N.Y. Rangers: Sather Continues Softening The Blueshirts

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

 

Feeling increasingly alone?

NEW YORK RANGERS: Yet Another Indication It Is Open Season On Tex's Rangers - Can Someone Please Place GM Glen Sather On Waivers!?

This is essentially the same team as last year, just with a new coach.  But you know what I heard after each game so far?  They need to get back to what was already ingrained into them regarding defense, and that they need to get back to doing things they already know how to do.  That screams of the stuff they used to pay keen attention to while playing for John Tortorella.  It also sounds like a lot of reminiscing by the players to me.  How do you feel about your exit interviews now boys?  They have this look about them as if wondering - what did we ask for?  To that I'll say again - you can't always give players what they want!

On that note, the GM continues to take away what this team needs most - toughness.  I wasn't exactly the biggest supporter of Aaron Asham.  He was inconsequential really.  But he did bring a measure of physicality to the ice, which is something the Rangers have methodically removed from their locker room over the last two seasons.  Glen Sather placed Asham on waivers today.  And there goes the last player who was willing to flat out fight if it meant protecting the honor of a team mate....  As a side note to this matter, Rick Nash is expected to miss at least the next two games while still suffering concussion symptoms after taking an elbow to the back of the head against San Jose.  That said, there is now one remaining player on the roster now who will stand against indiscretions taken against the Rangers.  That skater wears the C on his uniform.  He can not police the competition alone.

...And all this came against western conference clubs, who aren't necessarily known for playing intensely physical games.  The more one looks back on the Kings games, the more it looks like an aberration.  The Rangers are finally heading back east, so what do you think is going to happen now?  While getting back within their own conference might change team fortunes on the ice, I expect even more teams to push the Rangers around.

Goalie Marty Biron was also placed on waivers.  Who didn't see that coming?  Marty wasn't necessarily Alain Vigneault's favorite to back-up Lundqvist out of camp.  Biron just happened to be the best of the worst.  He never managed to recapture his effectiveness from two seasons ago, and now will contemplate retirement.



Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers: The Run On Blueshirts Starts Early

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS: There's No Reply At All.

The San Jose Sharks utterly embarrassed the Rangers Tuesday night.  I'll tell you right away, losing 9-2 isn't what irks me.  Instead, Rick Nash received a first period elbow to the back of the head administered by San Jose defenseman Brad Stuart.  No Rangers player so much as glanced Stuart's way.  Nash wound up missing the last two periods with an increasing headache.

When Tomas Hertl, 19, scored his fourth goal of the night to give the Sharks an 8-2 lead, he did so with a reverse between the legs whatever shot.  Some Ranger, a Ranger, any Ranger should have made that young kid think twice about ever doing that again, especially to their goalie, in this case, Marty Biron, and especially after Henrik got pulled from the game in the second period.

How much disrespect will this team allow?  Is this the way we protect, support and defend our fellow players now?  By turning a blind eye?  The Rangers of two years ago would have been administering black eyes!  Two years ago this team had toughness and identity.  Last season Glen Sather began stripping it away.  I said it last year - the Smurfs are back!

This needs repeating.  Last February, within a seven game stretch, Boston's Milan Lucic boarded Rick Nash, Ottawa's Chris Neil viciously boarded Brad Richards, then Montreal's Max Pacioretty  took yet another run at a Ranger, and boarded Ryan McDonagh.  At no time did any Rangers player stick up for their team mate - Not one.  No response.  Shortly after those three incidents, the Canadiens crashed Marty Biron, which again, inspired no response from the Rangers.

I'll also say this again and again.  Two season ago, after the Rangers defeated the Sharks in San Jose, Joe Thornton called the Blue Shirts the softest team he ever played.  The Rangers then went on to lead the entire NHL in fighting majors.  They didn't stop there.  They also league in fighting within the first five minutes of a game!  That's eerily around the same time Brad Stuart took his run last night at Rick Nash.  That's right around the time physical teams want to be exerting their dominance - early.  That's what you call setting the freakin tone and sending a message to your opponent that the Rangers aren't putting up with any crap.

Now crap is going to hit the fan because the NHL just received an even earlier invitation than last year, to take runs at Rangers players.  New York's top three fighters of two seasons ago are gone.  New York's top player, Rick Nash is down.



Mike.BTB

New York Rangers: Fans To Devils - "Season's Over!"

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

 

BATTLE OF THE HUDSON

 

Rangers Lead Series 2-1

I - NJD 3; NYR 1

II - NYR 3; NJD 2

III - NYR 4; NJD 1

IV - Saturday

NEW YORK RANGERS - Win Over Devils Gives Blueshirts Three Point Lead Over Winnipeg Jets For Eighth Seed.


I was there Sunday.  There was no revenge factor for me - just winning.  Regardless, MAAR-TY! was the anthem of the night. And it was fun.  Sunday's chant started a little earlier than most, thirty-four seconds into the game actually.  That's when Captain Callahan put the Rangers on the board, and sent the Blueshirts on their way.


The game was a bit unusual to watch as Rangers/Devils clashes go.  Neither team seemed to play with any aggression to speak of, towards each other.  It was more like a - Pardon me, Excuse me type of game.  In fact, Coach DeBoer was the most agitated person in the Garden last night.  And for good reason.  His Devils were in the midst of being eliminated from this year's playoff race, and going down without a fight.  If you remember, by this time last year, Coach DeBoer and Coach Torts were already exchanging slings and arrows.  This year, Sunday, Coach DeBoer vented on the stripes for good reasons, team motivating reasons, and no reason at all.  It's all he had left.  SEASON'S OVER!  SEASON'S OVER!  Coach DeBoer was reminded over and over by the crowd.  Not so much for him, but for me, there was a great atmosphere at the Garden, in an otherwise conflicting season.  The Rangers now have three games left to secure this eighth seed, or, their season will be over as well.


Tex's Rangers have now scored eighteen goals in the last three games.  Last night, the Captain scored the first and last goal of the day.  Derek Stepan continued his strong season with a first period goal, his sixteenth, and Taylor Pyatt added his fifth.


