First, to the Rangers enthusiasts who read the New York Post: look at Larry Brooks’ post-game today. Sorry Larry, but I dropped the “What If” jargon one day before you!
And now onto my Game 7 reaction..
“Play the man Redden.. PLAY THE MAN REDDEN… PLAY THE—ARRRGHHH!!!!”
Maybe after seeing good defensemen (like Marc Staal and Dan Girardi - as well as tearful memories of Fedor Tyutin) take the body on opposing players challenging the fragile ice in front of the net, I had high expectations for this trend to roll rub off on $6.5 million earner Wade Redden – but he is not the reason we lost. High expectations with depressing finishes - the story of the ’05-09 Rangers, so at least we have finally found some element of consistency in their game.
What can we take away from this experience? A few of our top players faded into mediocrity in the shadow of a few our emerging young talent propelling to excellence. What does that mean? We will need to sign Contracts to our young players, but will be crippled by those long-term deals of our has-been veterans. Glen Sather is a veteran GM, but total and utter rookie to the salary cap.Looking for authentic, autographed memorabilia? Click here!
More on this all summer. For now, back to the game.
That Avery – Dubinsky – Antropov line with the goal and the massive scoring chances we saw in the first two periods.. Wow!! I would have loved to have seen this line as our #1 all season! I would have loved to have seen a lot of things we got a taste of tonight all season. If they had played this way in Strike 1 or Strike 2 of their mid-series implosion, the Blueshirts would of surely spring-boarded into the Semi-finals by now.
I don’t think that this was a cup-winning team, even if they did route Washington. What If we had that presence in the slot that is always cocked and ready to shoot, like Marty Straka and Brendan Shanahan provided in last year’s run [and before Glen Sather pulled the plug on him – in Petr Prucha, too], we may have had that goal-scoring edge we missed all [post]season. Heck, we might have had that puck-shooting edge that a team weaving lateral passes back and forth has created an outright demand for.
A couple notes from Game 7.
The approach and shot fired by Sergei Fedorov to win it for the Capitals was identical to the goal by Eric Staal to win it for the Carolina Hurricanes over the New Jersey Devils in their Game 7. One move has advanced the Southeast over the Atlantic.
The Rangers were instantly whistled for a Too Many Men on the Ice penalty in Game 6 when they had six skaters on the ice in a botched shift. Washington had a much worse break-down in which at least eight Redshirts were on the ice in Game 7 – ignored by the zebras. (I mention this alone from the other refereeing inconsistencies, because this is a bench mistake and impossible for an official to overlook--or so we thought.)
Two interesting quotes:
"You cannot win hockey game by scoring just one goal." -Jaromir Jagr, 06-07Grade on this statement: A+
"If Sean Avery is the Rangers best player, they don't stand a chance." - VS. IdiotsGrade on this statement: F
With Avery [Dubinsky, and Callahan] as the Rangers best skater[s], they had Alexander Ovechkin and the NHL's #1 offense on their heels and their heads spinning for the majority of Game 7. When Avery plays his "best" he is absolutely the Rangers' "best player" and they had a real good shot last night. Unfortunately, that shot clanged off the post, much like AO's power-play wrister in Game 1.
"What if" Avery was allowed to play in Game 5?
Strike Three. They're Out.
Let's Go Yankees.
Jagr was such a wordsmith.
ReplyDelete