We'll Be There!

Yes it's true - Dave Pucks and Pucks Junior will be at Madison Square Garden this afternoon to root for our New York Rangers as they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning - and to say goodbye to our heroes as the NHL shuts down for the Olympic games.

If we can get a signal and think of something interesting to say - we'll try posting directly from the world's most famous arena

Today the Rangers take on the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa is the team that Coach John Tortorella won the Stanley Cup with - and I'm sure it's still personal with John and he will do what he can to keep the Ranger's focus on today's game - rather than on what they'll be doing during the Olympic break.

And Tampa Bay sits above us in the Eastern Conference standings. They are in 9th with 63 points and we're in 11th with 61. The Lightning have lost 2 in a row after a 6-1-1 stretch. And we're 2-1 with wins over the Devils and Penguins after a 1-7 tumble.

As for us - Marian Gaborik and Michael Del Zotto will both be out of the lineup with lacerations from the blades of hockey skates - Gabby's was "friendly fire" from Lundqvist. (Pucks Junior is quite bummed that we won't get to see Gaborik - and so am I - but it's my son's first ever Ranger game - so he's pumped anyway.)

We will be seeing the first Ranger Game of Jody Shelley - the enforcer they traded a draft pick to the San Jose Sharks for. Shelly has 10 fights this year according to hockeyfights.com (Brandon Prust is 2nd in the NHL with 22). Shelly's role is to replace Brashear as the team's aging Punch-man.

Also it's Welcome Back Potter (Editor - stop that!) as Corey Potter rejoins the team to fill in for their abdominally lacerated teenager Michael Del Zotto while he heals up.

See you at the game!