2011 Unrestricted Free Agents

So here's the complete list of available Unrestricted Free Agents for the 2011 campaign. What do you all think?

Complete List of UFAs

Kinda slim pickens for good players. Might be better off making a trade or two.

Rangers have 16million available in Cap space, but spending needs to figure in new contracts for Dubinsky, Callahan, Boyle and Gilroy. Just like last off-season we need to free up some space somewhere

Oh and heres the complete list of Restricted Free Agents:


The difference between the two types is that an Unrestricted Free Agent wasn't protected by his team in the final year of the player's contract so he is free to field better offers from other teams. A Restricted Free Agent can not, but if his team chooses not to protect him during his second to last year of the contract, the player's status will change to Unrestricted during the final year of the contract and the team risks losing that player.

Basically the Rangers would have to pick from the UFA list, and wait another year (or trade this summer) for players on the RFA list.

So leave your thoughts in the comment section as to who you think the Rangers should go for

Ranger Fans,

I know everyone is writing up their Season Recaps and taking a break from hockey, but it's not going to happen here at the Blueshirt Brigade because I feel we're just getting started with the process of putting together a stronger, championship-caliber club. I wrote a quick overview of the Washington series over at The Hockey Writers site which you could read here if you're so inclined, but aside from that I'll just leave you with this:

2009-2010 New York Rangers GP: 82 W: 38 L: 33 OT: 11 @Home: 18-17-6 PTS: 87 Standing: 9th Place Playoffs: NO

2010-2011 New York Rangers GP: 82 W: 44 L: 33 OT: 5 @Home: 20-17-4 PTS: 93 Standing: 8th Place Playoffs: YES

Cold, Hard Facts: Improvement.

So we're going to continue throughout the summer with Ranger articles, transaction updates, opinions, more things like this, and some playoff observations regarding the teams still involved because these games have been fantastic and I can't stand golf

So hang in there Blueshirt fans. I wanted us to go further too.

But better days ahead.
~~Rich Baiocco

BACKS AGAINST THE WALL, THE BLUESHIRTS COME OUT BLAZING

We're in a tough spot but we have to take the same approach as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid did: Come out shooting.

Everything to the net today Rangers. Leave it all out there. Let's bring this series back to the Garden!

Go Blue!

Boudreau And Caps Silence Raucous Garden In Game 4

Damn that hurt.

I haven't had the wind punched out of me like that since Ryan Hollweg took a penalty in the 2008 Rangers/Penguins playoff series that led to the series winning goal and Jagr's subsequent retirement following the most determined postseason performance he'd given in a Rangers uniform. But who has time for the past right now?

I do. A few notes about last night's game in order to confront the demons and then prepare for Saturday.

Gaborik didn't cost us the game, but he cost us a goal. Just say it and get it over with. As much as McDonagh's giveaway to Semin cost us a goal, Gaborik's attempt to blindly swat at a loose puck with one hand instead of letting Lundqvist (who was facing the action and could see who was coming down on him) cover the puck, was a desperation play in a non-desperation situation (it was a 2 on 3 rush). The Rangers--with an exception to Lundqvist--seemed mentally fatigued in the 3rd period and both overtimes and this play seemed a direct result of that. We stopped forechecking and creating strong chances and got on our heels. It's a fine line in overtime as I'm sure the natural philosophy is to protect your zone and when you notice an opportunity then go for it. But the best way to protect your zone is to control the puck, and the best way to take an opportunity is to make an opportunity happen for yourself. The Rangers were hesitant, maybe tired, and the Capitals had a few players who seemed to get stronger as the game progressed (Semin, Fehr, Chymera).

Still, when Hank stopped Ovechkin on that breakaway I thought we'd steal the momentum we needed to slip one by Neuvirth, but it wasn't the case.

Prior to the extra sessions, I thought Gabby was cruising out there and his backdoor goal not only supplied a personal drought with some rain water, but gave the Rangers that elusive two-goal lead it had thirsted for through 3 playoff games. I have no ill will towards Gaborik, just as I have no ill will towards McDonagh (a rookie playing over 30 minutes against one of the most potent offenses in recent NHL history, expected to play pristine mistake-free hockey? If you criticize him I'd like to know what you've done lately?). I'm sure Gabby feels bad the game ended the way it did and he'll do everything he can to get on the scoreboard on Saturday, in fact if there's every been a motivation for the superstar to put together a magical game it's right now. Let's take that and ride with it because being down 3 games to 1 is all about finding positives and eliminating negatives.

The Power Play blows. Coach Tortorella didn't so much admit it during his postgame but he certainly alluded to it. He commented that since the man-up is clearly not working the only thing the Rangers can do is fight that much harder to kill off Washington's Power Plays. In a way he's right (though it reads like a cop out) because the penalty kill can be something you can control--you can work harder for it because it is rooted in your survival instinct. The Power Play is different: it's more of a feel. It takes some vision, some vision that this particular group of guys may not all have, and if the wrong guy has the puck and he bobbles it, or gives it away, or loses the faceoff, and you're facing one of the best Penalty Kills in the league in Washington, you're toast. For now with our backs absolutely up against the wall I agree with Tortorella that a Penalty Kill far outweighs the chance that we happen to figure out a PP goal, but this summer it must be corrected if the Rangers want to be considered a threat. Going 0-fer on the PP when you have multiple chances in the 3rd period or overtime to put a game away against the #1 seed is just not going to cut it.

