Devils fall to Rangers in season's first Battle of the Hudson

From the desks of:  

RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS  &  BRICK CITY DEMONS

BATTLE OF THE HUDSON

Game One Final

Rangers   4

Devils       3

overtime

New Jersey Devils: Life After Marty....

Life after Martin Brodeur has begun in Newark.

With Cory Schneider in net, the Devils opened the season with 3 straight victories.  But after last night's O.T. loss to the Rangers, the Devils have now dropped 3 straight.

As a result, the Devils have slipped behind the Islanders and Rangers in the local area standings.

Islanders   4-2-0   8 pts.

Rangers    4-3-0   8 pts.

Devils       3-2-1   7 pts.

The Devils goalie for most of the last 21 seasons, Martin Brodeur is stuck at 688 career victories - just 12 away from an increasingly elusive 700, but with no team to play for.  He is yet to strike a deal with any team, and none seem to be beating down his door for an autograph either.

The latest rumors have Brodeur connected with Colorado.  That would be something, huh? - if Brodeur wound up playing for Patrick Roy (the goalie whose record he broke).

Jaromir Jagr will turn 43-years old in February.  Last season, he played in 82 games for the Devils, averaged 19:10 minutes per game, and scored 24 goals - his most since the 2007-08 season with the Rangers.

Tuesday night against the Rangers, Jagr scored his first goal of the season, and the 707th goal of his career.  He is presently 7th on the NHL all-time list.  Old Rangers favorite Mike Gartner is next at #6 with 708 career goals.  Within potential reach this season, are #5-Phil Esposito (717) and #4-Marcel Dionne (731).

And then there was one....

When the Devils originally came to town in 1982-83, I was 16-yrs old, and all my (Rangers fan) hatred was already directed towards the Islanders.  So, by the Devils arrival, my attention was piqued more than anything.

The Kansas City Scouts and Colorado Rockies failed, which of course opened the door for Mr. John McMullen to buy the franchise and relocate them.

At the time, the Nets were only recently resettled into the Brendan Byrne Arena, the New Jersey Generals (USFL) were kicking off, and the New York Cosmos were immensely popular.  So, it was perhaps a good time to blend into the Meadowlands and greater metropolitan area sports scene.  I merely felt that a big sports metropolis was just getting bigger.

I came to appreciate guys like Pat Verbeek, Brendan Shanahan, Bruce Driver, John MacLean, Kirk Muller, a rookie named Ken Daneyko, then Peter Stastny.

Had the Devils defeated the Rangers in the 1994 conference finals, and not the other way around, I'm sure I would feel very differently about New Jersey's team today.  For instance, my son's hatred is primarily directed at the Devils, and less so towards the Islanders. That's understandable considering both team's respective histories ever since the Isles last competed for the Cup.

The Rangers won the Cup in 1994, and so I saw no harm in continuing to appreciate certain Devils players, and the overall success they enjoyed through 5 Stanley Cup appearances, and 3 Cup victories (just as long as they weren't playing the Rangers, because you can't be great, without great opponents).

Besides, with the Rangers, Devils and Islanders, it was just cool to be able to watch hockey (in general) every night.

The thing is, you just can not discount the Devils as some Mickey Mouse organization, as Wayne Gretzky once famously did.  And if you're a metropolitan area local of my age, then you watched their entire history (unlike the Islanders, whose earliest years escape my knowledgeable range).

Through those years, Martin Brodeur, Scott Stevens, MacLean, Daneyko, Scott Niedermeyer, and a few others held my respect.

Lou Lamoriello is easily among the greatest executives NY/NJ teams have ever known.  Scott Stevens is perhaps the toughest defensemen I ever saw play.  Martin Brodeur only become the NHL's all-time wins leader, while John MacLean initially set the organization's offensive records.

And then there was one....  

Patrick Elias is the man who broke John MacLean's club records, and continues to reset the organizational bar.  He is perhaps the last Devil I retain an interest for.  He may also be the last.  For me at least, what started with Pat Verbeek, may end once Patrick Elias retires.

Was I ever a Devils fan?  When they play the Islanders, sure.  Otherwise, no.  Regardless, my son is intolerant of whatever I call it.

Devils wins and losses have never, and do not factor in my life, or general disposition the way the Rangers/Giants/Mets can, and do.  

