N.Y. Rangers ~ Blueshirts Land Rick Nash

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

Brandon Dubinsky ~ New York Rangers

2006/2007 - 2011/2012

NEW YORK RANGERS:  After Decades of Searching, the Blueshirts Finally Captured the Elusive Anti-Smurf.


The Rangers have their man.  He cost them a very popular player in Brandon Dubinsky, another gamely young center in Artem Anisimov, defensive prospect Tim Erixon, and a 2013 first round draft pick.  In exchange, Rick Nash will now don a Blueshirt.


Many feel he is the missing piece that will get the Rangers over the top.  But more significant are the pieces the Rangers did not send packing for Columbus in order to complete the deal.  Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh, and Chris Kreider are all still Rangers.  Had the Rangers pulled the trigger on this deal at last season's trade deadline, the trade would have cost the Rangers substantially more.  Instead, they now have their cake, and can eat it too.


This is the second time Glen Sather recently showed excellent patience and didn't act in haste to reel in an impact player.  He landed free agent Brad Richards with patience, and has now acquired Rick Nash, albeit in a trade, through patience as well.  The Rangers are now well stocked with all the pieces they need to surround these two centers.


Rick Nash is exactly the kind of player the Rangers have needed for decades. Think tough, think scorer, and think championship!  That's right, I said it.  He is the anti-Smurf.  He's big, immovable in front of the net, and can put the puck in goal with consistency.  He's not a one dimensional player.  He's a total package play making centerman.  He will also be accountable on defense and play it with tenacity.


I'm very sorry to see Brandon Dubinsky go however.  He was part of the original group Coach Tortorella identified and decided to move forward with.  Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, and Henrik Lundqvist formed the initial core that has delivered us to this day.  Brandon Dubinsky will go down as one of the most popular Rangers ever.  And I'm sure we will remind him of that the first time he returns to Madison Square Garden next season.


But make no mistake, I am excited to have Rick Nash on board.  He fits in extremely well here.  Rangers fans, we finally have a player like Nick Fotiu again, but one who can score on a regular basis.  The puck on next season can't drop soon enough for me.


Let's Go Rangers!




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ The Big Blue Iceberg Will Surge Again

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

The NYR's 2011-2012 Season Was Still a Classic.

NEW YORK RANGERS:  If That's the Way it Ends..., So Be it.


Right off the bat, I will tell you the New York Rangers met my 2011-2012 expectations.  And today, I am a happy fan.  I am one of those forward thinkers, who believes the best days for these Rangers are still ahead of them.  Of course I wouldn't be so comfortable saying that had this team not been under construction the right way.  Or at least the way they've been constructed so far, which most of us have been quite satisfied with.  So why kill them for losing?  If anything, these youngsters still need to learn how to become finishers.  And there are other matters to address as well.


But look how far they've come in such a short time.  Today we beat on the door.  Tomorrow we knock it down.


I still believe we will have our day soon.  I do not view this as an opportunity lost, and a fleeting chance we'll have to wait another eighteen years for again.  Hardly.   I was against making a deal at the trade-deadline for a reason.  And with this blog as my witness, I stand by it all.


Knowing everything we knew about the Rangers, I think our downfall had more to do with the absence of Brandon Dubinsky than anything else.  Now that I've had some separation between Game Six and today, I'm less inclined to hurl blame at people for our Conference Finals failure against the Devils.  Winning a Cup would have been nice and all, but I'm still of the notion we are a young rebuilding hockey club.


The time to tinker with this club is now, or soon; during the up coming off-season.  Not during the trade deadline that passed.  Now we can go out and find more scoring, having still retained Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan McDonagh or Michael Del Zotto, and Chris Kreider.  And we'll be better for it.  This is not Back To The 'Ol Drawing Board.


The Big Blue Iceberg got held up.  But when it slips forward again, watch out.  There will be a lot of stored energy released.




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ MSG Empties Out In Silence

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS  &  THE BRICK CITY DEMONS

BATTLE OF THE HUDSON

CHILLER THEATER!

GAME FIVE ~ FINAL

DEVILS      5

RANGERS  3

Madison Square Garden engineers better check for cracks in the foundation before they let anyone back in for a possible Game Seven.  After Wednesday night, the place may not be safe to re-enter. Your Broadway Blueshirts were a smash.


The Call of the Garden Wild shook the walls of MSG like the renovation of the World's Most Famous Arena hasn't.  You could hear them from 33rd Street all the way to Trenton.  Maaaa-aaarty! ...they screamed.


This was the third period.  MSG was bedlam.  To start, everyone was just mad.  The Devils jumped out to a near instant three goal lead in the first period.  Everything after that was nothing short of a classic.


The Rangers came all the way back from being down 3-0 midway through the first period.  Their Captain almost willed them back by himself.  Marian Gaborik tied the game at three as the third period commenced.

Then the Devils took a deep breath, resettled themselves, and took aim at the Rangers again.  At one point, Brad Richards mistakenly took a most remarkable shot at his own goalie, but it drew a needed whistle.  The Rangers really needed one at that point.  But not like that.


The Devils were surging-on with fury ever since the Rangers scored goal number three.  Then Ryan Carter, the guy who the Rangers like to beat-up any chance they get, and the man Carl Hagelin failed to cover for this one shift, beat the Rangers.  He scored the game winning goal with just over four minutes to go.  The Devils would score a fifth goal on an empty net.  And Madison Square Garden emptied in silence.


Unlike the more experienced Devils, the Rangers; through five games only; are proving they are too young to know how to finish.  In that regard, Brandon Dubinsky would have helped imeasurably over the previous four games.  Now the young Blueshirts are forced to be stupid enough to win two in a row.




More later.





Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ Excuse Me While I Slap This Puck

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

GAME SEVEN RANT!

Game Six Filibuster in Washington

NEW YORK RANGERS:  Nothing Like a Pre-Game Rant to Piss Everybody Off.  Find Me Something to Hit!


The only one's who seem to have a problem with John Tortorella are the Media.  Because you'll get nary a complaint from the Rangers or their fans.  And I'm making sure to say this before Game Seven. 


Damn Media (unfortunately for the more responsible ones) are more interested in catching the prickly coach in a verbal misstep than they are in reporting the damn game.  Ponderous!  What is it they do not understand?  Coach Torts is not going to single out any players, good or bad.  And he's not going to let the media second guess him, or play coach regarding decisions of the bench and ice.  He's made that very simple and clear.  And I applaud him for it.  If John Tortorella lashes out at a member of the media, it is because they foolishly persisted after being warned not to.  So, ignorant is, as ignorant does.


