Rangers vs. Islanders: The Rivalry - Game Two

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

Thursday Night Hockey

 

The Rivalry - Game Two

Rangers Lead Series 1-0

I - NYR 4; NYI 1

 

 

Atlantic Division:

#1 - N.J. Devils        8-2-3

#3 - N.Y. Rangers   7-5-0

#5 - N.Y. Islanders  4-7-1

 

 

VALENTINE'S DAY SHOWDOWN

 

New York Islanders

vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

FROM

Madison Square Garden

33rd Street and 8th Avenue

NYC

 

 

 

 

B'klyn/New York Islanders - Lack of Defense Is Getting Offensive.  Poor Goal-Tending Is Outright Insulting.

 

 

Doesn't anybody here know what defense is all about?  Good Grief!  Offensively speaking, Brooklyn's foster hockey club is doing many things right this season.  But their defense and goal-tending have been so wrong.  They are second to the Pens in the Atlantic Division with thirty six goals, and place seventh overall.  John Tavares is their triple crown scorer.  He leads the Islanders with fifteen points, on seven goals and eight assists.  The Isles also own the NHL's 5th rated power play and rank fourth on the penalty kill.  Yet, they are last in the Atlantic Division in goals against, and rank 29th worst overall.

 

 

This current five game losing streak the Islanders are on started when they dropped the back end of a home-and-home against the Devils.  They then lost to the Penguins and the Rangers.  You can't find fault with the Islanders offensive effort in their Saturday loss to Buffalo - not after taking forty three shots on goal against Ryan Miller.  The Sabres goalie was just unconscious.  But Evgeni Nabokov needed to do better.  He only faced fifteen shots all game.  The Isles limited Buffalo to single digit shots in all three periods.  Yet, Nabokov let three pucks get by him in a 3-2 loss.  For the season, he is sporting a troublesome .897 Sv% and an .300 goals against average.

 

 

Over those four losses, Islanders scoring dropped off.  They only scored five goals, including getting shut-out by the Devils.  This past Monday night against the Carolina Hurricanes, Long Island's  scoring reignited.  The Islanders had five power play opportunities and converted on four occasions.  However, Rick DiPietro allowed Carolina four third period goals, and six goals overall, in a game the Isles were leading 3-2 after two periods.  That was DePietro's second start of the season, and his second loss.  Combined, Rick DiPietro has faced fifty seven shots, and allowed ten goals, for an awful .833% save percentage.

 

 

Slumping to a 4-7-1 record, the Islanders currently reside at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, four points behind the Flyers, and six points behind the Rangers.

 

 

NEW YORK RANGERS - Tweaking Roster Starting To Pay Off.  The Big Blue Glacier Is Starting To Lurch Forward.

 

 

One quarter of the regular season is done.  Since starting the season 0-2, the Rangers have posted a 7-3 record, and are currently riding a three game winning streak.  They scored twelve regulation time goals over that span - a marked improvement upon their season output so far.  Entering tonight's game against the Islanders however, they still remain at the bottom of the Atlantic Division in scoring.  They are currently 15th in the NHL.  Defensively, the Rangers rank 11th in goals against.

 

 

Thanks to Carl Hagelin with three goals in the team's last two games, the Rangers are showing signs of a break through.  Derek Stepan is starting to score, the Captain scored his third goal in nine games, and they received secondary scoring from Stralman, Asham, and J.T. Miller's first two NHL goals.  Unfortunately, Brad Richards, and to a lesser degree Marian Gaborik, continue to circle in holding patterns.  Yes, they both have nine points apiece in twelve games played respectively.  But those two are required to do so much more, and in a word, they are, not.  However, Rick Nash is starting to deliver on the hype, and is turning into everything Rangers fans anticipated he could be.  With each passing game, he gets more and more comfortable.  Through finding comfort, his skill is starting to prevail.  He recently scored only his third goal, but leads the Rangers in assists and points.  Marian Gaborik still leads the Rangers with six goals.