I'm just a guy who enjoys his surroundings.  Heck, I wish the Islanders were good again just to rekindle that rivalry, and elevate area hockey overall.

New York Rangers: Power Play Finally Lights The Lamp...

Yes, my team.

(sigh)

Just the opposite of the Devils, after losing 3 straight, the Rangers have won 3 in a row.  They entered Tuesday's game on the heels of an impressive 4-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks.

The Blueshirts scored 3 unanswered goals against the Devils to gain an (elusive) overtime victory.   Of course, that would not have been possible without Rick Nash's game tying goal in the 3rd period. It was his NHL leading 8th goal of the season.

The Rangers also finally scored on the power play - twice in fact, against the Devils.  They broke an 0 for 17 streak, and are now 2 for 20 on the young season.

Next stop, a true test against the Montreal Canadiens.

Derek Stepan has not skated yet.  Dan Girardi was back on the ice.

Mike

N.Y. Rangers ~ Devils; Battle of the Hudson - Part I

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS:

Crisis Narrowly Averted Just in the "Last-Tick" of Time.

After a trip through the mid-west and to the Arizona desert where the Blueshirts played some good, bad, and at times ugly hockey along the way, the Rangers return to the metropolitan area to play an off-off-Broadway game against the Devils in Newark this Tuesday night at The Rock.



As for that last trip, the Rangers dropped a tightly contested 1-0 game to the Dallas Stars.  One singularly huge mistake on a defensive zone clearing/pass attempt cost the Rangers dearly.  It made me rethink what I said in my last post and if may have spoken too soon?  But I doubt it.  I believe this to be a very solidly built team.  I stand by everything I say.  They will suffer hiccups along the way like everyone else.  The Dallas game was well played.  We just came up short through fault of our own and I can live with that.  It's not like we had circles skated around us as was the case in game two of the road trip.



Case in point, loss number two in St. Louis is one we should probably bury deeply into our subconscious.  There weren't too many redeeming qualities about that 4-1 loss.  It wasn't necessarily poorly played.  It's just that the Blues out-everything'd us that game.  What stood out most to me was how much more physical they were than us.  This game was similar to the Toronto losses.  Battling for pucks is something the Rangers do very well.  But St. Louis did it better than us like many things this night.  If only...........



How long did you think I'd go before bringing Sean Avery into this discussion?  Because battling for pucks down low, and winning those battles, and great passing from behind the net, and playing defense, and fore-checking, and crashing the net, and knowing how to move without the puck, are Sean Avery's forte. 



So What Now?  What can possibly be the reason Coach Torts hasn't played Sean Avery in...three games is it?  Was it something he said?  Because I sure as hell didn't see anything he may have done; not on the ice at least.  What gives Coach?  We were just getting used to seeing him get some regular shifts during even strength.  Then...Poof!



*Sigh*



That leaves us to talk about the last game against the Coyotes in Phoenix.  It only took the Rangers 179:59 through three games to do it, but finally with just 0:1 left in regulation of a two all tie, a Brad Richards' backhand from the goalie's right circle found it's way through and lit the lamp just in time to give the Rangers a hard fought victory.   And after a review, they were finally awarded with two points - a resilient two points at that.  So much for being content with a tie and taking your chances in over-time.  That goal was good stuff and a hell of a way to salvage what was otherwise a Bad Trip...man.



Marian Gaborik; Mr. Comeback Season himself; scored the 300th goal of his career.  In fact, he scored two goals against Phoenix.  His 16th of the season came in the first period putting the Rangers ahead 1-0.  His 17th goal of the season tied the score at two apiece a little over a minute into the third period.



The score stayed that way until Brad Richards swatted a backhand towards net.  And in that fraction of a second, the Rangers gained a whole lot to smile about for the long flight back from Arizona.  In the 179:59 prior to that goal, not so much smiling.  .....And I want to give Marty Biron props for a job well done between the pipes.



That win propelled the Rangers into the forty point club.  Their forty points are actually tied for fourth in the conference with Pittsburgh.  In hot pursuit? - The New Jersey Devils with thirty-seven points.



Tuesday night is the first time the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils will meet this season.  Game One in The Battle Of The Hudson takes place at The Rock in Brick City, New Jersey.



