On the Rink with Gootz: Why Sean Avery is Not the Answer

I thought it was time for a fresh voice on the blog to peddle the bemusement that we fans of the New York Rangers have experienced over the last few weeks. While in my last article, I briefly explained why bringing back Sean Avery (in response to fan chants on opening night) was a bad idea or just not going to accomplish anything, it seems that management is actually going to listen to the Garden Faithful (or as some say, Brainless) on this one, as they will be recalling Avery today. Should he not get claimed by another team, he would be available Thursday night against Anaheim.

To voice his frustration and critique on the matter, I have asked my good friend “Gootz”, as we call him, to contribute a guest post, and I hope that he will be a regular columnist on this blog, since it becomes rather tiresome voicing the same frustration over, and over, and over again. Gootz currently serves as the Assistant Director of Player Personnel for the Danbury Whalers of the FHL. Below is his posting:

By guest blogger Chris “Gootz” Hoeler

While attending opening night at the Garden this year, the ire of fans towards the New York Rangers’ organization about sending Sean Avery down to Connecticut was rather evident. A banner hung out over section 427 that wanted Avery back and suggested sending John Tortorella down to the Whale instead. Later in the evening, a loud “We Want Avery” chant went up, as the Rangers seemed lifeless. My reaction? Head in my hands.

Do I like Sean Avery? Yes. I like the way he plays and the way he jaws with other players. It gets things going and I like having characters in a professional sports scene where many people are very bland. But Sean isn’t the answer here.

He provided a spark to the Rangers when he first arrived in New York a few years ago and did so a few other times. But it is now over, Rangers’ fans. We all know that everyone believes that John Tortorella has neutered Avery and made him useless. If people believe that, then why bring him up? And even if you don’t subscribe to that belief, does anyone here really think Sean Avery is going to be the offensive dynamo that this team needs to start lighting the lamp consistently? Probably not. I was an advocate for having Sean on a line with Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik and at this point, if Sean makes it up to New York, I am sure it will be tried. Would I like it to work? Absolutely. Do I think it is going to? No.

I want this team to be successful and am willing to try anything at this point because the team seems completely lost right now. Sean may or may not be apart of that but what bothers me the most about this whole situation is how many people seem to think bringing Sean back is going to magically bring this team to the top of the conference and everyone can tell Tortorella “I told you so”. The problems run a bit deeper than this. Marc Staal has seemingly fallen off the face of the Earth and no one knows anything about when he may be coming back. Addressing the defense and making that stronger will certainly help issues.

But Ranger fans need to realize that this is most likely the last we will see of Sean Avery in a Ranger uniform, assuming he doesn’t get claimed by another team. I would love to be totally wrong and see him come up here and spark this team but people need to be realistic and look at the bigger picture here. The Rangers have bigger problems on the ice than Sean Avery, who, as God-like as he is to some fans, cannot solve them with an almighty wave of his stick, like he did in front of Martin Brodeur’s face.

New York Rangers are in an Early Must-Win Situation Against Ottawa

Spare me the cries of overreaction on what will be game nine of the New York Rangers’ season tomorrow afternoon at home against the Ottawa Senators. The bottom-line is, the Rangers have not played one complete game all season long, and blew a chance to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs last night, after they began the game flying in the offensive zone. As usual, they did not end the game as they began, with the order of good and bad play shifting around from previous games. Coach John Tortorella, out of desperation (or maybe compulsion, I have not yet decided) keeps on changing the lines in his eternal quest to find offensive chemistry, something his team has never had, dating back to when he inherited a misfit team from Tom Renney three years ago. He had an excuse then, though, as he was not working with who he wanted. Well, he got who he wanted this off-season, and has done nothing but make everyone’s head spin with his nonsensical line switches that seem to occur on a shift-by-shift basis, rather than a more understandable game-by-game.

Tomorrow’s top two lines, who they will field against a weak assemblage from Ottawa, who, by the way, have played better than the Rangers, are as follows:

1) Wojtek Wolski- Erik Christensen- Marian Gaborik

2) Brandon Dubinsky- Brad Richards- Ryan Callahan

As I said just said days ago, the sheer brilliance of John Tortorella here is so strong, it will blind you and knock you out of your chair. Brad Richards is not being paid nearly $7 million to skate between two offensive hacks, who have combined for two goals and three assists in 16 games. Brandon Dubinsky, who may have qualified for the Dumbest Ranger award, after the last game, continues to take stupid penalties at inopportune times, while waltzing irrelevantly through all three zones as a non-factor, with zero goals in eight games. Fresh off a contract that is paying him $4.2 million, he is now showing his true colors, one of yet another overpaid homegrown “star” who fans love, that has never really accomplished anything. Ryan Callahan, meanwhile, has been just a step better, if only because he has not spent an entire two periods worth of penalty minutes in the sin bin. The fact that Richards is between the two is just more proof of Tortorella’s disillusionment. He is the only marquee playmaker this team has had since the lockout, except for Michael Nylander, and that is who he has to work with? Where is Marian Gaborik, who he actually played well with in the first few games of the season? Oh yeah, stuck on the wing with Erik Christensen and Wojtek Wolski, two players who have played a combined nine games without a point between them. Remember, this is the Rangers. Here 2 + 2 = 5.

