Rangers Lose, Bobcats Win
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Unfortunately, the New York Rangers took it on the chin last night when the new look Toronto Maple Leafs knocked out the Rangers with 5 goals in the last 7:25 of the 3rd period. I did not get to watch last night's game, but from what I have gathered, it was a major collapse by the Rangers. They obviously thought the game was over and decided to cruise to the end. A lesson has to be learned here, and that lesson is that you must finish off teams... not let them hang around. If the players don't learn from this, then shame on them. One other thing, what's up with the PP? Not very good at the moment. Any how, as I mentioned, I did not see the game (probably better that I didn't). So, I will rely on my fellow fans to respond.
Now, on to the Quinnipiac Bobcats, who played their home opener last night. The Bobcats prevailed with a 4-1 victory over a gritty UConn Huskies hockey team. The Bobcats were lead by David Marshall's 2 goals with Scott Zurevinski and Brandon Wong collecting 1 goal each. To me, it was a very entertaining game. Good skating, lots of big hits, and great goaltending on both ends of the ice. The Bobcats were the better team and if not for the fantastic goaltending by Beau Erickson of the Huskies, the score would have had a much wider margin. Nick Pisellini started in goal for the Bobcats and made some key saves when called upon.
In the end, the game came down to special teams. UConn went 0-5 on their PP attempts and the Bobcats were 2-6. That was the difference in the game. Special teams are important for any hockey team at all levels and if you excel at them, you will win more than you lose. Tonight, Quinnipiac played hard, won the battles, and it was a much needed and well deserved win. Over and out!
17 comments:
Glad to see the Rangers are doing well thus far. The games I have seen them play they have speed, grit and move the puck extremely well. The one area they seem to be paying lots of attention to is their own end which shows in their one goal wins so far this year. It seems like when they get the lead they are playing the game smart in wanting to get two points at the end of the night.
Toronto seems to be a little bit of a surprise so far as it showed on the scoreboard against the Rangers. They recently said that Toronto is the team with the highest value in the league surpassing the Rangers which is very hard to believe cause we all know what the value of the NY Rangers has been for many years.
Seen the game a few weeks ago when Dallas was at NY and was sorry to see the Ranger fans give Sean Avery the cold shoulder. But I guess that is another area in which the game has changed. Years ago when you played the game there were no boos for former players coming back to their old stomping grounds. It was too bad to see that kind of repception for a player that played his heart out game in and game out always.
Oh well they love him in Dallas even though the team is not playing too well right now. But a long, long way to go yet and would not count out any team yet.
Sounds like the Bobcats game was a good one. Sorry to have missed hearing you on the radio but come to find out we had communication problems with our cable here over the weekend. When they burried the line they did not do something right and therefore we lost the signal over the weekend.
Please let us know when you are going to be on the radio again as I want to tune in and hear you at your best.
Are you pretty much going to be doing all the home games this year for them ??? I seen on line that their sports facility is quite the complex for college sports.
I have their web sight saved to favorites and will continue to see when they play along the way at home. But let us know when you are on the radio as I am sure I am not the only one who wants to listen.
Crock
crock: Crock Nice to hear from you again. Yes the Rangers are off to a good start, no major complaints.... yet.
It's funny you mentioned the Leafs, I will be doing a story about them on the The Fourth Period website shortly.
I guess my pick Dallas is not looking to good right now for the western representative. Yeah and I miss Avery's style of hockey (it's was fun to watch)
Crock, the college game is as entertaining as the Pro's. I really enjoy doing the color on the radio for the Bobcats. I will do most home games and some road as well.
Next games are on Friday and Saturday night. Division rivals Colgate and Cornell, should be interesting. Check them out.
Kots--I'm just glad that I didn't have to go thru the beating Renney must have put them thru on Sunday!! You know speaking of the coach, I was wondering to myself--he is no different from any other coach, in that if you take a bad penalty or take two in a row like Dubi did on the Island--you sit to learn a lesson --learn discipline--and learn who is in charge!!(it's hard not to take a bad penalty in this league anymore--especially on a night when there calling it tighter than a clams ass out of water)--It really must get to the coach,for him to sit you.With that in mind ,unforced turn-overs and bad giveaways MUST UPSET ME more than they do him because he never seems to take away ice time from the players who do this stuff game in and game out-I don't like to name names Scott Gomez--I'm sorry did I just say Scott Gomez ?? Yeah I guess I did say Scott Gomez !! get it in deep man!! just to touch on what Croc said about booing a player--it should never be done-not to anyone on OUR TEAM -you keep your dirty laundry to yourself so to speak--ex Rangers that come home,especially a guy who made you happy he was playing for us,should be given the same respect!! Unless he come back as a member of the Flyers--Islanders--or Devils--in which case he can go frig himself and his pet dog too!!! Scott Gomez---Watch him close--see if I'm wrong -- but guess what--I'm not!!! I know what I see!!!
mr.hockey: Mr.Hockey, It really boils down to what a veteran's can get away with (Gomez) to a player trying to make his mark in the NHL (Dubinsky).
