The Dark Ranger: How and Why?

Bio of TDR

TDR is a working professional in entertainment and is obsessed with the game of hockey. More four years ago, this site emerged as a means (or an outlet) to tell some truth'isms about the game post-lockout, rather than the crud fed to us through knuckleheads like Jimmy Dolan and his lemmings universe. Today, there are a hundred Rangers sites and is thankful and grateful to all those that have come after him, but honorable thanks go to his fellow Dark-writers, Graying Mantis and J_Undisputed. And "Let's Go Rangers!"

Bio of Graying Mantis

Graying Mantis is in fact a graying legal practitioner by day (and sometimes, alas, by night). In the cobwebs of his memory, he recalls starting to follow the Blueshirts in 1970 and remembers watching pivotal playoff games against the Blackhawks on a snow-covered Hartford t.v. channel in their 1972 march to the Finals. Giacomin, Gilbert, Ratelle, and Hadfield seen skating on a small B&W TV screens always will be among his first Ranger memories. He is grateful beyond words for the opportunity to work with his colleagues here in their never ending battle to inform and entertain. Most of all, he appreciates the chance to engage with fellow hockey fans.

Bio of J_Undisputed

"J_Undisputed is an Information Tech Professional; a student, and on and off in his dreams, Mike Richter. He caught his first glimpse of Rangers Hockey when an overtime preempted his favorite pro wrestling broadcast on WWOR-9 one late saturday night when he was 5 and he's been hooked ever since. He's been watching the Rangers for 30 years despite family attempts to make him an Islander Fan (Rest easy...they're out of the will). What started as a minor annoyance has become a life long passion (and at times, a frustration...But he wouldn't trade it for anything). Lets Go Rangers!"

Bio of General Ganz

General Ganz is a cynical yet well-informed student of the human spirit. He's a professional of sorts, with a post-graduate education, some experience working in real companies, and some limited athletic ability. The total small package. He got picked on a fair bit as a kid, and he experienced his first human-non-relation kiss in his teens. He also grew up on the other side of the tracks, thereby helping to cultivate a healthy contempt for dreamers and optimists whose rosy upbringing gave them something to smile about, even when "life produced lemons." Like it or not, his only mission is to point out the potholes you're lucky enough to miss on your drive to work. To find the blemish on your daughter's carefully-stitched (and not-yet-paid-for) wedding dress. To take that little smidgen of hope that your favorite hockey teams fill you with, and pour orange paint on it. Oh, and he is a Blueshirts fan, and takes most of his fashion direction from Ron Duguay (whose name he dropped as a way to close the deal on that first kiss).

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

How and Why?

With winning momentum behind The New York Rangers coming off two important wins this past weekend against Buffalo and San Jose, the Blueshirts appeared to have found the confidence needed for the playoff run. Official recap here.

Who are we kidding? Habs 6, NYR 5 SO

Last night in Montreal, the New York Rangers dominated the Habs - embarrassing their home crowd with a likely fourth loss against the Rangers this season alone - the Blueshirts leading 5-0. It was a beautiful moment. Thoughts of grandeur, the pre-season expectations were going to be met, goals by Dubinsky, then Avery, then Shanny, then Drury, then.......what? They scored on us. Okay. It's just one.

Leading 5-0 and so they scored one? Fluke...we got a little sloppy. Four goals to defend now. No problem. The third period Tom Renney will employ his famous defensive zone system -- maybe they'll let one more go at the end, but good for us. I am a proud Rangers fan. Oh. They just scored again. Then another. Huh? What the f**k? Thirty seconds later another? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE? HOW IN GOD'S NAME HAVE WE GIVEN THEM FOUR GOALS AND WE ARE ONLY LEADING BY ONE GOAL? With six minutes left in the third, we have to hold our one goal lead! Reluctant optimism on my part, I actually believed we'd hold it. Plagued by uninspiring coaching and leadership, our dear, dear Rangers let the fifth Habs goal in ending regulation at 5-5.

Thoughts of "Lundqvist is just average" and "our defense is the worst in the league" were again entering my head. This is the team I know this season. Crap.

Montreal scored five even goals the last half of the game and were taking the Rangers into overtime land. Mind you, the overtime was some of the greatest hockey seen all season and I wanted this one more than any game all season, but unfortunately, it appeared I wanted it more than anyone in the New York Rangers franchise that evening. Secretly I knew the Habs deserved to take the cereal surprise away from my Blueshirts. They earned it. The crowd earned it. The Rangers were destined to lose.

