tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4518657093409630612024-03-05T01:23:21.642-05:00BlueShirt-BrothersDave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.comBlogger1004125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-31396636996288726522015-05-27T06:49:00.001-04:002015-05-27T06:49:39.662-04:00Rangers Blow out Bolts (Again!) to Force Game Seven!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3pt;">You have to love these Rangers.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3pt;">With their backs to the wall they become this other team – this unbeatable
champion team.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Faced once again with elimination in game 6 – they rose up and bombed the
Lighting for seven goals and catapulted the series into game seven.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The Rangers led 2-0 and eventually 2-1 in the first. Brassard and Yandle getting the tallys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The second was ominously goal-less.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Then the third. A goal by J. T.
Miller. Then James Sheppard. Then Derek Brassard (again). (Then the Lightning). The Mr. Rick Nash! And finally the Hat Trick for Brassard and it
was 7-3.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">And so our hockey season lives on.
We’re back to game seven at the Garden.
And all we have to do is earn a 4 game split at home. The Road Warrior
Rangers have won 2 of 3 in Tampa. We
need that 2<sup>nd</sup> home win to move on to the finals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">What Did We
Learn? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">That this series makes no sense.
Blow out wins. Blow out
losses. Shut outs. Each game is like its own unrelated event. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Uh, a little help?: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> You like assists? We got assists out the wazoo: Three assists each for Rick Nash and J. T.
Miller. Two assists for Derek (hat trick)
Brassard. And singles for Glass, Boyle
(ours, not theirs), Moore, and Yandle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Not really. Both teams were 1 for 3. And a wash against Tampa is like a victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Where Do We Stand?
</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">All tied up at three!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Friday night. One last game
against these madmen. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Non-Sequitur of the
day: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I am happy and I guess that’s not really a non-sequitur </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-10211830893364950652015-05-23T02:17:00.001-04:002015-05-23T02:17:47.105-04:00Rangers Storm Back With Series-Tying 5-1 BlowoutFrom the brink of disaster - from the depth of despair - just when it looked like all hope was gone - your New York Rangers came roaring back to upend the mighty Tampa Bay Lightning and regain momentum and home ice advantage with a shocking 5-1 victory in game four.
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<br>If you could have written your own script for this one you would have barely changed a line on the scorers sheet. Finally - finally - FINALLY (!!!) we had....
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<br>-Two huge goals by - can you believe it? - Rick Nash! The Rangers season goal leader who had been missing in action for most of the playoffs beat Bishop not once but twice - getting the breakaway to clang home off the post and Bishop's skate to get things started and again through the oversized goalie's massive leg pads to help put the game away.
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<br>-A Power Play goal from the old and tiny Martin St. Louis.
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<br>-And a masterful - commanding - dominating - bounce back performance from the king himself. Hank stopped 38 shots for a .971 save percentage withstanding a 19 shot barrage in the second period to lead the Rangers to victory
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<br>In the other cage Bishop was exposed - saving just 19 of the 24 shots that came at him for a save percentage below .800!
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<br>The scoring was rounded out by Keith Yandle and Chris Kreider. The 5-1 victory was the Rangers first of the playoffs that was by more than a one goal margin.
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<br>Many of us thought after game 3 that if we could keep scoring five goals but get back to the defense we had shown all year.... Well - somehow that is exactly what happened.
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<br>Holy crap did we need a win like this one. I know we overreact to every game in the playoffs but now - instead of a panic-inducing 3-1 deficit the Rangers are back in the Zamboni driver's seat with two of the next three games at Madison Square Garden.
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<br>This series has a long way to go and we are just tied with three games left. But compared with where we had been - and could have been - this is just what our heroes needed.
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<br>A great win. Six more and we hoist the cup. Lets go Rangers!
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<br>Sent from my iPhoneDave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-76648602761018311222015-05-20T23:22:00.001-04:002015-05-20T23:22:09.033-04:00Badness! Rangers lose in OT<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">Well, you can say we fought back to tie the game.</span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">Twice.</span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">
</span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">There is that.</span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">And its only 2-1
in the series.</span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">But man that would have
been a huge game to win.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now the Lightning have a 2-1 lead and the Rangers have to win game 4 to
tie the series or they will fall behind 3-1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We can’t give up 6 goals and beat anyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We did score. Goals for Brassard,
2 for Fast, McDomnagh, and Boyle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And really – I don’t have much more to say. Almost a legendary win – but just another
playoff loss instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hank’s save percentage? Don’t
ask. 0.850%<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We
Learn? </b>That the Rangers can lose in overtime<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Uh, a little help?: </b> Two Assists for Yandle and Stepan. One each for Klein, Miller, Hayes, Kreider, Boyle
and McDonagh. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>We were 2 for 4 on the
powerplay and 1 for two on the penalty kill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>We trail round 3 2-1. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>Friday again at Tampa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the
day: </b>Goodbye to Dave Letterman. I
watched him a lot as a younger man. Not
so much these last few years. Still it
was a comfort to know he was there. I’ll miss him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-19508407360667883152015-05-17T07:00:00.000-04:002015-05-17T07:00:01.306-04:00Rangers Jolt Bolts for 1-0 Series Lead<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s nine playoff wins! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Faced with the potential hazard of their first non-must-win game in a
while – the Rangers played with the same toughness and resilience that got them
here and beat the Tampa Bay Lightning by the familiar playoff score of 2-1 to
take a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After two straight series of tightly checked hockey – The Lightning – bless
their hearts – think they are a speed team and have opened things up against
the Rangers. Tampa can score and they
can skate – and their front 12 may be slightly better than ours – but our defenders
and our goaltender are better than theirs and it showed up that way in game
one. In the first two periods the Rangers
had the better chances – but could not capitalize until period two’s final
minute. And Lundqvist was again brilliant,
stopping everything that came his way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a frenzied sequence in the offensive zone – Kreider came a way with
the puck and fired it through traffic at Bishop. The surprisingly large Tamps goaltender made
the save but the rebound kicked out to the left where Derek Stepan – in a
moment tremendously similar to the one that ended the prior series – found himself
alone with the puck and smacked it through those oversized arms and legs and into
the net. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1-0 Rangers with 13 seconds on the clock.
