The 1-0 score held up. It just doesn’t seem like the Rangers are able to set up the offense. Let’s see what changes they will make into the second.
Also their one power play looked bad. If the Devils power play is sponsored by PSE&G then the Rangers is brought to you by the ‘77 blackout.
BTW Willie O’Ree, the first black player in the NHL dropped the first puck. A real nice man, you can read more about him here.
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This post was written by Joe McDonald on March 19, 2008
Just 1:20 left until 3:00 deadline, so the Rangers need to get moving. Nothing yet.
The Islanders picked up defenseman Rob Davison from San Jose and the Devils traded Cam Janssen to St. Louis for defenseman  Bryce Slavador.
Outside of the New York area, Brad Richards and Johan Holmqvist went to Dallas for Mike Smith and others and Brian Campbell moves from Buffalo to the Sharks.
Goalie Cristobal Huet was traded from Montreal to the Caps, who also got Sergei Federov.Â
The Rangers, though, keep waiting and the Hossa to the Habs rumors are still out that. Marian that is.
More to come as it comes in…. Â
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This post was written by Joe McDonald on February 26, 2008
NEW YORK – Don’t expect the NHL to go to a NFL type, game a week schedule, but after the 5-1 drubbing of the Buffalo Sabres at the Garden by the New York Rangers, the Blueshirts may lobby for it. That’s because a different Ranger team took the ice, one that pressured the net and controlled the game, while staying true to its defensive roots. It took the lead 10 seconds into the game and never looked back. “The start was certainly we all hoped for,†said coach Tom Renney, who worked his team this week and certainly had them prepared for battle. “And made it real clear to Buffalo, who have certainly been very good lately, that they will have their hands full. From that point of view, we were satisfied with our start.â€
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This post was written by Joe McDonald on February 16, 2008
I hate to use the word trap game, but the Rangers are in somewhat of a tough pickle tonight with Ottawa in town With Christmas two days away, coach Tom Renney is trying to get his team focused, even though they came back from a tough road trip.
“I hope not,” Renney said. “This is the Ottawa Senators. This is the NHL. This is what we get paid to do to put a product on the ice in front of our fans. They want to support us for the right reasons. We have to play.”
The fans will get to see the play of Sean Avery, who Renney said will provide spark to the team as he comes back from surgery back on Nov. 27. The wrist is fine and after the doctors checked it out this morning, he was given the good to go.
“What he brings us is what he always has,” Renney said. “He’s an intelligent player, who doesn’t scarifice the defensive side of the puck to do his things. I like his speed, naturally. He’s an abrasive guy.”
What Renney is hoping for is a trickle down effect, where the rest of the Rangers follow No. 16’s lead.
“To a point,” said the coach. “There are a number of times during the hockey season where you are looking to establish traction and gets parts of your game back. When he is not in the lineup, there’s a vital part of our game that is missing to a point. He helps everybody to understand this is [what we are missing.]”
Avery will be in. Petr Prucha is a scratch, along with Paul Mara. Marek Malik in, as will be Nigel Dawes on the third line.
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This post was written by Joe McDonald on December 23, 2007
The NHL has put their video on YouTube, in case you didn’t know. Here’s the highlights of last night’s game. It’s the Devils’ broadcast but you can ignore that.
[youtube uxT28x51EZE]
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This post was written by Joe McDonald on December 10, 2007
Usually I have it scheduled out to not to miss a game, and I am at all the home game. But on the road at 1 p.m. in Ottawa, you must forgive me for being a bad beat writer. Well, not so bad since I was with my son.Â
Anyway, the Blueshirts did win 5-2 with Brendan Shanahan scoing two, Jaromir Jagr one with Dan Girardi and Blair Betts chipping in as well.
This is a game the Rangers needed. They took advantage of a slumping Ottawa squad while breaking out of their own scoring slump. It’s important to win a game like this because if the Rangers do meet Ottawa in the playoffs, they will want a win or two during the season.
Also by scoring five and spreading it around, the team can rest can gain a little confidence going into a tough stretch in December. Remember, this time last season, they went into a big slump that alomost torpedoed the season.
But that’s done now and now the Rangers have the third most points in the league, two away from the conference top and four from Detroits NHL pacing 36. Oh and the Rangers no longer have the fewest goals in the league. That honor now goes to the New York Islanders.
Who would have thunk that?
On a different note, I am off to Nashville tomorrow to cover the Winter Meetings for Baseball. I will not be at the game on Monday, but John Buro will cover for me. I will be posting on this blog if any Ranger news happens. But if you like baseball and want to know the latest news and notes check out the Amazin Scene and Bronx Scene for all the updates.
See you in a few!!!Â
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This post was written by Joe McDonald on December 1, 2007
If you go to www.newyorkrangers.com right now you would see that it now part of the NHL network. As you may know, the Rangers were fighting the league over the control of the site and last month lost their case. Â
John Dellapina reported last week the Blueshirts signed an agreement with the NHL to turn it over by the 26th, even though their injunction is in appeal.
To me, it’s pretty much the same site with all the same bells and whistles.
Also, if you now look at the game stories, they are written by Jim Cerny, who is a former New York Times scribe and former radio voice of the Islanders. His summer job is spent as the assistant general manager of the Newark Bears and if you follow the Atlantic League, you know the Bears won the championship last season.
Cerny is one of the good guys in the business and helped me get my start back in 1994 by credentialing me for Bears games and letting me interview the players, including Rickey Henderson who was playing for Newark that season. Â
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This post was written by Joe McDonald on November 26, 2007
Jaromir Jagr sat down with the media and spoke about a few topics.
First he said his shoulder is fine and it was nice to work out healthy.
He also said having a guy like Drury will help him in the dressing room, while he concentrates on hockey. But he also said he wants to talk to Gomez and Drury about understanding their numbers may go down for the benefit of the team winning. And he hopes the media and fans understand that too and not get on them. (He didn’t say anything about his ice time going down.)
In terms of him playing, Jagr said he will stay in the NHL “as long as someone wants him.” So that dispels the thought of him returning to the Czech Republic after his contract up after next season.
More later.
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This post was written by Joe McDonald on September 13, 2007
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After sitting out last season deciding what to do, Brian Leetch finally made it official and retired from the NHL after 18 seasons.
The Daily News reported today the Rangers all-time leader scorer for a defenseman finally packed it in. He finished up with 240 goals, with 741 assists in 1129 games as a Rangers, while winning the Calder, the Norris twice, and Conn Smythe trophies. He was a 10-time All-Star and won the Stanley Cup with the Blueshirts in 1994.
He is second only to Rod Gilbert in overall scoring for the franchise.
Leetch spent most of his career with the Blueshirts, but when sent packing to the Toronto Maple Leafs in March 2004 and then, after the lockout, played for the Boston Bruins in 2005-06.
It was rumored Leetch would come back to the Rangers last season, but that never materialized.
Yet, just remember the good times.
[youtube AR3RT6tgmb8 nolink]
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This post was written by Joe McDonald on May 24, 2007
