So Begins the Annual Scratch and Claw for the Playoffs.

It’s a shame that we generally wait for this point in the season to buckle down and really focus. A few hours to the trade deadline and we’ll frantically gather our spilled box of spare parts and greenhorns, try to assemble them around an injured scorer, a rumored injured goalie, 1 or 2 young charges, the bark from an agitator under duress and start hauling @$$ for the number 8 spot. Looking at the last few seasons, this could be said of almost anyone of them. We succeeded those years (if you ignore the first and second round exits) and it all started with a win. .. Much like last night’s...

Read the official recap here.

For two weeks, players from around the world converged on Vancouver to represent their countries in the Olympics. There was something magical and mystical about those two weeks for the players that participated. The players that left home apparently weren’t left out… as those two weeks seemed to be enough for the Rangers to forget they aren’t destined for the bottom as they thought. .. Unfortunately, for the fans in Ottawa, it was enough for their Senators team to cool off and lose that white hot streak of 11 straight wins. A scoring spurt of 3 goals in 2 minutes was enough to pull the rug out from under a team that had been reduced to a one line + Alex Kovalev. As the Rangers chased Elliot, they barely got a nibble at the fresh meat…err Pascal Leclaire.

As a Rangers fan, I’ll admit that until the final buzzer, it was hard to shake the feeling that this could turn around in a matter of minutes and become another embarrassing comeback loss we would suffer at the hands of a Canadian team. However "The King" held strong and Ryan Callahan had some carry-over momentum from Vancouver and couldn’t let this one slip away. I wish I could say the same for our captain (Chris Drury), who on a shorthanded breakaway, inexplicably wheeled back into anticlimactic mediocrity and lost possession of the puck rather than going for the shorty or at least trying to draw the penalty on a stand out moment. Anyway, before this becomes a “same ole Drury” post, lets keep this about the win and what the days beyond last night hold for the hopes of Ranger fans.

The trade deadline is almost 2 hours away and we appear to be trying to clear some cap space. Its doubtful that Lisin and Voros will really be sought after as teams look to shore up for their post season runs. Voros was placed on waivers last year and made it through without a hitch. Shelley and Prust signed to extensions of old contract terms really preclude Voros' exit. As for Lisin, I would be of the opinioned that he hasn’t really played to his strengths. That kind of goes without saying on this team, but I could imagine him flourishing someplace where he’s not expected to be a pillar of offense. If we did manage to clear space, who could we be chasing? The Souray rumors continue to swirl… as does the Jagr back to the NHL speculation. The general opinion is that Kovalchuk is not staying in Jersey…so is it possible he could be in Rangers Blue next season? Could he survive more than a minute in the same locker room with Avery? All of these thoughts are hardly new and while we all wait for the next “probably stupid move to be covered by 3 smaller stupid moves sometime later next season, we assemble our banners and wait for the rally … with our knuckles tight over what happens the next two hours. For the rest of the season, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Lets Go Rangers!

-J_Undisputed

Update:
1:15pm - According to TSN, the New York Rangers added depth at center by acquiring minor-leaguer Kris Newbury from the Detroit Red Wings, in exchange for AHL left wing Jordan Owens.

TDR sidenote:  I am actually impressed that the RANGERS Slats & Co. didn't trade away our future for another undelivering hack that wants a bigger contract this summer.  Perhaps other GM's were fully prepared for the Jedi tricks (i.e. Scott Gomez to Montreal) of 'ole Slats, but maybe --- just maybe --- Blue Management was thinking of future generations of Rangers Blue.  

The Marty & Sean Show, Part II

It's playoffs time, folks and coming off a ridiculous SO loss to the New Jersey Devils yesterday, our New York Rangers do not have home-ice-advantage going into the first round this week and we end the regular season in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. Official recap here.

Beyond that, the game was a wash - a preemptive look at what this first-round NY Rangers/NJ Devils will look like: defensive hockey, stellar goaltending, and Sean Avery grating on Marty Brodeur! Though Avery was 'below the radar' during most of the game, this week should see the return of the most famous instigator/goaltender rivalry we've ever seen between these two organizations. We should also look toward some pretty hard hitting from the start. The first period of yesterday's game the Devils dominated with physical force, which the Blueshirts immediately adjusted to come the second period.

With the Blueshirts winning 7 of the 8 meetings this season against the NJ Devils, and with Marty Brodeur looking mortal lately, it should be a fantastic series in the world of professional hockey. With the first games in Newark this upcoming Wednesday, April 9 (first game) and Friday, April 11 (second game), MSG will look forward to it's first home games on Sunday, April 13 (third game) and April 16 (fourth game). Hopefully, the Rangers will not need more than the first four games to close out the series (IT'S OKAY TO BE WILDLY OPTIMISTIC......WE MADE THE PLAYOFFS FOR GOD'S SAKE). Let's go Rangers!

As The Dark Ranger is wildly bias these days, especially at the opening throngs of the first round - I share with you a terrific hockey blogger Faux Rumors' comments that put into perspective how Rangers fans are feeling these days:

Faux says, "If we were Ranger fans we'd be happy with our matchup. Sure we'd be wary of any team led by Brodeur, but he's human. Just do what worked 7 times this year. Also, last year Marty started to look a bit weary from all the work. Perhaps it'll happen again? This Ranger team is NOT the same as last season. Drury is on your side this time, AND there are some very hungry young guys. Should be a great series!"