And to suggest his behavior towards the Media is harmful to the team, and that John Tortorella is orchestrating his own personal post-season demise, again, by acting-out in such a manner, is again, utter folly.  The media's real and only problem exists with John Tortorella's ability to make their jobs more difficult.  Not the other way around.  And it's damn near brilliant.  The good ones know exactly how to write a story around Torts and still have it apply it to hockey as well.


Torts molded this team, and continues to mold a formidable team.  But that's where everyone gets lost.  The Rangers are still a (re)building team.  And just because we are about to embark on Game Seven of the semis, does not mean we should all of a sudden, let our plan, patience, and perceptions skid off the road.  For if indeed experts and idiots alike chose to label this season and this team a failure should the Rangers lose Saturday, then they are indeed dolts of their trade.  That kind of thinking is akin to driving for two-hundred miles, and taking every caution to get home safely.  Then, with home in sight and one last turn into the driveway to be made, you purposely drive into the mailbox.  It's Stupid!


"What, did you go to college to get stupid?"  -  Quote,  Santino Corleone.


All of a sudden, the Northeastern Establishment is an authority on Chris Kreider and feels entitled to demand Coach Tortorella use him a certain way?  See?  That is total folly, because before going there, perhaps someone should have thought better of the fact that not one person has spent any kind of time reminding everyone how this team misses Brandon Dubinsky in the worst way.  As a matter of fact, the beloved Captain, Ryan Callahan, is a vastly fairer target than the Head Coach is right now.  So let's go there, right now.


It is incumbent upon the four forward lines of the New York Rangers to win Game Seven against Washington tonight, not Henrik Lundqvist - another Media target of late.  At least not in the manner in which the world is throwing this game all on the goalie's shoulders.  The real issue is between Braden Holtby, the Rangers forward lines, and our ability to score on the Power Play, not between Henrik Lundqvist and his lot in life - or his LEGACY!


I am no apologist for anyone.  I am not without firm expectations for this team.  I expect the Rangers to win tonight.  But to say Henrik must pitch a shut-out, or that Henrik is not allowed to lose this game 2-1, is once again, pure folly.  Is a superlative effort needed?  Perhaps.  Should a loss warrant a lambasting of the goalie?  No.  Do we need our Liege to be damn near perfect tonight?  Yes.  Do I have the same expectations as those who are putting Henrik's pads to the fire?  Yes.  But when this is all said and done, if the Rangers should come up short tonight, and let's even imagine losing 4-3 in Game Seven, to dump on Henrik Lundqvist afterwards would be flat out wrong.


I expect Henrik to be exceptional tonight.  And I expect the Defense to play it close to the vest in Game Seven as well.  To over-commit the blue liners in an effort to create more offense, like we have at times this series, wreaks of panic.  If we win tonight, it will come via Blueshirt style hockey.  Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals was won on goals by Marc Staal and Dan Girardi.  While in the context of things, that's great.  But that can not be the case tonight.  This game must be won with a forward line effort.


There are twelve forwards who's charge it is, to propel the Rangers to victory tonight.  Should the Rangers lose tonight, I will look to blame one of them.  And for a very fleeting moment, I will do just that, blame some form of deficiency about this team that will need to be addressed in the off season.  But at no time however will I brand any part of the 2011-2012 regular, or post-season, a failure, nor look to indict anybody; to include Rangers Fans' chief nemesis, Glen Sather.  For this season was supposed to be a discovery of sorts, on where we stood.  Sometimes what you have in hand is good enough to win a Cup.  But you won't know that until you do.  In the mean time, this organization is, and was right to keep their eyes focused on the plan, and not over-react to the trade deadline, where conversely, the Media is now currently over-reacting to New York Rangers hockey.


This team did nothing at the trade deadline because we are not where we want to be yet.  I will say again, this is still a rebuilding team.  The Rangers are a young team that adopted a style, and a mindset - which put it's head down in October and picked it back up again in April to find themselves the number one team in the Eastern Conference.


That's exactly what John Tortorella has been saying all along.  It's everyone else who wants to complicate, and convolve what happened this season, and where this grind has gotten us.  The goal was to get a good seed and get some home ice advantage in the playoffs.  And here we are - Game Seven inside Madison Square Garden.  The winner of this game will play the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference championship round.


This is exactly why John Tortorella refused to get on the Media roller coaster after we clinched the Atlantic Division, the Eastern Conference regular season title, the number one seed, and the series against Ottawa.  Because he was still trying to get his team to tonight, while they all wanted the Coach every which way but firm in his convictions.


There are some who would argue the Rangers' inability to score goals this series can indirectly be attributed to the organization's reluctance to act during the trade deadline.  While I say, we are better for it.  The fact of the matter is, I still have supreme confidence the Rangers will win Saturday night.  But for the media to take a machete to the Rangers season should they lose, would be an unlearned act of journalistic idiocy, not to mention an uncommon lack of knowledge in the game of hockey.  Maybe if I heard them discuss Hockey more than four times this Spring while prefacing everything they say with -  "I don't really follow hockey, but..."  -  I might feel differently.


It is easy to speak of hockey using universally broad common generalities.  But it is hard to stick to, and be guided by principles.  It's even harder for most in the local media to cover hockey.  It's even harder for me to listen.


And what's more, there are absolutely no similarities to this team and the team that won a Stanley Cup eighteen years ago.  Neil Smith traded most of his youth, and mortgaged the Rangers' future in a sell-out effort to win a Stanley Cup with a bunch of former Edmonton Oilers and a band of mercenaries.  It worked.  But it has taken this organization eighteen years to play themselves into a position where they lie a game away from the Conference championship round again.


Short-sighted minds would have sold-out again, if it meant "guaranteeing" a win tonight.  We've done that already.  Temper yourselves.  A loss tonight does not halt the process which is currently building a formidable team which should last for years to come.  Lest we wait another eighteen years.

In the 1978- 1979 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Ron Greschner scored a game winning goal against the New York Islanders which eliminated Long Island from the playoffs and propelled us towards a Stanley Cup encounter against the Montreal Canadiens.  The Rangers lost to Montreal, as the Islanders then went on to win four Cups in a row.  In 1986, A band of Smurfs lost in the Conference championship round.  The club then undertook a rebuilding process and applied themselves in the draft.  Those efforts paid off in the early '90's.  We fans, Neil Smith and Mike Keenan all sold our souls to the devils that year for a Cup.  We traded away our future willingly.

Not this time.  After years of assembling the worse hockey team money could buy, John Tortorella came here demanding that Glen Sather do this the right way.  It's been working.  And if the Rangers ever deviated from this plan, I expect John Tortorella to quit.  That's what the Media doesn't get.


