Battle Of New York

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We hope to see you over there and appreciate all our followers, including a couple of fans who actually recognized me at games. Thanks for the continued support!

Derek

Time to establish some things during the next 20 days.

1.  Who is the home team?  Get the last change – get the right person for the face off – hopefully get the right combinations on the ice at the right time…

2.  Get a lead.  Now that would be a concept instead of this constant comeback garbage.

3.  Get someone other than Tavares to get a goal.  I hope that Matty M is not the new version of Waldo.

4.  Solidification on defense.  Although I know that Bruno tries, he may need to get the Hockey for Dummies book that Charles has and start to use it…  And while he is at it – pass it to Mark Streit.  I really do not want to get on him, but since he was n0minated for Swiss sportsman of the year, his defensive play has suffered.

5.  Get Okposo off the point.  He has gotten points on the PP when he is between the circles or down low.  Get someone else to the point.

6.  Physical presence.  Joensuu is a big body.  I hope that Andy Sutton is back – but he has not practiced with the team – so that may not be a viable option.

7.  Consistency in net – and the play in front of the netminders.  Don’t understand why the team plays more offensively in front of Rollie than it does for Marty.  But this needs to improve.

8.  Crowds – be loud, proud, and show your support.

That should be a menu for success.

Will not be blogging the game tomorrow – will be sitting with the wife.  Enjoy the game everyone – and enjoy the weekend!

JT does it again.

The last five goals that the Islanders have scored have been a result of #91’s composite stick.

That the three-time Stanley Cup winner, Olympic gold medalist and four-time Vezina recipient also recently became the most active goalie in minutes played and also soon enough games played demonstrates just how durable he has been throughout a Hall Of Fame 16-year career. When I think of Marty, one word comes to mind. Consistency. All the consecutive 40+ win seasons prove it along with the fact the ageless 37 year-old is still performing at a high enough level to wonder if Cup No.4 is coming back to the Garden State on what’s a very good Devil team. Leave that debate for another day.

As someone who has had to watch the best No.30 provide many headaches, the man is a champion on and off the ice who handles himself the way another great player in the metro area does. No wonder they share so much in common except that the Devil franchise plays in obscurity, even if The Rock in Newark is a great arena. So, what if he doesn’t play across the Path on Broadway under the spotlight. This is what has always driven Kool Aid drinkers nuts. For that reason, Brodeur has flown under the radar despite staking his claim as the all-time greatest player to play the most important position in the NHL. If you don’t have a good goalie, you’ll never win Lord Stanley. Ex. Philadelphia Flyers

We’re not here to discuss the difference between playing in The Big Apple and the sister state where Lady Liberty really stands. Something proud New Jerseyans will remind you if you’re from NYC. Perhaps it has to do with the face both the Giants and Jets have New York across their uniforms while playing at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford. So, can you blame them?

It shouldn’t matter that Brodeur plays under the shadows for the Devils. Fact is they’re one of the greatest current sports franchises on par with the Red Wings, Patriots, Steelers, Colts, Spurs and Red Sox. Notice the great company they’re in. Only Detroit and San Antonio have won more championships. We left out the Yankees because they’re still the best franchise, now having won five World Series since 1996. Of course, it’s easy to point out that the Yanks play in the Bronx which ain’t exactly paradise even if the brand new Stadium is a crown jewel. If you’re a successful franchise, it shouldn’t matter where you play. Try telling that to this town where if you make it here, you’ll make it anywhere as Frank Sinatra once said.

Would it kill the Daily News or NY Post to give MB30 his proper due instead of the same old same old recycled covers? Guess that’s what happens when you play for New Jersey. It just doesn’t have the same sex appeal. In the newspaper business, they’re trying to sell papers. So, it’s always going to be something over the top and usually from this city. That is unless there’s a bunch of fluff like Tiger Woods’ marriage on rocks due to incompetence. Does anyone really care about his personal life? But hey. It sells. So, we’ll excuse the tabloids for eating it up.

What can’t be ignored is how poorly this sport is treated by ESPN. At one time, they aired games for x amount of years, including a couple we provided stats research for the talent. When I worked there, all the employees involved in making it a great production put everything and more into it. Considering all the money they invested in hockey, it made plenty of sense. One thing about Bristol, Connecticut. If they cover your sport, expect them to give a yeoman effort. Even if it’s resulted in butchering Monday Night Football. The best thing I’ve seen since 2002 was the 30 In 30 features, including The Trade of Wayne Gretzky, which was excellently produced. That’s ESPN at its best. If you want it at its worst, watch Sports Center. A show that once was great as a kid now has zero imagination, even ticking off their own researchers that put in hard hours for ridiculous storylines that have little to do with sports.

