NHL FanHouse

Plus/Minus: Roloson Steals Game for Islanders, Stops 58 Shots

Adam Gretz — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

We're trying something different to replace the old Newsmakers in the NHL posts. Hopefully you'll like it. Each weekday we'll take a look at one positive performance from the previous night (a plus), and one negative performance from the previous night (a minus). It's the plus/minus.Tell us what you think at nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

More Coverage: Monday's NHL Scoreboard

Plus Of The Day: Dwayne Roloson, New York Islanders

If you go by the shots on goal, Monday's game between the Islanders and Maple Leafs was the most one-sided ass kicking of the NHL season. Toronto managed to out-shoot New York by an unbelievable 61-21 margin, including 21-4 in the third period.

Fortunately for the Islanders, shot totals don't win games, and their goaltender, Dwayne Roloson, was up to the challenge and was essentially a brick wall between the pipes, stopping 58 shots (including 55 in regulation) in a 4-3 overtime win. Accoring to STATS, via the AP, it was the best performance by a goaltender (in terms of saves) since Ron Tugnutt's 70-save effort as a member of the Quebec Nordiques over 18 years ago.

The Islanders had a 3-0 lead with five minutes to play in the second period, but allowed Toronto to rally (thanks to a barrage of shots on Roloson) and force overtime. Josh Bailey tallied the game-winner at the 4:13 mark of the extra period, his sixth goal of the season, to hand Toronto its sixth loss in its past seven games.

With the win, the Islanders are now one of seven teams separated by just two points in the Eastern Conference standings. I'm still not sure how long New York can hang around, but if its goaltenders (Roloson and Martin Biron) keep playing like they have through the first two months, the Islanders will stay in the playoff race longer than anybody could have possibly imagined before the season started.

Minus Of The Night Day: Ray Emery, Philadelphia Flyers

I think it's safe to say Ray Emery has been a pleasant surprise for the Philadelphia Flyers this season, entering Monday's game with a .914 save percentage and an 11-6 record. Unfortunately, he struggled for the first time this season in a 5-4 loss to the Avalanche, getting benched for the first time as a member of the Flyers after allowing four goals on just 17 shots in 29 minutes of action.

Brian Boucher came on in relief and stopped 13 of the 14 shots he faced.

After trailing 5-2 through two periods, the Flyers cut the deficit to one thanks to goals from Danny Briere and Jeff Carter, but it wasn't enough as Craig Anderson was able to hold off the 19-shot third period effort and preserve the win.

Philadelphia has now dropped three in a row on its current road trip, which ends in New York against the Islanders on Wednesday.

The Avalanche were victorious for just the second time in its past seven games.

Highlight Of The Day: It was another nightmare performance by the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night as they were thumped, 7-4, by the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Marian Gaborik and Steve Avery each scored a pair of goals in the rout as the blue shirts ripped off seven straight goals after falling behind 2-0 early in the first period. Some of the goals were kind of soft (and bizarre), and some of them looked like this tally from rookie defenseman Matt Gilroy in the second period.

Plus/Minus: Roloson Steals Game for Islanders, Stops 58 Shots originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Blood Sport

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Maple Leafs, Penguins, Rangers, Senators, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

Sometimes, we scour the internet looking for the best fight, only to be left underwhelmed. There are other weeks where this job couldn't possibly be any easier. The good fights jump at you, and the players involved are the guys you would expect to see in the big fights. This week's winning fight has some blood in it, so use caution as you proceed.

Punch of the Week: Colton Orr vs. Matt Carkner

Poor Carkner. He did the right thing, he thought, in going after Orr. He didn't have a chance, however, in this fight. Orr got him with a right, and Carkner's night was over -- or, at least this fight was. Orr got a very easy win in a fight that wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining without Joe Bowen at the mic. Watch it here.

Runner-Up: Krys Barch vs. Brad May

When a fight like this is a runner-up, you know you're in for a good week. Barch and May are both good fighters, and while May has many years on Barch, he held up well, and this one only ended when May lost his footing. Watch the video here.

