The Rangers lost to one of the worst teams in the league again last night falling 3-2 to the Minnesota Wild. The Wild was the second straight team to get their first regulation win of the season against the hapless Blueshirts who were never in this one. It is alarming how much this team gets outworked almost every night now as they lost their 5th in the last 6.
Donald Brasheer, who has been utterly old and useless, got it going early turning the puck over in the defensive zone with no one pressuring him. He very easily could have carried it out but instead made a moronic pass to... well no one other than a Wild player. That was quickly turned into Petr Sykora's 2nd of the year and a 1-0 lead. Henrik Lundqvist did what he could but was left on his own again. Eric Belanger and Antti Miettinen were also able to beat him while Marc Staal added a useless third period goal.
The Rangers were without Christopher Higgins (who cares), Sean Avery (invisible man) and Marian Gaborik (whole team). The guys skating continued to be horrible including Chris Drury (who they say is embracing the new role of not scoring when the team needs goals), Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky. I wouldn't have paid him more than $1.3 a year and stated that on this blog. Certainly not the $1.7 he was able to hold out for. But that's Glen Sather who doesn't seem to understand contracts... see Donald Brasheer's $2.8 for two years (or Redden or Michal Rozsival).
The lone bright spot came from Wade Redden and Dane Byers, who got to the facility late due to weather. Redden stepped up in the first to block a clearing attempt and fired it on net. Byers was there for the rebound and his first NHL goal. Other than that... this team is a mess without Gaborik.
Rangers lose 3-2.
10.31.2009
10.30.2009
M.I.A.
The Rangers are in Minnesota tonight to face a 3-9 Wild team. They'll be doing battle without Marian Gaborik and now you can add Sean Avery and Christopher Higgins to the walking wounded. Higgins injured himself, literally, twisting his ankle trying to clear a puck the other night and Avery was limping on the same knee he injured earlier in the year. Maybe that's why he's been invisible. Can't say the same for Higgins who was good his first few games but since has disappeared.
The Rangers have called up Dane Byers and P.A. Parenteau is already here. Parenteau is coming off his first NHL goal and the only goal against the Islanders the other night. Byers has 2 goals and 3 assists with the Wolf Pack this year with four points coming in the last 3. The Blueshirts weant Evgeny Grachev to continue to get plenty of ice time and decided to leave him with the Pack.
The Rangers habe lost 4 of their last 5 (one in OT) while the Wild have the fewest goals in the NHL with 26. Should be a barn burner....
The Rangers have called up Dane Byers and P.A. Parenteau is already here. Parenteau is coming off his first NHL goal and the only goal against the Islanders the other night. Byers has 2 goals and 3 assists with the Wolf Pack this year with four points coming in the last 3. The Blueshirts weant Evgeny Grachev to continue to get plenty of ice time and decided to leave him with the Pack.
The Rangers habe lost 4 of their last 5 (one in OT) while the Wild have the fewest goals in the NHL with 26. Should be a barn burner....
10.29.2009
No Show...
The Rangers didn't show up last night for their "rivalry" game with the Islanders. I didn't feel like showing up on the blog either. This was one of the most boring hockey games I've ever seen. But hey... there were some exciting shoving matches.
Highlights... Ryan Callahan missed what must have been his sixth open net tap in goal of the year and that's including the one he missed against Toronto that Luke Schenn put it in for him. The guy works hard and hits everything but continues to skate himself passed the net on the rush so that he's not in a position to shoot. Where is he going? There's nothing behind the net...
The Rangers have lost 4 out of the last 5 and were a completely punchless team without Marian Gaborik. The Marc Staal-Daniel Girardi pairing continues to struggle... and Chris Drury continues to get $7.5 a year to block some shots, kill some penalties and be invisible. Better hope that banged up lower body of Gaborik gets itself right soon...
Highlights... Ryan Callahan missed what must have been his sixth open net tap in goal of the year and that's including the one he missed against Toronto that Luke Schenn put it in for him. The guy works hard and hits everything but continues to skate himself passed the net on the rush so that he's not in a position to shoot. Where is he going? There's nothing behind the net...
The Rangers have lost 4 out of the last 5 and were a completely punchless team without Marian Gaborik. The Marc Staal-Daniel Girardi pairing continues to struggle... and Chris Drury continues to get $7.5 a year to block some shots, kill some penalties and be invisible. Better hope that banged up lower body of Gaborik gets itself right soon...