No Surge Protector. Hank could stand on his head, and I did get the feeling that he would've saved pucks last night until the Rangers found a way to win--he was THAT KIND OF ON, but if the team doesn't monkeywrench the momentum back from an opponent's surge Time will find a way to award the other team the win. The McDonagh giveaway exposed a chink in the armor after the Rangers played what uber-qualified Mark Messier called 'one of the best periods I've seen in 5 years', but it was the 2nd goal that was the back breaker for me. Weak side coverage has been a problem for the Blueshirts all season (ie. teams throwing pucks cross-ice for unexpectedly open or weakly covered teammates to tap in). When Brooks Laich chases a puck to the outer hashmarks and wheels and blindly fires it cross ice, he's not making a specific pass but hoping someone will be open. The Rangers, who were already beginning to back off their gameplan and watch the Caps skate a little too often, drifted towards Laich and left Johansson wide open in front. The subsequent tying goal was an unlucky tip but at that point the Rangers had already lost the momentum. You can't give away goals to the Capitals--they will make you pay. This game was lost in the 3rd period, not the overtime.


And still, I think of the Hank save on Ovechkin in the first extra session. King was on, he was giving us a chance to win and that is why this game hurt so much to lose. We didn't get blown out, we haven't been blown out this series, we've been right there at the buzzer. But we haven't found a way to get it done as often as they have found a way. But it takes 4 wins to move on and the Blueshirts still have an opportunity to find a way.

I thought Boyle put it best:

"I'm not looking for three in a row. We're looking for one. We just want to win Game 5. Tonight will be tough to be positive. We're going to dwell on it, and I think that's part of it. If you're not a little upset about what happened there's something wrong with you."

Game 4 was a tough pill to swallow, no doubt, but there is no way to change it or make it hurt less. Take the pain, confront the 3rd period in tape and at practice, take accountability for the Overtime goal, and use it all to motivate a spirited comeback game in Washington DC because amidst the hostile Red Crowd the Rangers need to play a focused dead-on road game.

We want the Blueshirts back at the Garden. If anything for another chance to prove Bruce Boudreau wrong. Can You Hear Us??

Pre Game Quote submitted by Liquid Gearheart

Inch by Inch, Row By Row

Someone Bless These Seeds I Sow

Til The Rain Comes Tumbling Down

--David Mallett

These words seem apt to describe the Rangers' hard work in this series--especially at the faithful "Garden". They need to work even harder tonight then they have before because as emotional as Sunday was, it means little unless we tie this series up tonight.

I wrote an article on Fedotenko and doing the little things right for The Hockey Writers website, and if the Rangers keep doing the little things right as a team and continue to pound the net the Rains Will Come Tumbling Down.


So, enough said. Stay focused and let's get it done at the LOUD GARDEN TONIGHT!
Go Blue!

Classy Stash and a Gritty Net Crash: Dubinsky Comes Through In Characteristic Ranger Style

by Rich Baiocco

I tell you, it's one thing for the players to be in better spirits after holding onto a win to regain ground in this series, but as a fan coming into work Monday morning the difference between 2-1 and being down 3 games to nothing probably saved the life of someone I would've killed on a miserable morning commute had the Blueshirts lost. But that's not the case(Thankfully!), due to Brandon Dubinsky and a tremendous Ranger team effort yesterday at the Garden.

I wrote an article about Rangers resiliency for The Hockey Writers website (kind of an NHL.com type site, with more in-depth articles) in response to all the doubts and negativity that was infiltrating the media after the first 2 games of the series and as expected the team came through.

The Blueshirts took it to the Caps from the jump, utilizing the energetic Avery-Boyle-Prust line to set the physical tone for the tilt. The Rangers were finally able to control the offensive zone with a sustained forecheck that kept the top-seed on their heels and caused them to take 8 penalties. Normally that wouldn't have been a problem since the Rangers were an anemic 1-31 on the PP, but with tension mounting Erik Christensen rifled a wrist shot from the goal line into the crawl space above Michal Neuvirth's shoulder and gave the Rangers a confidence in themselves they would not lose.

Yet it certainly would be tested. The Caps' captain and most lethal player freed himself from Brandon Prust on a broken play and was able to tip a puck over the pad of Henrik Lundqvist with time dwindling in the period. The Rangers didn't panic though, but rather kept their foot on the gas and veteran Ruslan Fedotenko--who played a spirited and gritty game on both sides of the puck--somehow jammed a wraparound/centering pass past Neuvirth with .1 second remaining on the television clock. The crowd went bananas but unfortunately the goal went under review and was overturned due to a discrepancy between the actual game clock and the television clock. Why in hell the two tickers would be different is mind boggling, but the Blueshirts kept their poise, marched into the locker room and came out with a continued intensity and attack in the next period.

