Pens Take Game 2, 2-0
Sunday, April 27, 2008
The Pittsburgh Penguins put on a defensive clinic today that the Rangers know about all too well! The Pens took away the neutral zone and never gave the Rangers room, flow, or clear shots on Marc Andre Fleury. Let's not underestimate the Pittsburgh Penguins, they are growing into a team that's becoming a force to be reckoned with.
Jordan Staal beat Henrik Lundqvist with a nice move on a power play that gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead. The goal was scored on another questionable penalty call on Chris Drury (I think it was a weak call, it appeared Hossa was grabbing Drury's stick rather than Drury hooking him). The Rangers did appear to score a goal late in the 3rd period on a rebound in front of Marc Andre Fleury as Marty Straka whacked it across the goal line. However, referee Dan O'Halloran's quick, and I mean QUICK, whistle nullified the apparent goal and basically killed the Rangers will in the process.
My beef with the call is, when a referee is standing behind the net, of course he's gonna lose sight of the puck, DUH! He's BEHIND the net, not in the correct position to make the right call. NBC was quick to defend the call and both Mike Emrick & Eddy O claimed it was the right call. Basically, they were telling the (Ranger) fans watching - "You're dumb and we're smart". Just look at the video and you tell me if O'Halloran can call anything at all where he was positioned. Ridiculous.
Getting back to the game, high marks for Henrik Lundqvist and Marc Andre Fleury. But, in the end, Pittsburgh took a page out of the Rangers book and just flat out shut them down (where was the Ranger offense?). Down 2-0, the Rangers are in deep water as the Penguins are on a roll (6-0 in the playoffs). Sid the Kid and crew are going to be very tough to beat. Although, I have full confidence in the Rangers being able to respond back at MSG. But they better find some offense quickly or this series will be over!
10 comments:
Hey Chris
Welcome HOME !!!! Once a Ranger SWEET One question-- When is Renny gonna get rid of Backman and put Strudwicks Mustache in. Every time he goes near the puck( when he isnt running from it ) he coughs it up either by a bad pass or just plain out muscled. And I cant even trade of his offense for lack of D because he looks like a deer in the headlights whenever the puck or a forchecker is near!
Hey Chris,
Congrats on Kotsy's corner. Always nice to get an intelligent view on hockey. Bleedsblue1959 is all wrong. Agree Backman looks shaky, but Strudwick is a nightmare. Can't skate and on every shift gets caught out of position because of it. Then to make it worse his D partner tries to cover and we have both out of position. On the quick whistle you are right on. Also on the first per scramble in front of Henrik seems like that whistle still hasn't blown. No consistency at all.
Right on Kots! The analysis was skewed and you nailed the way they made Ranger fans feel stupid. I find Mike Milbury very offensive as an announcer analyst and strongly believe he shouldnt be on TV. I did think the refs were largely told to calm down on the hometown favors and called a much better game. Calling a penalty on Gill in the last 2 showed courage even though it was the right call. We just couldnt buy a goal.
Hey Florida
Maybe you havent been watching but Strudwick clears the crease and isnt afraid to take the body! Nightmare I think not and did you ever catch the side screens of him giving Stall tips HMMMM wonder if the Nightmare helped the kid at all
Hey Chris,
Happy easter, xristos anesti...
I was wondering are you related to Tom Kostopoulos, of the Montral Canadiens?
Love the site! I remember your stint with the Rangers, and was sorry to see you move on to the Whalers. Great to have you a part of Rangerland. One question; is it possible that Shanahan has some sort of injury? He has been invisible the past few games.
Thoughts for today--
Media coverage is bizarre at best-
Butch Goring on an MSG Ranger broadcast? NBC and Mike Milbury on any broadcast? Pierre and crew trying to develop "theme" broadcast on 90/10 theory of "neutral" coverage of these contests?
Chris throw your hat into the ring. Aside from Dave Maloney and a transformed Stan Fischler these media types are all out to lunch-hockeywise/Rangerwise and interestwise.
First off, I'd like to thank all of you for your comments. Hopefully you can keep 'em all coming and I'll keep answering!
---------------
bleedsblue1959: I agree. Backman's struggled for many weeks. He's not physically intimidating and opponents take advantage of that!
---------------
florida ranger: It's a tough call. Backman, Strudwick, or dare I say... MALIK? Just throwing his name out there!
---------------
joefroh: Referee's, I will admit, have a tougher job to do now with all the post lock-out rule changes. But, it still comes down to calling the game the same way from the 1st shift to the last. The players need to know how the game's are going to be called from the get go!
---------------
steve: I'm actually not related to Tom Kostopoulos. I know he's from Ontario, coincidentally. But his last name is spelled with an 's' before the 't', my name is Kotsopoulos.
---------------
jackie p: I almost cried when I was traded, I loved New York. I still get chills during the national anthem when I attend games at MSG. There is no better place to play! Also, my thinking about Shanahan is that he's just at that age now where you don't know what you're going to get from night to night. He's almost 40, afterall!
---------------
richard: They are trying to get the right formula for the national audience. So far I'm not sure it's working. As for Maloney, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by him on radio earlier in the season. He does a fine job for TV & Radio. In regards to Stan "The Know It All", I actually find myself agreeing with his assessments more and more (somebody take my temperature please)!
http://www.centsports.com/?opcode=90633
http://www.centsports.com/?opcode=90633
Post a Comment