10.28.2009
What Happened to this Game?????
Gearing up for the Rangers-Islanders rivalry tonight when I realized... there is no rivalry. There are no rivalries in this league anymore. The reason for that is no one cares. Most people don't even know hockey is being played right now. The reason no one watches is a guy named Gary Bettman.
Long gone are the days when the Islanders, getting blown out, iced the puck with :02 left. One of the greatest coaches of all time, Al Arbour, dispatched Mick Vukota and Ken Baumgartner to beat down Jeff Bloemberg and others. That was the way this game was played... messages were sent if not for that game than the next. This happened in a playoff game in response to Chris Nilan laying out Pat LaFontaine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8SrvGjcWFg
If this fight happened today... well it wouldn't happen today because there are no fighters in the league anymore. If it did, however, the fines and suspensions would be astronomical. Take a look at what hockey was and enjoy it... you'll never see it again. Notice how quiet the crowd is when Scott Stevens and Dave Manson head to center during the St. Patrick's Day Massacre:
If this fight happened today... well it wouldn't happen today because there are no fighters in the league anymore. If it did, however, the fines and suspensions would be astronomical. Take a look at what hockey was and enjoy it... you'll never see it again. Notice how quiet the crowd is when Scott Stevens and Dave Manson head to center during the St. Patrick's Day Massacre:
There are no messages sent anymore... it costs teams and coaches too much. Take a look at this joke which is the fighting rules on nhl.com:
www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26336
This is what happens when a man takes over a professional sports league, without ever having seen a hockey game AT ANY LEVEL. Commissioner Gary Bettman worked for the NBA and David Stern... Stern sent him over to the NHL... now the sports is less watched than the NBA though it's play resembles it. Bettman incredibly is making $7.1 million a year on his crusade to ruin the sport and the league.
Another good advantage in a fight was to pull your opponents jersey over his head. You certainly can't do that anymore. If your jersey is not tied down you get an unsportsmanlike minor and a game misconduct. Are you kidding me? God forbid you put your fighter, if you have one, out there at the same time as your opponents fighter (Yeah right... 2 fighters in one game) and they drop the gloves before the faceoff. The ref can then call misconducts and give out fines if he feels it was planned.
Commissioner Gary Bettman has done everything he can to make this sport unwatchable. From idiotically expanding the league, to changing all the rules to "speed up" the game, to instilling a shootout. A shootout is a complete gimmick and an individual skills competition which has nothing to do with the flow of a hockey game. Again... this is an idiot who had never seen a hockey game of any kind before taking the position. He also "placed" Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh to save a dying franchise. The Rangers would've had the number 1 pick in the draft that year but a "new" draft lottery was instilled just in time for the game's most promising prospect. Wow... what are the odds of a bankrupt franchise getting the first pick and the team with the worst record in the league (Rangers) ending up with the 16th pick? Not good.
The penalties Bettman and the refs have instilled are ridiculous and it's just a matter of time before we're calling them "fouls". The first thing I was taught while learning hockey was to hold on to your stick. If you don't someone could knock it out of your hands. This was a great play and a "penalty" to the player that wasn't paying attention as he would be out of the play. Now they actually call a penalty for this. Can you imagine? Grown men who are professional athletes rewarded for not gripping their stick tight enough. Stick checking and solid defense are not allowed as the players use composite sticks that can break while receiving a pass. You hit a guy's stick and it breaks... you guessed it... penalty.
It's not just those penalties either. If your stick comes up on a guy and touches his hands or above his waist you're automatically in the box. Think of how many great players made their careers slowing people up. Kevin Lowe, Cam Neely, Adam Graves, Esa Tikkanen, Jeff Beukeboom... Or even fighters like Vukota, Baumgartner, Willie Plett, Bob Probert, Tie Domi, George McPhee... most of these players wouldn't even make teams today. they've been replaced with "skill" guys who have no heart or passion for the game.
Everything Gary Bettman has done for this league... has been wrong. People used to love this sport. You'll never hear an arena louder than when there is a fight at center ice. You'll never feel the anticipation of knowing your tough guy is out to send a message in the closing minutes of the game. Those days over. Rivalries are over. And this league, which is making no money thanks to this clown, is almost over.
www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26336
This is what happens when a man takes over a professional sports league, without ever having seen a hockey game AT ANY LEVEL. Commissioner Gary Bettman worked for the NBA and David Stern... Stern sent him over to the NHL... now the sports is less watched than the NBA though it's play resembles it. Bettman incredibly is making $7.1 million a year on his crusade to ruin the sport and the league.
