The Pittsburgh Penguins are now up  in this semi-final series 2-0. The Rangers are in exactly the same position they were in last year against Buffalo. They came home and took the next two off Buffalo and very nearly won game 5 in Buffalo. All is not lost. The Penguins have to win two more games.  

After today’s loss in Pittsburgh, I read things on some message boards and websites saying “the Rangers didn’t deserve to win this game”. Are these people kidding me? These people are Ranger fans? What a crock of BS. These so called fans should read the Event Summary for this game before they start writing off  The New York Rangers.

www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/ES030222.H…

The Rangers did score a goal which was prematurely and wrongly whistled off. The Rangers slowed the Penguins down and forced them to play their game. The difference was that the Rangers couldn’t score on the powerplay. The Pens did. That’s it.  Some “fans” out there are making it sound like The Pens shellacked the Rangers 10-0. I can’t believe that people buy into the hype moronic NBC commentators like Pierre MacGuire and Mike Milbury are peddling.

Let’s look at the Stats to determine if the Pens outplayed the Rangers, shall we?

The Rangers were 0 for 7 on the PP. The Pens were 1 for 6. Big Deal. The Rangers had 26 shots. The pens had 32. Big Deal. The Rangers won 65% of the face offs. Each team was credited with 28 hits. Numbers don’t lie. They didn’t outskate us. They didn’t really outshoot us. The one bounce we needed didn’t go our way.

What would “Fans” who say the Rangers didn’t deserve to win this game have us do, go to the game on Tuesday with White Flags and Placards saying ” We Surrender Sidney”? 

The Rangers CAN come into the Garden on Tuesday and start fresh in front of their home crowd. They CAN take the next two games from  Cindy the Diver and the Penguins. They did it last year against the projected Stanley Cup Champion Buffalo Sabres. They CAN do it again.

We got the Penguins right where we want them, in MSG.

IT AIN’T OVER TILL THE FAT LADY SINGS AND THIS FAT LADY  AIN’T SINGING.

LET’S GO RANGERS!

Posted under New York Rangers

The Ranger’s had Sid the Squid and the Penguins down 3-0 and then decided to start pitching a no hitter.  They stopped hitting. Every single player on the Rangers decided to stop checking and most importantly to stop hitting. No one moreso then the defense. 

Renney should have called a time out after the second quick goal, scored by none other then Ranger killer Pascal Dupuis. I was really surprised he didn’t. Therrien sends out Laraque and Gill to bang some bodies and the game turned around.

The winning goal was scored on a weak call on Straka which was accentuated by a diving Crosby. If we are going to get called just brushing against the Squid, we should make it worth it and really lay the smacketh down on him. Make him hurt every time he touches the puck.

This was an unnecessary and another embarrassing loss for the Rangers.  We always hear the players spout the diatribe about the having to play the full 60 minutes. They didn’t take their own advice tonight. 

The Rangers were outhit by the Penguins. Outhit by the Penguins.

Posted under New York Rangers

My mother always told me if you can’t something nice about someone, don’t say anything at all. I guess Marty Brodeur’s and Sean Avery’s mothers never told them that. To add insult to the injury of Marty Brodeur’s refusal to shake Sean Avery’s allegedly proffered hand, the name calling and vitriol afterward was just unnecessary.

When I say Avery’s alleged proffered hand, I mean that what I saw was the weakest effort on the part of Avery to put out his hand out and the total lack of respect by Brodeur to not even look to see if Avery’s hand was there to shake. And you know the cameras were going to be focused on them both. Stan Fischler alluded to the handshake before the game, and in so many words said  he would be shocked if both players went against tradition.  I guess it’s not the first time Stan’s been shocked.

Afterward, when questioned about the  incident, Avery called Brodeur “Fatso” and Brodeur said something to the effect that he would not shake the hand of someone he doesnt like. They both need to get over themselves. Most of the guys going through the handshake line are just going through the motions anyway. It begs the question, tradition aside, why not make the handshake the option of the players. Why be hypocritical? If one guy doesn’t want to shake another guys hand, let him take a pass.

With a very few exceptions, Scott Gomez embracing his old teammates and Kevin Weekes’ old teammates embracing him, I saw precious little love lost. I am glad the cameras focused first on the coaches moment together. Renney and Sutter behaved like gentlemen. Sutter’s congratulations and Renney’s acceptance are what hockey should be all about. I didn’t hear any sour grapes come out of Sutter’s mouth after it was all over, either. 