If Tortorella wants to keep up the juggling act, which would have even Barnum and Bailey fainting from dizziness, at least he could not insult the fan base and those that shell out the money that helps to pay for some of these contracts, and actually keep Gaborik and Richards together. The clock is ticking, and while the season may still be young, if the Rangers continue to play like this, we will not have to worry about the season much longer. So far, they have been a disgrace, and I do not care what their record is. This is a franchise that prides itself on being just good enough to get to the playoffs. How long is it before they push it a little bit further and not settle for a berth that more than half the teams in the league also make? It is harder to miss the playoffs than make them, and while this was the year that the Rangers were actually going to get out of the first round and make a serious push, I think we can now consider it a major accomplishment if they make it through the month of November with a winning record. This team needs a wake-up call, and while I am not yet ready to have Tortorella on the chopping block, I would say he is very close. The only problem is who would replace him. Who is out there? Mike Keenan (who was an analyst on MSG last season, prompting me to think he was in waiting), Bob Hartley, and Ted Nolan come to mind, but the Rangers also need to make trades, in offense and defense. This all adds up to a major problem, and a New York Rangers’ season would not be one without one, as you damn well know if you have been watching them as long as I have, and beyond.

Comments on the Home Opener Festivities

I could not help but cringe during the Rangers’ extended “Blue Carpet” pre-game show, where they interviewed disinterested celebrities who just happened to be at the game because they got free tickets, not because they are actually hockey fans. Gianonne kept floating the same boring, basic questions that plague his real hockey coverage, while the star-power present was strong enough to have powered a low-budget C-level horror movie. Then came the actual pre-game ceremony, one which was nothing special (which I don’t mind), but it also lacked a memorial for Derek Boogaard, who passed away this off-season. While he was remembered during a TV timeout, a video or something needed to be done while still on the broadcast, so it could be seen as special, and not crammed into a thirty-second money-making time-slot. If their reason is because they did not want to sadden the mood of a home opener, and not because a ceremony is coming later in the season, then shame on MSG.

One more thing, and this is in regard to those dolts who unfurled the “We Want Avery” banner and yelled the chants that could be heard on television. Let me ask you: do you really think he would make a difference? His famous spark was gone, and he was just as useless as Dubinsky or Wolski during the pre-season. I know there are many with an undying affection for him, but would he help the team score goals? Would he help them be more disciplined? Would he help the defense clear the zone? The answer to all three questions is no, so please, just leave it alone and stick to reality here. I may want him more than Christensen too, but he sure as hell would not have made the outcomes of these miserable games any different.

New York Rangers: Avery to be Waived, Weise Claimed by Vancouver

Well, we knew it was going to come down to Sean Avery and Erik Christensen. Just who would land the spot as the 13th forward for the New York Rangers? This morning, it was announced that the Rangers plan to place Avery on waivers, thus ending his second stint on Broadway, one not nearly as glamorous as his first. In a way, this is a bit of an end of an era. Avery came here in 2007 in a trade with Los Angeles, and immediately made an impact when he barreled into Martin Brodeur in a game shortly after. From that moment on, he was a fan favorite, and shown undying affection no matter what the situation was, for better or for worse. But in recent seasons, ever since he returned from Dallas, his play began to slip and he started to lose his aggressive and agitating touch. The NHL’s Bad Boy was becoming just another bottom-six checking forward, but with a pretty hefty price tag. There is no doubt that was the main reason in the end, why it was him over Christensen to be waived; the additional $1 million the Rangers pick up could very well go to bringing in a veteran defenseman to replace the injured Staal.

Though I was never really a fan of Avery’s, I would much rather see him on the team than Christensen, who, when he does not score, is completely useless. Avery, on the other hand, can check and fight, and when he is on his game, can reclaim the past glory he had as one of the most annoying players in the league. I do not expect Christensen to be here much longer either, but only time will tell if this really was the right move. Avery’s NHL career might be done with now, because I do not see many teams who would risk bringing his personality into a locker room, especially when he carries a $4 million price tag for the rest of this season. He will probably have to explore other options in Europe if he wants to play hockey, but my guess is that he will retire, and keep himself busy with politics and possibly even the fashion industry. That is not a knock on him, because that is where his mind seems to have truly been. Perhaps if he was focused more on hockey, he would still be playing.

