The Dark Ranger: Ranger intensity tames Cats in Shootout...

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).

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Ranger intensity tames Cats in Shootout...

After our confidence building romp over Columbus, Ranger fans needed good effort against recent conquerers Florida, to prove the 7 goals scored against columbus was more than the customary post mortem twitch we have grown used to after many a slide we've witnessed over the years.

The team heard our cries, at least for one night. Official Recap Here.

Henrik Lundqvist and Panther Goalie, Thomas Vokoun, reprised their roles from the last game between the teams, stopping most everything that came within feet of their respective goals. Its the rest of the team that provided the difference from the last game. Our skaters were aggressive play on both sides of the puck. For 60 minutes, the team hardly made a mistake and took the game to their opponents; battling along the boards, standing up for their goaltender and each other. Matt Gilroy dropped the gloves (well Sort of) and saw his first fight in the NHL after taking the action to larger Victor Oreskovich who had just flattened his unsuspecting alternate captain, Vinny prospal. While the fight was kind of one sided, and Gilroy earned 17 minutes in penalties (including a mystery 10 minute misconduct that still wasn't given any explanation)which saw him gone for most of the 3rd period, it was generally agreed that his actions were justified even if his team was already down a defenseman after losing Redden to injury in the first.

It wasn't just Gilroy, Marc Staal seemed to up the intensity of his game as well. In fact it seemed to be a trend among the team. The team played aggressively and with authority, even though they were battling a cat team that was looking to capitalize on mistakes and oddman rush opportunities. They got some extra help from our returning captain. Fresh off the injured list, Chris Drury would pick up the primary assist on the only regulation goal by the Rangers and test himself early by throwing some checks. One goal and the stellar goaltending would be enough to carry the Rangers into the shootout despite being down 2 (Redden, Gilroy) defensemen early into the 3rd. PA Parenteau was once again the hero for the Rangers in shootout. Coach Torts definitely seemed relieved for the team to carry their win streak to two as he could be seen beaming from the bench as the team headed into the lockeroon after the final buzzer.

I've got to say, this is the kind of effort we have been waiting for ever since we've been on the skids after the first 8 games. The defensemen took the body, the offensive guys played with heart. The players stuck up for one another. The team took another step toward firing on all cylinders. Our secondary scoring wasn't there as much as in the last game, the sean avery factor is still not at full volume yet and right now Voros seems to have more interest in playing the team tough guy than Brashear. While all those things may be true, after 2 wins, its clear that we once again have something to lose.