Avery Agitates, Rangers Romp

Sean Avery knew he hadn't play well since returning from injury, especially in the Rangers' loss to the Islanders Tuesday. "I don't think I played well on Long Island," he said. "I think I knew that." And coach Tom Renney knew it too. "Tom certainly told me," he added. But it was a call from home that really put him over the top. "I had a revelation as well what happened to me as a child," he said. "I called home, first thing my Mom says to me is that I've played like [crap] three games back [from injury]." He used a word worse than "crap" in relaying what his mother told him. "I think that was probably a little bit of motivation to come back," he added. "I had a meeting with Tom, I said I was going to come back and play well."

So Avery did what he does best -- he went out and agitated, driving veteran Gary Roberts, an abrasive player himself, to so much distraction that he took a double minor against Avery for high sticking and then giving him the business. That set the stage for the Rangers taking the lead for good in a game they would go on to win 4-2. And as if that wasn't enough for the Penguins to chew on and spit out, Avery also skated with purpose, setting up Scott Gomez's goal that opened the scoring and firing a bullet of a power play goal for the game winner, his first goal of the season, most of which he's missed due to injury.

"I definitely think teams want me to do poorly," Avery said. "They probably want me to get hurt, want me to take penalties and just not generally play well. That's part of the thing that motivates me. I'm kind of used to the unnerving [the opposition] part, so getting the first [goal] out of the way was big." It remains a source of consternation that players who surely have heard it all can still get unnerved by whatever it is that Avery says to them, especially veterans like Roberts. "It's probably easier," Avery said of goading veterans vs. young players. "Young guys, they're a little dumb. They don't really know what's going on half the time. A guy like that [Roberts] takes it as a little bit more of an insult, like how dare you disrespect all they've done for the game and how great they are."

Renney had to admit he was amazed at Avery's ability to do that. "I'm not sure amazed is something I would identify with," he began. "But, you know, it's, it's -- maybe it is amazing. But it doesn't surprise me. He's an antagonist." That he can back up his words with good play irks opponents even more. "You gotta think so," Renney agreed. "He's a good player. Sean feels he can contribute in a number of different ways. He's confident and comfortable with that. That's a valuable player -- it elevates the passion of other people to know he's laying it on the line in more ways than one, cause one of these days somebody is just going to squish him. But he just keeps going. On the bench, he identifies with the types of things you really like players to talk about -- getting the puck deep, keeping the third man high, keeping your shifts short. But by the nature of how he pays the price, guys take heed, because he delivers in other ways too."

Avery believes NHL officials are starting to better recognize what he does on the ice, despite the fact that he was called for a penalty for an incidental collision while trying to stay onside at the blue line and was the only player called for a penalty when his opponent clipped him in the face with a stick after he took him down. "I feel like my relationship with the refs is a little better," he said. "I feel like I've gotten a break on a couple of things. A call like that, I'm just not going to say anything any more -- it doesn't work."

But this game was more than just the Sean Avery Show. Granted the Penguins were in the same position the Rangers were in their last game, the worse for wear playing their second game in two nights. With Gomez centering Avery and Brendan Shanahan -- the unit that started the season before Avery was injured -- the Rangers were all over the Penguins in the first two periods. They outshot them 22-6 in the first -- 21-2 over a span of sixteen minutes. They were outshooting them 33-15 (including another 9-2 run in a ten-minute span of the second period) by the time they took a commanding 4-1 lead early in the third period (at which point the Rangers fell back on defense), and ended up with 39.

Most importantly, they converted their shots into goals this time, scoring more than three for only the second time this season, the first time since their 5-2 opening night win. Their power play is clicking, despite a long ineffective five on three that could have sealed the game late in the second period -- with power play goals in five of their last six games, they have converted seven of their last 25 advantages. At the same time, their penalty killing continues to be among the league's best, despite giving one up last night that was more a combination of bad bounce (a deflection off Roberts's leg) and a rare miscue by Henrik Lundqvist -- “It felt weird, it was like I could actually do a mistake and we’d still be in the lead,” he said.