And those late goals are tough ones on the opponent because in their heads
they were already in the locker room in a 0-0 tie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now – did we do things the easy way and keep the lead? Not the 2015 Rangers. So 6 minutes into the third period the famous
powerplay of the Tamp Bay Lightning – after some fancy passing - beat Lundqvist
to tie the score at 1-1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Lightning had some chances in the third but the Ranger defense and
Lundqvist stood tall. <span style="color: blue;">(Ed -actually
Bishop is much taller)</span> <i><span style="color: purple;">(Dave Pucks – I know
– but that’s a figure of speech. Like
when they say a goalie stands on his head – they don’t mean it literally)</span></i> <span style="color: blue;">(Ed –
I always wondered about that. I didn’t get
why a headstand would help you stop the puck)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This of course sets the stage of the Rangers final dramatic triumph of
the day. With former Ranger Ryan
Callahan captain defending – Ranger rookie Kevin Hayes moves the puck toward
the left corner – but with his long arms delivered the puck hard to the crease
where former Lightning player Dominic Moore was just arriving. The puck
slammed into Moore’s leg and past Bishop and as the MSG faithful roared their approval
the Rangers had their 2-1 lead with 2:55 remaining. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And that’s how it ended. Hank saved
.958 of the pucks that came his way – besting Bishops .933. Rangers outshot Tampa Bay 30-24, limiting the
Bolts to just 5 in the third period. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Rangers get a much better game 1 ending than their last series and can
enjoy their first rest day with a series lead since Pittsburgh in round
one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We
Learn? </b>That we won’t get swept in round 3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Uh, a little help?: </b> Assists for Hayes (that is an assist that
is more responsible for the goal than Moore’s leg), Brassard, Kreider, and
McDonagh. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>Thankfully no! Tampa bested us in this category – converting
1 of 4 while stopping us on both of our opportunities. So like faceoffs <span style="color: blue;">(Ed - which we lost 30-23)</span> or
Nash goals <span style="color: blue;">(Ed - there were none)</span> this stat matters unless it doesn’t matter at
all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>We lead round 3 1-0. We have 9 of the
16 wins needed for the Stanley cup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>Monday we are home for
game 2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the
day: </b>Ovechkin scored on Saturday. But
it was in a different country for a different team and a different reason. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-92189877877333697972015-05-15T06:19:00.002-04:002015-05-15T06:20:43.075-04:00Victory! Rangers beat Caps to Win Series<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3pt;">Incredibly, your New York Rangers have done it again. For the second
straight season they have risen from the dead and fought back from a 3-1 series
deficit to improbably leap to the third round of the playoffs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The Capitals are a team on the rise and played with skill, power, and resilience. Ovechkin is like a different player – as his
plus-minus showed this year. He’s
finally a complete player and he and Holtby quite nearly won the day and the series. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">But somehow we found a way to beat them three straight and win the series
by the narrowest of margins. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Trailing 1-0 in the second – off an Ovechkin goal where Alex found one
second of freedom from a chasing McDonagh to give Washington their last lead of
the series – the Rangers were on their 4<sup>th</sup> powerplay. The Capital’s
Green had been out of the penalty box for less than a minute when the refs sent
him back there. JT Miller found the
rookie Kevin Hayes streaking towards the net. Hayes found the puck on his stick
for a simple tip in and to MSG’s delight we were tied 1-1. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The third period had plenty of action and no goals and so on to overtime
we went with the series in the balance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In the early going of extra time the Capitals dominated –especially in
one sequence where Dominic Moore had his stick deliberately broken with no call
from the referees and the Rangers could not clear the puck. But somehow the defense and Henrik held and
the Rangers finally went on the attack. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The final sequence was thrilling. The
Rangers appeared to run a set play off the faceoff in the Caps zone. Girardi
fired the puck through traffic and Holtby couldn’t see it He dropped to the ice and the puck rocketed
off his pads and right to Derek Stephan at the left circle. Holtby was late tracking it and still down on
the ice. He dove to his right to try
and stop it – but the puck found the back of the net and the Rangers had the
overtime winner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">What Did We
Learn? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">That hockey season in New York is not finished yet!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Assist “Sisters”: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> One each for Miller, McDonagh, Girardi
and Yandle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">YES! We shot down all thee Capitals powerplays and
we scored one on of our 4. That was the
difference.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Where Do We Stand?
</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">We win the series 4-3. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">8 wins from the cup. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Saturday at home vs.
Tampa Bay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Non-Sequitur of the
day: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">It’s too good to be true. Ovechkin
- that bad man- has finally gone away.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-68961892364794858422015-05-12T06:33:00.003-04:002015-05-12T06:33:37.196-04:00Ranger stay alive with 4-3 win - tie series 3-3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCV0H4JWmigO-b2Pg2DF_UP_df8Sxd_MS60eR1a47fXBt0FRvSYgy-nNz_uBBV2UcoIahNtRcnNRcYVfyDNHfqI5iyg9C6GSVopbpHt7_rXzYlkjO8toDbal4RalceRYM6hUyKQNSlaqk/s1600/krieder.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCV0H4JWmigO-b2Pg2DF_UP_df8Sxd_MS60eR1a47fXBt0FRvSYgy-nNz_uBBV2UcoIahNtRcnNRcYVfyDNHfqI5iyg9C6GSVopbpHt7_rXzYlkjO8toDbal4RalceRYM6hUyKQNSlaqk/s400/krieder.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">That’s seven! The Rangers beat the
Capitals 4-3 to tie their series at 3-3 and are just 9 wins from the Stanley
Cup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">It was the Blueshirt’s best win of the season – going into enemy
territory and defeating a Capitals team that had beaten us there twice
before. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">With their backs to the wall the Rangers started fast. Just 40 seconds in Chris Kreider with speed,
size, and power carried the puck the length of the ice, crossed over in from of
Holtby, and beat him for the 1-0 lead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Then – with one second – one second – left in the first period – Kreider again
put the rebound past Holtby and – after a review the goal stood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The second period began badly with the Capitals scoring 28 seconds
in. And the Caps outshot the Rangers
18-4 in the second but could get no closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">And so on to the third with a 2-1 lead and the Rangers playoff life in
the balance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In the third period the Rangers shot the puck 4 times, scored on two of those,
and needed them all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">54 seconds it in was Rick Nash.
Yes that’s right Rick Nash. And
easily this was his biggest goal as a Ranger.
And it was 3-1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">And then – finally – Dan Boyle.
And five minutes into the third it was 4-1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">But of course these are the Rangers and nothing is easy. The Capoitals came roaring back and at 10:33
it was 4-3 and the roof was shaking – and frankly – so was I.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The Capitals came in waves. In the
end there was an incorrect delay-of-game call on the Rangers – and the Caps
pulled Holtby and it was 6 on 4.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">But there was Lundqvist. Flashing
the pads – scrambling - never giving in and never giving up the tying
goal. And when the horn sounded the Rangers
had stayed alive with a 4-3 win in Washington.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The seventh game isn’t until Wednesday.
We’ll need the rest. One more
game for the season.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I’m just happy to be here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">What Did We
Learn? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">That the Rangers magic season has at least one more night in it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Uh, a little help?: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Two huge assists for Derek Brassard. One each for Klein, Miller, Fast, Stepan, St.
Louis, and Sheppard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><b style="line-height: 15.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Did Special Teams Determine
The Outcome Of This Game? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3pt;">Yes!
We were 1 for 3 and stopped Washington on 4 of their powerplays. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Where Do We Stand?
</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Tied 3-3!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wednesday at MSG. Game seven.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Non-Sequitur of the day:
</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I will once again have my lucky Stepan Matteau hat on and will be
clutching my Sean Avery pin. And
anything you did Sunday that worked – do it again. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-42896835067729757912015-05-10T11:19:00.002-04:002015-05-10T11:19:37.074-04:00Ranger Refuse To Die - overcome late deficit to win game 5 and Stay Alive!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeVsG74x3EchsjJkrvW9_MyszfJzK63mdv6-LsV4mzL6X9cuYyhfjSi5CWWo-wPjDh-f3NCrHleSHEn4Dhem24TNV0N77S6LJirtaTCSxTQF0WyxeqbItbiUySgSultgfGgG0GqAEC6w/s1600/Tied.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeVsG74x3EchsjJkrvW9_MyszfJzK63mdv6-LsV4mzL6X9cuYyhfjSi5CWWo-wPjDh-f3NCrHleSHEn4Dhem24TNV0N77S6LJirtaTCSxTQF0WyxeqbItbiUySgSultgfGgG0GqAEC6w/s400/Tied.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And that my friend is playoff win number 6. We’re just 10 from hoisting the cup. Believe!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Adversity. We all face it in our
lives. And the Rangers faced it Friday
and they face it now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But what Adversity creates is the chance for greatness. And on Friday night the Rangers achieved
greatness. They were down 3-1 in the
series and 1-0 in the hockey game. The
scoreboard read less than 2 minutes in their hockey season. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But your New York Rangers refused to die.
Not today. Not this night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As Lundqvist headed off for the extra skater – Derek Stepan carried the
puck up the left side boards. He stopped
and fed a streaking Chris Kreider.
Little Old Marty St. Louis screened Hotlby as best as the little guy can
and Kreider let loose a howitzer shot that changed the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Boom. Into the net. Score.
We were 101 seconds from over and now the Hockey season lived on. Kreider – the 24 year old with the size – the
speed – the skill – and the talent to be whatever he wants to be in this
league. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And into the locker room go the Caps – wondering what just happened. They thought the series was over. They we’re thinking about round 3. Because like the monster in every monster
movie since time began – the Rangers would not die. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And ten minutes into overtime Jesper Fast stole the puck in the neutral
zone and got it to Derek Stepan. Derek
has the poise to look at two Caps drop to their knees to block the shot and
calmly – deceptively – slid the puck backwards to the Captain Ryan McDonagh. Ryan stepped forward and shot. And we got maybe our first lucky bounce of
the series. The puck hit a defenseman’s
skate and beat the unbeatable Holtby. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Boom again. It was 2-1. Game over.