Runner-Up: Eric Godard vs. Chris Neil

Godard is no stranger to the fisticuffs. Having Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as teammates can keep an enforcer busy. Meanwhile, Neil doesn't like having fights stopped. This particular bout looked to be ending a couple different times, only to have Neil keep things going by throwing a shot or two. Check it out by clicking here.

Fight of the Week: Matt Bradley vs. Aaron Voros

Bradley got a couple shots in, but he clearly took the worst of this fight. You simply can't win a fight most of the time when you're wearing the crimson mask at the end of it. However, Bradley got the last laugh. After getting cleaned up from his bout with Voros, he returned and was credited with the game-winning goal as the Capitals beat the Rangers.

Fight of the Week: Blood Sport originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brendan Shanahan Retires: Great Player, Entertaining Person

Adam Gretz — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:20:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Devils, Rangers, Red Wings, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

Brendan Shanahan announced his retirement on Tuesday afternoon, ending a 21-year career that saw him finish with 656 goals (11th all time), 698 assists and 1,354 points with the New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils.

He was a member of three Stanley Cup winning teams (all in Detroit), an eight-time All-Star and a two-time 50-goal scorer.

Not only was he a dominating player on the ice, he was also an extremely entertaining person off of it.

Said Shanahan in a statement: "I would like to thank my family and all of the friends who have helped me achieve and maintain my childhood dream of playing in the National Hockey League. I am enormously grateful to all of my coaches and teammates I've had the privilege of learning from and playing along side of, throughout my career. While I always dreamed of playing in the NHL, I can't honestly say that I would have ever imagined that I'd be this fortunate and blessed. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has helped me fulfill this dream."

The only question remaining now is: how long will he have to wait before he takes his inevitable spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame? It won't be long.

******

While searching for the proper video tribute for such a world-class player, I happened to stumble upon some gems for your enjoyment.

Remember the old ESPN show, Teammates? You're forgiven -- and probably fortunate -- if you don't, but the premise was centered around two players on the same team being asked random questions in an effort to see how much they knew about one another. Shanahan, along with former Red Wings teammate Darren McCarty, were guests on one episode, which led to McCarty revealing Shanahan's bad habit of stretching naked. Hilarity ensues in what is probably the only funny moment the show ever produced.

And my personal favorite, a classic commercial from the days when ESPN televised NHL games in which Shanahan discusses the giant melting pot the Red Wings locker room was (and yes, we've posted this before, but it's always worth another look):

Brendan Shanahan Retires: Great Player, Entertaining Person originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Cam Janssen Edition

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Canucks, Flyers, Rangers, Thrashers, Red Wings, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

If last week seemed a little bit light, we're going to make up for it now. There is no shortage of fights to choose from this week, and we had some really good ones that had to be left on the proverbial cutting room floor. We've also added to our series of rather unlikely scraps. To top it all off, we had an easy choice for the week's best bout.

"Why Are We Fighting?" Fight of the Week: Zach Bogosian vs. Ryan Callahan

Apparently, Callahan really took exception to a bit of a cross-check by Bogosian. Instead of sending a goon after the young defenseman, Callahan took matters into his own hands. This wasn't a great fight by any means, but it was a bit of a head-scratcher. Video can be watched here.

Runner-Up: Rick Rypien vs. Brad May

Vancouver's game against St. Louis Wednesday became a fight-fest (more on this in a bit), but Rypien showed that he had some energy left over to take on one of the league's real veteran heavyweights. This isn't a terribly long fight, but it's intense, and it's not a surprise the guys seemed to wear out a bit. Check it out here.

Runner-Up: Cam Janssen vs. Arron Asham

Janssen looked for a moment to have an easy one here, as Asham struggled from the opening bell. The home crowd inspiring him, Asham pulls off an impressive comeback, and you could argue he at least gave himself a chance to "win the fight." Click here to watch the video.

Fight of the Week: Tanner Glass vs. Cam Janssen

Here's Janssen again. This one's a legitimate candidate for Fight of the Year, not that we're contemplating such an honor at the end of the season. The Canucks were in the midst of getting blown out by St. Louis on Wednesday, but Glass took a shot at injecting some life into his team, which hadn't shown much in the first game of a back-to-back. Janssen got a rousing ovation, and responded to it, after his performance in this fight.

