Somebody better teach Torts the Heimlich technique because his team is choking and it’s primarily his fault. This is what comes from changing line combinations and powerplay combinations like underwear. Not only did the Rangers shit the bed last night in Buffalo, they were thoroughly outplayed by the Islanders tonight. I am not happy to be proven right. I predicted the Islanders would beat the Rangers. I just didn’t think it would be an embarrassing blow out.

If the knock on Tom Renney and Perry Pearn was that they couldn’t get the powerplay going, then Torts and Sullivan are in the same boat. They should be feeling the same heat. Tonight’s game harkens back to the end of the 2006 season when the Rangers needed one point to win the Atlantic Division title but couldn’t get it done. They lost the last 5 games of the season. Then, they were swept in the first round by the Devils who beat them out for the Division Title.

The difference between then and now is that the Rangers were in fifth place and had made the playoffs outright. They ended the season with 99 points. At the rate they are going, the Rangers will be lucky to end with 89 points. The real shame of not making the playoffs is that the Rangers will end their season in disgrace and mediocrity with a seventeenth or eighteenth draft pick instead of a top five.

The Rangers now no longer control their own destiny. It’s their own and their coaches fault.  Dolan keeps raising the ticket prices. Better dial it down Jimmy or you’ll have an even harder time filling your building.

Posted under New York Rangers

While many Ranger fans out there are feeling fairly confident that the Rangers will make the playoffs, this fan chooses to remain cautiously optimistic. After the Rangers nearly induced another myocardial infarction for fans yesterday afternoon in their 1-0 victory over the big bad Bruins, their quest to garner a playoff spot continues. They haven’t locked up anything yet.

The Rangers are tied with Montreal in points but still lay in seventh place. The Buffalo Sabres, the Rangers 2007 nemesis, are yapping at the heals of both the Rangers and the Habs with their 85 points and game in hand. The Carolina Hurricanes are also within striking distance with 80 points and seven games remaining.

Nothing is decided. It could all come down to the very last game of the season yet again. The NHL has achieved its goal of parity. In both the Eastern and Western Conferences, the last three playoff berths are being battled over by five teams.

If Toronto wins their final six games, they can end the season with no more then 90 points. They have two games against lesser teams and two games back to back against the Capitals and Devils. Realistically, they could gain seven points. Seven points would leave them with 85 points to finish the season.

The Hurricanes currently have 80 points with seven games remaining. They can finish with no more then 94 points. They play six of their remaining seven games back to back. Five of these seven games are against better teams. Again, I realistically only see them gaining a maximum of nine out of fourteen points and finishing with 89 points.

That brings us to that thorn of a team, the Buffalo Sabres. They really scare me. With seven games remaining, they could finish with 99 points if they win out. They too have three sets of back to back games. Their opponents, however, are not as tough as those on the card for Carolina. Buffalo plays four teams higher in the standing and three lower. Hell, they play the Rangers. The Rangers are 2-1 in the season series with the Sabres. This is not just a four point game for the Rangers. Coming when it does, it is the most must win game of the season . It’s in Buffalo. I say Buffalo gets these  two points and eight more to finish with 95 points.

With 87 points, the Canadiens have six games remaining and the easiest schedule. They play only one team above them in the standings, the Blackhawks. They have no back to back games. Considering that they play the Thrashers, Hurricanes, Devils, Senators and Maples Leaf. I will give them ten points, for a total of 97.

The Rangers have six games remaining, twelve points in all up for grabs. They must beat the Sabres on Wednesday night. They must play Chad Johnson against the Icelanders on Thursday to rest Henrik. They then play the Flyers and Boston back to back next weekend, the Thrashers and the Devils to finish out the season. They’ll have three days of rest going into the first of the two back to backs, two days of rest between the back to backs and directly after.

I hope the Rangers will finish with at least eight of those twelve points. Realistically, I think they’ll get no more then seven points and finish out the season with 94 points.

6th     Montreal 97

7th     Buffalo 95

8th     Rangers 94

9th     Hurricanes  89

10th   Toronto  85

Let’s see how close I’ve come to handicapping the remainder of the season. And, to any Ranger fan out there gloating that the Devils and Islanders are out of the playoffs, I say do not tempt fate. Save your celebrating until the Rangers actually get in.

Posted under New York Rangers

Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph are the Rangers trying to give me a heart attack? If I didn’t have one tonight, I don’t know if I ever will. Since the lockout, the Rangers have only once secured a playoff berth handily and that was in 2006. Every year since it’s been a nail biter to the bitter end. Make no mistake about it, last year was a bitter end.

Tonight Tomas Vokoun of the Florida Panthers stood on his head. He made tonight’s two points the hardest I’ve seen the Rangers earn all season. He’s a UFA in July.Vokoun made 32 saves to Lundqvist’s 22 and but for a garbage goal by Dubinsky, played a perfect game.  If Marty Biron can’t make it back, Sather should mortgage the ranch and buy Vokoun to back up Henrik.

