HOT/COLD/RISING/FALLING

Hot- Ranger fans tempers.

This has been my worst season ever as a Ranger fan. I can not say it enough, I really thought this team was put together well and would compete every night. I never thought effort and heart would be a problem. This team has followed it’s leader and seem to all play with the same laid back style of Jagr.

Can anyone really be put in the hot column right now? The one player I really think has played well and brought something to the table is Paul Mara and reports are he is being benched tonight for Marik Malik. The every changing world of Tom Renney continues to baffle me.

Cold- Rangers Team Psyche----- Shanny said it best after the last Rangers game Sunday:

"We're playing as bad as since I've been here," Shanahan said. "From the first day, we haven't developed any consistent chemistry. "We don't work hard enough. We don't think well enough. We make the same mistakes. You don't have to be Scotty Bowman to figure out what's wrong

I mean don’t work hard enough, that to me is a direct refection of the coach and motivation of players. This is getting hard to watch.


Rising- Penalties- if everyone can see that they take way to many penalties how can they not see it, or choose not to correct it in some way. Yes there have been some ticy-tac calls and I think the refs have been awful the last few games, the Rangers are putting themselves in the position to have those calls made. Just terrible….


Falling- Confidence in the King. I do not care what anyone says he looks lost out there one minute and the King we all know the next. That goal against Boston Short-handed was possibly the worst goal of the season. I mean a 2 on 1 wrist shot from the top of the face off circle can not, I REPEAT CAN NOT go in.

LINEUP SHUFFLE (thanks Bob for article).

Rumors are there will be a lineup shuffle tonight:


Avery-Gomez-Jagr (I like it Avery can bring some needed spark to the top line). Dawes-Dubinksy-Shanny- (no idea why kid line broke up, only line playing well not together????) Straka-Drury-Prucha- Again no idea why kid line broke up.
HBO Line- odds are they start the game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enough already RENNEY!!!!!!!!!



Channel 4 and Mike Milbury spent all day Sunday ripping Jagr for his need to have Nylander with him and the total lack of a spark he has had all season. Milbury flat out called him out and even said it is time to let him go and give this team to Drury and Gomez. I hate Milbury but I tend to agree with him. Drury and Gomez need to feel like they can lead this team, with Jagr here they can not. I really do not know if trading will improve the record this year but they will get nothing for him next year.

Hot/Cold/Rising/Falling

Hot- Ranger fans tempers.

This has been my worst season ever as a Ranger fan. I can not say it enough, I really thought this team was put together well and would compete every night. I never thought effort and heart would be a problem. This team has followed it’s leader and seem to all play with the same laid back style of Jagr.

Can anyone really be put in the hot column right now? The one player I really think has played well and brought something to the table is Paul Mara and reports are he is being benched tonight for Marik Malik. The every changing world of Tom Renney continues to baffle me.

Cold- Rangers Team Psyche----- Shanny said it best after the last Rangers game Sunday:
"We're playing as bad as since I've been here," Shanahan said. "From the first day, we haven't developed any consistent chemistry. "We don't work hard enough. We don't think well enough. We make the same mistakes. You don't have to be Scotty Bowman to figure out what's wrong
I mean don’t work hard enough, that to me is a direct refection of the coach and motivation of players. This is getting hard to watch.

Rising- Penalties- if everyone can see that they take way to many penalties how can they not see it, or choose not to correct it in some way. Yes there have been some ticy-tac calls and I think the refs have been awful the last few games, the Rangers are putting themselves in the position to have those calls made. Just terrible…

Falling- Confidence in the King. I do not care what anyone says he looks lost out there one minute and the King we all know the next. That goal against Boston Short-handed was possibly the worst goal of the season. I mean a 2 on 1 wrist shot from the top of the face off circle can not, I REPEAT CAN NOT go in.

LINEUP SHUFFLE (thanks Bob for article). Rumors are there will be a lineup shuffle tonight:

Avery-Gomez-Jagr I like it Avery can bring some needed spark to the top line). Dawes-Dubinksy-Shanny- no idea why kid line broke up, only line playing well not together? Straka-Drury-Prucha- I do not hate this line but Pruca should be with kid line. HBO Line- odds are they start the game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enough already RENNEY!!!!!!!!!



Channel 4 and Mike Milbury spent all day Sunday ripping Jagr for his need to have Nylander with him and the total lack of a spark he has had all season. Milbury flat out called him out and even said it is time to let him go and give this team to Drury and Gomez. I hate Milbury but I tend to agree with him. Drury and Gomez need to feel like they can lead this team, with Jagr here they can not. I really do not know if trading will improve the record this year but they will get nothing for him next year.