Fight of the Week: Cam Janssen Edition originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Curtis Glencross Suspended 3 Games

Adam Gretz — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Flames, Rangers, NHL Videos, NHL Discipline

There was a play early in Saturday's Calgary-New York game that flew under the radar when, just under a minute into the contest, Flames forward Curtis Glencross caught Rangers captain Chris Drury with a blindside, open-ice hit.

Drury suffered a concussion as a result of the play, while Glencross was not penalized. That's not stopping the NHL from stepping in and issuing a three-game suspension to the Flames forward.

Video of the hit after the jump.

The incident occurs at the top of the screen, just on the edge of the faceoff circle.

It's hard to see what exactly happened because the camera angle isn't the best (did he catch him with a shoulder? Elbow? Was it directly to the head?) and the replays aren't much better. It's also impossible to see if Drury even touched the puck prior to getting hit. Bottom line, however, is that Drury has a concussion and Glencross will be losing three game checks.

Curtis Glencross Suspended 3 Games originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Luc Robitaille: The Ultimate Steal

Adam Gretz — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Kings, Penguins, Rangers, Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame

It doesn't matter how good your team's front office is, the NHL draft can still be a complete shot in the dark in which the most highly-touted, can't miss prospect can miss, and ninth-round picks that sneak under the radar because of concerns about their ability to skate at an NHL level can end up scoring over 600 goals and tallying nearly 1,400 points in a 19-year career -- kind of like Luc Robitaille.

Robitaille was passed over 170 times during the 1984 NHL Entry Draft (a class that featured Mario Lemieux going No. 1 overall, and fellow 2009 Hall of Fame Inductee Brett Hull being taken at No. 117) before being selected in the ninth round by the Los Angeles Kings.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of '09:
Steve Yzerman | Brian Leetch | Brett Hull
Luc Robitaille | Lou Lamoriello

Twenty-five years later, "Lucky Luc" is going into the Hall as the NHL's all-time leading scorer among left-wingers, and should forever be remembered as one of the greatest draft steals in the history of the sport.

Since the draft was implemented in 1963, there have only been two players selected in the ninth round (the NHL draft is now only seven rounds) or later and went on to record at least 1,000 points in the NHL, and they were both picked by the Los Angeles Kings: Dave Taylor, who scored 1,069 points after being taken 210th in 1975, and Robitaille, who finished his career with 668 goals, 726 assists and 1,394 points.

A quick look at some of the players (and we'll limit it to forwards, just to keep the comparison simple) who can challenge for the title of greatest draft steal:

The Greatest Draft Steals
Player	Pick	Goals	Assists	Points
Luc Robitaille	171	688	726	1,394
Theo Fleury	166	455	633	1,088
Dave Taylor	210	431	638	1,069
Doug Gilmour	134	450	964	1,414
Daniel Alfredsson*	133	357	568	925
Peter Bondra	156	503	389	892
Igor Larionov	210	169	475	644
Henrik Zetterberg*	210	183	225	408
Pavel Datsyuk*	171	171	353	524

(* still active, and what's the deal with pick No's. 171 and 210? )

Robitaille is best known as a member of the Kings, having spent three different stints in Los Angeles from 1986-1994, again from 1997-2001, and finally 2003-2005. He's still the franchise's second-leading scorer (trailing only the legendary Marcell Dionne) with 1,154 of his career points coming as a member of the Kings. No small feat considering a man named Gretzky spent parts of eight seasons as a member of the Kings.

The only thing his career is lacking is league-issued, individual hardware, having only the 1986-87 Calder Trophy as the league's rookie of the year. Considering that he played in an era with the Gretzkys, Lemieuxs, Hulls, and Yzermans, that's not much of a surprise, and it doesn't take away from the fact that no left wing has ever scored more goals or totaled more points.

As a member of the 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings (which could have given that year's All-Star teams a run for their money in terms of pure talent) he became a Stanley Cup Champion for the first time, while he finished his career as an eight-time 40-goal scorer, a three-time 50-goal scorer, and netted a career-best 63 goals during the 1992-93 season. He finished in the top-10 in goals scored nine times, and is currently 10th on the all-time list.