Then Brandon Dubinsky took over. Playing on a line with Marian Gaborik, the two stifled shooters combined their efforts to make something happen in game 3. Gabbi weaved down low and got a puck to the net and Dubi used his size and strength to free it from Neuvirth's pounce, wheel into the corner and cycle back up the boards where he arrowed a pass to Marc Staal at the point. Making an adjustment to Washington's shot-blocking strategy, Staal waited for his checker to go down then fired chest high blast with Gabbi screening in front. Neuvirth made the initial save but Vinny Prospal crashed the net and banged in perhaps the juiciest rebound of his career. It was a prime example of the Rangers figuring out the extra yard to push in order to score a goal in a tight playoff series like this one.

The Caps wouldn't quit though, and Ovetckin again made a big play to keep his squad in the game, faking out Girardi on the PP then hitting Backstrom on a cross ice feed. Lundqvist stopped the one-timer, but Mike Knuble slammed in the rebound. Being that the games were so defensively locked both teams were clearly looking to make plays happen around the net, crashing the blue paint to create rebounds and cash in.

The Rangers would crash harder though, and again it was Brandon Dubinsky rising to the occasion. The newly placed center ran a monstrous forecheck in the corner, jamming up the boards like a rally car crash-up. With Fedotenko cheating in for a pick, Dubi used his skate to muscle the puck out of the corner and then made a key play that will hopefully signify a slight change in the attitude of attack the Rangers are taking: rather than taking the puck behind the net for a probable perimeter cycle, he cut short, using his big body as a screen and dragged the puck out and jammed it hard on Neuvirth. To quote Caps disgruntled coach Bruce Boudreau the puck "hit off a guy's stick, went up into the air and tumbled behind the goalie and in. It counted." Damn straight Bruce, it counted. And it set the Garden fans into a frenzy.

The Rangers were able to fend off a final Caps surge on the strength of a Marc Staal extra effort along the boards that led to a clear. The win was dramatic and resilient and everything the Rangers needed it to be to give themselves some confidence in this series. But Washington never quit either, and with a trip back to DC looming, it is vital the Rangers bring the same intensity Wednesday night to knot this series up and put pressure on the #1 seed.

Great win Blue. Let's keep it fighting.

RANGERS' RESILIENCY TO BE TESTED IN GAME 2

The instant Alexander Semin rocketed a Marc Staal turnover past Henrik Lundqvist's blocker nearly 18 minutes into Overtime on Thursday night, the Rangers cut ties with the loss and began preparing for Game 2. You have to, really--the Playoffs are all about a short memory. The ability to rebound after tough losses has been a core strength for the Blueshirts throughout the season and resiliency to pessimism and extended periods of lazy play has forged their team identity and muscled them into the playoffs. But now what?

Obviously offense was a problem in Game 1 as the Rangers couldn't threaten with much danger and gain the 2-goal advantage after jumping out to the lead. In a tight playoff game against the #1 seed, you will need to steal a game or two on the road to win the series and with the chance presented to the Blueshirts they were unable to deliver. Critics of Marian Gaborik are ready to write off the snakebitten star, and even die hard supporters must cringe when he stuffs goal mouth opportunities into the goalie's stomach instead of showing his characteristic soft hands around the crease. I have faith in Gabby's ability to put together a big game, espcially this year as his inconsistent offense has come in spurts, and that may be exactly what the Rangers need to even up this series. It seems today he'll be back with Christensen on his line and the directive to the two of them is certainly: SHOOT.

Another aspect of the offense that is problematic concerns the amount of shots getting through. The Capitals clogged lanes on us and blocked 32 shots, leaving Neuvirth to save the scraps and though he was solid he wasn't exceptional. We need to test the young goalie's mettle and make him feel the intensity of our attack. Our young rookies played well in their first Playoff experience, Gilroy scored on the best shift we were able to put together, but there were some nerves to deal with as expected. Step and Zucc (if he's in the lineup. My gut opinion, he will be) need to dig their skates in and get inside to the tough areas as do the Rangers in general. Playoff games aren't won on the perimeter and the Rangers have to do whatever it takes to get inside.

Defensively I thought we played the game we wanted, but it wasn't enough. Staal and Girardi shut down Ovetchkin except for one shift where the Russian Bull showed his fortitude and jammed a puck past Lundqvist on the rush. Prior to that the Dynamic Duo had shut down Ovie, Semin and Backstrom the entire season--keeping the trio off the scoreboard. Lundqvist was for the most part brilliant but had help from the Post and his teammates clearing out dangerous rebounds in front. To take a 1-1 game with the Capitals into overtime I can't imagine the Rangers would argue with their defensive effort. It will need to be there all series.

The Rangers can gain some ground if they can get their Power-Play settled. It's clear to me that we can't put Washington up a man, but if we get the chance we need to take advantage. The momentum gained on a playoff kill can throw the home team over the top and in an already hostile building the Blueshirts can't give the Caps any edge.