 

 

Coach Torts isn't the only one who thinks the accumilation of too-many-men on the ice penalties are egregiously ponderous.  Well, Coach said they "sucked!"  I just say ridiculous.  The Rangers are now up to six infractions.  That is more than they should have all season.  And Lord Stanley knows Tex's Rangers can't live life killing penalties.  Defensively, the Rangers rank 11th in goals against this season.  That is a considerable drop off from last year's effort.  On the penalty kill, they rank 13th at the moment, which also reflects a drop off from last season.  The Rangers 4-3 S.O. win over Boston shows how scoring can make mistakes like J.T. Miller's too-many-men infraction go away.  Later in the second period, Derek Stepan gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead, and all seemed well again.  When the Rangers aren't scoring, a mistake like that kills.

 

 

One aspect of the Rangers game that has remained consistent since last season has been the futility of their power play.  They currently own the 29th worst unit in the league.  As mentioned above, the Islanders recently scored four power play goals against Carolina.  They Rangers have four power play goals all season..!  Ryan Callahan has two of them.  The Islanders by the way, have thirteen power play goals this season.

 

 

Last Time They Met: Feb. 7, 2013 - Rangers 3; Islanders 1.

 

 

When they last met one week ago, J.T. Miller scored his first ever NHL goal just 1:29 into the game.  Twelve and one half minutes later, Marian Gaborik scored his sixth goal of the season.  Half way through the second period, John Tavares brought the Islanders to within a goal.  At the 18:11 mark, J.T. Miller answered for the Rangers with his second NHL goal of the night, and of his (then) four game career.  His power play goal made it a 3-1 game.  Just prior to the third period ending, Ryan McDonagh scored, unassisted, to close out a 4-1 victory.

 

 

Henrik Lundqvist faced twenty eight shots, and made twenty seven saves, to earn his fourth (of six) win of the season.  Evgeni Nabokov faced twenty four shots on goal, and only managed to save twenty one.

 

 

For a game, the Rangers and Islanders changed roles on the power play.  The Rangers were 1 for 2 with the man advantage.  The Islanders floundered, going scoreless in five attempts.

 

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day...Chump!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ NY Islanders; The Rivalry, Game Two

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS  vs.  New York Islanders

The Rivalry - Game II

Somehow, the Islanders have created a goalie controversy for themselves with rumors they will trade Ivgeni Nabokov.  The Isles have maintained three goalies because if you even look at Rick DiPietro the wrong way, he gets hurt.  Apparently however, GM Garth Snow said there is no goalie controversy.  But if I were Coach Capuano, I'd just make Al Montoya the starter anyway and call it a day.  But at least the quasi-controversy has people even talking about the Islanders. 




I mean, C'mon.  The Islanders have scored the least amount of goals in the league.  A goalie controversy?  John Tavares and Michael Grabner have combined to score thirteen goals.  The rest of the team has scored sixteen.  They are now buried in last place of the Atlantic Division so it would seem to me they have more problems than a goalie controversy.  They are 1-9 in their last ten games with a six game losing streak mixed in.  Their lone win during that time came against Washington.  They are coming off a three game road trip where they lost in Boston, lost a back-breaker in OT to Colorado, and dropped their most recent game Sunday night in Vancouver.  Coach Capuano is pissed off about it too and let it be known.




For the Rangers, this is the start of a four game road trip.  And they'll be looking to extend their six game winning streak in Long Island tonight.  They will then go to Montreal, Florida, and Washington before returning home.  They've taken care of business on home-ice so far with a 5-1-1 record.  As they start this road trip against the Isles, they've held their own away from MSG with a 4-2-2 record.




After fifteen games, Marian Gaborik has nine goals.  How do ya like him now?  It almost makes us wonder even harder as to just what happened to him last season?  Such as life....  In addition to his good start, it so happens Gaborik has some healthy numbers in his career versus the Islanders.  We'll need another good game from Marian tonight, because while he might like playing the Islanders, the Rangers as a team might not.  Long Island hasn't been too friendly to the Blueshirts these last two years.  The last time they met this season, the Islanders defeated the Rangers back on Oct. 15th, in Long Island.  And over our last four meetings, the Isles have woefully outscored the Blueshirts.




