You can blame Callahan. You can blame Bickel. You can blame Biron. You can blame the end boards at the Pebble. You can score 120 point this season but if you don’t fix the powerplay, you won’t go far in the playoffs. You’ll have no one to blame but yourselves.

Fix the powerplay. Fix the powerplay. Fix the powerplay. Fix the powerplay. Fix the powerplay. Fix the powerplay. Fix the powerplay. Fix the powerplay. Fix the powerplay. Fix the powerplay. Fix the powerplay. Fix the powerplay. Fix…

Someone kick the victrola, please.

With the regular NHL draft show, fans are on the edge of their seats. Everyone wants to see who will pick whom and when. The real draft determines the future of hockey teams. The NHL All Star Draft is meaningless, just like the actual NHL All Star game. Most people only watch the skills competition anyway.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s really nice to see NHL All Stars acknowledged for their talent. But, when the moronic fans of one team from the Canadian equivalent of Podunk (Ottawa) stuff the ballot box in favor of their own team, it’s a prescription for yawner.

Anyone who was remotely interested in hearing what Zdeno Chara and Joffrey Lupol were saying couldn’t because asshole Ottawa fans in the audience booed every time Lopul or any Maple Leaf came on the stage. Note to producers, do not give out tickets for this event to toolbag fans wearing the host team’s jerseys. (this applies to Ranger fans too)

How stupid is the NHL for making Daniel Alfredsson the captain of one team when they had the handsome and debonair Henrik Lundqvist at their disposal. Way to hide the light of King Henrik under a bushel basket. Now that Crosby is on the shelf, the NHL should be using Handsome Henke as its posterboy. Wait. I forget. Henrik isn’t North American.

Speaking of handsome and debonair,  it should be no surprise to anyone that Lundqvist, Girardi and Gaborik were the best dressed players at this event. With Henke and Sean Avery as fashion consultants, how could it not be thus. The Rangers made the rest of the All Star players look like they picked up their suits at a two for one clearance at a Sears Mens Store.

And what was with the lame Twitter segments with Igor Larianov’s daughter? If they needed to up their “blond” quotient, they should have let Tim Thomas and Phil Kessell speak on camera a little longer. They would probably sounded more intelligent then the host for the event, James Duffy. At least Ron Maclean and that old blowhard Don Cherry aren’t boring.

Did anyone even care that Ovechkin wasn’t there? I’ll bet as many people cared about that as cared that Tim Thomas didn’t go to the White House.

There’s an hour of my life I won’t get back. Note to self – Tivo this event next year and fast forward through it to avoid a case of narcolepsy.

Is it next Tuesday yet?

Someone needs to sit James Dolan down and force him to watch today’s game. If Dolan thinks his hockey team is Stanley Cup bound, he better think again. During their final powerplay in regulation, the Rangers were lucky Boston didn’t score a shorthanded goal. Boston beat them to every puck. Hell, the Rangers handed the puck to the Bruins at center ice.

It took a five minute major penalty on Andrew Ference’s cheap boarding of Ryan McDonagh for the Rangers to finally score their first powerplay goal in eight games. They had a 4 on 3 man advantage for over three minutes before they finally scored with 3 seconds left. Richards, Callahan and Gaborik never gave up. Thank goodness Tuuka Rask did.

Everyone thought Ference got away with his cheap and dangerous hit on Jeff Halpern in the playoffs last season. Ference should get at least a 10 game suspension for this dirty, dangerous and disrespectful hit on Ryan McDonagh. He’s a disgraceful player. The refs let the Bruins get away with all manner of uncalled punitions during this game. It culminated in the Ference hit. Ultimately, Ference’s malfeasance is the official’s fault.

In the eyes of most NHL fans, Ference is a repeat offender. If the league genuinely wants the injuries and concussions to stop, they need to make an example of Ference NOW.  Shanahan should act swiftly in this situation. Ference should be suspended immediately, not pending a hearing.  He should not be allowed to play tomorrow. If the League really wants to remedy this problem, offenders should be suspended for as long as their victims remain sidelined. If that’s forever, too bad.

Wait. Isn’t Soupy Campbell’s son still playing for Boston? Let’s see if Shanahan whitewashes this heinous act by a now 2x offender. What’s it gonna be, Shanny? Time to spin the “Wheel of Shanny”?