That’s what we’re dealing with since Disney took over. If they cover your sport, you’ll usually get great highlights and over analysis. See last night where Aaron Rodgers was treated like a Super Bowl winning quarterback. SC was basically football, football, FOOTBALL with a little AI, then more football, football, FOOTBALL. Sadly, the real King Of The Night- who deserved a lot more than the 11+ percent if most sportsfans weren’t so brainwashed- was reduced to a small blurb showing 2 miniscule highlights of his 103rd career shutout that tied a significant record. Then, they went back to more football. If you caught our last post early this morning on our birthday, then you already know.

Since hockey is hardly covered anymore after Bristol passed on re-upping due to the lockout with it instead winding up on Versus, where DirecTV subscribers got royally screwed and couldn’t catch one second of MB30’s shining moment, it comes as no surprise that such a special night got lost in the ESPN shuffle. Sadly, it’s worse than Phil’s recurring events in Groundhog Day. Even the Rangers aren’t this bad yet. Somehow, Barry Melrose and Matt Barnaby cash checks for zilch. John Buccigross, who’s one of the best hockey people in The States, remains employed working SC. He wrote a damn good column over a week ago on Brian Burke’s openly gay son Brendan. How unfortunate that we don’t benefit from Bucci’s enthusiasm for the sport.

Earlier this year, I pondered if a return to ESPN would be beneficial to the game. Sure. It would be more available to viewers and promoted better than what we get on Versus along with NBC, who has the NHL by the balls. But when I see how little it’s covered along with the ultimate disrespect to a super special athlete who’s much more likable than most of the pampered they push, it would be an exercise in futility. They don’t deserve Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Nicklas Lidstrom, Evgeni Malkin, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Nicklas Backstrom, Zach Parise, John Tavares and Matt Duchene. Clearly, there’s more talent on display than ever before.

We don’t deserve to be treated like second class citizens. So, while they can continue showcasing the overrated and image conscientious LeBron, I’ll take our gifted batch anyday with Mr. Brodeur the head of the class. Everything a real superstar should be. One of the best to ever play the game and a truly magnificent athlete. Even Derek Jeter and Peyton Manning would agree.

6-2 loss to a team that had lost 5 in a row, and 8 of 9.  Averaging about 1.3 goals over the 9 games…

AND THEY GOT SIX!

What happened?

Simon says NO!

Silly mistakes in the defensive zone.  Bad passes and decisions.  Streit and Gervais had, to be honest, lousy games.  The Flyers played a Peter Laviolette game.  They outskated their opponents – they beat the Isles to loose pucks, they were constantly moving – and make the visitors look incredibly weak.

Good for JT to get two on the power play.  His goals were quite easy, but goal scorers are always at the right place and the right time.  Kyle got two helpers.  Now he needs to get off his schneid and get involved.

Not much else to add on this.  The boys are back to Toronto – to the scene of the 58 save night of Rollie.  Will he do that again?  I highly doubt it – but the Isles need to look just like the Flyers did last night.  Come out with purpose – desperation, just totally PISSED OFF! If they look like their coach did on the bench last night – that would be good.

Jackman and Bergenheim are out.  We will see Comeau and Schremp back in the lineup tonight.  No need to re-call anyone. 

Here is wishing for a better effort tonight.

He saw the car making an illegal left turn, braced for impact, got hit, fell to the ground, gave the driver a few words that could probably only be said in Philadelphia, brushed himself off, and proclaimed that he is a ‘hockey player’ and has a game tonight.

He was out in practice this morning, and should play tonight – with a little soreness. 

The question, was he wearing a cape?

A Versus game tonight – should be interesting to hear what they say about this team on national television.  Hopefully good things.

Have a great day, and will talk about the game tomorrow.

What ever happened to Sports Center?!?!?!?!?!?! Back in my heyday, it kicked ass and I’d always watch before grabbing the bus to school. Now, it’s just an awful show full of garbage that doesn’t even cover everything but just the sports Bristol airs. Here’s a rundown of what we saw on silence as I danced to some beats:

foootball football footballl foooootbbbaalllll AI  fooootballll fooootballlllll foooootballlllll fooooootballlllll oh btw Martin Brodeur tied some record fooooooootballllllll foooooootbbbaalllllllllllll fooooooooootbbbbbaallllllll foooootballlll fooooootbbbbballlllllllll FOOTBALL FOOOOOTBALLLLL FOOOOOTTTBALLL FOOOOOOOTTBALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

More on how we feel over at the original Battle location. Any questions???

