N.Y. Rangers vs. N.Y. Islanders ~ Rivalry Game IV

Monday  December 27, 2010

WEATHER UPDATE:

Tonight's NYR-NYI Game

Is Still On

TONIGHT
New York ISLANDERS  vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

from

Madison Square Garden

N.Y. RANGERS LEAD SEASON SERIES 2-1

NEW YORK RANGERS:  In defeat, We feel a Little guilty being too hard on them after two consecutive let-downs.

When a shoot-out goes 11 rounds, like it did against Tampa Bay in our last game, first, it's an unfortunate way to lose a point, but it's also just one of those things...ya know.  C'mon, eleven rounds?  They'll be no hassling Henrik about it.  Sometimes managing just one point is a very good thing depending how the game went.  Sometimes it's just okay.  Sometimes it's upsetting not getting two because of something that obviously went wrong.  This was one of those okay, one-point games. 

After taking two unlikely games from Washington and Pittsburgh in consecutive games and winning a third consecutive game, this time in shoot-out against Phoenix, they finally dropped one to the Flyers.  I hate the Flyers, but it's not a proper time to be critical there considering the busy schedule they just endured.  They had to play 6 games in 10 days from DEC. 9th through the 18th.

So far the Blueshirts are 6-4 for the month with two shoot-out splits.

Tomorrow night will be their second game in the last nine days.  They will certainly be fresher, we hope, and perhaps much more fresher than the Islanders considering the Isles played Sunday night.  But like any lay-off, the Rangers just might be rustier too and in that case, advantage Islanders who are playing good Hockey over their last five games.  They also get to sleep in their own beds tonight....(once they get home).

Ryan Callahan is going to be a huge loss; out until February.  The hope is Capt. Drury will counter Callahan's absence. And I will not rest until Coach Torts gives Sean Avery quality minutes on a quality line and stops speaking out both sides of his mouth concerning all things Avery.  Derek Stepan continues to impress and it looks like Coach Torts has his new Man-Crush.  Callahan might get jealous.  Artem Anisimov's game is re-emerging after a slight down-turn.  And where would we be without Prust and Boyle playing together.  And can Frolov actually be waking up?  He's been playing much better of late.

The Defensive Units have been an adventure.  Dan Girardi is playing bad games after good ones.  Michael Del Zotto needs his head unscrewed and re-attached; like a re-booting if you will. And Rozsival...Oh man, Rozsival.  How I detest thee..., let me count the ways.!  I can not bare to see him give up the puck in our own end anymore.  He is a skating crisis!

Monday night will be another adventure trying to get to the game with all the snow and the problems it represents getting around.  My son and I will leave that up to the MTA tomorrow night as we'll be donning our new jerseys we received for Christmas and root the Blueshirt on.  A pit-stop at the Tick-Tock Diner and then it's off to renew the great New York Rivalry between the Islanders and the Rangers,.

Break Up The ISLANDERS ~  They beat-up on the NorthEast leading Montreal Canadians on this snowy Sunday night winning 4-1.  Two even strength goals were complimented by two power play goals for the Isles.  NY-Roloson started in net while Rick DePietro continues to sit out with his re-injured knee.  Roloson stopped 39 shots while only letting one go by.  The Islanders were out-shot 39-25 but they made theirs count more.  They are 4-0-1 in their last five games after initially stumbling 1-8 through their first nine games under their new Coach Jack Capuano.  They will be feeling good about themselves heading into tomorrow night's game against their rival Rangers and looking to atone for two losing performances the last time they met during a home-and-home series.

The Islanders didn't even want tonight's game to be played because of the on-going blizzard and risks to their fans traveling in such bad weather.  But the NHL Office said the game must go on.

**Attendance: 3,136 brave fans showed up in Uniondale tonight and at least were rewarded for their efforts with a solid win against one of the League's best.

**The N.Y. ISLANDERS have announced any fan with a ticket for tonight's game may redeem it for ANY future home game, subject to availability of course.  Call the Islanders for more details.



These are two great articles I came across that I always meant to link-up:

LINKED ARTICLES FROM:    TheGlobeAndMail.com/Hockey


FIRST ARTICLE ~ THE NEW ISLANDERS PROBLEMS ABOUND

From ~ TheGlobeandMail.com
Article ~ Big Apple Hockey - Part One
Title ~ "Sinking Isles Need Lifeline"
By ~ David Shoalts
Article Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/david-shoalts/sinking-islanders-need-a-lifeline/article1834140/



SECOND ARTICLE ~ On THE NEW YORK RANGERS; A GREAT THREE PAGE ARTICLE ABOUT N.Y. RANGERS' GENERAL MANAGER, GLEN SATHER.

From ~ TheGlobeandMail.com
Article ~ Big Apple Hockey - Part Two
Title ~ "Sather Returns To Familiar Formula"
By ~ Roy MACGREGOR

Page One:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/sather-returns-to-familiar-formula/article1834821/page1/

Page Two:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/sather-returns-to-familiar-formula/article1834821/page2/

Page Three:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/sather-returns-to-familiar-formula/article1834821/page3/

*To Read In Single Page Form:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/sather-returns-to-familiar-formula/article1834821/singlepage/#articlecontent






Mike.BTB