Henrik Lundqvist has started the last eleven games in a row, and twenty of the last twenty-one Rangers games.  The Blueshirts next game is Tuesday, against the Panthers in Florida.  Even though every point is critical right now, Coach Torts might want to consider giving Henrik the night off.  It would figure to be Henrik's last game off for whatever run the Rangers can muster.  Marty Biron made three starts in February.  He made his next start on March 10th, then his last start came on March 30th.  Henrik started forty games this season, Biron, six.  Henrik currently owns a 2.08 GAA, and a .927 save percentage.  Giving Lundqvist Tuesday's game off is a risk, but one worth taking.  The Winnipeg Jets are currently three points behind the Rangers, in ninth place with forty-nine points.  After Florida, the Rangers play in Carolina, and wrap up the regular season against the Devils again.  IF...Biron gets the start in Florida, and wins, I would give him another start in Carolina, before saddling up Henrik for a potentially, long bumpy ride through the conference.  What say you?




MIke.BTB

N.Y. Rangers: Canadiens Bounce Blueshirts From Conference Top Eight

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS



NEW YORK RANGERS - You Can't Blame Canada For The Broadway Blueshirt Dilemma.

 

Instead of methodically creeping forward,

the weight of our big blue glacier is bearing down on the Rangers.

 

Canada offered no quarter.  On a snowy night in the Great White North, Tex's Rangers were once again lost for direction.  And for the second time in five days, the Eastern Conference #1 seed  reminded the Blueshirts just how far off the beaten path they really are.  When the Rangers wake up in the morning, they will find themselves injured, depleted, and separated from the leaders - all eight of them.


Two games against the Canadiens; two losses -  With a loss to the Sens sandwiched in between, the Habs twice defeated what used to be a number eight seeded team.  Saturday night's loss effectively removed the Rangers from the Eastern Conference top eight clubs.  The Philadelphia Flyers now lead the Rangers by a point.


The Blueshirts' defense suffered major casualties.  Michael Del Zotto was already a pregame scratch. Ryan McDonagh had to leave in the second period after getting crunched into the boards from behind.  And Dan Girardi needed help off the ice in the third period after blocking a puck with his ankle.


On the forward lines, Rick Nash is still suffering from a mysterious, top secret injury.  Brad Richards still can't play hockey.  Carl Hagelin has cooled off.  Marian Gaborik was the latest to be shown the bench.  No Rangers player could find the back of the net.  And not one Blueshirt had more than three shots on goal.


Between the pipes, Montreal's Carey Price faced eighteen shots and stopped them all.  Martin Biron started in net for the Rangers.  He faced seventeen shots, letting three get by, all in the second period.


On special teams, the Habs were 1/4 on the power play.  But the one PP goal Montreal scored may have inflicted the most damage of all.  The trainers room is sure to be filled Sunday morning treating a rash of sore necks after the Habs had the Rangers PK heads swivelling, their bodies spinning, ankles twisting, and their sticks flailing at air.  Montreal's quick, accurate, one touch passing, made the Rangers PK look down right inept - What a clinic in power play hockey!  The goal needed to be seen.



Mike.BTB

New York Rangers: Importing Scorers Has Been Mixed Bag Of Pucks

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

TONIGHT

 

2013

National Hockey League

TEX'S RANGERS

REGULAR SEASON OPENER

 

 

NEW YORK RANGERS

vs.

Boston Bruins

FROM

Not The Boston Garden

Legends Way, North End

 

 

NEW YORK RANGERS:

Four Blueshirt Points Of Interest and Concern (and Worry)

1) - Improve the Power Play - The Rangers, it turns out, were very very good last season - just not great.  An overall lack of key scoring hurt.  But an abysmal power play killed.  In consecutive seasons, Brad Richards and Rick Nash have been brought to New York with the expectation they can help turn the PP unit around and have it become an offensive weapon for a change.  Because let us be honest here.  The Rangers power play has short circuited ever since Sergei Zubov last manned the point two decades ago.


2) - Give Marty Biron twelve to fifteen starts unless otherwise dictated by necessity; or it adversely affects Henrik's timing; or Marty proves it is a bad idea.  With the additional back-to-back games and an overall compressed schedule, he will obviously get his chances.  I know giving Biron that many starts seems a bit much.  Henrik would still get 33/35 starts.  Once the playoffs start, Marty Biron will effectively disappear.  However, should something unfortunately befall Henrik Lundqvist, Marty Biron will need to be up to game speed, meaning playoff speed.  In a short season scenario, everything moves fast.


3) - Will the real Brad Richards please stand up?  See below.  But all we need from Brad Richards is to be Brad Richards.  Judging by the way he performed in the playoffs, we might get it.  Then again.......


4) - Who will fight our battles now that Brandon Prust is gone?  Mike Rupp?  Brian Boyle?  Okay..., then who?    ...............(*sigh*)...............?  I thought so.  With all due respect to our Captain, the Rangers are shy in the pugilist department.  For the moment, lets leave Rick Nash out of this one.  He is a qualified tough guy.  Otherwise, this is highly concerning to me.  The Rangers led, or were among the top two (which?) NHL teams in fighting majors last season.  Now fear this.  Brandon Prust led the Rangers by far, engaging in twenty regular season fights last season.  Mike Rupp came in second with thirteen.  Stu Bickel..! - exchanged hey-makers twelve times.  Good for him.  Labelled as a bit soft, the dearly departed Brandon Dubinsky is next on the list with six fights.  Then...., Brian Boyle comes in with three.  How important is fighting to the Rangers overall game?  It depends how many fights they themselves instigated, and how many times they needed to meet the challenge.  Was their willingness to drop gloves born of necessity because veteran teams like Philly, Pittsburgh, and others thought they could take their liberties against a very young club?  Or was fighting inevitable because of their rabid, and possessed-like grinding style?  Go figure...



Finally!  It's Time To Drop The Puck And Get Broadway's Big Blue Glacier Moving FORWARD Again.