We need to execute a great road game. We came close in game 1, but if the players have chosen to forget about it, the fans should too. Let's get inside, get grittier, and like the Knicks MSG commercial suggests "you don't just play, you play harder. You don't just work, you work harder."

Let's Go BLue!

THE BLUESHIRTS ARE COMING!! THE BLUESHIRTS ARE COMING!! Playoffs Are On And Rangers Look to Overthrow Caps In DC

by Rich Baiocco

I know the regular season means nothing once the playoffs begin, and I know the 2 blowouts and 3 out of 4 wins against the top-seeded Capitals don't mean much but how about this: HENRIK LUNDQVIST. The legitimate Vezina candidate has worked more magic between the bars than if David Blaine and Kriss Angel were cellmates, playing 27 games down the stretch for the injury-hampered Rangers and back-boning their emotionally hectic road to the postseason with his stellar consistency. As Coach Tortorella notes, Lundqvist is "tasting it," referring to his hunger for playoff Glory. Hank himself has commented that for the past two months he's been reinvigorated, reading up on other teams, checking scores and making sure he is dominant in the painted crease. Though the Capitals have strategically modified their game to a more defensively responsible system, they still have 3 young goaltenders...and none of them are as steady as The King when he's on.

And he is on.

The Caps may have us in offense with guys like Ovetckin and Semin leading the way, but you only need to win by 1 goal and the Rangers know how to play in tight games. In fact, when we lock into our identity I don't believe there is a team in the playoffs tighter than us because our identity is that we play as a team. We don't rely on one guy to save our bacon, not even Hank--and games when he's let in some shaky goals, we've managed to rally for him, for the good of the team. Let's face it, Gaborik hasn't scored enough this season, but we haven't desperately waited for him to click--we've gone out and won games, found ways to score and Gabbi has contributed in other ways. This year's Blueshirt team looks out for one another, relentlessly forechecks, create turnovers and eats up puck possession time. We don't panic in 3rd periods or after a loss and we NEVER QUIT.

The Capitals are a more well-rounded team than when we played them in February, but they have all the pressure on them and they are not so versed in their new system that they won't panic if things don't go their way. They were knocked out in the first round last year by Montreal, and with Crosby and Malkin sidelined for the Penguins it's Ovetchkin's chance to chase the cup. We have no pressure on us--none at all. We can play loose and relaxed and really be a spoiler in this series. As my wise father says "we're playing with house money".

So let's go all in and knock these HBO Star turkeys right out of the playoffs.

Bonus Playoff Preview--Predictions.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Vancouver v. (8) Chicago --if anyone can knock off the Canucks it's the defending champs. I wouldn't sleep on Jonathan Toews at all

(2) San Jose v. (7) Los Angeles --Sharks are not the team to beat anymore. They might actually overachieve this year with less pressure on them.

(3) Detroit v. (6) Phoenix -- Last year this series was amazing, mostly due to Ranger property Wojtek Wolski who really turned heads coming in from Colorado and elevating his game with Shane Doan out injured. This year Detroit looks too strong, even with Zetterberg missing time.

(4) Anaheim v. (5) Nashville --The Ducks are my pick to come out of the West. This will be the best series in the conference during the first round though.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Washington v. (8) New York --You know my pick

(2) Philadelphia v. (7) Buffalo --Yaaaaawwwwnnn. I can't stand either of these teams

(3) Boston v. (6) Montreal --wow, i hope this is an all out war, 1970s style. Boston has the clear edge--I don't know how to say I Hate Charra in French but I'm sure those are the words in every Canadian fans' mouth.

(4) Pittsburgh v. (5) Tampa Bay -- It's noble that Pittsburgh has been as good as it has without Crosby or Malkin, but I don't see either of those guys getting back into it for this series and Tampa is going to pull this out. Slow season end by Stamkos won't last, watch for him putting up big numbers.

A Chance To Dance: Rangers Spring Into 2011 Playoffs!

by Rich Baiocco

If you had asked me at any point during this season if the Rangers would make the playoffs I would have said YES. We were consistently inconsistent yet remarkably resilient: we only really had one true winning streak (a 2-week period in March where we amassed standings points in 7 straight games) yet never fell prey to a significant losing streak either. Like other teams in the bottom of our conference we never had a 'bad month' or an 'off week.' In fact we rarely had an 'off' game, cementing a gritty, hardworking, defensively responsible Identity that helped our club remain focused on finding ways to win despite a season plagued with injury and a frequent lack of offensive excess (aka breathing room). We played to our strengths all year instead of flailing to be a team we weren't: held onto leads (29-0 when leading going into 3rd period), won 3rd periods (our best period, the comeback was always a no-panic possibility) and won shootouts. We had 93 points, 44 wins, 11 shutouts, a +35 goals for/goals against record, and finished 11 games over .500. We beat the Canucks, the Sharks, the Flyers and the Capitals and when the final buzzer sounded in game 82 against the Devils at Madison Square Garden yesterday afternoon the Blueshirts were up 5-2. Yet we were somehow NOT in the playoffs.