Another good advantage in a fight was to pull your opponents jersey over his head. You certainly can't do that anymore. If your jersey is not tied down you get an unsportsmanlike minor and a game misconduct. Are you kidding me? God forbid you put your fighter, if you have one, out there at the same time as your opponents fighter (Yeah right... 2 fighters in one game) and they drop the gloves before the faceoff. The ref can then call misconducts and give out fines if he feels it was planned.
Commissioner Gary Bettman has done everything he can to make this sport unwatchable. From idiotically expanding the league, to changing all the rules to "speed up" the game, to instilling a shootout. A shootout is a complete gimmick and an individual skills competition which has nothing to do with the flow of a hockey game. Again... this is an idiot who had never seen a hockey game of any kind before taking the position. He also "placed" Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh to save a dying franchise. The Rangers would've had the number 1 pick in the draft that year but a "new" draft lottery was instilled just in time for the game's most promising prospect. Wow... what are the odds of a bankrupt franchise getting the first pick and the team with the worst record in the league (Rangers) ending up with the 16th pick? Not good.
The penalties Bettman and the refs have instilled are ridiculous and it's just a matter of time before we're calling them "fouls". The first thing I was taught while learning hockey was to hold on to your stick. If you don't someone could knock it out of your hands. This was a great play and a "penalty" to the player that wasn't paying attention as he would be out of the play. Now they actually call a penalty for this. Can you imagine? Grown men who are professional athletes rewarded for not gripping their stick tight enough. Stick checking and solid defense are not allowed as the players use composite sticks that can break while receiving a pass. You hit a guy's stick and it breaks... you guessed it... penalty.
It's not just those penalties either. If your stick comes up on a guy and touches his hands or above his waist you're automatically in the box. Think of how many great players made their careers slowing people up. Kevin Lowe, Cam Neely, Adam Graves, Esa Tikkanen, Jeff Beukeboom... Or even fighters like Vukota, Baumgartner, Willie Plett, Bob Probert, Tie Domi, George McPhee... most of these players wouldn't even make teams today. they've been replaced with "skill" guys who have no heart or passion for the game.
Everything Gary Bettman has done for this league... has been wrong. People used to love this sport. You'll never hear an arena louder than when there is a fight at center ice. You'll never feel the anticipation of knowing your tough guy is out to send a message in the closing minutes of the game. Those days over. Rivalries are over. And this league, which is making no money thanks to this clown, is almost over.
10.27.2009
Parenteau called up...
Wolf Pack leading scorer P.A. Parenteau has been called up. Expect him to be in the lineup against the Islanders Wednesday in place of Marian Gaborik. The sniper injured his right knee Monday night in a collision with Petr Prucha of all people. Though the injury is not thought to be serious, he didn't practice today and there's no reason to rush him back. You know he's going to want to face his former team in Minnesota Friday night though.
Meanwhile Parenteau leads the AHL with 8 goals and has 14 points. He played decently in camp and it's getting to the point that we need to see if the 26-year-old can play at this level. Obviously if he can, he would have some trade value as there's just no room on the Rangers right now.
10.26.2009
No Need To Panic...
The difference between this year's Rangers and last is clear... this team has scorers. How many times last year did they dominate in shots and put up 1 goal... maybe 2? They didn't dominate in shots tonight, but did on the scoreboard beating the Phoenix Coyotes 5-2 at the Garden. The Yote's came in as one of the hottest teams with a 6-3 start.
Marian Gaborik continued his assault on the score sheet with 2 goals and and an assist. He is second in the NHL in scoring. Gaborik (10-8-18) has scored in every game as a Ranger but one. He did give us cause for panic though when he left the ice flexing his right leg in the third and headed to the locker room. Thankfully, Steve Zipay of Newsday is reporting that it is not thought to be serious. Gaborik said "It's nothing related to my groin or hip or torso." He continued, "We'll see how everything is in the morning. I collided with one of their players, but it's nothing major. It happened with about five minutes left and the game was pretty much over." Hey maybe there is a God.
The Fourth line got the scoring going again for the second straight game with Artem Anisimov converting a give-and-go with Brian Boyle with a nasty spin around wrister past Ilya Bryzgalov just 2:31 in. They deserved it after good defensive work and another good all around effort.