Is Marian Gaborik The Rangers Version Of Howard Johnson?

The most glaring problem facing the Rangers these past two seasons has been their ability, or inability, to score the big goal, a put-away goal, the Say Goodnight Gracie type goal.  More simply, the Rangers just need to score more goals, period.  For it is heartbreaking when fifty nine minutes of hard work and effort falls through a crack in the ice due to one very brief or fleeting defensive lapse or misplay.  With alarming frequency in last season's playoffs and culminating against the Devils, any deviation from perfection without the puck torpedoed their game.  They possessed the puck just fine.  They just couldn't find net.  Other times, they over-possessed and failed to get off shots.


The Rangers lost their bearing in the neutral zone as well.  But teams adept at scoring can many times outscore their mistakes.  The Rangers never could.  The goals the Blueshirts did score oft times came only after a supreme physical effort - the kind of effort it takes to grind granite into sand.  And as fans, we were going to buy into it no matter what.  But to their credit, Coach Torts and the team moved forward with the steady movement and power of a glacier as long as they could.  Maybe by the time they faced the surging Devils, the long grind of the Rangers style of play just caught up to Team Torts...  Or, maybe they just couldn't score.  Everything would have been fine, as is, if they could only have mustered a goal or two more.


Mind you, that's at even strength.  Because worse yet, when fans would rather fore go a power play just to continue playing at even strength, that's a problem.  The power play has been a dilemma; a crisis even; for the Rangers - not an advantage.  And that is so unlike many John Tortorella teams of the past.


Rick Nash was imported to address such issues.  This is what I said a few posts ago:

...securing a second high profile player in consecutive years (also) brings expectations. So hello Rick Nash. This ain't Columbus chum. Show me.  Rick Nash is actually the player the Rangers have been seeking on the wing for decades, or at least since the days Nick Fotiu played. Difference being, Nash is a legit scorer. He is big, and tough like Fotiu was, but a vastly more skilled forward than Fotiu could ever aspire to be. And he's young. He is entering his prime years. Alas, recent years of making mistakes with forwards such as Scott Gomez and Chris Drury seem like ages ago - perchance to dream.

On paper, this acquisition is a home run.  However, until they drop the puck to start the season, let us just keep it at that.  Because the fact is, the Rangers still have carry-over issues with two of their other recent, and fairly recent high profile acquisitions.


Will the real Brad Richard please stand up?  I'm not complaining.  This blog gave him a season's grace.  And after all, he had big moments in last year's playoffs.  But Brad without a doubt struggled during the regular season.....mightily.  So much so, Coach Torts had no choice but to demote him to the fourth line for a time.  That can not be the case this season.  But he only needs to be Brad Richards, not a savior.


With Nash on board, everyone should be carrying a lighter load, and benefiting.  But then again, that's what we fans said when the team acquired Marian Gaborik.  And we said it again when we acquired Richards.  I know many of the real cynical fans, and even some more moderate ones can't help but think, even fleetingly....., here we go again.


Within a four season stretch, the Rangers (ideally speaking) have now acquired their top three scorers.  Marian Gaborik was the first.  During Marian Gaborik's '07-'08 season with Minnesota, he scored forty two goals.  The following season, injury limited him to seventeen games and thirteen goals.  He returned healthy for the '09-'10 season, but only he now played for the Rangers.  In his first season wearing a Blueshirt, he matched his career high set two seasons ago, by scoring forty two goals.  The next season, he managed sixty two games played, but only scored twenty two goals.  There was much speculation as to whether he played the season injured.  At the end of the season, he admitted he did.  Last year, Marian Gaborik "the sniper" returned.  For the third time in the last five alternating seasons, he topped (41) the forty goal mark.  He did in fact play through injury again through last season's playoffs.  Marian Gaborik is now coming off shoulder surgery, but appears quite ready to get going.  But which Marian Gaborik will the Rangers be getting?  The forty goal scorer, or, the alternating stinker scheduled to appear this year?  In local terms, he is like the Howard Johnson of hockey.




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers: Farewell Old Friends and Hello Expectations

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS


NEW YORK RANGERS - Time To Don The Blueshirts And Lace Up The Skates.  The 2012-2013 Regular Season is FINALLY Upon Us.

 

First things first.  To the Commissioner and the owners of the NHL - For the simple fact you instigated a lockout for the second time in a decade, you're all a bunch of puckin' idiots!

Thank you very much.

 

 

Welcome back my Blueshirts Brothers and Sisters to "Raise Gresch With The Greats" - the New York Rangers portion of my BrooklynTrolleyBlogger.  Its been a long time since last summer ended on a sad note.....  Can't wait to get started again.

 

 

Thank you Artem Anisimov and Ruslan Fedotenko.  And so long Brandon Prust.  I'm upset to lose Prust like I was upset when the Rangers let Colton Orr get away.  And sadly, bye bye Brandon Dubinsky.  He was one of Coach Torts original core players.  Without a doubt, he helped rebuild the Rangers into the contender they are today.  Inevitably, his last act as a Rangers player was smashing a water cooler on his way off the ice versus New Jersey.  In hindsight, that was a great way to go.  I'll remember him well.  But in the bigger picture, last season was the Blueshirts greatest season in some time.  And so, they will all be missed.

 

 

But nothing ventured, nothing gained.  With success come expectations.  The bar has been set.  We've been to the conference finals and lost out by a goal and a game.  Now we want to win round three, and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.  That said, securing a second high profile player in consecutive years also brings expectations.  So hello Rick Nash.  This ain't Columbus chum.  Show me.

 

 

Rick Nash is actually the player the Rangers have been seeking on the wing for for decades, or at least since the days Nick Fotiu played.  Difference being, Nash is a legit scorer.  He is big, and tough like Fotiu was, but a vastly more skilled forward than Fotiu could ever aspire to be.  And he's young.  He is entering his prime years.  Alas, recent years of making mistakes with Scott Gomez and Chris Drury seem like ages ago - perchance to dream.

