Islanders definitely need a new arena. But we don't need to go there now.

Point is, I must say that the Colliseum might just have some of the best views of the ice that I've seen in my travels. I had marvelous seats, but it appeared that any seat would offer you an unobstructed view of the ice. I had no complaints whatsoever.


Now I am only admiting this in hopes of being the honest person I've always claimed to be here.

I had plans of going to the game before Sean Avery's return was anything more than a whisper, let alone a real and tangible actuality. But as the date drew closer this really became a big reason I wanted to go. To see this player - THE player's - greatly anticipated return. And after Wednesday's movement, perhaps one of my greatest reasons.

And again I only say that in a measure of my being honest. After my favorite player on the team was traded, I needed something, or someone, - especially at this early and most vulnerable stage - to root for.

Someone with a sense of passion.

Someone with intensity.

Someone else who knew what it meant to - Be a Ranger!

And someone who wore the sweater with pride.

Like him or not, you have to admit, that was definitely Sean. He bled blue.
He cared for this team and his teammates, in a way only he knew how.

Face it, they couldn't have been more different off the ice. But I think on those most basic and respectable levels Sean Avery and Petr Prucha shared some common ground.


Now some may have thought I'd be bitter given the events of Wednesday. Hell perhaps even I thought I might be. But I wasn't.

Now, I wasn't going to do cartwheels if Derek Morris was the first star of the game (wouldn't that have been a story?) or if Nik Antropov scored a hat trick.

But, I did want them to win the game.

Before I go into the who/what and why on that, the game was what it was. A game where the Rangers started slow and were in no way the better team for the beginning half of the game. But a game where, again, they woke up in the 3rd and got some key scoring. The powerplay - yeah, you know that thing the Rangers don't usually score on - came through with two. And for the most part it was a legit victory.

Sean Avery played probably as docile a game as one could expect him to, but he was not invisible. I tried to pay close attention to him, and I thought for a guy getting back to a game he hadn't played at this level in months, he did well for the first time out.

Reasons the game was a good one. The Rangers

a) beat the Islanders
b) scored four goals for the second game in a row
c) won for the 2nd game in a row
and
d) won a game on the road.

New Ranger Nik Antropov got an assist on the Drury PP goal, for his first point.

I didn't notice Derek Morris as much, admittedly.

Overall, important win, considering timing and who it was against. And because, face it guys, every game is going to count from now on. Every single one.



Rangers Trade Deadline Notes:

I don't think I need to express that I wasn't one of the people thrilled with the Morris deal.

Shocked, you are, I know.

And once you subtract the obvious reason why, I just have to look at it in its simplest way. The Rangers gave up 3 guys for one guy. One guy, who despite saying he was "excited" when the Rangers name came into play, I do not believe will be here next year. So three guys, two of which were the part of the promised youth of this franchise, for a guy who will play the remaining games, and if the Rangers make the playoffs, a few more.

Mathmatically, that doesn't add up.

BUT, if you like math - and chances are that trust me you'll know more than the guy I'm about to introduce - meet Glen Sather. He is, quite possibly, the worst mathemetician ever. Ever!

He thinks that paying four guys - three of which are not worth it - 49% of the team allotted salary pool is a smart business decision.

Forget smart.

Forget business.

Forget decision.

And sure as heck forget putting the word think in the same sentence with that man's name.

Dawes and Prucha were both RFA after this year. And Sather has no money to sign the young guys that actually WERE playing on the team. (Sad to say, but true). There's no way he was going to sign these guys as long as all the BIG money players remained.

I'm guessing no one wanted Redden, Drury, or Gomez at those nicely packaged, salary cap friendly contracts, now did they Glennie?

Shock of the year, right there.

So therefore, Pete and Dawes were sent away because there was no place and no money for them here.

No disrespect to Derek Morris - I saw him on After Hours ironically two weekends ago and he seemed a down to earth guy - but you send one of those players and Kalinin to get him. If that. But not Prucha and Dawes. Not Prucha AND Dawes.

Unless you have no choice.

And Glennie, well, the deck is not stacked in his favor.