Marian Gaborik sandwiched setting up Vinny Prospal for his 4th of the season between 2 beautiful power play goals. Coach Dave Tippett removed Bryzgalov with the score 4-0 in favor of former Ranger Jason LaBarbera. His team responded. Ed Jovanovski scored followed by Vernon Fiddler getting the first short-handed goal against the Rangers this year.
Phoenix carried much of the play and out shot the Rangers 32-24. They couldn't break Henrik Lundqvist in the third though. The only goal of the frame came when Enver Lisin flew down the left side and ripped a slap shot past LaBarbera. Lisin (1 G, 1 A) had his best game as a Ranger and also had the satisfaction of scoring against his former team.
Notes:
Vinny Prospal has scored in all but 2 games as a Ranger. He had a goal and 2 assists tonight giving him 4 goals and 12 assists on the year... Michael Del Zotto (4-8-12) was great again adding two assists and you can see this kid getting better every game... Aaron Voros good hard work was rewarded with a seat on the bench as Donald Brashear returned... Is Sean Avery on this team? I was wondering when he'll be coming back and doing ANYTHING. If someone can tell me that'd be great.
Marian Gaborik continued his assault on the score sheet with 2 goals and and an assist. He is second in the NHL in scoring. Gaborik (10-8-18) has scored in every game as a Ranger but one. He did give us cause for panic though when he left the ice flexing his right leg in the third and headed to the locker room. Thankfully, Steve Zipay of Newsday is reporting that it is not thought to be serious. Gaborik said "It's nothing related to my groin or hip or torso." He continued, "We'll see how everything is in the morning. I collided with one of their players, but it's nothing major. It happened with about five minutes left and the game was pretty much over." Hey maybe there is a God.
The Fourth line got the scoring going again for the second straight game with Artem Anisimov converting a give-and-go with Brian Boyle with a nasty spin around wrister past Ilya Bryzgalov just 2:31 in. They deserved it after good defensive work and another good all around effort.
Marian Gaborik sandwiched setting up Vinny Prospal for his 4th of the season between 2 beautiful power play goals. Coach Dave Tippett removed Bryzgalov with the score 4-0 in favor of former Ranger Jason LaBarbera. His team responded. Ed Jovanovski scored followed by Vernon Fiddler getting the first short-handed goal against the Rangers this year.
Phoenix carried much of the play and out shot the Rangers 32-24. They couldn't break Henrik Lundqvist in the third though. The only goal of the frame came when Enver Lisin flew down the left side and ripped a slap shot past LaBarbera. Lisin (1 G, 1 A) had his best game as a Ranger and also had the satisfaction of scoring against his former team.
Notes:
Vinny Prospal has scored in all but 2 games as a Ranger. He had a goal and 2 assists tonight giving him 4 goals and 12 assists on the year... Michael Del Zotto (4-8-12) was great again adding two assists and you can see this kid getting better every game... Aaron Voros good hard work was rewarded with a seat on the bench as Donald Brashear returned... Is Sean Avery on this team? I was wondering when he'll be coming back and doing ANYTHING. If someone can tell me that'd be great.
10.25.2009
The Hab Nots...
The Rangers just have a thing for Montreal... They like to just go there and figure out ways to lose. My favorite was obviously 2 seasons ago when they had a 5-0 lead and lost 6-5. They outdid themselves tonight and it was one of their stars that is to blame.
The Canadiens came out flying and took the lead on a Michael Cammalleri goal, the first of his 3, 4:16 in. Of course Scott Gomez (2A) picked up an assist on it. The Rangers didn't even show up until a hard working shift from the fourth line produced an impossible angle rebound goal from Artem Anisimov, his 2nd of the year. The Blueshirts then dominated the rest of the first with goals from Ales Kotalik and Matt Gilroy.
Midway through the second and the Rangers in full control, Brandon Dubinsky turned the puck over in the neutral zone leading to Matt D'Agostini's goal. That made it 3-2 and left Henrik Lundqvist laid out on the collison. He appeared to have seriously injured his right ankle but somehow was able to skate it off and remain in the game. Brandon Dubinsky did not receive another shift from that point forward.
It was time for some brilliance. Michael Del Zotto fed Enver Lisin who quickly head-manned to Marian Gaborik. The Slovak tipped the puck from behind his back to himself (somehow staying onside), calmly went in and embarrassed Jaroslav Halak going forehand-backhand-forehand through the legs. It was 4-2 Rangers... but they figured out a way to let it all slip away... with penalties swinging the momentum... again.