Meanwhile, leave it to the fourth line of Blair Betts, Ryan Hollweg, and Colton Orr to shut down Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, often driving Malkin batty with frustration. The trio had success with the match-up one game last season, so Renney, who rarely likes to match lines, went with them again. The defensive duo of Fedor Tyutin and Dan Girardi were out with them against Crosby most of the night. Crosby and Malkin did register assists on the Pens' first goal when they were out against Chris Drury's line and a different defensive duo, double teaming Nigel Dawes into a turnover (and they still needed a deflection off Dawes to get it past Lundqvist). But they were also out on the ice for the Rangers' last goal, with Malkin turning the puck over to give the Rangers the counter.

And then there was Brandon Dubinsky's first NHL goal, scored off a nice rush and drop pass by Dawes, who earned his first NHL assist on the play. The young center was thrilled and obviously hopes that this will jump start a scoring spurt. It nearly begat a spurt in this game -- he hit a goal post flush on a few minutes later, and had another chance hit the post after he slid the puck under the goalie. Girardi, who recorded his first career two-point game with a pair of assists, also had a shot go flush off the post. Michal Rozsival, tied for the team lead in goals with four after his power play goal last night, missed a chance to take the lead when his shot too scored a direct hit on a goal post -- these were no glancing blows, these were shots that could have made this game into a huge blowout. The goal frame continues to thwart the Rangers, but on this night at least, the scoring was there.

Game reports: Daily News, Journal News, Newsday, Times, Post, Advance, NY Sports Day, SNY, NYR.com, and AP. More from Newdsay, Blue Notes, and USA Today. For the Penguin POV, see here and here. Interesting note at the end of an entry at the Hockey News on how Avery's agent showed that his penalties were not a detriment to the team during his arbitration hearing. Forbes Magazine's annual valuation of hockey franchises has the Rangers where they always are, second behind the Leafs, their value up to $365 million. From Hartford, Mitch Beck's Howlings has news via Bruce Berlet of the Courant that Tommy Pyatt is on the shelf with an ankle sprain, plus an entry on how Thomas Pock is handling his demotion to the Wolf Pack. Bruce himself has the Wolf Pack week ahead in the Courant. And Jess has a round-up of prospect action in Prospect Park.

Comments

[Matty still trying to nap]

From the previous thread

Very good Matty, You know you still never offered me any cookies lol :)

Vincent that's because I don't bake, I fry :)

[Godot]

my comment from the previous thread. I repost because Vince responded to detaild's comments, but not mine, so I thought I'd present him the opportunity to rebutt with something other than "Hossa doesn't belong on this team" which isn't a rebuttal but a reaction. Here goes:

It's this simple, what many are saying here right now is that, hey criticize the 5 on 3 all you want, but how about putting it in perspective. The first line was hot, it was the second period (if memory serves me correctly), which means the longer change, and the team was moving the puck well. Did they score. No. Is that the problem? It is a problem, but it is not the catastrophe so many of you make it out to be...why? They won the game, it didn't change the tide in any meaningful way.

Everyone makes a big to do about scoring as if that's the only measure of success for a hockey player or any given hockey situation. We don't know what Hossa's marching orders are: if it's get the puck, use your body, create opportunities for Jagr, then he's doing his job. If it's score as many goals as you can, then he isn't.

There's no doubt Dawes is the better goal scorer. He's a better goal scorer than a lot of Rangers right now. If he scores a hat trick every night and the Rangers lose 8 to 5, it doesn't matter how many goals he gets because a loss is still a loss. If Hossa or the fourth line or whomever, however, helps shut down the opposing offense by either blocking shots or helping keep the other team in their own end, with dominating play (even without scoring a goal) that keeps the other team off the board while tiring out their defense and ticking down minutes on the clock, and the team wins, 5 to 3 then both Dawes and Hossa (and the fourth line, etc) have all been instrumental in the victory.

This is a team game. The team is playing very well now. Are they all contributing in the same manner--no. Are they all contributing equally to this success. Yes.

G

[paulf]

Why do the Rangers want big-name players? Follow the money. It's all about franchise values and television ratings and so on. The team needs names it can sell to advertisors. The fact that TV ratings have gone up following the good playoff run and the signings of Drury and Gomez means big $$$$ to the team's coffers.