Is Dolan freakin’ kidding me? He doesn’t say a word about the Rangers  for years on end, preferring to hide in the haze of Glen Sather’s cigar smoke. Now this knucklehead chooses to brag about his hockey team? Seriously Jimbo? If anyone ever gave Jimmy Boy the benefit of the doubt about his cluelessness, those people need to take it back.

While the Rangers may be at the top of the mountain now, it’s only mid January. With half the season left, the Rangers have a long road to hoe to get to the playoffs, no less the Stanley Cup. The Rangers have 62 points and 38 games remaining. Judging by last season, 94/95 point will almost guaranteed the Rangers a playoff spot. If the Rangers win half of their remaining games they are in the playoffs. Hell, 16 wins will get them there.

As any hockey season wears on, players start to attrite. In addition to fatigue, injuries occur. The Rangers are a young team. Players like Mitchell and Hagelin have never played an 82 game season. The majority of the players have never gotten past the second round of the playoffs. If Dolan knew anything about hockey, he’d know that there are no guarantees, especially not in January. There’s no crying in hockey and no counting unhatched chickens.

Please God, keep Dolan away from the Rangers. Pray for the Knicks to start winning so he can jinx them. Before Jimmy pokes his head into another Ranger post game press conference, someone should slip him a roofie. Better yet, gag him with hockey tape. Then he won’t be able to speak or sing. Only the fat lady sings and right now, I have a cold.

It was nice to see the Rangers execute their game plan in Toronto on Hockey Night in Canada. Toronto lost last night in Buffalo to the struggling Sabres. By pounding the snot out of the Leaves from the git go, the Rangers made the Leaves pay to touch the puck in the first period and pay on the scoreboard in the second.

Secondary scoring once again has proven invaluable tonight with goals from  Mike “I’m Channeling Gretzsky” Rupp and, at long last, last year’s phenom Brian Boyle.  The Rangers have no powerplay, so it’s a damn good thing they have secondary scoring.

Along with the absent powerplay, Marian Gaborik has been AWOL in the goal scoring department. Gaborik’s lack of production could be a function of other teams covering him too well. No Matter. If the role players get the job done, it covers for Gaborik until he gets his touch back. Marian seems to be playing rather tentatively of late. Hope Gabby’s not injured.

Speaking of injured, the only hit I wanted to see and didn’t was on that punk Dion Phaneuf . Old Sloppy Seconds needs to be knocked on his arrogant ass. I know the best revenge against Phaneuf and the Leaves was to shut them out.  But still, it would have been rich to see Phaneuf spitting out teeth before the buzzer. Aah, eff him.

Something the Hockey Rodent noticed was that the Rangers passing was much better this evening then it was on Thursday at MSG, (more fluid, crisper, more control). He’s convinced it is because the ice at the Garden sucks. The puck doesn’t lay flat, most especially on the 8th Avenue end where the Rangers shoot twice.

Paging Jack Durkin and Paul Curtis of the Garden Ice crew! What can be done to improve the ice? Too damn many events at the Garden. The ice was so much better before the Knicks games started up again. I know you guys do your best under bad conditions. Let’s hope the Garden renovations include improving the ice.

Lastly, I was cooking all day trying to catch up on some meal planning. Every time I got up to go into the kitchen during the game the Rangers scored. Guess I’ll have to do the same thing tomorrow night. With all the ice tilting that goes on in Montreal, the Rangers can use all the help they can get.

By donating to the Tortorella  Fund, you can let them know we are sick of drinking their KoolAide. Let them know you are as mad as hell and sick of the bullshit. The Winter Classic is the straw that broke the fanbase’s back. Vote and let them know that as fans, we want to watch unadulterated hockey where the league and it’s officials do not predetermine the outcome of games.

Vote to give the game back to the players and their fans. Without the fans Gary Bettman, the Owners and the Governors do not make money. Have one less beer at the game tonight. Vote!

