So we made it in. And are having a pretty good run, considering everyone thought we would be swept by the unstoppable and amazingly marketable Caps. But here we are. Next game is do or die. Speaking of dead, Blair Betts is gone thanks to this cheap shot of cheap shots:
Wow. I mean, wow. This should be a suspension, no doubt. The strange thing is, there wasn't even a penalty called on the hit. Suspension worthy? Let's break it down:
1) It was a late hit: Betts had dumped the puck in a good two seconds or so before the hit connected. It's one thing when a D man is playing the puck and you give him a bump, that's part of the game. But to give a late hit to someone who is dumping the puck while both teams are changing lines? That's classless.
2) The elbow: You see that video up there? Pause it at the 54 second mark and tell me what you see. I'll wait here. You good? Ok. Look at that elbow. Even if Brashear made contact with his shoulder, the elbow was riding VERY high. Even if the initial hit was clean (which it wasn't), he basically uppercuts Betts with the followthrough. Hell, add in a "Tiger Uppercut!" soundbite and we can start calling him Donald "Sagat" Brashear it was that blatant. What I'm trying to say is that even if his elbow was tucked, it was still in a position that caused serious damage to another player's...
3) HEAD! Hey! Remember how the NHL was really trying to cut down on cheap shots to the noggin? Well, this is a clear case of one, so let's see how they react. Not only was it a shot (with an elbow, tucked or not) right to the head, but it was a blindside hit, which greatly increases the likelihood of...
4) INJURY! God love the NHL, but they penalize injuries, not actions. However, in this case, both warrant suspension. Betts was rocked and had to be helped off the ice, probably with a concussion. Without giving any details, his injury has already been described as "serious" by the Rangers.
5) REPUTATION! Remember when Chris Simon kept getting suspended? The NHL takes these things into consideration. Brash has been previously suspended for laying a questionable hit on an Icelander, so he has a rep. This won't help him.
In the end though, it doesn't matter. His 2:05 minutes of ice time will not be missed. A bag of pucks could replace him quite well. The Rangers, on the other hand, lose not only my favorite guy on the roster, but a key member of the PK. Don't believe me that it'll matter? Just look what the Caps did to the Rangers post Betts.
'Nuff said.
On another note, Shaone Morrison bit Brandon Dubinsky in the arm, which lead to Dubi being tossed from the game.
Gotta love fair play.
I'm still a pessimist, but I want my guys to win, just to stick it to Gary, depriving him of his Pens/Caps centerpiece and giving the purists and old school original 6 matchup that could really bring NYC and Boston back into the hockey fold (Red Sox are playing again, so NYC hatred is on the rise and will bleed over into hockey).
Let's go Rangers!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
We Won't Make the Playoffs
I'm a Mets fan. Been one my whole life. In fact, the first memory that I have of a sporting event is the Mets winning it all in 1986. I was a young kid and couldn't really figure out why my parents were so excited. I remember being more interested in our kitchen scale than the game.
As a Mets fan, I've lived through many years of terrible seasons. For the longest time, mainly in the 90s, the Mets followed a trend: suck for the first half of the year, pick it up at the half, and then miss the post season anyway. Seeing this repeated over and over again made me a pessimist of a fan. Any true Mets fan wasn't shocked by their collapse. Or last year's fizzle (refuse to call it another collapse. Those that do so are just fishing for a storyline).
As such, I am going to say this now: I don't think the Rangers are going to make the playoffs. Here's why:
1) They have the toughest schedule out of the remaining teams. When even The Pensblog says the Rangers have the toughest finish, you know you're in trouble. They have to face the (in order) Devils, Whalers, Bruins, Habs, and Flyers (twice). Let's look at these matchups for a second:
DEVILS - Fat Martha has been on a tear since coming back from his cake eating injury, getting something like 20 shutouts in 4 games. He also just set some sort of record for eating 552 Ugly Elf hot wings in a single sitting (shout out to TK's in Danbury for putting up the goods!). The rest of the team: their style is impetuous! Their defense is impregnable! They're just ferocious! They want your heart; to eat your children! Praise be to Allah!
WHALERS - always a tough game for me, emotionally...but...oh yeah! Rangers. Right. Tough team. Cam Ward's been quietly having an amazing year. Last time, he stole a game from the Rangers. If his D shows up, we're boned. The fact that they also brought back Eric Cole is bad news bears. This is a team that wants to make a cup run, and is playoff bound.
BRUINS - this is the game I'm looking forward to the most, from an enjoyment standpoint. Every meeting has with the B's this year has been a tense, low scoring affair. OT and the skills competition is pretty standard for these games. Though they've had some trouble, the Bruins are on the uptick. They beat the living crap out of Toronto, scoring 7 (gave up 5). Last time we won thanks to Manny being another Manny; if Timmy Tornado plays...well...it'll probably go to OT.
HABS - Montreal screwjob waiting to happen. Goals come in bunches North of the Border. This is a bad thing. We won the last meeting, but in the previous two gave up six goals a piece. The D needs to show up or Kovie (why'd you burn that troll's hair!?!) and the 300 Kostitsyns will burn Hank.
FLYERS - brutal games. If Biron keeps playing beyond himself, and if they play Flyer hockey, we're going to get blown away. With the aggressive style Torts has implemented, all it takes is a hit on a pinching D man to spring an odd man rush, which the Flyers can cash in to brutal effect. Wade, I'm looking at you. If the Rangers play their game, control the pace, and stay alert, they can win it. Still, playing back to back against a team that'll punish your D on the forecheck doesn't bode well.
Conlusion for Part 1 - Six games remaining against six playoff bound teams. I'd like to see the Rangers win against the Whale (I'm sorry), and at least take OT points against the Bruins and Debbies. The run n' gun will burn them in Montreal, and potentially against Carolina. If they can split the Flyers' series, they'd be in good shape. They can literally play themselves into the playoffs, or right on out. Ideally you'd want to play a team that's coasting into the playoffs, but you won't find any. The Debbies want to break their skid, the Flyers are always tough, the Cane's are on a six game tear and the Habs want to leapfrog the Rangers. There are no easy games from here on in.