Now again, he was given the deck, allowed to manipulate it as he wanted, and allowed to keep it, tucked away where no one can touch it, but it's still not stacked in his favor. Some people should just not play cards.

Or manage professional ice hockey clubs.


As for Nik Antropov, I guess the bloggers who had been pining for this guy for months knew more than I did. (Or Sather really does read the blogs. Stranger things, I'm sure). I have no problem with him. But while this is another guy that may help a team that can't score, score a little more than the nothing they had been (before the 2/28 breakout, mind you) he's just another guy that probably won't be around next year.

If that was the plan, rent away. I just still do not think this team has legs to take them beyond a round or two. I won't lie to myself and believe that much changed from what I've seen before my eyes all year long. ALL YEAR. Not just from the point many other people's blinders came off. But even back on game 5 of the season versus Buffalo, the things I was starting to realize.



A Look Ahead:

Rental players or no, sadness over a favorite player gone or no, there are three reasons I want the Rangers to make the playoffs. Three. (Besides the I'm a fan, rah, rah, rah, bs).

1) John Tortorella. While I didn't hate Tom Renney and while I appreciate what he did in the grand scheme, enough of his actions this year put serious doubts in my head that this guy should remain behind an NHL bench. The fact that Sather brought in a guy like John Tortorella was like an unbelievable moment that might only come once. And I think you have to try your best to embrace it. Tortorella, opposite of Renney, will light a fire. He will scream and yell. He will make players lives a living hell if they make his one. And I still think that's what the 75-80% of this team that didn't seem to care, needs. I want to see what he does with this team. Not even this year, but next year. And the first step to that process is this team making the playoffs. They built up their point lead - on boring, stale, vanilla play and shootouts! - back in the first two months of the season. I do not want a new coach, and a better coach in my mind, to miss this first important opportunity to make a statement that a new attitude - offense is not a sin, we can score more than 2 goals, our goalie is not perfect, so we shouldn't make him have to be every single freakin' night - will not ruin this team. It will make them better.

2) Sean Avery. I always hesitated to say I out and out defended Sean before, but you know what, I did. I stood by his ability to play hockey and I will continue to stand by my belief that he can be an effective player in this league again. I had it wrong in Dallas. We all had it wrong in Dallas. But he's getting an opportunity to come home again. A gift that many perhaps thought he did not deserve. Me, I'm still firmly holding true to the fact that Sean was being punished for having a big mouth and a less than keen sense of timing and that there are much, much, MUCH more harmful things going on -repeatedly - in this league that people should be concerned about. If Sean Avery re-born can be even half the Sean Avery that left the Rangers/Pittsburgh series with a bleeding spleen, I think any Rangers fan will take that. The guy is a battler. A bleed for your team guy. A guy that had intangibles, that with the exception of a few players(see below), were very much absent on this team. If Sean can bring that, I am all for it. And for Sean's story to be successful, at least chapter one of book two here, I think helping this team get back on track, and stay playoff bound, is of vital importance.

3) Some Gave All. Guys like Marc Staal (early and through most of the season), Ryan Callahan (every single night), Hank Lundqvist (not perfect but certainly blameless in this season's defeats) and Paul Mara (one of the best attitudes on the team) gave a lot to this team this year. They didn't take day's off. They understood what it meant to come to play and to want to win. They were the ones - namely in this case Hank and Mara - sounding angry and defeated in the locker room post-game. When Gomez was heckling John G for his wardrobe (funny the first dozen times) and while Drury was saying before the fans even had a chance to leave the building things like how he wasn't going to let yet another embarassing loss ruin his holidays, guys like Staal and Callahan brought their games, guys like Mara and Hank got visibly upset. I still believe no one - no one - cares more about this team and is harder on himself than Hank. And to see everyone else (and yes, I'm picking four names, there may have certainly been others that do not fall into the indifferent mold) seem to care so little, not only on the ice, but off of it, really upset me and definitely changed the way I viewed MY Rangers this year. And that fact makes me want the Rangers to make the playoffs even more. To reward the guys that night in, night out, made sacrifices of their bodies and promises to themselves to wear the sweater with pride. Those guys deserve it, especially after dragging 75% of the rest of their team this entire damn season.


