Rangers, Barry Beck, and More!

The Rangers are in Anaheim tonight to take on the Ducks to begin an all important western road swing that will keep the Rangers above water in the race to the playoffs or drop below it. After 2 straight wins over Ottawa on the road and at home against the Flyers (What an ass kicking that was!) the Rangers must keep the momentum on their side. The time is now! Points are getting to be more precious for the Rangers than gold is on the open market. Players like Dubinsky, Callahan, Staal, and of course the “King” Henrik Lundqvist must lead the way. If Marian Gaborik is healthy (That’s still questionable?) and finds his scoring touch the better off the Rangers will be. All four lines need to do their jobs, The defense pairings must step their game up as well. Hard work and effort has been the key to the Rangers this season. Nothing less than that is acceptable. It’s playoff mode for the Rangers. They got a few gifts last night with Buffalo, New Jersey and Toronto losing. However, relying on others to do your job for you, is in my opinion, a certain way to miss the playoffs. It’s all in the players hands and there can be no excuses because excuses left the building a long time ago.

Tuesday night on the “Instigators Hockey Show” my co-host Pauly D and I had the great pleasure of having former Ranger Captain and Legend Barry Beck on as a special guest for a very informative chat. Barry was gracious enough to come on the show even though there was a 13 hour time difference (Bubba lives and works in Hong Kong) and stay on for over an hour to talk with us. If you are a Ranger fan you don’t want to miss out the chance at listening to what Barry’s up to these days and his time with the Rangers. We had plenty of laughs and great story telling. Trust Me! If you wish to listen to the show you can hit the link below.

As for me I will be in Ithaca NY Friday night for a best of 3 to do the color for the Quinnipiac Bobcats as they head on the road to take on the Cornell Big Red in the 2nd round of the ECAC playoffs in men’s Division 1 Hockey. This should be a great match up and after all it is the playoffs so one never knows, do they? If your interested in listening to play by play man Bill Schweizer and I hit the link. Tune in it’s great hockey!

Please feel free to make your comments known on the blog site and I will respond back to you. Don’t be afraid…Over and out!

Quinnipiac Bobcats Radio Link: http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x981.xml

Instigators Link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pauly-d

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No Place Like Home?

Regardless of how tonight’s outcome with the New York Rangers/Minnesota Wild game ends up (Hopefully a win for the Rangers) . One thing is certain, the Rangers have treated MSG like it was a house of horrors this season. Home ice has not been to kind for the “Boys in Blue” over the last few seasons. Think back to last year’s one-game showdown with Philadelphia for the right to make the playoffs in the final game of the season. It shouldn’t have come down to that had the Rangers taken care of business at home. This year it’s much of the same with a record of 14-15-3 at the world’s most famous arena. I certainly don’t have the answers and it’s obvious no one else does either. One thing I do know is that playing in your own barn is supposed to be an advantage for the home team. Clearly this isn’t the case for the Rangers. Games are starting to have more meaning as teams chasing for a playoff spot are closing in. The New York Rangers must find a way to start winning their final games at home in order to secure a playoff spot. The time is now! and let’s all hope it starts tonight with a win over the Wild.

Now that the trade deadline has come and gone. I personally liked the fact that Glen Sather didn’t do anything drastic and ruin the good this organization has done in a short period of time. It wasn’t long ago that the Rangers were pushed to limit salary cap wise… which was a huge problem. Adding huge potential contracts (Brad Richards) through the trade deadline would have put them back to square 1 with no room to maneuver and that is something you don’t want. This team has gotten younger and the core players have yet to reach their full potential. I feel that if you want to make moves or add to the roster you do it in the off-season where no one has a gun to your head. That’s the way I feel and I’m sticking by it!

It’s obvious that with out a healthy Marion Gaborik the Rangers are going to be challenged to find the dynamic offensive player for the stretch run. That being said, it’s up to the players on the roster to find a way to score- plain and simple. “How”, you say? To me it means someone has to play the hero role each and every night. Not just one or two players, it has to be done by committee. If the Rangers can do this it should be more than enough win and proceed to the playoffs. It wouldn’t hurt to spot Henrik Lundqvist a few goals would it? (Especially now that Biron’s injured).