Here in its entirety is the page from the Rodent’s website. I have his permission to post this. Stand Up for Torts. He stood up for all hockey fans. You must go to the website for the active tabs to vote.:

WWW.HOCKEYRODENT.COM

John Tortorella, We’ve Got Your Back Fund
	$2.00 US		Click this button to donate two dollars to the John Tortorella, We’ve Got Your Back fund. DetailsOur mission is to defray the $30,000 fine levied by The National Hockey League against the New York Rangers’ head coach for expressing comments deemed critical of the officiating by referees Ian Walsh and Dennis Larueduring Monday’s Winter Classic in Philadelphia.Before donating, please read the following carefully: PayPal is taking 36¢ of each donation. That’s 2.9% plus 30¢ I have no control over. John Tortorella is not an Internal Revenue Code 26 U.S.C. § 501(c) Charity. You may not deduct this donation from your income taxes Donation amount is fixed and modest because cash is not what’s important to someone who makes more than we do. Do not donate more than once. The number of donors is how we show solidarity and support. This is what’s important! Spread the word. I have zero overhead/admin costs. Torts will receive whatever PayPal doesn’t take I pledge 100% confidentiality of your personal information. Nobody gets your donation info without a court order. Nor will I use your info for any selfish purpose. I pledge full disclosure of the ultimate disposition of every penny as we figure out how to get the collection to Penn Plaza. If required by law, I will allow a bona fide accounting firm to audit my handling of the funds The PayPal account being used is completely isolated. There is no mixing of money, no slush fund. Not one penny will be lost.

I sat and watched this game with a friend who is an Islander fan. When I told him how I expected the game to go, he laughed at me. With about seven minutes left, I told him the officials would start calling bullshit penalties against the Rangers.

They would try everything to get the Flyers back in the game, maybe force an overtime, better yet a shoot out. After laughing, he proceeded to drop his jaw for the final six minutes the game.

He sat in disbelief and ultimately in anger as he watched the game unfold. I told him nothing surprised me anymore. I honestly thought nothing could surprise me anymore. I was wrong. Ryan Callahan got clothes lined by Timmonen and Ryan gets a holding the stick penalty.

I don’t care if the Rangers ever play in another Winter Classic. I won’t go to it. I won’t watch it. I will not buy any of the merchandise, HBO or any of the other bullshit. Once burned twice shy. Walsh, LaRue, Bettman, Campbell, NBC and the NHL can take the Winter Classic and shove it up their asses. They are all a disgrace to the game. The WWE has more integrity.

It’s  shame that the real fans of the game have had the joy of  the Winter Classic taken away by corruption that stinks from the top down. I am calling out to all NHL fans, all hockey fans, to boycott the Winter Classic in future. Show the NHL you won’t stand for them bastardizing the game in the name of ratings and money.

He had an horrendous giveaway at center ice tonight that makes you wonder where his head is at. Sure, he is about the only guy on the team that can throw down (the other is Rupp). But when your team is ahead in a game, there is no reason to fight.

In 35 games Prust has 2 goals and 5 assists for a total of 7 points. He’s a -2. He’s on a pace to score about 6 goals. He is nowhere near equaling his record of last season. In 82 games last season, Prust had 13 goals and 16 assists for a total of 29 points and was a +2.

One might point to the comparative horrific season the other Brandon is having. At least Brandon Dubinsky is making an effort. Dubi has 4 goals and 14 assists  for 18 points and, unlike Prust, Dubi is a +8. Because he isn’t scoring, Tortorella has buried Dubi on the checking lines.

To add insult to injury, Torts has continued to play Prust while scratching Avery. Since clearing waivers in November, Avery has played in 15 games scoring 3 goals for a total of 3 points and is a +2. Avery probably has half the ice time of  Prust. Prust should have been scratched to send a message.

I guess the powers that be feel there is more upside to the enigmatic Wolski. Yeah, like Wolski has any jam at all. He won’t hit a fly. Christensen is another skell who needs to go. In 20 games he has 1 goal and 5 assists for 6 points and hes a +2. With shoot outs few and far between this season, Christensen is superfluous.

Boyle isn’t lighting up the score board either. Boyle has 2 goals and 6 assists for a total of 8 points and he is a +6. Boyle isn’t the sharpest knife in the draw. The only difference I see between Pruster and his roomie Boyler is more consistent effort on Boyle’s part.

The only conclusion to be made is that Tortorella has a hard on for Prust and Boyle and tolerates Christensen and Wolski. Torts really must loathe Sean Avery. It may come back to bite Tortorella in the ass. Never underestimate the power of the “Avery Effect”, especially come playoff time.