Luc Robitaille: The Ultimate Steal originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brian Leetch: Pride of the Rangers

Christopher Botta — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Rangers, NHL Hall of Fame

The main press box for Rangers games at Madison Square Garden is in the lower bowl, behind one of the goals. It is here where the perfect imagery can be found to illustrate the magical play of Brian Leetch, who enters the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday.

In this press box sit men and women, some who have been to thousands of games, some perhaps new to the hockey beat. Either way, it can often be a jaded lot. But when Leetch plied his craft as a defenseman for the Rangers from 1988 until 2004, there were countless moments when his artistry made those four rows of tables one of the grandest places to be in sports.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of '09:
Steve Yzerman | Brian Leetch | Brett Hull
Luc Robitaille | Lou Lamoriello

Whether the kid from Connecticut was skating towards your end of the rink or just gathering speed while sailing away from you, a Brian Leetch end-to-end rush was a treat. And every time he crossed the first blue line, then the red, then the second blue, most of those reporters could not defy gravity. Subtly, their hind quarters left their seats just like the 18,000 in the barn.

Leetch had that kind of lifting effect on New York. He is being inducted into the Hall of Fame on Monday because he had every gift imaginable and never took them for granted.

Vision: His 80 assists in 80 games in 1991-92 -- along with 22 goals -- made him the NHL's last defenseman to score 100 points in a season. We may have to wait a long time before we see another one.

Hands: Five seasons of 20 or more goals. Don't think defensemen can be regarded as finishers? Watch the biggest goal of his career -- in Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final against Vancouver.

By the sum of his career, Brian Leetch is the greatest New York Ranger of all time. Finesse and Power: Like all the great defensemen in NHL history, Leetch could beat you by playing physically and by dancing around you.

Leadership: While Mark Messier will always be known as The Captain at Madison Square Garden, Leetch's character and leadership ability were strong enough to be Messier's ideal deputy.

And then there were his remarkable pair of wheels, as we say in hockey, which enabled Leetch to make those end-to-end rushes or help shut down the best forwards of his generation.

He put everything together with work ethic and an intense determination to improve each season. Rangers staffers are quick to tell tales of how much Leetch demanded of himself, how much extra time at the rink he put in to maximize those enormous talents.

By putting it all together, Leetch won the Calder Trophy in 1988-89, the Norris Trophy in 1991-92 and 1996-97 and the Conn Smythe Award in 1994 and played in 10 NHL All-Star games.

By his actions as the consummate team player, Leetch earned a Stanley Cup ring in 1994, a gold medal with Team USA at the World Cup in 1996 and a silver medal at the 2002 Olympics.

By the sum of his career, Brian Leetch is the greatest New York Ranger of all time.

In the final stanza, he became cherished not just as an all-world player but as a citizen of New York. He dedicated himself to local charities and became one of New York sports' most visible athletes after September 11, 2001, when he lost a dear friend in the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Maybe New York embraced him so much because he was such a decent fellow. He loved going to concerts, shows and sporting events around the city and never played the role of a big-timer. When the old Yankee Stadium hosted its final MLB All-Star Game in 2008, Leetch and his buddies could be found wearing jeans and Yankees caps, sitting all the way down by the right field foul pole. You wouldn't have known he was a New York sports icon if it wasn't for his grace in signing hundreds of autographs from the first inning through the 15th.

Another testament to Leetch's class as a player and a man is that even New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders fans could not muster up a healthy hatred for the redhead. As Devils GM Lou Lamoriello said the other day about the one-month treat of having Leetch on his side at the 1996 World Cup, "Brian haunted me before that tournament, and he haunted me after."

Supporters of the Rangers' biggest rivals can now rest easily, for Brian Leetch has made it to the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first season of eligibility.

Brian Leetch: Pride of the Rangers originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Princeton's Favorite Son Drops Them Again

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Canucks, Ducks, Penguins, Predators, Rangers, Sharks, Wild, NHL Fans, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

A light week on the card, but there was a relatively surprising bout and some pretty good ones to choose from. Highlighting it is our favorite former Princeton player, a gentleman who has made a name for himself by being a really good fighter. Of course, the big news of the week involved a team captain dropping the gloves with a random defenseman.