Rangers win and the series is now 3-2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Rangers now are 9-0 in consecutive home must win games. That’s an NHL record. And I don’t think any other team will ever be
able to do this again. But your Rangers
did it and it was amazing. It’s an achievement
to be one of the last 7 teams standing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And on Sunday – in Washington – we have it all over again. Adversity – a road must win game. And a chance again for greatness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh and Lundqvist? He never did get
off the ice. The Kreider goal sent him
right back to the crease – where he was perfect for the remaining regulation and
OT – finishing the night with a .966 save percentage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We
Learn? </b>That for one great night – the Rangers refused to die<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Uh, a little help?: </b> Two huge assists for Derek Stepan. One each for Fast and Yandle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams Determine
The Outcome Of This Game? </b>Both teams 0-2 on the powerplay. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>Trailing 3-2 in round 2 – but damn it – still breathing. Ten wins from Lord Stanley’s Cup. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>Sunday in DC. Win
to keep the dream alive. Win to take it
back home for game 7. Win to achieve
greatness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the day:
</b>I will have my lucky Stepan Matteau hat on and will be clutching my Sean
Avery pin. And anything you did Friday
that worked – do it again tonight. In
the name of Jean Ratelle we respectfully implore the Hockey Gods – hear our humble
plea – help the Rangers get back to 3-3.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-79367565551085439862015-05-07T04:41:00.000-04:002015-05-07T04:41:26.854-04:00Rangers Give It All But Come Up Short - Trail Caps 3-1 In Series.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdORNkn6g49zKK5g5gsS-V3a4cVXaYtpN6cpam6e5PK6zqC08RCrCcaEVYRBF-F6wkVvQBw9y-RXaaQGAXO1DCYWC9Fp5P8ZE43NntYTAKoq2XSjNYvMXQaMtBfsu9A49kGTLucLZXIkE/s1600/brassard2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdORNkn6g49zKK5g5gsS-V3a4cVXaYtpN6cpam6e5PK6zqC08RCrCcaEVYRBF-F6wkVvQBw9y-RXaaQGAXO1DCYWC9Fp5P8ZE43NntYTAKoq2XSjNYvMXQaMtBfsu9A49kGTLucLZXIkE/s320/brassard2.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You know – we’re not playing all that badly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But we’re up against a red hot goaltender. And we’re facing a team that is blocking
shots and hustling and has all the momentum right now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What we need is a couple of goals.
Something to get the team going again.
Because momentum is a funny thing.
It’s something the Capitals have – until they lose it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our hockey life has gotten very simple now. Win at home.
On Friday. Or go home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can we do it? Of course we
can. We have the defense. We have the goaltender. We have the offense. At least we used to. We just need to pull all of that together for
one more night at the Garden. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Capitals may be playing like an unbeatable team. But they’re human. Well maybe Ovechkin is sub-human, but as a
team they are not invincible. They can
lose a friggin hockey game. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All we have to do is get started.
All we have to do is score – stay ahead – win and then we take it from
there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another strong first period showed the Rangers with 13 shots – but no goals
against Holtby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the second – a nice flip pass out of the zone by Nash to St. Louis who
headed up ice and fed Brassard with a perfect pass – which the Ranger center shot
over Holtby’s shoulder and into the net.
It was 1-0 – the Ranger’s first lead since game two. And for a few minutes they dominated but simply
could not get that precious second goal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so, a pair of goals by Andre Burakofsky – the 2<sup>nd</sup> one just
24 seconds into the third period – provided the series’ first lead change and
the Rangers defeat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Along the way there was a penalty shot by Carl Hagelin that ended up as
just another Holtby save.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now – we were down 3-1 in the second round last year and rallied. We can do it again. But it all starts Friday. Win.
Or go home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We
Learn? </b>That the Capitals are playing really well right now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Uh, a little help?: </b> Assists for Nash and St. Louis. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>Well, the refs don’t
call penalties anymore so we only had one powerplay each. We stopped them on theirs – we didn’t score
on ours – and Hagelin missed on his penalty shot. So yes – our special teams failed us when we
needed them the most.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>Barely standing at all. Trailing 3-1
in round 2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>Friday night at the World’s
Most Famous Arena.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the day:
</b>Let’s go Mets?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-58260240993572224042015-05-05T05:55:00.002-04:002015-05-05T05:55:30.981-04:00Sadness! Rangers Fall to Caps 1-0, Trail 2-1 in Series<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOt9CmlNmjwmwd6f_Nfa4zr8TqygCuLvwoe6E24FbzqGSbaDi1n65ZtyOkgtjziE7r8lJfEatln13LxSU__Bb7kx8F1789Wx75uil3BAU0iRGGpqQXFxbh35F0yDw6RC1Ynj5TbOiR3c/s1600/hank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOt9CmlNmjwmwd6f_Nfa4zr8TqygCuLvwoe6E24FbzqGSbaDi1n65ZtyOkgtjziE7r8lJfEatln13LxSU__Bb7kx8F1789Wx75uil3BAU0iRGGpqQXFxbh35F0yDw6RC1Ynj5TbOiR3c/s400/hank.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are troubled times in Ranger land.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The team played hard – with energy – with grit – with determination. They defended well. They attacked as best they could. They moved the puck and fought hard in the
corners. They outshot the Caps
30-22. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">I thought the thing about this years's team is that - finally - we had a </span><span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Ranger</span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;"> team that </span><span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">could</span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;"> score. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3pt;">But last night we couldn’t score – could not beat Branden Holtby – and a
single lucky goal was all the Capitals needed to take a 2-1 series lead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The goal came at 7:21 in the second as Jay Beagle (who?) shooting from an
impossible angle somehow banked the puck off of Keith Yandle and past Lundqvist
inside the right post. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That made it 1-0 and that was all Washington needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What we’re facing now is a hot team with a hot goalie who believe in
themselves. And we now have to win 3 of
4 to win this series. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hank saved .955 of the shots that came his way – usually that is enough to
win – even in the playoffs. But not Monday
night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Game 4 on Wednesday is now a huge one. Win and the Ranger tie the series
and regain home ice advantage. Lose and
the Caps go up 3-1 and are on the brink of advancing to the next round. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As always – when we lose people will blame the power play for not scoring
and the lack of faceoff wins. But we had
trouble with both of those areas even on our huge win streak – so I don’t think
the problem is there. And I guess we
have to look at Rick Nash who has not scored on the Capitals and had 7 shots
last night with over 19 minutes of ice time.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This team does miss Mats Zuccarello – but in all probability he is out for
a long time with a concussion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But what we really need is a goal.
One goal and Holtby begins to second guess himself. One goal and the Rangers get faster and the Capitals
begin to sweat. We just need a goal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We
Learn? </b>That the Rangers are in a fight for their playoff lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Uh, a little help?: </b> No assists for anyone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>Yes and no. No because we were a perfect 2 for 2 on the
PK. And Yes, unfortunately, because we couldn’t
score on 2 power plays of our own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>Trailing 2-1 in round 2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>Wednesday night in DC.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the day:
</b>Fred Shero is now GM of the Devils?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-68769555473133673842015-05-03T01:20:00.002-04:002015-05-03T08:16:28.410-04:00Life is Better! Ranger tie series 1-1<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_koRYCJoh1ygyFluC-PqjMYIuJGWLoWlv29UEcjcPf4gyJ-38ubC7EDdBhhQnLZr14w4KhnYVsSm2ClYdG6uZA8a9uW4AwHwjcFZ5j1NeGLAY76pwNCroRpxDR_x7qz1M5GysUKAsPek/s1600/kreider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_koRYCJoh1ygyFluC-PqjMYIuJGWLoWlv29UEcjcPf4gyJ-38ubC7EDdBhhQnLZr14w4KhnYVsSm2ClYdG6uZA8a9uW4AwHwjcFZ5j1NeGLAY76pwNCroRpxDR_x7qz1M5GysUKAsPek/s1600/kreider.jpg" height="281" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, friggin yay! That is
five! The Rangers came up huge on
Saturday, and for the first time in 20 years won a game 2 at home, defeating
the Washington Capitals 3-2 and evening the 2<sup>nd</sup> round series at one game
apiece.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It wasn’t decisive – those damned Capitals kept coming – and twice they
cut 2 goals deficits in half. But in the
end the Rangers held on for the 3-2 win.
