We expect Chris Drury to play tomorrow in Pittsburgh, and I’m sure those guys who are at practice today will be talking to the captain about his return. But I want to get the discussion going ahead of the pack. Here’s my take: I know he’s not the most popular… Read More →
Quotes to follow. Just want to get this out there first, in case they didn’t cover it on the post-game show. Drury has been cleared to return and wanted to play tonight. He will play in Pitt Wednesday. “It’s not going to be the kids,” John Tortorella said. “I’ll tell… Read More →
Lundqvist gets another start in goal. Eminger (back) and Boogaard (shoulder) are out, which means everybody else is in. Which means Michael Del Zotto is back from his homework assignment, and Todd White is back on the fourth line. Which means nobody is prucha’d. Here are the expected lines to… Read More →
That was part of the discussion in the aftermath of the Rangers-Senators game. The question was whether Matt Carkner, after a bloody fight in which Derek Boogaard broke his nose and Carkner may have been cut also—both men landed simultaneous haymakers—flicked blood at the Rangers bench as he skated by…. Read More →
Finally, a hockey game. It’s in Kanata, Ont., though, so a 7:30 start for the home-and-home rematch (and an almost certain meeting between Mr. Carkner and Mr. Boogaard). No worries. MSG Network has some extra programming tonight. At 6:30, MSG will show the latest edition of “Behind the Bench”—the show… Read More →
This is one area where you can never say a bad word about the New York Rangers: They do good deeds and they have produced some of the great deed-doers. So today is the mother of all their good-will events, Adam Graves and his annual Toys for Tots drive. If… Read More →
John Tortorella: “Tonight’s game is such a grind, totally different from (Thursday) night’s game, and I thought as the game wore on, especially in the second period, I thought we started taking control of it. We still didin’t develop a lot of offense, but I thought we started taking control… Read More →
There was a lot of bad about that game last night, but bad/unsightly/grotesque victories beat the living daylights out of good/artistic/glamorous losses. Right? I mean, a year ago, they’d have lost this game 5-2. Thoughts: 1) Sean Avery=difference maker for one of the few times this season, but a lot… Read More →
You might want to watch the pre-game show in case there are any warmup shenanigans like last time the Rangers visited. Otherwise, you probably saw the Rick DiPietro quote in Jesse Spector’s blog today: “I truly don’t like the Rangers,” DiPietro said. “There’s nothing better in the world than beating… Read More →
Here it is. Another test. This one of a completely different variety than Monday’s. That was a barometer game, against a very good team on an absolute roll. The Rangers failed that one, because they lost. This is a new sort of test. Two games against a rival (you can’t… Read More →
Thoughts as we approach the crack of noon: 1) Way, way too much is being made of Sausage Lips’ slew foots. Yes, he should have gotten a penalty vs. Callahan. No doubt. And I imagine that if Callahan hadn’t been called for interference he might have gotten up and slugged… Read More →
Still no official word on Gaborik (flu), but he skated in warmup and probably will play. Derek Boogaard remains out with a shoulder injury. The red-hot Penguins haven’t lost since the Rangers beat them two weeks ago. Henrik Lundqvist opposes Marc-Andre Fleury. ————————— By the way, did you see that… Read More →
As you surely recall, the Rangers did not get a single power play in the game the last time they played the Penguins, the first time in almost two years that occurred. As you also recall, Henrik Lundqvist put the Rangers short-handed late in the game by destroying his stick… Read More →
A bit premature for a game thread … but several reports from Nashville have Gaborik missing tonight’s game with the flu. He’s not even at the arena tonight. So the Rangers will use seven defensemen and 11 forwards, since Boogaard’s shoulder is still bothering him, and Michal Rozsival is ready… Read More →
Let me ask a simple question. Do you remember many games like this the last two years? The last seven? Twelve? How many times do you think the Rangers have come across a game like that, with so much snarl from the start, and not only won it, but seemed… Read More →
Me, I’m freezing my tail off at a state football semifinal double-header. According to our buddy Andrew Gross, Lundqvist starts in goal tonight, and Derek Stepan starts at center on the No. 1 line with Marian Gaborik and Alex Frolov, where he was effective in the third period against Boston… Read More →
First the news. Will follow with quotes shortly. Boogaard’s back in. White is prucha’d. Lundqvist in goal. Drury skated today, but Tortorella said he “still a distance away” from returning. So is Prospal, who hasn’t skated. He said that Rozsival will not make the trip and sounded doubtful that he’d… Read More →
Some thoughts: 1) Just when I was thinking that Sean Avery was having a quiet day … largely because he was on a line with Derek Boogaard, who had two fights, and because that line doesn’t get a lot of minutes (though John Tortorella double-shifted Marian Gaborik in Boogaard’s spot… Read More →
Just beyond the crack of noon. Rangers close out their four-game homestand (1-2). They go to Pittsburgh’s new house tomorrow. Henrik Lundqvist remains out with that flu/head cold. Martin Biron, who played so well on Thursday, gets the start in goal. Derek Boogaard is back in the lineup. Todd White… Read More →
Thoughts at the crack of noon: 1) I think it was good that John Tortorella was a little testy after this one. He should be. His team played well enough to win, and a couple of very soft plays (by some soft players in a few instances) cost them what… Read More →