Hockey has some complex unwritten rules, It's just the way it is.
I didn't agree with it then when I played and I don't agree with it now. Any player regardless of stature who commits errors night after night should be held accountable.
Croc is right, I don't ever recall getting booed at MSG when I returned as a Whaler or a Maple Leaf.
Kots---I know I must sound like I'm not a Gomez fan--because I mentioned that he has a habit of turning the puck over--It's not like that at all!!!I was very happy when he became a Ranger---If his point total would go up around 20 to 25 more than the 70 pts he got last year, it would make me and every other Rangers fan even happier that he is now one of us!!He gets alot of fishnagles to do what he does,but I always believed the reason he got the contract--was because of how he came thru in the playoffs--last year (to me ) was no different--11 pts in 10 games(4 and 7)is coming thru---If we can play past the Eastern Conf. semifinals,,I am sure those post season numbers will multiply,and the nit-picker in me won't notice ALL THOSE DAMN TURNOVERS!!!!! O.K lets go kick some Islander ass--Rivals or not ,you could'nt ask for a better team to play after Sats. bomb--because I've been watching and they make way too many mistakes!!gotta make em pay!!!
Nice way to lose. At home, to the Isles, on 2 short handed goals.
Glad we have Rozy locked up for so long, I can go to bed at night knowing my blue line is locked down by the best.
Thank god we have Captain America too. I love 1 million dollars for faceoffs... another mill for effort... another mill for penalty kill... another mill for off the ice leadership... etc.
This team will be .500 at this rate by late November.
PS, MSG is a curse. Can't score at home, period. It's gonna be wonderful when we get shut out by Tampa on Thursday.
mr.hockey: Mr.Hockey, It's a big contract to live up to. Unfortunately that was the going price to sign Gomez. Only one problem this is New york, not New Jersey. This team is now built around himself and the man with the "C". It's their team and they must live up to expectations. So far it's been a struggle.
wrath of sanity: Wrath, It took me a while to settle down (I haven't laughed like that in years).Your words hit it dead on.
I'm glad I am not the only one who see's problems with "Rozy". He'd better pick it up before he gets the Malik treatment.
As for the "Captain" can't disagree, he's struggling big time. A lot of money is being spent on a certain few and he is one of them. There is no sugar coating it any more.
Lack of scoring was what I worried about going in to this season (It still is). I see no reason to change my mind at this moment.
In my day you made your home arena a place no team wanted to play in . This team makes every opposing goaltender look like an All star every night at MSG.
Hello Chris, So we now have a new President and the hope for change is abound everywhere and nice to see so many turned up in the polls, so that brings me to the powerplay, is it coaching or the personnel in your opinion? I see it as both since the coaching isnt changing it. Dubis line needs to be the top line and I would like to add Roszival to that list. Whats so hard about a simple concept of two people on net a rover and 2 shooters at the point who shoot the puck on net? I really want to see some changes made now...not later for the sake of this team. On Drury...he will be fine..its the Pruchas, Dawes, Fritsches, Kalinins and Roszivals. Shanny would look real good right now on the PP one timing shots from the slot. How do we as Ranger fans sit and watch the treatment of a 650+ goal scorer who fought Donald Brashear and not consider him on the team?
leatherneck: Leatherneck, I don't understand whats so hard about "shooting" the puck on the the PP.
I might disagree with you a little on Drury, this team went in a direction that basically said "It's your team to Drury and Gomez". That's why Jagr, Avery and Shanahan were not brought back.
I want Drury to succeed, the Rangers need him to succeed for this team to do well. He needs to pick it up or the criticism he gets will be well deserved.
I do believe there is enough blame for everyone to share. However you start with the guys who make the most, play the most, and are the leaders. That has never changed, no matter what era you play in.
As for Shanahan, what can be said that we haven't hashed over and over about. Yeah, I still believe he could help because the scoring is abysmal.
