Well done. Gracious, generous and not unintelligent.

Sorry ‘bout the Avery situation—even if he is an ass, I don’t get any satisfaction on playing a team when they’re full of injuries. Also, as one who had a lacerated spleen, he’ll be held under observation since they are very sensitive to bursting for a few days. Mine did two days after a car wreck, and had I not been in a hospital it’d have probably bled to death. He’ll be Ok, though, one way or the other.

As for Jagr—Damn—what a career. I’m not among the ‘burgh folks who boo him. He’s a legend and he did a lot to contribute to Pens’ cups, especially after the Graves slash on Lemiux for a few games. I hope you’ve enjoyed him as much as we did. Same for Marty Straka—feisty, speedy… a great tandem.

Only problem with Jags is that he never made a great C—tended to get too moody. Also, always a bad sign for the Pens when Lemieux was out / temp retired, etc., was when he’d be getting too scrappy and mouthy—ala the Sid situation. I’m not touching if he’s right or wrong. I’m just saying, when it starts falling on Jagr’s shoulders to lead that side of the game like in game 2, it was never good for the Pens—others who should have been doing it were slacking / just not up to the charge, and it forced him out of his natural comfort zone.

Still, can’t argue with his performance yesterday. Regardless of what happens with this series, I’m still in Awe watching Jags with the puck, even if it stirs fear into me. I’m always reminded of Game I Chicago at Pittsburgh 92 cup, where Jags single handedly pulled us up from a big deficit—was sitting first row, balcony above the goal where he cemented his legacy to come in the NHL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6u1f1F5xAU

Finally, many of you are giving Lundqvist a ton of crap. Granted, he’s been better, but games one and two were as close as they were because he was playing out of his head. Even last night, lots of great saves. What I’m seeing as the R’s problems is age / speed. Its the why your O is getting busted up a lot between the blues, and increasingly why the Pens are getting so many chances.—but many you have covered that.. .Just my 2 cents.

Oh, and about Malone—its not a guarantee he’ll be in Pittsburgh. He’s come out of his mediocrity this year and really played up—also his free agency year. Coincidence? Not sure, but he’s going to want a lot of money, and this is the first season he’s really been an above average factor. Before this, its been all potential and little delivery.

Hosa, my guess, will not be held onto unless the cup comes home to Pittsburgh, then all bets are off.

No doubt the Pens face some cap issues in the next 24 mos. Roberts will go. Hosa, and even maybe Malone.

Tough series for you guys so far. Nice blog though—always good to see the other teams fans seriously discuss the subject—makes for a better understanding of what I’m watching on the ICE.

Thanks and cheers to NYR fans at the drop of the puck tomorrow night. May the best team win…— Oh, and I’ll be soaking up as much Jags as I can. Hope you do too!

Ryan Hollweg: “I was playing my game.”

Just proves why he does not belong on the ice except as a zamboni driver….

Rangers bad boy Sean Avery, unconscious and not breathing, was rushed to a Manhattan hospital Wednesday morning in cardiac arrest just hours after his team’s playoff loss, sources said.

Avery, 28, arrived at St. Vincent’s Medical Center about 3 a.m., according to the hospital source. The Rangers had just lost 5-3 a short time earlier in the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden.

Avery, traded to the Rangers last year from Los Angeles, lives in Manhattan. The single winger is known for dating a bevy of celebrities, including Rachel Hunter and Elisha Cuthbert.

In March, the Daily News revealed that Avery’s name and private cell phone number were in a huge client database for a Manhattan prostitution ring. He was listed as a $500 client of brothel Maison de L’Amour, although he adamantly denied using the hooker service.

There was no immediate word on what happened to Avery before he was taken to the hospital.

A source close to the team confirmed Avery had been rushed to the hospital, but declined to offer any specifics.

Avery played in last night’s game and picked up an assist on the Rangers’ second goal.

One round earlier in the playoffs, Avery drove Devils’ goalie Martin Brodeur crazy with his antics – to the point that the Devil refused to shake Avery’s hand when the series ended.

But first, Doodie…good suggestions but you are a cowardly a-hole who would be the first deserter in an army when the S hits the fan. Change your blog name or you will be ridiculed til I don’t know when. At least by me. You are a pu$$y of the first order.

Second, the analysis: I was thinking about all the players and ranking the forwards and D.

As in, 100% player is a Jagr/Gomer who is the lead dog, top line player that you build the team around. An 10% player is the 4th line, 3rd player who is one spot from being an AHLer, like Hollweg. I also look at this % number as where the player ranks in terms of the the rest of the league. (That is, how many times out of 100 you would take this player over others in the league, if you had the choice.)