2) The Team - what this team has become is akin to getting a single new tire, but slashing all your old ones. Antropov...I mean, wow. The guy has really been playing well. And Avery! NY loves you! Mr. Morris has been good on D and the PP, but for all the good, there's been some very bad. Freddy Shoes has been bounced around the lines like a golf ball in a blender, not really fitting in anywhere. The Korpedo has ceased to exist, along with the majority of the fourth line. Orr's ice time has dropped, and so has the quality of his play. Betts sees more time thanks to his PK skills, but still a lot less than before. This does not bode well for the offseason, where some of these roll players may take off to better paydays and teams that'll play them more. And what of Z? He's been quiet of late, but is now a persona non grata...which brings me to the real problem.
3) Torts - I love Torts. For years I wanted him to be the Rangers head coach. The trouble is he's falling more into the line of what Muckler used to do: run n' gun. Hank is good, but he's not god. The boys have worked on cutting down the passing lanes, but with his idea that the D should jump into the play more often, we're generating more odd man rushes against Hank than before. We may score more goals, but more goals are going to be scored against us. My main problem is that Torts likes to roll 3 lines and play the boys he likes. Dubi is one of his favorites, as has been stated. Z, not so much. It's a shame that the Korpedo got demoted. He and Dru used to be a great forechecking tandem, one which would fit really well into Torts' aggressive play style. However, he uses 2/3 rds of the 4th line almost solely on the PK. He has done some great things, like the Gomer/Avery combo. The shame is that as soon as they are checked well, he splits them up. This is the stuff that people freaked out over Renney doing, but now it's ok. Go figure.
Overall, I just don't think we have it. Our third periods are usually garbage, which, when combined with our new system, leads to us giving up goals and not scoring them when they're needed. It's always better to give up the lead early rather than late, and we suck at this. The other problem is that with more aggression, we get more penalties. One just needs to look at the past few games to see that we have very little in terms of flow. We PK, attack a little, PK, attack, PK...it gets your guys cold and wears out the PK. We also can't contain skill guys like Ovie, Crosby, and Kovie. Probably Kobe too, if he skated. We're just not that good compared to what's around us. I want us to make it, but I'm doubtful. We need to get hot, win a few in a row, and pull away from the Panthers, who have won their last 2.
Let's do it.
As a Mets fan, I've lived through many years of terrible seasons. For the longest time, mainly in the 90s, the Mets followed a trend: suck for the first half of the year, pick it up at the half, and then miss the post season anyway. Seeing this repeated over and over again made me a pessimist of a fan. Any true Mets fan wasn't shocked by their collapse. Or last year's fizzle (refuse to call it another collapse. Those that do so are just fishing for a storyline).
As such, I am going to say this now: I don't think the Rangers are going to make the playoffs. Here's why:
1) They have the toughest schedule out of the remaining teams. When even The Pensblog says the Rangers have the toughest finish, you know you're in trouble. They have to face the (in order) Devils, Whalers, Bruins, Habs, and Flyers (twice). Let's look at these matchups for a second:
DEVILS - Fat Martha has been on a tear since coming back from his cake eating injury, getting something like 20 shutouts in 4 games. He also just set some sort of record for eating 552 Ugly Elf hot wings in a single sitting (shout out to TK's in Danbury for putting up the goods!). The rest of the team: their style is impetuous! Their defense is impregnable! They're just ferocious! They want your heart; to eat your children! Praise be to Allah!
WHALERS - always a tough game for me, emotionally...but...oh yeah! Rangers. Right. Tough team. Cam Ward's been quietly having an amazing year. Last time, he stole a game from the Rangers. If his D shows up, we're boned. The fact that they also brought back Eric Cole is bad news bears. This is a team that wants to make a cup run, and is playoff bound.
BRUINS - this is the game I'm looking forward to the most, from an enjoyment standpoint. Every meeting has with the B's this year has been a tense, low scoring affair. OT and the skills competition is pretty standard for these games. Though they've had some trouble, the Bruins are on the uptick. They beat the living crap out of Toronto, scoring 7 (gave up 5). Last time we won thanks to Manny being another Manny; if Timmy Tornado plays...well...it'll probably go to OT.
HABS - Montreal screwjob waiting to happen. Goals come in bunches North of the Border. This is a bad thing. We won the last meeting, but in the previous two gave up six goals a piece. The D needs to show up or Kovie (why'd you burn that troll's hair!?!) and the 300 Kostitsyns will burn Hank.
FLYERS - brutal games. If Biron keeps playing beyond himself, and if they play Flyer hockey, we're going to get blown away. With the aggressive style Torts has implemented, all it takes is a hit on a pinching D man to spring an odd man rush, which the Flyers can cash in to brutal effect. Wade, I'm looking at you. If the Rangers play their game, control the pace, and stay alert, they can win it. Still, playing back to back against a team that'll punish your D on the forecheck doesn't bode well.
Conlusion for Part 1 - Six games remaining against six playoff bound teams. I'd like to see the Rangers win against the Whale (I'm sorry), and at least take OT points against the Bruins and Debbies. The run n' gun will burn them in Montreal, and potentially against Carolina. If they can split the Flyers' series, they'd be in good shape. They can literally play themselves into the playoffs, or right on out. Ideally you'd want to play a team that's coasting into the playoffs, but you won't find any. The Debbies want to break their skid, the Flyers are always tough, the Cane's are on a six game tear and the Habs want to leapfrog the Rangers. There are no easy games from here on in.
2) The Team - what this team has become is akin to getting a single new tire, but slashing all your old ones. Antropov...I mean, wow. The guy has really been playing well. And Avery! NY loves you! Mr. Morris has been good on D and the PP, but for all the good, there's been some very bad. Freddy Shoes has been bounced around the lines like a golf ball in a blender, not really fitting in anywhere. The Korpedo has ceased to exist, along with the majority of the fourth line. Orr's ice time has dropped, and so has the quality of his play. Betts sees more time thanks to his PK skills, but still a lot less than before. This does not bode well for the offseason, where some of these roll players may take off to better paydays and teams that'll play them more. And what of Z? He's been quiet of late, but is now a persona non grata...which brings me to the real problem.