 

 

Dare we?  Dare we dream of the Finals?  Or do we follow Coach Torts' dictate, and just try to win shifts, periods, and games?  Well, as fans, WE could do all that, and chew gum too.  But what about the Media?  Problem is Staal, Callahan, Girardi, and Lundqvist are no longer considered kids anymore.  They are full fledged vets now, as are Brad Richards and Nash.  Fact is, with a conference final appearance under their belts, Coach Torts has a veteran team now.  The "We're not good enough for..." tact may no longer fly with the scribes.

 

 

One veteran the New York Rangers will have to rely heavily on this season in particular because of the condensed schedule, is back-up goalie Marty Biron.  Damn I'm glad he's back.

 

 

This was my first hockey warm-up.  I'm sore already.  But I'm glad they're all back.

 

 

 

 

 

Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ Henrik Will Start Fewest Games in Six Years

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS:  If You Need Something Done, You Have To Do It Yourself.

NEW YORK RANGERS

99 POINTS

First Place Atlantic Division ~ #1 in Eastern Conference

Pittsburgh Penguins

98 POINTS

Second Place Atlantic Division ~ #4 Eastern Conference

Thank you Nashville -  For Nothing!  Pittsburgh won Thursday evening 5-1 over the Predators to close within one point of the Rangers again.  So forget about getting any help from anyone.  We're on our own Ranger Fans.  We have to match Pittsburgh win for win, until we meet them for the final time of the regular season on April 5th.



With an overtime win over Detroit Wednesday evening, the Rangers still hold a precarious lead in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings.  The Blueshirts are now one point shy of reaching 100 points in a regular season for only the seventh time in their history.  But Pittsburgh now has ninety-eight points to discourage any sense of Blueshirt accomplishment.



The Penguins have bull rushed the Eastern Conference with twenty-seven points and a 13-0-1 record over their last fourteen games.  Over the same span, the Rangers have struggled to gain sixteen points in the standings, and have played to an 8-6 record.



Both teams have nine games remaining and will face equally tough competition down stretch.  Neither team will have a discernible advantage in terms of strength of schedule.  The Rangers have games remaining against BUFF this Friday night; then Toronto; Minnesota; Winnipeg; Montreal, Boston; Philadelphia; PITT; and finish against Washington.  The Penguins will play Ottawa next; then New Jersey; and back-to-back games against the New York Islanders.  A game against Buffalo rounds out March.  The Pens will then finish the regular season against Philadelphia; Boston; N.Y.R.; and Philadelphia again.  So I'm not sure one team has an easier itinerary than the other.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT FINAL:

Detroit Red Wings   1

New York Rangers  2

overtime

Wednesday's game against the Red Wings was the Rangers' third overtime game in March; and sixth in their last seventeen games.  They clearly don't have the fire power Pittsburgh has.  That's why they've been having to take a little extra time lately in trying to secure a second point.  After losing three in a row on the road, the resilient Blueshirts are now 4-2 during the current home stand.



In Wednesday's first period, Brad Richards' took off puck-handling on a line-to-line jaunt up ice that more resembled a football player's run for daylight.  Detroit, who rarely gets caught out of position defensively, found themselves parting the Garden ice like the Red Sea during a Ranger power play.  The fact Henrik Lundqvist received an assist on the play, was truly incidental to Brad Richards' first period tying goal.



The goal came during a lengthening stretch of good games for Richards that gives Coach Torts a measure of vindication for being so patient with his forward, and shielding him somewhat, from the Media.  It was also a goal which Rangers fans hope was a message to us; and well as to his team mates; that he intends on being the difference he was brought here to be.  Your leaders have to be your best players.  Brad Richards is among that group and has started playing the kind of hockey the Rangers greatly need.  Additionally, and probably even more important to the Rangers' cause, his goals have been coming on the power play.  And we all know, no team plays deep into the playoffs without a good power play.

HENRIK LUNDQVIST GETTING THE REST COACH TORTS WAS LOOKING FOR

As mentioned, Henrik Lundqvist recorded his second assist of the season.  Look out - He may start to like this sort of thing.  But what he does best is still stopping pucks.  And after allowing Detroit's  Henrik Zetterberg to score just three and a half minutes into the game, he would shut-out the Red Wings the rest of the night.  In all, he stopped twenty-six of twenty-seven shots on goal for his thirty-fourth win of the season.  His career high is thirty-eight wins set in the 2008-2009 season.



Last year, Henrik Lundqvist just missed starting 70+ games in net for the fifth consecutive season as an injury to Marty Biron altered plans to give Henrik more rest.  From 2006 through 2010, Henrik started 70; 72; 70; and 73 games respectively.  Last year he came in at sixty-eight games.  This season however, Martin Biron has been a force as back-up to the King.  When he's kept on his normal schedule, he has flourished.  But when pressed into duty; as in having to start for Henrik when he had the flu; his game, and the defense in front of him, have faltered.  But he has indeed been the best back-up goalie in hockey this season.  He started twenty games this season and has twelve wins.



The plan is to have Henrik Lundqvist healthy,and fresh, heading into the playoffs.  Coach Torts has long maintained Lundqvist was starting too many games in recent years, and that it has left the goalie gassed heading into the Spring Tournament.  Well, as a direct result of the season Marty Biron is having, Henrik has only started fifty-four games to date.  He will not come close to sixty-eight, much less seventy starts this season.  Now we'll start to find out if all this rest will pay off.



The game winning overtime goal?  Ryan Callahan took care of that.  He's developing a knack for that, isn't he?



Up Next - The Buffalo Sabres.  Our last game against them on February 25th wasn't easy.  They too took us into overtime before the Rangers pulled it out.  That game was also won on a Ryan Callahan overtime goal.



The teams have met three times this season in the Battle for the Empire State.  The Rangers have taken all three games.  On February 1st, the Rangers won in a shoot-out.  On December 10, the Rangers overwhelmed the Sabres 4-1 in Buffalo.