[Godot]

Vince, "they can all skate, hit hard and put the puck in the net" in the AHL. As we all know the Rangers don't play in the AHL, and Renney and company--despite what many here think--are actually really quite good at judging talent in regards to who is ready to play in MSG. You may not think so, may think Callahan and Gerardi should have been up sooner last year, yadda, yadda, but Renney and company believe no one is going to come up from Hartford and be playing the minutes Hossa is currently and doing it as well as Hossa is. See my post above for clarification.

G

[Godot]

Hossa is doing very well. Your sense is that he doesn't have any points so therefore he is ineffective. I admit he hasn't played consistently well, but neither has many of the others on this team. Jagr and Renney are happy with Hossa on the line, and I feel like they have a better sense of their expectations of Hossa than I could have, and surely they have a better sense of what the Wolfpack

I'm not saying Hossa deserves to be on the first line; I'm surely not saying he's the second coming of Adam Graves. What I am saying is that he's doing a journeyman's job on the first line, and although he hasn't yielded the results I would like for him--or for any player, the team has garnered points in all but one game in the last 8 (so your argument about every point counts is a bit lost to me) and the people he's supposed to please (the coaching staff, Jagr, etc) are happy with his play. And he should have had a goal on the Island the other night. He's come close. But we can say that for a lot of Rangers.

[rangerbill94]

Snapshot this year vs. last year

After 16 games last season the Rangers played in only 4 games where they scored 2 goals or less. They lost all 4. After the 16 games they had 19 points.

After 16 games this season the Rangers have played in 11 games where they scored 2 goals or less. They lost 6 of them with 1 OTL. After 16 games we have 17 points.

I was surprised to find that last season the Rangers played in 36 games where we scored 2 goals or less and 20 were regulation losses and only 6 were OTL.

Now, if you look at the LAST 18 games of last season we get: 11 of the 18 games we score 2 goals or less. We lost 2 in regulation and 3 OTL.

This shows me that Renney got the system drilled into their heads in early March. That probably corresponds to Avery & Mara coming and A. Ward leaving (along with a bunch of other junk). I think we have simply picked up where we left off last year, with the exception of the offense not quite coming together due to the extensive player changes. The only real defensive change is Staal and that has worked out very well to date.

[brian]

rangerbill great snapshot....puts a lot into perspective...thanks for that

[Colton Orr & Sean Avery !!! Errr !!! The Power !!!!! BUT IM NOT FRUSTRATED !!! ERRness]

Aveeeery, he was awesome, and my boy "The Bachelor" was awesome too. He was blocking shots, breaking up plays, woo. Georges Lacrackhead didnt want any of that. Yee haw. Lets destroy the Leafs, please.

[GEORGE]

VINCENT. Will you join Lennys fan club for/HOSSA/too?

[lennynyr]

We have plenty of openings George. I'll send you an application, provide your e-mail address!

[Godot]

I think, Vince, to reduce Jagr's liking of Hossa to ethnocentrism is ridiculous. Sorry to say it, but it's true. Jagr wants the Rangers to win. He wants a Stanley Cup this year. And perhaps Renney sees things in practice and even on the ice that you don't.

Hosa is not his brother. Hossa is not Straka. Hossa does do a lot of important things for this team well. I agree he's not scoring. you say other Rangers who aren't scoring have proven themselves scorers before. Well, let's see: Betts??? Nope not Betts. Hollwegg, nope not Hollywood either, oh yeah but he "hits" sometimes, and often manages to put himself out of position when he does so. Orr?

Of course, you're going to say that these three don't belong on the first line. Hossa's on the first line because 1. Straka's out; 2. Hossa performed ont he first line last year; 3. bringing somebody up would play against the cap, and Slats wants as much wiggle room as possible at the trade deadline; 4. The GM and coaching staff of Hartford and the Rangers doesn't believe anybody else could do the job as well as Hossa without significantly damaging the potential of the other lines.

So where should Hossa go when Straka returns? You obviously feel he should be off the team, though he is a more consistent performer then Hollweg. Pergaps you only like Hollwegg because he's American?? (see your argument re: Jagr) :)

[Chris QCT]

Good game all around. The line combos seem to have settled down finally and chemistry looks like it is forming (as opposed to being forced).