That brings us to Brandon Dubinsky, who finally broke the seal with his first goal of the season.  Now, he needs to sustain what he started.  Ranger fans have been patient and pleased with his maturation process these last few years.  But now, the signed young Vet has expectations on him.  The truth is, the Rangers, as has been our problem, need more scoring.  And I'm expecting Brandon Dubinsky to provide more than just an average share.  As young as this team is now, he needs to be one of the leaders here, and do that in part by scoring goals. 




While the Rangers have scored fourteen more goals that the Isles this season, so far there are eleven teams in the Eastern Conference with more goals scored than the Rangers.  Defensively however, the Rangers have given up the least amount of goals in the Conference even as Marc Staal remains sidelined.  Coach Torts has to be happy with at least that....no?

TONIGHT

The Rivalry; Game Two

NEW YORK RANGERS

vs.

New York Islanders

From the Nassau Mausoleum in Uniondale,

LONG ISLAND, N.Y.

Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers vs. N.Y. Islanders; The Rivalry, Game One

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS  vs.  New York Islanders

The RIVALRY Resumes;  2011-2012

Marty Biron I believe is getting the start in net tonight in Long Island against the Islanders.  And that's just fine with me.  With the way goalies have been falling prey to injuries in this town lately, why risk Henrik with all the bad karma hovering over the metropolitan area. 



Marty Brodeur of the Devils will miss a few games with a bad shoulder.  But the bigger news is that Islanders' goalie Rick DiPietro is out with a concussion.  Had he suffered a broken arm or something other than a concussion, I might be more inclined to poke fun at him, and the Islanders for sign him to that ridiculous contract a few years back.  But ever since the study when medical researchers actually went back and studied brains of deceased former athletes and encountered astonishing new details on how much damage is actually being caused by these head injuries, I'm less likely to poke fun now.  Rick DiPietro also suffered a pair of concussions back in 2007 within less than two weeks of each other.  And before that, there was a first concussion to speak of in 2005.



In net for the Islanders tonight will be old Rangers' farm-hand; Al Montoya.
*UPDATE:  Evgeni Nobokov will start for NYI  -  Not Al Montoya.


The Rangers aren't without injury problems of their own.  In early October, the team talked about Marc Staal perhaps returning to action by tonight for their first game state-side after returning from their European Tour.  Today, Marc is not ready to play.  His own concussion problem stemming from the hit he absorbed courtesy of his brother back in February is still not resolved.  Marc Staal may very well miss a substantial portion of the season.  He still suffers from symptoms such as headaches.  This will be the Rangers only (relatively speaking...) "home" game, as they will embark on a five game Canadian swing that will be also be air-travel intensive.  I don't know....But I think it's unlikely the Rangers will make him fly with them.



In Marc Staal's absence, Dan Girardi clocked in a ton of minutes during the two opening games in Sweden.  He's about to be asked to clock-in even more now.  That's because Michael Sauer will not play tonight against the Islanders with a bad shoulder.  That leaves the Rangers with one top defensive pair; Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi.  Watch their minutes tonight. 



The Rangers will look towards the Kids for help again, just as they have been pressed into doing for two seasons now.  Tim Erixon, and fresh-meat Jeff Woywitka, will be tasked with helping out Steve Eminger and Mike Del Zotto.  Anything after that.....I have no answers for you.  We need help on the blue line.  It's as simple as that.



The Rangers might be over their European jet-lag, but rust after being off for a week may appear obvious to us at times tonight against the Islanders who are playing their fourth game.  At least that's what I'm expecting.  The Rangers were pressed into scheduling oddities this season because of the ongoing MSG renovations.  So in effect, the Blueshirts are restarting their season.  Then after tonight, it's off to Canada for five games.  In truth, I'd be happy to get out of this game with no injuries.



Islander fans.......; you guys got a nice package of youngsters over there.  You guys can definitely hang with teams.  However, you're not ready to punch through into the first division yet.  But c'mon...., does it ever stop with Rick DiPietro?

The situation in Long Island and their ability to retain it's Hockey club brings this rivalry into a different light now.  I still believe this is a three team Hockey metropolis.  And I believe one of them should always remain on Long Island.  So I sincerely hope the Islanders and Nassau County can still make something happen that ensures a competitive Islander franchise stays and thrives in Long Island.