3) Torts - I love Torts. For years I wanted him to be the Rangers head coach. The trouble is he's falling more into the line of what Muckler used to do: run n' gun. Hank is good, but he's not god. The boys have worked on cutting down the passing lanes, but with his idea that the D should jump into the play more often, we're generating more odd man rushes against Hank than before. We may score more goals, but more goals are going to be scored against us. My main problem is that Torts likes to roll 3 lines and play the boys he likes. Dubi is one of his favorites, as has been stated. Z, not so much. It's a shame that the Korpedo got demoted. He and Dru used to be a great forechecking tandem, one which would fit really well into Torts' aggressive play style. However, he uses 2/3 rds of the 4th line almost solely on the PK. He has done some great things, like the Gomer/Avery combo. The shame is that as soon as they are checked well, he splits them up. This is the stuff that people freaked out over Renney doing, but now it's ok. Go figure.
Overall, I just don't think we have it. Our third periods are usually garbage, which, when combined with our new system, leads to us giving up goals and not scoring them when they're needed. It's always better to give up the lead early rather than late, and we suck at this. The other problem is that with more aggression, we get more penalties. One just needs to look at the past few games to see that we have very little in terms of flow. We PK, attack a little, PK, attack, PK...it gets your guys cold and wears out the PK. We also can't contain skill guys like Ovie, Crosby, and Kovie. Probably Kobe too, if he skated. We're just not that good compared to what's around us. I want us to make it, but I'm doubtful. We need to get hot, win a few in a row, and pull away from the Panthers, who have won their last 2.
Let's do it.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Rangers got drilled like the north Dallas 40
Wow, that was bad.
No excuses. Everyone had a bad game. About the only person I give any credit to is Zherdev, who played a pretty strong game considering his nose got busted up by Ott(er).
Valley was left out to dry, and after the game seemed like a sure loss, he just gave up. Just like the rest of the team. Interesting things happened though.
1) Gomer was benched in the third. This is a sign that Renney's had enough. He's gone through his mentor persona, and now he's going to give the players something to think about. The hard skate was a good start, and with the excess of D men, we can expect to see Rosi or Redden get some time off soon, but more than likely it'll be Staal.
2) Voros was in the lineup. Some people advocate putting Orr in his place. I agree with this for the most part. The main thing is that if you are going to put a big guy in front of the net, he needs to have some hands. Orr doesn't seem to have the hands that Voros has, which is saying something. The point is that you don't need a big man in front on the PP. Put Drury there, and Prucha on the wing to pick up the garbage that Dru'll generate.
3) Props for Orr sticking up. Hell, the game was already out of hand, so why not send a message. Ott is the Dallas Avery, which is why it puzzled me that they signed The Sloppy One in the first place.
Speaking of Sloppy Seconds he may be coming back to MSG. I'm not sure how I feel about this. He's good for the intensity that he adds to any game he's in, but he may undermine the chemistry of the team. Thing is, the Rangers need one of two things (ideally both): more goals or a shutdown D man. Avery doesn't give either of these things.
What he can do is throw off the games of top players like Crosby (who, btw, was cited in an ESPN player poll as being the biggest complainer in the NHL). This could play into the defensive mindset that Renney wants. He also brings speed. I would honestly love to see a line with him, Cally, and Dubinsky. They would piss the hell out of any opponents, and maybe create some good scoring chances. They'd be the meth addict line, just going crazy for a fix.
Back on track.
4) The flu. As if things weren't bad, the flu is going to keep taking players out of the linuep for the next few days. Thankfully, the boys have a few days off, so maybe the bug'll run its course. On the bright side, the flu gives a good excuse for certain high priced free agents not to play. But would the kids in Hartford be a step up? Maybe?
5) Perry Pearn goes soon. I think that'll be a good wakeup call. Moving Renney would be a bad idea. His system works pretty well (when the D doesn't suck ass. I had the Dallas broadcast, and they were just astounded at how lost the D looked when confronted by a good forecheck) but it needs offense. The PP needs to generate more goals. If the kids hustle, they'll draw penalties. PP will lead to goals, and the shutdown D will hold. Thing is, the kids aren't hustling, the PP is getting a goal here or there but nothing much, and we have Redden on D. Rosi has been on the upswing, but man, Redden must've had about 400 turnovers tonight.
6) Turnovers. Too many tonight. At least 5 of the Stars' goals were direct results of Ranger turnovers. The D was left by itself, without a center to backcheck (usually being caught up ice) and eaten up.
Anyway, I still think that we'll get into the playoffs. I'm banking on a series with the Bruins. It'd be great hockey, and a good excuse to slip into 8th place. We're not a top tier team, I realize that, but we could be a good team.
LSATs are in the morning. That should be fun. I am realizing that Law School may not be the way to go...
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Why the Rangers Didn't Suck on Adam Graves Night
First off, Graves is one of the best human beings to be put on this planet. The man is humble, hardworking, and charitable...just an amazing person. We should all be a little more like him. Following his career over the years, I always admired how he would play through injury after injury, and produce. I remember that he once got something like 30 stitches in his mouth after getting hit with a puck during the morning skate, and when he skated that night, it was like nothing was wrong.
That's Adam Graves. The man who makes us think that nothing is wrong, and that we can make the world a better place.
BUT! There was a hockey game tonight. Rangers lost 2-1 in the shootout after Kovy whiffed on an empty net and Naslund tied the game up in the last 10 seconds. Thrilling finish, bad result.
Thing is, if you float around the blogosphere, people are saying that the Rangers are the worst team, and that they should be ashamed being DOMINATED by the Thrashers and their terrible blah blah blah.
Look, the Rangers played a good game tonight. It was not an entertaining game, but it was a good solid hockey game. Let's run down some things.
1) The Thrashers being a last ranked team: A team is only as good as they are that night. That's it. Kovy wasn't great, but the man did have some hard shots on the PP that Hank stopped. The real key was Lehtonen. The big kid played up to his potential, and made some pretty difficult saves. There were about 3 definite goals that he robbed from the boys in blue tonight. Also, don't forget we swept these kids 2 years back. There is history, and motivation.
2) Motivation: Ceremonies do NOTHING for the players on the ice. Athletes are creatures of habit. They do their warmup, they get into the game. Now imagine that you do your warmup, then have an hour ceremony, then you warmup, then you get into the game. You don't care what is being said, you just want to get to the task at hand. To the people who say that they should be inspired, well, they should, but it's not likely. Look and Hank during the ceremony. He wanted this thing to get over with so he could just get in net, focus, and play. Anyone who's ever worn the waffleboard knows that feeling.