As for Dale Weise being claimed by the Vancouver Canucks, I am very sad to see him go. I interviewed him before last season, and we have remained in contact ever since. He is a really nice guy, but clearly, there was just no room for him here. Hopefully he will see plenty of NHL action north of the border, and I wish him the best of luck!

2012 Winter Classic Confirmed: Rangers and Flyers Showdown

The logo from the 2010 NHL Winter Classic.

This morning, it was Tweeted by Larry Brooks of the NY Post that it will be the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers facing off in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic. The game will be played in the City of Brotherly Love, but to my knowledge, the venue is still not know. Rumors had been circulating about this matchup for months, but now it has been confirmed. This will be the Flyers’ second showing in the popular New Year’s Day game, that will actually be played on January 2nd this year. They took on the Boston Bruins in the 2010 game that was played at Fenway Park.

Though I suppose most people wanted to see the New Jersey Devils or New York Islanders in there, a game involving the Rangers on this stage needs a team that is actually relevant to the league and has a fan base. The Flyers will bring that, and perhaps the rivalry between these two teams is even greater than the ones against the Devils and Islanders at this time. The Rangers make sense being in here, and probably should have been used earlier. No matter how successful they are, New York is always an attractive market, and it is a shame that they could not have the game at Yankee Stadium or Citi Field, because this event needs the lights of New York City.

Nevertheless, we got what we all wanted here, as this is sure to be an intense matchup. But that is not all. The Rangers and Flyers will also be participating in the acclaimed series 24/7, which began last year on HBO, and went behind the scenes into the daily and gamely lives of the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins. The show was a smash-hit, made even more so by a certain profane tirade by Capitals’ coach Bruce Boudreau. With John Tortorella, and presumably Sean Avery, if he is still on the team, for the Rangers, and the slew of enforcers under the helm of hot-tempered coach Peter Laviolette, this should make for some good entertainment. I suppose I will have to order HBO now; combine this with To Appomattox that is supposed to be out next year, and this channel is going to have some nice programming.

One last item regarding 24/7, and that is how shocked I am that the Rangers are actually involving themselves with this. It is well known that their PR department are a bunch of control freaks who like to present a pristine image to the hockey world, and this series could put a damper on that. I would not be shocked if they ask the production team to censor certain parts. Not trying to be negative here, but it’s the Rangers so who knows…

Joe’s Angle: The New York Rangers’ Off-Season Plan

Will the Rangers be courting Jamie Langenbrunner for help this summer?

Heading into this off-season, the New York Rangers find themselves in quite good shape when compared to the last few summers. The Rangers must establish a true first line in order to justify their investment in Marian Gaborik, whose disappointing 2010/11 campaign could have been attributed to injuries and lack of chemistry with players around him. He will, and must, look to regain his form found in the previous seasons.

Brad Richards is the only marquee free agent on the market when it comes to offensive players. Richards, 31, is the number one center the Rangers need if they would like to take their development one step further. The mentality of the Rangers’ youth movement is nice, but they need top line talent to win. Unfortunately, this top line talent does not exist anywhere in the organization outside of Marian Gaborik. Pairing Richards with Gaborik and Wojtek Wolski would give the Rangers a top line. Wolski is a question mark on that line, but given he gels with talented players we could see him have a breakout year.

The Rangers have two players in Chris Drury and Sean Avery who are both primed for buyouts. The Rangers cannot endure one additional season while carrying Drury’s 7+ million cap hit. They need to spend their money elsewhere in order to improve the club. Drury’s 3.7 million buyout hit will give them additional flexibility. When it comes to doghouse player Sean Avery, it does not make sense for the team to keep him around, unless he can reclaim past success, which is doubtful. Avery’s role with the Rangers has seemed to disappear and he has turned into more of a liability than anything else on the ice. Cutting his salary cap hit almost in half will give the Rangers an additional $1 million in spending money. In order to bypass buyout ramifications, the Rangers could also send Avery salary to Hartford, removing it entirely from the cap as well.

When it comes to other players on the free agent market, there is only one forward I would not steer clear of. Jamie Langenbrunner is a forward, who if used in a 3rd line role, could prove valuable to the club. The Rangers should take a long look at Langenbrunner. Despite his age, a team needs a few veterans sprinkled in if they want to find any type of success. Jan Hejda, a veteran defenseman from Columbus, can also help the Rangers if paired with youngster Micheal Del Zotto. The Rangers have had interest in bringing Hejda in for several years via trade with the Blue Jackets, but were never able to make a sensible deal. Now that Hejda is a UFA, a one or two year deal may make sense.

