Rangers Flying High Below the Radar

The Rangers have been flying under the radar in a league infatuated with Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, the Montreal Canadiens, and a half dozen Western Conference teams. Even the Devils' plight, down 2-0 heading into Game 2 at the Garden tonight, is more of a story both within the New York area and in the hockey world at large than what Henrik Lundqvist and his Ranger teammates have been able to accomplish so far in the series. And that cannot be more to the liking of the Rangers, who always seem to do their best when they are underestimated -- or is it when they don't have the luxury of overestimating themselves?

Everything you read in the papers today is about the Rangers continuing to show a healthy respect for their opponents and a business-like approach to the task at hand. And that is all more commendable than the Devils continuing to take them lightly and continuing to complain about the officiating (this time the hit that left Zach Parise spitting chiclets, which he doesn't realize was as much his doing as it was Christian Backman's). For more, see the Daily News, Times, Post here and here, Record here, here, and here, Star-Ledger here, here, and here, AP, Slap Shot, and Toronto Star.

Elsewhere, Newsday has an update on Jaromir Jagr's future, with some new Jagr quips on the subject, and NHL award selections; the Post discusses past contracts the Rangers are still squabbling about, including a Jed Ortmeyer bonus -- Orts is out for the season as Nashville plays sacrificial lamb to Detroit and tells us that he really misses New York; and Slap Shot talks to Brian Leetch about how defense is played these days. NYR.com and Rangerland have game previews. Hartford won last night, eliminating the Isles' farm team from the playoffs (see the Courant and Howlings), while Charlotte was swept from their playoffs. Prospect Park has some musings on an off-day for the remaining prospects in the playoffs.

There is not much new to report about the Rangers from today's optional morning skate, but Rangers Report and Blue Notes have some notes and quotes that are worth checking out.

Comments

[Lesky]

Just to clarify the "UNCLE DADDY = Martin Brodeur" nick.

Martin Brodeur once had an affair with his sister-in-law.

Therefore we should call him "Uncle Daddy".

Simple as that.

It has been a pleasure to see Uncle Daddys smirk dissapear the last games :)

[Dubi]

Of course we're all hoping for things to go well for the Rangers tonight, but as they'll be the first to tell you, the Devils are not giving up and could very well come up with something that puts a crimp in our plans. And as we know, when things get ugly on the ice, things get ugly on message boards. So in the unlikely event of a crash landing, here is a reminder for all commenters:

You are welcome to post any and all opinions on the matters at hand in this space. Just please maintain some level of decorum in what you write -- no offensive language, no dissing other commenters in any way even if you are tearing apart the substance of their opinions, and no disrespect to the folks you are talking about even when you are criticizing them (i.e. tell us how and why they are screwing up, if such is the case, but don't call them ugly names).

I don't have time to monitor every comment during and after emotional games like these, so I will not edit any comment that I find in contravention of these guidelines, I will simply delete it, and I will do so without warning or explanation -- simply put, no curses, no slurs, no insults. I'm sorry that I have to do that, but reading other boards, I want to maintain a space where all views are tolerated without risk of flame wars.

If some people mistake this stance as intolerance of their opinions because their opinions are nothing more than misanthropic manipulation of the emotions of others, or because they want a forum where they can dish it out but don't have to take it in return, or whatever, well, that's their problem, not mine, and I don't have time to worry about that. There are plenty of other spaces for people to get their jollies in that way -- at Blueshirt Bulletin, you get your jollies by discussing the Rangers, for better AND for worse, and that's it.

So let's have fun and let's go Rangers!

[mhurley]

Just a reminder to all, the playoff bus leaves 7th and 33rd Street at 430pm. First 150 ride up to Times Square and let New York City know that Ranger's hockey is alive and well and thriving at Madison Square Garden.

Bring a plastic poncho in case it rains.

Let's Go Rangers!

[Alan]

just as an fyi for ranger fans from nyc going to msg tonite (is that too many abbrevs?), from what i can gather after spending about a day on the mta website, or it just seemed that long trying to actually figure it all out, there is no 2 and 3 service uptown from manhattan. you need to get to bowling green where the 5 train from bowling green will be making the stops normally covered by the 2, i.e. going up the west side. game time is 7pm. i'm leaving now to make sure i get there on time :-)

if anybody has a different interpretation of the mta advisories, please let us know.

LET'S GO RANGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sam]

I'm getting goosebumps thinking about how rocking MSG will be tonight!!

Let's Go Rangers!!

[i]

the problem I'm having is the debbies are not showing a healthy respect for the game of hockey, and probably never will for the NYR. They are sore losers and a lot less. Hard for most to be a fan of that.

[Paul R_ _ _ _ _ D]

So Dubi in other words you want us to play nice with others?

