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| Someone call Benson, the Devils were raped tonight! |
Welcome everyone to another PRESIDENTIAL blog, here on DOINOW.com. For you Long Islanders, let me tell you, Ranger hockey was strong on the Nassau bar scene tonight. I was bar hopping with my good friend, the Mighty “Shake It Off” Margaret, and we hit four bars in Nassau County tonight. Every bar was full of Ranger fans and the game/highlights were on. The band wagon is filling up, it must be playoff time. As a result of the Rangers 6-1 win tonight, the Rangers have sole possession of first place in the whole league once again.
Before hitting the game recap, I have to tell you as always to check out the right hand of the site for the archives, live tweets, the search button and all that other good stuff. In addition, don’t forget to not drink and drive, tip your bartenders, lift the seat when taking a piss, baby wipes are a plus when you have the beer shits and always, and I mean always, use “IN CAM WE TRUST”, as your personal mantra.
This blog is two paragraphs old, and I already said “IN CAM WE TRUST”. I am always open to constructive criticism on these blogs, so let me shout out my good friend Brian Lonergan. Perhaps the anti-Hank/pro-Talbot talk is too much on these blogs. I guess I assume people know me and can tell when I’m joking and laying it on thick. However Brian, a diehard Rangers fan, is right. Perhaps people don’t get when I’m joking or not. I’ll try to back away a bit in this blog.
However, let’s talk Hank’s performance here tonight. My King Contract/cupless nonsense aside, Hank played his best game since returning to net. In his first game back at MSG, since the injury against Carolina on 1/31, Hank had his strongest start since his return, in a 6-1 defeat of the NJ Devils. Hank was strong for three periods, and only a bullish goal by Jacob Josefon late put a black mark on another wise strong performance. At the same time, you won’t be seeing a team of the NJ Devil’s terrible caliber in the playoffs. This was a game Hank needed a strong performance in and he delivered.
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| Lundqvist thanked the Garden faithful after the game |
I don’t even know where to start. The Rangers, as of late, have been a strong team after a back-to-back, but have started off slow with rest. However, going into this game, the Rangers had to only go 3-2 the rest of the season, to clinch the President’s Trophy. The Rangers continued to make a huge statement, as they have been all season, destroying the Devils 6-1 tonight. One down, two more wins to go, before becoming truly Presidential.
If you get this Henrik Lundqvist of tonight or the 2012 Henrik Lundqvist, there is no reason why this team shouldn’t be playing in late June and winning a Stanley Cup in the process.
The Rangers have been anemic on the powerplay and horrible defensively as of late. While the Rangers scored no powerplay goals tonight, they scored a touchdown tonight and the defense was the best its been as of late. Lundqvist who stopped 35 out of 36 shots, played a strong game and made 3 big saves. I’m not here to say “THE KING IS BACK” or anything like that, considering the opponent, but Hank did his job. I am still of the thinking that Talbot is the hot goalie that you can ride, similar to Ken Dryden, but it is what it is. Gotta support Henrik and this team, as they embark on what I pray to the love of shit, is a Stanley Cup.
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| NASHTY |
No Rangers vs Devils game is easy. However, my asshole unclenched a bit, when Nash was able to take an errant puck, that started off a Zuccarello shot, and bury it past ex-Vigneault goalie, Corey Schneider. 1-0 after 5 minutes of game time expired. It was a big goal, because it was the second game in a row Nash scored. I’ve talked about it a bit in these blogs, and I’ll say it one last time. I give Nash a pass for last years playoffs. He had a concussion. We know how dangerous concussions can be and what it’s like to recover from them. No excuses this year. Nash is healthy. The Rangers need their highest paid forward to deliver, come the playoffs. Getting hot now brings a pearly white smile to every Rangers fan’s face, if you have the teeth to do so.
Yandle would score 7 minutes later, finding a deep shot. Horrible goal on Schneider’s part. Yandle, who has been terrible defensively as of late, was able to just float one by Schneider from deep. You can say Schneider was screened, but it was something he should’ve stopped. However, before you could celebrate Yandle’s tally, the fourth line, like last year’s fourth line, produced. Tanner Glass, yes Tanner Glass, found Dominic Moore. Moore was left all alone with Schneider and scored on a beautiful move 25 seconds after Yandle. 3-0 Rangers. See ya Schneider!
I wouldn’t say Schneider played that bad, as much as it was the Rangers wanting it. For once, the Rangers established their dominance over a weak team and just exerted force over their opponents. This wasn’t a 1-0 over last place Buffalo. This was the Rangers just kicking the shit out of the Devils on every level.
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| Stepan put gas on the fire |
With Schneider out, 12 minutes into the game and the Devils down 3-0, the Devils turned to back-up Keith Kinkaid. Kinkaid played a strong a game, stopping 23 out of 26 shots. However, the game was over, as the Rangers kept the Devils at bay.