3) Offense: Good chances. 4th line was really solid jumping on the Thrasher's D and forcing the pace they wanted. 3rd line was pretty good too, with Anisimov showing good hands on a quick turn around shot that almost caught Kari sleeping. Dru's line was pretty good, buzzing around, but they, like Gomer's line, didn't have it tonight (save for the end). The boys did have some good chances though.
4) D: This was probably one of the most solid games the D has played. Reitz (Rietz? It's late and I don't care to look him up) looks like he can give that Strudwick snarl to the blueliners, but he takes himself out of position to make some of his hits. If the center backchecks properly, though, he can step up and level some dudes. He had about 4 or 5 good hits on guys coming into the zone tonight, and the big hit that lead to the fight. Rosi played well, as did Redden, who showed some grit tonight. I can't believe it, but Wade skated hard tonight, pinched properly, and look what happened! He was crucial in keeping the puck in for the tying goal!
5) Renney: First off, I say put Prucha and Anisimov in, take Dawes and Voros out. Let Dawes recharge while you try out the kid, and give Prucha some games. Voros' job can be done by Orr, who has shown good hockey sense and jump in the last few games. Trouble is, Orr might not have the patience for the front of the net. Anyway, ride Rietz until he fucks up, then bring D.K. back in. They're about the same, but I like the new kid's physicality better. Here's the thing. Renney is playing a good system. It works. The D isn't strong enough to run-n-gun, so they need to play tight, controlled hockey. It's not exciting, but it works. Now, when they're in the zone, they need to cash in on their chances. They need to get the cycle working, and wear out the other guys. Too often they float in a free form rather than cycling, and it drives me mad. Simple things work. Back to the D. Aside from the misplaying of the puck, the D showed that the system really works. Let's consider.
2 games. 1 against a good opponent, the other against a bad one. In both games they have given up a goal. That's as good as it gets folks. The gusy in the back are doing their jobs. Now it's up to the dudes up front. It's not exciting to watch, but as a fan, you have a choice. Do you want to win or be entertained? We have the pieces that we have. Much like Colin Campbell after the cup, Renney is working with a mishmash. His top players are playmakers (Gomer and Dru). He has a ton of kids, but they're streaky and prone to breaking down/mental lapses. To compound things, he has a weak D corps that's lead by an offensive D man. We learned from Sandis Ozilinch and Backman that these guys don't work, yet management says, "Here you go!". It's like the Met's getting Santana (who is awesome) when they really needed bullpen support.
6) Hell, it's late, and I'm tired. I've just grown so sick of the bitching that people do about the team. Know something about hockey if you're going to bitch. We all know the PP sucks, but aside from that, there's not that much wrong with the team right now. We have what we have, and we have to work with it. Scoring will come. Voros will come out, Pru/Dru/Dawes will get more time together. Pace of play will increase, as will chances. Hopefully Rieieieietz will get some time to show us what he has. I hope he's another Paul Mara, a solid D man who just needed some new digs. Anisimov could be something good. At 6'4'' he could replace Voros in front, and if his hands are that good, maybe pick up some trash.
Bomb the blogosphere.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Heartbreak
This is always a hard game. The Whalers, my beloved team, my childhood heroes, are back in town. Thing is, they're dressed in NASCAR colors, and call themselves the Southern Drizzle or something. Ugh. My poor, poor Whale.
Coming from a mixed household (Brooklynites relocated to Connecticut) I grew up loving both the Rangers and the Whale. I was a kid, what did I know? Besides, they both hated the Bruins, so it worked out. Now I'm a one team man (though I still have a soft spot for Edmonton). Still, seeing my old team breaks my heart.
As such, I want the Rangers to destroy them, utterly. Physically, spiritually, emotionally. I want them to eat their red tinted whale babies.
That's harsh. I just want a win, really. And a physical game. I can't stand the Allstar game. The skills competition, I love, always have, but the game itself is just a waste of time. Everyone's already gone through all the reasons, and I agree with them all. ALL OF THEM. Even some of the Devil fans. They're people too.
So I hear.
Coming from a mixed household (Brooklynites relocated to Connecticut) I grew up loving both the Rangers and the Whale. I was a kid, what did I know? Besides, they both hated the Bruins, so it worked out. Now I'm a one team man (though I still have a soft spot for Edmonton). Still, seeing my old team breaks my heart.
As such, I want the Rangers to destroy them, utterly. Physically, spiritually, emotionally. I want them to eat their red tinted whale babies.
That's harsh. I just want a win, really. And a physical game. I can't stand the Allstar game. The skills competition, I love, always have, but the game itself is just a waste of time. Everyone's already gone through all the reasons, and I agree with them all. ALL OF THEM. Even some of the Devil fans. They're people too.
So I hear.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Rangers vs. Blackhawks 1/16/09
Been really busy of late, hence no blog. Missed a bunch of games (live, caught up in replays). Figure I'll do a live blog like thing for the Rangers/Blackhawks game, to get back into things.
Pregame: I've never seen a crowd so pumped for the national anthem. I forgot to look who their singer is, but it's the same guy from the Winter Classic. Killer voice, and he gets the crowd WAY into it. They were clapping the whole way through. Good way to start.
1st PERIOD
15:00: Not the exact time. Rangers took a hooking call after getting overwhelmed early on. They killed it. The Naslund line was flying to start, Gomer looked good, and Cally had a great breakup of a 2 on 3. Hank also looks solid. Took a couple of shots early, so he should be into it.
11:43: Good pace to this game. Lots of hard hitting from both sides. I've got the Blackhawks feed, and I've got to say, their announcers are pretty good. Eddie O is way better when he's not on VS.
10:30: Gomer and Staal looking good on D. Would love to see 19 get his offensive game going more, but if this game is any indication, big things could be coming. He's playing good D and crashing the net when his line's on. Hard work = payoff. Eventually. Just ask Prucha? Yeah.
9:27: D is doing a good job moving guys away from Hank. Still, the kids from the Hawks seem to be giving them trouble on the rush.
8:07: Good chance from the Hawks, but solid D blocked a shot and lead to a good rush. Hawk's announcers said Tom Renney wants to limit opposing teams to 10-12 scoring chances a game. That's be sick. Also, looks like Dubi and some jabroni were having words. God, I hope he doesn't try and fight anyone.