Carolina could earn the tiebreaker by defeating Tampa, and coming off a 3-0 shutout over Detroit and a 6-1 smoking of Atlanta, our fate looked grim. In the aftermath of a truly inspirational and emotional win against the Devils, anxiety paralyzed everyone. Players knew they'd done what they could, but still couldn't celebrate with a future so uncertain. The afternoon was uneasy and I'm sure Blueshirt fans were going over the same things in their heads: comparing the playoff-deservedness of our honest season against the reasons Tampa Bay had to bring their best against Carolina later that evening. So much had gone right for us but would our karma be enough? Reviewing the contributions from our club the stats were impressive: career years from Brian Boyle, Marc Staal, Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Brandon Prust. Lundqvist career high shutouts and save percentage. Rookie forwards Derek Stepan and Mats Zuccarello put up respectable point totals while Michael Sauer and Ryan McDonagh fit seamlessly into the Rangers tough defensive system. Vinny Prospal, with his career in jeopardy due to injury, shook off naysayers and came back after the all star break to spearhead a Rangers offensive surge on the push to the playoffs while Chris Drury--after suffering two serious mid season injuries--clawed his way back through non-contact practice the final two weeks of the season and into the lineup for the last game of the regular season where the captain came up clutch on his first shift, winning a puck off the boards on a forcheck, getting it back as he cut to the net and beat Marty Brodeur through the wickets to tie the game up and solidify the foundation of an emotional win. Drury is a guy you always want to root for because of his history for coming up big in big moments (pitches complete game Little League World Series for Trumbull Connecticut, Wins Hobey Baker with Boston University, Wins Stanley cup and Calder Trophy with Avalanche, killed Rangers in playoffs as a member of Sabres, makes US Olympic team, scores--guy's a winner) but his season was frustrated by injury and a lack of production, and seeming lack of conditioning. The goal at the Garden thrust him back into the hearts of fans. And to top everything off Ryan McDonagh scores his first ever NHL goal at the most opportune time, breaking a 2-2 tie and sending the Rangers on their way to victory.

A year after taking a less-deserved team to the brink of the playoff picture and losing out in a shootout loss, the Rangers trimmed their fat, stayed closer to their vest, honed their hardworking identity and fought with everything they had to get better. And a year later, they were. But would it be enough? Would the hockey gods smile upon us?

Well if you asked me the same question about the Rangers making the playoffs I would've still said Yes, and if I wholeheartedly, undoubtedly believed my own answer I could've avoided an afternoon/evening of heartburn and stomach knots. But I've been a hockey fan long enough to know anything can happen in this league. My brother and I walked to a bar to catch the game and get some dinner and quickly realized we couldn't eat--too nervous. We just wanted to know, one way or another if we were in the playoffs or not. And believe me, NOT was NOT an option. And the bar was unexpectedly closed. WTF? More waiting. By the time we got back to his apartment the Hockey Gods were grinning. For one thing, the Lightning dressed all their key players. In a game meaning nothing to their playoff position it was entirely possible they'd rest Marty St. Louis, Vinny Lecavalier or Steve Stamkos. They didn't. Maybe they felt they owed a little effort to John Tortorella or Vinny Prospal or Ruslan Fedotenko, guys who gave them a cup of their own. Maybe, and more realistically, they just wanted to pound a division rival into the ice. Then they jumped out to a 4-0 lead and without celebrating too early for fear of failure, Blueshirt fans eased the fist that clenched their heart (ever so slightly), and when Marty St. Louis tucked in an empty net goal with less than a minute remaining those same fists thrust into the air and pumped and pumped cause the NEW YORK RANGERS WERE GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS BABY!!!

What a stressful and sweet Saturday for Blueshirt fans. All year the guys just wanted a chance to get into the dance and now we are. Anything can happen. Let's gear up for Washington.

"We Laid An Egg" --Coach Tortorella

by Rich Baiocco

Passion is an odd thing: a force that can propel individuals to ecstatic highs and teams to astounding successes, yet, sadly, containing no rationale to sustain itself. What I mean is, there's no explanation for it, and therefore no formula to replicate it. What the Rangers did in the second and third period of the Bruins game Monday night was purely passion-fueled and emotionally explosive. But even if they prepared the exact same way for this Atlanta Thrashers tilt and followed the exact same scientific regimen leading up to the drop of the puck there is no guarantee the passion would be there. And during the course of the frustrating 3-0 loss in a game overstated with crucial playoff implications passion clearly was not present.

The Blueshirts were flat the entire game, mustering a scarce, directionless attack. The Power-Play continued to struggle, clocking out at 1 for the last 27 opportunities come the final buzzer, zones were not managed well, the forecheck rarely produced puck control or turnovers, giveaways led to goals against, shots against, 3 on 2s against, 2 on 1s against. We seemed scared to lose. Nervousness showed in our inability to handle the puck or do anything decisive with it. This wasn't our worst game of the season: it wasn't a total stinker, but it was so far from typical gritty Ranger hockey that we may as well have lost 10-0, it wouldn't have mattered. We needed to get a win tonight to keep control of our destiny and we didn't show up.