Reality?

Now, can the Rangers do this? Can they make the playoffs? Will the new guys help that much?

Probable. Possible. Eh.

I think if the Rangers play like the Rangers of 2/28 and 3/4, and can maintain that sense of energy against clubs better than the, um, well the two worst teams in the league, I think they can still make the playoffs.

But things got a heck of a lot harder Wednesday. Pittsburgh got much better. Buffalo got much better. Carolina won't go away either.

The Flyers are falling a little, and Montreal, sadly for Habs fans, are in a tailspin again.

If the Rangers do have a chance to make the playoffs, one of those teams has to stumble, and Montreal probably needs to continue to fall.

There's a bit of the season left, but not a lot. The Rangers December struggle that lasted through late February, may prove to be too much time taken for granted.

Time, it seems, will tell.

A Statement Of Some Sort. . .

The Rangers made a statement alright. Just not sure it was a good one though.

I'll be honest and then blunt.

I had a lot to do last night so I really only watched the second half of the game. I listened and looked up at the TV from time to time, but I did not watch.

(Notice a pattern with me and the Isles/Rangers games. First I fall asleep for the first game on the Island, then I miss the Prucha game of the year, and then I choose last night's game to house-keep my file cabinet. Although necessary. *Sigh* Only game I watched on the full was the Rangers/Islanders game where they scored two shorties against us. Yep. And no idea why.)

Now back to reality and back to being blunt. I don't think a Rangers/Islanders game is true analysis for anything. I really don't.

It's a rivalry game. True, the one side of the rivalry is falling slowly (quickly) into oblivion this season (and for the better part of the last decade). The one that isn't, used to be almost as much a laughing stock. But yet, the teams come together and they usually play.

Now, in my opinion, the Islanders always play the Rangers well. Always. The Rangers do not seem to match that intensity, and that might be a symptom of the above.

Thus, I don't think you can take credit away from the Isles last night. They play like this is all they have...and well with a franchise goalie two years into a 15-year contract who rarely sees the inside of an arena (in uniform), a team whose managment staff has two goalies who have played hockey in THIS decade, and an arena no one outside of Long Island can easily get to. . .well that is all they have right now.

You know what you should really credit them for though. Their powerplay. One of the worst teams in the entire league and a good powerplay. (#17; the Rangers, btw, are at #27). Mark Streit leads the team in points (33) and power play goals (7). I would have given my eye teeth for this guy over Redden. He made the Montreal powerplay good. And he was even able to do it on Long Island. Look at that.

As for the Rangers, Tom Renney must have been thrilled. A 2-1 win. Which would be great. Against Montreal, San Jose, Detroit. Impractical, but great.

Against the Islanders, they should be able to score more. They really should. And yet, they can't. Or they won't.

Even if this team is, as described over and over again, merely a low scoring team, destined to win by 1-0, and 2-1, that's great. But if they had a powerplay that worked, they could potentially win games 4-2, 3-1, even. Anything has got to be an improvement over 2-1. And the powerplay is the easiest way to start without wrecking whatever master plan of boredom the coach is trying so desperately to employ.

Is this team a team of goal scorers? No. Sadly no. But even the Islanders can score on the powerplay (at present 32 goals to the Rangers 27 on the man advantage).

Think about that.

Think about that and tell me that if this team makes the playoffs (still a question at this, the just-over-half-way-point of the season), they will ever make any mark of success there.

I just don't see it. 1-0 games happen in the playoffs. Sure. To teams that are capable of playing perfect defense for 60 minutes.

I do not trust the Rangers defense to do that. I'm not sure who would.

So 2-1 wins versus the Islanders are nice, and the two points are important.

But that's two more points leading to a promised land where the Rangers have little to no promise of succeeding.

Honest. Then blunt. That's how I feel today.

If Only I Were There. . .

I rarely miss a game at the Garden. And tonight is the one I miss.

Is the cosmic universe trying to tell me something.

I choose to think not. After all, I was there when Petr Prucha scored his game tying goal 26 days ago versus Pitt at MSG. So I can't be all bad luck for him.