Side note: Zherdev and Dubi have been invisible. Same with Dawes. Korpedo had a good rush, hope he goes nuts and nets something. That kid has a bright future.
6:06: Good cycle by the Gomez line. A few missed chances, but they're going crazy out there. 2 on 1 the other way now on a blocked shot, and nothing happens. Eek. Typical Rangers hockey, but a killer shift, about 20 seconds of good pressure. It got the Hawks scrambling, but that 2 on 1 could be a sign of things to come. With the youth on that team, a blocked shot or odd bounce could lead to a goal or two in the course of this game. Powerplay, I'm talking to you.
5:04: Zherdev looks like he's getting his legs going. Hope he goes cocaine crazy and starts doing backflips. Or scores a goal. Or anything. Just don't vanish, Blue Jacket's style.
4:32: Redirect GOAL for the Hawks (Versteeg). Broken play. Puck went out, Rangers were clumped, Hank was way too deep. I know that's how he plays, but man, it makes my goalie spine tingle. He lives in what my old goalie coaches used to call the "triangle of death". He did get a piece of it though.
3:20: Naslund gets in too tight. Looked like the Hawks got away with some funky stuff.
2:30: Rangers are collapsing, the Hawks are getting good pressure in front of the net. Expect something from the side to go in on Hank.
2:00: Rosi, why'd ya do it? The Staal penalty was week, but Rosi totally took Sharpe down. Great. 2 minute 5 on 3. Let's go PK!
1:37: Rangers are playing an inverted triangle on the kill. Interesting. Hank makes a good save. 10 seconds later Betts clears it. I really want to get a Betts jersey. Miss when he had Hollweg and Ortmeyer on his line. Shame those kids couldn't score to save their lives/went insane.
10 Seconds left: GOAL POST! Damn! Too close.
Intermission: Some bright spots that period. D looked solid for a while, but the Hawks are a little too fast. Drury and Gomer are playing well on D, as is Staal. Both Staal and Rosi looked solid, but man, that penalty kill...it's a good thing to take into the intermission, but it's something you'd rather not have to deal with. I hope they can turn that into motivation and come out on fire during the second. I'm liking what I'm seeing from the Gomez/Naslund/Cally line. When they get out there, the Hawks are having trouble containing them. The other lines need to wake up though. You can't just rely on one line. Remember the Devils series right after the lockout? Yeah.
2nd PERIOD
20:00: Holy Crap Hank is on.
19:20: I love when Pru throws the body around. I mean, they guy is just so scrawny, yet he loves throwing checks. Gotta love that intensity!
Side Note: I always think Duncan Keith was that pop singer from the 90s. It makes me hate him more. Hell, it could've been him. I wonder what Lisa Loeb is doing right now...and if I can be involved.
16:00 Did the Hawks just get away with a high stick? Rangers are looking pretty terrible right now. Barely handling this game. D is being physical though, so they should hold for a while.
14:57 Hawks tackle the Korpedo when he was going for a rebound. Be aggressive to the net and good things happen.
14:30 ish Wow. Girardi kills a Versteeg with a CLEAN HIT and Barker jumps him. I mean, understand standing up for a guy, but seriously this stuff is out of control. Girardi drops the gloves before Barker, but he knows what's coming. Call that one a draw. 5 on 3, Blueshirts.
13:35 YEAH PREP! CHRIS DRURY GOAL! Wisnewski gets the A for effort though, no stick and 2 blocks. Still a PP. What a rip by Captain Clutch!
12:35 This game might get really chippy, really fast. Lots of kids in this game, lots of emotion flowing. God the Rangers need to learn how to clear the zone.
11:44 Kick save Drury, and a beaut! Hawks aren't really cycling, but they have great puck control on the perimeter, could lead to trouble.
Side Note: Chris Drury went to my high school. It was an all boys Catholic school, run by Jesuits. Between the Lisa Loeb reference and Dru, this game is seriously like a flash back to my formative years. How is Lisa Loeb still single? Didn't that Zappa kid know what he was letting go there? Seriously!
10:50 Now the Hawks cycle, and it's scary. A true, textbook cycle. Damn.
9:13 Anyone else have a little bit of a heart attack whenever Hank handles the puck? Hextall, he is not.
8:42 Blair Betts goes battering ram in order to force the Hawks offsides. God I love how that guy plays. After the whistle Colton Orr and Ben Eager shove a bit. History from his Flyer days?
8:02 Blair Betts gets called for a weak slash, that even the Hawks guys are questioning. On Ben Eager. Ugh.
7:20 Hawks get away with a trip, then they call Staal for a slash. No replay of the call. Come on.
5:59 Eddie- O "Toews loses an edge and Redden is next to him". They also give Staal a misconduct. For what, I don't know. So 5 on 3 for 50. Betts with a good clear. Man, this is such crap. Just give them a goal. And cut out the middle men.
5:06 Rosi with a good block 4 on 5. Come on boys!
4:17 Cally gets called for high sticking. 5th consecutive penalty on the Rangers. This is amazing. Phantom calls lead to legit calls as people get tired. This is astounding. I hope Renney says something about this after the game.
Up until this point, this was a good game to watch. Two young teams going head to head. There was speed, and there was snarl. And now it's slow. And dead. No rhythm at all. This is what is wrong with hockey
3:11 Hank is great! Betts is a beast with the save/clear combo! Drury is leading the way like the true Captain he is.
AMAZING KILL. SUCK IT REFS.
HOLY CRAP A POWERPLAY!
WITH 42.1 SECONDS LEFT! PLENTY OF TIME!
INTERMISSION
Ugh. I can't believe that officiating. The Hawks have these great ads titled "One Goal". Check them out on youtube. Ugh. Still, the boys killed 3 or 4 five on threes. That's mighty impressive, considering the talent on the other side of the puck. There's a chance Crosby might not play on Sunday, and if that happens, the PK could be in even better position than normal. Feel bad for the Blackhawks' special teams Assistant Coach. That guy is boned.
3rd PERIOD
Ok. No penalties! Don't let me down. And we start on the PP! God that's still one of the best logos in sports (the Hawks)!
19:09 Hey! Guess what! A hand pass is called against the Rangers. Replay shows nothing of course. That killed the Rangers' pressure like Roseanne kills an erection.
That's right, I said it.
PP OVER.