Of all teams, will Coach Torts finally allow Sean Avery to play against Marty Brodeur and the Devils?  Coach has to get him back in the line-up sometime.  After the Devils, the Rangers play host to the Islanders Thursday, then the Flyers Friday night.  That's three games in four nights.  Yes Coach, it's time to get Sean Avery back on the ice; especially against Philly.  The team is gonna need the fresh legs Coach.  And with all the injuries we're sustaining on the blue line, we need Avery's defensive tenacity and back-checking on the ice.



The first place Flyers (43 points) are now without Chris Pronger who's lost for the season.  So the timing is right to seize the moment and stake a claim on first place.  And without a doubt, Sean Avery can help get it done.  And the thing is..., Coach knows it too!

*    *    *    *    *

NEW JERSEY DEVILS:  Changing of the Guards.

#27

Scott Niedermayer

Scott Niedermayer was one of greatest clutch playoff performers I ever watched play.  Of course that has much to do with living in the area and getting Devils games on TV.  But in truth, while only spending eight years in a Devils' jersey, Niedermayer did so much for this franchise.  Say what you will about Marty Brodeur or any of the other Stanley Cup contributors, much of that success is not possible without this defenseman.  His #27 is very deserving indeed of being lifted up among the retired jerseys of fellow defensemen, Ken Daneyko, and Scott Stevens.  Congratulations to you.



Once he hangs up the pads, the next obvious member of the retired jerseys club will be Martin Brodeur.  He is already on record as saying he will decide when to step away before someone else makes that decision for him.  He says he's having fun this season.  And well, with the games he's missed, it's still rather early to tell if that happiness will translate into saves and wins.  Personally I feel Johan Hedberg is ready to step in as the full time goalie.  But Martin Brodeur is still a very capable goalie if A) - he stays healthy, and B) his overall number of starts are managed.  But you let the All-Time Career Wins and All-Time Shut-Outs Leader make the call when it's time to step away.  I suspect he'll retire after this season.  And I think Big Lou is crossing his fingers that he does.  Lou Lamoriello was always a proactive kind of guy.  So it would be nice to see these two, Martin Brodeur and the Devils, end their time together the right way.



Being that 'tis the season, the subject of Patrick Elias' jersey one day being lifted to the rafters also came up.  And the consensus is/was, eventually, Yes.  And why not; he's not only a life-long Devil, a Stanley Cup Champion; but now is also the organization's All-Time Goals Scored Leader breaking the mark held by former Devil great; John MacLean.  He tied and broke the record with two goals against the Montreal Canadiens this past Saturday in a 5-3 Devils win.  Franchise record breaking goal #348 was Patrick's 13th goal of the season.



But what of John MacLean?  I hope the time he spent here as Head Coach hasn't taken away from all the great years he spent as a Devils' forward.  And after all, it was his record Patrick Elias recently broke.  He grew with this organization in the days Wayne Gretzky was calling them a Mickey Mouse organization.  Then back in 1988, John MacLean scored the goal that clinched the organization's first ever playoff berth.  He was part of their first ever Stanley Cup Championship.  I ask Devil Fans, - If Patrick Elias is deserving, then isn't Johnny Mac just as much a consideration?



Of course this is Zach Parise's team now; a healthy Zach Parise that is.  And this is the team of Ilya Kovalchuk who appears to have joined the fold.  It took a season to bust the Russian bronco, but it appears he's ready to be a Devil now.  And of course, Patrick Elias is still, Patrick Elias.  The fact that the Devils are NOT stumbling their way through a historically bad start unlike last year at this time, should concern hockey fans who spend Christmas pondering their team's standings in April.  If you're not a Devils fan, than this is a team to be worried about.  That's not to say that can win a Cup.  But on a given night, they can mess you up.

TUESDAY NIGHT

BATTLE of the HUDSON

NEW YORK RANGERS

vs.

New Jersey Devils

From,

The Rock

BRICK CITY,  N.J.

Mike.BTB

N.J. Devils ~ 30th Season of Hell On Ice

GAME ONE; 2011-2012 Season: vs. Philadelphia Flyers. 
From: The Rock, Newark, N.J.

N.J. DEVILS

30th Anniversary Season

NEW JERSEY DEVILS:   Good Team; Bad Team.  The Club From Newark Battles Its Demons.