When I heard he'd get into the lineup, I was thrilled. Sad that I'd not be there, but thrilled.

Ira Podell wrote up a nice piece for the AP post game.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/recap?gid=2008122913&prov=ap

Gomez's words on Prucha's character make me want to cry. Not only have the Rangers been under-utilizing and mis-handling a good player. They've been doing this to a guy with unparallelled character. I may be biased, but the guy is something else.

Gomez on his teammate:

“I have played with a lot of guys, and that guy is one of the best teammates I’ve ever had. For whatever reason he hasn’t been in the lineup, but he never says a word. He is one of the guys that always has a smile on his face and works the hardest in practice. Not only was it a huge goal, but to see him get it even means more."

I do not mean to get over dramatic, but that's a testament to the people that raised him and to he himself.

I don't know many people that would not crumble under such circumstances. But he keeps coming back, - harder, better, faster, stronger.

Pete hopes that's enough to keep him in the lineup another game. Me, I personally hope he's in for well, forever, but at least through Monday and Wednesday's games at MSG. He deserves it.

But as Ira Podell asks, what exactly does he have to do?

Tom Renney, with what might be the his moronic statement of the millennium, said:

“If he would get three or four goals a night he’ll be fine,” Rangers coach Tom Renney said with a laugh. “Pete’s a battler. That’s exactly what you have to do when you get those opportunities.”

If I wasn't so far away, I'd punch him. Kidding or not, he's half the reason (Slats might be the other half) why Pete has not played consistently this season. He's also the guy that - BS - said he'd be given a real role and real time this year.

So he doesn't have the right to kid.

I have the right to smile though, even if I wasn't there.

And so does the one that always does. Even when things get tough. His smile never fades.

Happy New Year, Petr Prucha. May this be the 2nd of many more goals for New York this season.

:) *peace*


Author's note: I only saw "game clips" so I am not sure about how the game rolled. The Orr/Fritz fight looked nasty. But the Isles got a whopping 20 shots and the Rangers still allowed 4 goals. Defensive effectiveness my butt. The Isles lost, what, 10 or 11 straight. And still the Rangers just scraped by? Something has got to give.

In other news:

*3000 wins in Montreal history tonight.

*News comes out that Alexei Cherepanov was using performance enhancing drugs in the months before his death.

To me, at this point, after two and a half months, it only means the situation was even sadder than I thought it was. A young man died, for what seems to be many unexplainable reasons. Now add an explainable one to the list.

It's sad he felt he had to take anything to improve his game. He was already amazing.

Regardless. It was sad, it remains sad. Rest in Peace, Alexei. We all wish it ended much differently.

Are There Words. . .?

Let me start by saying I'm not an NHL coach. And let me follow immediately with - thank goodness I'm not an NHL coach.

I really wouldn't know where to begin. Quite honestly, I don't know how to begin now.

Was that the Rangers worst game of the season? No. Was it one of the most sickening? Yeah, it kinda was.

I just don't get it.

The game was not pretty, by any means. Those pleas for end to end rushes or at least some form of cohesive and fast skating, fell on dead ears. Despite all that, the Rangers, numerically, seemed to have an advantage, outshooting the Islanders 29-12 after 2 periods. hmm.

And then the roof caved in.

And let me say. I don't like or dislike Michal Rozsival. I think he's overpaid. Absolutely. And I would not have based my team defense around him, that is for damn sure. I appreciate that he thinks it was all his fault and took blame for the two shorthanded goals (YES, 2 SH goals) allowed last night in the 3rd period.

But I'm going to argue it's not his fault.

The system, oh yes the system, that Tom Renney alluded to post-game, is flawed. He said, why does our PK work? We have a system there. We have a system for our PP too. But we don't stick to it. Hmm. Really. Is this the same "system" that has been in place for the last few years? Well at what point do you stop blaming the players and start blaming the system?

Seriously.

Was Rozsival at fault? Sure. Fine. But wasn't it equally the fault of all the other overpriced PP participants as well? I think so. And if it's them, fine. If it's the system, fine. But something has GOT TO CHANGE.