Do they even realize Don Maloney is not only a former player for those '79-'86 era Rangers, but was a team executive in scouting who helped draft some of these Rangers, and now has a home grown Phoenix Coyotes team in the Western Conference finals as their General Manager?  Do they even know Glen Sather hired Gordie Clark to replace Maloney, who helped draft the rest of these young Rangers players?


Do they even know who George McPhee is?  I'll give this one to them.  He's also a Rangers alumni.  But do they know what else he does?  And how well he's done it?  Do they know that over the five seasons prior to Tortorella's arrival, Glen Sather made Rangers fans wish to high-heaven we had McPhee?


And what of the other local General Manager whose team already clinched their spot in the Eastern Conference championship?  He's taken his team to the Stanley Cup Finals four times since the Rangers last won theirs eighteen years ago.


We are at the precipice of a return to the Eastern Conference championship round because of John Tortorella, based on his dictates and directives upon two cores of young Blueshirts, and because of his influence, and the exertion of his will upon management.  He can be as curt as he wants to be.  Not a single fan seems to have a problem with it.






Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ War of 2012; The Blueshirts Are Coming

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS:   Series Tied By Our Own Devise...

* Brad Richards Playing Big Time Hockey.
* Blueshirts Miss Brandon Dubinsky.
* Rangers Defensemen Getting Offensive.
* Where's Marian Gaborik?



...That's what I say.  I'll take the effort of either Game One or Two, and take my chances in Game Three again.  The opportunities have been there.  The intensity has largely been there too.  This is just evenly matched hockey.   Otherwise, there was the usual assortment of hit crossbars, missed chances, and questionable whistles.  Ask Brad Richards about that last one.



So let's see if I understand this right.  Coach Boudreau tried converting his team, and preached defense to the Washington Capitals.  Ovechkin pouted and resisted.  Boudreau got fired as a result.  Dale Hunter got named Head Coach of the Capitals.  He came in preaching defense like Boudreau tried.  Only this time, because Dale Hunter was himself a supreme agitator when he played, he has turned out to be the alpha-coach which Ovechkin couldn't ignore like he did with Boudreau.  So Alex Ovechkin had to fall in line and be part of a system now.  Am I right so far?  This is the part I don't understand.  This is news?  Now?  Sorry.  I just can't stand frauds during Hockey playoffs.  I digress.



Of course Dale Hunter has no problems keeping Ovechkin off the ice for defense sake.  We've seen that since Hunter took over.  Like I said, Dale Hunter isn't the kind of guy you want to have a confrontation with - at least not back in the day you didn't.  So Ovechkin buys in now.  The Captitals' tasmanian-devil sat out for huge portions of the first forty-minutes.  Then in the third period, he was finally unleashed and scored the go ahead goal off a power play of what was a 2-2 contest.  His goal was vintage Ovechkin.  But with lead in hand, Coach Hunter took Alex off the ice again.



That's how Game Two ends.  Washington steals one on the road.



There's something to be learned about the third period of Game Two.  Brandon Dubinsky matters folks.  The Rangers game takes a distinctive down-tick whenever he misses games.  Remember back no further than Game Two against Ottawa.  Brandon Dubinsky could have influenced the third period of that game and factored in causing a very different outcome with his defense, face-offs, fore-checking, his willingness to throw his body, and digging in corners.  Brian Boyle might have made it back.  But the Rangers need Dubby back also as winning face-offs become more paramount the deeper this run goes.



So what now?   For starters, we can stop scoring goals on our own net.  After watching Del Zotto do it twice recently this season, it sickens me to see Blueshirts put pucks past Henrik.  This time the King helped author his own folly.  The Rangers gave the Washington Capitals a goal when Henrik turned over a puck and Ryan McDonagh inadvertently kicked it over the goal line.  That came as the Capitals were building a 2-0 first period lead in Game Two.



But the Blueshirts clawed back to tie.  Gaborik and Del Zotto set up Brad Richards on a fine goal to cut Washington's lead in half before time expired on the first period.  Then seven minutes into the third period, the Rangers created a little chaos in front of Washington's Braden Holtby while on a power play.  Ryan Callahan then cashed-in to finally tie the Rangers at two apiece.



Brad Richards got whistled for holding 12:29 into the third period.  Then at the 12:33 mark, Ovechkin happened on Washington's power play.  That's the way the game stayed.  We clanked one off the cross bar in the final minute though.



Moving forward means looking back.  Marian Gaborik hasn't been the same since Carl Hagelin was taken off the first line due to his three game suspension after Game Two of the quarter finals.  Chris Kreider was given that slot and has played not surprising, but exceptionally well.  He scored the Rangers go ahead goal at 7:00 of the third period of Game One's Ranger win - which is to say his was a big goal in a big moment.  It was the kid's second goal of the playoffs.



So now, does Coach Torts put Carl Hagelin's speed and familiarity back on the top line to help out Marian Gaborik?  Or, does Coach leave Chris Kreider where he is to help out..., Chris Kreider?  For now, while Alex Ovechkin remains on a leash, the disappearance of Marian Gaborik kind of coincides.  Yes, Ovechkin scored Monday.  But for the moment, both Gaborik's and Ovechkin's individual situations cancel each other out.  If Gabby can just get uncorked, it sure would make the Rangers' world a lot better place to be.



In the mean time, let the record show, Brad Richards has shown up for the playoffs.  Richards leads the top line, and leads the Rangers with four playoff goals.  He scored in each of the first two games this series.  His late goal sealed the deal in Game One to make it a 3-1 final.



The offensive play of our defensemen should not go under spoken either.  Remember how Staal and Girardi scored goals together in a game.  Without Gaborik scoring, we'll need more of that.  Ryan McDonagh led the Rangers with four shots on goal in Game One.  In Game Two, Michael del Zotto came in second behind Richards with four shots on net.



Over two games, Henrik Lundqvist has faced forty-three shots and has stopped thirty-nine.  The Rangers have taken forty-two shots against Braden Holtby.  The Flyers goalie has made thirty-seven saves.  On the power play, neither team sports an advantage.  Both teams went scoreless in four opportunities in Game One.  In Game Two, they both scored once in three chances.



After splitting the first two games of this series at The Garden, the Rangers better make it their business to win at least one of the next two in Washington.  Lest here they go again.



Let's Go Rangers!

TONIGHT

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE  ~  STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

Game Three

NEW YORK RANGERS

vs.

Washington Capitals

From,

The Old Cap Center

Where Ever, USA

SERIES TIED 1-1

I  -  NYR 3;  WASH 1

II  -  WASH 3;  NYR 2

Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ Bring on the Capitals!