Huh? Fight of the Week: Marek Zidlicky vs. Sidney Crosby

Sometimes, guys are obviously planning to fight before they drop the gloves. Others are clearly spontaneous. This one falls under the latter. Crosby and Zidlicky had enough of using their sticks, and decided to use fists instead. Watch it here.

Beatdown of the Week: Kent Huskins vs. Jared Boll

Boll is one of the league's real up-and-coming heavyweights, and he dominated this scrap. It started with a hard hit on Huskins by Boll, and quickly became a fight. Just as fast as it started, Boll emphatically ended it. He then proceeded to stand over his conquest like a predator stands over lunch. Watch the fight here.

Runner-Up: Dane Byers vs. Tanner Glass

This was a little quick for most fans' tastes, but some really good punches were thrown. Byers got off to a quick start, but Glass got the last laugh, or "shot," if you prefer. Check it out here.

Fight of the Week: Wade Belak vs. George Parros

Parros is a top fighter, and he got all he could handle in this one from Thursday night. The Predators might not have done much to stay in the game, but Belak more than held his own against one of the best.

There is some solid back-and-forth between the two, and the ending is kind of a surprise. Too bad for the Ducks' TV people that the fight was over by the time they got the "Tale of the Tape" graphic ready.

Fight of the Week: Princeton's Favorite Son Drops Them Again originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rangers-Canucks Third Period Meltdown

Adam Gretz — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:40:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, Rangers, NHL Fights

During Wednesday's edition of Newsmakers, I made a brief mention of the insanity that unfolded in the third period of Tuesday's Rangers-Canucks game, and the video is perhaps even better than I could have ever imagined.

Just over four minutes into the period, with the Canucks leading 1-0, 17 players found their way onto the ice (10 Rangers, seven Canucks) and exchanged pleasantries at center ice. Once order appeared to be restored for a few seconds, Sean Avery had words with the Canucks bench, and before you knew it, he was stealing Shane O'Brien's stick (after O'Brien tried to spear him with it) and throwing it on the ice.

Video of the mayhem after the jump.

When all was said and done, Dane Byers, Kevin Bieska, Alex Burrows, Daniel Girardi and O'Brien were all issued 10-minute misconducts, while Ryan Kesler picked up a two-minute minor for roughing.

The pugilism didn't end there, of course, as Byers and Vancouver's Tanner Glass decided to throw down in the final two minutes after the Canucks had taken control with a 4-1 lead.

Byers picked up another 10-minute misconduct, as well as an instigator penalty, and finished the game with 29 penalty minutes. He only played 4:47.

I think the important thing to keep in mind, as the announcer points out, is this would have been a far worse situation 20 or 30 years ago when bench clearing brawls were quite common, and far more violent.

Rangers-Canucks Third Period Meltdown originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hockey Talk: NHL Fanhouse Live Chat

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Kings, Rangers, Eastern, Western, NHL Live Blogging, NHL Discipline

There's a lot of action around the NHL tonight, and we'll break it all down in our weekly NHL FanHouse chat. There are surprise teams, surprise players, and injuries to discuss. Not only that, but the first major disciplinary decisions of the season have been made by the NHL. As usual, they come with some controversy. Join us at 2 p.m. ET as we break it down with you.

&amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;altcast_code=1c848386ae" &amp;gt;NHL FanHouse Live Chat&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Hockey Talk: NHL Fanhouse Live Chat originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marian Gaborik Out Against the Islanders

Christopher Botta — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:31:00 EST

Filed under: Islanders, Rangers, NHL Injuries

UNIONDALE, NY -- New York Rangers sniper Marian Gaborik will miss Wednesday night's game against the Islanders. Gaborik suffered what appeared to be a leg injury in the third period of New York's win over Phoenix on Monday at Madison Square Garden.

"He won't be playing tonight," Rangers coach John Tortorella said after Wednesday's morning skate at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. "I'm not going to get into what he has."