The victory staved off disaster – keeping the Rangers from a 2-0 hole. It doesn’t erase the pain of the last second
loss in game one – but is was a huge step in the right direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hanks was a monster again – stopping .938 of the shots that came his way -
including a few spectacular saves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chris Kreider got the Rangers rolling in the game’s first minute – netting
the Holtby rebound to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead. And then later in the first – Dan Boyle came to
the party as well. Boyle hustled on the power
play to keep the puck from clearing the zone- then shot the puck perfectly in the
upper left hand quarter of the net for the 2-0 lead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the 2<sup>nd</sup> Ovechkin drew two Ranger defenseman to him and
passed the puck to a wide-open Evgeny Kuznetsov who beat Hank for a 2-1
deficit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the third it was Derek Brassard to the rescue. Brassard got the puck alone in front and just
spun it between the Capital Goaltender’s pads for the 3-1 lead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But of course – a few minutes later it was Ovechkin again – splitting two
Ranger defensemen and banging the puck past Lundqvist as the Russian fell to
the ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That made it 3-2 – but the Rangers and Lundqvist would let them get no
further and Rangers hung on for the 3-2 win<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We
Learn? </b>That the Rangers are still in this series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Assist “Sisters”: </b> One each for Fast, Stepan, St. Louis, and
Nash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>Happily we can say yes
in a good way. The Ranger’s hit on one
of their four powerplays and shut the Caps out in their lone extra skater
chance,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>Tied 1-1 in round 2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>Monday night in
Washington DC for game 3.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the
day: </b>A lot of sports today –
but this was my favorite outcome.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-53052743349020379862015-04-25T23:20:00.000-04:002015-04-26T10:17:14.547-04:00Rangers finish off Crosby and Company - win series 4-1<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNSn88YA6y7iSu-CSfwjMQOpl_3IpLTIlErEtYnQkaxGNPNDMdqfjwtlxESHl1jd7zj-mKuXv8ZoHkS8UXnmcReqsGd4-dRMGYQhNAgllQHLaucOalT21NpAme04kjXPmPa9RBgn8HeQ/s1600/hag3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNSn88YA6y7iSu-CSfwjMQOpl_3IpLTIlErEtYnQkaxGNPNDMdqfjwtlxESHl1jd7zj-mKuXv8ZoHkS8UXnmcReqsGd4-dRMGYQhNAgllQHLaucOalT21NpAme04kjXPmPa9RBgn8HeQ/s1600/hag3.png" height="400" width="172" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">Ka-BOOM!</span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">And that’s 4!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The New York Rangers – reaching down deep – found the guts - the determination
– and the will to win to beat the Penguins at home in game five and close out
the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pittsburgh knew they couldn’t skate with us – and so they tried to grind
it out. It took a while – but slowly the
Rangers began to wear their opponents down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stepan scored first – in the first – on the powerplay to put the Rangers
on top 1-0 – using his feet to kick the puck to his own stick to beat Fleury
from point blank range.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One ominous note – Mats Zuccarello took a puck to the head later on the
first and did not return. He’s being
evaluated and all we can do is hope it’s not a concussion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But in the 2<sup>nd</sup> – the Penguins tied it on a controversial goal
that may have been elbowed in and may have been goalie interference. But after review it counted and on we went to
the third. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the last regulation period both Crosby and J. T. Miller hit iron but did
not score. And so for the 2<sup>nd</sup>
straight game we were going to overtime – ensuring that a 4<sup>th</sup>
contest would end with the same 2-1 score.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The tension was sky high – the effort level was through the garden
roof. And the goalies – both spectacular. Hanks was nearly perfect and Fleury was
playing the best I had ever seen in his career.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For ten minutes of OT the teams went up and down the ice – and as the
game wore on the Rangers depth began to win out. The tide was shifting to NY.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then – on the final sequence – Moore fought off two Penguins in the
right corner and got the puck to Hagelin.
The Swedish forward, with his back to Fleury skated toward the right
circle. And I don’t know if it was exhaustion
or bad judgement – but Marc-Andre stayed on his knees and did not get back on
his skates as this was transpiring. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suddenly Hagelin spun and fired the puck at Fleury. The puck went short side and snuck past the
Pittsburgh goaltender on his short side – and into the net – giving the Rangers
a 70 minute 52 second victory in game 5 and it was time to shake hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While Fleury deserved a better fate – saving .944, Lundqvist was almost
perfect in the Ranger nets – saving .974 of the 38 shots that came his
way. And so we say a prayer for Mats Zuccarello
and await the winner of the Capitals-Islanders series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We
Learn? </b>That the Rangers can close out a series in 5 games this year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Assist “Sisters”: </b> One each for Brassard, Boyle (who played
maybe his best game as a Ranger), McDonagh, and Moore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>Happily yes! Rangers were 1-3 and they shut down the
Penguins on their three attempts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>We close out the Penguins in 5 games.
12 wins from the cup!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>Wednesday night – so a
few days off first.\<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the
day: </b>Matt Harvey with his
first ever win in the Bronx.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-69131967924728494782015-04-23T06:17:00.001-04:002015-04-24T04:51:07.939-04:00That's 3! Hayes scores in OT to top Aquatic Birds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm8hyhsqheaR6nzsCXG7hLlyARwc3CCbBVewdA3MbQZBjr5sGoxkgZ8Yc30fsdtIWt6Of8o7AyUOU-mRT0gUYx-MwJB8sXumBXCrjoMduFNnINjfeVjkRvPJ7u610sks-03r9mN0BnKYc/s1600/hayes-ot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm8hyhsqheaR6nzsCXG7hLlyARwc3CCbBVewdA3MbQZBjr5sGoxkgZ8Yc30fsdtIWt6Of8o7AyUOU-mRT0gUYx-MwJB8sXumBXCrjoMduFNnINjfeVjkRvPJ7u610sks-03r9mN0BnKYc/s1600/hayes-ot.jpg" height="320" width="318" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welcome, Kevin Hayes, to the NHL playoffs!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hayes had been such a big part of the Rangers success this year – coming out
of nowhere to anchor the third line and fill the void left by the departure of
Brad Richards. With 17 goals and 28
assists in the regular season the 22 year old answered what had been a question
mark in the Rangers line up when the season began.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But in his first ever NHL playoffs – the first year skater had been playing
like a, well, like a rookie. In 240
minutes of playoff hockey, Kevin’s efforts had been – there’s no other way to
say it – literally pointless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s not totally unexpected. NHL
playoff hockey is a different game than the regular season. The speed, the hitting, and the intensity are
much greater. And it can take some
getting used to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last night in Pittsburgh, with the score tied 1-1, in the 4<sup>th</sup>
minute of overtime, Marty St. Louis had the puck behind the Penguin’s
goal. He delivered a centering pass
right to the goal cease. Four Penguins
collapsed back around Fleury to defend as Karl Hagelin took a few whacks at the
puck but could not beat Fleury. The puck
slid across the crease – under the Penguin goalie’s arm – to Hayes – who slammed
the two footer home to complete the Ranger come back and give them their first
and only lead of the night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It completed the 2-1 victory – the Rangers third in 4 games with that same
score, and send the Ranger back home with a 3-1 lead in the series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This game had a different feel than the previous three. For one thing, the Rangers played badly in
the first period, getting outshot 8-2, and Pittsburgh scored first for the
first time in the series. And so , when
the 2<sup>nd</sup> period began the Rangers had no lead to protect or lose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crosby, Malkin, and company were determined – but in the end they are
just out manned by this deep Ranger team.