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

2012

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI FINALS

SATURDAY

GAME ONE

Washington Capitals

vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

From

33rd Street at 7th Avenue

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

NYC

Here We Go Again!

Alex Ovechkin during warm-ups,  2008-2009 Playoffs versus Rangers.

2008-2009 Quarter Finals:

Washington Wins Series 4-3

2010-2011 Quarter Finals:

Washington Wins Series 4-1

NEW YORK RANGERS:  The Kids Are Alright!  Eliminate Ottawa in Game Seven.  On to the Semi-Finals Versus Our Recent Playoff Nemesis.



Dan Girardi will be twenty-eight years old in two more days.  Marc Staal just turned twenty-five.  They are still relatively young.  But ask some of the younger member of the Rangers, and they're liable to tell you Staal and Girardi have been protecting the Rangers' back lines forever.  At this point in their careers, that assessment might not be too far off; in Ranger years that is.  They are now both veterans of five complete regular seasons in a Blueshirt.


To the second wave of younger Blueshirts, Dan Giardi and Marc Staal are unofficially the savvy veterans.  Girardi and Staal came up as part of the new wave of 21st century Blueshirts along with Ryan Callahan, and Brandon Dubinsky.  They, along with Staal and Girardi, are completing their fifth full seasons as Rangers together.  Ryan Callahan is now the Rangers' Captain, while Brandon Dubinsky is representative of the team's soul.


And then there is Henrik Lundqvist; the goalie.  He must seem like Father Time to more than just a few of the newer Rangers.  But most of us just refer to him as The King.  Henrik was here before Callahan, and Dubby, and Staal, and Girardi.  Henrik was here before them all.


Against Ottawa in Game Seven of the quarter-final round, Marc Staal struck first.  Five minutes into the second period, Staal's five year team mate; Ryan Callahan; along with Second-Gen Ranger; Derek Stepan; assisted on the Rangers' first goal of the game.


Just under five minutes later, the other ancient blue liner; Dan Girardi; gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead, with assists from old guard forward; Brandon Dubinsky; and from Brandon Prust; the beloved adoptive member of the Blueshirt Family whom the Rangers rescued from Phoenix during the 2009-2010 trade deadline.


Two goals were all the Rangers needed to defeat the Ottawa Senators.  Henrik Lundqvist took care of the rest.  And with their Game Seven victory, they gained another crack at the Washington Capitals.


The King, and member Rangers who roughly started their odyssey together back during the 2007-2008 season know the Washington Capitals far too well.  The core of players Coach Torts said he would build the Rangers' future around - Henrik, Callahan; Dubinsky, Staal, and Girardi, will all tell us, it is time for them to seize the moment by finally overwhelming their 21st century playoff nemesis.


But didn't they just seize the moment in Game Seven against Ottawa?  Indeed.  But now it is time for the Rangers to have their day over the Capitals just like Washington has enjoyed against the Rangers in playoffs rounds of yore.  The biggest difference between now and the last two encounters against Washington is this time, the Rangers' Core Five will be the one's leading their Band of Blueshirts onto the ice.  For they are followers no more.  Long gone are the days of Jagr, Gomez, Drury, and having the young-lings follow their lead.  Today, the club members imported from other places to be Rangers fall in line with The Core, Coach Torts, and the new Rangers' Way.


Seven games against Ottawa may just have been exactly what this team needed - Adversity.  Being pushed to the limit was a quick and effective way to grow up.  Having faced adversity and won, the Second-Gen Boys in Blueshirts are now men.  The younger Rangers might be follicular challenged with regards to growing playoff beards.  But upon closer inspection, they may have sprouted a gray hair or two after facing elimination in consecutive games against Ottawa.  Their gruff however, is undeniable.  Even the youngest Blueshirt Blue Chipper; Chris Kreider; played like a grizzled vet.


Guys like Fedotenko, Brad Richards and Coach Torts, have experience winning a Stanley Cup together elsewhere, and can draw from their experiences, and even guide these young, and even younger Rangers, through the ensuing round(s).  They can..., with CAN being the key word.  Aside from Coach Torts who is the perfect Alpha-male for this young hungry pack of players, I honestly do not think there is much Richards or Feds can impart on this group, and not for lack of intangibles or credibility.  Instead, this Rangers team seems intent on forging ahead their own way; the Blueshirt Way; the only way they know how.  It's heads down and push forward.


All these Blueshirts will now set out together, and try to exorcise the organization's largest demon of the last few years, the Washington Capitals.


Dale Hunter versus John Tortorella.  This is going to be good!


Every player on the Capitals is responsible for getting Coach Bruce Boudreau fired.  Why?  For trying to get them to play a more defensive oriented style of hockey, similar to the style John Tortorella has ingrained into the Rangers.  After being nothing short of resistive, what the Caps wouldn't do early in the season for Boudreau, they are finally doing for Dale Hunter.  They rode a late regular season surge to gain one of the last playoff spots the way the Rangers used to prior to this season.


It is the Rangers who come into the series as the dominant seed now.  But that only reads well on paper.  Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Jason Chimera remain major scoring threats.  But even by Washington's standards, their overall goal scoring was down in the recently concluded regular season; finishing with 220 goals scored.  That's the price they had to pay for a better defense.  That's what Boudreau was trying to tell them.  However, his dictates fell on deaf ears.


Alex Ovechkin ended the regular season with thirty-eight goals.  He scored two goals and assisted on three others against the Bruins.  Alexander Semin is Washington's leading playoff scorer so far with three goals.  A new comer to this playoff rivalry; Troy Brouwer; scored twice against Boston.  He was also Washington's fourth leading goal scorer with eighteen, while appearing in all eighty-two games of the regular season.


The Rangers should be able to match that.  If you're a Rangers fan, there's no need to delve into our stats.  You should know them already.  But what's closer to the truth is, the Rangers, Coach Torts, and most of us fans, don't really care.  Blueshirt Hockey is all about winning the moment.


So, Let's Go Rangers!





Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ The Life of Brian

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS:  King Henrik Reigns Over Ottawa.

GAME THREE FINAL

New York Rangers   1

Ottawa Senators       0

I - Rangers 4; Senators 2

II - Senators 3; Rangers 2

Rangers lead series 2-1

Chris Kreider made his NHL and Rangers debut Monday night in Ottawa.  The Rangers' blue chip is just the latest kid to come through the Blueshirts' door and seamlessly fit right in; just like the guy he replaced; Carl Hagelin; did after the start of the regular season.  He played things by the book; committing no mistakes.  And he almost scored a goal for his efforts while playing on the first line with Marian Gaborick and Brad Richards.