Tortorella said Gaborik's injury is not related to the hip, groin and back ailments that forced the All-Star to miss 65 games in 2008-09, his last season with the Minnesota Wild. The coach also said, "I have no idea" when asked when Gaborik will be able to return to the lineup. The Rangers' next game after facing the Islanders is on Friday in Minnesota.

In Gaborik's absence, New York recalled forward P.A. Parenteau from Hartford. The 26-year-old Parenteau leads the American Hockey League with eight goals this season and is tied for first in AHL scoring with 14 points.

Tortorella said the loss of Gaborik, "doesn't change anything." The coach casually said he has to add a player to the Rangers' power play and "other guys get bumped up." He pointed out that "four or five guys" have struggled offensively and this was an opportunity for them to step up. Rangers captain Chris Drury and alternate Ryan Callahan each have two goals and three assists in 12 games. Left wing Christopher Higgins has no goals and two assists in 12 games.

Marian Gaborik Out Against the Islanders originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gaborik's Prowess on Display, but Here Come Those Injury Questions ...

Christopher Botta — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:27:00 EST

Filed under: Rangers, NHL Injuries

NEW YORK -- With each goal Marian Gaborik scores, with each goal he sets up -- two goals and one assist Monday in the Rangers' 5-2 win over Phoenix -- it's impossible to not think about the most startling trade of the offseason.

The deal that had nothing to do with Gaborik, yet everything to do with the Rangers signing Gaborik.

On July 1, at the opening of unrestricted free agency, Rangers general manager Glen Sather magically -- or perhaps through hypnosis -- unloaded Scott Gomez in a trade with Montreal. As if ridding themselves of Gomez's carefree approach, five years and $33.5 million wasn't enough, the Rangers brought back third-line forward Chris Higgins and a pair of prospects, including Ryan McDonagh, the 2007 first-round pick.

It was the kind of where-are-the-pictures heist in which you could envision Sather calling all his buddies in the Rangers office and saying, "You won't friggin' believe this, but ... "

"There's only a handful of scary offensive players in the league. I'm glad we have one of them."
-- Brandon Dubinsky on Marian Gaborik Believe it all right. Freed of the chokehold of Gomez's contract -- yes, one Sather erred badly in offering in the first place -- the Rangers were back in business. Instead of looking at a '09-10 with Gomez and maybe a prayer for the seventh or eighth seed in the East, the Rangers could make a move to gain a chance to dream of home-ice advantage in the first round and possibly more.

The free agent signing of Marian Gaborik the day after dumping Gomez on Montreal gave the Rangers that chance.

"With his speed and his ability to dipsy-doodle with the puck," said teammate Vinny Prospal (who really said "dipsy-doodle"), "he makes the game easier for all of us. He's one of the best players in the league."

After Monday night, Gaborik is now the No. 2 scorer in the league. His 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points in 12 games place him behind only LA's Anze Kopitar and just ahead of Alexander Ovechkin and Joe Thornton.

Rangers coach John Tortorella said Gaborik "makes plays that we can't teach." Goalie Henrik Lundqvist said, "Gabby shows up every night, and every night he can be the difference maker." Center Brandon Dubinsky said, "He's so dangerous that even when he doesn't have the puck, he creates opportunities for his linemates. There's only a handful of scary offensive players in the league. I'm glad we have one of them."

Of course, the universal proclamation of Gaborik as one of the game's top players almost always includes the addendum, "when he's healthy." The All-Star right wing has missed 136 games with injuries over his eight-year NHL career. An assortment of hip, knee and groin injuries limited Gaborik to just 17 games last season with Minnesota.

On cue, Gaborik missed the final eight minutes of the win over Phoenix on Monday night. He limped to the dressing room in the third period with what appeared to be a leg injury. Tortorella said the game was out of reach and the team decided to shut the star down for the night. About 45 minutes after the game, Gaborik said his injury was unrelated to any of his injuries from last season in Minnesota and hoped to play in the Rangers' next game -- on Wednesday against the Islanders.

"We'll see how everything is in the morning," he said after the game.

When Gaborik didn't come out to take a bow as the game's First Star, Rangers fans had their first chance to ponder what their team could look like without him. So far, Gaborik's play is making the Rangers' five-year, $37.5 million investment in him look wise -- and Montreal's reach for Gomez look foolish. Now, if only he can stay healthy.