I was sickened that, after the first shorthanded goal, that on the next powerplay, who should stumble over the boards but - oh look - Redden, Rozsival, Drury, Gomez, and Naslund.

I noticed Fredrick Sjostrom and Petr Prucha talking on the bench on the powerplay. On can only speculate but:

Sjo: Why don't they put you out there? You scored a ton of PP goals two years ago. What 15?
Pru: 16.
Sjo: Right 16.
Pru: Rangers rookie record too.
[sigh]
Pru: Why don't they put you out there? You are faster than any of them.
Sjo: I am aren't I?
Pru: And you have moves.
Sjo: I know. I know. 2 game winners in the shootout, but, they don't count now, do they?
[sigh]

Although I think it was a little more in Czech--Swesh language and a little nastier. But that's just me.

The point remains. . . the downright refusal 15 games into the season to not change, not even remotely change, the worst part of their game, night in and night out, is unexplainable.

Their PK, thank goodness, has only allowed 5 goals in 57 attempts (before last night). 2nd in the league.

Their PP, gosh help me, has allowed 5 goals TO THE OTHER TEAM! 1st in the league.

Their PP, which I really think they should deny next time if given the option, scored 10 of 70 times (before last night). 25th in the league.

Someone explain that to me!

Disgusting.

It's too early for it to be some not-funny April Fools' Day joke, right?

Think, honestly, think maybe they all hate Perry Pearn and this has all just been a 2-year ill-fated effort to get the gray-haired one fired?

URGH!

In other game notes. . .

-Joey MacDonald should be credited. He made 35 saves. Any way you slice it. And he made a monster save in the 2nd off Rozsival I believe. A thing of beauty really.

- Renney, as posted on http://rangers.lohudblogs.com/ yesterday [11/4/08]

' If we’re in agreement that neither Dan Fritsche nor Petr Prucha have exactly distinguished themselves so far this season, it’s fair to ask if the two players have been given the opportunity to do so. With Prucha’s reinsertion into the lineup, neither player has played more than two games in a row so far, but Tom Renney said that’s because neither player has made enough of a mark.

"If somebody’s locked in, they’ve nailed it and I’m happy with that," Renney said. "In the meantime that hasn’t been the case."
Curiously, Renney reintroduced Patrick Rissmiller into the conversation about possible lineup selections. The winger was put through waivers nearly two weeks ago, but is eligible to be put back in at the coach’s discretion.

"It certainly has crossed my mind of late," Renney said. "He’s a good player and he can skate. I think there will be a time when we’re fortunate we have him." '


Okay, so wonderboy Dawes here, drops a glove or two, and gets a four minute double minor for roughing last night. Because he showed a pulse, he'll never leave now, right? Never be benched? And Prucha, who finally looked a little less energized last night (but come on, they ALL did) will be back on the bench for Patrick Rissmiller? Pete, offer to pack your bags still stands buddy. I can't take this back and forth BS. Because that's simply what it is. BS. Favoritism. Hypocritical. BS.

I guess that's why the highest paid players are on the PP no matter what they do or do not do. Is this written somewhere in small writing on the bottom of their contracts or something??

- Markus Naslund apparently told the media they'd like a few more minutes to talk together as a team after last night's game. As most of the media were already there, his request was denied. But it begs to ask, why does it seem Naslund is much more captain material. And I don't just mean because he was one in Vancouver. He is as quiet as Drury, surely. But not when it counts. He says that. He talks to the referees. He looked animated after the refs called Zherdev for knocking down Boulton on the faceoff the other night. He seems to be caring a little more, no? Again, all speculation. I have no reason to assume anything. And kudos to Naslund because he looks better and more comfortable as the games go on. And at least he's scoring.

-Lastly I heard that All Star ballots came out for the NHL. And it's always this way but why, why, do they do this so far in advance? So many players are injured and, even if elected, will have to be replaced. And it's really a game of popularity or top $$ makers. Because the fact that Drury and Redden are on it for the Rangers is crap, of course. I'd honestly, if they were the only two, take back my long time plea that there should be a representative from every team on the roster. I really would. Thankfully I looked and saw Hank and, well, he can go. He probably deserves to go. And in a year where DiP, and Brodeur are injured, he just might finally get that chance. Three time consequtive Vezina nominee. But he's no All-Star? Please.