Here comes the Mickey Mouse Club.  I was watching MSG Vault today and a special on the Devils.  Wayne Gretzky characterized the New Jersey Devils as a Mickey Mouse organization after a game in which the Edmonton Oilers mercilessly beat the Devils in a 1983 game by a 13-4 final score.


Thirty years into their New Jersey history, that isn't the case now..., is it?


Last season was the ultimate season of  - WHAT IF..?  What if Zach Parisi hadn't been lost for the season?  What if Ilya Kovalchuck hadn't forgotten how to score?  What if the Devils hadn't gotten off to that horrific start?  As horrific as their first half was, they played with fury after the break and almost salvaged a playoff spot.


This season comes replete with it's own - What If's.  What if they hadn't lost Travis Zajac for this season?  What If Marty Brodeur breaks down?  What if they start as badly again as they did last season?  What if Parisi and Kovalchuck don't get enough help playing on two different lines?  What if no one steps up and makes a name for themselves on defense?


The Devils have a new coach this season; Peter DeBoer.  The what-ifs are all his problem now.  This time Lou Lamoriello went out of the organization for his choice.  John MacLean didn't work out and Lou used the Jacques LeMaire card for the last time.  So Big Lou tabbed the former Florida Panthers head coach.  But then again, coaching issues are nothing new to the Devils.


One of Coach DeBoer's problems this season will be the Devils lack of a true center.  Patrick Elias will man that position by necessity.  But who exactly do the Devils think they are playing at center after Elias?  Who?


The bigger problem is the Devils suffer from a wholly unbalanced gang of Forwards.  But somehow, between Elias and Kovalchuck and others, they made it work in the second half of the season and incredibly only lost three games down the stretch.


The Devils surge was incredible actually.  But what really made it possible was a band of over-achieving Defensemen.  Bryce Salvador and Andy Greene are the known.  But the Devils are putting an awful lot of stock into kid-Adam Larsson.  If he and Henrik Tallinder can't add up to four reliable blue-liners,the Devils will have huge problems that will make their forward situation pall in comparison.


The 2010-2011 season was a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde campaign.  Which team will show up early this season?  And which team will finish the season?  Or will one just dominate them?


The Devils should never be taken lightly; ever.  But they are far from their glory days now.  There are still members of those days still here; but few.  There's still a Hall of Fame goalie in net.  But a  frustrating chase for the eighth or seventh spot come April of next year, starts now.






Mike.BTB

N.J. Devils ~ Don't THRASH the Past

NEW JERSEY DEVILS:  If you're going to the game this afternoon, take a second and LOOK UP!

The Devils host the Atlanta Thrashers later this afternoon to finish their abysmal 2010 portion of the schedule in which they could only manage twenty points.  They have literally crash landed into last place in all the National Hockey League.  Even after the Devils released John MacLean from his duties and brought back Jacques LeMaire to see if he can correct what is wrong with this team, they have not yet shown an indication they will be relinquishing their last place status any time soon.


The New Year doesn't seem any more promising than the last three months.  I don't have the foggiest clue how to fix the Devils.  I'm not so sure it's fixable because this is part of the natural downward progression of a DYNASTY.

The next great night in Devils' history will be when they raise John MacLean's jersey to the rafters. 

But the Laws of Diminished Returns are dusting off the snow from their skates and are knocking at the Devil's Door.  The LAST great night in this Devils' Era may very well be the night they retire Martin Brodeur's number and raise his jersey aloft with those of Scott Stevens, Ken Daneyko and their three Stanley Cup Championship Banners.

The Last Great Days of Devils' Hockey will be what you can make out of watching Marty play out the season (or two) in the final days of his career as he tacks on perhaps a few more wins and shutouts along the way to finishing as the Best Ever in those respective categories.

We are watching the sad final gasps of a glorious Devilish Era coming to a most certain end.

Patrick Elias will be left behind to witness and suffer through the final crumbling of the Devils much like (METS Reference..) Jerry Koosman was left behind to pitch when the lights literally went out on the N.Y. Mets back in the Black-Out of 1977 after Tom Seaver was traded; ALONE.

There is no escaping the Salary 'Chuk HELL the Devs now find themselves in.  And there are no new "Lil Demons" coming up through the system.  That's the Devils' present.

In the near future, there is no last hurrah for Marty, Langenbrunner, Elias and LeMaire.  There will be no second shot at being a hero for Jason Arnott.  Zach Parise?  Sorry Bud...bad timing.