Sean Avery is a better player them both Christensen and Wolski. If Tortorella cannot put aside his prejudice and see this, he’s doing the team, the organization and the fans a disservice.

The Garden was rocking last night and I don’t think the crowd gave a damn about HBO being there. The fans were there to cheer on their boys and celebrate vanquishing a mortal enemy. Although I was hoping for another shut out for Henrik and for a blow out, 4-2 will certainly do. If Marty Brodeur wants to see what a real rivalry is like, he should watch Rangers in 60 today.

Even though is was a pleasure to see unhappy faces in orange jerseys exiting the building with their tails between their legs, I was most unhappy hearing Ranger fans boo-ing Jaromir Jagr. Jagr carried this franchise on his back and brought the franchise back to respectability after the lockout. He holds the Rangers’ all time season scoring record. Anyone who boo-ed him should be ashamed of themselves.

The best Christmas present of all was to watch the game in the bosom of Section 409 and share it with old friends like Bobby and Ron Doda and Joe and Tim. I think back fondly of the days when the 7th Ave. side of the section was all together. We missed Nick, Kevin, John the Hat, Matt, Mike, George and Joanne last night. We know you were all watching somewhere. Here’s a big high five for every goal the Ranger’s scored. We will always be together in spirit.

I would be remiss if did not thank my dear friend Nick Annunziata for so generously sharing his season tickets with us and enabling us to enjoy watching the team and the game we love best, live. All the happiness and blessings of the season to you and your family.

Before the game yesterday we  wandered around the City taking in the Christmas spirit. As I watched all the people buzz around, it reminded me how wonderful New York City is and how proud I am to be a native New Yorker and a fan of the New York Rangers.

We visited the Museum of the City of New York where we saw some possessions that once occupied the house of Clement C. Moore. He wrote “A Visit From St. Nicholas” better known as “T’was the Night Before Christmas”. The Moore family’s estate “Chelsea” is commemorated by Clement C. Moore Park on 10th Ave. and 22nd Street. Moore was a native of the West Side. If he was alive today he would surely be a Ranger Fan.

I’d like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Channukah, Kwanza, Festivus or whatever holiday you keep. Let’s hope our Rangers can keep their battle level up through the New Year.

Here in it’s entirety is the Clement C. Moore poem:

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

After watching the Rangers fail to score 5 on 3 and give up a shorthanded goal, I had every confidence the Rangers would lose their third straight game in the desert. Santa must have visited Phoenix tonight because the Rangers got their Christmas present early.

Numbers wise, the Yotes out hit and out faceoffed the Rangers big time tonight. The Rangers did out shoot the Yotes and the last shot was the one that counted.  The Rangers big name players came up big. The defense managed to get it done despite losing Eminger to a shoulder injury. Looks like Steve Eminger is going to miss some time on IR. Santa giveth and Santa taketh away.

Richards and Stepan were abysmal on faceoffs. Gaborik had a four point night and was still only a +1. Brian Boyle played over 10 minutes and Christensen over 8 minutes. Boyle was even and hand one shot on goal. Christensen was a -1 and had no shots on goal. Torts let the returning Rupp play over 8 minutes. Rupp was even and had two shots on goal. Torts gave Rupp time on the powerplay.

Sean Avery was once again a healthy scratch. Torts thinks that Boyle, Christensen and Rupp are better players then Avery. Boyle, Rupp and Christensen stood around like cigar store indians. If the Rangers lose next time they play a really fast team and Avery is a healthy scratch, Torts better take some heat.

Tonight’s victory was also an early Christmas gift for Arizona resident Jim Schmeideberg from Blueshirt Underground Radio/Blueshirt Banter. Jim was at the game with his lovely wife. Hope Jim didn’t have heart attack at the end. I’m sure his next show with The Mouth will be awesome as he regales his listeners with his experience.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/blueshirtunderground/

The Flyers got bushwacked by the Bruins but the Penguins won in Buffalo. The Rangers need to win every game before they play the Flyers on the 23rd. The Flyers and Pens need to lose every game and the Rangers will be on top the division. That would be the best Christmas/Channukah/Kwanza gift of all for New York Ranger Fans.