All series long, the majority of the Rangers had nothing but deference for their opponent and gave the Devils credit for their hard play. There was no whining about officiating, no threats to run their players and goaltender.  In truth, the only people on either side that were disrespectful were Marty and Avery. 

I’m glad to be going on to the second round. Who will be Avery’s next target, Crosby? Can’t see that happening. Sidney is the league’s golden boy.  Stay tuned for the ongoing drama that is “The Sean Avery Show”.

Posted under New York Rangers

Much has been made about the noise level at MSG. Sometimes, it’s deafening. Sometimes the place becomes as silent as a church. I have read comments on hockey blogs, Montreal ’s in particular and even some Ranger boards, accusing MSG fans of not getting behind their team this season, not cheering. One criticism cites that Ranger fan support collapses when they get scored on. When another team scores, it let’s the air out of the tires of the Garden faithful.

Sure Ranger fans go crazy when their team scores a goal. Ranger fans don’t hesitate to get on the Refs for bad calls and non-calls. But, when the Rangers get scored on or are behind, the crowd can get awful quiet. The thing that the viewing audience doesn’t seem to understand is the symbiotic relationship between the team and the crowd. If fan support was measured by brain scans and not vocal vociferousness, the readings would be off the charts.

When I asked my esteemed seatmate, Bob D, why he thought the crowd goes quiet, he said he attributes crowd silences to nerves, plain and simple. The fans are intently watching the game and willing the boys to play well and score goals, for Henrik to make the saves. We are all concentrating  hard on the play. It’s difficult to be that mentally engaged in the game and be a cheerleader, too.  Hell, I have a hard time walking and chewing gum at the same time.

So, next time if it seems the fans in the Garden are falling down on the job, that they are not vocally supporting the team, think of how you are feeling watching the game on TV. If you have a knot in your stomach, think how big the collective knot of 18,200 fans must be. It’s hard to cheer with your heart in your mouth.

At the end of the game last night, a stranger sitting behind me told me to keep up the good work, to keep leading the cheers.  Turns out he is a transplanted Ranger fan from LA who knows me from HockeyRodent and this blog. I am so glad he got to sit in 409 and see a great victory by the Rangers. Glad I went easier on the swearing, too…

Let’s Go Rangers! 

Posted under New York Rangers

I had no idea Marty Brodeur was Jewish, no less a Mohel but after watching him try to involuntarily circumcise Sean Avery last night, it begs the question.

This morning Gary Bettman goes on WFAN and tells Boomer and Carton that Avery will be warned about taking liberties with poor, little, defenseless Marty Brodeur. Gary should look at the slow-mo of the altercation. If he did, he’d see that Brodeur exacerbated the hostility between himself and Mr. Avery by lifting his goal stick between Avery’s legs in an attempt to injure his manhood. But, since Gary is such shmekl, he wouldn’t know from manhood.

Not being a guy, I have no idea how a whack to the wedding tackle feels. But, I’ll bet Avery was incensed about having a potential “equipment problem” at the hands of a man whose children don’t know if he is their Uncle or their Daddy. Oh, the disappointed starlets, the disappointed puckbunnies, oh, the humanity! I’m surprised Avery exhibited the restraint he did. It’s a wonder he didn’t “Simonize” Marty with a two hand right then and there. 

But no, Avery is the villain here for waving his stick in front of Marty.  Avery is wrong for standing in front of Marty, thereby screening him. Avery is wrong for scoring a goal on the omniscient Martin Brodeur.  Marty can use his stick on Avery and trip him from behind and Avery will get called for goaltender interference.

Some Ranger fans out there are all  over Avery’s case today for getting called for phantom  penalties against Marty Brodeur. Gary Bettman and the league are going to warn Avery about his outrageous behavior against Marty. Sean Avery is a saint compared to a cheap actor like Marty Brodeur. Sean Avery is in Marty’s head and let’s hope he remains there.

When push comes to shove, after another disgraceful display of piss poor officiating last night, Glen Sather should find Terry Gregson and give him a louder ear bashing then Lamarillo did on Friday. Perhaps the next set of eunuchs that officiate the game on Wednesday will tilt the ice back in favor of the Rangers. Personally, I would settle for a game that is called fair and square and not have the outcome determined by the officials.

PS Kudos to Mitch “The Tummler” Beck for pointing out Brodeur’s attempted bris on Avery.

