All Entries in the "New York Rangers" Category
Running On Empty
So many times this season, the New York Rangers found a way to eke out a win with less than a 60-minute effort and Eastern Conference Final has followed suit. In games 1 and 3, the Rangers managed to hold on through the onslaught for 2 periods, thanks to the defense and, most importantly, the [...]
The King Reigns On Both Sides Of The Hudson
In the first two rounds of the playoffs, the New York Rangers won game 1, lost game 2 and then won game 3. Their Eastern Conference Final series followed the same pattern for the first two and they were looking to continue that pattern and get a game 3 victory over the New Jersey Devils [...]
In Game 1, Three Is The Rangers’ Magic Number
For the second series in a row, the New York Rangers took their playoff series to the limit, and for the second series in a row, got past their opponent to move on. For the first time since 1997, they are in the Eastern Conference finals, battling against an old nemesis, the New Jersey Devils. [...]
Hockey Independent Playoff Roundtable: Conference Finals Predictions
— Welcome back to the Hockey Independent roundtable where five writers from the HI staff have come together once again to provide you all with our Conference Finals predictions. The contributing authors to today’s piece will be Cris Cohen (New York Rangers), Seth Levin (New Jersey Devils), Alex Muscat (Detroit Red Wings), Bill Philp (Tampa [...]
This Seems Familiar
On Monday night, the New York Rangers were moments away from having to stave off elimination 2 days later. That is, until Joel Ward of the Washington Capitals took an ill-advised high-sticking double minor for cutting Carl Hagelin. With Henrik Lundqvist pulled for a 2-man advantage, Brad Richards connected with 7.6 seconds to spare to [...]
NYR 2 WSH 1 – 3OT
I’ve loved the game of hockey for over 40 years. Yeah, I’m old. But there have been a lot of times, particularly in the late nineties/early aughts that I felt the love was unrequited. Then there was last night in the Verizon Center. This was a game that really didn’t decide anything – it was [...]
Hockey Independent Playoff Roundtable: Conference Semi-Finals Predictions
— Welcome back to the Hockey Independent roundtable where five writers from the HI staff have come together once again to provide you all with our Conference Semi Finals predictions. The contributing authors to today’s piece will be Cris Cohen (New York Rangers), Alex Muscat (Detroit Red Wings), Bill Philp (Tampa Bay Lightning) and [...]
Familiar Rituals. Familiar Foes.
My brother’s 6-year-old Henrik Lundqvist hat, that makes the Broadway Hat look like it’s fresh from the haberdashery, was in desperate need of being replaced. With his birthday this month, I took it as an opportunity to do just that. “I’m not changing it until the playoffs are over,” he told me when he called [...]
Possession Is Nine-Tenths Of The Game
Memo to the “hockey experts” who predicted that the New York Rangers would easily dispatch the Ottawa Senators in 4 or 5 games: Go back and watch all 4 games of the season series between these 2 teams. If you had asked Rangers fans as the regular season wound down which potential opponent they’d least [...]
Things That Make You Go “Huh?”
Matt Carkner was put in the Ottawa Senators’ lineup for game 2 for one reason and one reason only: to send a message to the New York Rangers that they weren’t going to be manhandled the way they were in their 4-2 game one loss. Carkner did his job effectively, when at 2:15 in the [...]
Exorcising The Royal Playoff Demons
It’s been a charmed season for Henrik Lundqvist both on and off the ice. It all started what seemed like a lifetime ago in Goteborg, Sweden, when he and the Rangers played an exhibition game against his former team, the Frolunda Indians. Not only was he honored before that game, but it gave him yet [...]
Hockey Independent Playoff Roundtable: Conference Quarterfinals Predictions
— With the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs set to begin in just over forty-eight hours, four members of the Hockey Independent writing staff have come together to predict each and every first round series of this year’s postseason. The contributing authors to today’s piece will be Cris Cohen (New York Rangers), Alex Muscat (Detroit Red [...]
Analyzing And Predicting The Eastern Conference Playoffs
It’s that time of year again, folks. The clocks have been pushed forward, the temperatures are rising and the kids have just enjoyed another wonderful visit from the Easter Bunny. But most importantly, it’s time to kick off the most exciting two month event in all of sports: The NHL Playoffs. With Saturday’s conclusion of [...]
Whine And Fine
When John Tortorella was hired as the coach of the New York Rangers, he was a complete departure from the man he replaced, Tom Renney. His fiery temper and his outspokenness is part of why he was brought in, and is what makes him a polarizing figure even among fans of the team he coaches. [...]
The Great Gabby Revival
The New York Rangers were handed a nice gift before their Sunday night tilt with the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden. The Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-4 earlier in the day, reducing the Rangers’ magic number to 1. At minimum, all the Rangers needed to do to clinch the Atlantic Division and [...]
Follow The Leader
When the Rangers bought out the final year of Chris Drury’s contract in the offseason, there was no better candidate to be the 26th man to captain the Blueshirts than Ryan Callahan. As much as Henrik Lundqvist is the backbone of the Rangers, Callahan is the heart and soul, embodying every aspect of the team [...]
Avery And Out
After a tumultuous season , it appears that Sean Avery will be heading into permanent unrestricted free agency. A guest on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live” online After Show last night, Avery declared that he was officially retired and that he threw his skates into the Hudson. Today Avery told Larry Brooks of The New [...]
Eastern Conference Breakdown: What It Will Take To Get Into The Playoffs
As we enter the stretch run of this 2011-’12 NHL campaign, the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference remains as cloudy as it’s ever been. With each team having only 15-17 games remaining on the schedule, let’s take a look at how the final standings may end up, one month from today, when the regular [...]
$ticker $hock
When I was going to sit down and write a post today, I was intending to write about this past week – last Monday’s trade deadline drama, the bruised and battered state of the team and how they have yet again found ways to pick up points even when not at their best. That is, [...]
B’s Fight Hard, But Are Beaten By Better Rangers Team
On Sunday afternoon the Boston Bruins (or what’s left of them) walked (or limped) into Madison Square Garden for a date with the number one team in the Eastern Conference. A Boston squad missing a full quarter of it’s regulars took on a tough Rangers squad in hopes or turning around their recent two-month-long slump. [...]