This Friday night I will be in Hamden CT for the 1st round of the ECAC playoffs where the Quinnipiac Bobcats and Brown Bears get under way in a best of 3 series. If you are in the area come by and check it out. If you want to listen to the game here’s the link below.

Quinnipiac Bobcats Radio Link: http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x981.xml

Also this past Tuesday My co-host Pauly Dee and I had the pleasure of chatting with a former Ranger/Whaler and a teammate of mine in Toronto Jeff Brubaker. “Bru” was a tough, team first type player and was very insightful and really gave the listeners a realistic look into what it took for him to play in the NHL. Also we had Lou Lafrado, who runs one of the best hockey websites in “Pro Hockey News”, on to talk about his site and Hockey in general. If you missed the show you can go back and listen to it in archive just hit the link. That’s it over and out!

Instigators Link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pauly-d

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Rangers End Skid, Whalers Fest, and More!

Hey Ranger fans… you can breath again after beating the Pittsburgh Penguins by a score of 5-3 and putting a halt to a season high 6-game losing streak. Those who were thinking about jumping off a cliff or off the bandwagon should relax. I know it’s only one win, but really folks knee-jerk reactions about the state of the team are just silly. Remember losing streaks happen in the NHL and how your team reacts to them shows what kind of personality they have. We will soon see how the Rangers deal with it. Are they out of the woods? Of course not, but they are still in a decent position to make the playoffs.

The team is finally getting most of their roster back minus a couple players and what is needed is finding that chemistry that made the Rangers a tough team to play against for most of the year. With the time off between Penguins game and the Kings game coming up on Thursday at MSG, hopefully the coaches and players reacquainted themselves during the practice sessions. Having a familiar lineup is the key to any team’s success and the Rangers are no different. What I’d like to see is line combinations that stay together and the PP chosen few the same. With games dwindling, this team needs to find that cohesive togetherness that made them a hard team to play against.

On to other NHL news. I have a few thoughts about Mario Lemieux’s comments after the brawl with the Islanders last week. First off, I totally respect Mario for what he has done as a player in his HOF career. All of us who had the great fortune of playing in the NHL wished we could have had the ability and skill of a Mario Lemieux. No one can deny that. I do realize that some cheap shots were obviously taken by the Islanders and they were subsequently dealt with fines and suspensions. That being said, I believe that his timing was very suspect to say the least. Not one time in his tenure as an owner has Mario ever spoke out about any of the transgressions that any of his players that he has employed. If Super Mario feels that strongly about what happened in Long Island… then why doesn’t he take the lead and start by purging players on his team like Cooke, Goddard, Rupp, Engelland, Asham and see how that works out for him? Self-serving? Hypocritical? Certainly looks that way to me.

As most of you know, I will be playing with the Hartford Whaler Alumni against the Boston Bruin Alumni this Saturday in the Whale Bowl at Rentschler Field the outdoors home of the UConn Huskies Football team. The game will take place before the CT Whale/Providence Bruins AHL game. I’m looking forward to seeing some of my former teammates and the die hard Whaler fans. Howard Baldwin and Howard (Bubba) Baldwin Jr. are the masterminds of the great event and have put in a ton of hard work and money to put this event on. It’s a showcase for the city of Harford and the state CT. So don’t be afraid to show up and let’s break the outdoor record for attendance for an AHL game. Check out the link!

Whalers Hockey Fest 2011 Link: http://www.ctwhale.com/default.asp?ctwhale=134

Don’t forget to check out the “Instigators Radio Show”. Tuesday night 8:30 with my co-host Pauly D and I as we talk everything hockey. Just hit the link below. Over and out!

Instigators Link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pauly-d

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Crisis? What Crisis?