FRIDAY NIGHT PUCKS

"BATTLE FOR THE EMPIRE STATE"

Buffalo Sabres

vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

From,

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
33rd Street at 7th Avenue

NYC

See you there!

Let's Go Rangers

Mike.BTB

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

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

BATTLE of the HUDSON - VI

GAME SIX

New Jersey Devils

vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

From,

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

33rd Street at 7th Avenue

NYC

Devils Lead Series 3-2

I - NYR 4; NJD 1

II - NJD 4; NYR 3*

III - NJD 1; NYR 0

IV - NYR 2; NJD 0

V - NJD 4; NYR 1

*shoot-out

NEW YORK RANGERS:  March Has Been Madness on Ice.

THE MARCH of the PENGUINS HAVE BROUGHT THEM to our EASTERN GATE!

I'd rather know what this team lacks heading into the off-season, than to have rued the day we destroyed what we once had and worked so hard to build.  Would Rick Nash, minus Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan McDonagh, or Michael Del Zotto, have helped us beat the Penguins or the Avalanche?  Against Pittsburgh; I doubt it.  Against Colorado; we took our highest shots on goal total of the season and overall did more than enough in the game to win.  But Colorado's Semyon Varlamov did what he did to us a few years ago in the playoffs when he tended net with Washington; which was shut us down cold..., again.  So my answer is no.  Rick Nash wouldn't have made the difference.  Would he additionally have provided the difference against the Chicago Blackhawks?  Again, I don't think so.



That said, perhaps better goal tending on our part could have served us better.  Marty Biron certainly had better days and Henrik is coming off the flu.  Ryan Callahan and Michael Del Zotto missing several games hasn't help either.  But I'm not one for excuses.  While the Rangers are winding down a great regular season, there are still problems that stem back to multiple early season poundings suffered against Toronto and Montreal, followed by season long problems handling Ottawa, and New Jersey, whom (minus Ottawa) we will all face next.  If not for Marc Staal, they all defeated us during our healthiest times.



March has been Maddening for the Rangers.  They are 4-6 this month, and are losers of four of their last six games.  And YES! - The Penguins are at the gates.  They are now only one point behind the Rangers for the Atlantic Division lead and two away from knocking us down to fourth place in the Conference where Philly lurks; and who will want to have a say in the final standings too.



On Sunday, the Pens lost to Philly ending their eleven game winning streak.  So for the moment, everything is fluid.  The Rangers must take advantage and gain two points against the Devils Monday night.  For points are now of the utmost impotance in order to gain some separation over Pittsburgh before we meet them again for the final time this season.  The reappearance of Sidney Crosby just makes things that much more tougher for the Rangers on all counts.  In any scenario, the Rangers now most likely have to win that game and many more in order to preserve their current standing.  They will have to do this while the Pens are playing incredible Hockey.  It's a simple as that.  No team has had an answer for them in the last eleven games until Philly finally beat them.  And Sidney Crosby is only getting started.



But to panic now would be wrong.  I am very glad the Rangers held their ground during the trade deadline.  This team is still telling us who they are and look like they have a lot more to say before being through for the summer.  The season they've had already is well on it's way to making a lasting mark in 'Ol Tex's history book.



The Rangers have been flying high since December 23rd.  But now, the late in-season corrections are taking their due course.  The defending champion Boston Bruins aren't proving themselves to be too formidable anymore.  Unlike last season, New Jersey isn't playing as feeble.  And Washington has played it's way back into the pack.  The Rangers will fall in line where they fall.



The Blueshirts have 95 points with eleven games left to play.  For the moment, it is safe to say they will achieve the century mark in points for the first time since the 2005-2006 season (100 points), and for only the second time since their last Stanley Cup (112 points) winning season.  In all, since 1926, they have gained 100 points in a season six times.



Recent Ranger history says seasons like this only come along once every nine to ten years.  Overall, Ranger history says it only happens once every fourteen and a half years.  But the Rangers never earned more than 100 points in a season before the 1970-1971 season.  Between 1970 and 1973, they managed the feat three consecutive seasons.  They gained 100+ points twice more in the 1990's, then did it for the last time during the 2005-2006 season.



As Ranger Fans, how can we be critical of that?  Therefore, do not lose sleep over the Penguins.  The final stretch is going to be great.  You watch.  I suggest you sit at the edge of your seat at home or in the Garden, and enjoy it.  The end of the regular season will be like an old school 15th round of a heavy-weight title bout, only reoccurring eleven times.



After the Devils, they will face the Red Wings; Sabres and Maple Leafs.  Fast-forward two games, and waiting for them will be Montreal; Boston; Philadelphia; and Pittsburgh again.  They will finish the regular season against the resurgent Washington Capitals.  As we see, in the context of this season, the Rangers still have a daunting task ahead of them.  However, within the context of their storied history, we are in the midst of something great and still developing into something special.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS:  With Mighty Pitchforks in Hand,

the Devils are Back and Offering No Quarter.

Just Ask the Rangers.

Very quietly, the Devils have tormented Eastern Conference souls this season.  Like many teams, they may have gotten drubbed by the Penguins recently, but they are savvy, cunning, and smart.  They are also powerful, and dangerous, and offer no quarter.  Just ask the Rangers what happened to them the last time they played each other.



These Devils are playing more in line with New Jersey teams of old than last year's squad.  They are well on their way to officially reducing the 2010-2011 season to a complete aberration within the Devils' brief, yet very successful history.  After a disastrous start under Coach John MacLean last season, the Devils came on like a bat out of hell under Jacques LeMaire to make the final games of the regular season matter.  But by Devils' standards, they only finished the season with thirty-eight wins and eighty-one points.  Unable to overcome a debilitating 9-22-2 start, they failed to make the playoffs for the first time in fourteen years.



With ten games remaining on their schedule this season, they already have eighty-seven points, and under Coach Peter DeBoer, have regained their forty-win form by winning forty-one games to date.  Last year's disappointing campaign broke a run of thirteen consecutive seasons with at least forty wins.  Last year also marked the first time in fourteen seasons they didn't break ninety-points, and only the second time they didn't break one-hundred points in a season.



