Saturday, April 23, 2011

Sat Morning Fever

1) I wish I had more Rangers fans around me. Had my first phone conversation with one who lives in Queens last night. We FB chatted for an hour and talked on the phone for 90 minutes. Why are women i connect with always living at least 1,000 miles away?

2) The Knicks are a joke. 3-0 down to Boston. Their biggest home game in at least 10 years and they trail 22-5 before your rear end hits the seat. Disgraceful.

3) Mom is gone to the Rhine River for 10 days. I have to spend Easter alone.

4) Good Friday service was amazing. Guy came and led us through a traditional Passover meal. Everyone got a kit with crackers, grape juice box, horseradish, parsley, and applesauce. Very informative, very impactful. The cool part was at the end when Pastor Bill said they didn't expect the service to be so crowded. We had to sing the last verse of Amazing Grace on our way out!

5) Feel like another sandwich...and sweet tea vodka

Rangers Game 5 tracking

So the Rangers trail Washington 3-1 in the first round. And that loss in Game 4 was one of the worst defeats I have seen any of my teams suffer. Blowing a 3-0 lead in the third period at home and losing in overtime. But it is a new day.

This worked against the Devils so I will try it again. The Rangers head to Washington DC with their season on the verge of ending. I will blog the game as it unfolds.

2:23: One fan with "Can You Hear Me Now" card. How creative...

2:26: Well, I'm not encouraged. Boyle, Avery, and Prust had a great first shift and in the four minutes since the Caps have peppered Hank with shots.

2:29: Rangers have blocked seven shots in the first six minutes. In other words, they are not controlling the puck.

2:30: A fucking bullshit power play. The Capital was falling when McCabe grabbed him. And then they score when there should have been goalie interference. I'm done. Absolutely done.

Saturday, April 09, 2011

Heart Attack-Rangers style

The New York Rangers are clinging to their playoff lives. Not too long ago, they were seven points up on a playoff spot. But Buffalo and Carolina kept winning while the Rangers lost Ryan Callahan and played like horseshit in a 3-0 loss at home to the stinky Atlanta Thrashers.

Here's the bottom line. The Rangers are about to face off against the New Jersey Devils in just a matter of minutes. The Carolina Hurricanes take on Tampa Bay at home tonight. The Rangers and Canes are tied in the standings with 91 points. Carolina owns the tiebreaker so the Rangers need to gain a point. If they lose in regulation, they are done. If they only gain one point, Carolina must lose in regulation. If they win, Tampa HAS to be beat Carolina.

I do not feel good about these odds. Missing the playoffs would be an absolute disgrace. Not because the Rangers are so talented, they're not. And they work hard most of the time. But their goal scoring is so inconsistent. Six goals in one game, three goals over the next three games. They should be better than Tampa, better than Buffalo, maybe better than Montreal. And they can beat any team in this fucking league, they have proved that time after time.

I am happy Chris Drury is back from knee surgery, though I don't see why Erik Christensen is playing and Sean Avery is scratched. Isn't his energy what this team needs against the Devils and their goalie? As for Matt Gilroy playing over Steve Eminger, whatever. Both will be history after this season anyway.

11:40: Faceoff time. This crowd better bring it today. Not to mention the players.

11:43: 1-0 New Jersey. Kovalchuck. Unfuckingbelievable 11:45: Drury ties it! His first shift back and it's his first goal of the season! Holy crap! The Maaaaaaa-rty chants are deafening.

11:52 Pretty back and forth now and I love that crowd.

11:56 Halfway through the first period. I like this defense working in the offensive zone. The forecheck is working well. Against that young Jersey defense, the Rangers need to impose their will. Hits count: Rangers 10, Devils 2

12:08 Brodeur robs Fedotenko. Boyle is really palying hard. He will get a significant raise next season. No penalties to this point. Three minutes left.

12:11 That no good motherfucker Kovalchuk again. 2-1.

12:36: Well, I had to restart the computer and missed Wolski tie the score at 2-2. Grab that lead!

12:38: First penalty, coincidental minors, 4-on-4. Watching Kovalchuk close.

12:46: Rangers continue to block shots, Boyle with a sliding block. Both teams playing with a lot of physicality. Neither seems be able to get the edge over another.

12:49: Ryan McDonagh! His first career goal over Marty's shoulder. It's 3-2 Rangers!

12:55: Rangers continue to press hard on the Devils. They really seem on the verge of taking this game over.

12:59: The Prust is a must! 4-2! Now the Devils are trying to goad the Rangers. The Devils are hitting, trying to get the Rangers to retaliate. The Rangers have not been short handed today and the refs don't seem eager to blow the whistle. I have a good feeling about this game. The one later tonight...

1:05: The second period is over. 20 minutes remaining. The Rangers have continue to play assertive hockey and not let the Devils control possession.

1:33: No real action in this period and that's probably good. Six minutes down.

1:37: 5 shots on goal over the first 9 minutes between both teams. Still no power plays at all.

1:40: On a 2-on-1, Anisimov finds Prospal, who deposits the puck over Marty's right shoulder into the net. 5-2, nine minutes left. You can put this in the books! 1:43: Rangers fans start a "Let's Go Lightning!" chant. Awesome!

1:49: Another TV timeout. Four minutes and counting... 1:53: Two minutes to go...Drury still out there skating.

1:55: And it's a 5-2 final. They did their job today. Time for the Blueshirt Off Our Backs ceremony.

Carolina has won 8 of 10 and one of those losses was in overtime to Buffalo, of all teams. For the next seven hours, I am the biggest Tampa Bay Lightning fan in the state of Illinois, maybe in the entire Central time zone! For everyone I will see at Game Night tonight, forgive me if I am totally distracted the entire time...

Rediscovering Keith Whitley

Turn Me To Love
A Hard Act To Follow
I Think I Want My Rib Back
Miami, My Amy
Ten Feet Away
Homecoming '63
Hard Livin'
Would These Arms Be In Your Way?
Some Old Side Road
I Wonder Where You Are Tonight
Don't Close Your Eyes
When You Say Nothing At All
I'm No Stranger To The Rain
Lucky Dog
I Never Go Around Mirrors
It's All Coming Back To Me Now
I Wonder Do You Think of Me
A Day In the Life Of a Fool
It Ain't Nothin'
I'm Over You
Till a Tear Becomes a Rose
Between An Old Memory and Me
Brotherly Love Kentucky Bluebird
That's Where I Want To Take Our Love
Going Home

Thanks for the great music Keith. Country music could sure use one like you now. Yet, there were very few like you, before or since. 1955-1989