Saturday, April 03, 2010

Rangers @ Florida Panthers 9:13 pm in-game

in front of my laptop; Brooklyn - 9:20 pm

I was an unhappy camper about an hour and 20 minutes ago.  In a game they can't afford to loose to the Panthers, the Rangers went down early 1-0.  At current there's one minute - twelve to go in the third period.  The most recent goal to put the Rangers up 3-1 came on another Drury Moment....YEA! Just like the other night.

And as I speak, Gaborik just scored on an empty net.  Blueshirts 4, Florida 1.  All the Ranger's goals have come in the third period.  There is exactly one minute left now.  In a game they needed to have but were expected to win, they shook us early but steadied things from there.

They looked sluggish very early, but I must admit as the game progressed the Ranger intensity up-clicked right along with the clock.  Really!  The goal by Mark Staal off a rush was a big burst of energy the Blueshirts fed off from that point on.  That goal made it a 1-1 game and there was a better effort the rest of the night.  Clearly.  If only there wasn't that loud voice in my head yelling this is all just a tease.  It was another good night.  It's another good night erasing that deflating loss to Boston up in BeanTown after taking the pair from the NYI and NJD.

Tonight, the Rangers now control their own playoff destiny.  As of tonight, things are back in their hands.  There's a playoff spot for them to protect with play like the way they've been getting it done recently OR there's a spot to be lost by tapping into their inner Washington Generals on ice.  This year when they've been bad, they've looked horrible.  When they've won, it's been by the hair of their chinny-chin-chin.  Lately?  They've had good energy, crisp passing, spirited and effective defense and for the most part have cut down neutral zone brain freezes.  I've also noticed more movement after the pass and it's paid off in getting goals in bunches lately.  The Rangers are playing their best hockey of the season, Right Now.  I know it was Florida, but it was the Devils too.


The bottom line?  Rangers have their future in their own control after tonight's game and moving forward.  Let's see what they do with it.  Let's see if they can get that annoying voice in my head to shut up.  I'm still thinking tease.  But I've been around long enough to know better than to discount the improbable.  That's the Problem.  Tuesday night we're in Buffalo.  I'll deal with it then.

pssst....They had a real good fore-check going into the third period tonight.  They clogged it up between the blue lines and kept everything to the outside in the defensive zone.  The Broadway Blueshirts were TrueBlue tonight.  It was just a good workman's like effort tonight.  It was good to see.  I have 3 days to feel OK about things.


Let's Go Rangers !!
shuffling off to buffalo


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