17:27 Dan Girardi is out for the rest of the game with an upper body injury. Now Rosi gets called for having his stick in the area of Kris Versteeg's hip. Hooray. I want to firebomb this ref's house.
16:05 Rangers look tired on the kill. Finally clear the zone after some scrambling in front of the net. Gomer kills some time and the penalty is over. If the Rangers win this game (even though it is 1-1) I'll be shocked.
14:50 Dubi just killed a man. Prucha is like Al Pacino in Scarface (on skates) on the forecheck.
13:46Colton Orr: 4:01 of ice time. Those PKs are a bitch. I hope he gets a goal tonight. Naslund got molested a bit on that last rush. Staal is back out though, which is good.
12:50: Colton Orr muscles two of the Hawks while scrambling for a loose puck. MANBEAST!
12:02 DAMN THE KORPEDOS! IT'S A GOAL! DOOOOOOOOOOBI DOOOOOBI DO! Great feed on the broken play from the Korpedo to Dubi! Killer fake shot froze Khabi, and Mr. Dubinsky! Tear that wall down!
9:35 Zherdev looks like he wants some now. Did the Rangers actually pull off the rope-a-dope? We'll see...
Side Note: Wow! Friday Night Lights is going to be on TV tonight! No more stealing for me!
8:58 Prucha cuts Partick Sharp's head off, and gets away with it. This ref, man...Jet Li needs to spin kick him or something.
6:55 Rangers get a call for high sticking. This can't possible come back and bite us in the ass. Rosi, why? Everyone is confused as to the penalty call, whether it was a make up for the Prucha decapitation, or if it was something later. (UPDATE: Ref thought it was Rosi that slashed him, so they called the penalty at the first stoppage. Linesman call, since they can't stop play, but can call penalties. Wonder what happens if a goal is scored before the Linesman reports the call)
Sam Seasonal is awesome, btw.
5:50 Remember how I said the Rangers couldn't clear? The trend is continuing. And getting scary.
5:21 Hey, guess what! ANOTHER 5 ON 3. THAT'S 5 OF THEM. 2 MINUTES OF 5 ON 3. THIS IS INSANE. THEY'RE NOT PLAYING THAT CRAZILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4:57 Blair Betts dives to get the puck out! MVPPPPPPP of the Week!
4:29 ROD C-BIZZLE RODS THE RANGERS. HARD. Low, long and hard, blocker side. That describes this game pretty well. Oh and what's this? They still have a powerplay. Wunderbar, minus the umlaut.
4:06 Campbell, high sticking. RANGERS PP ;-( Kalinin just almost scored on Hank. Great save. Wait, no PP. 4 on 4. Fuck.
3:06 Drury rips one out of the park. Part of me wonders if Renney is just going to play for the tie at this point. I wouldn't blame him. The shootout would be great with the talent on these teams.
Side Note: Everything related to the Hawks is sponsored by Smirnoff. Awesome.
2:43 PP, for real this time. Hawks keep clearing the puck. Assholes. PP over.
1:24 Hank is pissed at someone on his D who redirected the puck. Money's on Special K.
LAST MINUTE Stream of Consciouness: Oh crap in our zone, still, good crowd, move it up DAWES, wide, ugh, keep moving you asses, get back! way to play the body staalsie, move it, not to them! Man, glasses, you needs them. End.
OHHHHHHHHHHHVERTIME!
4:00 Thank god this thing isn't bold anymore. Was stuck for a while. Some good chances back and forth. Naslund on his horse.
3:30 Good movement, but nothing from it. Dubi takes a late run at some jobber.
3:00 Big Z takes a Big hit. Andrew Ladd goes all French Revolution on Dubi's stick.
OVERTIME POWERPLAY!?!
Is this a good thing? I hope so. Best and the brightest out there.
2:37 OH DRU DIDN'T KNOW? YOUR ASS BETTA CALL SOMEBODAAAAAY! Set play. Think it was Redden with the point shot and Dru with the redirect. YEAH PREP!
RANGERS WIN 3-2 IN OT!
Pregame: I've never seen a crowd so pumped for the national anthem. I forgot to look who their singer is, but it's the same guy from the Winter Classic. Killer voice, and he gets the crowd WAY into it. They were clapping the whole way through. Good way to start.
1st PERIOD
15:00: Not the exact time. Rangers took a hooking call after getting overwhelmed early on. They killed it. The Naslund line was flying to start, Gomer looked good, and Cally had a great breakup of a 2 on 3. Hank also looks solid. Took a couple of shots early, so he should be into it.
11:43: Good pace to this game. Lots of hard hitting from both sides. I've got the Blackhawks feed, and I've got to say, their announcers are pretty good. Eddie O is way better when he's not on VS.
10:30: Gomer and Staal looking good on D. Would love to see 19 get his offensive game going more, but if this game is any indication, big things could be coming. He's playing good D and crashing the net when his line's on. Hard work = payoff. Eventually. Just ask Prucha? Yeah.
9:27: D is doing a good job moving guys away from Hank. Still, the kids from the Hawks seem to be giving them trouble on the rush.
8:07: Good chance from the Hawks, but solid D blocked a shot and lead to a good rush. Hawk's announcers said Tom Renney wants to limit opposing teams to 10-12 scoring chances a game. That's be sick. Also, looks like Dubi and some jabroni were having words. God, I hope he doesn't try and fight anyone.
Side note: Zherdev and Dubi have been invisible. Same with Dawes. Korpedo had a good rush, hope he goes nuts and nets something. That kid has a bright future.
6:06: Good cycle by the Gomez line. A few missed chances, but they're going crazy out there. 2 on 1 the other way now on a blocked shot, and nothing happens. Eek. Typical Rangers hockey, but a killer shift, about 20 seconds of good pressure. It got the Hawks scrambling, but that 2 on 1 could be a sign of things to come. With the youth on that team, a blocked shot or odd bounce could lead to a goal or two in the course of this game. Powerplay, I'm talking to you.
5:04: Zherdev looks like he's getting his legs going. Hope he goes cocaine crazy and starts doing backflips. Or scores a goal. Or anything. Just don't vanish, Blue Jacket's style.