Where do our players rank?

Jags, Gomer 100%
Avery….50% or so. (in this case, Avery is late 2nd liner, early 3rd liner.) but you look at his disappearance again in the 2nd series and it shows that when the competition level rises, he fades out.
Drury, 85%.
Shanny…started the season around 80%...now, 20%....let him go.
Dubi…75%
Straka…70%
Cally…65%
Betts…45%
Dawes…50%....disappearance in the 2nd round
Prucha…30%
Shoe….20%
Orr….20%
Hollweg…10%

On D:

Staal….90%
Girardi…65%
Toots….50%
Rosy….50%
Backman…60%
Mara….60%
Malik….50%
Struds….20%

Obviosly this is a rough scale and it sorta takes into account players’ ages and stuff.

Renney deserves another shot next season. His special teams coach should take a hike.

The big issue to me is the lack of balls of our D-men. How the F does Laraque score a goal? I’ll tell ya how…Tyutin plays the puck and not the man. Every D-man on our team watches the puck and never hits or roughs up anyone. That is a travesty. Where have you gone Jeff Beukeboom? We are too Euro-trashy on Defense. We also need a PP D-man who can handle the puck. Please Staal, work on your offensive prowess in the offseason. Try getting your shot on goal once, other than the Devs’s game.

On the brighter side, along the lines of Salty’s earlier thoughts, my family is going away to the Carribean tomorrow and my bros and I were totally expecting to have to find some divey sports bar to see the games. Now, we don’t have to worry. Game 5 is on NBC so I think our villa will get that one. But I am not even going to race around the place to find game 4. If they win, fantastic. If not, I won’t have left my wife and kids in search of futility.

Last thing….who do we point the finger at that in the biggest game of the year we came out flat as a pancake and gave up a goal 1 min into the game? How is that possible?

And what so unreasonable about retiring JAgs # league wide? He’s one of the BEst if not the best Euro PLayer we’ve had in the NHL. You settle down DUDE!

OK I lied and kept reading… retire 68. You are retarded. I love Jags and his effort this post season has been very commendable… But retire his number league wide? Settle down dude.

and we need a coach who does not have such strong notions of loyalty to his players, ie if someone isnt good or hurting the team, you sit them regardless of who they are and whether you would want them to be your neighbor. In any other job (and for renney/sather this is their job) would you keep sending marginal employees out to represent your company when they consistently dont perform and you have potentially talented youth dying to get a chance.

i will watch thursday and hope for the best, but regardless of what happens, I hope this will finally show sather/renney what kind of team they have been running for three years

As for next year Pearn Im pretty sure will be gone. He’s may get that head coahing job in FL, and since our PP has been terrible all year, he’s accountable.
The only definites For next year are:
Drury, Gomer, Dubi, Cally, Staal, Girardi, Toots, Hank, Betts, Orr, Sjostrom, Backman (could be traded)
Who won’t be back: Jagr, Shanny?( Myabe takes PEarns place, I would love to see that one), Straka, Malik, Prucha, Dawes, Rosi.

Who we should keep: Mara- He’s really our one big defensemen who works his ass off and fights. Avery – I say Sather keeps him. Vally – another one year contract.
Strudwick – Do we keep him as an extra dMan?
This leaves alot of open slots for more youning to come up so hopefully our Youth movement propels us even further next year.

If Jags doesnt retire, Sather will bring him back for one more year, and to be honest I have no problem with this. HE’s been working that 240lbs gorilla ass off this entire playoffs. And he’s actually been OUR CAPTAIN now. I think he finally gets his role and one more year could bring out the best in him. If not, he’ll be remembered as the captain who brough the NYR back into the post season every year he was here, and possibly will get his #68 retired throughout the league, as well as MSG. He deserves it.
Again, I say replace Pearn with Shanny as the PP coach.

Im still overwhelmed from last night so sorry if I missed anyone from the roster whose not an UFA or def wont be traded.

So to sum up, I will be watching Thursaday in the hopes we pull out a win and start anew with this series. If not and we clsoe it out at MSG, I’m content with the fact that we have made the 2nd round two years in a row. A cup is in our future, and there’s no doubt about that.

Also anyone know for sure what Drury injured last night? Ribs? Arm?
Betts is out for Thursday for sure with a concussion.
And if were losing with no hope left on Thrusday PLEASE let someone LEVEL Crosby and draw some blood? At least that will give us all some satisfaction. hehe

LETS GO RANGERS!!!!!