Actually, the Rangers won't be on the ice until 1:30 p.m; the Pens will inhabit the Igloo about 11 a.m. Will report from there.
But first, you've already read reams about Sid the Kid's "diving" and there's plenty more coming from perches far and wide.
Listen, Crosby played hard every shift. Personally, I believe the problem, as we've written before, is the inconsistent zebras, who often work in fear of the NHL bosses. (By the way, why didn't Kerry Fraser make the cut for this round?) Call me foolish, but shouldn't the players be allowed to play the entire game? It's the timing---on judgment calls---that's questionable.
There's no doubt that the Rangers lost Friday night because their defense couldn't clear pucks or adequately cover speedy and more physical Pens in their zone. There, is however, the matter of timing.
Brendan Shanahan, in his post-game remarks, critiqued both the refs and Sidney Crosby for the Straka interference call that led to the winning goal: “I think it’s a weak call at that time in the game. Sidney embellished and you could make the call that he was interefering with Martin Straka. It’s too bad it had to happen to a guy like Martin Straka. He’s such an honest, hard-working player… I think it was a tough call for the referee to make at that time in the game.”
Remember, the Rangers lost 5-2 to the Sabres in the East semifinals opener last season and took the series to six. Can they need to win two of the next three? Certainly possible. But the Penguins have to be a little more confident at this point.
The Penguins are 7-2 all time at home in the playoffs against the Rangers and 6-1
on the road. Two of their playoff games had gone to overtime, both times here in 1992, with each team winning once.
Before I finish off breakfast, one other thing that didn't make the paper last night for want of space:
The brothers Staal, in their first playoff game against each other, had three assists. Rookie Marc, playing on the Rangers' No. 1 defense pair with Michal Rozsival, contributed two, his first assists in the post-season; Staal's younger brother, Jordan, set up Jarkko Ruutu's goal off Rozsival that cut the lead to 3-1.
Swing by later for more....
Comments (8)
Let's not sugarcoat the fact that Greg Lougan..er...Sidney Crosby is a cheesy, whiny, embarrasment to the sport. Everytime someone comes near him he flops like a fish out of water (hmmm, maybe Flounder would be a better nick name for him).
In today's sports landscape, hockey remains one of the lone major sports whose humble, hard-working athletes can actually be seen as role models to youngsters. So, of course, the NHL decides to make this whiny little fruitcake the Face of the NHL. So, now instead of teaching their kids to play a hard, honest game, parents everywhere can turn on the TV and point to Flounder and tell their kids, "see joey, that's the face of the NHL, see how he throws up his arms and flops around like he is having a seizure? That's how you play the game! That's the best we got!"
On another note, how many times can Christian Backman give up the puck to avoid a hit before he gets taken out of the line-up?
Is someone going to tell Avery that when you have the puck on the halfboards and the forechecker is bearing down on you, sometimes you should just clear the puck instead of trying to make pass in your own zone and turning the puck over?
The defense was terrible last night and thats being nice. They are way to soft and were in chaos all night. Thats all I am going to say about that. Now the refs thats a whole other thing. We all new going in that the refs because of buttman's boy love for cindy were going to scew us. But wow how obvious can they be about it ? It's sad that they are so in love with cindy that this kind of crap can happen. After letting just about everything go in the third to make that call with 2:30 min to go was just an embarrisment to hockey. But then no one having the balls to say anything on the record was even worse. Renney again did nothing but stand there and shrug. At his pree conference avoided it 5 or 6 times, great leader. Jagr said he expected something like that to happen. Why would he expect it you ask.remember he played with mario and thats how it was done with him. The only one with the balls to come out and say anything was of all people Stan the Fish. Way to go Stan ! Straka was giving the ref some crap when he came out of the box and was moved away by the linesman. Where was jagr or shanny ? Why weren't they all over the ref for such a terrible call? If they don't change how they played on fri and with the refs screwing them it will be a short series I am sorry to say. Has anyone heard or seen cigarpuss?
WAAAAAAAH!!
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHahaha!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Why is nobody mentioning that the refs could be bribed individually?
Also it is the coach's job to yell at the refs to make them feel like they owe us and make it up to us in the future. But Renney is not willing to do anything because he is a meek coward.
I hope Glen "Gone Fishing" Sather is not on another one of his fishing trips or vacations right now and is on the phone with Bettman and Campbell today.
don't kid yourself, he IS fishing.
I suppose Sid was Diving when Avery jammed his stick in Sids face in the first period too.. you know the play, on the NON-CALL?
Where are the complaints when the highstick goal was allowed ?
You NY Ranger fans are nothing but a bunch of whiney metro-sexual crybabies
It's difficult to dive when you are already laying on the ice, moron. Good thing that did go "unnoticed", or Avery would probably be serving a 45 game suspension after being assessed a game misconduct and in the meantime prompting the league to make a new rule: No player at any time shall get within 5 feet of Cindy Cosby without express written permission by the NHL, and furthermore will be required to obtain a permission slip from Cindy's mother/sister before engaging in any physical contact with our league mascot...