Our Season Ends

One lead change.

In seven games we only lost one lead - but it was the one we needed most. The Rangers showed plenty of fight tonight - but in the end - we came up one goal short.

Those two goals Henrik let in - the first was a seeing-eye fluke bounce. The second was a perfect nasty rising shot that cleared Hank's glove by an inch and just snuck under the crossbar.

At least we showed up tonight and really took it to the Caps. If we hadn't had that unlucky bounce on their first goal...

We came in against possibly the best team in hockey - and took them seven games and a 1-1 tie in the 3rd. Without any real goal scorers we fought with a superior team and gave them all they could handle.

I know it hurts right now - you could hear it in Lundqvist's voice after the game - saying that the team played well and that "the margin between winning and losing is so small."

But the season was not a total loss. We found our coach this season. The Rangers look like they will skate through a brick wall for Tortorella. In a year from now, when Torts can have more say in who's on the bench - when he can have a year to mold this team - I think we'll see some more success.

And we got back Avery - we rejuvenated him and he rejuvenated us.

And we came back from the dead (and 9th place) to make the playoffs.

So I see a team headed in the right direction. I see a team on the rise. And I will always keep believing because I am a New York Ranger fan.

For life.