The Dark Ranger: All Hockey Games Should Be This Good (and we lost)

Bio of TDR

TDR is a working professional in entertainment and is obsessed with the game of hockey. More fourteen 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 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, January 13, 2010

All Hockey Games Should Be This Good (and we lost)

NYR 0, NJD 1 , SO

All season long we've been talking about the importance of the rivalry games, regardless of where you are in the standings there should be a higher level of 'bringing to the game' when our Blueshirts are playing the NJ Devils, Philadelphia Flyers, NY Islanders and Penguins. Last night in the Garden, we saw just that.

104 combined shots in regulation, overtime and shootout. 1 goal between us. Official recap here.

Though New Jersey arrived the winner of the skills competition 'a.k.a. the shootout' Marty Brodeur cannot be declared the better goalie of the night. In fact, NJ's coach Lemaire declared that the puck last night should be split between both Marty and Henrik, admitting the game as one of the most exciting displays of elite goalie performance in years. Not only that, but we were treated to some of our usual antics between Sean Avery and Devil's goalie Marty Brodeur. During the second period -- and for anyone watching the tv version or the highlights, which I don't think they made it -- while the double Rangers penalty was called on one side of the ice, on the opposite side of the ice, Avery was facing Brodeur and exchanging pleasant conversation. He literally stood before Marty and verbally shanked him. Obviously, it had no effect on Joisey's game but it was fun to watch and be there for the subsequent AVERY CHANTS. Henrik and Marty were stellar on both sides of the ice throughout the game, and any hockey fan missed treat if you didn't see the game.

Fatso spoke, "It was a fun game," Brodeur said. "Both goalies had to be excellent to push it to overtime. Even in overtime, both of us made a couple of saves. The shootout pushed it even more to the limit. I know people like offense, but it was a pretty entertaining game. It was thrilling. I had to shut them down to win. It was just one of those games."

King Henrik simply remarked, "The shootout is fun, but it is a lottery sometimes."

We should all be very proud of our New York Rangers. As long as they continue to play like this...our spirits will be up and we'll all start thinking playoffs. Currently we are tie for fifth in the Eastern Conference, with an abundance of teams climbing right up our backside. Careful Torts -- something might pinch you in a bad way. It's The Dark Ranger reminding you that the trade deadline approaches and you still have the opportunity to enhance the team. psssttt....just keep Slats out of it.

tdr