Kots--One can't complain about Octobers point total(after the 9 we got last year)--What a way to start november!!!We left 4 points on the ice ---4 points vs. teams that we are head and shoulders above(when we do what we need to do)--It makes me sick to watch the pp--fail time and time again--A tip of the hat to Redden--Brought in to quarterback the PP !!!Nice job so far!!! 6 mil per??? thats money NOT well!!!--Rozsival??? that caveman looking mamaluke should be in Geico comercials,and not on the PP,if he cannot bring himself to do what he MUST DO!!!! I always felt that if a pass didn't have at least a 50% chance of getting thru --you don't make it!!! What was this guy thinking about when he makes his cross-ice --high on the blueline pass--when an Islanders stick is in the lane??? I wanted to club him like a baby seal!!!I've felt his game was going down a bit lately( can it be that they saddled him with Kalinin??)Even it that was the case you can't blame Kalinin for the PP screw ups(finally Kalinin eats for free--he actually didn't play too bad the other night)--Very early in the season I remember giving Rozy his due for his PP shooting--saying how good he looked so far ,now that he wasn't looking to feed 68 all the time. He was taking his shots and good things happened--that was then this is now!!He didn't look on top of it when Park was behind him and swatting away at the puck that the King was covering up--I thought he was putting his coat on!!!first he extended his left arm to keep Park off and then his right--all the time Park is jagging his stick at the Kings glove!!!Just a thought Rozy--how about turning around --facing this dwarf--and putting him on his ass??? I'm posative I saw Jervais do that to Voros..I may be wrong, but it's hard to stab at the puck, when your looking at the retired numbers hanging from the ceiling!!! Now Vinny Lecavier--good goaltending--and a team that is playing better hockey comes in--and we have to bounce back from two bombs--Renney has got to get them over the Toronto game (which I think hit them hard--you can loose confidence in a heartbeat)--forget about loosing to a mistake prone Islander team--the focus must be to recapture our stride and not leave 2 points on the ice Thursday night!!
mr.hockey: Mr.Hockey, I hear "Rozi" at least took the blame. Unlike other high paid players. It doesn't absolve him from his play, but at least he knows he goofed.
You know sometimes we( and I include myself) can be to critical of the Rangers. They are 10-4-1 a record we as Ranger fans would have gladly accepted before the season started.
Yeah we blew 2 supposed easy games, but you know and I know nothing is a given. You must be prepared to play every night or you lose. It's that simple.
Kots--All is well in Ranger Land once again!!--3fer5 on the PP--a shorty--PK was good--Good job by the players and the staff to get it going straight again!!--would have never guessed that was only Drury's second trick!!--A 5-2 final--you would thinkl the game was a sleeper, but this game was terrific--Tampa came to play--they made us work for what we got--this was a solid win!!--Question?? If a D-man tried to clear Voros from the front of the net, the same way that Smith was---Do you think all the slashes and shots to the back would have gone un-called??--Not that I mind (it aint my legs) that type of play--you should foght for space,but in today's game it's not allowed --just suprised they let it go on so long--then Tampa shot themselves in the head--The king was tops again facing 38--we all played alot better as a team--And your right as always --Some nights we're just going to leave easy points out on the ice,and when that happens forget it and grab the next two!!--If some fans booed Avery when Dallas came in, you knew Malik was going to get hammered--Kalinin had a decent game again!!--Enjoy Colgate and The Big Red from Cornell!!
Hey guys.
Yeah great game tonight. Was pleased by the way the team answered each time Tampa scored a goal to come back. We found a way to nail a puck in Smith's nets each time. "You want to come back in the game Tampa?" Huh huh. NO WAY! Nice.
And what to say about
our captain, 2 PPG and 1 SHG, just wow. We can stop to blame him for at least a couple of days I think. We didn't asked for so much, but that's with pleasure we take that.
I would be patient before to say we "rock the place" on PP, a first step has been done tonight. Let's see if we can reproduce the same effort in the next games. But definitely a more smiling face for the team, I'm glad to have reduced my night to follow the game.
I'm not sure about Smith, but actually, from what I've seen here - despite the late hour - He's been "awarded" 2 minors for Slashing and Hi-Sticking and a major for fighting. The refs didn't made the call because we had the puck.
Bye.
mr.hockey: Mr.hockey, Drury played well (He needed it), the pp looked good, and the Rangers as a team got the job done.
I don't understand the leagues rules as to what? and what cannot? go on in front net. Avery gets crucified by the league, and yet Smith gets to whack Voros like a pinata. The league will protect the goalie, but not the other skaters on the ice? I don't get it.
Good win , Go Rangers.
jeff: Jeff, just curious as to the time over there when you watch the games.
Yes, it was nice to see Drury have a great night. I hope he continues to find his game. Remember consistency is what the Ranger fans are looking for.
Tampa is a solid club, Henrik once again was solid. The pp looked better than it has been lately.
Tampa's goalie Smith was obviously not happy with Voros. I just want to see what the leagues reaction is. With the new rules those chops were clearly intentional.
Most of the time when games start at 7 PM ET, it's 1 AM here, that makes a 6 hours time difference except a couples of weeks right before US residents change to "winter time" (daylight saving time, I don't know exactly how do you call it on your side of the Atlantic.). We changed our clocks generally one or two weeks before you so during this span, games start at midnight here. I try to watch as many live games as possible, especially on weekends, but sometimes also during the week when the day after is not too "loaded". I'm a die hard fan I guess. ;)
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