In Game Three of this playoff series, the kid witnessed up close and first hand, what NHL brilliance looks like.  In a word, Henrik Lundqvist was - Great.  He made thirty-nine saves and allowed no goals.  After the game, Henrik said he was still upset over letting Game Two get away from them. Meanwhile, spent the better part of Monday night taking out his frustrations on the Senators, and had a few choice words for the Stripes the more Ottawa bumped him as well.  Most of Henrik's saves were of the incredible variety.  And too many came in the game's final two minutes from point-blank range.  But Henrik stopped them all.  He carried his team with only one goal scored on the night.


That goal came from Brian Boyle.  He did it again!  The marked man with a bulls eye on the back of his jersey scored his third goal of the series with twelve minutes to go in the third period of an intense Game Three.  He didn't just score the winning goal and play another supurlative game.  He's having the series of a lifetime.  Just prior to scoring, at 7:07 the Sens went on the power play after a Callahan trip.  Boyle intercepted a puck in the Rangers' zone and chugged up ice where got slashed on a short-handed opportunity that negated Ottawa's power play.  That's the kind of night Boyle had.  As a matter of fact, the Fedotenko-Boyle-Prust Line was stellar all night long.  And the King made their effort stand up.


The last two minutes of the game were absolutely frantic however.  At the 2:00 mark, the Sens headed up ice.  But the Rangers forced a turnover in the neutral zone and dumped the puck back in Ottawa's end.  Brad Richards wound up clanking one off the crossbar.

Then, the other end of the ice turned into a heart attack in waiting.  Henrik stopped a pair of shots that get by any other goalie in the League.  What a pair of saves!  Then with their inability to clear the puck from the zone, Henrik made another save; and another; and another.  Finally, with twenty-four seconds to go, Dubinsky made the last clear.


The Rangers win Game Three 1-0 behind a shut-out performance from their goalie, and from a forward who is arguably the Rangers' best player right now; Brian Boyle.  It's his world right now.  We are merely along for the ride.


With this win, and for the moment at least, the Rangers have re-established their home ice advantage again and lead the series two games to one.


The Senators' Craig Anderson was equally magnificent minding Ottawa's net.  He stopped the Rangers cold on a number of occasions.  Like when with 4:55 left in the game, he made a brilliant save on a Callahan breakaway.  In the game, the Rangers had many quality chances the Ottawa goalie turned us away on.


The Rangers recommitted themselves to their defense Monday night.  They regrouped and regained their composure after getting knocked off track last Saturday.  If you take a look at Pittsburgh, who are now down 3-0 to the Flyers, they are presently the poster child for losing composure.


Just keep playing Blueshirt Hockey boys!




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ It's a Series Now; Game Three

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

Pictures from Game Two

NEW YORK RANGERS:  Just Keep Playing Blueshirt Hockey.


I wonder how the Refs like their payoff, in American dollars or Canadian?  Because Saturday's Game Two against the Sens was one of the worst officiated games I ever witnessed.  Yeah, I was there, and what I saw made me sick.  And not because the Rangers lost in overtime either.  I'm still waiting for someone to show me where Brad Richards deserved a roughing penalty.  Sorry, that one was a little lost on me.  Just as an elbow to Ryan Callahan's head went unpunished.  At one point, two pucks appeared on the ice at the same time.  Way to go guys!


Sometimes I forget this isn't the old NHL from my childhood, when players still policed each other.  This league of never ending rule modification is getting farther and farther away from what's in the best interest of their players.  In the League's system, you get to be an on-ice rogue for as long as you act first and don't target the head.  Do that, and odds are you'll get away with something.  But don't you dare retaliate.  Or at least that's the way Brendan Shanahan sees things.  Because apparently, what's good for one player, isn't necessarily good for the other.


When I was growing up, players thought twice before perpetrating any kind of crap upon each other. Why?  For fear of getting their ass kicked - Period.  I will only say the Player System was far more successful in striking an equilibrium between players, thuggery, and a hockey game, than the Big Brother legislation technique practiced by the League today.


Bottom line, Brendan Shanahan served Carl Hagelin a three game suspension for a hockey play that ended rather high to the head of Daniel Alfredsson, which resulted in yet another concussion for the Sens' forward.  It wasn't any different than the elbow Ryan Callahan took.  Difference was, Callahan kept playing seemingly undeterred.  While Alfredsson did not return to Game One action.  Meanwhile, Matt Carkner only received a one game suspension for premeditated violence upon Brian Boyle.


This just wreaks of the call against Adam Graves for a slash to the wrist of Mario Lemieux back in 1992, that supposedly broke the Penguins' star's wrist.  While Graves sat out his suspension, Mario Lemieux returned to play and helped eliminate the Rangers from the playoffs.  It sucked then.  This sucks now.


Aside from all that, and losing, Saturday's game was actually a great game to be at.  And say what you will, but the Senators did what they needed to do at the precise time they needed to do it.  The Sens took a time out from Hockey to send their own message at MSG Saturday.  It was smart on their part now that they are headed back to Canada, and have wrestled home ice advantage away from the Rangers after literally knocking the Rangers off their game.


It took roughly twenty-two minutes to get through the first 2:30 of the game.  That's because the Sens'  Matt Carkner stalked Brian Boyle and assaulted him in retaliation for shenanigans stemming from Game One.  Brandon Dubinsky was labeled as a Third-In during the ensuing melee, and along with Carkner, was served a Game Match penalty.  On the way off the ice towards the locker room, Brandon Dubinsky did his best to channel his rage on a water cooler before disappearing from sight for the rest of the evening.

The Stripes try and assess the damage of the opening melee.

Matt Carkner is led off the ice after assaulting Brian Boyle.

Dubinsky's ejection would hurt the Rangers dearly late in the game.  Boyle and Dubinsky are usually on the ice together.  In Dubinsky's absence, Brian Boyle was forced into taking face-offs the rest of the evening.  Dubinsky's defense, fore check, and overall physicality would have been a welcome presence in the third period.  With him on the ice, maybe Ottawa doesn't tie the score late in the third period.


And maybe if Michale Del Zotto doesn't knock yet another puck inside his own net, we win that damn game!  Michael Del Zotto has done that before.  I like him, but he better get his crap together now.  He takes far too many unnecessary chances handling the puck in front of Henrik.  And that needs to be corrected.  It's the second time in the last month and a half I watched him score on our own net.  I find that absolutely PONDEROUS!


The rest of the story goes like this - Overtime.  Loss!

The Rangers and the Sens are now tied at a game apiece as the series shifts to Ottawa for the next two  games.