4:32: Redirect GOAL for the Hawks (Versteeg). Broken play. Puck went out, Rangers were clumped, Hank was way too deep. I know that's how he plays, but man, it makes my goalie spine tingle. He lives in what my old goalie coaches used to call the "triangle of death". He did get a piece of it though.
3:20: Naslund gets in too tight. Looked like the Hawks got away with some funky stuff.
2:30: Rangers are collapsing, the Hawks are getting good pressure in front of the net. Expect something from the side to go in on Hank.
2:00: Rosi, why'd ya do it? The Staal penalty was week, but Rosi totally took Sharpe down. Great. 2 minute 5 on 3. Let's go PK!
1:37: Rangers are playing an inverted triangle on the kill. Interesting. Hank makes a good save. 10 seconds later Betts clears it. I really want to get a Betts jersey. Miss when he had Hollweg and Ortmeyer on his line. Shame those kids couldn't score to save their lives/went insane.
10 Seconds left: GOAL POST! Damn! Too close.
Intermission: Some bright spots that period. D looked solid for a while, but the Hawks are a little too fast. Drury and Gomer are playing well on D, as is Staal. Both Staal and Rosi looked solid, but man, that penalty kill...it's a good thing to take into the intermission, but it's something you'd rather not have to deal with. I hope they can turn that into motivation and come out on fire during the second. I'm liking what I'm seeing from the Gomez/Naslund/Cally line. When they get out there, the Hawks are having trouble containing them. The other lines need to wake up though. You can't just rely on one line. Remember the Devils series right after the lockout? Yeah.
2nd PERIOD
20:00: Holy Crap Hank is on.
19:20: I love when Pru throws the body around. I mean, they guy is just so scrawny, yet he loves throwing checks. Gotta love that intensity!
Side Note: I always think Duncan Keith was that pop singer from the 90s. It makes me hate him more. Hell, it could've been him. I wonder what Lisa Loeb is doing right now...and if I can be involved.
16:00 Did the Hawks just get away with a high stick? Rangers are looking pretty terrible right now. Barely handling this game. D is being physical though, so they should hold for a while.
14:57 Hawks tackle the Korpedo when he was going for a rebound. Be aggressive to the net and good things happen.
14:30 ish Wow. Girardi kills a Versteeg with a CLEAN HIT and Barker jumps him. I mean, understand standing up for a guy, but seriously this stuff is out of control. Girardi drops the gloves before Barker, but he knows what's coming. Call that one a draw. 5 on 3, Blueshirts.
13:35 YEAH PREP! CHRIS DRURY GOAL! Wisnewski gets the A for effort though, no stick and 2 blocks. Still a PP. What a rip by Captain Clutch!
12:35 This game might get really chippy, really fast. Lots of kids in this game, lots of emotion flowing. God the Rangers need to learn how to clear the zone.
11:44 Kick save Drury, and a beaut! Hawks aren't really cycling, but they have great puck control on the perimeter, could lead to trouble.
Side Note: Chris Drury went to my high school. It was an all boys Catholic school, run by Jesuits. Between the Lisa Loeb reference and Dru, this game is seriously like a flash back to my formative years. How is Lisa Loeb still single? Didn't that Zappa kid know what he was letting go there? Seriously!
10:50 Now the Hawks cycle, and it's scary. A true, textbook cycle. Damn.
9:13 Anyone else have a little bit of a heart attack whenever Hank handles the puck? Hextall, he is not.
8:42 Blair Betts goes battering ram in order to force the Hawks offsides. God I love how that guy plays. After the whistle Colton Orr and Ben Eager shove a bit. History from his Flyer days?
8:02 Blair Betts gets called for a weak slash, that even the Hawks guys are questioning. On Ben Eager. Ugh.
7:20 Hawks get away with a trip, then they call Staal for a slash. No replay of the call. Come on.
5:59 Eddie- O "Toews loses an edge and Redden is next to him". They also give Staal a misconduct. For what, I don't know. So 5 on 3 for 50. Betts with a good clear. Man, this is such crap. Just give them a goal. And cut out the middle men.
5:06 Rosi with a good block 4 on 5. Come on boys!
4:17 Cally gets called for high sticking. 5th consecutive penalty on the Rangers. This is amazing. Phantom calls lead to legit calls as people get tired. This is astounding. I hope Renney says something about this after the game.
Up until this point, this was a good game to watch. Two young teams going head to head. There was speed, and there was snarl. And now it's slow. And dead. No rhythm at all. This is what is wrong with hockey
3:11 Hank is great! Betts is a beast with the save/clear combo! Drury is leading the way like the true Captain he is.
AMAZING KILL. SUCK IT REFS.
HOLY CRAP A POWERPLAY!
WITH 42.1 SECONDS LEFT! PLENTY OF TIME!
INTERMISSION
Ugh. I can't believe that officiating. The Hawks have these great ads titled "One Goal". Check them out on youtube. Ugh. Still, the boys killed 3 or 4 five on threes. That's mighty impressive, considering the talent on the other side of the puck. There's a chance Crosby might not play on Sunday, and if that happens, the PK could be in even better position than normal. Feel bad for the Blackhawks' special teams Assistant Coach. That guy is boned.
3rd PERIOD
Ok. No penalties! Don't let me down. And we start on the PP! God that's still one of the best logos in sports (the Hawks)!
19:09 Hey! Guess what! A hand pass is called against the Rangers. Replay shows nothing of course. That killed the Rangers' pressure like Roseanne kills an erection.
That's right, I said it.
PP OVER.
17:27 Dan Girardi is out for the rest of the game with an upper body injury. Now Rosi gets called for having his stick in the area of Kris Versteeg's hip. Hooray. I want to firebomb this ref's house.
16:05 Rangers look tired on the kill. Finally clear the zone after some scrambling in front of the net. Gomer kills some time and the penalty is over. If the Rangers win this game (even though it is 1-1) I'll be shocked.
14:50 Dubi just killed a man. Prucha is like Al Pacino in Scarface (on skates) on the forecheck.
13:46Colton Orr: 4:01 of ice time. Those PKs are a bitch. I hope he gets a goal tonight. Naslund got molested a bit on that last rush. Staal is back out though, which is good.
12:50: Colton Orr muscles two of the Hawks while scrambling for a loose puck. MANBEAST!
