N.Y. Rangers: The Smurfs reestablish home ice advantage with Game 3 victory in Pittsburgh

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

Rangers lead series 2-1

I - NYR 2; PITT 1

II - PITT 4; NYR 3

GAME 3 FINAL

Rangers    2

Penguins  1

NEW YORK RANGERS: The Smurfs withstand, and outlast, the big bad Penguins to recapture home ice advantage.

Killjoy is pissed off!

Someone check-up on Nick Fotiu.  If he was watching Game 3, it's very possible his head might have exploded in a fit of rage over what transpired Monday night in Pittsburgh.

Make no mistake, Alain Vigneault can take his three President Trophies, and stick 'em up his posterior!  I mean that (figuratively, of course).  Who, or what were the Vancouver Canucks?   In a word - SOFT!  That's my problem.  That's been my problem.  It's presently the Rangers problem, and it's a big problem, and it's been a growing problem for 2 years now.

This team is not the slow, brutish, neanderthal Blueshirts of yore; clearly.  Although they share a continued defensive tenacity, this team is fast, deep, balanced, and more skilled.   At the risk of it sounding like a bad word, they play with finesse.

That's another way of saying (traditional) west coast hockey.

That said, not one Ranger responded with any ferocity, or immediacy, or even offered the slightest expression of displeasure with Sidney Crosby's cheap shot on Henrik Lundqvist.  

John Tortorella would have beaten up Crosby himself.  The confrontation at the final buzzer was incredibly insufficient.

As far as I'm concerned, every Ranger player not named Lundqvist pretended to not see Crosby!!  Rick Nash witnessed Crosby's intentional hit, looked at him, and said, and did, nothing.  And that, my fellow Rangers fan, is unconscionable.

If you haven't noticed by now, you're either not into hockey, or you're already in baseball mode, or you were one of the referees, a Penguins fan, asleep, or you're an atheist - because every deliberate Penguins indiscretion that goes unpenalized has me screaming Jesus' name.

What started in earnest on March 31st against the Winnipeg Jets, trended throughout the remainder of the regular season, and has now been adopted as standard procedure among Rangers opponents. Teams are intent on disrespecting, abusing, administering cheap-shots, and beating up the Rangers, and for three straight games the Penguins have singled out Henrik Lunqvist.  The most blatant infraction was executed by Sidney Crosby in Game 3.

Pittsburgh's goon and thuggery have escalated from one game to the next.  Game 4 should no doubt provide yet another increased dosage of agitation and instigation - likewise in Game 5, etc.

In a bit of pre-series irony, I warned against the potential and questionable tactics of a one, Steve Downie.   It turns out, the Rangers needed to be leery of every Penguin but Downie.  Sidney Crosby is enemy number one.

Now.., on a more rational note, despite the opposition continually taking their liberties with impunity, the Blueshirts nevertheless continue to win games.

I guess that makes this all a mute point...?

Toughness...  Will it matter?




Mike