JAGR THE GREAT

It worked for Henrik, hope it will wake up Jagr for the weekend. 2006-2007 season all of his goals:

TIME TO WAKE UP CAPTAIN....

Boring? Maybe, But 2 Points is More Gooder

All I read at the start of the season was how boring the Rangers are this year and they just win 1-0 and 2-1 games. Well the key word in that sentence is WIN……I will take a somewhat boring 2-1 win over an "exciting" 5-4 loss any day. I am a Yankee fan and they get plenty of “exiciting” 10-6 wins and 10-6 losses but the playoffs come and they get no boring 2-0 wins. Defensive commitment will bring this Ranger team to the Promised Land, that is how they are built and that is all there is to it.

We can say all we want with all this talent they should be an offensive juggernaut. Well we are over 40 games into the season and I must say they are not. They have 2-3 really gifted forwards (Jagr, Drury, Gomez) and 1 with an unreal shot (Shannahan), the rest bring something to the table that helps a team win, but are not offensive wizards. Jagr has just not got on track this season and now with feet problems he may never. I am not getting overly excited. As I said the next 2 games are key, lets get 3 out of 4 points and then start to get excited.

QUICK NOTES

Avery- what can you say the guy does something every game to get the crowd going, or his teammates. He is just an unreal intangible filled player, that when he is out there can also play the game. I mean take the puck up ice, dump it in and then proceed to knock down both players that are going for the puck. Rangers did not score but the crowd was fired up and could tell Rangers picked up there game after that.

Mara, what else can be said except , he is starting show why he was signed for 3 million 2 years ago. He has an absolute cannon from the point and when he shots the puck and is played at the point on the Power Play he is a very valuable d-man.

Renney- Wow a post with Renney in it, who would have thunk it. Well I was watching all night when the Rangers got 20 seconds left in the PP and face off what he would do. Both times he put out the # 1 PP line and both times the Rangers won the draw and got action on net and came close to scoring. What a concept still have a PP you put out your best for the entire 2 minutes!!!!!

Betts- Slowly becoming one of my favorite players to watch. The writer’s final got it right and nominated his as a # 3 star (even though he did not register a point). He does everything the team asks and is a human dart board on the PK with shots hitting him everywhere.

3 stars of the game- I always stick around MSG telecast to see who got the 3 stars. Last night:
Betts # 3 star, Dubinsky # 2 star, Prucha # 1 star. That is right no Jagr, no Gomez, no Drury, No Henrik. I think this is actually a good thing. The stars did not shine but the Rangers still win. Are they becoming a team??????

RELAX LINDY RUFF- He is in the paper as saying hit by Shannahan was dirty and should be a suspension. Come on Shanny admitted and agreed it was a hard play and he should have been in the box, but a suspension. That happens on the side of the net he would have not even been shaken up. The fact that he hit the net after was the reason he was hurt. Lindy Ruff is a baby, come on Shanny is not a dirty player and wanted to make sure no loose puck was going to hit in so he crosschecked the guy. Penatly should have been called but leave it at that.

Player of the Game

DDP LINE- I am getting very excited about this line. They play with speed and recklessness, but in a good way. They are flying all over the place right now and picking up the veterans. There forecheck is dominating, they just need to worry about not being to careless and letting odd man rushes the other way. Renney needs to give them a little rope though and let them stick for awhile even if they struggle a game or two.

Pre-game video worked so look out for another one later in the week!!!!!!!!!

RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am saying it now and saying it loud it is time to get out the Sammy Hagar Van Halen, open up the windows and play RIGHT NOW on number 11. I will be doing it so I expect all my readers to do the same. The Rangers play Buffalo tonight and then the Bruins back to back Friday and Saturday. I want 6 points or at the least 5 out of 6 to get this team back in a playoff spot, we do that there will be no looking back.

Rumors are Shanny will be back and Avery has been upgraded to day to day. Avery may actually play tonight. One negative was Drury did not practice (no reason given) and Jagr was limping around room and did not skate with feet issues. I want Jagr out there but maybe the team will stop looking to him and Gomez/Drury will make this there team tonight. We want to win this year that transition needs to happen. It is time for the big priced Free Agents to take over this team.

Some highlights of Henrik Lundqvist to get this team going and hopefully get this team on the track to the playoff.