Stay: Anisimov, Boyle, Callahan, Christensen, Dubinsky, Fedotenko, Gaborik, Prust, Stepan, Wolski, Eminger,Girardi, McDonagh, Sauer, Staal, Biron, Lundqvist

Go: Avery, Drury, Prospal, Gilroy, McCabe

Your 2011-2012 New York Rangers

Salaries calculated through CapGeek and are noted in parenthesis next to the player’s name.

1st line: Marian Gaborik ($7.500m)- Brad Richards ($6.750m)- Wojtek Wolski ($3.800m)
2nd line: Ryan Callahan ($3.975m)- Derek Stepan ($0.875m)- Brandon Dubinsky ($3.975m)
3rd line: Jamie Langenbrunner ($2.300m)- Artem Anisimov ($1.350m)- Mats Zuccarello ($1.750m)
4th line: Brandon Prust ($0.800m)- Brian Boyle ($1.225m)-  Ruslan Fedotenko ($1.250m)
Scratches: Erik Christensen ($0.925m) and Chris Drury ($3.716m)

1st pairing: Marc Staal ($3.975m)- Daniel Girardi ($3.325m)
2nd pairing: Ryan McDonagh ($1.300m)- Mike Sauer ($1.505m)
3rd pairing: Jan Hejda ($2.500m)- Michael Del Zotto ($1.087m)
Scratch: Steve Eminger ($0.650m)

Starting: Henrik Lundqvist ($6.875m)
Backup: Martin Biron ($0.875m)

Salary Cap: $62,500,000
Cap Payroll: $62,284,167
Bonuses: $1,487,500
Cap Space (23-man roster): $215,833

[Note from Greg Caggiano] Even though Joe and I disagree about Brad Richards, I must say this looks like a decent line-up, or at least more so than last season’s. The three free agent moves he has made here are realistic and certainly not out of the question, though fans may be wary in bringing in another ex-Devil in Langenbrunner. But out of all three moves, I like that one the best. The players that he let go I agree with, though I would have added Christensen to the list.

Bruce Boudreau Calls Out MSG; Rangers’ Fans Need to React

By now if you are a fan of the New York Rangers, you have heard the idiotic comments made by Washington Capitals’ head coach Bruce Boudreau, where he called out Madison Square Garden for being “nothing”, while saying some aspects of the arena and locker room area “horrible”. There is no need to reiterate what writers and bloggers have already said, such as how Boudreau tries to deflect the blame of every loss because he cannot handle it. This all comes from a coach who can’t speak to his players in the locker room without using an expletive every other word, a coach that would be nothing without the four all-stars he was handed, and who really run the team.

We saw this two seasons ago, when the Rangers last faced the Capitals in a playoff series. As soon as the Capitals began to trail in the series, the coach, along with the players, whined and deflected the blame away from themselves. Last time it was Avery calling Boudreau the “…fattest, [bleep]ing pig” he had ever seen, to which the coach cried about to the media. The Capitals then sent Alex Ovechkin to spy on the team during their morning skate, when he was seen sitting in the stands. What other team in the league does this? People complain about Crosby and the Penguins being whiners, but when do they ever take it to the media (Mario Lemiuex’s asinine statement regarding headshots aside). At least they maintain some standard of professionalism. The Capitals—their fans, as well as players and coaches—are the biggest bunch of immature imbeciles I have ever seen. Considering the franchise has not one championship to their degree and the arena was empty for years leading up to the post-lockout Ovechkin era, they really can’t say much. The players jump up and down like girls when they score a goal and win, then they complain, call out officials (and arenas, apparently) when they lose.

Bruce Boudreau also noted how the Verizon Center is louder than MSG. Perhaps it is due to the noise added over the sound speaker that is generated in order to pump up fans and get them cheering. Madison Square Garden does not have such a feature, because they don’t need one. At least Rangers fans know the difference between a blue line and a clothes line. Then there is the issue of Capitals’ fans pelting the Rangers’ bench with items during the game. Last season, it agitated John Tortorella so much that he, in turn, threw a water bottle at a fan and shouted obscenities at them. This time, it was assistant coach Mike Sullivan, who got hit with ice cubes at the end of Game Two, with a security guard standing just feet away no less, prompting him to turn around, and have Tortorella come over to tell him to ignore it. There is that immaturity again. I have been watching hockey for many years, and I cannot recall many instances of fans throwing food at a bench, yet the two most recent occasions were both against the Capitals, in their own building.