The Rangers played very well against another fast team by being patient and disciplined, not taking one penalty. I did see many calls go unblown by Mr. Moustache. Maybe it’s a parting gift to a team he’s screwed over the years. I was holding my breathe waiting for McCreary to call one to give the Panthers a final shot.

Good thing the Panthers won 61% of the faceoffs because their key strategy was to ice the puck. What is going on with the Rangers and faceoffs. One game they do well. Next game they suck on the face off.  Dubinsky and Christensen were terrible on faceoffs tonight.

Eminger filled in nicely for Staal. McDonagh and Sauer are maturing nicely. McCabe had a much better night then his past two games. He needed to be better. Gilroy did no harm. The Rangers defense without Del Zotto has been dominant. I thought all the forwards played a good, grinding game except for Gaborik, who could have worked harder along the boards and behind the net. If he ain’t scoring goals, he needs to provide puck support.

Any more games like this and I’m going to need a pacemaker. Two more points. Buffalo and Carolina both won but so did the Rangers.

The Rangers still decide their own fate.

Posted under New York Rangers

Last night the Rangers finally got to lay an asswhoopin’ on Les Habs and I was there to see it. I have never seen so many opposition fans at the Garden as I did last night. Thankfully, there are still enough of the Garden Faithful who give a crap to cheer.

That won’t be the case when the “new” Garden seating plan debuts at the start of next season. There will be about 400 fewer “Blue” seats for the  diehards to sit in. If I am reading the new seating chart correctly, they are removing the “G” row from the back of every section in the 400′s. But that’s a story for another day. Last night it was about shouting down the Canadiens fans in attendance.

It’s pretty hard to shout down Habs fans in the Garden when the Canadiens are winning. Last night the ole, ole, ole, ole was alive and well because the Rangers finally gave the Habs the pasting they so richly deserved. The Rangers can never win in Montreal because the ice is tilted in favor of the Canadiens every time the Rangers play there. The calls are soooo lopsided you’d think Cindy Crosby plays for Montreal.

It was the cheap crap by the Canadiens that went uncalled that got my blood boiling. Henrik Lundqvist was deliberately run into by Benoit Pouliot when the game was clearly out of the Canadiens reach at 16:21 of the third period. Of course he only got called for a 2 minute goaltender interference penalty.

Pouliot should have gotten a match penalty and a suspension. He actually put his elbow into Lundqvist’s head. I thought there was a rule about putting a goon out to hurt someone at the end of the game? I thought there was a rule 48 about head shots? Maybe Kozari and Lee need to review the game to see all the missed calls? Striped Bastids.

Were I John Tortorella, I would have sent the closest Ranger on the ice down to the other end to knock Alex Auld on his ass. Two handing Carey Price would have been preferable but the Rangers need all hands on deck for the playoff  push. They can’t afford to lose any players to a lengthy suspension.

Now Henrik is questionable for tomorrow. He has a stiff neck from Pouliot’s cheap shot. A couple of games ago,  I saw Henrik using his stick to defend his crease. He should be doing that all the time. Too bad he didn’t spear Pouliot in the jewels. Rule 48 doesn’t pertain to that kind of  “head shot”.

It is my sincere hope that the Canadiens lose all of their remaining games and miss the playoffs. It would serve them and their obnoxious fans right.

Posted under New York Rangers

Okay so it’s not a Lenten Friday but the Rangers made a meal of the Fishsticks on this Tuesday night at the Garden.

Leading 2-0 after the first period, the Rangers came in to the second period with .28 seconds of powerplay time. They got caught flatfooted, allowing the Fishsticks to negate their two goal lead. It looked like the Icelanders were on their way to embarrassing the Rangers on home ice. So what else is new?

Then a curious thing happened. Luck turned the Rangers way for a change. Callahan found himself in the right place at the right time. The Rangers got the benefit of a few calls. Gaborik and McCabe came off the schneid. The Rangers took back the pace of the game, potted three before the buzzer and walked into the locker room with the D3GL.

I never count the Fish out.  They have scored 197 goals. That’s more then Montreal and Washington. They are a fast team with skilled forewards. Their defense and goaltending have killed them this season. The Rangers were able to keep possession of the puck during third period allowing the Fish only nine shots while taking nine.

If it weren’t for Avery taking the stupid penalty that lead to the Tavares goal, the Rangers would have drubbed the Islanders instead of coming away with just a 6-3 win. Lundqvist kept them in the game. Speaking of Avery, what in the hell is wrong with this guy? He’s been playing all season as though he’s been eating Thorazine laced cornflakes. He finally gets a shot and takes three bad penalties.

