Happy Thanksgiving! (Oh - and we lost to Tampa Bay)

Okay – maybe we shouldn't play the Tampa Bay Lighting anymore.  First of all – they always beat us.  Last night 4-3, for example – with the Rangers squandering a 2-1 lead.  But it’s really much more than that. 

The worse problem is that the Lightning are like the ghosts of Rangers past.  They’re dead as Rangers but still alive and well and skating around on Tampa Bay – shooting – scoring – and making us sad to think about what might have been.  Like imagine if, like, Callahan were somehow still on the Rangers in the finals last year and scored in one of those overtime games.  I could drive myself insane doing this.  (Editor – on a related note: Tyson Chandler was doing a similar “blast from the past” to the New York Knicks at the exact same time.)

So – twice now in a week – Tampa Bay has bombed the Rangers for many goals – 4 this time.  Two by Callahan – just to rub it in.  The Lightning seems to have the puck all of the time.  And we were outshot 29-19.  3 goals on 19 shots is pretty good – but not enough last night.

For our heroes – there were first period goals by Mats Zuccarello (assisted by Nash) and by Dan Boyle (assisted by Derek and Derick – Stepan and Brassard).  Dan Boyle - by the way – played his best game as a Ranger – and has really seemed to help out Powerplay – which is how he scored his goal.   The Rangers final tally was a gritty one man show of will, determination, and strength as his muscled the puck away from defenders, skated across the middle and fired the puck past Bishop.  It brought the Rangers back to 4-3 – but they could get it no closer. 

Did Special Teams Determine the Outcome Of This Game?  I guess so, unfortunately, as the Lightning got two PPGs to our one.

Where we stand:  Thanks to the Islanders who couldn’t beat the Capitals until OT (Ovechkin had 2 goals) – the Rangers now sit tied with the Caps at 22 points – in third place – for the last playoff spot in the Metropolitan division (and 3 points out of the Wild Card).    

Next up:  A day off – thankfully – and then the Flyers at 1pm on Friday.

Anyway – Happy Thanksgiving from Dave Pucks, Edward Editor, Chris Crease, and the entire support staff here at Blueshirt-Brothers.com.  Save the drumstick for me!  (Actually – don’t do that – it doesn’t make any sense).