Tomorrow night, Game Four will be played at the quiet, decrepit, squalor known as Madison Square Garden. Perhaps Rangers fans should do something in return, to let Boudreau know just what kind of fans we have here. I am not advocating showering the bench with beer (at almost $10 a pop you wouldn’t want to either) because that would be stooping down to the same below sea-level altitude their fans are at, but it is time to get creative. Perhaps a chant or two other than “Potvin Sucks!” which still seems to echo from antiquity will be heard. It’s time to bring back the old MSG atmosphere from years gone by, when the air was hostile and opposing teams and fans were not given any iota of respect. Their fans have shown us none, so why not return the favor?

Rangers Drop Game Two; In Need of a Hero

Henrik Lundqvist should walk into the New York Rangers’ locker room and quit. For the second game in a row, he stood on his head and gave his team every chance to win, and for the second game in a row, he got absolutely no offensive help. For the first two periods tonight, the Rangers did not play bad hockey, they played stupid, undisciplined hockey. There was no sense of urgency, no drive to the net, no teamwork and aggressive forecheck, the M.O that got them to the postseason in the first place. What the Rangers left out on the ice tonight, with the exception of a ten minute surge in the third people, was a steaming pile of refuse, one where they cannot look for excuses anywhere else but their inability to get simple shots on goal.

Do not buy into the reasoning that the Washington Capitals are immensely superior. They are good, yes; good enough to be the best team in the Eastern Conference, but they are beatable. The Rangers have scored one goal in two games, while mustering up only 46 shots. If the Rangers were getting quality chances and sustained pressure, one could argue that they are just not good enough. But they cannot even get the puck deep into Washington’s zone. This becomes even more frustrating when you look at the fact that the Capitals have not really played too amazing themselves. The high-powered offense has scored four goals, while putting only 52 shots on net—not much of a difference.

The Capitals did not beat the Rangers in these two games, the Rangers beat themselves. Not to take anything away from Washington, who did deserve to win tonight, but the Rangers have to seriously consider something drastic. Would benching Marian Gaborik in game three wake everybody up? What has he done in these two games to deserve playing time? Big game in the playoffs be damned—Gaborik has been invisible all season and can no longer carry this team, therefore, he should not suit up.

The insertion of Sean Avery into tonight’s lineup thankfully did not backfire in the Rangers’ faces. He played decent hockey in the ten minutes of ice time he was given. He was able to get into a couple of scrums and cause some havoc, so I would definitely think he stays in the lineup for at least the next game.

On to Sunday, the Rangers have to pray that they have a reversal of fortune on home ice at Madison Square Garden, a place they did not play overly well in. The crowd is going to be rocking, so hopefully, the jitters from the seven rookies in the lineup will stay away. In game one, they did look nervous, but tonight, nerves is not what did them in. These losses cannot be placed on the kids, which is a good thing for the future. They are gaining experience, and win or lose, it will only serve to help them down the road.

The Rangers are now desperately in search of a hero, someone to put this team on his back (aside from Lundqvist) and win a game single-handedly. The Rangers lived and died as a team all season, but the team’s chemistry is off-balance right now, and they are in need of an individual to come through in the clutch. The Brandon Dubinsky factor is overrated, and I still do not know why he was given 21 minutes of playing time, looking absolutely lost while skating around, when Chris Drury, a player who despite what you may think about him, actually does well in the postseason, was only given seven minutes. If I had to guess who it might be, to drive this team to a higher level, it would be Vinny Prospal. Two games in a row, the camera has zoomed in on him after the whistle, to see him yapping away at opponents and shoving people around. He is coming across as a grouchy old man, and that could be an asset if the Rangers continue to play this way. He is not going to go down without a fight, and the Rangers should follow him in that regard.

Rangers Pregame Notes: Brooks and Tortorella Clash; Mark Everson is an Idiot

I very rarely write pregame articles, but a few things happened today that are worth mentioning, especially since they serve as the overture to tonight’s feature film; Game Two between the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals. To briefly give my thoughts on Game One, all I can say is that the fault cannot be blamed on any one player. Should Staal have cleared the puck better in overtime that lead to the Semin goal? Yes. Could Lundqvist have stopped the slapshot that was from the high-slot area with no one in front? Yes. But the fact of the matter is, the Rangers scored one goal, and that is the reason why they lost. To go around nit-picking or trying to blame someone here and there is pointless.

The Rangers had a glorious opportunity to create scoring chances and up the pressure against a rookie goalie in his first playoff game. One would think they would have learned from the last time they played the Capitals in a playoff series, when they let then-rookie Semyon Varlamov beat them. They did not have many chances, and I don’t think Michael Neuvirth had to make more than one or two difficult stops. Yes, the Rangers worked hard and hung with the Capitals defensively, but let us remember that the Rangers actually scored more goals on the season than the Capitals. Though they do not have the names to intimidate, the Rangers should have scored more than one goal.