The Rangers outshot them 13-8 in the 2<sup>nd</sup> and tied the game at
17:55. It was Brassard, taking several
whacks at the puck before managing to slide it between the right post and
Marc-Andre’s left skate and just over the line.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The third period was closely contested – with Pittsburgh getting 7 shots
to the Rangers 6. But there were no
goals and to overtime we went for the first time in the series – setting the
stage for the rookie heroics of Kevin Hayes.
Fleury continues to pay well – with a 0.917 save percentage last night–
but it was Lundqvist who saved 0.957% who won the day. Bolstered by a Ranger defense that helped him
throughout – something we have lacked in prior seasons – the Ranger’s net minder
did everything he needed to win.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think we can still play better against a Penguin team hampered by
injuries. But the Rangers adjust – adapt
– and keep finding ways to win. And now –
those ways include Kevin Hayes.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We
Learn? </b>That the Rangers can go up 3-1 in a playoff series – something they
failed to do last year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Assist “Sisters”: </b> One each for St. Louis, McDonagh, Nash
and Hagelin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>Happily no! We were both 0-3. Notice how when we win – the trouble with the
powerplay is not a big deal at all? (Just
like faceoff wins.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>Up 3-1on the Penguins. 1 win from the 2<sup>nd</sup> round and 13
wins from the cup. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>Friday night we have
game 5 at home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the
day: </b>Mets! 10 in a row?
Who are these guys?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-64413802055967995142015-04-21T06:27:00.001-04:002015-04-21T06:27:43.728-04:00Happiness! Rangers Beat Penguins to lead series at 2-1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3pt;">Well, yay.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Our New York Rangers have risen from the dead to beat Sidney Crosby and
company 2-1 to regain the lead in this first round playoff series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The Rangers have many ways they can beat you – and they use them
all. And when we lose game everyone talk
about our lack of powerplay offense and our inability to win faceoffs. But when we win? Not so much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Keith Yandle caught the Penguins on a bad change and fed a perfect pass
to Carl Hagelin who beat Fleury for the 1-0 lead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">And in the 2<sup>nd</sup> it was another amazing play. Dan Girardi slams the puck deliberately wide
of the net so that it bounces of the end boards and directly to Chris Kreider
who buries the rebound. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">And that was all we needed.
Through two periods we limited Pittsburgh to 11 shots. Of course they rose up in the third – scored one
goal and nearly tied it. But the Rangers
held on and got the win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">We’ll take it. And the series
lead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">What Did We
Learn? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">We learned that the Rangers can still win a hockey game.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Assist “Sisters”: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Just defensemen! Two for Dan Girardi. One each for Staal and Yandle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Happily no! We were both 0-2 on the powerplay. That’s fine.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Where Do We Stand?
</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Up 2-1on the Penguins</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">. 2 wins from the 2<sup>nd</sup> round and 14
wins from the cup. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wednesday night we have
game 4.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Non-Sequitur of the
day: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Sidney Crosby. I dislike him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-51143684353420055872015-04-19T00:34:00.001-04:002015-04-19T00:34:04.706-04:00Sadness! Penguins Beat Rangers to tie series at 1-1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">Okay – nobody thought we were going to sweep all 16 games.</span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">But we all did think that maybe we could get
out on NY with a 2-0 lead and put the pressure on Pittsburgh.</span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">But – obviously that did not happen as the
Rangers lost the 2</span><sup style="line-height: 15.3pt;">nd</sup><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;"> period 3-0 in route to a 4-3 defeat against
hated rivals the Pittsburgh Penguins.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are not going to be many nights when Henrik Lundqvist posts an .818
save percentage – but that’s what happened last night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We only had three shots in the first – but took the lead anyway on a
Derek Stepan goal. We limited the
Penguins to 5 shots in the first and 6 in the third – but the 11 shots on the 2<sup>nd</sup>
resulted in three goals against. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the third we managed two goals – but Brassard and Nash (two
late). But Pittsburgh’s 4<sup>th</sup>
goal made it just too hard to come back all the way. Fleury saved 0.885% and somehow won with
that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you’re looking for positives – I see them. Score three goals and limit Pittsburgh to 22
shots and we’re going to win most nights.
So no need to panic <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not yet anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We
Learn? </b>We learned that the Penguins are not a walk in the park. This is a real series and we will have to
play our best to survive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Assist “Sisters”: </b> Assists for Miller, Stepan, Boyle,
McDonagh, Zuccarello, and Yandle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>Unfortunetly yes. The Rangers were 1 for 7 on the powerplay. The Penguins were 2 for 4. And that was the hockey game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>Tied 1-1 with the Penguins. Still 3 wins from the 2<sup>nd</sup>
round and 15 wins from the cup. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>Monday night we have
game 3.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the
day: </b>Mets are 7-0 at home<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-37027727985021273372015-04-16T23:08:00.000-04:002015-04-17T06:15:59.466-04:00Rangers down Penguins to take Playoff Opener<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Boom! That’s One! The Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins last
night and took a 1-0 lead in the first round series of the Stanley Cup
Playoffs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If Hockey’s official Get-Go is 28 seconds in – then the Rangers led this
one from the Get-Go as Derek Brassard buried a long rebound past Marc-Andre Fleury
that had come rocketing off his pads from a Rick Nash laser shot. It was almost like a pass off the Penguin
goalie. And just like that the
Rangers lead 1-0, a lead they never relinquished.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then – later in the first on the power play – the Captain Ryan
McDonagh firing the puck from near the blue line – between the legs of a
Penguin defender and on past a partially screened Fleury for the 2-0 lead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In all we outplayed, out hustled, and outshot the Penguins 13-5 in the
first. And the 2-0 lead was all we would
need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pittsburgh did mount more offence in the 2<sup>nd</sup> and 3<sup>rd</sup>
but could only muster a single goal.
Blake Como walked in and beat Hank from point blank range in the 2<sup>nd</sup>. But from there on the Rangers played enough defense
to limit the Pens to 25 shots – with many of them from bad angles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hank didn’t have to be spectacular to win this one - but he was sharp and easily played well
enough to win. His 0.960 save percentage
got the job done against an admirable 0.947 save percentage by Fleury. It was not our best hockey game – but good
enough to win. And we’ll take it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One scary moment was Dan Girardi taking a puck to the jaw and having to leave
the game. Coach Vigneault said
afterwards that Girardi was being treated by a dentist. That sounds good – I think – hopefully meaning
he did not break his jaw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We
Learn? </b>We learned that the Rangers can function as front runners – handling Pittsburgh
and the pressure of the President’s trophy to grab game one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Assist “Sisters”: </b> Assists for Girardi, Zuccarello, Nash and
(glad we got) Yandle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>YES! The Rangers powerplay goal was the difference in the 2-1
game. We stopped Pittsburgh on their
lone powerplay and connected on 1 of our five chances. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>The Standings are gone now –<b> </b>but we have 1 of the 16 wins we need to hoist the Stanley
Cup. We lead Pittsburgh 1-0. A long way to go - but we’ve done as well as we could have so
far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>Saturday night we have
game 2.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-24311039314770211492015-04-08T00:55:00.000-04:002015-04-08T00:55:27.162-04:00Ranger beat chippy Devils to gain NHL's top spot<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So. We’ve played 80 games and now
we have nothing left to play for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But in a good way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because the Rangers – with two games left to play have clinched
everything there is to clinch. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Playoffs? Check<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First Place in the Metro? Yes
again<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First Place in the Eastern Conference.
Why yes again<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First place in the National Hockey League? Yup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">52 wins. 111 points. Are these really our New York Rangers? Somehow yes they are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the latest brick in this mighty fortress we have built was Tuesday’s
4-2 win over the hated New Jersey Devils.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For a while the Devils just cross checked and tried to hurt us. But after a talk with the referees the Devils
started skating and competing and gave the Rangers a run for their money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hayes and McDonagh scored in the first – with Ryan getting a rare Ranger
powerplay goal. Of course we never do
things the easy way – so the Devils made it 2-1 – also on the power play and
also in the first. So we went to the 2<sup>nd</sup>
period up 2-1 and exited the period the same way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the third Dominic Moore shot the puck from an impossible angle from
the right corner – and James Shepard got a perfect stick on the puck to slide
it through Cory Schneider for the 3-1
lead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course the Devils quickly made it 3-2 and so it went to the final two
minutes. But then – with the net empty –
Hayes came up with the puck in the offensive zone and put a perfect no-look
pass on the stick of Carl Hagelin – who buried the puck for the 4-2 final
score. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was Cam Talbot tonight – resting Hank on the back to back and adding
an exclamation point on his heroic season.