Just regroup and play Ranger Hockey boys.  I personally don't think the Senators can sustain their toughness all series.  That's more our style of play.  At some point, Ottawa will need to go back to doing what they do best, which is pass, skate with speed, and move without the puck.  The Sens did what they had to do Saturday.  But were it not for a Del Zotto and some bad breaks, they should be down 2-0 this series.  The Sens were fortunate to gain a tie.  There are only so many minutes the Sens can afford to keep Chris Neil on the ice.

TONIGHT

Game Three

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

Quarter Finals

NEW YORK RANGERS

vs.

Ottawa Senators

From,

The Great White North

Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ GAME ONE; Stanley Cup Playoffs

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

2011-2012

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

Quarter-Final Round:

GAME ONE

#8 - Ottawa Senators

vs.

#1 - NEW YORK RANGERS

From,

33rd Street at 7th Avenue

NYC

NEW YORK RANGERS:   Find Somebody to Hit!   Otherwise, I'm With Coach.  I Believe Ignorance is Bliss.

Call me what you will.  Just make sure you include the word consistent.



The New York Rangers Hockey Club is still in the process of rebuilding.  We are good.  We've built this core right.  And our younger skaters have remained surprisingly resilient all season long.  I was adamantly opposed to altering this team at the trade deadline.  And today, I'm very thankful we didn't do anything hasty or disruptive.



This may not sit well with my fellow Ranger Fans, but winning a Stanley Cup this season has not obsessed me.  It never really has.  Not this season.  And I stressed that numerous times over the season; especially near the trade deadline.  I do not say this because I lack confidence in this team.  To the contrary, we've shown we can beat just about all comers.  I just do not believe that's where we are yet.  We had a plan.  I believe in the plan.  We stuck to that plan.  And it's up to us to follow through with that plan to the very end.  And I specifically mean that for us Fans especially.  At the moment, the rebuilding of the Rangers is near complete; but not fully complete.  So don't go getting all bent out of shape if things don't go our way.  This team is being built for future long term success; not just tonight.



But as presently constituted, I'm still anxious to see how far the Rangers can go in these upcoming playoffs.  And yes, I do have expectations.  But I couldn't be in any more agreement than I am with Coach Torts when he says, right now ignorance is bliss.  I do not want the Rangers thinking about sixteen wins.  I merely want their minds on the next three periods.  That's where our success has been.



Consecutive losses to Pittsburgh and Washington to end the regular season do not concern me.  Nor does not winning the President's Trophy.  None of that would have changed anything.  The 2011-2012 regular season will still go down as one of the greatest campaigns ever in Blueshirt history.



Having said all that,  -  Let's Go Rangers!



I expect this team to get beyond the second round!  At a minimum, that's the kind of step forward we should expect from a team that has spent the majority of the season in first place of both the Atlantic Division, and the Eastern Conference.  And if you believe in natural progression, then getting beyond the second round is also the next logical step for this club.



Ottawa is probably not the first round opponent everyone had in mind.  They are a team that gave the Rangers a lot of trouble.  The Blueshirts were 1-2-1 against them this season.  And the Sens do not seem to have any reluctance playing in Madison Square Garden.  In fact, they have flourished over the last three seasons here.



Ottawa is a team that loves to skate around and make quick passes that get opposing heads turning in different directions, and make defending bodies skate in figure eights.  As Rangers, we all know we have but one answer for that.



Hit them.  Hit them hard.  Hit them often.  Hit them in their zone.  Hit them in our zone.  Hit them at mid-ice.  Hit them into the boards.  Then do it again.  If the Sens are too busy picking themselves up off the ice, they can't make plays.  The Rangers must make Ottawa's ICEcapade come to a grinding halt and make it as if they were skating in sand.  Our fore check will have to be relentless, and our back liners will have to wipe-out anyone who decides to get in front of Henrik.



It may all sound very crude.  But that's the way this team won during the regular season.  And now the playoffs demand more.  Any real analysis at this point is really pointless.  We spent a whole season doing that.  The playoffs simplify things for us.  It's all about Henrik now; Defense; our fore check; and scoring on the power play.  Period.



Let's drop the puck on Game One and start finding some bodies to hit.

FACE-OFFS:

*  It was in last season's playoffs when we thought Brandon Dubinsky had finally arrived.  He had a masterful playoff in what was ultimately a losing effort to the Capitals.  After a tremendously sub-par regular season this year, it is now time for Brandon Dubinsky to re-materialize and be the player of last April again.

*  There is also the matter of Mike Rupp.  In the playoffs, his fisticuffs play a much lesser role.  I expect Coach Torts to limit hit ice time, save for some situational hockey.  There are minutes to be had now.  Who will Coach award them to?

*  Which Carl Hagelin will we be seeing?  Will it be the dynamo who played over the first half of his call up?  Or, will he be the slower, seemingly worn (?) Hagelin of the last two weeks of the regular season?

*  The Rangers really need Marc Staal to be the Marc Staal of old.  We need him to wipe-out any over zealous forwards intent on giving Henrik a hard time.

*  We need to score on the power play!!!

*  Let's Go Rangers!




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ Blueshirts Hit Century Mark Against Toronto

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS




NEW YORK RANGERS:  Blueshirts Earn Points Number 100 and 101 on the Season.  Accomplish Feat for Seventh Time in Their History.


You lose 4-1 against Buffalo at home and maybe think, what happened to Henrik?  The answer is nothing.  But he's had better weeks.  However, if we're pointing fingers, blame the defense for a series of crippling brain cramps.  Regardless, Henrik was brilliant at times against the Sabres.  But Buffalo's goalie, Ryan Miller, was equally brilliant; if not a shade better this time, for the Rangers were 3-0 against Buffalo this season.  That Ryan Miller had an insane night between the pipes should not go under spoken when talking about the Rangers deflating loss Friday night.



The MSG crowd; me included; were denied their chance to see the Rangers gain their 100th point of the season on home ice.  And as far as how the Rangers did, over this now concluded seven game home stand, things could have gone better for the Rangers.  By Friday night, the Rangers lead over Pittsburgh was down to one point.  And so in hindsight, the Blueshirts missed a great opportunity to gain a little separation from Pittsburgh, as the Penguins were idle Friday night, and lost to Ottawa Saturday evening.  So instead of having a four or five point lead with seven games left, the Rangers will settle for a three point margin.



Friday night, Buffalo got on the board first and had the Blueshirts playing catch-up the rest of the way.  Truth is, once the Rangers attention to detail began to break down in the second period, they never stood a chance.  After a slow first period, Buffalo stampeded.  They were a far different team in the second and third periods of Friday's game than the group of the opening session.


Truth is, the Rangers had their share of opportunities to score in Friday's game; loads of  'em.  And even though the first period ended tied at one, I thought the Sabres were getting out skated.  To me, it just seemed as if the Blueshirts' shots on goal weren't accurately reflecting what I was seeing.  And I thought it was only a matter of time before we cashed in on a few more opportunities.