If you're going to the game this afternoon and find yourself getting "THRASHED" by Atlanta, look up, think back, and be grateful for a GREAT Run!

Somehow,  from parts out west, you guys moved into the most populous and crowded metropolitan area in the country and built an Empire that for the last twenty+ years, Be-Deviled everyone.

Hell never had it so Good.




Mike.BTB

N.J. Devils ~ Coach John MacLean Fired by Devils

NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Former Devils' Great, Rookie NHL Coach John MacLean Gets Fired By Big Lou.


Lou Lamoriello: Outside of coaching changes, there's nothing else he can do to save his team from the Salary Cap Hell he put them in.


Coming into this season, most Hockey fans and experts were pretty much all sold on the notion the N.J. Devils would boast an above-average offense but that their defense would not meet the standards set by teams of their "trapping" and "post-trap" past.  But the Devilish irony that has repeatedly jabbed at New Jersey with a pitchfork this season is the complete opposite of what anyone expected.

While the low defensive expectations have indeed been unceremoniously met this season, the Devils scoring has been down-right malignant.  In a situation one can only ponder logically by setting all common sense aside, the New Jersey Devils are dead-last in all the National Hockey League in goals scored.

There are ten teams in the League that have surrendered 100+ goals this season.  And while the Devils are one of those teams with 103 GA, they aren't the worst of the lot which is no consolation...(I know).  That distinction is shared by Tampa Bay and Anaheim with 111 goals against.

What is alarmingly bedeviling though, is their paltry fifty-nine goals-for.  That goal total is dead last in the League; eight goals worse than the N.Y. Islanders.  On a team with Ilya Kovalchuk, Jason Arnott, Patrick Elias, S. Gionta, Travis Zajac, and guys like Rolston and Langenbrunner being enough to round out three quality lines, what they have combined to offer as support for their new Coach was nothing short of putrid.



The Team-First Philosophy of interchangeable players, all abiding by a system with no room for individuals is all but gone from an organization that worked incredibly hard for over two decades now, with limited means and less than sold-out games, to become one of the League's most consistently successful franchises.

Not only is the woeful play a radical departure from what used to be known as Devil's Hockey, the zeal with-which the organization insisted on signing Ilya Kovalchuk was very strange to all Hockey minded on-lookers.  With a fistful of money, they abandoned their own edicts like drunken sailors on shore-leave. 

The Devil's way was to develop a self-reliant, self-sustaining farm system, so as to seamlessly fit these players on the Big Lines and then make savvy trades at the dead-line.  Unless Ilya's signing is explained to me a different way, I can only surmise the Devils lusted for Kovalchuk, there-by clouding their better sense.  The temptation of "scoring" can be DEVILISH....right fellas?  They knowingly came into the season compromised on defense.  But they, you nor I ever anticipated this offense featuring Kovalchuk would be pathetically worse.  In a very unDevil-like transaction they bought into the STAR System.  After 33 games the gamble has been a complete and utter failure.  And this afternoon, after only 59 goals and 20 team points good enough only for Last Place.... it cost their rookie Coach his job.

John MacLean was relieved of his Head Coaching duties this afternoon by Big Lou Lamoriello in a move widely anticipated.  Not so long ago, Big Lou placed the onus on his star players to get the Devils out of their malaise.  When it was evident they were no closer to solving the team's problems, Coach John MacLean too, failed to continually find things to tell the media.  He literally ran out of words to say as he could no longer provide answers for them outside of, "I don't know."

For that; for a woefully underachieving roster with star players missing in action, and for the sake of loosening an increasingly tightening grip on last place that needed to be immediately addressed, John MacLean, a former Devil Great himself, had to be removed.  He was after-all a rookie Coach.  The position was tenuous to begin with.

Former two-time Devil Coach and Stanley Cup Champion Jacques LeMaire was named interim Coach for New Jersey.

You'll never go wrong hiring Jacques to coach your team.  He's a flat out winner.  But this appointment hints, to me, of something much darker and dire.  This points to something at the very foundation the Devil's Rock is built on....Lou Lamoriello himself.

He is arguably the best Sports Executive in the Metropolitan area.   But there is no ignoring an increasingly glaring problem.  The salary cap has perplexed even the best executives in Sports and Lou is no exception.  Lou has struggled with the salary cap repeatedly in the past and this Kovalchuk contract will be an albatross for years to come.  The farm system has hit a lull in productivity and things aren't as interchangeable as they used to be for Big Lou.

