Suspension Update...

Suspension for pushing an NHL referee (and a linesman) and shooting a puck in his direction: 3 games.

Suspension for disparaging remarks about a Hollywood actress: 6 games and anger management treatment.

For those who didn't see it, Martin Gerber stuffed a wraparound attempt, and Brooks Laich comes and pushes Gerber into the net with his stick, like he was spearing him in the stomach. The play wasn't stopped, the goal counted, and the game went to overtime. As Gerber was arguing the call, he touched a referee and pushed a linesman. He then shot a puck near them when he was ejected.

With all due respect to him, he didn't push them hard or maliciously, he was trying to get their attention. But the rules say that contact is forbidden (happened to Mike Peca this year, too). And it never should have been a goal. But him shooting a puck at them, albeit weakly, was wrong.

And with all due respect to Sean Avery, Elisha Cuthbert wasn't "sloppy seconds," as he said. She was "sloppy thirds." Mike Komisarek was there before Dion Phaneuf was, also.

So there you have it. If you are factually incorrect, you will be banished from the league. But Gerber had a point, so he only got a 3-game ban.

Ceremonies...

October 14, 1979 - Rod Gilbert Night - Rangers 6, Minnesota North Stars 4

"You have given me a home, friendship, respect, and love, and that's more important than fame. For these things, I will always be grateful."

March 15, 1989 - Eddie Giacomin Night - Winnipeg Jets 6, Rangers 3

"You have been my motivation, my inspiration. It's the most thrilling moment of my life."

The bottom-feeding Jets scored 4 power play goals and 1 short-handed goal to beat the Rangers. The Blueshirts lost their 6th game in 7 tries yet were still in 2nd place in the Patrick Division, trailing Washington by 2 points.

Brian Leetch got hurt after scoring his 22nd goal of the season.

Giacomin became the 2nd Ranger to have their jersey retired and the 4th in NHL history (first 3 were Bernie Parent, Rogatien Vachon, and Tony Esposito).

February 4, 2004 - Mike Richter Night - Minnesota Wild 4, Rangers 3

"I'm wondering whose idea it was to get a guy who retired because of head injuries to memorize a speech to give to 18,000 people."

Adam Graves got the loudest cheers of the night.

Rangers were leading 3-2 on two Jaromir Jagr goals (and an assist), then Mike Dunham gave up two goals and the crowd chanted "We want Richter!"

January 12, 2006 - Mark Messier Night - Rangers 5, Edmonton Oilers 4 (OT)

"I was ready for the challenge of winning the Stanley Cup. I was ready for this city. I wasn't intimidated about coming to New York."

Leetch wasn't in attendance because Boston was playing (and losing 6-0 to Los Angeles) that night, but his video tribute gathered the loudest applause.

Rangers leading 1-0, Oilers go up 3-1, Rangers go up 4-3, Mike Peca scores in the 3rd to tie it at 4. Jagr scores a beautiful goal 14 seconds into overtime to end the game. A great game capped off an emotional and incredible night.

January 24, 2008 - Brian Leetch Night - Rangers 2, Atlanta Thrashers 1 (SO)

"I've always been privileged to play for the Rangers. We'll always share that championship banner that hangs from the rafters."

Thrashers had a 1-0 from early in the second period. The crowd was getting restless until Michal Rozsival finally tied it up midway through the third. Brendan Shanahan scored the only goal in the shootout to end a night that will be remembered more for the ceremony than for the boring game.

February 3, 2009 - Adam Graves Night - Rangers vs. Thrashers

As I sit here watching a replay of Game 7 of the Rangers/Canucks series in 1994, I'm reminded of how great a player Adam Graves really was. This team is missing someone like him, although Brandon Dubinsky reminds me of him in spurts. Graves went to the net, got smacked around, hit by sticks, cross-checked from behind, and still stood and scored. The 2 points tonight are needed, but tonight won't be remembered for the game, that's for sure.

To Hammer Home a Point / The Paul Mara & Colton Orr Story...

Last night, the Philadelphia Phillies won the National League pennant. For all of you who are immeasurably bored by the sport of baseball (like I am), that means they are going to play in the World Series. (Technically speaking, shouldn't it be called the North American Series? Or the American and One Canadian Team Series?)

Of course, they whipped out the bubbly, and soaked everyone in the locker room with the best champagne that expensive tickets paid for.