[Paul R_ _ _ _ _ D]

Dang the flyers and the caps have had like 8 penalties in the first 11 minutes, there are gonna be some rested players, and the defensive players are gonna be spent.

[GerryD]

Hey, has anyone asked Brooks if he still thinks Debbies in 6???

[angry]

Like Devils coach Brent Sutter, Parise thought Backman deserved a crosschecking major rather than the high sticking double minor he received.

"The only reason they gave him four minutes was because there was blood," he said. "It was a crosscheck in the face."

Asked if he was angry about it, Parise replied, "I was really mad. It's a dirty play. I don't know how you can't be angry about it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I thought it was more of the reflexive, defensive, accidental variety and that the call was the right one. In the end, Wally has to be responsible for his stick.

But dirty???

[out0fyourelement]

I unfortunately have to go to my cousin's wake tonight 7-9 (25, brain tumor...sad sad sad) but he's a HUGE sports fan...he even requested and is being buried in his Steelers jersey, so I know he won't mind if I periodically check the score throughout the night haha

[Tom]

ANY WATCHING NBC CAPS-FLYERS?!?!?! Pierre jsut called out Millbury! and it was AMAZING!

[joeymole]

latest from tsn ice chips webpage:

The Latest from New Jersey
Zach Parise underwent a root canal Friday night after having his upper two front teeth knocked out by a crosscheck to the mouth from Rangers defenseman Christian Backman. Parise will have to go back to the dentist on Tuesday to see if his front teeth must be completely replaced. - Bergen Record

The Latest from New York Rangers
The Rangers dressed the same lineup as in Game 1, meaning defensemen Marek Malik and Jason Strudwick, plus winger Petr Prucha, were the scratches. Colton Orr (broken toe) was out as well. - Newark Star-Ledger

figuring debbies will add more same strategy as last game with special runs at henrik and backman. rangers need to respond quickly and put debbies down. no funny stuff tonite! if rangers can score an early one or two then sutter will be forced to change whatever game plan he concocted. hope the garden will be rocking and rolling all night long!! no friggin' booing even if the pp unit does it's usual sputtering around the ice. (how friggin' hilarious was it to have a "marty" chant going on the debbies home ice?!!) i am thinking tonight will be 'druuuuuuuuuury' time!!!

is it 7 yet??

LET'S GO RANGERS!!!

[Bob Merchant]

Dubi, when you may find an opportunity someplace, I'd sure love to get an answer from someone at the Rangers as to why the did not re-up Sykora.

I always liked him and really sad when he left. I'd love to know what the brass was thinking. He had pleaded his case that he wanted to stay with our team.

Every time I flip on the Pens game I hear "Sykora". He seems to be tearing it up over there and lord knows, we could have used some of that fire power this season.

[Blaze]

@ Jess

where's a good website to view The Wolf Pack play-offs?

[Blaze]

Vishnevski will be in the line-up for Game 3.

[Matty "Cute but Psycho, things even out"]

Orts is out for the season as Nashville plays sacrificial lamb to Detroit and tells us that he really misses New York

I still love and miss Jed ... just for the person he was and tireless hard-worker on the PK ... if he could only score 10 goals per season at least ... too bad he's been hurt so much this season ... I knew he would miss NY because last summer he said that he didn't want to leave and that the team was his family, in fact in most of his Preds official pictures(there aren't many) he isn't smiling ... Hopefully he'll be healthy next season and have a good year ...

Bob Merchant,

Not Dubi but Sykora did nothing in the playoffs for us when we had him, and I think that he didn't fit the formula the team wanted, he's doing very good in PIT but he has he right players for that ...

All,

In the Caps game(i recorded it because i was working and just got home) in one of the scrums a Flyer ran over Huet and seemed to crosscheck Huet as he was falling right on the mask ... Huet jumped on him and punched him in the head as the Caps swarmed in too help him ... Seriously, if the Devils even ATTEMPT to breathe on Henrik there better be more teeth on the Devils belonging to Devils ...

It's funny to me that Lou L. was complaining about the calls at the end of the game, if the NHL and Gregson had any kind of @#$$$ then they should of reminded him of the rules and that if his team didn't clean up their act that they would spend game 3 in the penalty box if they continued to hook, pick and interfere in the face-off circle ... One has to wonder how the refs will react to being yelled at and made to look like fools on tv by Madden and Sutter ... although they regularly do a great job of looking like fools all by their lonesome ... I just want them to call what they are supposed to call on BOTH teams which apparently is an extremely hard concept to grasp for the NHL brass of officiating officials ..

I admit to getting annoyed at the lack of respect given to the Rangers and Henrik but I say let them discard them, as previously mentioned our team does best when everyone counts them out or ignores them...

[Matty "Cute but Psycho, things even out"]

Vishnevski will be in the line-up for Game 3.