But would you be lying to yourself if you said you didn't see this coming? Did you find yourself a little nervous throughout the day before the game? What's normally game-day excitement was more like game-day anxiety. The Rangers all season have answered the bell to big teams: The Flyers, the Bruins, The Penguins, The Sharks. But we haven't fared so well against Atlanta. Or The Islanders. Or Buffalo. The top teams throw the challenge at us and we respond to them, passionately, but Atlanta is a sleeper team from the South already out of the playoff picture. They have speed and skill, but they didn't hit us very hard and they didn't fight us. And we didn't fight them. That right away was a red flag because a fight can engage a team and summon that necessary passion to excel and get the job done. A fight seemed the furthest thing on anyone's mind out there and before you know it we're down 2-0 with time working against us.

Another red flag was missing early opportunities. We came out strong, determined to ride some momentum and avoid the letdown, but couldn't power a goal in. And we had some great chances. Anisimov early. Dubi and Gaborik on the Power-Play looking into open nets but not being strong enough on their sticks. Posts by Boyle. Stepan with a 2 feet of net to shoot at from point blank shanks one wide under duress. Lundvist made great saves (most noteably a glove save on Bufuglien off a Girardi giveaway), but they scored 2 goals in 15 seconds and 1 to open the 3rd and quickly what was once a nervous crowd was now certain that the letdown was inevitable.

A final red flag was Gaborik being benched in the 3rd period after a lazy backcheck enabled the Thrashers' third goal. Though this loss could hardly be pinned on one player, I feel Tortorella was playing a card for the New Jersey game, knowing that his number one guy had better get his goal-scoring touch in gear for what could be the final game of the season for the Rangers. Because who knows? We certainly don't. We gave up control of our playoff picture with the loss tonight and Carolina is now in the driver's seat. That doesn't mean we're finished though.

What we do know is that we have The Devils Saturday and they hate us. And we hate them. And if anything we'll have no lack of challenge or provocation or emotional intensity because any game against our cross-river rivals feels like a playoff game. With the honest effort this Ranger team has put in this entire season I would be absolutely shocked if we didn't come to play Saturday. Torts, to his credit, has never once faltered in defending his team each and every postgame this year and just like any Blueshirt fan he truly believes in his guys. And now it's time for the guys to believe in themselves. No time for nervousness or doubt. No room to think about injured comrades or last year's game 82. The only thing left to control is our preparation for this year's game 82. Get ready the best we can and come out Saturday afternoon to dance with the devil and trust the passion of the rivalry will take over.

Destiny's Road, Inlaid With flecks of Gold
Never Runs The Course You'd Been Told.
A path by all math, unseen
Amidst nature's wild green:
It's Only Tracks Are The Boots of the Bold


by Rich Baiocco




If this wasn't clear before, it's crystal clear now: nothing will be gifted to you in the NHL come playoff time. Buffalo pulls out a win against Tampa Bay to leapfrog into 7th place. Montreal beats the playoff hungry Blackhawks to clinch a seed. Carolina shuts out the Red Wings--a team poised to overtake San Jose for 2nd overall in the West. Amidst arguably the most emotional comeback win of the season Monday night Ryan Callahan suffers a season-ending broken ankle. Versus pundits and pud-heads like Mike Milbury and Keith Jones already pinned the Rangers as first-round losers if they got to the playoffs with Callahan healthy or not. Every Ranger analyst with access to a microphone is flashfire-quick to announce the Blueshirts are in the same predicament as they were last year: down-to-the-wire, counting their lucky stars to get into the post-season and ultimately coming up one shootout goal short.

Well guess what Brigade? There are no gifts. There is no magic, easy route to Glory. Buffalo, Montreal and Carolina want a shot at it as bad as any Ranger does. Ryan Callahan broke his ankle and it's unfortunate as ever and terrible timing but we are not the only team to deal with injuries. Look at Pittsburgh. Mike Milbury and Keith Jones and any one else that thinks this team will fold doesn't know shit about us. We've built an entire season on resolve and resiliency and we've dealt with injured stars ALL YEAR. The beauty of this Ranger team is that we don't have one guy carrying the load--we're a team and a family and we pick each other up. We signed up for 82 games and we're going to compete in each and every one of them and earn our way in.

And in case anyone is having trouble differentiating games 81 and 82 this year from games 81 and 82 last year let me jog your memory. We were in MUST win situations in back to back games against the Flyers, on the outside looking in and looking around us for help from other teams. This year we control our own destiny. It may come down to the last game, it may come down to a shootout, but we are not the same team as we were last year--the coaching staff believe this and true fans believe this and most importantly the players believe this. We need to execute.