The task Jacques LeMaire has ahead of him pales in comparison to what big Lou has to deal with.  Jacques gets to do what he does best.  Somehow he and Devil Veteran Colin White have to find a way to get Andy Greene, Henrik Tallinder, Volchenkov and Anssi Salmela to play a style of defense that will get the offensive "stars" out of their funk and away from other responsibilities and there-by sparking transition in an offensive direction.

Yea....easy right?

Will this move be enough to dramatically save the Devils season that is more than one-third of the way over?  I doubt it.  It's not like Big Lou hasn't fired a coach before.  As a matter of fact he's more known for it.  But this may be more than just paint chipping off the walls and a broken window or two.  And we haven't even touch the Brodeur situation either....have we?

We just might be in the earliest days of the Fall of the Devil's Empire.




Mike.BTB

N.J. DEVILS ~ Adding Injury to Insults; Pat Burns

Big Boss Lou Lamoriello added his voice to the conversation taking place about his team's current, on going dilemma, being, they suck.  Big Lou indicated flatly Coach John MacLean is not the problem with the Devils.  He placed the onus squarely on the player's performances.  After twenty games played Big Lou is calling on his star players to play like such.  He's calling on the rest of the cast to know their roles and execute.

But now the Devils find themselves without the services of Martin Brodeur for a few weeks as he needs time to heal his re-injured elbow; originally re-aggravated by a shot off the arm.  So add injury to an already futile defense effort which is no doubt insulting the Devil's fan base's long time sensibilities regarding how this game gets played. 


The once unilaterally effective, system oriented, interchangeable parts churned out by DEVIL Corp., no longer fit this once proud (Animal House) Death Mobile.  Now, this reconfigured machine...No!.. Instead, this assemblage of incompatible body parts play hockey more like Dr. Frankenstein's mismatched Monster on skates.

Tonight they play a very good St. Louis Blues team.  And I'm afraid things will no doubt get a little worse before things get better for Jersey.  I don't just mean on the ice either.  Their poor 5-12-1 start this season can not be written off to injury.  They've earned their subterranean spot in the standings with a non-existent defensive effort and a core of star players currently MIA. Twenty games is one fourth of the season and therefore a sizable body of work with which to scrutinize. 

A great majority of the fan base is still in shock over this assault to their Devil Fan indoctrination.  Such ineptitude was thought to have been "exorcised" back in the 80s.  But when said majority start to snap out of their haze, sooner than later, they may very well turn into an angry mob.

Coach John MacLean turns 46 years old today.  As far as it being a Happy Birthday...?  That will be decided tonight after we get a final score from St. Louis.

FINAL

DEVILS  2

BLUES    3

Post Game ~ Grit your teeth and bare the pain like men.  That's how you handle this.  Don't whine; No snivelling.  Stay professional and humble, say the right things and keep trying hard.

The Devils are now 5-13-1.  New Jersey has scored a mere 36 goals in 20 games to start the season.  There's wry achievement in there somewhere.  The defense was expected to be of lesser caliber coming into the season.  No one expected it would be this bad.  But what is utterly astonishing is the lack of offense highlighted by the stat I just offered.

Take tonight for instance; the Devils got their two goals from David Clarkson and Mattias Tedenby.  Why not just give Bill and Ted a stick and skates and let them take a "most excellent" chance on the first line?  Where is Gionta?  Elias?  Zajac?  Arnott?  Kovalchuk?  Parise?

That's what Lou Lamoriello wants to know.

PAT BURNS ~ Rest Well.
Former New Jersey Devils Stanley Cup Champion Coach and NHL Titan, Pat Burns, has passed away at the age of 58 after a long complicated bout with cancer.  The NHL Hall of Fame erred terribly by not paying Pat Burns his due respect and recognition while he was still with us by inducting him into the Hall.  I for one thought Pat Burns was one of the Elite Coaches of my lifetime.  My condolences to his loved ones, family and friends.  Rest Well Pat.

I chose the following ARTICLE from the Montreal Gazette.  After reading it I'm sure you'll agree with my selection.  I read many works over the last two days.  This one speaks best.




