Rangers v. Wild 11/20/10

Welcome back, fair weather fans.   The same people who called the team (emphasizing team over game) "garbage" and "pathetic" are now praising the efforts that went into last night's game in Minnesota.  Of course since Hank wasn't playing, he's still in the fair weather fan's doghouse because Biron made some great saves last night.   I will not deny that I've said negative things about certain players (Erik Christensen) out of frustration and I've even said that I wouldn't mind seeing him as the odd man out upon the return of Chris Drury.  It's the fans who completely turn on the team when they're not winning that I have zero respect for.  You have to take the good with the bad.  Our team even admits that they're not the most skilled team in the league, they have to work harder in order to make the plays and get the goals and sometimes that doesn't happen.  The current Rangers are incredibly inconsistent, everyone knows that, but that doesn't mean you give up hope in them.  I'm sick and tired of hearing "I just want them to win a Cup" as a reason to be so harsh when they lose.  Check this season's standings, they're still over .500 which is usually enough to make the playoffs.  Rangers are 3rd in the conference, only 1 point behind the Pens (and yes, if we had beat them in regulation on Monday, we would be tied) and 7th in the conference with 3 points over Carolina.  The season is 1/4 over and most of this was done WITHOUT GABORIK.

There's this team over in the Western Conference, you might have heard of them...the Chicago Blackhawks?  On Friday night while the Rangers were having their worst game of the season, the Calgary Flames were dominating the reigning Stanley Cup Champs in a 7-2 win.  Last night, the Hawks came back against the Vancouver Canucks (a much better team than the Flames) to win 7-1.  Are their fans turning their backs and doubting the skill level of players such as Toews, Kane, Hossa, Keith, and Sharp?

So pretty much by point is that if you loved the Rangers last night after calling them horrible things on Friday night, then I don't want to hear your opinion.  I don't give a shit what you think of me for saying this, but I'm sick and tired and seeing fans turn their backs on their team.  Go ahead and call the way they're playing in a game or the pace of the game "garbage" or "pathetic" that's fine...but this team doesn't need fair weather fans, they need support through the good and the bad.


Okay...that will end my rant and I'll get on to my review of the game.

Welcome home Gaby, Step, Sauer, and Boogey.  Boogey made some of the smartest plays I've seen from him, particularly the hit that led to Artie's goal.  Both of our Minnesota rookies picked up assists, Sauer on the aforementioned Anismiov goal and Steps by making a beautiful pass to DZ that gave him an empty net to shoot into.  I don't care how much of a broken record I sound like, playing with Gaby makes Stepan a much better player.  He's put up points in 3 consecutive games.

Biron was great...I know DZ had the bad play that led to the shorthanded break, but that shouldn't take away from his play for the first 2/3 of the game.  He's 20 years old, he's still a kid and he's still learning.  Not everyone has a Steve Stamkos sophomore season.

Dubi's breakaway was a thing of absolute beauty.

There was so much puck possession in their zone, I'm not used to that.  Some of the keep ins (mostly by Girardi) were great.  Our defense as a whole had one of their better games of the season.

Hero of the game: Brandon Prust.  He couldn't straighten his leg after the game. Couldn't. straighten. his. leg. but he played like a beast.  Tomorrow night, the Flames are coming to MSG...Prust probably would not let himself sit out, so let's hope that he rests up today and is in good shape tomorrow to play.  I don't want to see the injury getting any worse.

Oh yeah and a highlight for my personal love - Boyle FINALLY got his first assist of the season.

Okay, so my review turned into a rant, but I don't care, I was pissed.

So here's some tweets:

• Dubes just had a decent hit...on Cally...
• Marty kinda looked like he was batting a fly.
• Prusty is leading the team in PIM...if his fights are subtracted, does Feds have more?
• we play better offensively on the PK than the PP
• haha "Boogaard saying hello to his old friends"
• look...I know you're jealous he's not on your team anymore, but that doesn't mean you get to mess with the Superstar Slovakian Sniper.
• Dubes always looks like he's going on an obstacle course. I kinda love it.
• of all players that NEED their helmets on...Danny loses his
• now that the wraparound went in...how do we stop Fro from continuing to do them?  
• DUBI ON A GORGEOUS BREAKAWAY
• idk what makes me think this - but do male fans think Step's mom is hot or something? lol