Vinny Prospal took a silly elbowing penalty but while killing it Guillaume Latendresse literally skated into Chris Higgins' stick... from behind him... and they called Higgins. This was by far one of the funniest calls I've seen in years. A 5-on-3 for 1:35 yielded a Marc-Andre Bergeron goal and a brand new game. Cammalleri then tied it with 1:02 left in the second. Chris Higgins forgot to backcheck on this one... and he was not seen in the third either... some homecoming.
In overtime, Cammalleri scored the easiest goal of his life. With Gaborik back-checking lightly, and I mean lightly, he calmly skated from his own end. He entered the Ranger's zone with Matt Gilroy in front of him and Marian Gaborik gliding behind him. They both softly stick-checked Cammalleri as he cut in and roofed the winner on Lundqvist. You can blame either Gilroy or Gaborik but if this battle takes place in the offensive zone, Gaborik wins it and that's unacceptable. The Rangers got a point but blew two 2 goal leads in the loss.
Then a special treat as "Hockey Night Live" came on. I figured to get a chance to hear some reaction from Gaborik and Coach Tortorella... but no. We spent the first ten minutes of the show watching and talking about Ron Duguay and Ken Daneyko in "Battle of the Blades". Guys... there's a reason the show isn't on in this country... NO ONE CARES. They have been wasting time showing this for weeks now and when the Rangers lose... fans don't want to watch old men who used to play hockey figure skating. This has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the Rangers or the 3 games played by local teams. "Hockey Night Live" with NO hockey... WHAT A JOKE.
The Canadiens came out flying and took the lead on a Michael Cammalleri goal, the first of his 3, 4:16 in. Of course Scott Gomez (2A) picked up an assist on it. The Rangers didn't even show up until a hard working shift from the fourth line produced an impossible angle rebound goal from Artem Anisimov, his 2nd of the year. The Blueshirts then dominated the rest of the first with goals from Ales Kotalik and Matt Gilroy.
Midway through the second and the Rangers in full control, Brandon Dubinsky turned the puck over in the neutral zone leading to Matt D'Agostini's goal. That made it 3-2 and left Henrik Lundqvist laid out on the collison. He appeared to have seriously injured his right ankle but somehow was able to skate it off and remain in the game. Brandon Dubinsky did not receive another shift from that point forward.
It was time for some brilliance. Michael Del Zotto fed Enver Lisin who quickly head-manned to Marian Gaborik. The Slovak tipped the puck from behind his back to himself (somehow staying onside), calmly went in and embarrassed Jaroslav Halak going forehand-backhand-forehand through the legs. It was 4-2 Rangers... but they figured out a way to let it all slip away... with penalties swinging the momentum... again.
Vinny Prospal took a silly elbowing penalty but while killing it Guillaume Latendresse literally skated into Chris Higgins' stick... from behind him... and they called Higgins. This was by far one of the funniest calls I've seen in years. A 5-on-3 for 1:35 yielded a Marc-Andre Bergeron goal and a brand new game. Cammalleri then tied it with 1:02 left in the second. Chris Higgins forgot to backcheck on this one... and he was not seen in the third either... some homecoming.
In overtime, Cammalleri scored the easiest goal of his life. With Gaborik back-checking lightly, and I mean lightly, he calmly skated from his own end. He entered the Ranger's zone with Matt Gilroy in front of him and Marian Gaborik gliding behind him. They both softly stick-checked Cammalleri as he cut in and roofed the winner on Lundqvist. You can blame either Gilroy or Gaborik but if this battle takes place in the offensive zone, Gaborik wins it and that's unacceptable. The Rangers got a point but blew two 2 goal leads in the loss.
Then a special treat as "Hockey Night Live" came on. I figured to get a chance to hear some reaction from Gaborik and Coach Tortorella... but no. We spent the first ten minutes of the show watching and talking about Ron Duguay and Ken Daneyko in "Battle of the Blades". Guys... there's a reason the show isn't on in this country... NO ONE CARES. They have been wasting time showing this for weeks now and when the Rangers lose... fans don't want to watch old men who used to play hockey figure skating. This has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the Rangers or the 3 games played by local teams. "Hockey Night Live" with NO hockey... WHAT A JOKE.
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