31-32-9: At Least It's Almost Over

Hooray! The Rangers continued to show their true colours on Sunday and they surely aren't the brilliant blue, white and red that adorns the jersey. This incarnation of Broadway bunch are a lot closer to the bums rahter than the Blueshirts of old. The franchise was horrific for so very many years but you knew one thing - they were doing the best they could. This team claims that they are but haven't showed it on the ice.

They certainly didn't show it in Boston as they lost 2-1 in what they hyped as a Game 7. In the first minute alone they had three turnovers and an odd-man rush against. Way to get up for the game guys. It was a mistake-filled, sloppy affair that wasn't nearly as close as the scoreline showed. Between Hank making several saves he shouldn't have and MDZ's goal off a lucky deflection, the result should have been far worse. And to Boston no less.

I've used the phrase 'they should be embarrassed' before but let's face it, they are too pampered and make too much money to get embarrassed. For many of them, their pride resides in their bank account and it shows on the ice. Others are trying hard but are simply not that good. But that's ok, because the season is almost blissfully over. Is it a coincidence that on the same day Tiger Woods speaks, the Rangers get that much closer to the golf course? Hmmm ...

Some quick notes because, frankly, I don't care anymore:

*Anyone else get flashbacks of Jeff Van Gundy during that Brandon Prust/Steve Begin fight? Prust actually didn't have the glass to hold him up for once and Begin promptly falls and grabs onto his leg. Priceless.

*The first Boston goal pretty much came because no one trusts Michal Rozsival to do his job. Andrew Ference comes down Rozy's side of the ice and two forwards came over to help him out. Staal covered his man across the ice because Rozy sure wasn't going to cover the guy - he was too busy watching Ference skate in from 10 feet away.

*The second goal started as an odd man rush and turned into a four on four with Olli Jokinen losing his man. Jokinen had a hat trick ... of penalties in this game. None were more egregious than the one in the first period as it negated what would have been a five-on-three.

*Not like the team could score on a power play - even with a two man advantage. They would be too busy losing the face offs and icing the puck. The new NHL rules opened up the ice and gave most teams more of an advantage with the man advantage. Just how is it that the Ranger power play has gotten worse since the lockout?!?

*Cally got hurt and left the game. The worst thing that can happen will be for the coaching staff to rush him back and let him play on Wednesday. So you can pretty much expect him to be there against the Isles.

*I hate cut this short, but like I said, I don't care. It is shocking/horrifying/disgraceful/pathetic how one of the Original Six teams in the NHL can make me hate watching/thinking/writing/talking about hockey. But that is what has happened time and time again this season (and the last one, and the one before that). Thank you James Dolan. Thank you Glen Sather. Thank you John Tortorella. You all suck.

*PHW Three Stars
3-Vladimir Sobotka - one assist.
2-Steve Begin - one pathetic ass kicking.
1-Tuukka Rask - 23 saves.

Scotty Hockey Three Stars
3-Dennis Seidenberg - While the Rangers did well to abort most of their own scoring chances, Seidenberg played more than 28 minutes and helped take care of the rest.
2-Sobotka - Fiery little fella.
1-Any Ranger fan who is able to delude themselves that the Blueshirts are a) still in the playoff hunt, b) entertaining, c) worth what they are paid and d) not the most infuriating franchise in sport.