Posted under New York Rangers

Let’s hope tonight’s game 1 victory by the Rangers dispelled the notion that the Devils win on Sunday made up for the Devils losing the prior seven games of the regular season. Because the Devils won Sunday night,  speculation was that the Rangers, who had been in Marty Brodeur’s head all season were suddenly cast out of it. The Rangers proved that theory wrong tonight.  I would venture a guess and say that Callahan’s goal and especially Avery’s, will be in Brodeur’s nightmares tonight and for many nights to come.

I was feeling very uncertain about tonight’s game after the loss to the Islanders on Friday and the loss to the Devils on Sunday. After having played a dominating game on Long Island on Thursday and clinching the playoff spot, the Rangers lost in a dreadful shootout to the same AHL Islander team they had vanquished Thursday.  Lundqvist looked pedestrian in regulation and was a horror show in that shoot out. Fourth place and home ice advantage were on the line.

To add insult to injury, they failed to go for the jugular against the Devils to get a season sweep and home ice advantage on Sunday. Even though they lost home ice advantage by not winning in regulation. they at least could have gone for a victory in overtime or the shoot out but again came up short. I must confess this did not instill in me a boat load of confidence for game one.

In the first period the Rangers made some horrible defensive plays and turnovers. They were lucky to get out of the period with the score tied at zero. They seemed to settle down a bit in the second period. Thanks go to the great play by Gomez for his hand in all three of the Rangers goals. Finally the Rangers acquired someone who, when playing a former team, comes back and bites that former team in the butt.  

Little things do mean a lot and the Rangers won 55 % of their face offs. Drury alone was 78% on the night. Kudos to the penalty killers and Tom Renney for adjusting their play to counter the “new” and previously unseen top heavy powerplay configuration employed by Sutter. Another key to success was that Renney was able to do a good job rolling all four lines. All of the players were engaged in the game, forechecking, back checking and finishing checks.

It was nice to see our young players out there with all their speed, heart and enthusiasm being lead by a veteran corps of players setting a good example. What better example of selflessness is there then Marty Straka sacrificing his body to stop the puck on the penalty kill after he lost his stick? What better example of unselfishness is there then Brendan Shanahan passing a sure empty net goal off to Nigel Dawes so the kid could get the first playoff goal of his career?

The Rangers are in Marty Brodeur’s head. Make no mistake about it.

Let’s Go Rangers!

PS I heard Dancing Larry got up at the Rock when his music was played and started dancing. Way to go Brother! I owe you a big kiss on the head and a brew at Molly’s.

Posted under New York Rangers

In addition to the excitement of the Rangers clinching a playoff berth the night before, there was much discussion at last night’s season closer about the renovations planned for the Garden.

When you spend 42+ games a season in a place, it starts to feel like your second home. When your landlord says they are going to make capital improvements to your building, you hold your breathe. Will my maintenance (ticket prices) go up? Will my view be changed ( lose my seats)? Will I still have access to my favorite places in the building?

Questions like these and much other speculation was the order of the evening. If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know how much I love all my seatmates in Section 409. We are one big Ranger hockey family in the Blues. Sight-lines and accessibility aside, the primary concern seemed to be, will we be split up in the wake of these renovations?

Aside from being 40 years old, there isn’t much wrong with the Garden from a patron’s standpoint. It is accessible to all manner of public transport and it is centrally located. It has kept pace with the times in choices of food and drink venues. The only thing it doesn’t have is an abundance of those all important luxury boxes closer to the ice.

I wouldn’t be naive  enough to suggest that, based on profit, the rank and file fan is more important then those suited denizens of the wealthy corporations that purchase the boxes. But, it has been, as Mark Messier calls us, the Garden Faithful, who have supported the Rangers and MSG in good times and bad. Since 1994, the bad times certainly have outnumbered the good.

The message on the ice for the first home game after the lockout was Thank You Fans.  Ticket prices were not increased. In fact, they were reduced by 10% from prior years. But prices have continued to rise and a 400 level seat has risen 10 % since that first post-lockout season. In fact, the Garden has stuck it to the fans this season with the prices of playoff tickets. The cost of all four rounds of the playoffs will be more then the price of a entire regular season ticket. That’s a pretty tough pill for the “working-class” fan to swallow. 

I sincerely hope that the Garden Faithful will not have to absorb the cost of the new renovation in outrageously overpriced tickets and concessions. If by making most of the center ice 300 level seats boxes, I hope the powers that be might consider opening up the Garden ceiling again and removing some of the overhanging suites. This would return the ceiling to it’s former glory and improve the sight-lines at the 400 level.