I would say that I am shocked but I am not ... I can imagine what he's in the lineup for ... our boys better watch their heads ... too bad Orr is still injured ...

[Paul R_ _ _ _ _ D]

Matty, We know the truth so let it go at that, let them disresepct us but when the devils don't come out ready to play a good team we can all have a nice laugh.

[nic]

can't wait for 7...i seriously think it's drury turn to light up the lamp tonight!!
watch out!!
Attache 'ta tuque!!! (hang on to your hats for all you non french folks)
Go rangers go!!!

[nic]

is it just mne or does hip hip huet look really sloppy in the caps v. flyers game?

[Blaze]

Caps are about to be shut-out by Biron & The Flyers.

[Matty "Cute but Psycho, things even out"]

darn it! with EddieO doing the Caps game that means we will get that Elliot fool on Versus tonight, for the poor souls(like me!) who are cursed with that instead of the msg feed ... HATEFUL! >: grrr i need a nap ...

[Blaze]

Dubi,

I know Henrik wasn't at the morning skate....who is the other goaltender? I see someone in net opposite Vali in the vid they have up at NYR.com?

[Jess]

Blaze

The AHL like several other leagues use the B2 networks which is a web PPV. They were charging 6.00 during the regular season so I expect them to raise it for the playoffs.

Sorry I was not more help.

[Blaze]

thank u Jess

[ntb]

It's understandable that Parise would call the Backman cross-check dirty, but I think the refs and the NHL got it right (4 min penalty, no suspension). As for the Devils yelling at the refs, I don't blame them. As a player, coach, and fan all you ask is that the refs are consistent throughout the game (we are all beyond expecting a good ref, just consistent). The refs were letting the little hooks go all game and then they call one with under a minute. You just can't do that as an official. You set the tone of the game in the 1st period; either you call all the little stuff from beginning to end or you let it go. You can't (shouldn't?) change as the game progresses.

I think this one could get dirty considering the Devils will want to make a statement early on. Got to protect Henrik if the Devils decide to run him. I can't wait for the game tonight. I've even started my playoff beard to support the Rangers. I do not have cable, so I have to go to the only place in town willing to show hockey (Buffalo Wild Wings). Thankfully, they will not have the sound on so I won't have to listen to the drivel coming out of Darin Elliot's mouth.

Go Rangers!

[rangerbill94]

I am concerned that Sutter will send out somebody the hurt Gomez. His response would be...you went after my top guy (Parise) so all's fair in love and hockey. There were no Lady Bings amoung the Sutter Sisters, they played dirty, then cried. I don't think they will try to run Lundqvist, that'll be too obvious. And anyway, the way they are playing, Vali will shut them out!

[rangerbill94]

ntb

Your asking for the refs to be consistant??? Whay not ask them to be right? After the third pick by Langenbrunner, Shanny went to the refs and asked why that is not a penalty. GOOD MOVE by a highly respected veteran. It was the right call, even though the didn't see the Betts play. Maybe they got confused and thought it was Jagr that was getting hooked?

[Jed Orts]

JED!!!!!! come back!
he was awesome

[Bob Merchant]

RangerBill, I had the same thoughts but my guess would be Hank as the target. Hank is their nemesis.

[Paul R_ _ _ _ _ D]

does anyone have any idea how hard it is to concentrate while waiting for the friggen game to start??????

[kogan]

I was surprised that Vishnevski wasn’t dressed up on Friday.

[oleosmirf]

i would love to see the Rangers put up a few quick goals and the Devil's have to pull Brodeur. While im not expecting a blowout like game 3 against Atlanta, I fully expect a Rangers victory tonight. My prediction for tonight is 3-0 Rangers.

[Jed Orts]

to everyone worried about listening to the vs crew, shouldn't the game be on MSG tonight??

i cannot imagine the NHL losing even a little bit of such a huge market, but then again.. it is the NHL

if I remember correctly, last year every playoff game was on VS and MSG

i turned on espn last night and i was just absolutely shocked they had hockey on. i didn't understand. then i realized it was college hockey and remembered we are on a channel that has about 10 homes and is followed by bull riding. VS is like the ESPN 8 "the ocho" from Dodgeball

[Paul R_ _ _ _ _ D]

Jed so sad but true, and as far as I can tell the games will be on MSG and I think MSG plus also.

[Joe G]

Let the Devils come after us!!! Do you see anyone on that roster that the Rangers should fear as far as physical play goes? They don't even have an imitation Scott Stevens to point to!! The Rangers can, and will, give as good as they get!
Their main concern tonight should be with the officials. We all know that Lamarillo has probably been burning up his phone lines crying about the refs the other night. The Rangers have to be careful. Any marginal holding or interference will be whistled quite quickly.
It'll be interesting to see who is assigned to ref tonights game. My guess is Kerry Frasier. But they could just as easily give the Devils a 7th man, and assign MacCreary. Or, perish the thought, BOTH!!!
Should be a real exciting night, regardless!