Because it was Talbot who made this amazing season possible – filling in
for an injured Lundqvist in an incredible fashion and catapulting us toward the
President’s trophy. Talbot stopped
0.905% of the shots he faced and that was good enough. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Congratulations Rangers – it’s been a great regular season – one to never
forget. But of course – what comes next is going to forever
change it – for better or worse. But for
this one moment – let’s make a breath and look around at what Vigneault and his
heroes have accomplished.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nice work men.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We
Learn? </b>We learned that the New York Rangers are the measurably best team in hockey
this year. At least for now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Assist “Sisters”: </b> Two for Hayes to go with his goal. Single assists for Staal, MSL, Moore, Hagelin
and Yandle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>No I guess.
We were 1 for 7 on the powerplay – including some scoreless 5 on 3. The Devils were 1 for 2. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>You know. At the top.
Of everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>A meaningless game
against Ottawa on Thursday. At least it’s
meaningless for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the
day: </b>Johnny B Goode is in B
flat because that is good a piano key.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-23088734618358559642015-04-07T06:12:00.000-04:002015-04-07T06:12:01.432-04:00Stepan ties it in last minute - wins it in OT - Rangers 4 - Columbus 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m actually sad that this magical regular season is ending soon. Because it’s been a joy to watch these Rangers
compete night after night and use speed, skill, determination, and hard work to
beat so many opponents night after night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last night it was the Columbus Blue Jackets – who had won 9 straight
games and were playing an impressive aggressive brand of hockey – recapturing a
large measure of the pride they lost by missing the playoffs this year. Columbus is littered with ex-Rangers –
including Dubinsky and Anisimov. Of
course – if those jerks had kept Gaborik instead of trading him – the Rangers
would probably have won the cup a year ago.
And no, I will not get over that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway – the Rangers took on this 9-in-a-row team playing for nothing
other than the opportunity to beat teams like us. And they almost did. But the Rangers keep scrapping and fighting
and found a way to tie the score in the game’s last minute and then win in overtime – with boht of those key goals
coming from Derek Stepan – with huge assist by Chis Kreider – who is becoming a
star right in front of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the first – Kevin Hayes didn’t actually passed to St. Louis. Hayes was converged on and was separated from
the puck on the rush – but Marty swooped in to grab a loose puck and netted his
shot for the 1-0 lead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Columbus found a way to tie and then early in the second the Rangers put
on a passing clinic with Kreider and Stepan culminating in a Dan Girardi rocket
to make it 2-1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From there the Blue Jackets poured it on – tying the game in the 2<sup>nd</sup>
and taking a late lead in the third.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And so – with Lundqvist on the
bench for the extra skater in the game’s final regulation minute – it was hero
time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The puck deflected to Chris Kreider in a crowd at the front of the net
with his back to Bobrovsky. As the Blue
Jackets swarmed to him – Kreider passed the puck to a wide open Derek Stepan about
ten feet out on the left. Derek had some
net to shoot at and he made it count – tying the score with just 28 seconds
left in regulation and sending the Garden into a happy frenzy. And we saw an odd sight – Lundqvist fist
bumping from the bench in a game he started and eventually won.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so – on to overtime as the Rangers refused to lose. After some thrilling action at both ends – it
was Kreider again cutting across in front of Bobrovsky, drawing the Columbus defenders
to him – and then getting the puck to Stepan who skated close in on the left side
and buried the game winner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another rousing come-from-behind win in a season filled with
heroics. Lundqvist made some great saves
and with a .906 save percentage – gave his team a chance to win – which they
did in dramatic fashion. Another great
night in a magic season.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We
Learn? </b>That the team is playoff ready.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Assistance: </b> Two huge assists by Kreider. Singles by: Miller, Hayes, Stepan (to go with his 2
goals), and Yandle (who is more of a Ranger every day)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>Sort of.
We were a perfect 3-3 on the kill, but 0-3 on the powerplay. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>Remember when we were
fighting the Caps for 3<sup>rd</sup> place and forever chasing the
Islanders? Well this morning we have 109
points. 109. Hard to believe but there it is. 3 points up on Montreal with a game at hand
for the best in the East. And 4 points
up on St. Louis with a game at hand for the president’s trophy. Truly amazing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>The Devils tonight in
New Jersey. I wonder if Cam will get a
strat on the back-to-back?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the
day: </b>Mets win their opener! Fatso Colon stops the Nationals!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-804917328335094472015-04-05T21:54:00.000-04:002015-04-05T21:54:14.680-04:00Rangers Blast Devils 6-1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2sZSI-W4kalOYByB3JTql3JYIk1mkMffl_J8BabGK7eUv6Lz1rFjFFkL_zMVdVRNZJIT_rVUnFgfQbXBn5LmHBw3wLYDO749lCTuIyxqYIObg_KDK8EpvvGYgPQ9pQkelen3uo8BBs0/s1600/yandle3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2sZSI-W4kalOYByB3JTql3JYIk1mkMffl_J8BabGK7eUv6Lz1rFjFFkL_zMVdVRNZJIT_rVUnFgfQbXBn5LmHBw3wLYDO749lCTuIyxqYIObg_KDK8EpvvGYgPQ9pQkelen3uo8BBs0/s1600/yandle3.jpg" height="320" width="196" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a season. The Rangers look
like they are once again firing on all cylinders as the King returned to the
Garden and blew up the rival Devils 6-1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nash got his 42<sup>nd</sup> in the first on a shot that Cory Schneider
sort of helped into his own net.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then at 11:59 Keith Yandle got his first goal as a Ranger and it was
2-0. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25 seconds later Tanner Glass made a great pass to Moore in front and it
was 3-0. Schneider was given the rest of
the night off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second was scoreless for 19 minutes and 57 seconds when the shorthanded
Rangers found Derek Stepan on the breakaway and he 5-holed Goalie # 2 Kinkaid
for the 4-0 lead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the third goals by Brassard and Moore moved the score to 6-0 before Jacob
Josefson ruins Hank’s shutout attempt at 16:30.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Rangers looked sharp – played hard and fast – defended well and dispatched
a <u>D</u>evil’s team that has fallen on hard times
this season. The Rangers have now won
three straight, Hank stopped .972 of the shots he faced, and all appears right
with the world as we accelerate toward the playoffs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We
Learn? </b>That Lundqvist has shaken off any rust he might have had from inactivity
and approaches the playoffs sharp and rested.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Helpful Fellows: </b> 2 Assists for McDonagh. Single assets for Girardi – Glass – Staal –
Fast – Stepan – St. Louis (welcome back) Zuccarello – Nash and Yandle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>We were 1 of 1 on our own powerplay – but stopped
NJ on all 4 of theirs and scored a shorty.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>It is very good. We top the East by a point and two games at
hand over Montreal. President’s trophy
still in play. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>Back to back games on
Monday and Tuesday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the
day: </b>I’m glad Kentucky
lost. But I still think they could beat
the Knicks.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-71010668182590614642015-04-01T06:43:00.000-04:002015-04-01T06:43:18.879-04:00Happiness Returns – Rangers Win A Hockey Game<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">It wasn’t exactly pretty – but the Rangers hung tough and beat the Winnipeg
Jets on the road.</span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">A first period goal by
Zuccarello (nice rebound put back) and a second period goal by Brassard, (a
power play goal!).</span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15.3pt;">And the game winner –
Kreider on the breakaway where the puck and then Kreider himself ended up in
the net.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We’ll take it. Lundqvist getting
better with a 0.941 save percentage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We
Learn? </b>The world didn’t end. We won.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Assist “Sisters”: </b> Assists for Brassard, Stepan, McDonagh,
Nash, Yandle and J.T. Miller – who is lucky to be alive after Byfuglien cross
checked his neck. I hope the league
suspends him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>Happily yes!