Well Ranger fans the New York Rangers have hit a critical point in the season. After losing 5 in a row the Rangers find themselves treading water playoff-wise heading into a huge match up in Atlanta with the Thrashers Friday night. Carolina, Atlanta, Buffalo and even Florida are fast on the Ranger’s tails. Is it time to panic, as many of my Ranger friends have suggested? I think not. Is there reason for concern? Absolutely! The Rangers have played with effort and energy- there’s no denying that. What they haven’t been able to do during this losing streak is score goals. Plain and simple.

Let’s break it down a little bit here. 1st the Big guns have not, and I repeat have not, pulled their weight in producing offense that the team desperately needs. We can all look to Marian Gaborik as the lead man and his lack of production and the trickle down effect goes right down the line of the roster from there. Gaborik needs to pick up his game and lead the Rangers in scoring, that’s what he does and from there the rest will fall into place. Second, how about crashing the net and creating more traffic in front of the goaltender? More goals are scored from a few feet out than any other place on the ice. It may be down right ugly, but it sure is effective.

Other thoughts I have at this point of the season. One thing that I’m sure of is you can’t point fingers at the goaltending with Henrik Lundqvist as the lead man and Martin Biron. They are, in my opinion, as good a tandem in the entire NHL. Has there been night’s where the “King” has looked less than stellar? For sure. Overall though, in my humble opinion, there is really no concern in this area. The defensemen on this team have done an admirable job all season and really surprised most us with their play. Once again no problem there. Now if you want to talk about the PP that’s another story… Yes you can point a huge finger in this area. I do know one thing about Power plays and that is you can’t SCORE if you don’t SHOOT the puck. I know I’m beating the dead horse here, but really stop with the “Euro I’m going to paint you a pretty picture perfect goal” attitude on the Power Play. PASS PASS PASS… No shots, just keep passing it. Drives me nuts! If you watch the successful PP’s in the league they shoot the puck every chance they get. Why is this? Well maybe it’s because most goals that are scored on the PP come from rebounds and deflections. Duh! The Ranger players have got to start shooting the puck and forget about painting a picture.

This past Tuesday, Pauly D and I had the great pleasure of talking with Hartford Whaler legend Blaine Stoughton on our “Instigators Hockey Show”. “Stash” as he is commonly referred to, also played a short time with the New York Rangers. The show was filled with stories and laughter. It is a must listen You can go back and listen to the show by hitting the link below.

One other thing I’d like to give Claude Julien head coach of the Boston Bruins a standing ovation for his comments about the players taking more responsibility for the head hits and hitting from behind. Finally someone with some kind of stature and importance in the NHL telling it like it is. Julien basically called the players out and I applaud him for that. You can read the whole article here: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=352460

Finally, I’m looking forward to the Rangers game on Friday night. This game will tell us plenty about the Rangers and where they are heading. Feel free to make your voice heard here on “Kotsy’s Korner” by adding your 2 cents. I dare ya! Over and Out!

Instigators Hockey Show: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pauly-d

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A Much Needed Rest

Well Rangers fans we are now at the All Star break. Some might say I took mine a few weeks ago with this blog, oh well that’s the way it goes! Anyway, the New York Rangers definitely needed this break with all the injuries this team has had this season. I’m not going to sit here and feel sorry for the “Boys in Blue” because in the NHL one never knows how things will go from year-to-year when it comes to injuries. Last year hardly any games lost due to injury, this year it’s the complete opposite. What is impressive is how this team has been able to ride out the storm, so to say, with key players missing (Callahan, Dubinsky, Prospal, Christensen, Boogaard, Girardi) from the lineup and just as impressive are the call ups from the CT Whale who have done a admirable job. The organization from top to bottom has held this team together. Now is the time for a little rest, get a few of the walking wounded back after the break and push onward toward the playoffs.

Just a few quick hits… Who cannot be impressed with the play of Mats Zuccarello? I, for one, was skeptical about him but have to admit he’s been a pleasant surprise. He has the hockey smarts and his shootout goals have been nothing short of spectacular.