The heartbreaker for the Devils, was while on a PP, due to a Carl Hagelin tripping penalty, was Stepan scoring a shorty with 3 seconds left in the second period. Kinkaid was strong until then, but giving up the fourth goal, putting the Rangers up 4-0 with 3 seconds left in the second period was deflating for the black and red. However for the Rangers, it was a statement that the Rangers were playing a full 60 minutes. I was very happy with Derek Stepan, who has been erratic at times this season. Stepan can play like shit forever, but I will never forget the way he came up last year, broken jaw and all, for the Rangers. The man is a true warrior.
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| The fourth line looked like the 2013-2014 Rangers tonight |
The Rangers never took the foot off the gas tonight. Derick Brassard would make it 5-0, two minutes into the third. For Devils back-up Kinkaid, he was no Cam Talbot. He gave up two goals in two minutes. Not like Schneider was playing that much better.
Dominic Moore would have his first two goal game of the season, when he scored 8 minutes into the third. with Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi, the top defensive pair, collecting assists. Touchdown Rangers.
As talked about above, Jacob Josefon scored a late goal, ruining Hank’s shutout with 3 and change to go in the third period. I wouldn’t put this goal on Hank, it was a bang-bang play.
| A huge confidence win for Hank |
We all know I’m the conductor of the Talbot Train. I will go on record saying I wish Talbot stayed. However, Hank is the guy, and I gotta root for the man to win. It’s all about the team and the front of the jersey. I don’t care how the Rangers do it, just bring a Cup back to NY. At the same time, while I want to be jumping up and down like a jackass, we can’t forget who the Rangers beat tonight. They beat a crap Devils team. This is not a team they will see in the playoffs. The Bruins still loom at large. However, if Hank, who did make 35 saves (which might get lost, as everyone talks about the 6 goals.) continues this play throughout, I am very confident with Hank in net. I just hope he stays this way.
There are four games left on the schedule for the NYR and people can talk potential playoff match-ups all they want, but the bottom line is that we won’t know shit until the last day of the regular season. This has been a great regular season for the NHL as a whole. Many teams are alive in the last week. The Rangers will have either the Bruins, the Isles, the Panthers or the Senators. The Bruins would be the roughest match-up, with Hank being 1-8 in his last 9 with the Bruins. Hank is 0-3 in his last 3 with the Isles. The Panthers and Senators favor the Rangers, on paper.
At the same time, if you’re an unbiased hockey fan, you have to love these playoffs. Anyone can beat anyone, just like last year. Remember the Kings comeback on the Sharks? While I’m proud and my dick is hard with this Rangers season, no way would I guarantee a first round victory, home ice or not.
The Rangers only need two more wins, out of their next four games, to be Obama, and get that President’s Trophy. Are they Muslim enough to do it? (Relax, it’s a joke) With another game against a team in hell and the Bluejackets, you should be able to seal the deal like a ziplock bag. After the Devils & Bluejackets, the Rangers have Ottawa (playing for the 8th seed) and Washington (who could finish second place in the Metro) left.
It’s a happy Easter for the 50 win Rangers. In fact, here are the post game notes: (I hate copying and pasting Ranger press releases, but this is worth it)
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| Thank you Talbot |
However these playoffs, work out, one thing is for sure – THANK YOU CAM TALBOT. You know I’m a huge Talbot supporter, but no goalie could’ve done what Talbot did in Hank’s absence. I really hope the Rangers don’t trade him, win or lose, in the off-season. He has a great contract for the Rangers, and this team should be competing next year for the Cup as well. There’s no reason to get rid of him. While Talbot should be a starter somewhere else, another year under Benoit Allaire’s watch could prove much beneficial to his future. Win or lose the Cup, without Talbot, the Rangers aren’t challenging for the President’s Trophy this year.
I was going to do a Yankee blog before the season, but it’s not even worth it. Here’s my thoughts, the Yankees will be lucky to finish in fourth place this year. It’s going to be a long summer, where baseball fans will be waiting for the NHL & NFL to start.
How about Kentucky? Ouch. I can’t wait to hear Mike Francesa break down his boy John Calipari’s loss tonight. I feel the luster is lost on the NCAA Championship with Kentucky’s loss, unless you’re a diehard Duke or Wisconsin fan. I could care less either way. College basketball is just something to gamble on for me.
The Rangers have a back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday, with the CBJ and NJD. I assume Hank starts versus CBJ, to see a new team and look. In the same assumption, I guess Talbot gets his last start of the year vs the Devils. It sucks Cam won’t get another MSG start, as I think Hank needs as much work as possible. However, let be the first to say THANK YOU CAM.
Upcoming blog topics will be a book review on the book “Deception & Doublecross” and “Black NHLers”. Should be some interesting discussion on both fronts.
LET’S GO RANGERS
Happy Easter
ICWT
BIG WIN HANK
FUCK THE DEVILS
Sean McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
@NYCTHEMIC on the twitter machine