It is exciting stuff and I am confident that Coach Tom Renney will remember to bench Marek Malik (after slamming our own goaltender Henrik Lundqvist yesterday) and, mostly, allow our forwards to break from the defensive posture and score some goals (exactly what they did after our system broke down after the first horrible period yesterday). The young guys will give it their all - we can count on that - the veterans have decided something is worth fighting for (i.e. Chris Drury body checking to make a point & Jagr scoring goals lately) and our goaltender has recently found his old self in net - the key to our Stanley Cup run. There.....I said it. The SC words.

Possible? Simply, yes.

tdr

Eight Is Enough (for now)

After a much needed Marty Brodeur benching after giving up three goals against the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday night, and after losing to the Rangers seven times this season alone, we can expect in our final and eighth meeting this afternoon (3pm EST) a New Jersey goaltender with something to prove. When the heat is up is when Marty comes alive!

This is why our kick-ass New York Rangers need to deflate him fast, taking it to their home net quickly, outnumberring them with shots on goal and take our Blueshirts message to Brodeur. Make him understand that when you whine about losing, it doesn't get you 'wins', when you complain to the press, it doesn't get you sympathy from the fan base.

In our final regular season game in NJ at The Prudential Center and home-ice advantage against this very team in the first round at stake, this game may come to symbolically represent how both teams will meet later in the week.

All cylinders ahead Rangers young and old. Today is when it means the most and it all starts with hitting Marty over the head! With the playoffs ahead, eight wins will not be enough.

TDR

The Ying & The Yang, NYR 1, Flyers 2 OT (UPDATED)

So perhaps New York Rangers general manager Glen Sather was right in not giving Sean Avery everything he asked for in their contract extension talks? With Sean Avery a free agent come July 1, there is little question that Sean Avery brings an atmosphere to the game that benefits the fans and the Rangers -- his track record when he plays severely outweighs the negatives, but... Last night was one 'hellava' negative.

Official recap here.

Reaching overtime for the second consecutive and back-to-back meetings against the Philadelphia Flyers, this time it was our 'wonder-kid' Sean Avery delivering a horribly misguided pass to Flyer Jason Smith that led to Phillys' Mike Richard's game winning breakaway. The Flyers dominated the OT and the Rangers were a victim of their own system; there were few opportunities to score to take the game. It was Sean Avery who made himself available on a 3-on-2 in the Philly zone when he made the lethal pass to Smith. He knew it. You could see it in his face after Philly scored, further evidenced by his broken hockey stick after subsequently slamming it down into pieces.

It can be argued that this was only one major mistake in a long season, but it can also be argued that when you are playing playoff hockey at the end of the season that these are the meaningful moments, when everything counts. Sloppy play is not tolerated when you are a 'loss and a half' from not qualifying for the playoffs. We gained a valuable point, but we ate two in a row to the Flyers. Damn it!

Last night Sean Avery lost some negotiating leverage come the off-season. Last night we lost the game because of (UPDATED)....Sean Avery, Marek Malik, Henrik Lundqvist, Bucklehead Backman and the entire team for their laziness, shortsightedness and lack of passion!!!!!!!!!!

tdr

The Yankees and Mets Are Out, Time For Hockey Folks!

A buddy of mine went to bed last night sad after the New York Yankees lost their playoff run to the Cleveland Indians, and I emailed him my condolences and a comment of feeling bad for Joe Torre - who is obviously going to lose his job this baseball off-season. I know, Dark Ranger, stick to hockey on a hockey blog, but his response to me ends well and might be in line with what other New Yorkers might be thinking right about now:

"I don't feel bad, time for a change. They spent 1 billion in salaries and luxury taxes since last world series championship in 2000. I suggest hiring Mike Keenan as the next skipper. I doesn't matter that he doesn't know a thing abooot baseball. He just needs to open a huge can of whoop ass on the Jabronees. And for Mr Lightning Rod since he's been a Yankee in 04 they had the worst collapse in baseball playoff history. Up 3 games- 0 against the Red Sox and then getting knocked out of the first round of the playoffs the next three years. So saying that, lets give him a nice round number of 10 years 300 million, he deserves it. Lets go Rangers! Put that on your blog, or in your pipe and smoke it."
- Martin, a native New Yorker
=============================

Now that both teams have failed to move forward in the playoffs, New Yorkers can either tune in to the New York Knicks (who cares?) or The New York Rangers (we all care) -- both with a fair share of lawsuits coming your way, with action on & off the court/ice.

In other NYR news, look out for a grudge rematch tomorrow night against the New York Islanders, with a newly refurbished first two lines now that Sean Avery is out injured for at least four weeks. Almost demoted, Marcel Hossa upgrades to the first line with Jamomir Jagr & Chris Drury, with the second line appearing to be Straka-Gomez-Shanahan.

After the Rangers loss to Ottawa Saturday night, prepare for that can of 'whoop-ass' Martin spoke of to be unleashed on the ice in the first period. Oh, and by the way, "Potvin Sucks!"

tdr