Let's drop the puck and start getting some regularity into this season.  For the Blueshirts, it starts "again" tonight.



Let's Go Rangers!

Mike.BTB

Rangers; Devils; Islanders ~ FRIDAY NIGHT FACE-OFFS

FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS FACE-OFFS

THE OTHER MARCH MADNESS

NEW YORK RANGERS:  Their Eleven Game Road to the Playoffs is Riddled With Dangerous Potholes.

Time is short.  There are 11 games left in the Rangers' season. 

They've spent the last two weeks ping-ponging in the Conference standings between 7th and 8th place.  It's unrealistic to think they can win every game left.  But it's not out of line to say they desperately need almost every one of the 22 points left on the table in order to make the playoffs.

Buffalo's early season fall wasn't as steep a drop as it was for the Devils.  And Buffalo's subsequent ascension through the ranks wasn't as daunting a task as it still is for the Devils.  But Buffalo's remarkable turn-around from a very distressing start qualifies as unbelievable now that they have gained a say in the Conference playoff race (with 76 pints; two behind the Rangers).

Carolina can not be trusted!  They just recently defeated Buffalo 1-0 in a brilliant game I watched on Versus.  They are sitting in the 9th slot with 74 points; trailing Buffalo, then the Rangers.  Cam Ward is hanging up 40 save wins like fine suits in his closet.  The guy is unconscious right now.  And we all know hot goalies mean everything this time of year.  The season series between the Rangers and Carolina is done so they won't face each other before season's end.  But the Rangers still have a game against the Sabres on March 30th.  And there is no doubt in my mind that game will carry the weight of the world with it.

Toronto is sitting in 10th place with 72 points.  Congratulations to them, but who cares!?  The New Jersey Devils are about to render them irrelevant once they pass them in the standings.  The two teams can end tonight tied with 72 points each depending on how things go.  But when the Devils do pass them (...and they will), Toronto can start calling their travel agents.  As I write this post, both the Devils and Maple Leafs are losing.

The Devils are a miraculous six points out of the eighth place spot with 13 games left to play.  What the Devils are in the midst's of accomplishing is astonishing.  The Rangers and Devils will play on April 9th in what will be the Blueshirts' last game of the season.  That game, along with the Rangers/Sabres game on March 30th will most likely decide our season.  I'd be remiss if I didn't mention a game against the Thrashers on April 7th being equally critical to our playoff survival.  The rub regarding that final game against the Devils is that New Jersey will still have one more game against the Bruins left to play.  And if the Rangers playoff invitation isn't written by that time, they may be forced to watch television for a day to see where they stand.

Points are of the essence.  How's that for the under-statement of the year? 

I'm still a little burnt up about Quacking up those two points in Anaheim.  But what this edition of Blueshirts has done over and over again, just when the old Ranger fan in us wants to throw our hands in the air in disgust, is remind us they're a group built on a solid foundation of fortitude.

The went to San Jose and took a big bite out of the SHARKS when they needed to most and then followed up by storming the Fightin' Islanders at home. 

The Rangers are 4-1 in their last five games. By defeating the Islanders, they evened their home record to .500 (...finally).  Six of their last eleven games are at home now and they get to end their season with three home games. As I mentioned, the last one will be against the Devils.  And while it's starting to sound like a broken record now, the Rangers have to; absolutely need to play better at home; if not only to make the playoffs, but they'll need to be better at home through the second season for as long as they can last....If..

FRIDAY

March 18, 2011

Montreal Canadiens

vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

Madison Square Garden

33rd Street and 7th Avenue

NEW AMSTERDAM

This Friday night should be a raucous evening at the Garden.  The NHL is The Other March Madness.
My son and I will be in attendance, and our expectation is to experience an exceptionally rambunctious crowd.  It being Friday night with the Rangers clinging to their playoff lives should make for a most lively night at the Garden.  And Oh No!...if the Canadiens score first..., you know how the place gets.  It's like they killed John Lennon again at center ice.

