Who you gonna call? Cam Talbot! (Photo: James DiBianco/flickr)

Some quick notes from Connecticut before the Whale tackle another three-in-three weekend. Fortunately it is all good news.

Yesterday, the Whale announced they had sent forwards Andrew Yogan and Jason Wilson to Greenville of the ECHL on conditioning stints. Both have been out with injuries for a couple of weeks so the fact they were sent down is a sign they are both close to returning to the lineup.

» Continue reading “Quick Connecticut Update”

I don’t remember the last time I used a photo of you. Damn lockout. Well since you were the number one star on this night a year ago, hi Gaby! (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

Throughout the lockout, many blogs are doing fake recaps of the games that should’ve been taking place. I’ve decided to go another route by doing real recaps…of the games that happened on that date one year ago.

Last season was a special season with many memorable games. I remembered the last three games I wrote about as if they happened yesterday. And I remembered that after beating the Capitals and Flyers, the Rangers went on to beat the Penguins because of course they did. I mean didn’t everyone assume they would take six of six points against those three teams when they first saw the schedule? Yeah, I didn’t either.

There’s one problem. I honestly don’t remember anything else from that Penguins game. I re-read the recap and only one thing stuck out – Matt Cooke having a goal disallowed because it went in off of Michael Sauer. For some reason, I remember that. The rest of the game? Not so much. I’m assuming anyone reading this is in the same boat so thank goodness for videos.

» Continue reading “One Year Ago Today: Rangers Beat Penguins”

Two goals in two games? Please come home Step! (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

With only a couple of guys in Europe, and one not even playing (more on that in a minute), I’m going to stick to weekly updates for what is going on overseas. And today you get bonus coverage as we also have videos from the Whale!

So let’s get travelling!

» Continue reading “Time For Updates!”

Final handshakes. Thanks for a great night boys! (Photo: Melissa Andus)

There were many chants that rained down from the Rangers, Flyers, Devils and overall general hockey fans at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on Saturday night. The loudest of them all was the one that all fans, no matter what color they were wearing, could agree on – “We Want Hockey!”

And hockey was what they got as the two teams – Team NY captained by Brad Richards and Team NJ/Philly captained by Scott Hartnell – played 60 minutes of all-star type hockey.

There was no checking, no fighting, no defense…but it was hockey and for the fans, that made it perfect.

» Continue reading “Operation Hat Trick: Fans Prove “We Want Hockey””

One of these guys scored in a shootout seven years ago… (Photo: CS Smith/flickr)

On the site, I’ve been doing a “One Year Ago Today” series.  Earlier today, I posted that if this were 2011, it would be a Saturday afternoon and the Rangers would be playing the Flyers at MSG.

But sometimes a day is remembered more than a year later. For instance, this day seven years ago when the Rangers were also at the Garden for an afternoon game. This one against the Washington Capitals.

» Continue reading “The Shootout To End All Shootouts”

Congrats on your first NHL goal Carl! (Photo: Melissa Andus)

Throughout the lockout, many blogs are doing fake recaps of the games that should’ve been taking place. I’ve decided to go another route by doing real recaps…of the games that happened on that date one year ago.

Coming off a huge win in Washington, a game less than 24 hours later at home versus the Flyers was probably the last thing the Rangers needed. It didn’t help that there was a lot of hype for this game as HBO was taping some early footage for 24/7 and this aired the night before:

» Continue reading “One Year Ago Today: Let The Sweep Begin”

Congrats on your hat trick Saturday night, Chad! (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

This will be a double recap as we missed last nights’ game against the Admirals. And by miss, I mean I didn’t hear a single second of it as I was at Operation Hat Trick watching Henrik Lundqvist be Henrik Lundqvist. Recap of that coming soon but in the meantime, let’s get to the Whale who had quite a weekend themselves.

» Continue reading “Whale Go Three For Three On Weekend”

My favorite thing about Ruslan Fedotenko? You never knew when he was going to have a game like he did a year ago. (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

Throughout the lockout, many blogs are doing fake recaps of the games that should’ve been taking place. I’ve decided to go another route by doing real recaps…of the games that happened on that date one year ago.

Over their past two games, the Rangers had taken 37 shots…total. Seventeen in Montreal, twenty in Florida. Then they had a day off to sit and eat turkey and all the trimmings before heading to Washington for an afternoon match-up against the team who had kicked them out of the playoffs two of the past three seasons. It would be their first game against the Caps since April.

The guess is Tortorella reminded the boys of that to try and wake them up from whatever slumber they were in.

It worked.

» Continue reading “One Year Ago Today: Revenge Against The Caps”

Great game tonight for this man and Chris Kreider. Might we see them together in New York at some point? (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

Hope all of my American readers had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday and didn’t get into any fist fights today while shopping. Placing blame on your fellow shoppers for not getting what you wanted is okay as shown by the NHL and NHLPA earlier today.

Speaking of the NHL, this recap was supposed to be about the Rangers beating the Bruins on the first nationally televised game of the season as part of the Thanksgiving Showdown. Instead, you get to read about the Whale beating the Sound Tigers. Not that that’s a bad thing but I’m sure everyone would’ve preferred the first option. Blame the NHL and NHLPA.

As for the Whale lineup, Andrew Yogan is still hurt and didn’t travel with the team to Bridgeport. No word on his injury or how long he will be out. Kris Newbury was back after missing one game, taking Shayne Wiebe back out of the lineup. On defense, lineup remained the same as last weekend with Jyri Niemi still hurt from the last time these two teams met. However, he was seen in pictures posted by the boys on Thanksgiving so that has to be a good sign.

» Continue reading “Kreider & Gilroy Each Score Two As Whale Beat Sound Tigers”

Andre Deveaux, we hardly knew you… (Photo: Robert Kowal/flickr)

Throughout the lockout, many blogs are doing fake recaps of the games that should’ve been taking place. I’ve decided to go another route by doing real recaps…of the games that happened on that date one year ago.

For the past four years, the Rangers have spent Thanksgiving in Florida. It varied on if they would play the Panthers or Lightning the night before but it became a guarantee they would be in Florida for the holiday. Pretty sure it started when Tortorella was hired. Wonder why…

Anyway, last year it turned out to be the Panthers turn. And while the Panthers were on their way to the top of Southeast Division with wins in five of their last seven games, this was a game that the Rangers should’ve been able to use to get back to their winning ways. But by now we know the Rangers. And every game they should win they don’t.

Doesn’t mean it wasn’t memorable.

» Continue reading “One Year Ago Today: Elbowed Out Of The League”