Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Peepin' Foes: Florida Panthers

The Rangers return to the Garden on Wednesday night to take on the Florida kitty cats at 7 p.m. (on MSG).

Where We Are: About to be tested by a real team. After taking wins from three bad teams in the Isles, Flyers and Canes, the Rangers are facing the red hot Panthers. And they are playing at home, where they have suuuuuucked. I mean suuuuuucked. When they make diehards question their loyalty and send them away in droves, there is something really wrong. The team, coddled in their exclusive practice facility, ambles into their arena and doesn't play with the same passion that they do on the road. And, thus, they are 1-7-1 in their last nine on Broadway. That's money well spent by folks like us. Ugh. Almost $1,000 spent to see one win. Shoot me.

Where They Are: They inexplicably still haven't retired John Vanbiesbrouck's No. 34. That pisses me off. Granted, if they put him up they would be somewhat obligated to put Bure and Luongo eventually but neither of those guys got the team to the Cup finals - some place they will likely not return to anywhere soon. David Booth hasn't returned from his headaches but the Panthers still are 5-1-1 in their last seven and are holding eighth place in the conference - two points ahead of the Blueshirts, who have two games in a row.

Who To Watch For: Michael Frolik has nine points in his last seven games after putting up three against the pitiful Flyers. Stephen Weiss has been even hotter with four points in that game and 28 in his last 20 - he was held off the scoresheet just three times during that span. Nathan Horton was shut out in five of his last 22 games but still put up 26 points. That's insane. Also kinda nuts is Bryan McCabe fighting Mike Richards. After being mocked so much by Toronto media, McCabe is fulfilling that C on his jersey pretty well down in the sun, taking on the guy who took out Booth. I wish we had a good captain.

What To Watch For: If Torts decides to match the Drury line against the Weiss line to try to forecheck out their fire. How many of the tough guys dress for Florida and how they attempt to intimidate the soft Rangers. Steve Macintyre is no joke and Mike Duco has no brains - either one could do serious damage to the Rangers considering that they don't have a real enforcer; mongoloid Brashear is 0-6 this season with a loss to Macintyre. Greg Campbell reviving his history with Brandon Dubinsky.

What We'll (Hopefully) See: Gabby being Gabby and Hank being the King. Dubi building off that goal against Carolina. Higgins to keep trying, the goals will come ... eventually. Hobey step up his game after a mostly-invisible return from Hartford. Rozy and Redden still not hurting the team - still seeing as they weren't bad last game, with Rozy being actually *gulp* good). Christensen getting good minutes and making the most of them.

Also Check Out: The Rat Trick, On Frozen Pond (different from the Caps one) and SBN's Litter Box Cats.

17 comments:

drew said...

why are counting brashear as 0-6 when hockeyfights has him at 3-2-1? I know he is a waste of a salary and roster spot when we could have brought back orr, but still give him a bit of due for winning more than he loses when fights.

but, overall, i miss sjo/betts/orr as our fourth line over anyone we put out there nowadays...

Anonymous said...

Scotty,
I just wanna let you know that you are a racist. Calling a black man a "mongoloid" I guess shows your true colors. Do you also blog for the KKK? Do us all a favor and drop dead you bigot.

Pete said...

Actually, mongoloid would be a racial slur if Donald Brashear was of asian background. In this case, he is comparing Brashear to someone with Down syndrome, which, really, is an insult to Down syndrome patients...they could play hockey much better than Brash.

As far as hockey fights is concerned, I reviewed the six fights and I have him winning only 2. MacIntyre was a loss, Boll was a win, Boulton was a CLEAR win, Orr was a no better than a draw, Carkner was no better than a draw, and Godard was a clear loss. So, I have him as 2-2-2, IMO,

Anonymous said...

Ahh yes pete-scottys boyfriend
guess you're a racist as well since you automatically agree with all the garbage he spews

Scotty Hockey said...

Dude, look up what the word means before you go nuts. Pete's right. Has nothing to do with race, I mockingly said Brash was mentally disabled. And if it was racial, which it isn't (!), how do you explain my open mancrush on Jarome Iginla?

Anonymous said...

White guilt. I know what mongoloid means and I know how you meant it here you dirtbag racist.

Scotty Hockey said...

lol

Anonymous said...

Spoken like a true bigot, laughing at other races

Unknown said...

I still say Beezer had the best goalie helmet in the history of this game. So simple, but so iconic.

For Anonymous #3, to claim white guilt is ridiculous. White guilt would come into play if someone were trying to make amends or bestow undeserved honors because of feeling guilty. For example, "Crash" won Best Picture in 2006 because of white guilt.

But I have to say Scotty, I did look up mongoloid and the first definition I was given was referring to an indigenous people with the Down Syndrome definition coming second. I think I have to call foul on that as well.

Scotty Hockey said...

Anon - laughing at morons, not other races.

And if there are Central Asian natives out there who feel offended that I used that word, you have my sincerest apologies. Heck, I extend them to those souls suffering from Downs because saying Brash is one of them is just as insulting.

Anonymous said...

Racist, Thy name is Scotty Hockey...also insensitive to those with Mental Disabilities

Anonymous said...

You guys are giving Scotty too hard of a time. You know that he only meant it as a way of calling Brashear slow and dumb. It wasn't meant racist or to offend mentally disabled. Just to be safe, next time use a different word choice. Here are a few I like for Brashear...
Friggin' idiot
Captain Cave Man
SchleStack
Randy the Ram
Useless Moron

Pete said...

I'm not racist, but I am Anonymist. I dislike anonymous posters, and consider them inferior, due to their troll-like appearance, poor use of grammar, and their boorish behavior, in general.

Pete said...

Exception: I like Anonymous #6, for his use of "Randy the Ram."

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete, I am Anonymous #6 and I have tried to make an account here before bec I like Scotty's blog and I post here sometimes. For some reason I have had real trouble making an account so I gave up on it. Sorry. I will try to make a new account when I have more time. But for now this seems easiest. And if I use poor grammar or spelling it is usually a typo or bec I'm trying to be quick. English is not my first language, but I have a degree in English.

Kingrich45 said...

Dude I just saw this on my fantasy blogs. Stephen Valiquette has played in two AHL games and is 8.32 GAA and .787 save percentage.... Ouch I do better in beer league where no one plays defense

Anonymous said...

I'm Anonymous and all I want for Christmas is for Sather to DIE IN A FIRE!