And nobody's saying it will be easy. Tension mounted in practice when Sean Avery crashed the net on Michael Sauer and some punches were thrown. Analysts have criticized the move to convert Matt Gilroy to forward, despite his obvious offensive-minded talents, skating ability and rover-like positioning he demonstrates while playing 'Defense'. Post reporter Larry Brooks even went so far as to question the shot-blocking philosophy of the Rangers against the mounting evidence of excessive man-game injuries, stating blocked shots don't equate success. Statistically he may have a point, though hypothetical and out of context, but in reality the key to the Rangers' success has been having the puck and hounding after it until we get it again. We've all witnessed the games--few and far between--when the Blueshirts have been on a bubble watching the other team, unable to dig their spurs into the contest. It happened in Buffalo. It happened on Long Island. Blocking shots and throwing the body engage the players mentally and physically, summoning the intensity it takes us to win. We don't overpower teams with offense and we're not the biggest team out there. Our aggressive Defense (and I mean Defense with a capital D, as in Defending) has cost us players in the short term yet forged who we are as a team. Lundqvist leads the league in Shutouts and the Rangers block more shots than almost any team in the NHL. What do you expect the guys to do? Back off? Not this year. To quote Brooks--and I do agree with him here--The Rangers "are all in."

So Big Game Tonight! Gotta Earn It! Lets Go Rangers!

Can you say "O Baby!"-jd

by Mike Baiocco

I had the privilege of attending this monstrous Ranger W over the Bruins last night at the Garden. The game was nothing short of amazing in so many different ways. I had good vibes going all day after my awesome girlfriend surprised me with tickets (yeah, shes a keeper). Before walking into MSG I stopped in Borders to take a piss and saw Jesse "The Body" Ventura doing a book signing....yep, good vibes continued.

The Garden Faithful were amped and ready to go, expecting the same hardworking all out effort that was displayed in their 3-2 victory over Philly on Sunday. This was simply not the case for the first half of this game. The Ranger crowd was silenced after the bruins got out to a quick 2-0 lead. I remained positive because one thing this Ranger team has refused to do is quit when they are down in a hole. I was just hoping for a better turnaround in the second, but it didn't happen right away.

We were still not generating much at the beginning of the second against the bruins solid defense. We began to press which is normal when trailing in a game, but that resulted in many odd man rushes against us. One in particular resulted in the Bruins taking a 3-0 lead. This was like a dagger through the heart at this point and the crowd was so out of it that you could hear a pin drop. The "non" true blue fans were exiting the building and this making me more pissed off. The annoying kid in front of my girlfriend and I who would not stop moving and constantly whining to his dad that he was hungry, certainly did not help the situation. Again I try and remain calm and stay positive, and who better to awaken this lifeless crowd?...none other than High Octane Vinny Prospal. The crowd stood on their feet and there was hope in the building. And just like that, with a minute and change remaining in the 2nd period, Vinny Prospal was there once again to answer the call making it a 3-2 game going into the 3rd period. Prospals celebrations and energy are contagious throughout the team and the fans, and if that emotion doesn't provide a spark, I don't know what does.

I am feeling good at this point. We have played strong 3rd periods all season long when trailing. I wouldn't expect any different especially with a potential playoff berth on the line. Suddenly a new upbeat crowd appeared for the 3rd period. With the clock ticking down and power play opportunities not providing much for us, the Garden Faithful let out numerousLETS GO RANGERS chants to provide some energy to the blue shirts. Torts juggled his lines for most of the second half, but I noticed he went back to his reliable Dubinsky, Anisimov, and Callahan combo. Sure enough this line kept working and working, forechecking like crazy, and an open Dubinsky received an unbelievable backhand pass from Callahan, showed patience to get Thomas out of position, and slipped the puck past him.

At this point the Garden is rocking, high fives all around, and uniting in support of our boys in blue. In this moment I'm thinking to myself that we just have to worry about getting this game beyond regulation and earning a point then worry about the 2nd point when the time comes. In the middle of my thought process, I see our forecheck continuing and Marian Gaborik slips a pass out in front of the Boston net to a streaking Michael Sauer who slides the puck past an out of the net Thomas that crosses the goal line by just a few inches. From where I was sitting, I could not see if the puck was in or not through the big scramble in front of the net, but once I saw the red light go off, I rose to my feet along with the other 18,000+ in attendance and cheered in disbelief of what I was witnessing. I have not heard the Garden that loud since the 2007 playoffs when Michael Rozsival scored in double overtime to beat the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 in game 3.

Finally I was a able to exhale when Derek Stepan scored an empty net goal to seal the deal with a 5-3 victory over the Bruins. This was by far one of the most--if not the most--exciting Ranger games I have ever been to. It was a tuff game in which we trailed early on against a great defensive team, but we fought and clawed our way through because that is this teams mindset; when desperation kicked in, we found a way to get a win. A big 2 points in the standings and we control our own destiny as the players and coaches have stressed. Great game all around. Next test, Atlanta...Lets go Rangers!

Full Effort For Full 60 + In Philly

by Rich Baiocco

Bryan McCabe is a gamer. When the Rangers obtained him from Florida back at the trade deadline our Power-Play was in dire need of a quarterback and Caber moved onto the blue line with a ready-to-implement Advanced Directive to shoot the puck, hard and often. His willingness to throw rubber at the net has been infectious, and shooters like Gaborik, Christensen and Wolski have seen the productivity upside of guys working the pucks out of the corners and towards the points for shots to be fired. McCabe walks the line as well as anyone in the NHL and when a Gaborik or Christensen is also open for a shot, defending penalty-killers must take pause.