Right.



Buffalo's third goal came on a horrible turnover by John Mitchell above the dots in the Rangers offensive zone.  The result - an odd man rush the other way.  When the Sabres made the score 4-1, my son and I promptly left the building.  Yet another odd man rush was too much to bear.  That was the story of the night.  No 100 points for you.  And to make matters worse, Mats Zuccarello sustained a broken wrist Friday early in the game.



Then it was off to Toronto for Saturday's game.  The Maple Leafs pummeled us in each of our first two encounters.  The Blueshirts finally got a game back the previous time we met.  And now in our fourth meeting of the season, the Blueshirts got 'em again.  But not before the Rangers gave us every indication they were picking-up where they left off Friday, by allowing Toronto to score on yet another odd man rush.  Stu Bickle got caught too deep in the offensive zone, and off went Toronto the other way to make it a 1-0 game.



Marian Gaborik promptly tied the game at one apiece.  Then in the second period, Toronto went ahead 2-1 again.  This time, Brandon Dubinsky, who is playing much better hockey of late, scored his 9th goal of the season, for a second Rangers tie.



Marian Gaborik gave the Rangers their first lead in their last six periods when he scored his second goal of the game and his 37th of the season.  But just eighteen seconds later, Toronto tied the game again at three apiece.  And that's the way regulation time would end.  The Rangers were headed for their fourth overtime game of March.  In bitter-sweet fashion, the Blueshirst had just earned their 100th point of this NHL season.  Could they get another?  To keep more than two points between them and Pittsburgh, they needed to.



They played five more minutes to no avail.  In the ensuing Shoot-Out, Henrik stood strong long enough to allow the Captain; Ryan Callahan; to take the last; deciding; and winning shot in yet another game.



So make that 101 points now.  That's three points better than the Pens, and it ties us with the St. Louis Blues for the NHL lead.







Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ Still Leaders of the Pack

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

Battle of the Hudson

MONDAY NIGHT FINAL

N.J. Devils       2

N.Y. Rangers  4

Rangers and Devils end season series tied 3-3

NEW YORK RANGERS:  Clinch Playoffs With Win.



Salute the colors of the night; Ranger Blue; Devils' Black; and Bloody Face Red - Ryan Carter's, that is.  In truth, all players skated off the ice Monday night sporting bruises in all three hues of pain.



Before the scheduled hockey game was to be played, there were some season long, and not so old grudges stemming from Game Five to settle.  Coach Peter DeBoer sent out a starting line of his lesser skilled, more physically spirited attitude adjusters and mood managers on the ice.  It's interesting he did that.  In Game Five of Battle of the Hudson, New Jersey resoundingly pummelled the Rangers.  Was his thinking, keep a good yet struggling team down by beating them down?  If you ask Ryan Carter, he might say his Coach's plan backfired.  He might.  I'm just saying.



As the home team, Coach Torts recognized DeBoer's move, and say what you will, gladly accepted the challenge by sending out his own line of Reckless Rangers.  Needless to say, it only took three seconds after the initial drop of the puck till the ice was littered with gloves and elbow pads.



In New York's corner - Brandon Prust; Mike Rupp; and Stu Bickel.  In New Jersey's corner - Eric Boulton; Cam Janssens; and Ryan Carter.  Of the six purpose players, Ryan Carter suffered the most damage.  During his game opening fight with Bickel, he opened up a head wound after falling in a vulnerable face/head first manner.  His dripping blood stained the ice.



For the Devils, it was an omen.  That melee was quite literally the beginning of the end to their night.  Less than two minutes into the game, Brandon Dubinsky put the Rangers ahead.



Thirty-three seconds into the second period, Dan Girardi put the Rangers up by two.  Then the Devils struck.  Patrick Elias made it a 2-1 game.  Mats Zuccarello had an answer for that however, when he scored at 7:33 of the period making it a 3-1 Rangers' lead.  But half way through the period, Petr Sykora made it a one goal game again.



The game stayed that way for the first 18:50 of the third period until Derek Stepan deflected a puck by Martin Brodeur to seal a Rangers 4-2 victory.



The Rangers and the Devils end this regular season's Battle of the Hudson tied with three wins apiece.  The victory now gives the Rangers ninety-seven points.  In the tight Atlantic Division race and in the Eastern Conference standings, that's three points better than Pittsburgh and five better than Philadelphia.  Overall, ninety-seven points is the second best mark in the NHL behind St. Louis, who have already hit 100 points.



The biggest reward of tonight's rebuking of the Devils?  The Bueshirts have officially clinched a spot in the 2011-2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs.  That's another small step for Rangers Kind.

Next up:

Wednesday, March 23, 2012

Detroit Red Wings

vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

From,

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
33rd Street at 7th Avenue

NYC

Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ King Henrik Sacks Boston - Nuf Ced

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEXT!

THURSDAY NIGHT

Chicago Blackhawks

vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

From,

Madison Square Garden

33rd Street at Seventh Avenue

NYC

NEW YORK RANGERS:   Blueshirts Increase Their Eastern Conference Lead to Nine Games After Rolling Over The Bruins.

TUESDAY FINAL

New York Rangers   3

Boston Bruins           0

One of the big bad Bruins punched Brandon Dubinsky in the mug.  He needed stitches to close a cut and had a tooth or two chipped as well.  It's plainly evident Boston has a size advantage over the Rangers.  It's something that stands out whenever they play each other.  Tuesday night, Boston out-played the Rangers as well and that too was clearly evident.  The Bruins took forty-two shots on goal.  They took more and more with each passing period, and eighteen shots against Henrik Lundqvist in the third period alone.  Defensively, they held the Rangers to just twenty shots against Tim Thomas.  New York's shots on goal total red like this: Twelve - Five - Three.  On the outside, those dwindling shot totals do not read like a recipe for success.

That said, the Rangers were never out-matched; out-classed; nor out-done by the Bruins in Boston.  They met Beantown head-on, hit for hit.  The Bruins took the body thirty-two times against the Blueshirts.  And the Rangers responded by initiating thirty-one body shots of their own.  What's closer to the truth about Tuesday night's game is, the Rangers were just better.  Period.



The Rangers and Bruins exchanged one power play opportunity all game.  Boston was denied their chance to score with the man advantage.  And for them it came too late anyway.  The Rangers were only two more minutes away from closing out yet another cleanly played, and convincing win.  For their part, the Rangers continued to cash in on their most recent PP opportunities.  One chance for the Rangers Tuesday produced one goal.  It was the game's first goal.  And it was delivered by the Ranger Captain who is riding an offensive surge.  But his goal also set the tone for this game.  The Rangers turned Boston's night into a dilemma when the Bruins found out nothing short of perfection would beat the Rangers and Henrik Lundqvist; at least on this night.