Two thirds of the old N.J. Devils' "Egg-Line" and the rest of the Montreal Canadiens are coming to town for a good old fashioned Original Six match-up.  Montreal is one spot above the Rangers in the standings sitting in 6th place.  But Montreal has a five point advantage on the Rangers. So, the Blueshirts future lies in their ability to secure the seventh or eighth spot.  So again I say, points are of the essence.

There are no soft spots left in the Rangers' schedule.  Pittsburgh, Atlanta, New Jersey, Buffalo, Boston two times, and Philadelphia all remain on the Ranger docket.  Tonight, Ottawa is giving the Devils all they can handle...Again!  We'll be facing Ottawa again shortly.  And if you care to under-estimate an upcoming game against Florida, do so at our peril.  Add in another game against the Islanders that's what the rest of the schedule looks like.

I've travelled smoother roads on the moon cratered surface they call the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, than the road the Rangers must negotiate in order to get into the Second Season.  They just gotta strap up and follow the Black and Blue Road.  They have their work cut out for them.  But they are a resilient bunch with a lot of tenacity. 

The problem is we just don't know whether this team is slipping; sustaining; or surging.  It's hard to tell.  But who said life was easy?  If life were that easy, we'd be scoring more goals and that's something I don't want to get into today.

Coach Torts vs. Sean Avery:
I posted this last night; Avery and Torts Rift is Now a Chasm
I have taken up Sean Avery's cause all season.  In spite of his penalty minutes, I think he'll be more helpful than harmful to us with consistent ice time and playing on better quality lines.  As a Ranger fan who also likes Coach Torts, I think his handling of Sean Avery this season has been completely wrong.  Coming off Sean Avery's performance against the Islanders, I'm too curious to see what Coach Tortorella has in mind for Sean against the Canadiens.  I'm not defending Avery's performance Tuesday night at all.  But if Avery had spent more time this season playing like he did two nights ago, Coach would be far more justified in his treatment of his forward.  But Avery hasn't been "that" way.  Closer to the truth is the fact he's been a more than respectable citizen in spite of erratic, and logic defying randomness with regard to ice-time Coach Torts allots him.  Sean Avery is one of this team's most complete players; in the sense he's a jack of all trades.  Look through the nonsense (that hasn't existed this season) and you'll see a very good Hockey player.  His season-long under-utilization can only be emanating from something personal Coach Torts has against Avery, (which was never a secret to begin with).

I'm just calling for Coach Torts to give Sean Avery a fair shake for a change instead of shaking his head at Avery, it seems, every time he skates out on the ice.



NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Look what Ottawa did to you...Again!

What ever it is the Devils are selling, the Ottawa Senators aren't buying it.  For the second time down this playoff-stretch, the Senators poured a bucket-o-cold-water on the Devils' flaming play.  The Devils are 5-2 in March.  Both losses have been against Ottawa.  After tonight, the Devils have twelve games remaining.  Because Buffalo was idle tonight, the Devils remain six points behind the Sabres for the number eight spot.  But the bad news is Atlanta beat Philadelphia and leapfrogged ahead of the Devils again, joining Toronto (who lost tonight) with 72 points and four away from Buffalo.

FRIDAY NIGHT

Washington Capitals

vs.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

The Rock

NEWARK, N.J.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS:  The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
The Long Islanders can give the Blueshirts a huge assist Friday night with a win over the 'Canes in Carolina.  The Islanders still have reasons to go all out, but their chances at a playoff spot are fading fast.  If they can get a couple of shots past a possessed Cam Ward, what a help that would be to the Rangers.

You-Tube sensation Rick DiPietro, is back after getting devastated by a left hook as a result of a bad decision he made against Pittsburgh.  If, and when does he start again? Who knows.  Al Montoya has been OK.

FRIDAY NIGHT

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

vs.

Carolina Hurricane

Some where below the Mason Dixon Line

Mike.BTB

N.Y. Rangers ~ N.Y. Islanders; Rivalry On Thin Ice

N.Y. Rangers ~ This Rivalry Might Be Ice Cold At The Moment, But The BlueShirts Better Be Boiling Mad After
"SID THE SLEW"!