While Marty was the headliner, tonight’s game was far from a one-man show as an improving defense allowed only twelve shots on net in the first two periods against a good Sabres team, and the Devils’ offense put up three goals within twenty-one minutes against Ryan Miller – who only came into the game with a 1.85 GAA and .936 save percentage.  Perhaps it was fitting that the record-tying shutout was such a team effort with a dominant defense.

Of course it wouldn’t be a Devils game without another MIA player.  Tonight it was Mike Mottau, who caught the flu (oh how I sympathize with ye!).  Matthew Corrente played in Mottau’s place and logged 9:23 including a confidence-building shift late with Mark Fraser as the team was looking to protect the historic shutout.  Perhaps the best part of the night for the team going forward was that Corrente was the only player to receive less than ten minutes of icetime tonight.  Even a previously ineffective fourth line looks a lot better with Illka Pikkaranen and Rod Pelley having a fire lit under them by respective benchings, and the return of forwards Jay Pandolfo and Rob Niedermayer, enabling Jacques Lemaire to spread out minutes more evenly.  With tonight being the fourth of a seven-game in eleven-day stretch, this team needs every man to be a factor, particularly in the immediate future.

Even without Mottau, the Devils’ D looks bolstered by the return of Johnny Oduya, who played a team-leading 26:13 in only his second game back and now looks a lot more comfortable than he did early in the season.  Perhaps he felt pressure to live up to his new contract?  If Oduya can truly play at this level without needing Paul Martin to watch his back, the Devils’ unheralded D becomes that much more dangerous.  Andy Greene ‘only’ played 24:42 tonight, but still managed an assist – giving him 15 points in 25 games, numbers not seen by a Devils defenseman since Scott Niedermayer and Brian Rafalski were roaming around the halls of the CAA.

Before Brodeur could make history however, there was the small matter of winning the game, no easy task playing their fourth game in six nights against a good Sabres team.  Despite a semi-slow start, the Devils outshot the Sabres 12-5 in the first period and two late goals got the ball rolling downhill.  First, a suddenly hot Brian Rolston scored at 17:51 when he poked a loose puck through a crowd and past Miller in front for his tenth goal of the year, with Patrik Elias and Vladimir Zharkov getting the assists on what turned out to be the winning goal.  Just 67 seconds later, Travis Zajac doubled the Devils’ lead with his ninth goal of the year, firing a slap shot that may have deflected off of Andrej Sekera but definitely went past Miller and stunned the home crowd.  Zach Parise and Colin White would get the assists on Zajac’s goal.

For all intents and purposes, the Devils put the game away with a PP goal after just 39 seconds of the second period when Nicklas Bergfors fired a screened shot that went past Miller, giving Bergfors his ninth of the season after assists from Jamie Langenbrunner and Greene.  Interestingly, nine different players registered the points on those three goals.  With a comfortable margin against a surprisingly flat Sabres team, the rest of the night became about the pursuit of history.  Brodeur faced few real challenges, perhaps the most daunting was Steve Montador’s attempt early in the third period that only a quick glove was able to stop.

As the significance of this game dawned on everyone, Doc went into full storytelling mode late in the game – recounting how Marty kept pucks from all of his shutouts but only had 102 1/2 because of a 0-0 tie with Dominik Hasek, where both men kept a piece of the puck.  Maybe it was too bad in a way that the game wasn’t on FSNY but at least Doc himself was there, as was a national audience watching VERSUS.  To their credit, VERSUS did a good enough job in the wake of the record-tying shutout, interviewing Marty and Doc himself in the postgame.

BoNY Three Stars:

1. Martin Brodeur (22 saves, record-tying 103rd career SO)
2. Nicklas Bergfors (PP goal, +1 and 6 SOG in 14:37)
3. Brian Rolston (goal, +1 and 4 SOG in 14:12)

So, why the title? Because our team officially sucks. There’s no reason to even play the remaining 53 as this dysfunctional batch wearing Ranger jerseys aren’t seeing the playoffs unless they purchase a ticket. Not when even on a night Brian Boyle found the back of the net, Henrik Lundqvist reverted with a softie right thru the wickets with 2:03 left, sending many including us to the exits.

Hey. At least the Detroit contingent had something to cheer. They were everywhere. Ran into Mickey Redmond too before the game as he was getting ready to enter the broadcast booth for Hockey Town. Dave Maloney also was there and we gave him some love, saying he deserved to be on national TV which he appreciated. Joe Micheletti also was there. Think both he and Maloney auto’d this diehard fan Steve’s home white Ranger jersey which had between 25-30 on it, including <gulp> Al Rotwig. Apparently, he gets everyone and considers the ‘casters part of the team, noting how Wiggie was shocked because nobody ever asks for his. Duh.