The Rangers have tried a veteran PowerPlayer in the past, but productivity was slight. Derek Morris came on board from Phoenix with a hard shot, but no luck. However, when Bryan McCabe hammered in a 5 on 3 slapshot with less than a second remaining in the first period to tie yesterdays high intensity Rangers Flyers game at one, Blueshirt fans rejoiced at how much of a gamer quarterback they indeed now had. And if the goal didn't spark his club, or save it's bacon, then the celebration certainly did: a high octane expletive that could only be matched in enthusiasm by someone like Vinny Prospal who raced out to celebrate with McCabe at the blueline.

The goal gave the Rangers momentum into the second period where a bench minor for too-many-men sent Tortorella into fits on the bench. He seemed to be yelling at Prospal and the sorrowful veteran served the minor which the Rangers fortunately killed off. Out of the box Mr High Octane was determined to right his wrong and hounded the offensive zone below the blueline, jabbing for loose pucks before some nifty handwork freed a pass out to Fedotenko crashing the slot to put the Rangers up 2-1.

In an almost must-win situation the Blueshirts played with the vigor and tenacity that they lacked the last 2 games, but Philadelphia still tied up the game in the 3rd on a pass from Claude Giroux to ex-Ranger Nikolai Zherdev--the duo were the Flyers best players the whole afternoon. The Rangers stayed strong, winning battles and continuing to pepper shots throughout the game. Marc Staal played through a mid-game nose-break and though guys were hurt they gave 100%. When the final OT buzzer sounded to announce shootouts, everyone flashed back to the shootout that sent Philly to the playoffs last year and the Rangers to a long summer--but this time Lundqvist shut the door, stoning the two shooters he faced while Eric Christensen and Wojtek Wolski calmly dismantled netminder Sergei Bobrovsky on consecutive dekes for the win.

Things get no easier from here on out for the Rangers who return to the Garden tonight for a 3 game closeout of the regular season. Bruins, Thrashers, Devils. Both Buffalo and Carolina are winning and won't give us any help, but fortunately our destiny is in our own hands. With 89 points I figure we need 3 more to make the playoffs. Starts tonight with a grindhouse against the Bruins

Lets Go Blue!

Rangers' Identity No-Shows On The Island

Last year the Rangers finished up the season with 87 points. It was not good enough to make the playoffs. Currently we have 87 points...and we've been stuck on that number for two games. There are only four opportunities left to grab points and the Blueshirts have tough games against Conference big dogs The Flyers and Bruins, as well as hungry spoilers Atlanta and crosstown rival New Jersey. These are just the facts.

Another fact, and perhaps one that is of utmost importance, is that the Rangers need to dig deep and find their game, their intensity, their hunger and their execution which has unfortunately slipped away this week if they want to make the 2011 postseason dance. Last night's 6-2 drubbing at the hands of a much looser, much more desperate Islander team was, in one sense, anticipated (we've destroyed them all year), but also extremely disturbing (2 games in a row we've been outworked, hardly the ethic for a identifiably hardworking team playing games 77 and 78 of the season). Coach Tortorella was at a loss for words in the brief postgame interview, or maybe he was just corking the blast that he would give his team in the following day's team meeting.

The game got off to an awkward start for the Rangers when Marian Gaborik--who assisted on a Vinny Prospal goal to give the road team the lead--uncharacteristically hit Jeff Nielson from behind in front of the penalty box, seemingly knocking him out on contact and igniting a melee that somehow gave the Blueshirts a powerplay despite both McCabe and Gaborik being in the box. Gaborik was fortunately only given a 4 minute minor on the play and not a game ejection, which angered the Island crowd. The hit was questionable, but probably would've earned a player with more of a reputation for headshots a suspension; the Rangers never seemed to recover from the uneven karma.

The ensuing 5 on 3 was miserable and set up the Blueshirts to go 0-8 on the Powerplay, the Islanders gaining momentum with each kill. Other signs of early distress were the amount of 2 on 1 rushes we gave up, proving the Rangers never had command of their normally tight Defensive game. The Islanders outworked us to loose pucks and capitalized on lazy passing. We looked fatigued and drained, and there were rumors of the Flu affecting players (Dubinsky), but in the end the excuses just piled up to a scratch in the loss column. A 4 goal second period knocked Lundqvist out of the game and titled the home ice, permanently, in the Islanders' favor. A late goal by Goon/Knucklehead Trevor Gillies kicked us when we were down.

The Rangers have picked a bad time to let their foot off the gas, but the NHL season is a long and they've been resilient to long lapses in focus and intensity. The Flyers are chomping at the bit to avenge the 7-0 spanking we gave them last month, but they are also vulnerable and if there was ever a game to test our mettle it is against the team that moved into the playoffs 1 point ahead of us at this time last year. Sunday will be a war and the Blueshirts need these few days to recuperate whatever losses or illnesses they have and get their asses in gear.