The New York Islanders are dead last in the Atlantic Division; dead last in the Eastern Conference; and dead last in the NHL.  They only have 5 wins and 15 points to their credit this season.  They are one of three teams not to have cracked twenty points so far; the other two being Edmonton, and unbelievably, the New Jersey Devils (18).  Fittingly, the Islanders have scored the second fewest goals in the League with 46.  Do you want to know who's worse with 45 goals scored thus far?  Unbelievably, it's the Devils again.  And how much longer do we anticipate that remaining so?

As a Rangers' fan I find no joy or satisfaction with regards to the Islanders' over-all situation on the ice, in the standings, in the front office and with ownership.  I would like very much for them to remain in the area whether it be in Long Island, Queens or Brooklyn.  I wish them luck; ...Just not tomorrow.

As much as we still revel in our hatred for Dennis Potvin, we fans have a new enemy since those days and I hope this BlueShirt BrotherHood takes out all their frustrations on the Long Islanders in the after-math of "SID The SLEW".  Ranger fans making the trek out to Uniondale tomorrow night will no doubt be mischief making with the "Potvin Sucks" chant in their house, but it's "SID the SNot" who will really be on their/our minds.  The Punk That Saved Pittsburgh...Again; Slew Crosby is still fresh on every-one's minds for the bush play on Ryan Callahan.  Fresh off that debacle against Pittsburgh we now get to play the Islanders in a home-and-home series.  Before the game gets started tomorrow, Ranger fans have been toying with a question. 

Who do we hate more; Sidney Crosby or Dennis Potvin?

Damn it!... I hate them both.

In any case, the Rangers better trek out to Nassau County tomorrow and play in an agitated state of mind.

Thursday; December 2, 2010

New York Rangers

vs.

New York Islanders

Uniondale,  Long Island

Update: 12/2/10 Pre-Game

GAME NIGHT: December 2, 2010 ~ Game One

HOME And HOME Series ~ RANGERS @ ISLANDERS.

AVERY is out of the Cellar...Finally!

Coach Torts made two decisions for tonight's game. 

First, Marty Biron will get the start tonight instead of Henrik Lundqvist.  Coach Torts said he wants to keep Biron fresh as he's been sitting long enough since his last start after playing so well with his opportunities.  Marty Biron is 5-2 this season with a 2.15 Goals Against Average and a .917% Save Average.

The second decision Coach Torts made for tonight 's game was announcing Sean Avery will play on the first line tonight with Marian Gaborik.  Torts admitted Avery's ice time has been minimal while he had him burried on the fourth line this season. But Coach admitted that Sean has played solid Hockey and the move was earned and warranted while hinting other players are under-performing (eh..hem...Frolov).

As you know that is welcome news to me as I've been agitated by the situation between Torts and Avery.

I started the "Free Sean Avery Society" to protest his lack of ice time.  Sean consistently was receiving the 2nd least amount of ice time behind Derek Boogaard, who himself has been out with a bad shoulder.

Now my hopes are he rewards his coach with continued effective play and, yes, he doesn't do anything stupid.  I honestly don't know what he's thinking sometimes but I think he recognizes his sudden responsibility shouldn't be mishandled.

Let's hope that's the case.  But he is...a...good...hockey...player.

The Islanders finally snapped their brutal losing streak after dropping 14 in a row.  Another fun guy to hate, Rick DiPietro will be in goal for the Islanders against his former team-mate from last season, Marty Biron.

It was easy to guess Biron would get the start one of these two games.  Tonight is a natural as Biron is quite familiar playing out on Long Island, then giving Henrik the start tomorrow at home.

FACE-OFF   7 PM

Let's Go Rangers !!

..and Yes!

FIRST PERIOD:

Inspired Hockey!

The Rangers completed a furious period of Hockey.  The first line combination of Gaborik-Christensen-Avery has been outstanding over the first 20 minutes.  The passing has been neat, crisp and quick.  Avery in particular has had a strong game.  His play behind the net has been nothing short of commendable.  Digging hard, working down low he found Christensen in the right circle who converted the pass for the Rangers' first goal.  Ryan Callahan later scored on a delayed penalty after Stepan secured a turnover in the Islander's defensive end for a 2-0 Ranger lead.