In their 2010-2011 season, their defense wasn't too far off from playing up to their yearly averages but grumblings about Martin Brodeur's advancing age and ability to stay healthy got louder.  Offensively however, particularly early on, they struggled mightily as newly signed Ilya Kovalchuck's scoring touch disappeared and Zach Parise was lost for the season before ever making it to New Year's Day.  The team failed to score over 200 goals for only their second time in their New Jersey history, and narrowly averted breaking their record low of 136 goals scored set however *in the strike shortened 1994-1995 season; the season incidentally, they won their first Stanley Cup.  So yes, last season marked their all-time scoring futility.



This season, a well adjusted Ilya Kovalchuck; a healthy Zach Parise; and life-long Devil Patrick Elias; have provided consistent season long scoring.  The three have combined for eighty-two goals so far and are all over sixty-points.  Add in David Clarkson's twenty-eight, and the Devils' top four scorers have 110 goals this season which is more than half of New Jersey's total.  As a team the Devils have 198 goals on the season.



The Rangers have scored 195 goals in one less game played and only have one player above sixty points; Marian Gaborik.  The Rangers' top three goal scorers; Marian Gaborik; Ryan Callahan; and Brad Richards; have combined on eighty-four goals this season.  Of course, the Rangers' League true advantage this season is on Defense.



The Devils are currently the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.  They've managed this playing in the NHL's toughest division.  Four of the five Atlantic Division teams have at least forty wins this season.  If the season ended today, I can certainly envision the Devils getting passed the Florida Panthers in a first round match-up.  But for now, they have Ottawa fast approaching in seventh place with eighty-four points to worry about.



The 2011-2012 season was a season in which New Jersey retired #27 in honor of long time favorite and Devils great, Scott Niedermeyer.  And this was also the season in which Patrick Elias played in his 1,000th game as a Devil.  On December 17, 2011, he also passed John MacLean to take over the New Jersey Devils All-Time lead in goals scored.  He broke Johnny Mac's franchise record with his 348th goal.  To date, he has 359 goals and counting.  Elias, like the Devils, has already out-produced last season's output.  He finished last season with sixty-two points.  This season, he is up to sixty-eight.



While the Devils are at the tail end of a glorious run, they have shown this season, that it's not over yet.  Not if Martin Brodeur has something to say about it.  There is still greatness left in the All-Time NHL wins leader. - Enough for this season at least.  Again, you can ask the Rangers about that.  He shut them out 1-0 back on February 7th and helped the Devils become the first team to beat the Rangers three times this season.



Hey Devil fans, even you have to admit I give the Devils a fair shake.






*CREDIT - Devils Playground Graffiti; Bushwick

Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ Patience Versus Panic

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS:   If You Don't Have a Stomach for This, Beat it.



OK Rangers fans, with Winter's adversity blowing through our doors for really the first time all season, what are we going to do now?  Freak?



This is not a calamitous downturn in our season.  At least I don't think it is.  Going 0-2-1-1 in our last four games is less a matter of what's been transpiring on the ice than it is a test of our resolve moving forward.  This situation begs for composure and calm.  You didn't think the season would go that easily, did you?  There will be more losses along the way.  Some losses will be of the embarrassing variety; some more closely contested; and some where we'll feel like we got rooked.  But rest assured, they will come, and they will make us question this team again.  If you don't understand that, you don't know hockey.  And if you can't deal with that, then you are not a Rangers fan.



This is precisely what building leads are all about; to give a team room for mistakes during the ebbs and flows of a season and for easing differing levels of fan discomfort.  But much closer to the Rangers' situation, these are necessary steps of any youth-building plan.  Learning how to lose and keeping one's composure are just as important to success as accumulating points in the standings.  As a fan, you want to know if your team will fight on or fold.  Points are of no use unless you learn how to lose.  And through that, comes the art of winning.



This recent slide comes at a great time  -  right before the trade deadline.  We are now forced to look within ourselves and decide whether we have faith and confidence in what we're doing, or will we succumb to fears, and nervous impulse, and decide to do imprudent things.  There is no better time to resolve these inner conflicts than when things are going badly.  No one's intangibles are being tested when you're winning.  But if you insist on a quick bright side pick me up, both Boston, and the Devils lost Friday night as well.  So for a night, we kind of get a wash Ranger fans.



Do we need a glimmering star coming in here to do big things?  Or, do we merely need willing and able players to do small things correctly.  On that note, early on against the Blackhawks, and again last night versus the Islanders, the Rangers made Marty Biron look suspect between the pipes.  Repeated breakdowns resulted in goals-by-the-bunches at the other end.  That makes mounting comebacks tough.



But getting shut-out by the Sidney Crosby-less Pittsburgh Penguins doesn't sit well.  I think we are all in agreement on that.  Still, most of our problems lie with the power play, and not necessarily lacking a player with power, or, fire-power if you will.  Just ask the Penguins or even the Detroit Red Wings.  Even after all their record breaking streak of consecutive wins at home, Detroit is still a point behind Vancouver in the Western Conference standings.  So at the end of the day, all that really matters is how you go out and play the next game.



Next up for the Rangers will be the Buffalo Sabres tonight at Madison Square Garden.  Expect another tight, low scoring game.  Only a fool would look at the twenty-one point disparity between the teams and deem the Rangers a favorite to win.  Once again, such person does not know the Buffalo Sabres, and clearly does not know hockey.



Then, to usher in the trade deadline, the Rangers will face the New Jersey Devils on Monday again.  In our last two meetings against the Devils, the Blueshirts lost a 4-3 shoot-out, then got stymied by Martin Brodeur 1-0 on February 7th.  And if I was worrisome of the Devils before, I find them more so now.  New Jersey made their deadline move.  They targeted Minnesota's defenseman; Marek Zidlicky; and got him.  And personally, I find that troublesome for the Rangers.  The move bolsters and adds depth to New Jersey's already well playing young corp of blue liners with a veteran.  Having played for Jacques LaMaire before, he'll be in fine tune with the Devils' ways.  And, the 35 year old defenseman can score too.  He has 38 points this season off 14 goals and 24 assists.