On to today, I was reading the New York Post this morning, and after about a week, I still do not know why New Jersey Devils’ writer Mark Everson is covering the Rangers’ playoff run. Not only is he a mediocre writer when covering his actual team, but he proves to be completely biased when covering the Rangers. He is just as qualified to cover them as I am to cover the Colorado Avalanche. He takes little jabs at the Blueshirts every chance he gets, and basically makes it up as he goes along. He holds true to the fact that Devils’ fans care more about the Rangers’ demise than their own team winning. The inferiority complex was in full effect when he wrote this, taken from this morning’s issue:

It was the Bolshoi dancer turning the physical tables on coach John Tortorella’s gulag workers, a pre-emptive strike that set the tone for the Caps’ dominance in Game 1. The fancier Caps kept up the early hitting on the visiting Rangers, the team supposed to be the bruisers.

(Please note: Everson, in trying to make himself sound intelligent, has referred to Alex Ovechkin as a “Bolshoi dancer” and the Rangers’ actual team as “gulag workers”. Somehow, I don’t think it worked.)

First of all, “Caps’ dominance”? Marky Marky Mark, did you even watch the game that remained scoreless until Matt Gilroy scored two minutes in to the third period? Exactly what dominance was there by the Washington Capitals who mustered up 33 shots in almost four periods of play, to win 2-1 in overtime? And in reference to the “fancier Caps”, again, I did not see any of this finesse for the entire game. The Rangers’ defense kept them to the outside and the only goal in regulation they scored was a meat-and-potatoes crease jam that sent the puck trickling over the goal line through about only six inches of open space that Lundqvist had between his legs. Mr Everson, you are an idiot. Stick to writing about the New Jersey team that no one gives two shits about. Case closed.

Now, finally, what would be a playoff series without John Tortorella and Larry Brooks going at it? You would think that after all these years, the two would have learned to co-exist, or at least Tortorella ignoring him or trying to find some way to deal with it. Brooks has been around forever, I get that. He deserves to be respected, but sometimes, in exchanges like this, I just shake my head. Brooks does try to goad Tortorella into giving answers he does not want to give. He pushes his buttons and sometimes he hits the right combination. This is all highly entertaining, but it is extremely unprofessional and does not need to be the elephant in the room during a very important playoff series. Below is the drama:

As for tonight’s game, once again, no predictions. Just try to relax and have some fun. Personally, I am not yet worried about being down in the series, because the Rangers did have a 3-1 lead on them two seasons ago, and we all remembered what happened then. Sean Avery will be back in the lineup tonight as well. What this will do, I have no idea. If a forward who scored three goals in 76 regular season games is going to be the savior, then the Rangers have bigger problems than they thought. Perhaps, it is because Neuvirth called Brandon Dubinsky the “new Avery”, because the two were jabbing at each other in Game One, and the Rangers want to give the goaltender a taste of the real Avery. Who knows? All we can hope for is a quarter of what his spark used to be like, and please, no stupid penalties.

If the New York Rangers Miss the Playoffs, It Is Their Own Fault

These last few days have provided horrific flashbacks to last season for fans of the New York Rangers, because just like last year, the Rangers had their fate in their own hands. In game 81, the Rangers needed to win the two final games of the season, both against the Philadelphia Flyers, and they were able to accomplish only half of that. With their final home game just two days before the season finale, the Rangers came through in the clutch, with a hard-fought 4-3 win that had Madison Square Garden rocking, giving a resounding cheer for the Blueshirts who then had to travel to the City of Brotherly Love to clinch a playoff berth. The scorer of the game-winning goal? Marian Gaborik, capping off a fantastic debut season on Broadway. Then the last day came, and after another well-played game that headed to a shootout, the entire Rangers’ season rested on the shoulders of Olli Jokinen, who flubbed the chance, and sent them home packing, without a playoff appearance for the first time since the lockout. Two games were all they had, two wins were all they needed.

This season, the Rangers had three games remaining, and found themselves trailing the Boston Bruins 3-0 in the second period of a game on April 4th. The crowd booed, and rightly so, but then the Rangers woke up, and scored five unanswered goals against one of the best defensive teams in the NHL to keep the season alive, but not only that, to keep it in their hands. This is more important than anything, because when you have control of your fate, all you have to do, as a team, is win. You do not have to scoreboard watch or hope for help from others. Unfortunately, last night, the Rangers ruined those chances against the 11th place Atlanta Thrashers. All they needed was a win, to get two points, and they failed miserably. There was no aggressive forecheck, no glaring scoring chances, just all around stagnant play. When the Thrashers exited the building with a 3-0 win, you can be sure that visions of last season were floating around the locker room. There is only one difference: the Rangers are not in control of their fate anymore.