**The first eruption of testosterone came early.  Derek Boogaard and Gillies dropped gloves 1:15 into the game.  Boogaard stood his ground with fists up as Gillies circled.  Once they locked jerseys, Boogaard decisively defended his "title".

**Before 5 minutes elapsed in the game the first "Potvin Sucks!" chant could be heard.

For as furious a period the Rangers played in the first nineteen minutes, they cheapened the effort somewhat allowing a soft goal to NYI-Konopka at the 19:11 mark.

Outside of that, The Rangers played a rather intense period of Hockey as the Avery Line shined.

Rangers 2 ~ Islanders 1



SECOND PERIOD:

What happened?  Inspired became lethargic and pathetic! 

The Rangers spent the first seven minutes of the Second Period letting the Islanders tie the game and then allowing them to take the lead.  Including the late First Period goal, the Islanders answered the Rangers with three goals to take a one goal advantage half way through the game.

Goals by NYI ~ Moulson and Schremp highlighted the first half of the Second Period seemingly dominated by the Islanders or just treated with ignorance and apathy by the Rangers.  Either way, it cost Marty Biron his post!  Coach Torts decided to send a very clear message to his team that this kind of play, especially on the heals of a brilliant First Period was not going to be tolerated.  Torts pulled Biron and inserted Henrik into net.

The message was registered by the BlueShirts loud and clear.  Marty Biron was pulled with 7:30 left in the second Period.  The Islanders did not have another shot on goal till there were .27 seconds left in the period.

To further demonstrate Coach Torts' message was duly noted, Prust scored on a deflection with 6:40 left and Gaborik banked one in net from the side with 3:30 left during a Ranger Power Play.

Marty Biron was not the sharpest we've seen him.  The early return on Coach Tort's decision to replace him seems like the right move so far as the Rangers battled back knowing they caused their goalie grief.

Rangers 4 ~ Islanders 3



THIRD PERIOD:

And then things got absurd!

Sean Avery continued to have a superlative night of Hockey causing another turnover and finding Gaborik with a great pass from behind the goal line...again.  The goal coming at 3:31 into the Third period made the score 5-3 Rangers.

Then, NYI-Grabner deflected a shot from the point with 7:31 to go to make the score 5-4 Rangers.  But the League's worst scoring team, coming into tonight, wasn't done.  Less than two minutes later, the Islanders scored again on a puck deflected off Steve Eminger which Henrik Lundqvist couldn't control, that limped over the goal line at the 5:50 mark.

Just like "that", the game was tied.

Tonight however, Sean Avery was not going to be denied.  His stellar game picked a puck from the Islander's pockets along the boards yet again; he found Marian Gaborik yet again; and 25 seconds after having the game tied at five, Gaborik scored, yet again, for a Hat Trick on the night.

With 1:09 left in the Third, the Islanders pulled the goalie who loves to hate us for another skater.  With .04 seconds left the Islanders got off a quality shot against Lundquvist.  But the goalie Ranger fans love to root for made the games' last save and Rick DiPietro's awful night was now officially another loss.

FINAL

NEW YORK RANGERS    6

New York Islanders          5

COMMENTS:  Sean Avery Not only did he reward his Coach with a brilliant effort making his Coach look "smart"; and not only did he not do anything stupid tonight; SEAN AVERY put on a Hockey Clinic tonight!  His score card does not tell a fraction of the story.  He had three assists and a +3 rating for the game.

But tonight Sean Avery was:
* was stopped on an excellent shot on goal.

* great behind the net and goal line.

* great along the boards all night.

* a great passer tonight.

* smart and physical on defense.

* always moving with and without the puck.

* always in position.

And something that can not go under-spoken; Sean Avery was cool, calm and collected.  The Islanders tried baiting him many times tonight.  But Avery could do no wrong tonight!

***************GAME TWO***************

HOME-and-HOME SERIES

Friday; December 3, 2010

New York Islanders

vs.

New York Rangers

Madison Square Garden,  NYC

Mike.BTB