When the third Islander goal went in, Torts looked like he could have throttled Avery. The “Avery Effect” has all but disappeared.  Avery has one season left on his contract. He’s untradeable. If he doesn’t buck up he’ll find himself with a one way ticket to Hartford to join Redden or enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

While I love ABCD (Anisimov, Boyle, Callahan, Dubinsky) and Lundqvist and feel that they and many other members of the team bring their best game every game, Brandon Prust clearly stands out among his team mates this season for his courage and effort. He plays through pain and injury and hasn’t missed a game. He  can score and he can throw down. He leads the league in shorthanded goals. He’s a poor man’s Gordie Howe.

Brandon Prust is my candidate for the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award.

Posted under New York Rangers

This morning on the NHL on XM, Denis Potvin referred to female reporters and bloggers around the NHL as “skirts” because some women have commented negatively about Zdeno Chara’s hit on Max Pacioretty last night. Way to go Denis! Way to be a condescending, male chauvinist pig, you asshat.

No wonder why we still hear the “Potvin Sucks” whistle and chants at arenas all over the NHL. Potvin still sucks after all these years. It could be why he lost his broadcasting job in Florida. Potvin has become the Jimmy the Greek, the Keith Hernandez, the Don Imus of Hockey. Potvin calling women hockey writers and bloggers “skirts” is akin to Don Imus calling the Rutger’s Women’s Basketball team “nappy headed ho’s.” Okay, that may be a little hyperbole but I’m really pissed off.

FYI, Denis, I have been a Ranger fan and watching hockey since I’m a litte girl. You didn’t ask my my opinion before making a judgement that I am a know nothing “skirt”. Had you ask me I would have responded thusly:

Chara’s hit on Pacioretty was a tad late but Chara didn’t leave his feet. He was finishing his check. Hockey plays happen in a split second. I do not think Chara did anything with malice aforethought or with intent to injure. It was unfortunate that Pacioretty ran out of raill before colliding with the stanchion. When you have a behemoth like Chara leaning against you, you are going to ride the rail. I hope Pacioretty will be okay but it’s hockey, not ballroom dancing.

So there, Denis, you condescending piece of sh*t. Put that in your judgemental pipe and smoke it. If you think I’m your typical “skirt”, I implore you to bring it. I skate at Dix Hills Park on Long Island most Wednesday nights. Next your in town at a Fishstick Function, come over and skate. We’ll see whose wearing a “skirt”.

PS. Ranger fans still hold Potvin responsible for Ulf Nilson’s broken ankle.

PPS. My favorite hockey photo of all time is of Denis Potvin crumpled up against the boards on a fetal position when the Rangers derailed the Fishsticks from their “destiny’ in 1979.

POTVIN STILL SUCKS

Posted under New York Rangers

How can one explain the events that transpired at the Garden this afternoon other then to blame those ill conceived 85th anniversary jerseys. No one celebrates 85th Anniversaries.  The Rangers went back to white this afternoon and won. Lose the dark blue for the rest of the season.

The Broad Street Bullies, the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference, have pwned the Rangers since that playoff eliminating, Ranger season ending, shoot out victory last April. The record shows that the Flyers, 4-0 coming into today’s game,  have had the Rangers number more then any other team in the division. That ended this afternoon.

Okay so maybe it wasn’t all the fault of those dark blue jerseys. Maybe the Rangers are finally getting the message to elevate the puck when they shoot. Maybe they are finally getting the message that they need to put more pucks on net. Maybe Tortorella is finished jerking around the line combinations and is going to let the boyz develop a little chemistry. Maybe  having all hands back on deck is taking the heat off the kids and bringing the team more confidence.

Maybe the Rangers won because the refs this afternoon called a quasi-fair game. It could be the league and Campbell’s reaction to the last time these teams played a  Sunday matinee at the Garden. The Flyers did not receive one penalty that day. If you are shaking your head yes, the answer is no.

Wolkom and St. Laurant did their best to get the Flyers back in the game. Weak calls on Gilroy, Anisimov and roughing on Gaborik? Gaborik roughing? Please.  The Flyers couldn’t capitalize because they were tired. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Refs had an NBC producer whispering into an earpiece to tilt the ice so the ratings wouldn’t go down. Viewers might leave the game with the  score 4-0 going into the third period.

Such a cynic, you say? Yeah, perhaps the talking heads on the NHL on XM Morning show should stop drinking the NHL’s Kool Aide and scoffing at fans who believe in conspiracies.  They exist. You witnessed it today. What, you say? Only a Ranger fan would bitch about the officiating after beating one of their most hated rivals 7-0? You’re damn skippy I would. The NHL needs to clean up its act. The NHL ain’t the WWE just yet but it aint’ far from it.

Oh, BTW, the Rangers are 3 and 5 in Sunday matinees when they are wearing those 85th Anniversary jerseys. Just sayin’.

Posted under New York Rangers