Should the Carolina Hurricanes win their next two games in regulation, the Rangers season is over, even if they win tomorrow afternoon against the New Jersey Devils. There are also a bunch of other scenarios, but I will not waste time going into them because all of it should have been for naught anyway. There was no reason for this, the Rangers needed to win last night, and they failed. Just like last season, coming 0ff their biggest win of the season, they fell flat, and that will cost them.

There is no place to direct anger at, if the Rangers fall short, other than the team itself. Part of me says not to get angry, because this is a rebuilding year. The other part of me says, this team was in playoff contention all year long, has the highest paid goaltender in the league, and another $7 million goal scorer, so of course I will be angry if they come up short.

Just think, what if Lundqvist had not let in a slew of soft goals early in the season? What if Alex Frolov actually produced after signing here? What if Vinny Prospal wasn’t injured for most of the season? What if Martin Biron did not suffer a late-season practice injury? What if Sean Avery was just half as good as he was a couple of seasons ago? What if Marian Gaborik actually played like he gives a shit?

That is probably the most important of these “What if?” questions, and that is what happened to Marian Gaborik? He goes through months of being invisible, has a big game and gets everyone excited, only to disappear again. Well, Marian the Magnificent has now gone eight straight games without scoring a goal, and he only has 22 in 61 games, which equates to about a goal every three games, as opposed to last season when he averaged a goal per less than every two games. It might not seem like much, but in the long-run, they add up. It is one thing to slump, but it is another to just fall off the map and not care, which is where Gaborik is right now—skating around in circles, shooting from the perimeter, and just coasting. On the bright side, he may be due for an explosion tomorrow, since that’s what he does. After all, he hasn’t scored since March 20.

The Rangers powerplay is also to blame, even with the acquisition of Bryan McCabe who has only two goals and six assists in 18 games. After seeing him QB the powerplay, I am convinced that he is not the problem. He is not a bad player, in fact, he is the most skilled player out there who happens to be surrounded by players who are not on his level of thinking. His passes are hard, his shots are even harder, but when is someone ever in a position to do something with them? Take last night for example, with McCabe on the point and Gaborik in the right faceoff circle. McCabe released a hard fake-shot pass right to Gaborik, but the puck bounced over his stick. How is it that a player as skilled as he cannot handle a simple pass? Did he forget how to play hockey all of a sudden? Does Tortorella need to hold a fundamentals practice? These idiots skate around trying to make plays, the puck goes to McCabe, and when he passes it back, they seem like they have never seen that shiny, black, rubber disc before—it’s like they are shocked.

The shining of all examples of this ineptitude of course came on March 31 against the New York Islanders, in a game they had to win. To be honest, I don’t think anything thought the Rangers were going to lose that game, especially since they always play well on Long Island. The Rangers took a 1-0 lead despite playing sloppily, but then they somehow managed to give up six straight goals before adding one late, to fall 6-2 in their most embarrassing performance of recent memory. The killer in this one? Going a mind-numbing 0-9 on the powerplay. That’s almost the equivalent of spending an entire period with the man-advantage, only to score zero goals.

No matter what happens in these next two days, the Rangers can look at that matchup against the Islanders and say that is what did them in.  For the second straight season, the Rangers can get eliminated by a division rival; first the Flyers, now the Devils (which is worse?). Even if they do lose tomorrow, the Rangers can still get in if the Hurricanes lose their last two games, but I would not count on it. Carolina is playing well and actually deserves to make the playoffs. The Rangers deserve absolutely nothing.

The Rangers just have to go out there and win tomorrow, then pray for some divine intervention. I can see the Rangers winning tomorrow, even though the Devils are going to come out firing on all cylinders since this is their playoff game this season, but what I cannot see is the Hurricanes losing their next two games. Either way, it is out of our hands. This season will be known as the one that got away, it’s that simple.

Rangers Double-Up Canadiens 6-3 in Intense Matchup at the Garden

In the fourth and final meeting of the season between the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens, the Blueshirts finally were able to break through with a victory and end a drought against the Habs that extended back to last season. Tonight’s game featured the exact hockey one would expect in a game down the stretch, between two teams fighting for a playoff berth. There was aggression, intensity, and goal scoring, and the Rangers would ultimately walk away with a 6-3 win after a hard fought 60 minutes.