And there's the rub.  The New York Rangers capitalized on nearly every mistake Boston made.  The Blueshirts played superlative hockey inside their defensive zone causing nine Bruin turnovers and took away another eight pucks on top of that, while only committing one turnover themselves all night.

Two first period goals by Ryan Callahan and Ryan McDonagh put the Bruins in an early hole.  Then the Rangers seemed contented to play defense until Artem Anisimov's sweet third period goal sent the Bruins to sleep for good.  As I write, my clock just struck midnight and the Rangers are now nine points ahead of the Boston Bruins for the Eastern Conference lead.  Please allow me to say that again.  The Rangers are nine points ahead of the defending Stanley Cup Champions for the Eastern Conference lead.  They now have seventy-nine points on the season.



One of the biggest reasons why is because of the guys between the pipes.  First, props to the best back-up goalie in Hockey; Marty Biron.  He did not start Tuesday night.  Lundqvist did.  I'll get to our Liege in a moment.  Martin Biron is 10-2-1 this season.  His Save % is .919 and maintains a 2.03 GAA.  He authored two of the Rangers' nine shut-outs this season.



Shut-out number nine of the season came Tuesday night against Boston via Henrik Lundqvist.  He was masterful in turning back forty-two Boston shots.  This was his seventh shut-out of the season and the forty-second of his career.  The King is now 27-11-4 this season and well on his way towards a seventh straight thirty-win season.  His career best is thirty-eight wins.  If he achieves that number this season, it will not have been out of necessity this time.  Instead, he can possibly hit his career high for wins this time through sheer brilliance alone.  He is no longer needed to start 70; 72; and 73 games a season.  And the results speak for themselves.



They also just made another strong case for why they should be left alone come the trade deadline.



See you at the game.   Let's Go Rangers!






MIke.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ Add Winning Ugly to the Master Plan

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS:  It's Been an Indefatigable Climb to Fifty-Six Points.





...And here's another item you can add to the list of things good teams do; Win Ugly.  It's right up there with comebacks.  And they somewhat pulled off another one Saturday against Pittsburgh after going down 1-0 early in the first period - Just like they did against Florida, and falling behind in Philly the game before that.  But after Brad Richards tied the Penguins game late in the first period, the Rangers never looked back, or even glanced at the lasting look of disgust on Coach's face.  No, this wasn't the prettiest effort the Rangers have put forth this season.  If you asked Coach Torts, they weren't even good; much less pretty.  But good teams find a way to win these games too.  And even Coach knows what's up.  All Hail Henrik!





It certainly doesn't hurt when you get another great performance from your goalie.  Henrik Lundqvist was magnificent yet again.  And he needed to be.  He faced thirty-eight shots from the Penguins.  Many of his saves were of the brilliant variety.  By the end of regulation time, he had brushed aside thirty-seven of those shots for his eighteenth win of the season.





This latest four game winning streak hasn't had that sense of majesty like say, the seven game streak did, or either of the five game streaks they've been on.  Instead, these last four wins have been more of the grinding, lunch-pale variety, with many obstructions and mistakes along the way.  Thus,  Resiliency; add that to the list of things that make a good team too.





This latest streak has been won on the backs of our goal tending.  While The King continues to rule over his Ice-Palace, Marty Biron continues to be the best back-up goal tender in the NHL.  This man is, and has been a tremendous asset to the Rangers ever since his signing.  He's not only enjoying personal success, it's also showing up in the effect he's having on Henrik's game.  Prior to Biron's signing, Henrik was setting and resetting his career highs in games started.  That took it's toll and manifested itself with mixed results and nagging injuries in March and April of years past.  But now the Ranger goalie has been sharp as a razor blade and the plan is to keep him that way.  That's only possible and will pay dividends when the back-up is quality.  Marty Biron kept the Rangers hanging around during a 2-2 regulation tie versus Florida two games ago until Marian Gaborik sent the Blueshirts home happy in overtime.  The win gave Marty Biron an 8-2 record for the season and it was a win well earned.





And don't look now, but here comes Brandon Dubinsky.  Fans see it; - The man has played well.  He's been quietly having an impact this season.  His assists bare that out.  Dubinsky had the first assist (16th of the season) on the Richards tying goal.  Then he showed yet another sign of breaking out of his goal scoring slump when he scored a second period short-handed goal giving the Rangers a 2-1 lead.  That brings his total up to five.  More importantly, his last three goals have come with more frequency than in the time between goal one and two this season.





After figuring so mightily in the Winter Classic, Mike Rupp was again in position to cause a very  different story regarding Saturday's game be written.  He just missed on a few chances if not for a steadier puck.  The important thing is he was in position to cash in.  With ice-time comes repetition.  With repetition comes consistency.  And Mike Rupp and his line are figuring more heavily in Rangers' matters of late.





And with the return of Marc Staal, repetitions are the name of the game as well.  Coach Torts gave him fifteen minutes and shifted him as many times as the rest of the bunch; twenty-two shifts in all.  His minutes were limited to even-strength time though.  Coach Torts will not be putting him back on the PK any time soon it seems.  And there really shouldn't be any hurry either.  Girardi; McDonagh; Del Zotto; Stralman; and Stu Bickel have all played quite admirably.  After all, the Rangers are second in the Eastern Conference and second overall in the NHL to Boston in goals allowed, all of which has been accomplished without our star defenseman.  However, Marc Staal has been thumping and bumping upon his return without any post-game ill-effects.  That's great news for Staal, the Rangers, and for us fans.





The young, inexperienced, and still rebuilding Blueshirts are now up to fifty-six points this season.  Were it not for the goal tending, the last three games felt like games we would have normally lost before this season.  Because Coach is right; there haven't been impressive displays of Hockey lately.  In the past, this would have been the time of year when our shoe laces started to become untied before the proverbial Other Shoe started falling off our season and causing us to slip down the chutes into another struggle for an eighth place finish.  Yet, in these last three games they've literally out-worked themselves through their mistakes to claim victories over Philadelphia; Florida; and Pittsburgh.  And last time I checked, both shoes skates were still on our season and laced up quiet tightly may I add.





Fans..., times are changing for these indefatigable Rangers.  We'll get to tell them how much we've appreciated their climb to the top of the NHL when they get home later in the week.  After Saturday's scheduled NHL games have all been completed, the Rangers will still be waking up Sunday Morning with a League best fifty-six points.





Thank you indeed Boys.





Mike.BTB