IF THIS MUSIC AND HIGHLIGHTS DO NOT GET YOU READY NOTHING WILL IT IS CRISIS TIME RANGER FANS LET THE REAL HENRIK SHINE (oh and if Valiquette plays tonight pretend that was him making all these saves:

2 good periods 1 bad one = another loss

I have no idea where to begin with this team. I guess since Big Blue are playing in the NFC Championship Game Sunday a football quote will work. In the almighty words of Bill Parcells “You are what your record says you are!” All I hear in press conferences and reports are players saying we have better talent then this, we are better then our records shows etc etc. Well I have to say I believed them for awhile but I do not anymore. This is a .500 team and will battle until the end to make the playoffs. If they do not make it, this will be ranked as one of the most disappointing seasons in Ranger history. Due to the expectations being so high (as Jim Mora said Playofffffssss, why are your talking playofffss) to not make the playoffs would be an absolute disaster. I mean all I heard all off-season was this is a Stanley Cup team.

QUICK NOTES:

Is Henrik done? I know you can always blame someone else for a goal but Henrik is not making the big save anymore. He is the sole reason this team will go anywhere and since he started struggling so has the team. I really expected (especially after the quick start) a Roberto Luongo type year out of him and it is just not happening. I know his dad is sick and an extension is being negotiated, is that the reason??????

This is a 40 minute team. They play a hard, team game for 2 periods (which periods depends on the night). At the start of the season and when they were winning Henrik was able to withstand the bad period they played. So in essence it seems like if Henrik can stand on his head the period the Rangers take off they will win. That is not a formula for winning hockey

Penalties- When will the players be held responsible for there actions. This team reeks of the Bobby Holik, Messier days when all the high priced players could do what they want and not get benched. I mean if Jagr is not showing grit out there or takes 2 bad penalties in a row SIT HIM DOWN. I mean they just take way to many hooking penalties which means to me they are a lazy team, taking lazy penalties.

Renney does at least one thing a game that just baffles me. Second period Rangers are dominating play, I think the shots were 16-2 and they were all over the Pens. 25 seconds left on the PP and a face-off in the Pens zone, score 3-0. I am thinking okay lets win this draw get a quick PP goal and get back in this game. Out comes the HBO LINE….WHAT IS GOING ON. Are you telling the team okay this PP is over lets get back to defensive hockey. If Drury gets out there wins the draw you can easily score within 25 seconds or score right after the PP expires. Tie game or up by a goal or more, fine get Betts and them out there but you are DOWN 3-0.

Heart- what does that mean to a team, well it is your best player diving for a puck to try and get it to the middle, then getting upended by your teammate trying to get to the puck behind the net as your entire goal is to win a loose puck to score that big 4th goal. That is what Sidney Crosby did in the 3rd last night and if that is not a team leader I have no idea what is. I know Jagr is older but he is the Rangers best player and if he is not skating and going 100% other players feed off that.

Goat of the game

STUPID Penalties. One thing that Montreal win masked was the Rangers took 8, count them 8 penalties. You just can not win in this league taking this many lazy and dumb penalties. The Pen game was no different and they got burned.

Column to ponder trade Jagr??????? see link below:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=3196519

Hot/Cold and Rising/Falling

Hot/Cold and Rising/Falling

I will have a new column every Monday AM. When you get in each Monday log on to the Ranger Blueshirts Review to check on who is hot, who is cold, who is rising, and who is falling. What a way to start the week, add your 2 cents all opinions are welcome.

HOT

Brandon Dubinsky- ever since he dropped to 3rd line Center and not having the pressure of centering the top line, his production and overall on- ice presence has improved. The numbers are starting to come in addition to his overall game.

Cold

Henrik Lundqvist- He did have a solid game vs. Montreal but there is no denying Henrik has been a court jester and not the king the last couple weeks. We will see if the Saturday game was a building block or just an aberration.

Rising
Paul Mara- A point man on the PP that shoots the puck: what an unbelievable concept. Looks like Tom Renney has told Mara get out there and use that cannon on the point. It is a welcome site to see the PP get more then 1-2 shots every 2 minutes. Drury is setting up shop in front and Mara blasting away will hopefully lead to more and more goals.

Falling
Marik Malik- He played well vs. Montreal, but no arguing he was the # 2 defenseman on the top line, start of year and is now a # 6 D-man and usually # 7 D-man on the bench. This one may turn around quickly as I think Renney is going to give him a shot over Strucwick over the next 2weeks. He can play the way his did against Montreal he may replace Mara in the Rising column real quick.