We were 1 for 3 on the powerplay and killed off 2 as well. That was the difference in a one goal game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>We’re still first in the
Metro, and now tops in the East as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>Thursday Minnesota come to town.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the
day: </b>It’s my sister’s
birthday!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-36221075457584799672015-03-30T06:10:00.000-04:002015-03-30T06:10:36.556-04:00Lost Weekend - Rangers fall to Caps 5-2<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Okay, not good. The Rangers have
lost two in a row in regulation for first time since January. They let up 5 goals this time – Talbot – and the
Caps beat them 5-2 on an afternoon game on no days rest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Maybe we’re slumping at the wrong time.
Maybe we’re looking ahead to the playoffs after clinching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Whatever it is – the president’s trophy is fading from view – not that it
was a useful goal anyway. Being the
front runner is emotionally and physically exhausting and takes away energy you
need for the playoffs. The Stanley cup
finals are NEVER a context between the top points teams in the East vs.
West. They playoffs are their own animal
– most series don’t go 7 – and home ice for some odd reason – is never the
advantage it should be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3pt;">We didn’t help Cam enough – and we </span><span style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px; line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">didn't</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3pt;"> shoot enough. 13 shots total in periods 2 and 3. You’re not going to beat a lot of teams that
way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">We did score twice though – on consecutive shots in the 1<sup>st</sup>
period. By Hayes and Brassard. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">What Did We
Learn? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">We are in a slump. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Assist “Sisters”: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Assists for McDonagh and Zuccarello. That’s it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I will say yes.
We were 0-5 and Ovechkin was 1-4.
You reverse that stat and we’re tied (minus the empty netter).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Where Do We Stand?
</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">We’re still first in the
Metro, six points and a game at hand up on the Pengiuns with 7 to play. And a point behind Montreal with a game at hand
for top of the East. The way it looks
now – it’s us and the Canadiens racing for the right to play the number 8 seed –
which right now is Boston.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Tuesday in Winnipeg against the J-E-T-S.
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Non-Sequitur of the
day: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">This never happened when
Skapski was on the team…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-91548210978741510672015-03-29T06:59:00.001-04:002015-03-29T06:59:18.553-04:00Lundqvist Returns – Rangers Fall 4-2 to Bruins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3pt;">Okay so – we don’t like the Bruins.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The long-awaited return of Henrik Lundqvist to the Rangers starting
lineup was Saturday in what my cousins used to call Boss-town. There was some bad luck – some rust – some bad
goal-judging in Toronto – and, well, at 5:53 of the 2<sup>nd</sup> period it
was 4-0 Boston. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">But we like to look on the bright side here at Blueshirt-Brothers so we’ll
say this – for the rest of the game the King shut the Bruins out. Of course – they only took 3 shots at Hank
the third period.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">An odd note – Tukka Rask took himself out of the game ten seconds into
the second period with what the Bruins eventually called “dehydration”. Maybe that’s the flu. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">We did get – finally – Nash’s 40<sup>th</sup> goal of the season after
Hank stopped a breakaway and Nash got a nice feed for the tap in as he streaked
past Charra.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">And at 19:47 of the third – Matt Hunwick made it 4-2 for our final score.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">What Did We
Learn? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">That even the King can get a little rust in his crown.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Assist “Sisters”: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Assists for J.T. Miller, Kreider, Stepan,
and Yandle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">No. We
had no powerplays and Boston was 0-1 on theirs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Where Do We Stand?
</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">It was fun while it
lasted. The President can keep his lousy
trophy. We now trail Montreal, Nashville,
and Anaheim. On the bright side – in the
Metro – the Islanders are now in third.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Back down I-95 for a
game at home verses the hated Washington Capitals – the guys that broke Klein’s
arm. If you’re Vigneault do you use
Talbot or Hank? I’m guessing
Talbot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Non-Sequitur of the
day: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I was rooting Notre Dame
– and they almost pulled it off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-50474133882343124132015-03-27T06:17:00.001-04:002015-03-27T06:17:10.965-04:00Rangers Clinch Playoffs - Beat Ottawa and Hambuglar 5-1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">What a night! The Rangers may have
broken the hottest team in hockey, humiliating the (formerly) red hot Ottawa
Senators 5-2 on their home ice – lighting up the NHL’s hottest goaltender (the
Hamburgler) for 5 goals on 17 shots – and best of all – clinching the playoffs
with 101 points!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The Senators had been 14-0-1 in Matthew Hammond’s incredible rookie
run. But the Rangers came to town and changed
all that. By early in the second period –
the embarrassed Senators had to sit the man the nicknamed “the Hamburglar”
because the Rangers had lit him up for 4 goals in 17 shots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The first goal was beautiful.
Derek Stepan didn’t have a direct passing lane to Chris Kreider – so he
banked an outlet pass off the end boards that Kreider caught in full stride and
beat Hammond short side for the 1-0 lead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">17 seconds later it was 1-1, thanks in part to a puck that bounced past
Yandle, but we like to focus on positives here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">A few minutes later, Boyle followed the rush in the offensive zone – took
the wide open feed – and buried it for the 2-1 lead at 5:20.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">And then – oin the final minute – Stepan’s shot hit Hammond in the chest
and popped up and over him. It may have
been heading in anyway – but Kreider swooped in behind the Senator’s goalie and
buried the one-footer and at 19:00 it was 3-1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">That was already more goals than Hammond had let up in his pro
career. And the imaginary man at the
floodgates was thinking about opening them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Early in the second – Kevin Hayes found an accelerating Mats Zuccarello who
fired the puck past Hammond yet again for the Rangers 4<sup>th</sup> goal in 17
shots. At this point the Hamburglar was
cooked (Editor – Really?) and Ottawa gave the rookie his first benching of his
young career.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">But the Rangers weren’t done. The
middle of the 2<sup>nd</sup> period turned into a Rangers penalty fest – with Rick
Nash serving two separate two minute penalties in a 4 and a half minute
span. Tanner Glass soon joined Ricky in
the box after a slashing penalty and it was 5 on 3. The Rangers did a great job defending that,
and when Glass eventually followed Nash out of the penalty box – Stepan found
him for an off man rush that Tanner burried to break a long scoring drought (and
net him the Broadway hat) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">It was 5-1 and the evening was over as far as competitive hockey was
concerned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The third period was another Ranger penalty-fest – resulting with us
killing off another three powerplays and emerging with the 5-1 victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Cam Talbot was again great in net – this time with Henrik Lundqvist
serving as the backup. Cam Stopped 24 of
24 shots for a .958 save percentage – which will win you a lot of hockey
games. The Rangers dominated the
Senators – limited them to just 4 shots in the second and 9 in the third –
despite all the powerplays and Ottawa attempting to get back in the game. Great win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">There was a scary moment when Dan Girardi had to leave the ice with an
injury – but late reports is that it was just a gash requiring stitches. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">What Did We Learn? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">That the Rangers refuse
to lose two in a row.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Assist “Sisters”: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> A lot:
2 each for Stepan and Hayes. Singles
for Kreider (to go with his 2 goals), Boyle and Zuccarello, (to go with their single
goals), Yandle and Nash. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The Rangers had no powerplays – but stopped all
six of Ottawa’s. So it was a big factor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Where Do We Stand?
</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">It’s great. First of all – at 101 points we lead the
league in points – and we are the first team in the NHL to CLINCH A PLAYOFF SPOT. 8 points up on the Islanders. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Saturday afternoon in
Boston.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Non-Sequitur of the
day: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Skapski was sent down to
the AHL. We’ll miss you, red. Replacing him as the Rangers backup netminder
is some guy named Lundqvist (yes I checked the spelling). We’ll see if this Swedish fellow can help the
team.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-89187612522635431662015-03-23T06:26:00.005-04:002015-03-23T06:35:14.762-04:00Greatness Returns – Rangers Top Ducks 7-2 to reclaim NHL’s top honors<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3pt;">Honestly I don’t understand.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3pt;">All
these years of watching the Rangers play has not prepared me for such… such
goodness.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3pt;">Just when the Rangers seemed
to be winning ugly – when they had forgotten how to score – when their
impressive run seemed to be headed for an extended slump, what do they do?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On zero days rest – without their best goalie, their 2<sup>nd</sup> best
scorer and their top scoring defenseman – they humiliate the West’s top team –
the Anaheim Ducks – 7-2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s seven to two. A blowout
where the Ducks yanked one goalie after three goals and may have thought about
yanking his replacement after another four.