If there's anyone who thinks there will be anything easy about the remaining twenty-three games of the regular season, they do not know the first thing about hockey.  Things only get tougher from here and one man does not solve things in this game; save a hot goalie.  Hockey is about resolve and intestinal fortitude and team.  If you don't have the stomach for it, beat it.



The season is now a battle of Patience versus Panic.  I'm not predicting this; I'm merely suggesting this - A decision to keep this team in tact and untouched beyond the deadline, could possibly turn into a defining moment inside the locker room.  Organizational trust can go a long way towards reforging the bonds that tie this Band of Blueshirts together.  I want to stay the course.  I believe in team, and chemistry, and Family.  I believe in this Coach's vision.  I believe in maintaining flexibility under the salary cap.  And sometimes, in the right situations, I believe Championships can be won on the backs of hard working role players.



For now, I'm just like Coach.  I like these guys and this plan, and short-term, I just want to get by the Sabres and the Devils.



Let's Go Rangers!

SATURDAY NIGHT PUCKS

"Battle for the Empire State"

Buffalo Sabres

vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

From,

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 ~ Blueshirts Fall in Devils Playground

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

Devil's Playground Graffiti

NEW YORK RANGERS:   I Told You the Devils Were Serious.


Bad bounce; bad break; bad loss; and a bad way to start the official second half of the season.  Credit Martin Brodeur for outlasting Marty Biron and the Rangers last night.  But don't say I didn't warn you.  Brodeur is having fun again, remember?  Sure he looked like a mere fragment of his former self when he flopped into the dead cockroach position on Brian Boyle's goal.  And he looked rather old on Michael Del Zotto's goal as well.  But let a guy like that catch a break and allow him some extra time, and we're talking about how great he is again.

Game Two in this season's Battle of the Hudson series goes to the Devils.  Yeah..., like I said, - don't look now.  New Jersey's three way tie for seventh is yesterday's news.  They own the seventh spot all to themselves today with fifty-seven points.  Last year is a long time ago for them.  On February 1, 2012, the Devils are in possession of a playoff spot that eluded them last season like Bigfoot evades TMZ.  It's their spot to lose now.

For the Rangers, last night depends more on whether you're a glass half empty, or a glass half full person.  Me?  Starting Marty Biron against Martin Brodeur was cool.  I haven't been calling Biron the best back-up goalie in Hockey for nothing.  And being that Henrik played in the All-Star Game; why not?  We were less than a minute away from getting out of The Rock with a second win this season.  So we have to settle for one point.  We split two games on New Jersey's ice so far.  Look at it that way.

As you can tell, I'm trying to stick to the high road.  This was the first game back from the break and we should at least wait for a trend to develop before the Rangers see the Devils again next Tuesday.  We'll be in Buffalo tonight and then play host to Philly on Sunday.

If I wanted to really take issue with yesterday's game, consider the Rangers' three goals came from Stralman; Boyle; and Del Zotto.  The three have combined to score twelve goals all season.  Meanwhile, Zach Parise, Kovalchuk, and David Clarkson did what they get paid to do; score goals.  The three have combined to net fifty-three goals this season.  You know where I'm going with that, don't you?

So yeah, I think I'll stick with the high road for today.  Brian Boyle and Michael Del Zotto both exhibited polish and patience on their goals.  At least that tells me the Rangers' heads are in a good place.

TONIGHT

Battle for The Empire State

NEW YORK RANGERS

vs.

Buffalo Sabres

From,

Western New York

Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ First Team to Sixty Points

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

SUNDAY

NEW YORK RANGERS

vs.

Montreal Canadiens

From,

The Great White North

Canada

*     *     *     *

NEW YORK RANGERS:  Blueshirt Gain Measure of Revenge; Correct Past Losses To Maple Leafs With a 3-0 Shut-Out. 

Marty Biron Stops 20 Shots and Had One Assist.

NEW YORK RANGERS

28-10-4; 60 Points

#1

in

National Hockey League

So how does a team respond after losing to an opponent who out-hit you; out-skated you; out-skilled you; and out-scored you by an 8-4 margin in two previous meetings against said team?  And before answering that, consider this opponent knocked out one of your prized young defensemen (Michael Sauer) with a concussion who's been missing considerable time as a result.




You can start with the best back-up goalie in Hockey continuing his superb play by shutting-out a good, and currently hot Toronto Maple Leafs team.  He faced twenty shots and stopped them all.  This was Marty Biron's second shut-out of the season, and the Rangers' fifth overall.  He is now 9-2 on the season.  Marty also accounted for an assist on Derek Stepan's third period goal.  Biron made a strong pass to mid-ice where Carl Hagelin then forwarded the puck to Derek Stepan who skated and held the puck with veteran-like patience, then faked Toronto goalie; Jonas Gustavsson; to score on a backhand and turn Saturday's contest into a 3-0 final.




The Rangers finished a scoreless first period on a power play that went for not.  They were 0-2 on the power play for the game while successfully killing off two Toronto man-advantages.




Veteran Michael Rupp played the role of steadying force again.  He was the one who got the Rangers started in the second period, just like he did in the Winter Classic.  The veteran took charge of his line and together they demonstrated a picture perfect three-man rush where-in they moved the puck with the rapid action of a pinball executing three marvelously crisp passes en route to a score.  Rupp's goal made the score 1-0 and was assisted by Derek Stepan and a returning Wojtek Wolski.




Then at 16:20 of the second period; Iron Man; Brian Boyle was finally rewarded for all the hard work he's put in this season with a goal assisted by his partner in grind Brandon Prust, and Ryan McDonagh. Boyle and Prust were relentless on the fore-check making Boyle's first goal in almost twenty games possible.  He paid a price a little later in the game though.  Deon Phaneuf caught Boyle at mid-ice with his head down and crunched him good.  It hasn't been lost on Ranger Fans that it was Phaneuf who laid the hit on Michael Sauer which has since kept him out of action with concussion symptoms.




