no more afternoon games

We just suck at them. Luckily there's far fewer this season than last. Also in good news we didn't pay to see this game, so let's play a buttload better on Wednesday night. It's bad enough giving up 2 points to Florida, but it would be a totally unacceptable result against the Pens.
Alright, forget this game. Here's a bit of holiday cheer (thank you Lady!) that always make me smile, even right now.

getting it done the wrong way

It may look like Dubinsky has scored, but he's really celebrating his good buddy Zherdev's tally. My man Nikolai was all over the ice last night. I cannot believe he walked away with only one point. It was a skilled little scoop play that eluded the goalie and a defenseman. I hope Z teaches the rest of the team both that move and that roofer from tight in he scored in October because everybody else has the tendency to keep pounding the puck right into the opposing goalie's pads, resulting in fuck all on the scoreboard and a very frustrated fan base.
Anyway we didn't play as soundly as the Wednesday night even though the stories were nearly identical: establish a lead, piss it away with little over a minute left, scrambly OT, win in a shootout. Even Naslund and Zherdev scored in the SO to win us the game. Henrik's saves helped a little too. Also I'd like to give a shoutout to Rozsy who's played two good games in a row and Colton Orr who single handedly made the 3rd goal possible. How did he not get an assist on that play, oh wait he did!

Now let's show the last team in the East what the number one team can really play like tomorrow afternoon.

Thank you Rangers!

We've made a clean sweep of Tampa Bay, but this one was a little dirtier than the other 3. Plenty of hits, plenty of fights: Orr on Artyukhin, Orr on Koci, Zherdev on Stamkos!!!! I'm surprised Smith didn't have a little discussion with Voros again. The talking heads on the NHL channel said that sometimes new players (like Stamkos) have to show they cannot be bullied and it reminded me of OZ. Is the NHL like a giant prison and all the inmates/players have to show their mettle so they don't get raped? I wish Zherdev just started chewing on Stamkos. That would have been worth a game or two suspension.Oh, also Naslund scored twice in regulation and the game winner in the shootout.Zherdev mixed it up and added to his point totals and Henrik was solid yet again. Enjoy your turkey boys and lets shiv those Panthers this weekend.

ps.I forgot to mention my two favorite parts of the game. One was the uncharacteristically loud women miked in the stands. It helped that she was a Rangers fan and kept shrieking throughout the game, "Get him, Yeah that's it!" Fabulous. The second was the quick kiss Dubinsky gave Zherdev's visor after Z was totally baffled by his shootout goal. It was as if Dubi felt Nik's confusion was too precious to let pass. I'm with you Dubi.

Winning feels good: a pictoral essay

More of the same please!

movin' on

Let's just forget about Wednesday's debacle against Vancouver. Ottawa no. 2 is on the docket this afternoon. I wanna really beat these guys, especially Ruutu. Vali is in net and I hope he plays as well as he did in relief of Henrik. I believe in you Vali, I believe in you Rangers.

Thank you Henrik!

I'm wondering if I should just start tuning into Rangers games with 10 minutes to go in the 3rd because that is where all the good action has been in recent weeks. Last night was another lackluster start followed by a rousing comeback (even if it was only one goal!) and a win in the shootout. If it wasn't for Henrik's spectacular play the Rangers would have these surmountable deficits to overcome. I would love to think we could recover from 0-5 down, but I cannot quite picture it. This comeback was especially good because Freddie scored to even it and Zherdev scored the game winner in the shootout.Plus Henrik was 3-3 in saves. Like I said, thank you Henke!

Ottawa has some nasties on their team. Luckily Chris Neil was sidelined, but our good guys in blue had to deal with that bitch Jarkko Ruutu all night.His ugly mug was all up in everyone's face, and Jarkko was such a baby he flicked the rebound of his lost shootout attempt right back at Henrik. Can't wait to see some retribution meted his was on saturday afternoon.

Man Chara is huge!

I remember when even just 2 seasons ago the Boston Bruins were powerless to beat us. Not so much anymore- they're very dangerous and built pretty similarly to the Rangers. Last night we had to fight everything - bad bounces, bad miscues, worse plays, fiesty fans - to get two points. But we did and the Rangers won 3-2 in the 4th round of the shootout (thank you Drury, thank you Henke). Having missed the Pens game at the Garden a few weeks ago I was chuffed to be there for this one. After Boston's shortie in the 2nd I had a horrible sinking feeling, but the faith never waivered. I'm loving this line of Dawes, the Korpedo and Fritsche. Who wings Gomez when he's back?
We've kept the lead in the east and Henrik has a league leading 11 wins (sorry Nabokov!). Now that we've taken care of one of the hottest teams in the east, let's stay fohcoosed on one of the worst. I do not want to be Ottawa's best game of the month tomorrow. Shut those fuckers down, right Redden?