Mike.BTB

Saturday Night Ice

New York Rangers: Grinding Out Two in a Row
The Boston Bruins tried pounding on us early and often tonight in an attempt to set the tone with their clear advantage in size.  The Rangers helped the Bruins' cause by putting them on the Power Play 10 times for a gross 37 minutes.  What put a monkey wrench into Boston's game tonight was a very gutsy and gritty effort by the visiting New York BlueShirts.  And yes, an early lead can thwart the best laid plans like the one the Rangers jumped out to this evening.

The Bruins couldn't keep pace with the rate in which Anisimov (3rd), Frolov (2nd) and Staal (1st) scored theirs goals.  After correcting their penalty issues by not getting one called against them in the third period and a spectacular, not to mention lead preserving save by Henrik, the Rangers secured their second straight victory against their second straight Original Six opponent.  Tonight's victory comes on the heals of a win over the Maple Leafs where by Martin Biron gained his first victory as a Ranger in a great over-all effort by the BlueShirts.  So as Ranger fans, we'll throw out the junker against Colorado and stick with the results of these last two games.

They had ten penalties called against them.  They killed nine of them; incredible in it's own right.  Some of them sat well with me like the one (instigating) called on Avery.  He was standing up for our guy; Fedotenko.  That's cool; nothing stupid on his part; just hockey.  Whatever Torts told them during the 2nd intermission worked because the Rangers didn't have an infraction the whole 3rd period.  The other side of that coin is the four minute power play the Rangers were on resulting from a high stick to Brandon Prust in which the could not convert into a goal.

But it was a very solid third period indeed and 35 saves by Henrik Lundqvist; one of them a game saving Beauty was just enough to hold off the hard hitting Bruins.  Henri even made one of his patented Head-Butt saves while they were killing a power play at the 12:40 mark of the 3rd period.  I hate when he does that.

Early in the 2nd period Marc Staal came out of the penalty box, picked up the puck in the neutral zone and entered Boston's end unimpeded.  His goal put the Rangers up 3-1 and they made it stand.

Final score Rangers 3; Bruins 2.

Prust was injured as he took a high stick to the eye.  There was substantial bleeding and he did not return.

The Rangers are now 3-2-1 on the season.

Tomorrow, the Battle of the Hudson resumes as the Rangers and the Devils face off in MSG.



New Jersey Devils:  Be-Deviling Situation
The New Jersey Devils have arrived at Hell's door in a hand basket.  They picked an unusually odd home date to rest Martin Brodeur as Johan Hedberg made his first start and the even more peculiar situation surrounding Ilya Kovalchuk and Coach MacLean just screams for attention.

Coach MacLean decided Kovalchuk would be a healthy scratch tonight.  Sitting the Devils' leading scorer was simply put by MacLean as a Coach's Decision.  Is Coach Mac sending a message to the rest of the team?  You betcha.  You always go after the featured guy.  The thought is if you go after him, no one feels safe.  But this comes awfully early in the season doesn't it?  What will he resort to in December, January and February?

We figured out this would be a different Devils team than we're accustomed to.  This edition would be a scoring team with less emphasis on defense compared to years prior.  But what we didn't anticipate with a Lou Lamoriello team is the chaos that is encroaching upon the Devils' locker room on the heals of the Giant Dollar signing.

After tonight's 6-1 drubbing at the hands of Buffalo Zach Parise offered, "...it's gonna be a long year if we keep this up."  That's a pretty accurate assessment.  The Devils are now 2-5-1.  What should sound alarms is the fact they have only scored 14 goals this season while allowing 27.  Six goals against, came tonight and seven more in one earlier game.

Don't go sticking pitch forks into these guys yet.  It's only October.  But these guys are clearly bedeviled by problems at the outset.  There's plenty of time to straighten things out.  The question moving forward is...

Can they?


New York Islanders: Tavares Hat Trick; 3 Game Streak Ends
If this strikes you as a surprise, shame on you.  But here it is; - The New York Islanders are the best team in the Metropolitan area right now.  They along with PITT sat atop of the division with ten points each entering tonight.

But they couldn't ride a John Tavares Hat Trick, falling to the Florida Panthers 4-3 this evening in Florida.  They played from behind but kept coming back.  They?  Tavares, excuse me.

Their three game win streak was snapped with this loss.  They play again Wednesday when they begin a home and home series with the Habs.



Consider yourself updated.


Mike.BTB