Bad Start, Bad Ending for Rangers

The New York Rangers lost a critical playoff point to the Atlanta Thrashers in a shoot-out by a score of 5-4. When Todd White scored the only goal in the 6 round shootout, he put an end to really what I would call a miserable night for the Rangers.

The Rangers were extremely lucky to have built a 4-1 lead at one time late in the 2nd period. If not for a penalty filled game, the Thrashers outplayed the Blueshirts from beginning to end. I don't even want to go over who scored for who and all of that, it's a moot point. The collapse by the Rangers was staring them in the face from the time that they stepped on the ice. Atlanta was ready to go from the drop of the puck. I asked my son, Cody, which team looked like they were fighting for a playoff spot. It surely wasn't the Rangers. Even when somehow they managed to take the aforementioned 4-1 lead, I was thinking that you got to get to the 3rd period with the 3 goal lead and they'll be okay. But no, that's not what happened. They gave up a goal very late in the 2nd period to, I'll just call him a "difference maker", Ilya Kovalchuk. That's just not acceptable. I'm sure coach Tortorella was not pleased at all.

Heading into the 3rd period you could feel that something was going to happen and not in a good way for the Rangers. The Rangers began to back up a little in this period. A fluke goal, and a pretty goal set up by "the difference maker" just about sealed the Rangers fate. I will say that the Rangers had a chance to bury Atlanta with yet another 5-3 PP (There were a few tonight) and they totally botched it up, big time (Where was Antropov in this situation?). Anyways, you know the rest of the story... not a good night for the Rangers. Sure, they got a point out of it... but it's not going to get any easier form here on out with Pittsburgh and New Jersey up ahead. One more thing... where was Zherdev in the shootout? Over and out!