13-9-2: Thanks For Nothing

Someone actually had the nerve to ask me outside of the Garden, after that horrid 3-2 loss, "why do you always gotta rip on Hossa in your blog?"

...

Yeah -- he was serious too. Some people just baffle me. After just watching Hossa blow his coverage on both Eriksson's and Morrow's goals and miss several empty nets, someone actually asked me why I ripped on him. I tried really hard not to laugh in/hit him in his face. What an atrocious display.

Some other notes/rants:

*If you need any more evidence why Jagr shouldn't be captain and Shanny should, watch the replay of this game. Jagr gets a wide open look at the goal, he tries to pass it. Rangers get a power play, Jagr takes a lazy penalty. Rangers are flat, Shanny beats up Steve Ott, and yet has the class to not punch him in the face after taking him to the ice. Shanny shoots on the power play and scores. For those that didn't see the game and just the box score, Jagr's goal came from an attempted pass to Straka on the far post that incidentally hit a Dallas defender and went in.

*Any chemistry that Jagr may have had with Dubi is gone now that Straka is back. Every play seems to go to his friend and Dubi is left working alone. And as it was last game, Straka's timing still hasn't returned from the IR.

*Here is the Shanny fight I mentioned before and its comical that Ott clung to Shanny so tightly to stay within his punching range. He was afraid of getting his ass kicked by a guy, what, 15 years older? Good to see him respect his elder.

*Mike Smith played a really solid game, making 39 saves. Not many were of the spectacular sort, but he did his job. Vally plays the same kind of style as Smith and hopefully learned something from the bench - not that he needed to as he has played great, but Smith has stepped in for Turco and been outstanding. Just gotta hope Vally could do the same if called upon.

*Yes he gave up three goals on 18 shots, but Hank still played pretty well and actually kept the team in the game.

*Jussi Jokinen is the best offensive player in the NHL in the shootout, Hank is the best defensively. Jokinen won this battle.

*On a team that is struggling for offense, remind me again why the Rangers sat Greg Moore and dressed Colton Orr, even when Stars goon Kris Barch was scratched?

*The entire Rangers defense should feel shame, especially Toots and Mara. They were scrambling, missing assignments and out of position.

*It was the first time the Stars played in the Garden since November of 2003. How ridiculous is that?? Hopefully they will fix the scheduling for next season.

*We got an appearance by Dancing Grandma, but no Dancing Larry ... just not the same.

*PHW Three Stars
3-Shanny
2-Mike Ribeiro
1-Smith

Scotty Hockey Three Stars
3-Sean Avery - banged, agitated, drew penalties and made a nice pass to set up Shanny's goal.
2-Shanny and Drury - the only Rangers who appeared to play with some urgency as the game neared its close with the Rangers down. And Shanny, I love it when he fights (Dubi nearly threw down the gloves at one point - I hate it when he does that).
1-Smith - he was so calm and composed that he made most of his 39 saves look easy.