Staal looks like he is itching for his first NHL goal. He has played extremely well paired with Rozsival. I hope Renney keeps him there when Malik comes back.

And I have to mention Gomez. He is starting to bring his game as he now has 6pts in his last 5 games.

[lennynyr]

For those that think Renney is a great coach, come back down to earth and explain that when he has compiled an 0-5-1 record on the road.

OK, what's different on the road than at home? The fans? Don't think so as that wouldn't bother professional players or coaches. Gee what else could it be? How about who has the last call on line assignments?

Renney has that at home but on the road, he has to counter with whatever line the home team sends out first and Renney obviously isn't good at that resulting in the 0-5-1 record on the road.

Your witness!!

Umm Dubi, you accuse me of not being taken seriously here. First of all, you can't speak for everybody, just yourself and maybe those who have shared the same feeling with you.

And how can I take you seriously what you use the "WHAT IF" cliche in justifying the long 5 on 3 without changing PP units? You said, if I remember correctly. that nobody would have complained if a goal or two was scored during that sequence. That's the "what if" you were pushing but the fact is no goals were scored during that long PP, that's the fact. If you are going to accuse me of not being taken seriously, posts like that one are not going to be taken seriously either. Back at you big guy!!

[cwgatti]

lenny,
i think people don't take you seriously because of your relentless attacks on renney. which leads me to your new nickname: LENNYRENNY!!!

BUT I DO TAKE MOST OF YOUR POSTS SERIOUSLY BECAUSE YOU ARE A PRETTY KNOWLEDGABLE GUY.

I used to get a lot of heat for crushing immonen. ultimately, i was dead on from day one. recently, grannyhan has opened me up to opposing (hostile) opinions. i will be proven right again. maybe you will be right too in the end, but i think many/most others see renney is doing a pretty good job, so you gotta be ready with more compelling proof, or grin and bear it until you can say" i told ya so. . . "

if you want me to say i think renney is nuts for putting orr-betts-hollweg out v. crosby's line, i would agree. . . . .

[lennynyr]

Weighing in on the Hossa issue, the guy has great puck posession skills but terrible offensive skills. Dubi set him up beautifully and he missed an easy shot and did the same thing it the shootout.

Hossa is the ideal penalty killer and 4th liner and should just be given those jobs barring any temporary injury replacement needs.

Jess, I read and thought over your posts to me last night and still feel you are wrong about our disagreement over Dawes. Like I said last night, give him a chance to learn from his mistakes instead of regressing him by cutting down his time. If he makes a mistake, work it out in practice. If you don't want to make that effort to bring him along, you might as well send him down now or trade him.

We are not going to agree on this point, sorry!

[cwgatti]

hossa is playing well. i don't see how you can be critical of him. the guy is at least generating some chances, and doing what 90% of the team refuses to do. . . .

[lennynyr]

cwgatti, don't have to follow the company line to post here. I like the way you stick to your guns. If the majority don't agree with you, so what!! You are to be commended for not being afraid to tell it as you think it is. I saw you get heat on Rodent's site from Margaret for calling Shanny Granny. I had a good laugh over that.

Re Jess and Dubi, I respect them both and they do a good job of running this board and researching and reporting our prospects but you also have to realize that they also have to keep Ranger management happy to encourage them to read and contribute to the board so sometimes might have to compromise their views to keep that delicate balance. I'm not knocking either of them personally but comes with the job they are doing here. I think I would be doing exactly the same thing if I was in their place. I keep that in mind when I disagree with either.

[lennynyr]

Cwgatti, on a 4th line basis Hossa is playing well, that'swhere he belongs.

[lennynyr]

There's a guy I play golf with whose name is...ready? LEE RENNEY. I keep criticizing his golf game and can't explain why I do that to him! :)

[onetimer]

vince, re: "Jagr likes him because he is a countrymen." Hossa's not a countryman of Jagr. Their compatibility stems most probably in style (which you could call Euro-hockey, though even the differences between euro and north american are largely bygone). I'd say it's the same compatibility on ice that Jagr and Nylander had, regardless of passports.

regarding the criticism of Renny; one could just as strongly argue that the NYR's success over the last 2-3 years has been due to their coaching staff and implemented system. I recall some nhl coach/gm/analyst commenting recently on how chaotic the coaching situation was pre-Renny; and also the explicit praise of Renny by certain veteran players.