12:02 DAMN THE KORPEDOS! IT'S A GOAL! DOOOOOOOOOOBI DOOOOOBI DO! Great feed on the broken play from the Korpedo to Dubi! Killer fake shot froze Khabi, and Mr. Dubinsky! Tear that wall down!
9:35 Zherdev looks like he wants some now. Did the Rangers actually pull off the rope-a-dope? We'll see...
Side Note: Wow! Friday Night Lights is going to be on TV tonight! No more stealing for me!
8:58 Prucha cuts Partick Sharp's head off, and gets away with it. This ref, man...Jet Li needs to spin kick him or something.
6:55 Rangers get a call for high sticking. This can't possible come back and bite us in the ass. Rosi, why? Everyone is confused as to the penalty call, whether it was a make up for the Prucha decapitation, or if it was something later. (UPDATE: Ref thought it was Rosi that slashed him, so they called the penalty at the first stoppage. Linesman call, since they can't stop play, but can call penalties. Wonder what happens if a goal is scored before the Linesman reports the call)
Sam Seasonal is awesome, btw.
5:50 Remember how I said the Rangers couldn't clear? The trend is continuing. And getting scary.
5:21 Hey, guess what! ANOTHER 5 ON 3. THAT'S 5 OF THEM. 2 MINUTES OF 5 ON 3. THIS IS INSANE. THEY'RE NOT PLAYING THAT CRAZILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4:57 Blair Betts dives to get the puck out! MVPPPPPPP of the Week!
4:29 ROD C-BIZZLE RODS THE RANGERS. HARD. Low, long and hard, blocker side. That describes this game pretty well. Oh and what's this? They still have a powerplay. Wunderbar, minus the umlaut.
4:06 Campbell, high sticking. RANGERS PP ;-( Kalinin just almost scored on Hank. Great save. Wait, no PP. 4 on 4. Fuck.
3:06 Drury rips one out of the park. Part of me wonders if Renney is just going to play for the tie at this point. I wouldn't blame him. The shootout would be great with the talent on these teams.
Side Note: Everything related to the Hawks is sponsored by Smirnoff. Awesome.
2:43 PP, for real this time. Hawks keep clearing the puck. Assholes. PP over.
1:24 Hank is pissed at someone on his D who redirected the puck. Money's on Special K.
LAST MINUTE Stream of Consciouness: Oh crap in our zone, still, good crowd, move it up DAWES, wide, ugh, keep moving you asses, get back! way to play the body staalsie, move it, not to them! Man, glasses, you needs them. End.
OHHHHHHHHHHHVERTIME!
4:00 Thank god this thing isn't bold anymore. Was stuck for a while. Some good chances back and forth. Naslund on his horse.
3:30 Good movement, but nothing from it. Dubi takes a late run at some jobber.
3:00 Big Z takes a Big hit. Andrew Ladd goes all French Revolution on Dubi's stick.
OVERTIME POWERPLAY!?!
Is this a good thing? I hope so. Best and the brightest out there.
2:37 OH DRU DIDN'T KNOW? YOUR ASS BETTA CALL SOMEBODAAAAAY! Set play. Think it was Redden with the point shot and Dru with the redirect. YEAH PREP!
RANGERS WIN 3-2 IN OT!
Friday, December 12, 2008
12/12/08 Rangers Devils - How I learned to worry and hate the Powerplay
Wow, so as I start this it's 9:35 and the Rangers were blown out, tied it up, and then were blown out. Maybe things will change. Probably not.
If anyone thinks this is remotely Lundquvists' fault, wake up. The guy played a good game. How can 8 goals be considered a good game? Well, he made the saves he was supposed to make. When an NHL player is able to take a shot and GET HIS OWN REBOUND there is a huge problem.
Wade Redden. He's not the only problem, but he's indicative of it. He's sloppy on the point, can't get his shot on net, and vacates the goal mouth when his partner is in the corner. The point play is one thing. Maybe with the defense first approach, he was trying to change his game up. Maybe he's trying to adjust his shot. But the play in his own zone is inexcusable. When one is making a salary like his, you should at least be able to play on the level of an AHL defenseman.
The trouble, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see this, is that the Rangers lost 2 stay at home defensemen, and focused on on puck movers. Toots and Girardi were a solid, young pair last year. They're gone. Mara and Strudwick were your muscle. Sure they were slow, and could take some bad penalties, but you need those big guys back there. Sounds, big guys that'll clear the front of the net. Staal is a phenom, and keeps growing, even though he's stuck in the mud right now. Rosie was the cannon on the point, and he was doing just fine.
Management didn't learn from the Christian Backman experiment. Or Sandis Ozilinch. When your attack is based on solid defense allowing your forwards to go deep into the zone and not worry as much about backchecking, you need solid, drab defensemen. The two players didn't last long because they are, in essence, forwards playing D. Wade Redden fits into this mould.
It's 9:49 now, and the game is over. 8-5. Terrible.
What to do? Rosie is good enough on the point. When you have the forwards the Rangers have, the offensive contribution of your D should be to get the puck on net, and keep the puck in the zone. Basic stuff. They don't need to rush it, they don't need to snipe. Or pinch into the slot. Play back, don't pinch unless you know you can get to the puck first, and take low shots. Your main priority, over all else, is PREVENTING goals from being scored.
Renney, who I am a fan of, should bench Redden. It would send a message to the team that no player is safe. You perform or you sit. Put Potter in his place. Or send Kalinin down and bring up two guys. Shake things up. If it pisses Redden off, good. Get him going. Kalinin hasn't been as bad as his numbers state. He hasn't been good, and I would take Toots over him any day, but we're working with broken pieces here.
Next game you give Henrik a rest. He did his part, but was constantly left out to dry. He's losing his motivation. You can see it in the way that he knows he's getting no help. You can see it in the way he threw the puck away after a freeze. It's not fair to the guy to pin it on him. Make the Rangers play up to his standard. Until he sees the team actually play, I don't think he's going to be 100 percent.
Give it to the Devils. They saw the Rangers playing lightly, and they jumped on it. An 8-5 Rangers/Devils game? Who knew?
I mentioned the power play last post. Same applies, except they put Drury back there. Good call. He's defensively sound and has a mean shot. He's a daywalker, and a product of Fairfield Prep.
Yeah Prep!
Ok, that made me feel better. Big game tomorrow as my Ex-Whalers come to town. If there's one game I want the boys to win, it's this one...
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