26-22-6: MAAAAARRRRRTTTTTYYYYY

A fun way to spend a Friday, watching hockey and watching Marty Brodeur have a rare off game to the benefit of the Blueshirts. Does life get any better?

*As happy as I was to watch the game, I have to vent: I've had enough of Joe Micheletti. This was it. The final straw. He is horrifyingly bad. Not only is his voice annoying, but his stats are wrong and his analysis misguided. He ruined J.D.'s return to the booth during the Leetch game and grates on my nerves every time he opens his mouth. As I've said in the path, I feel bad for people not as informed/obsessed with hockey, because they have no idea how dumb he is making them. He shoots his mouth off without thinking, without paying attention, and its dogma to some people. That is so disturbing to me. "The Rangers scored on their first shot of the game!!! ... Oh, I'm being informed it was their third." PAY ATTENTION!! IT'S YOUR JOB!!!!!!!!! Thank goodness I have season tickets so I don't have to listen to him half of the year.

*Speaking of the first goal: Dubi, Dubi, Doo. I loved the Bud Light penguin and I love this kid. As I mentioned in the past, he has often been the best Ranger on the ice and - if he fills out his frame - he could turn into a shorter version of Jason Arnott. Granted, Marty played the angle poorly, but we'll take it.

*Do you actually believe that Malik was too hurt to play, or do you think that he is just trying to avoid being traded? Hmmm ...

*Staying with Ranger defensemen: I think Jason Strudwick played a really solid game, while Malik's buddy Rozy looked tentative and lost a good portion of the game. He turned the puck over once with a horrible pass from behind the net that gave the Devils the best chance of the night. Hank, luckily, was able to make the stop and Rozy should buy him dinner.

*I love Sean Avery. What a spectacular intermission interview. He seemed so bored and yet still managed to show off his vitriol with a sharp wit. And he showed off his good aim by getting Patrik Hepatitis-Positive in the face with the puck in the middle of the second period. It may have been an accident, but Elias sure as hell thought it was intentional ... and that's all that matters, go Sean!

*Newark is a ghetto and most Devils fans are retarded, but I gotta give credit where its due - I love that they boo Gomez every time he touches the puck. If anyone has one of the Gomez pesos that they hand out there, I would be hugely appreciative if you could scan it for me. But what a great way to get back at all your haters - notch your 500th career point. Congrats Scotty!

*My house took a huge power hit as Chris Drury scored to make it 2-0. Trippy. I guess Captain America really is coming back to life ... who woulda thought it was Frankenstein style? (get it? lightning ... work with me people.) Congrats go out to him too for hitting #500. What a nice coincidence that both big ticket Rangers signings score their 500th point in the same game.

*Oduya? What a great name.

*Is there any doubt that when Marty Straka gets the puck, he will automatically try to find Jagr and pass it to him? I understand that they are friends but Straka can be a good player in his own right, he just needs to get his self-confidence back and not rely on his fellow Czech.

*I love the new Rangers power play when Jagr isn't on the ice. The boys actually cycle and create chances, rather than stand around and pass the puck back and forth to Jagr before turning it over.

*It boggles my mind that Mike Rupp is in the NHL. I saw him playing in the UHL during the lockout with the Danbury Trashers and he was terrible there. And with Cam Janssen out, he has an NHL job. I guess there is a quota for garbage in Jersey.

*As my dad said, "Is it possible? The Rangers won back-to-back games?" That's four wins in the last five games folks ... maybe we have turned a corner ...

*PHW Three Stars
3-Zach Parise - one goal.
2-Drury - two goals.
1-Hank - 33 saves.

Scotty Hockey Three Stars
3-Hank - he bailed out the Rangers time and time again, and held strong despite giving up a soft goal.
2-Dubi - the kid is good; what else can you say?
1-Gomez/Dru - both worked hard, both got point #500. Nice accomplishments boys, I'm just glad they came against a rival like the Devils.