It was a remarkable moment in an increasingly remarkable season. It was fun and cool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And of course this all happened as we were being (typically) out face-offed
and out-shot by what was the best team in hockey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the first period, on the game’s second minute, the Rangers dominated –
looking like they were on the powerplay.
The puck got behind Andersen and Kreider was quick with the stick,
getting behind the Duck’s netminder and cashing in one of the shortest shots
you’re ever likely to see in an NHL game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Ducks struck back quickly – but the Rangers weren’t done yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At 5:43 the Rangers got two things they’ve been missing for far too long –
a Stepan Goal and a Power Play goal. It
was a blast from point and we led 2-1 – a lead we would never relinquish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Five minutes Hagelin got credited for a goal when a spin-a-rama bounced in off his skate for the 3-1 lead. That was 3 goals on 7 shots and ended
Andersen’s evening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Ducks quacked one more time to make it 3-2 after one. But the Rangers added two more in the 2<sup>nd</sup>. The first by J.T. Miller and then Stepan
stole the puck and fired his 2<sup>nd</sup> of the night – unassisted – and it was
5-2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the third Derek Brassard and Jesper Fast got it to the 7-2 final. Great game all around, Cam was great again stopping 32 of 34 shots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We Learn? </b>That the Rangers can
still score.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Assist “Sisters”: </b> Too many to mention!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>We finally got a powerplay goal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>On top. Of everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>Tuesday night at home to
the Kings<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the
day: </b>My oldest son’s 21<sup>st</sup>
birthday today!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-18676046605897802412015-03-22T07:47:00.002-04:002015-03-22T07:47:53.596-04:00Rangers win ugly – but beat Carolina in Shootout<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5EtTp26YqAL_7V1bLKC8Byzb4B0WKLG2PX_R6MUqctYkol1e5rctg6SqGX7Oener5OsPXTop4e-MVh8AaVaCx2xzQCzlOYf2AvUg9d8CC0JdzBxDUc9SDUyxzfhuaq5pvXestjEljF4/s1600/Zuc+shootout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5EtTp26YqAL_7V1bLKC8Byzb4B0WKLG2PX_R6MUqctYkol1e5rctg6SqGX7Oener5OsPXTop4e-MVh8AaVaCx2xzQCzlOYf2AvUg9d8CC0JdzBxDUc9SDUyxzfhuaq5pvXestjEljF4/s1600/Zuc+shootout.jpg" height="320" width="279" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the end of the night its 2 points and we’ll take it. The Rangers played a good second period in
Carolina, Cam Talbot played a good game period, and Zuccarello got the game
winner in the shootout (and this sentence ends with a period).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The historical streak of (was it 8?) consecutive games giving
up one goal or less came to an end as the Hurricane’s dominated the third
period <i><span style="color: purple;">(like they had the first)</span></i> and scored to tie the game and send it to
Overtime. You can’t blame Cam Talbot,
who once again stood tall in goal and did more than give the Rangers a chance
to win – he won the game by not letting up more than the 2 goals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second period is where the Rangers did all their best work
– offensively and defensively. They outshot
the Hurricane 14-5 and scored twice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At 3:39 it was J. T. Miller, skating with Brassard and
Zuc. Zuccarello, who heard his name
called by the fans even though the Rangers were away, made a perfect pass through traffic to
J. T. as he streaked alone to the net.
Miller intended to knock the puck to his forehand, but instead tipped
the puck right past Khudobin for the tying goal. As J. T. tried to position his stick for the
forehand shot that never came – it faked out the Hurricane goaltender while the
puck slipped past him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And later it was Jesper Fast, who had scoring chances all
night, doing the full 360 spin-a-rama between the circles and zipping the puck
over Khudobin’s right shoulder for the 2-1 lead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the Hurricane’s tied it in the third, and a scoreless
O.T., we were on to the shootout, where Cam had been simply awful in earlier
tries this season. But we‘ve been
watching the Ranger backup net minder grow into an up and coming star before
our eyes and this shootout was a much different than any we’d seen Cam in before. He was simply perfect, stopping all three Carolina
attempts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And for the Rangers – Mats Zuccarello faked (deked?) with
his backhand, pulled it back to his forehand and slid the puck around Khudobin’s
pad for the game winner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We Learn? </b>We learned that seasons
evolve. .And right now the Rangers are
winning with goaltending and blocked shots (24 tonight).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Assist "sisters" of the game:</b> Kevin Hayes,
Brassard, and Zuccarello (big one) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>Thankfully no – we were (once again) 0 for 2 on the PP,
while Carolina scored once in two tries.
It almost cost us one and will eventually if we can’t figure out how to
score with the extra skater.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>It’s good. First place in the Metro, somehow 5 points
above the Islanders with 3 games at hand.
14 points above 9<sup>th</sup> place Ottawa (who are just 1 point behind
8<sup>th</sup> place Boston). Montreal
has 2 points on us for the East, but have played 3 more times. Same thing for Anaheim over in the west (who
we play tomorrow)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>No rest. We scoot home to take on the league leading Anaheim
Ducks on Sunday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the
day: </b>I had Hampton winning
the National Championship – so my bracket is kind of busted.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-451865709340963061.post-18899512843962506252015-03-18T23:52:00.001-04:002015-03-18T23:52:11.228-04:00Blackhawks deal Rangers rare home loss 1-0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAg-R0WVALzcfH4iYJa32hd2UGUDYNsMbNR9UL5FquaRK-R0us4pvumWv43np5NXBhHjVI7LvvapJZiiPLabH87NSc4DCB0NOjKGN8c6fqwyiaaeziwS3RjZbY7wrdje3cCdwrtr8z2c/s1600/darling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAg-R0WVALzcfH4iYJa32hd2UGUDYNsMbNR9UL5FquaRK-R0us4pvumWv43np5NXBhHjVI7LvvapJZiiPLabH87NSc4DCB0NOjKGN8c6fqwyiaaeziwS3RjZbY7wrdje3cCdwrtr8z2c/s1600/darling.jpg" height="308" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3pt;">Huh?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3pt;">We
lost? Shutout by Scott Darling? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3pt;">It was our first loss at home
since January and our 2nd regulation loss overall in 19 games. </span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">And damn
it - we almost won. Boyle slammed a 3 on 2 opportunity off the cross bar
and the rebound started a Chicago rush that ended with a lucky bounce to
ex-ranger Brad Richards who made a big time patient play to beat Cam Talbot for
the game winner. Chicago downed us
1-0. <span class="apple-converted-space">We
</span>actually scored in this game - but the refs blew a fast whistle and the
goal was waved off. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Still -
for an 8th straight game the Rangers let up one goal or less - an all time
Ranger record. Lundqvist never did this. Giacomin never did
this. Davidson and Vanbiesbrouck neither (</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Gump Worsley</span>?) <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">. It is Cam (and
Skapski) who have put together this remarkable streak. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Tough
loss. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What Did We Learn? </b>We learned once again that winning the
faceoff battle (which we did 37-26) is – at least for this team this year – a meaningless
stat)<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Uh, A Little Help?</b> Nope.
Shut out – so no assists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Did Special Teams
Determine The Outcome Of This Game? </b>We were 0 for 2 and our PK was 2-2. But one goal would have meant everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where Do We Stand?
</b>Still number 1 in the league. Three
other teams have 95 points – but we’ve
played less games.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh My - What Will Happen
Next? </b>Rest and practice. Then to Carolina on Saturday <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Non-Sequitur of the
day: </b>Someone send me a bracket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Puckshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17537616021997420040noreply@blogger.com0