From the little I was able to discern from the MSG news segment regarding the renovations, it looks like Section 409 might be safe. But, it would be nice to have some reassurance. I realize that these plans for the renovation are just that, plans. The Garden may very well be posturing with the City by releasing these plans.

Cablevision was successful in getting the kibosh put on the plans for the West Side “Jets” Stadium in favor of their new “Garden”, the new Penn Station and the Moynihan Post Office. Recently, the City Council has retroactively withdrawn MSG’s tax rebate and the Dolans are pissed off.  If  some mutually agreeable understanding can be reached between the City, State and the Dolans regarding taxes and financing, these renovation plans could be rendered moot.  We could very well be moving to new digs in the future.

All our hand wringing now about our seats and our “Garden” will be for naught. Only time will tell if we’ll be walking in the entrances to a new “Garden” on Ninth and Tenth Aves. instead of the renovated Garden on Seventh and Eighth.

Posted under New York Rangers

Congratulations to Tom Renney, all the coaches and especially our players for making the playoffs for the third year in a row. Those dark playoffless seasons before the lockout seem  a million years away. 

The clinching victory tonight against the Islanders was all about the Rangers playing their game and getting their powerplay going. Putting the puck on net was their key to victory. Moving their feet and shooting instead of passing actually works. Marty Straka taking a shot instead of passing.  Jaromir Jagr scoring a powerplay goal on a one timer from the top of the circle through traffic. Let’s hope these players acknowledge this idea and continue to embace it.

Curiously, the only time the Rangers started to look a little shaky was when they were trying to fed Jagr for the hat trick. Bad idea. To their credit, the Islanders didn’t turn tail and mail the rest of the game in when they were down 3-0. They kept coming and it was a good thing the Rangers didn’t sit back or sit on this game. Henrik Lundqvist is the reason why this game was a shutout. Without him, the game would have been much closer.

Onward to the home closer against the Islanders tomorrow. One game at a time. I can’t wait to see all the gang in Section 409 tomorrow night. We will celebrate loud and heartily. It’s been a long regular season. Let’s hope the Rangers can add more points in their quest for home ice advantage.

Posted under New York Rangers

“Fans” in other arenas, especially the Mellon Arena, boo Jaromir Jagr every time he touches the puck. They loudly support their team and lift them up, just like the crowd did in Montreal  during the game where the Rangers blew that five goal lead.  How come that doesn’t happen in the Garden?

It might have something to do with the fact that the fans who make the most noise at the Garden are the ones who get chastised for chanting politically incorrect sentiments and for the overuse of the “Potvin Sucks” chant. Hate that chant if you will, but it is the only rallying cry in the Garden that arouses any crowd enthusiasm.  

Someone in the Garden last night tried to be a little pro-active and hung some simple black and white signs around the 400 level that said “Boo Crosby” and “Sidney Sucks”. Not a bad idea to help generate some noise and give Crosby and the Penguins a dose of their own medicine. Some people picked up on it but it never got rolling. I chalk it up to general ambivalence.

Garden fans only tend to ramp up their vocal support when a goal is scored or during the playoffs. It seems they don’t want to put in the effort for a regular season game. Then, they are angry and surprised if their team mails one in. Case in point,  I read Ranger message boards and see entries like this after Sunday’s lose in Pittsburgh:

“I almost hope they don’t make it, and if they lose tomorrow as well, that’s not impossible. This is just such a half-assed hockey team – never that bad but never that good. Scott Gomez and Chris Drury in their primes. Veteran presence from Jagr, Shanahan and Straka. Decently talented youth like Dubinsky, Dawes, Callahan, Sjoestrom and Prucha. Huge game today. 1 goal. That’s all this roster can muster is one goal? Pittsbrugh scored 3 anyway, so what was the point with playing so conservatively all day??” 

I won’t reveal the author of the above sentiment but I will say that I know that this person hasn’t attended a Ranger home game since before the lockout. The author hasn’t invested an iota of  time or energy coming to see the Rangers. The author has no vested interest in whether the Rangers make the playoffs or not  but hopes that the Rangers don’t make the playoffs because they fail to meet his or her expectations. That’s insulting to those of us who sit there game in and out and are there in good times and bad.

This person is not a fan of the New York Rangers but weilds influence on a very widely read website. This site might be the microcosim of Ranger sites and blogs. If Ranger fans feel the way this person does, they should follow another team or sport and stop inflicting such negativism on those of us who support the Rangers, financially and vocally.

Let’s Go Rangers!

Posted under New York Rangers