I love the play of Ryan McDonagh. He’s looks very calm and cool when he’s on the ice. Very steady in the defensive zone. This was a great pickup by the Rangers.

Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Biron have been superb, in my opinion, this season. When you get goaltending like they have provided for the Rangers it bodes well for the playoffs. The “King” has and will continue to carry the load, but you can’t underestimate Biron’s contribution to this team. He gives Lundqvist the much needed rest he deserves and in turn Lundqvist’s performance level has never been better.

On the down side of things the power play needs to pick up it’s pants and get productive. Too much thinking and not enough shooting for my liking.
Stop looking for the picture perfect goal and SHOOT the puck!

This past Tuesday my co-host Pauly D and I had the great pleasure of talking with Ranger legend Steve “Sarge” Vickers on our Blog Talk radio show “The Instigators”. It was just awesome to hear Steve talk about his time with the Rangers. We were joined by another great Ranger Ron Greschner and let me tell that the stories were hilarious and informative at the same time. You must go to the link and listen to this once in a lifetime show. You will not be disappointed.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pauly-d/2011/01/26/the-instigators-hockey-show

I’m off St. Lawrence and Clarkson to do the color on the radio for the Quinnipiac Bobcats huge ECAC games this weekend. Just hit the link if you want to listen in. Over and Out.

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x981.xml

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41 Down, 41 to Go

With a stirring 2-1 OT win over the Carolina Hurricanes thanks to Mats Zucarrello Aason’s 1st NHL goal in front the of the home crowd at MSG last night the New York Rangers have hit the half way point of their schedule. 41 games in the Rangers have placed themselves nicely with a 23-15-3 record- that’s good for 49 points and 7th place in the Eastern Conference. Not bad…Not bad at all.

Let’s face it Ranger fans, you have to be more than pleased with the current state of Boys in Blue. No one in their wildest dreams could have or would have expected this kind of progress so quick and so fast. You have to start by giving the players most of the credit. They have done the job on a fairly consistent basis most of the season so far. This team is tough on the road (Lead the NHL with road 13 wins) and getting better at home. John Tortorella and his staff deserves some of the credit as well in getting the Rangers to play a hard nosed, bring it in your face style of Hockey. That folks is the identity of this team. Injuries have not held this team back. When one goes down someone has stepped in and done the job and that shows how much more the cupboard is full these days depth-wise. Although I certainly would like to see Ryan Callahan back as soon as possible. There’s 41 more games to go and where the Rangers need help obviously is in the scoring department. That’s a big question mark in my opinion. Sure would be nice to see one more proven goal scorer in the lineup along with Gaborik. Unfortunately it’s not that easy to find one. All the top teams have at least two major threats, some even more.

Now the Rangers head out on the road for a couple of tough games with Dallas and St. Louis. If they show up and work hard they should be okay.

Okay, now I’d like to talk a little about the Michael Del Zotto demotion. First off let’s not get too crazy and in an uproar over this. MDZ is a big part of the picture for the New York Rangers. Obviously he’s had a tough go of it this year, no offensive production and defensively he’s struggled at times. This demotion or send down to the CT Whale should be a wake up call to MDZ that it’s not that easy to play in the National Hockey League or stay in it either. MDZ has loads of talent, but needs to work on his deficiencies and the key word is ‘work’! The coaching staff has let him know what he needs to do and hopefully he understands that it’s up to him to regain his form.

World Jr’s are now over after a stunning comeback by the Russians over Canada. Canada led 3-0 heading into the 3rd period in the Gold medal game, When the Russians blitzed the Canadians with 5 straight goals to secure the gold. You have to give credit where it’s due. The Russians were the “Comeback kids” of this tourney (They did it 3 times) and congratulations is in order. As for Canada and the US it was a major disappointment in my opinion. Silver and Bronze respectively not exactly what both teams had in mind.

Last thing on my mind. I think it’s time that the Winter Classic involves the New York Rangers. Don’t you think? Yankee Stadium would be a nice fit… I’m Just saying. Happy belated New Year everyone over and out!

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