So add this item to the list growing longer with every Rangers game regarding things good teams do:  Lets add being practiced at the art of revenge.  Toronto as I mentioned, hammered us in two prior games this season.  Answering back with a convincing 3-0 shut-out on Toronto's home ice was a great way to settle a score so to say.  And with this win over Toronto, the Rangers have pretty much settled all accounts on their schedule to date.




Even though Ottawa kind of took us to town the other night, it was still only a rubber game after two previous meetings in which both teams won a game each.  Toronto was the only foe which really stood out that handily turned the Blueshirts away this season.  Until Saturday this is. 




With the first half of the season officially complete, it can now be said with confidence the Rangers have stood up to all-comers the schedule makers put on the ice against them.  They've either struck first, exchanged body blows, or have counter-punched their way to redeeming themselves, as was the case against Toronto.




Before I end this installment, add yet another item to the list of things good teams do:  Exhibit Poise.  Like the poise Marty Biron exhibited stopping twenty shots in hostile territory knowing full well, the Rangers needed a good showing against the Leafs.  He provided his team with a shut-out.  And poise, like Derek Stepan exhibited on his delayed move against Jonas Gustavvson.  Many of these kids are acting and playing like they've done this before.  That's on Coach.




The Rangers list of things good teams do is growing longer indeed.  They keep adhering to the mandates of their Coach, and forever keep mindful the little things that need to get done in order for big things to happen.  The correction against the Maple Leafs has been chilled, shaken, and served, Toronto style.




The Rangers are only half way up the mountain.  Teams like Boston; Chicago; and Detroit loom ahead to test us.  But as of January 14th, the New York Rangers have achieved sixty points before any other team in the NHL this season.




Toast!  Here's to you Boys!  Shaken.  Not stirred.






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

N.Y. Rangers ~ Bring on the Flyers!

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS:   Seize The Moment!!

The Devils; Check.  The Islanders; Check.  Both locals have been dispatched.  Summon the team from down I-95.  Bring on the Flyers!  The Battle for First Place is on!




I'm happy to say Brandon Dubinsky scored his second goal of the season Thursday night against the Islanders.  And you know things are going well when goalie Marty Biron picks up an assist on the play.  Martin Biron by the way, faced twenty-six shots and turned back twenty-four to secure the Rangers third straight victory.  It was Biron's seventh win of the season against just one loss.  That's also two wins for him in the Rangers' last three games.  When do we get to call him the best back-up goalie in hockey if people haven't started already?




Michael Del Zotto scored what proved to be the game winning goal but not before Marian Gaborik notched another.  The resurgent forward is now in a tie for the league lead in goals after scoring his twentieth of the season half way through the second period of Thursday night's 4-2 win over Long Island.




Besides winning, something else the Rangers have been doing consistently this season is fighting.  Thursday was no different.  Stu Bickel was just the latest Blueshirt Gone Pugilist in a Ranger World Gone Rough-House.  What did Joe Thornton of San Jose say about us?  We were the softest team he ever...blah blah blah?  If this is soft, I don't want to be a Bully.




That's right, I went there!  It's time.  Bring em on.  Bring on the Broad Street Bullies.  The New York Softies need this challenge.  One way or another they'll get a better feel for what it takes to take an even bigger step forward in their development.  And more immediately, they'll know better if they can indeed be the Broadway Bashers they've been striving to be.  All their efforts this season have led them to this very game.  And it couldn't have come at a better time.




Thursday night's victory over the Islanders gives the Rangers forty-four points and places them a mere two points now behind the Atlantic Division leading Philadelphia Flyers who were idle.  A win Friday night against their Brotherly Rivals would not only give the Rangers a share of first place, - this young band of Rangers would also receive one of the loudest ovations they'll ever experience short of winning a Stanley Cup.  Defeating their division foe now would make Madison Square Garden roar like it did when the greatest heavyweight fighters in the world once fought there.  The confluence of first place, the Flyers, and Friday night speaks to me.  It says there is hope for a real special night.




Everyone knows what's transpiring off-Broadway these days.  But it has remained a little under-spoken.  And why not - It's still December.  Staying tough through injuries has not gone unnoticed however.  And so I think Ranger Fans are finally ready to shake the building like it hasn't been for a very long time.  Even before this game starts, no one will get to hear the great John Amirante sing the National Anthem because the joint will simply be way too loud.  We'll see his lips move and him waving his hand, but all you'll hear is Let's Go Rangers raining down from the crowd!  I'll be there.  I'll be one of them.

Make no mistake, this is a big moment in the Blueshirts' season.  The game itself isn't necessarily detrimental in the grand scheme of the season yet.  Instead this is a timely challenge of their will and resolve.  The Rangers have methodically built up to this game with the steady momentum of a glacier.  They now arrive at Friday night's showdown having gotten here first and foremost with the League's second stingiest defense next to Boston's.  More importantly, they are finding net and getting contributions across the board.  And call em Smurfs for the sake of being facetious, but the truth is they're fighting all comers...and winning.  Now the next step for the young Rangers is learning how to seize the moment.




That said, after some marvelous goal tending by Biron, Henrik Lundqvist should be rested and well prepared for another encounter against the Flyers.  In the last Battle of I-95, the King shut-out Philly 2-0 at MSG.  This game is also a great set up for when these two teams meet again in Philadelphia for the 2012 Winter Classic.




Come Philly; come to 33rd Street and Seventh Avenue where some of the greatest fights ever have taken place.  We accept the challenge.  Come ready.  Like many fights in this arena, this one can become an instant classic too.

FRIDAY NIGHT:

Battle for the Atlantic Division

 

Philadelphia Flyers

21-8-4;  46 Points  -  1st Place

vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

20-8-4;  44 Points  -  2nd Place

FROM

7th Avenue at 33rd Street

NYC

Mike.BTB