The return of Tortorella?

The Tampa Bay Lightening fired coach Barry Melrose yesterday after 16 games. I'm imagining Marek Malik throwing down an ultimatum, "Either Melrose goes or I go!"

back on track

As I've said before beating the Devils is extra pleasurable, but in the case of last night's game losing would have been devastating. The Devs are so depleted it would have been impossible to stomach Oduya as the number one star. Well, it didn't happen despite a scramby first period ending with NJ 1 goal ahead. Chico (yes, we watched the MSG + feed, yuk!) was already picking out the Rangers' coffin during the first intermission, a little prematurely because we stormed back with a 4 goal 2nd. That evasive scoring finesse materialized out of nowhere.



I don't know why we can't be this effective every game. I must give a shout out to Henrik of course who was excellent and our PK. Freddie and Blair Betts were exceptional as usual. Those 3 players have won us games and saved us from considerable embarrassment in others. I love all 3.

A lot to enjoy. Zherdev potted 2 and the celebration didn't end with a pileup. Good job boys.

half an effort

Points are hard to come by this November, so I'll take one and hope for 2 tomorrow. These western conference games are a little weird because I'm not wholly familiar with the players. We were having a good time with the ridiculous amount of consonants on the backs of these Oilers - Grebeshkov, Visnovsky, Cogliano. J immediately dubbed Oles Hemsky "Hemsky Damski" after a popular Polish store signs here in Greenpoint. They're featured mostly on beauty salons, so we think it means men and women. She also brilliantly referred to Sheldon Souray as "Souray Cruise". Definitely added some amusement to a lackluster start by our boys in blue. How did Imiss this fight though?

Anyway we came back from 0-2 down and Henrik played another excellent game despite a flubbed save in the shootout. I wouldn't mind the SO going a few more rounds because I have no idea what the lineup would look like.

Onto the Devils. No OT, no SO, let's win in regulation.

King of kings

Have I been using my hockey concentration powers for evil? Not exactly, but in focusing my energies fretting about Henrik's play and stats I think I have doomed his competition to unfortunate circumstances. First Brodeur (suck it Marty!) falls to a freak bicep tear then Nabokov who was (and unfortunately still is) beating Henrik in the wins column goes out with a knee injury. I'd watch out if I were Luongo with his 5 shutouts or Ryan Miller. I've got both my eyes on you Miller and not in your inbred cross-eyed way. Henrik may not be piling up the wins or shutouts as quickly as I'd like, but he's been our best man on the ice by far this season. This was definitely true last night when the Caps prevailed not on their admittedly excellent offensive talent but on a couple of flukey goals. C'mon Poti scored. Rangers are almost a quarter done with the season and I want Lundqvist etched on that Vezina trophy come spring. (Stanley Cup too, but first thing first.)

Captain Awesome at MSG

That's more like it! Hat trick for Drury (including a shortie), two fights for Voros (including a scrum with Goalie Mike Smith), spectacular effort by Henrik. Just a delight all around. Now if only Colton Orr would score on one his breakaways we'd be invincible.

more ass

At least is wasn't a shutout, but losing 2-1 to the Isles on 2 shorties feels like total shit. Maybe the good guys couldn't win two last night and Obama's victory was infinitely more important than 2 points in November. Whatever the reasons I just hate it. Rozsy was getting booed like Malik, but hopefully we'll be booing the actual Malik tomorrow at the Garden.

Pretty pretty Freddie played great though. Thanks guy.

just total ass

Why did the dreaded 2 goal lead have to bite us so early in the season? Now that means us fans have to have a panic attack everytime the Rangers manage to get up by a couple this season. As is watching Valiquette eat 5 pucks in just over 5 minutes wasn't painful enough, this nauseous anticipation of a repeat will color nearly every other game. Thanks Leafs.

I love me some Zherdev

I just had a feeling about Zherdev when we traded for him. Thank heavens that trade has turned out so well or the hurt of losing Tyuts would be too much. I just love Nik. Love his face. Love his shot. Love his Swayze Dirty Dancing on his knees goal celebration pose. And he has been the offensive powerhouse in 3 of the last 4 games. No much can beat the goal against the Pens with 8 seconds left, but against the Thrashers on thursday he managed a brilliant goal, a brilliant backcheck and a brilliant pass to ensure us the win. Thank you Nik - you're the best!