The Dark Ranger: Crushed! NYR 3, Penguins 5

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).

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Crushed! NYR 3, Penguins 5

The New York Rangers 2008 Dynasty may have come to an end this evening as the Pittsburgh Penguins grabbed the third in a row in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The fourth (and potentially last) game this upcoming Thursday feels like an exercise, and for us season ticket holders, an expensive one at that.

Referee calls aside, the Penguins outplayed the Rangers this time and what was most evident in this series thus far was what all Rangers fans knew going into the season.....no blueline! Where is Darius Kasparitis when you needed him the most? Our power play unit fumbled on two turning-point 5-on-3 opportunities and remains one of the worst PP units I have ever witnessed (unless you are used to watching The Blue Jackets or St. Louis Blues). We lack defense. We are lucky to have made it this far with our 'Rock in goal'.

The King remains defeated, but strong. We have no Brian Leetch. Instead we have Christian Backman and Marek Malik (and some disappointing dude referred to as "Toots"). Maybe that is a problem in itself.

The better team won the game tonight and they contained and pinned the Rangers in their own zone for the remaining 15 minutes. Maybe our dear coach, Tom Renney, might have had some nice words for the team on how to beat their third period rut, but instead opted to teach them a lesson. Losing hurts. Thanks Tom.

It's closing in on us dear Blueshirts and another chapter is near. We'll bring it with everything we got (have) on Thursday. Honor. Courage. Resilience. Who needs golf when there is an important game to be played this week?

I salute you Rangers fans and team for the first round against the Newark Devils - that might have been worth everything. I also salute you for the entire season behind us and, most importantly, for never actually enjoying Sidney Crosby play hockey. I am also proud to not properly pronounce Malkin's first name. But most of all, one thing if for sure toward the end......

"I am a Dark Ranger!"

TDR

P.S. Ryan Hollweg deserves a permanent boarding penalty after tonight's treachery. Cut the damn beard too.

10 comments:

djApr 29, 2008 08:12 PM
f***ing brilliant Dark! See you then.
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AnonymousApr 29, 2008 08:33 PM
Okay Dark & Faux, Rangers just need to win 4 in a row (and the Flyers 2 more) and then we can watch them dispatch of the Flyers, easily, using Valiquette as the starter...

How about at least leaving a few dents and bruises on those Pens for the next team, will ya?
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The Dark RangerApr 29, 2008 08:46 PM
Thanks dj. It's all I have left.

Anonymous...okay,my mission. I will channel my inner-Maple-Leaf and wish upon Pittsburgh what was done to the Senators...

Malkin soup coming up...Sidney on a platter coming up...Marian to Marcel Hossa...coming up.
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FAUX RUMORSApr 30, 2008 05:09 AM
1) Anonymous: The way the Pens are playing, can't see any team in the East beating them 4 strait. They didn't even have their 'A-game' last night.
2) Its looking more and more like a Pitt-Detroit Finals and the way the boys in Mo-town are playing we'd say they are the odds-on favourites to carry the Cup in June.
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AnonymousApr 30, 2008 07:35 AM
The Rangers just suck. Huge fan for years and I cannot eat another exciting then disappointing loss. Renney is responsible for this. Henrik is overrated as a goaltender -- look at how Fleury performed last night - stunning. Maybe the trades in July will clean up the team and get rid of all the 'healthy scratches'.
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MichaelApr 30, 2008 11:05 AM
I have a question (specifically for Dark but anyone can answer). I've been away at college this year and I haven't had a chance to follow my beloved rangers as much as in the past. Now that I'm home and watching the games again, I've noticed a few things... I'm wondering if anyone else has picked up on the difference in last season's Shannahan vs. this season's. Last year he was one of the more vocal players on the team, a true leader, and I personally believe that his experience helped guide the rangers as far as they got last year. This year I haven't read nearly as many quotations from him, nor have I seen him appear on the score sheet. i mean he scored nearly 20 less points in 6 more games. Our whole team is down in individual scoriing though.

I don't think this is his fault either.

My question is, what do you guys think about this? Would we benefit from giving him a more major role? Why did he get it taken away in the first place?
I just think that Shanny is still a phenomenal player that could help this team.

Now, please guide me with your knowledge, oh wise one.
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The Dark RangerApr 30, 2008 03:14 PM
Ah yes...The Shanny Syndrome.

Ever since Brendan suffered the concussion we haven't seen the same Shanny that came to Broadway last year. I agree with you, Michael, that he has a natural leadership quality to him (being the oldest on the team , 38 yrs) and a bunch of Stanley Cups in tow. Serving as Assistant to Captain Jagr, he provided a better team communication to the officials and this bled into the stands with the fans -- you included. With the arrival of Scotty Gomez and Chris Drury this season, I have noticed his taking a 'back-seat' to the leadership role. I believe this is due to the press and (people like me) that feel Shanny is at the end of his game, and someone like Chris Drury - an understated gentleman - has already been inducted as future Captain post-Jagr.

Less goals this season is due to Coach Tom Renney's 'defensive system', which disables offensive powerhouses and emphasizes controlling the puck at all times and taking advantage of turnovers, not the style of hockey someone like Shanny is used to playing. (or Gomez, or Jagr, or Prucha, or Avery...or....etc.)
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The Hockey RabbiApr 30, 2008 07:38 PM
Jagr: Awesome
Lundqvist: Not so much!
Prucha: Why play a guy who can score goals (at least he used to before Renney decided that we don't need a 30 goal scorer in the lineup), when you can dress Ryan Hole in the Head?
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The Dark RangerMay 1, 2008 07:34 AM
Rabbi...so much wisdom. Knowing Renney and Prucha's rookie season, maybe we have to look forward to Renney benching Dubinsky next season!!?
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The Hockey RabbiMay 1, 2008 03:09 PM
DR- I'm thinking maybe he'll take Staal out of the line-up!!!!
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