Friday, November 5, 2010

Retribution Pending, NYR 1 / Flyers 4

Freeze-framed interview between periods, ex-Ranger Blair Betts sends a message
The Rangers won in fights.  The Flyers won the game.

With half of the Flyers goals scored by recent ex-Rangers (Blair Betts and NikIdiot Zherdev), it was a bittersweet loss to Philadelphia, as we were outplayed, outwitted and beat by another unknown Flyers third-stringer goalkeeper.  Where is Stephen Valiquette when you need him?

Official recap here.

With expectations at an all-time high, emotions ran high for the team and for its fans -- Daniel Carcillo had a target on his back for taking on our marquee player last season, and this new & improved Blueshirts squad was going to payback and take the physical game to them this time around.  Were the Rangers willing and ready to drop the gloves and set the tone?  Absolutely.  Did NYR enforcer drop the gloves with Jody Shelley?  Yes and Boogaard won.   Did anyone pay back Daniel Carcillo for his sins of the past?  Yes - and Brandon Prust taught him a lesson by undressing him.  Did Carcillo then turn down a bout with The Boogeyman?  Yes.   But...

Lee Harvey Oswald or a shaven Daniel Carcillo?  Both deserve punishment.
The 'ARE WE EVEN?' card is imbalanced again.  At the beginning of the third period with the Rangers down by 2 goals, the 'Damien' Daniel Carcillo leapt to hit NYR Fedotenko in the head - exactly the type of head shot the NHL has condemned over and over again this season.  No call was ever made, and at this time of this posting the NHL hasn't issued any suspension or question to whether or not this was an unjust hit.  Here is the video replay (and note the Philly broadcasters declaring how clean it was).  You'll note his head was down because he was first hooked (a penalty) followed by Carcillo plowing into him.  I admit we lost the game fairly - we were beat and nothing was coming together for the Rangers last night offensively - and without crying "the Refs?  the Refs?" I do think the Rangers missed a crucial 5-minute opportunity to put something on the boards due to the referees letting this one go.  Even morso, Ryan Callahan is thrown head-first into the boards by Kimmo Timonen and we saw no call from the refs? -- another five minute major missed opportunity.  
"If the league is trying to protect shots to the head, they will address it," Fedotenko said. "We, as players, need to play. I thought the first one was hooking, as I tried to shoot the first time, and the second was a shot to the head. I'm sure the league will review it and see if it was a clear hit to the head."    So....
I can almost guarantee that this will be forgotten and overlooked.  We will have to wait until December for retribution as it's the next time we meet the Philadelphia Flyers.  We can assume by that time Marian Gaborik, Vinny Prospal and Chris Drury will be healed and fitting into the Torts system.

Richards left wide-open and Hank had no chance.
As much as I hate losing to that cheap-shot of a team, I am not too worried after last night's effort.  They continued to play hard, despite the score, but nothing came together offensively during most of the second period and all of the third period.  Most of the Flyers goals weren't spectacular and they didn't have to work too hard to score --- they were the result of mistakes on our blueline (Del Zotto), lucky bounces (Zherdev goal) and letting mother-f*cking talented Mike Richards plant himself in front of NYR goalkeeper Henrik Lundqvist.  Every time we play the Flies, Richards sits there waiting and we don't do anything about it -- this, I hope, will be corrected.

Additionally, Philadelphia has an uncanny instinctual ability to control the neutral zone and create breakaways (Richards, Carter, Giroux) - sloppy play by our young blueliners.   This, too, will change.

Though, through all the bad, Brian Boyle continues to impress the hell out of me -- he is not the same guy as last season, though I wish he had more offensive talent.  Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky (our one goal last night), Sean Avery, Fedotenko, Erik Christensen all played hard -- and our D-men held their own with the exception of two costly errors and a ridiculous Brandon Prust mis-call penalty that led to Philadelphia's power-play fourth goal.  Henrik Lundqvist as always prevented more Philly goals, but didn't seem on his game - along with the rest of the team.
Hhhmmm....?  Goalie interference?

The Rangers lost their mojo against the Flyers.  Maybe it was the 'expectations running high that could never be met', but whatever it was we all hope they lose it and regroup for tonight's important match against the NJ Devils of Newark at The Rock.   Tune in Rangers fans because it's a long season and this is not the Rangers squad we've seen in years past.  We've seen a consistent effort by this 'elite & star-less roster' and we're going to win some and lose some.

But for now we have to look forward to Maaahhhhhhty Brodeur and his bandwagon of 'underpaid compared to Kovie' brethren over in Newark.  See you tonight.

Let's Go Rangers!!!!!

tdr

p.s.  It still makes me chuckle when I think of what's eventually going to happen to Daniel Carcillo - the universe answers in different ways.  HURT is coming.



'RETRIBUTION PENDING....STAY TUNED.

3 comments:

  1. The Rangers are in trouble and without some BIG changes on Defense or lack of defens and getting rid of frolov, gilroy,white and get some size and scoring talent. I'd like to add where were the rest of the Rangers while carcillo was head hunting. There should have been 4 blueshirts pounding him but again nothing until Prust got him at the end but it took way to long retaliation should be imediate. The blame has to be on torts. Just watch other teams when something like that happens players are all over the headhunter. Torts sucks his use of Boogie is terrible,he should send him out there and let him take someone out extra penalty or not and play him more minutes and let him just smash people like he was doing at the end of the game.Torts wake the eff up start out that way. Maybe the coach should listen to our so called gm when he says no one will run us with out retribution. But I guess thats just talk or maybe they don't talk what ever it needs to be addressed along with size and nastiness on D etc etc.

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  2. Ironic that he played more minutes with Boogey in the hopeless third period, where he actually contributed good legal hits. How friggin intimidating is that? They were BIG hits. Imagine if we use that at every opening first period? Boogey is faster (not saying much) than he has been and it could set the tenor of how we're going to play. The two fights were just that: exhibition, not retaliatory. Sad.

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  3. There was a huge disconnect between the first period and every period that followed. It was not a pleasant game to watch but i do give credit to the boys for continuing to fight, even if the fight didnt' lead to anything productive. I agree that Carcillo will be sniped by someone wearing blue.

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