[onetimer]

lenny,

I appreciate most of your comments, but I think your remarks about people towing "the company line" whenever disagreeing with you reveal some sort of paranoia, as though your beliefs are under siege (by a larger than life entity) if they are not applauded.

Personally, your obsession first against Hossa (now you've conceded he's not a defensive liability) and then against Renny (whom you branded last year, if I recall, as someone adamantly against young players--a charge that has proven you completely wrong).

I for one will criticize anytime criticism is warranted (hence this post!). Company line, what is that? and what bearing does that have at all here? It's really about the accuracy of claims and being able to back them somewhat reasonably.

[lennynyr]

Onetimer, the word majority would have been better, not company. My bad!

[rangerbill94]

Vincent

Garth Murray??? He has 100 NHL games; 8G.2A and a minus17! And he doesn't play on the PK.
Hossa--199 NHL games; 30G 26A and a minus6 and he plays a very good PK. You can have Garth, we made the right decision regrading him. BTW, I was very high on Garth and was upset when he got traded. He didn't work out in MON and we have Dupont coming thru the system. I'll keep Hossa.

Lenny

Renney and his road record. Tell me the point of your argument that Renney is responsible for line changes and his road record? Everybody knows that Renney doesn't like to match lines and very seldom does. So there is no difference in matching lines at home or on the road.

Your witness!

[lennynyr]

RB, he obvious isn't doing it right or else there would not be such a big difference between the home record and road record. Unless you got another explaination. Bring it on!

[lennynyr]

That's obviously.....copycat!!

[lennynyr]

Just reread your post RB. The fact that Renney doesn't like to match lines on the road is most likely the problem right there.

[emscam]

Have to start winning on the road. Period. Teams that don't or can't win on the road don't go far. Like to see the same effort on the road as I have at home.

[onetimer]

lenny, thanks for the clarification about the majority line. but, that also can cut both ways. If you value the contrarian viewpoint, would you consistently go against the majority opinion on this board and consistently go to bat for Malik? that is, if his play, despite his gaffes, does the team more good than bad in the long run?

[ike]

As much as I love Lundqvist there is one glaring blow in his game - total inability to stickhandle the puck.
Nine out of ten times while clearing the puck behind the net he would pass on the the sick of the opposing team player.
And he does that with a great consistency.I understand there are not many Brodeur-like goalies in the league in that aspect, but,
please, couldn've Allaire teached him something about it?

[henke]

Dubi :

I am in an heated debate on a buffalo message board with ranger haters on the topic of the best goalie thus far.. I'm trying to make a case that it has been Henrik.. While the stats suggest Pascal Leclaire is currently the top goaltender.. Without sounding too homerish I can't see how Henrik all stats aside isn't the mvp to the rangers thus making him the best goalie something which stats can't showcase

[Phill]

Lenny,

I like you as a person (or I guess, as a poster), but you know I often find myself disagreeing with a lot of your comments.

One thing about Dawes: You want Renney to play Dawes, so he can play through his mistakes and learn, but you're also quick to blast him for the road record? What if Dawes happens to cost the Rangers a game on the road because of some sort of defensive mistake? Who are you going to blame?

I think everyone would rather Dawes be slowly acclimated to the NHL style of hockey, rather than put him in situations where he's more likely to fail. Same concept applies to Dubinsky.

And please, no comparisons to Staal... there are a huge amount of differences between the two players so comparing one another wouldn't be fair to either player.

Vince,

Are you kidding me? You thought Hossa was one of Jagr's countrymen and thus, the reason why Jagr likes him on his line?

It really discredits your opinion because it makes it seem like you form yours based on biases rather than facts.

[Matty still trying to nap]

Lenny,

Renney doesn't like to match lines at home either ...

also onetimer already addressed the "company line" thing you posted so I will skip that ...