The Rangers delivered that dreaded loss - they earned it - in shootout, as All-Stars Brendan Shanahan, Chris Drury and finally Jaromir Jagr were all unable to deliver anything worthy of the win. Three misses. Three very sad attempts.

Our confidence was taken away in one game. The belief is gone. Where to go from here....

tdr

10 comments:

AnonymousFeb 20, 2008 06:37 AM
Once again Tom Renney and his defensive system failed. All teams playing the Rangers this season watch the tapes and look for those open opportunities and capitalize on it. Against Buffalo and San jose they were lucky because the defense allowed holes and weaknessesbut both teams didn't take advantage of those flaws. Montreal was a great example of studying your opponent and never giving up. The impossible was made possible because they saw the defensive weakness. The Rangers don't belong in the playoffs. And the off season they need to dumpo everyone except Staal, Girardi and Tyutin, though they all sucked yesterday. Even Renny contines to play Malik in the final minutes of the disaster Montreal debacle. No one knows what to expect of this team because the players don't know what to expect from themselves AND their coach. Whatever Sather has up his sleeve in possible trades will not be good enough. So disappointing.
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Pucks on BroadwayFeb 20, 2008 07:34 AM
My question is, where was Henrik Lundqvist? Yes I understand all of the hoopla about systems and Renney, but the King has been less than royalty lately and a big save there would have turned the tide. This just illustrates that this is not a team that is ready to win, but maybe this will be the lesson.
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JibblescribbitsFeb 20, 2008 08:01 AM
Hmm, My offer to trade coaches is still on the table.

I was flipping channels and instinctively went to this game. Then I saw it was 5-2 and I said "Eh i'll watch Minnesota/Vancouver it's only 1-0."

I feel your pain
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The Dark RangerFeb 20, 2008 08:44 AM
anonymous...ah, you have exposed them once again. the defense -- and I agree with Pucks On Broadway -- Hank was terrible: my earlier declaration of play Stephen Valiquette every other game stands -- we all love the guy, but here we go again.

jibble...i'll take it. even swap coaching. anything to shake things up. how about i just become an avs fan and we swap loyalties -- I'd be happy to cover a colorado game on your blog -- a fresh perspective and I'll let you do the same here in Dark-ness. Oy.

FOPPA!!!!! FOPPA!!!!! HOW YOU WOULD HAVE SAVED THE WORLD IF IT WEREN'T FOR THAT DAMN TOENAIL!!!!
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AlFeb 20, 2008 12:40 PM
New York Rangers yesterday's game against Canadiens was a pure acknowledgement that Rangers is a pathetic team. Such ashame .
"Wizard" Renney's "system" sucks. Malik, Jagr and Mara look like they are playing against their team. Especially Malik. Scott Gomes makes $10mln/year, and the only thing we see from him is his flamboyant interviews in the "Inside The Rangers" show about how good he is in fishing.
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JibblescribbitsFeb 20, 2008 12:42 PM
Deal. e-mail me and we'll set up some games to watch. (jibblescribbits@gmail.com)

And deal we can both change coaching staffs to shake things up.. we want to keep Hackett though, you can keep your goalie coach.
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The Ranger PunditFeb 20, 2008 01:35 PM
And you guys think I am too negative. The entire structure collapsed last night and did you see the look behind the bench.
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AnonymousFeb 20, 2008 04:41 PM
Do the Rangers have enough youth to pry away Sundin from Toronto?
Say goodbye to Jagr, Straka and company at the end of this season as a new generation takes charge led by the King, Gomez, Drury and Stall. My concern is that this group isn't as well positioned as the 2008 Rangers with a trade or two for a run at Lord Stanley.

BlueNationLeafs
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Scotty HockeyFeb 20, 2008 05:19 PM
Can we stop calling him the King? I mean, seriously folks ... Ever since he took that first game off against Toronto, he has been more pauper than prince. I like him, don't get me wrong, but more and more he is beginning to look like a Steve Penney, Jim Carey, or Roman Turek. Something needs to happen before he fades back into obscurity like those other guys.

As for the rest, as I said on my blog, leadership is what keeps a team poised - the Rangers lost all poise and control last night. Its time for a change - captain, coach, something ...
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The Dark RangerFeb 21, 2008 08:06 AM
I agree Scotty. My newest post is 'ode to Scotty' and your demotion.
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