• First period: The game got off to a hot start rather early, when just one second in, Brandon Prust squared off with Travis Moen in what would be a fairly lengthy bout. About five and a half minutes in, Artem Anisimov would get the Rangers on the board with an unassisted breakaway goal, but less than two minutes later, the Canadiens would rally to tie it on a slap shot goal by P.K Subban in the slot, this coming before he and Prust would serve minors after Subban yanked Prust to the ice when he made contact with goaltender Carey Price. But the most disheartening aspect about the Canadiens’ goal was the “Ole Ole” chant in the building, offered up by the sea of opposing fans that made their way into the Garden tonight. I have no problem with fans of other teams traveling distances to show their support, but it is unfortunate that the Rangers fans would let that noise happen. I remember a time when it was dangerous for an opposing fan to even wear a jersey, let alone chant, in our home building, but times have changed, and the Dolan’s are getting what they want: an arena packed with corporate suits. Anyway, the Rangers would very shortly shut up the Canadiens’ fans with a barrage of goals. Near the midway point, Dan Girardi would score on assists from Christensen and Zuccarello, and then with less than three minutes remaining, Ryan Callahan would score the oddest goal of the season—with a tangle of players in front of the net, Callahan swiped at a bouncing puck which sent it upwards off the helmet of defenseman James Wisniewski, then higher into the air, when it would fall straight down and cross the goal line in mid-air. However, the backspin on the puck caused it to not land in the net, but a lengthy review would prove that the entire puck crossed the line. With the Canadiens tased, Gaborik scored 32 seconds after that, and then Brian Boyle added a fifth goal 37 seconds later, for a total of three goals in just 1:07. Price would then be yanked and replaced with Ranger-killer Alex Auld. The Rangers would leave the period with a 5-1 lead, perhaps the most exciting and well-played period of the season.

• Second period: At first, the middle frame seemed relatively calm compared to the first. Aside from an early goal by Wisniewski, to get the Canadiens within three, nothing major happened until the end. Both Lundqvist and Auld were solid, but then with exactly three minutes to go, Subban would knock down Lundqvist and cause Michael Sauer to chase him halfway across the rink to challenge him to a fight. Sauer wanted to drop the gloves immediately, but the Canadiens’ brute defenseman ran away like the fraud he is. Magnetic personality be damned, Subban is nothing more than a glorified thug, who already slew-footed Dubinsky earlier in the season (a play that went uncalled) while being in the center of other questionable plays around the league. He’s a fine offensive defenseman, but the edge he walks is very dangerous, and I was hoping that someone would knock him down onto the ice by the time the game was over (maybe he would have been if the refs didn’t jump in to stop the fight). The Rangers would still be up 5-2 heading into the third.

• Third period: Once again, the Canadiens would strike, with a powerplay goal under a minute in from Brian Gionta. Flashbacks from two years ago when the Rangers blew a 5-0 lead were beginning to creep in my head, but thankfully the Rangers would hunker down and not let this one get away. After Lundqvist was ran yet again, this time accidentally, the Rangers would capitalize on the powerplay when Vinny Prospal deflected a hard Girardi pass to beat Auld. The Rangers would go on to win 6-3, but there is some concern for Lundqvist, who remained down on the ice for a few minutes after being hit. When the game ended, rather than celebrate, he pushed his teammates away so they would not tap him on the head, showing an apparent neck injury. We can only hope it is not serious.

The Rangers really stepped up in another big home game tonight to beat a team where wins against them have seemed elusive. The team should be happy about the win, but Lundqvist is injured and that may really effect the team in the long run, if it is not a hyper-extended muscle, and something more serious. Hopefully we will know by later tonight or tomorrow if he will start against the Penguins on Sunday. Lundqvist also continued to set a record he already owns, by winning 30 games in a season six times in a row, a record he set last season with five.

It was also good to see Rangers fans answer back with some “Ole” chants of their own late in the game. Tonight’s game had a very good intensity, that was only escalated by the  presence of so many opposing fans. If every game could be this loud, it would be a real treat.

This game also proved that the Rangers do not need Sean Avery any longer. Not that Wolski did anything that stood out, but I did not once think tonight that Avery could have been useful in any of the situations that unfolded. He is clearly out of his element, and with the way he played in the game prior against the Islanders, I do not see how he fits in the rest of the way.

Finally, I was really hoping the Rangers would score at least one goal on Alex Auld, the perennial backup who always seems to kill the Rangers. He really was excellent yet again, keeping his team in it, but the Rangers got him for one at the end. I don’t know if it is just coincidence, but he always plays exceptionally well on Broadway. The Rangers will now head to Pittsburgh for one of those annoying 12:30 afternoon starts on Sunday. I am already prepared for the broadcast bias that follows every nationally televised Rangers game, the same bias that led Pierre McGuire on TSN to say tonight how Subban isn’t afraid of a fight…which is why he ran for dear life when Sauer chased after him.