For those that think Renney is a great coach, come back down to earth and explain that when he has compiled an 0-5-1 record on the road.

I believe Tom Renney is a very good coach ... I feel that he has brought back pride in being a NY Ranger player, I believe he has those players caring about the name in the front of the jersey and performing for us, the fans, and they all want to be here and do great. He, along with Sather and the rest of the coaching staff, has turned a farm system that was laughable into one of the top ones in the league ... We currently have 7 players on our team from that farm system, 8 when Cally comes back from injury .... Every year since he's been here our team has improved and taken a step forward ... Of course some people, you included, are quick to point out that the only reason this team has improved is because of the players and that Renney has NOTHING to do with it ... so if that's the case then he should have nothing to do with their failures as well ... Yet when they succeed you, a lot of the times, and others who think like you give him no credit or very little credit ... case in point last night's game ....

You say that he's a horrible coach because the Rangers have a horrible road record in the grand total of the 6 games that they have played on the road? Ok ... but weren't you saying a few days ago how the team would be better with the likes of John Tortorella ??? What's his road record? 1-7-0 ... so what kind of coach is Torts whom you were saying that you would rather have then Renney? Perhaps you will say that it isn't Torts fault, it is his players who are letting him down ...

I like you Lenny, you are like a lovable grouch ... but what I do not like is the fact that you, and others that think like you, criticize Renney and 95% of the time fail or refuse to give him credit where is deserved and when you do give him credit it goes for nothing because within that you go on to criticize him for something else, or make a claim that the only reason he got X and Y results was because he lucked out with A & B ...

[paulf]

Lenny,

Dubi and Jess don't really need me to defend them, but your comment that they have to modify their views to make Ranger management happy is disgraceful.

First of all, if you have read this board for many years, Dubi was very critical for Sather for years. Second, it is flat-out wrong. NHL teams can't discriminate against media outlets for being critical. Really, they have much more important things to worry about. Third, it is a attack on the credibility of both those guys. Really, there is nothing you could say about them that is more derogatory. If you really feel that way, you should not visit the site.

It is disheartening that the comments have come to be so dominated by knuckleheads.

[rangerbill94]

Lenny

We have 6 road losses. 4 were one goal losses(one in a shootout), the other two were 2 goal margins. We all know that the Rangers have not been scoring much, so what you must be telling us is if Renney would match lines that would fix our scoring problems and we would be undefeated. So I guess your right, fire Renney now, before the next away game! Lets hire him back in time for the next home game, though. Wouldn't want to start a home loss streak.

[czechthemout!!!!!]

lennynyr-keep doing what you're doing!Tell it like it is.Tom Renney is a mediocre coach at best.He's brilliant!He pulls his goalie for an extra attacker and who does he use?Blair Betts.LOL,LOL.

As far as dawes,he has floated out there the last few games.I think that can be changed.Hossa has floated for many many games the last 2+years.There is no way that anyone with any shred of credibility can call him a first line player.

Callahan-to those who say he is the odd man out,HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!.When he and Straka come back,hossa slides down to the fourth where he belongs,cally takes dawes spot and nigel will unfortunatly get either sent down or switch with prucha.

In closing just wan't to add that marek malik has now been the best dman out there for the last three games and counting!

[lennynyr]

Paulf, before you throw words around like disgraceful, knuckleheads around maybe you should learn to read. I said they may be, which means I don't know but the possibilty exists which is not disgraceful or demeaning unless you consider mentioning the possibilty disgraceful. You accuse me of absolutely concluding that they are comprised which is an outright lie and that is disgraceful.

[lennynyr]

Not everybody who disagrees with me I consider disgraceful. I personally like a lot of you who disagree with me but still like me, the feeling is mutual but those who don't know how to read, like Paulf, and incorrectly distort what I am trying to say, I consider their behavior disgraceful!

[lennynyr]

RB, how about Renney learning how to coach on the road. Would be less complicated than hiring a road coach.

[onetimer]

I don't want this to seem like a bash-lenny session, not at all. As said, lenny, I appreciate most of your posts here. But I think with that not-so-veiled accusation against the credibility of this board, and its management, you opened up a case against your own credibility, especially when you admitted that you would do the same were you in Dubi and Jess' position. What was that if not an admission of your own willingness to go with the company/majority line, that is, an admission of corruptibility, were you given that opportunity. Can one take your otherwise and mostly sound opinions seriously, after that admission?