Look. I knew they had no chance in Hell of winning this game. We don’t beat the Red Wings. The one time they did was a few years prior when The Dominator had a nightmarish first that included losing the puck for an empty netter. And that was in the real bad days when it was humiliating to lose to us. Well, those days have returned. Even with Marian Gaborik leading in goals and second in scoring, this team is God awful. To make matters worse, the Wings did a great job keying on The Big Ticket, holding him without a shot. Gabby tried but Nick Lidstrom was real strong, making a key defensive play before Dan Cleary’s decider. Guess that’s what happens when you play the best as soon after, Lidstrom fed Henrik Zetterberg, who was unstoppable all game, setting up the first two Wing scores in what amounted to an all to predictable 3-1 win.

Zetterberg faked and then held the puck forever before shooting down low to Cleary, who somehow squeaked one through from a horrible angle. Do the words swiss cheese mean anything to The Queen? I know it’s too hard to ask him to come up with consecutive good games as even the first Detroit marker was off a leaky rebound of a sharp angle Zetterberg backhand. Maybe he was in a giving mood against his countrymen. It’s just so disappointing because he didn’t play badly. But the guy just doesn’t get it done often enough for this team to have a chance. So, while the joke known as The Garden continues to whore him in every Garden Of Dreams ad along with overpriced Casino Night, when does he start living up to his celebrity status? Lundqvist after a game in which Jimmy Howard outplayed him by a country mile, stoning Ryan Callahan on a penalty shot and denying Chris Higgins’ bid:

“I knew I was in trouble when I couldn’t really see it in front of me. I was expecting a shot earlier, and then I just went far down and I kind of got stuck there. It is a tough one to let in that late.”

That would be because ageless Tomas Holmstrom was doing the screening just as he had at the conclusion of a Detroit power play in the mid-frame that led to Pavel Datsyuk evening it. Still one he can’t allow. Especially at that critical juncture when just getting a point in this ass backwards league is life and death. You wonder what the deal is with Lundqvist. Why does he suffer so many concentration lapses? The people standing behind us in Sec.411 kept referring to how this franchise will never win with him. What does that say? Would it kill John Tortorella to see what Chad Johnson can do? Of course, he won’t be in when they visit the Windy City Wednesday. But with it blatantly obvious that this edition is better off missing and playing for a lottery pick, what’s the point of overplaying Henrik?

It doesn’t get any easier after the Blackhawks as the Sabres pay a visit to MSG Saturday and the much more skilled Thrashers also come in. And here’s what’s even sadder. Atlanta has a realistic shot of making the playoffs with Nik Antropov anchoring their first line. All Russian with Buffalo castoff Maxim Afinogenov and super duper star Ilya Kovalchuk. They also have a good goalie tandem with Ondrej Pavelec and Johan Hedberg each performing well. Plus a nice supporting cast that includes Rich Peverley, Slava Kozlov, Todd White, Bryan Little, Evander Kane and a revamped blueline built around Tobias Enstrom and Zach Bogosian. Remember when they had no hope after unloading Marian Hossa to the Pens for a package that included hexed Angelo Esposito? Look at the team they’ve built.

When does it happen here? Maybe when they stop obsessing over the annoying egocentric Dancin’ “Homo” Larry. What exactly does this buffoon do? Is he on the payroll? Everytime he does his redundant choreographed routine, it’s the opponent that usually scores as was the case tonight. And yes. That was basically uttered before they put the damn spotlight on him. When you have fans uttering, “Game over,” you know it’s gotten way played out. Our section hates him with a passion. Where do you think the “Homo Larry” chant originated from?

Look. I could care less how passionate this baldheaded stooge is. Nobody who pays for their ticket comes to see him dance. If we wanted a Disco Night, go to a night club. There are plenty to choose from. This is H-O-C-K-E-Y! Someone needs to get that message out to Dolan and the losers. Heck. Our fan of the game was a security guard, who the whole night stood next to us and even remarked how it’s time for them to stop showing Larry. When is enough ENOUGH?

Here’s hoping we at least get a good lottery pick.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Nicklas Lidstrom, Det (2 assists, 3 SOG, hit, 2 blocked shots, +1 in 26:15)

2nd Star-Henrik Zetterberg, Det (2 assists, game high 7 SOG, +2 in 22:51)

1st Star-Jimmy Howard, Det (28 saves incl. stop on Cally PS and Higgins breakaway, 12/12 in 3rd)