Gotta Love this guy

Scott Gomez is my favorite player on this team and personalty makes it a lot easier to root for him, another funny interview on MSG after Pens game:

Playoffs Here We Come

Well I guess the current captain is not ready to give up his C just yet. Jaromir Jagr woke up the Rangers and showed exactly what it will be like in Russian Elite League next year. The Islanders are an embarrassment t right now and I think they should have kept with Neil Smith to turn this thing around. If they are going to come near last place every year, at least get a GM that can draft and build a good team.

Quick Notes:

What a boring game- The Rangers can say all they want they did not look past this team, but this was the most boring “rivalry” game I have ever seen. Devils/Flyers are much more of a rival at this point. If the Isles become better the rivalry will grow again. The start of the year when the isles were healthy and playing well you could feel the intensity, last night I could feel nothing.

The King- 10 shutouts the most since (well you look it up) a really long time ago. He made some big saves last night on a couple chances. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.

Rest- Memo to Renney- Sit Jagr/Gomez/Shanny tonight. Then put them back in the lineup for the last game of the year. There is no need to go for broke to get the 4 seed and a part of me would not love the 5 seed. I would love to beat the Devils do not get me wrong, but those 7 wins this year are deceiving. 3 games went to OT and I am pretty sure they all were 1 goal games. Actually f that- the Devils have no offense and we will destroy them!!!

Player of the Game- Jaromir Jagr- The captain stepped up and buried 2 PP goals. He has actually gotten hot at the right time and the Rangers will need him to keep shooting on the PP as he has the last 4-5 games. PLAYOFF PREVIEW COMING SOON- Once seeds are set. Do not expect a re-cap of tonights game, as I may take a break- 80 straight games on the couch with my funny bones and milk have really affected me. I think I need a one game break!!!

Clinch at the Coliseum does it get any better?

Rangers are in the playoffs with 2 points in the next 3 games. They will clinch vs. the Islanders or (hopefully it does not get to this) vs. the Devils on the last night of the season.

Some quick notes from the Pens series:

I do not want any part of the Penguins in the playoffs and it has nothing to do with the team/talent on the team. It has to do with the love affair the NHL/Refs have with Sidney Crosby. If you breathe on Crosby he seems to try to get a penalty called and the refs seem to call it most of the time. I mean the phantom high stick (rumors are he showed tape mark to Channel 4 showing it hit him, but there are no videos showing Gomez’s stick was anywhere near his face. When the refs let them play and did not call every penalty on the Rangers (in MSG) the game was a battle and the Rangers prevailed in OT.

Ask yourself this….would The Great One dive as much as Sid The Kid (or The baby as I call him) does, would the great one throw his head back like he did when he was NOT hit in the face. No, the great one respected the game and the players he played against. Sidney will get enough calls for him because he deserves them, I mean the guy carries the puck a ton and is strong on his feet, do like Jagr and fall when you have to.

Speaking of strong (or not strong in this case), did anyone notice Evgeni Malkin is weak on his feet? For such a huge guy, every time he is hit he goes down like a sack of potatoes. Rangers scouts better be seeing that and tell the team to hit him often and early to get him off his game. Reports are he is not the same player he was when Crosby was out. He seems to cater to Crosby and he just takes the scraps (although the scrapes are a ton of open nets to shoot into).

Ryan Callahan is becoming a small little wrecking ball. Every shift you know when he is out there. It appears Dawes is following his lead. They are like smaller versions of Hollweg, but they have talent, soft hands, scoing touch etc etc….okay they are nothing like Hollwed THANK GOD.

I would like to introduce you to the new Rangers captain--------CHRIS Drury. This guy is sick in the clutch. Thank god he is on our side this year. I love the way he plays and he seems to lurk around until he can pounce on a puck and bury it when the team needs it most.
Hopefully there will be a welcome to the Playoffs post after the 2 games vs. the Islanders