[Lynkx adds supercalifragilisticexpealidocious .. because I can.]

Czech:

Were you "LOL"ing when Renney put Betts on the PP, who happened to win the faceoff that led to the Avery goal?

Throwing curve balls at the other team is never a good option, what am I thinking, anyway.

[lennynyr]

I give Renney credit on occasion, I believe I have said he's got the team playing his defensive style and that's good. Also giving Staal the chance from the very beginning was also very good.

No sense repeating what I don't like about him, you all have read my views on that many times.

He does have some success and some of the young guys are getting their chances, that's also good.

At this point I would call Renney a mediocre coach, not a bad coach. He is improving but still needs to go a long way for me to call him a good coach.

[czechthemout!!!!!]

Lynkx-That was a stupid move that turned out well because betts has a bad winnig %.It just goes to show you,even a blind folded monkey in a cage can find a banana once in a while.The team is at .500,whooopie!!!.

[Matty]

Boy ...

What about that Rangers win last night?

=P

[lennynyr]

Onetimer, making the same mistake Paulf did. read it again, I used the word "may" and that goes for me too if I had this board. Only Dubi and Jess know because I certainly don't know and if that's not clear, I hope it is now.

[Dubi]

Henke, try this argument: Patrick Lalime. Guy as a rookie set the record for most wins or something like that, then became a regular even mediocre goalie. Until Leclaire stands the test of shooters having time to solve him, he's nothing more than a flash in the pan. Lundqvist on the other hand has been a Vezina finalist in his first two seasons and is off to an even better start now than in either of those two seasons -- there is no contest, except in the statistical rankings of the moment.

Lenny, first of all, if you really intended to use the words "may be" when you didn't really know, then you should not have posted anything at all about my credibility. But in fact, the word "may" was not there -- you wrote "you also have to realize that they also have to keep Ranger management happy to encourage them to read and contribute to the board so sometimes might have to compromise their views to keep that delicate balance."

I have never compromised my views, and I'd advise you not to ever to attempt to write about me this way again. I ask all commenters to be respectful of everyone who reads and writes on this web site, including the people we write about, simply because that is the right way for you to comment and right way for me to run a web site, not because I expect or hope for anything out of them -- they're not going to give it to me anyway.

In this particular case, paulf is right on target in calling your comments disgraceful, because they disgrace me and Jess. A retraction would be in order.

[Matty]

ok let see .... in November ... Blair has 51.76% FO winning percentage ... let's compare that to Chris Drury who's excellent and Chris has 54.22% during the same time span ... oh yeah ... Blair just got lucky with that draw ... RME

[Dubi]

Well, I -- there you have it. "That was a stupid move that turned out well" on using Betts, that guy says. Even getting the exact result you were wanted earns derision from at least one person. So of course not getting the expected result from the other power play move is going to make that look even worse. Damed if you do, damned if you don't -- that's what I mean by unfair.

[dtaild]

Vincent,

Out of the players you listed I honestly don't think are ready to make any kind of impact in the NHL, certainly no more than Hossa..

[lennynyr]

OK, since my words about Dubi and Jess have obviously been misinterpreted, blame the messenger applies here, I will retract those remarks since I had no intention of disrespecting either person, let me replace those remarks with this:

Both Jess and Dubi have to have a deicate balance here, they have to keep themselves in the loop to Ranger management yet have the ability to be critical when necessary. It's possible that they may have to compromise what they say on occasion but I have no knowledge that they do, just raising the possibility. And, as I said before, I might on occasion have to make compromises if I was in the same position.

That's what I was trying to say the first time. If you find this one disgraceful, show me where or else you can just delete it.

[Matty]

Oh John G. was asking Scott Gomez about if the team was relieved to score 4 goals and such and Scott seemed annoyed at the question, but the funny thing was that he said ...

"Tomorrow in the papers it will show that we got a win and that's all our fans care about"

LMAO!!!!! God, he's so naive ...