[ntb]

rangerbill,

Maybe my consistency standard for refs is too low! The way I see, "being right" is very subjective. It is easy to say call the rulebook. However, I'm okay with letting the teams play if they do it the entire game. I think the main problem, in my opinion, is that the penalties called in the regular season are not being called in the playoffs. For all the NHL's talk about the "new NHL", I see the same old picking, slashing, etc. of the "old NHL".

[LisaMY]

angry

Parise is just p'od that he lost his teeth. You'd think he'd know what he does for a living, right? He was practically crying at the refs when he was showing them the brand new pothole in his mouth. Another baby on the Debbies roster.

Bob Merchant

If you'd watched the playoffs two seasons ago, you'd know Sykora wasn't a factor. He performed well after he was traded to the Rangers, but not spectacular. He disappeared against the Debbies. And what didn't sit well at all with the fans (and maybe with the Ranger brass?) was what happened after the Debbies beat the Rangers in game 4 and won the series. At the garden, as the Rangers, his team, left the ice, feeling really, really terrible about getting swept, Sykora stayed behind to chat and have a few laughs with his former Debbies teammates. I saw some of that on TV and let me tell you it p'ssed me off mightily! As far as I was concerned, good riddance to Petr. What a display of disrespect to the guys who actually are your teammates!

Matty

Madden and Sutter should've been penalized and Sutter should've been thrown out of the game, but Oh Well. It's over. I'm at the point that I don't give a rat's heinie what the Debbies say or do. Let them whine. I want to see them get a real beat down, real good. Keep cryin', you babies!

I miss Jed, too. I guess Freddie Sjo is Jed w/a scoring touch. But I miss Jed's tenacity and work ethic. The guy played so hard and tough. I loved watching him especially on the PK. I also hope he has a better and happier season next year.

LET'S GO RANGERS!!!

[kogan]

On Debbis forum Gomer is a target for Vishnevski.

[Dubi]

Whenever Hank skips optional skates, the Rangers call in a former Manhattanville College goalie who was the college roommate of one of my teammates at Chelsea Piers -- I have a bunch of former Manhattanville players on my team, including the back-up goalie, who is one heckuva keeper and now works for the NHL.

[LisaMY]

Anybody

Is Colin White playing tonight? Just curious.

[JerseyDave]

LET'S GO RANGERS!!!

[LisaMY]

The Rangers are going to have to come out hard and fast. Not just because that's how the Jersey Debbies are going to come out. But because the Rangers and their fans are going to be so amped-up, that the Rangers may be too energized and lose focus early. Some hard body checks early on against the Debbies will get the Rangers into the game fast and get their focus set

OMG! MSG has Duguay and Daneyko reporting together. Talk about Beauty and the Beast. LOL Duguay's the Beauty, btw. :D

[i]

if they target Lundqvist, then it's open season on Broadiva. There is no doubt it will get more physical, but clean should be the keyword, fat chance. The refs will have their hands full, maybe lemon lou the hypocrite will be behind the bench.

[Tom]

WTF....does anyone here live in Philly??....IT says the game is blacked out on VS that they cant show it wtf?!?!?!

[Tom]

And my center ice is blackign it out too!!! Help anyone!

[rangerbill94]

LisaMY

We can't come out too fired up. Our game is not emotion, it's poise and control. We get into an up and down game and we'll find us trying to come from behind unless we get some good bounces. Need to finish all our checks. We get the match up, even though Renney doesn't do much matching. He may have more luck breaking Jagr free of the tight Devils checkers. With luck, Mrs. Sutter will try to out match Jagr/Renney and our other 2 lines gets the goals.

[Matty "Cute but Psycho, things even out"]

Tom,

Go here http://www.channelsurfing.net/ <<< scroll down, they have the stream there ...

Lisa,

LOL

Dude Versus spent 2 minutes talking about how great Brodiva was and how excellent he's been in this series and that the Devils have to solve Lundqvist ... like Henrik is just a footnote ... GRRRRRRRRRR

But that's ok ... they are just talking about the Devils .... Devils this, Devils that ...

Gomer made me smile when he was the token Versus interview, you know the ones that they make the players wear the White Versus Towel ... as soon as the cameras were on him he threw the side of the towel facing the camera over his shoulder so only the other side showed but was blocked by his interviewer ... I think he did it on purporse ... I loved it!

[rangerbill94]

VS idiots start already. Avery broke a scoreless tie and for NJ it's a no tomorrow game for them!

Any of these guys have ANY idea what's happened?