San Jose...

FIRST PERIOD
Promising start as Chris Drury beautifully deflected Marc Staal's wrist shot for a 1-0 lead 7:17 in. The Rangers went on the power play and Michael Del Zotto got his 4th on the power play banging in the rebound of an Ales Kotalik bomb just 1:17 later. It went downhill from there.

What was the problem? All together now... PENALTIES. After killing off a Chrostopher Higgins holding penalty, Tortorella sent out Vinny Prospal with Donald Brasheer and Ales Kotalik, probably because of players resting from killing the power play. Brad Staubitz stripped a lazy Donald Brasheer in center and buried it past Steve Valiquette's glove. A high sticking call to Wade Redden, who otherwise has had another solid start, and Dany Heatley ties it on the power play. If the Rangers continue to take penalties, even though they've only taken 2... they're done in this one... San Jose is just too good.

SECOND PERIOD
Rangers took 3 more penalties including two moronic ones by Sean Avery. I love how he never knows why he's called... one a blatant trip the other a blatant hold. At 4-2 though the Ryan Callahan was all alone in fron with a chance to get the Blueshirts back in it and somehow missed the net. Steve Valiquette has been awful tonight but it's Tortorella's fault he's in there against one of the league's best offenses. With no game until Thursday it is mind-boggling that Henrik Lundqvist is not playing.

Though all I've heard is how this guy is a better hockey player than Colton Orr, I have seen no evidence of that in Donald Brasheer. He's not a better fighter or hitter and tonight he just looks like an old man. He was beaten by Staubitz in the first and outworked by Patrick Marleau of all people for Devin Setoguchi's second goal of the period. He's certainly not winning anyone over here... still waiting.

5-2 and game over after two.