For that reason alone, I hope they lose the World Series. Although, to be honest, Tampa Bay or Boston will do the same celebration when they clinch the American League pennant.

As Bryan said a few weeks ago, you shouldn't celebrate until you've won it all. You don't celebrate the right to play for a championship. You celebrate the championship itself. The Penguins, for as much as I was against them in the playoffs last year, didn't celebrate beeating the Flyers with Moet & Chandon and plastic-coated locker rooms. The Red Wings beat Dallas and knew they had more hill to climb before they could enjoy a celebration.

Remember when the Mets clinched the division title and came out on the field with a cigar in his mouth like he just had a newborn baby? He also held a sign gloriously above his head saying "2006 NL East Champs" with the zero's in 2006 replaced by Mets' symbols? How dumb do you think he felt when the Mets blew it in Game 7 of the NLCS?

I really don't have a point other than baseball is a self-serving, boring, overrated sport with a bunch of overgrown, overpaid children wearing tights. I really think the only reason people like it is because it's slow enough to watch. As a girl I know told me a few weeks ago, "It goes slow. I can follow it. Hockey is too fast."

* * * 

Paul Mara took an awful five-minute major last night. While I applaud his passion and his right to stand up for himself, I think the timing was off. Yes, this guy has now jumped up on him on two separate checks, one resulting in time on the IR. And yes, the guy is a punk trying to make a name for himself by injuring people. (Did anyone really know Darcy Tucker before he took out Michael Peca's knees in 2002?) However, it gave Buffalo two points.

However, that's the reason there are enforcers. As much as Sam and Joe and Dave Maloney tell us that his skating and stickhandling have improved tenfold, that's why Colton Orr is sitting on the bench. He shouldn't be fighting the other teams enforcer 3 minutes into the game. But when someone asks Mara "How's your face?" and then leaves his feet on a check, Mara should let it go, check him hard into the boards, then have Colton Orr destroy him on the next shift.

So Are Both NY Teams Going to Have a Number 93 This Season?...

This may just be crazy talk, and in a few months we might be laughing at the mere fact that we were even thinking about it (much like when we wondered if Dave Scatchard would be a Ranger, or how we were going to fit Michael Peca in under the Cap last year), but can Petr Nedved really become a Ranger?

First off, if you have told me in June that in the second preseason game of the year, I'd see Nik Zherdev, Marcus Naslund, and Petr Nedved all in Ranger blue, I would have called you crazy.

But was Petr Nedved not one of the best Rangers on the ice? He was everywhere, skating well, he scored in the first, he clanked a post on a great shot in the second. Not bad for a man who hasn't played an NHL game since March 2007. For the record, it was his first goal in an NHL game since January 2007. (He was a Cy Young winner in the Czech league last year, with 20 goals and 5 assists).

His main problem during his second stint with the Rangers (mostly in 2003-04) was his overplaying of the puck and refusal to shoot. He was Jagr-Straka-Nylander before they were cool. He played well with Radek Dvorak and Jan Hlavac, but when not flanked by those Czechs, he was out of his element. He was the cause of frustration for many a Ranger fan, although some of that frustration was wrongly thrown towards him. If memory serves me correctly, he was the only Ranger with a hat trick in 2002-03. 

What would happen if he can get rid of that cycling mentality and play a North American game? It isn't crazy to think of. He isn't that old - turning 37 in December - and he still had his legs under him. If he can adapt to a new style, would it really be awful to have him back? 

But, who would sit? Down the middle, there already are three bonafide NHL centers - Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, and Brandon Dubinsky. In the wings are Blair Betts, Dan Fritsche, and Artem Anisimov. Scratch Anisimov until next year, too skinny with a few flaws that need to be worked out. Say what you want about Betts' lack of scoring, but he is a great defensive forward who kills penalties better than anyone on the team. He also can score, as we witnessed a few times in the past few seasons. Remember his great end-to-end rush against Anaheim in November of 2006? Put him with someone besides Ryan Hollweg or Colton Orr, and he can improve his stats. Maybe Drury can go to wing, and Betts can be a center as well, because I see Betts as having a safe spot on this team.

So, how now, Dan Fritsche? The throw-in in the Zherdev trade, he doesn't score often (although his stats were not awful). I don't know if he is on a two-way contract, or what, but this might very well be a battle between Nedved and Fritsche for the 3rd or 4th line center position.

The Rangers have so many forwards for only 13 or 14 spots that it boggles the mind.