Snoozefest. . .?

At least a few apologies in advance, because I honestly am not sure what I am going to comment upon in last night's Isles/Rangers game. And that is because I almost unbelievably and regretfully, fell asleep.

Yes, asleep. In the third period. Which from my continuing to wake up every time a goal was scored, sounded like the better of the three.

To start, I was delayed out of work, so I missed the first goal on the radio. Anyone want to tell me what channel Rangers games are on now that it's not 1050 or 1130 or even 1560? I finally caught the Islanders feed on XM Radio in time to hear it was 1-0. So by the time I got home, I watched what I could of the first, and the second, but again, regrettably I fell asleep for the third. And not because I don't love hockey. But because apparently I was THAT tired.

So in the quickest wrap-up in history:

-Didn't think it was the prettiest game, but again, I guess they don't have to be. The important thing is they won.

-Chris Drury scored a goal. I'm not going pat him on the back and say he scored two. Because even if (even if) he touched the puck by a millimeter on that first goal, he didn't mean to. They second one was a legit goal, however, and I hope that breaks him out of his funk. Besides PK, the guy is not doing much else.

- Speaking of, thank goodness this team has good penalty killers, honestly. Because the PP is a joke. 1-8. Just sit back and think how good this team would be if they could get more than one PP goal a game. Honestly now. . .

- Joey MacDonald, in for a mysteriously injured Rick Dipietro, played very well. For a while, at 1-1, I thought it was going to be a close game the whole way through. Credit him. He kept them in the game until the Rangers (apparently) came on strong in the 3rd.

-Petr Prucha got more ice time (and a whopping 0:54 on the struggling powerplay) than Brandon Dubinsky and Aaron Voros, his linemates to start the game. This was because Dubinsky, the first center to be benched since Michael Nylander a few years ago (to my memory at least), came out of the gate and took 2 penalties. And because Voros fought Nate Thompson, who I think had grabbed Voros' undershirt, because it appeared Voros could not get a clean swing; and then later took a boarding call, which, from my slumber, sounded like a not great move on his part. I'll review that tonight. Of note for Prucha, a blocked shot. Which is all I seem to remember. And hustle. Of course, presumably, he was playing with a whole slew of different guys throughout the night. Will he be back Thursday?

Rangers/Isles Preview and Random Ramblings. . .

There's not too much I can say about the New York/New York hockey matchup that hasn't already been thought about or talked about. Rick DiPietro is, in all likelyhood, out of tonight's game with mystery injury. While the Isles aren't saying, we can assume it's about his knee or his hip. Either way, he is 99% not to play tonight.

That being said, the Rangers need to take this game seriously. The Isles always get up to play them. The Isles, because not much else goes right for them, honestly, have to take games against the Rangers and the Devils as playoff games. And last year they owned both area teams.

Rangers will dress the same guys as they did Saturday. I think it's important that Petr Prucha builds on his strengths last game. This will be his first consequtive games in the lineup since the first two of the season in Europe.

I think the Rangers can and should beat the Islanders. Absolutely. But I've been around long enough to know that sometimes the Rangers under-value their opponents. And if that's the case, it could get ugly. Eh, it'll probably get a little ugly anyhow. Because it's:

Isles/Rangers - Part 1 of 6. Tonight @ 7pm.


Around the League:

-Alex Ovechkin will return to Russia to be with his ailing grandfather and will miss his first game in the last 200+. His streak ends at 203. I hope he comes back and plays like the player we call know he can be. Perhaps this has been weighing on his mind a little to start the season?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3666820

- NHL Trade Deadline Day - aka one of the most popular days to call in sick if you're Canadian - has been moved from March 3rd to March 4th, 2009. I myself will probably be stuck at work, regretably. But I will be useless as anything and hoping for no meetings during peak trade hours. It's also one of the only days a year that I can get TSN footage online here in the States.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3664140