The Dark Ranger: The King Rocks The Rock, NYR 4, Devils 1

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, April 9, 2008

The King Rocks The Rock, NYR 4, Devils 1

Well, The Dark Ranger visited The Prudential Center (a.k.a. The Rock) and I couldn't be more thrilled that New York Ranger goalkeeper Henrik Lundqvist stole the game away from Jersey in the first of the first-round playoffs this evening. Sha-Bing....!

Before I comment on the game, let me state that Devils fans ought to get out of the house a little more, as 25 percent of the house were Blueshirts (plus one very Dark looking character with a cape near the scoreboard). I bought tickets - really good tickets - yesterday, and a real franchise wouldn't have tickets available to the first home-advantage game. I was surrounded by 'my peeps in blue' and we were 12 rows behind Brodeur chanting loudly, "HENRIK's BETTER, clap, clap.....Henrik's.....(blatantly suggesting to Marty that Henrik is a better goaltender)...you get the idea. Let's just say it irked him! (Enjoy the pix of Marty Brodeur on his ass last half of the game).

Lundqvist deserves the night, as he made up for every garbled Christian Backman play and a weak defense unable to clear our own zone when it mattered. Thanks Renney! Great system - one built on defense without a Brian Leetch. Needless to say, Henrik made up for all these faults and our forwards managed to make a game of it.

Second honors go to Scott Gomez who not only rose to the resounding "boo's" he received from his former NJ fan base every time he touched the puck, he earned 'an assist hat-trick' - and provided the necessary threat to Marty Brodeur. He knows their tricks.

Special honorable mention to Brendan Shanahan who selflessly gave the open net fourth goal to Nigel Dawes - a gentleman's gesture, All-Star to rookie. Also, scoring the Rangers' second goal, this guy showed his playoff experience tonight - working Marty in net, keeping him on his toes. Thanks Shanny for showing up tonight!

Sean Avery played hard, Captain Jagr was strong and immortal, and the invisible Chris Drury played a great 'behind the scenes' act that allowed for at least two goals. Brandon Dubinsky continues to throw himself physically into impossible plays, and literally Callahan performed a miraculous wrap-around-Brodeur goal, the game-winning goal, which again pissed off Brodeur who subsequently banged his stick on the ice a number of times. Funny. Our section reiterated our "HENRIK'S.....BETTER......." chant again for full theatrical effect.

Four to one is a great start in the series, the second meeting again at The Pebble in Newark this Friday! More to come, on the Path train home bound, and finally....

LET's GO RANGERS!!!!!!!

tdr

9 comments:

jaredApr 10, 2008 09:15 AM
Not sure if i've ever said congrats to the Rangers, but I am such the avid-NJ-hater right now I'll say anything. a good win for NY. Now may our Flyers take out Ovechkin.
ReplyDelete
leafsrule09Apr 10, 2008 09:19 AM
New Jersey fans have never supported the team. They are weak, though the team itself remains one of the strongest and most consistent teams in the East. Here you have Sutter - first year coach, the Devils losing Scott Gomez and Brian Rafalski - destined to lose this season and they are second in the division and top seeded. Lou upstairs runs a tight ship and maybe after another potential loss to the Rangers, we will se another famous LOU FIRING...taking it upon himself to be the coach again two years in a row. I wouldn't be surprised.
ReplyDelete
The Dark RangerApr 10, 2008 09:22 AM
jared...that means a lot coming from a philly fan. I am with you on the anti-NJ, especially Marty of late. He is such a whiner and i hope we clear them from any playoff hopes and even out the last couple of years.

leafs...I was so surprised to see how many Blueshirts dominated the house. I wouldnt' be surprised if LOU pulled a Tanya Harding on Sutter if they lose Friday.
ReplyDelete
PokecheckApr 10, 2008 11:58 AM
(Hello - A card-carrying yet utterly deflated Hurricanes fan here.) Historically speaking, I like Marty, but I think the Rangers are going to skunk them in this round. Marty, want another donut?
ReplyDelete
The Ranger PunditApr 10, 2008 01:17 PM
Its amazing the difference in the demeaner of Mr. Brodeur after he beat us Sunday and his comments after the loss. Of course he shrugged off the seven losses to Henrik during the season. He may be a great goalie, maybe, but it all stops there with his personality. Nothing would please me more than seeing his face on the losing end of the handshake with Henrik. The Path to the Cup goes through Newark. Keep riding it baby!
ReplyDelete
JerseyRangerApr 11, 2008 07:30 AM
Kudos to The Dark Ranger for a kickin' site. Living in NJ I gotta give props to the Devil's Jersey-Girl cheerleaders, even though they looked as together as the Ranger defense in the first two periods.
ReplyDelete
The Dark RangerApr 11, 2008 09:12 AM
Those cheerleaders could be compared to Rozsival "Damn! I look good, but please don't bite!!!!"

(whimper)
ReplyDelete
Scotty HockeyApr 11, 2008 02:05 PM
Hey boys, keep your minds on the game. Those girls are dirty, just as dirty as the Isles Ice Girls, if not worse!
ReplyDelete
AnonymousApr 12, 2008 05:14 AM
Marty won't drop game 3. How many times has Brodeur lost back to back in the playoffs?
Cross your fingers and hope for a split at the Garden.
Good to see you all back on the Jagr bandwagon. The New York media has been brutal to this legend of the game and I look forward to Jagr raising Lord Stanley's Mug and laughing off into the sunset.
Rangers in 5!

Nuff said

BlueNationLeafs
ReplyDelete