Gaborik's Prowess on Display, but Here Come Those Injury Questions ... originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No Shutout for Martin Brodeur, But Devils Get a Win

Adam Gretz — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Devils, Predators, Rangers, Senators

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the story lines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Devils 4, Rangers 2: With a shutout on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur would have tied Terry Sawchuk's record for most career shutouts. While the future Hall of Famer will have to wait for another night to reach his next milestone, he still managed to stop 29 shots to help lead the Devils to a 4-2 win.

Zach Parise scored a pair of goals -- and assisted on another -- as New Jersey handed the Rangers their second straight loss. The Devils, meanwhile, have won five of their past six.

Also: Crazy game in Ottawa, video of the day, and more.

Predators 6, Senators 5: For the first time this season, Nashville scored more than four goals in a single game, lighting the lamp six times in Ottawa ... and it still almost wasn't enough thanks to a ridiculous third period that saw the Senators score five goals.

The Predators entered the third period with a 3-0 lead, only to watch Ottawa rally for three goals in 10 minutes. From there, the two teams exchanged goals, including each team scoring in the final minute of regulation. With the Predators leading, 5-4, and on a power play, Ottawa managed to get a shorthanded goal from Chris Phillips with less than two-seconds to play in regulation to send the game to overtime.

Fortunately for Nashville, Shea Weber scored a power play goal at the 2:11 mark of the overtime period (his second goal of the game), giving the Preds the win.

Nashville not only set a season-high with six goals, it also scored two goals with the man advantage. The Predators entered play on Thursday with only one power play goal on the season.

J.P. Dumont had five points, including four assists, in the win.

Thursday's Other Games

Atlanta tries to comeback against Washington, but comes up short. That fluke goal turned the entire game around. [Box Score, Jeff Schultz's goal]

The Flyers pick up a shootout win against Boston. [Box Score, Recap]

After finally earning a win on Wednesday, the Islanders get blown out in Montreal. [Box Score, Recap]

Steve Stamkos scores two for Tampa Bay. [Box Score, Recap]

How about the Coyotes? Overtime win against Detroit. [Box Score, Recap]

Edmonton gets a pair from Dustin Penner in a 6-4 win. [Box Score, Recap]

Hats off to Anze Kopitar [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- The Sergei Kostitsyn drama in Montreal keeps taking bizarre twists and turns. [TSN]

Video Of The Day

Ottawa Loses to Nashville in overtime, but Chris Phillips gets the Senators a point with this last-second shorthanded goal.

Friday's Key Games

Penguins vs. Panthers: Pittsburgh is, quite simply, on a roll right now and enters Friday's game against Florida with the best record in the league. It's the Penguins first game without Sergei Gonchar, who will miss four-to-six weeks with a broken bone near his hand. Brent Johnson is expected to make his second start for Pittsburgh. Florida has lost five of six.

Blues vs. Wild: The Blues return home after a three-game road trip that ended with a sour note in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. They're hosting a Minnesota team that has been struggling all season, losing six of eight games.

Hurricanes vs. Avalanche: Colorado enters play on Friday tied for the second-most points (14) in the league, having lost only one game in regulation. The 'Canes have lost four in a row, including two in a shootout.

No Shutout for Martin Brodeur, But Devils Get a Win originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rangers Blown Out as Win Streak Ends

Christopher Botta — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:40:00 EST

Filed under: Rangers, Sharks

NEW YORK -- With the Yankees in the ALCS, the Giants contending for another Super Bowl appearance and the ups and downs of Mark Sanchez captivating the city, the 7-1 start of the Rangers had fallen under the New York radar.

So it's only fair not to make too big a deal of the Rangers getting their doors blown off by San Jose on Monday night in a 7-3 loss at Madison Square Garden. Just like the seven-game winning streak, this too shall pass.

"As bad as it was, it's just one game and two points," said Rangers captain Chris Drury.

Drury was right, especially the bad part.

After jumping out to a 2-0 lead midway through the first period, the Rangers broke down in every aspect of the game. On a goal with two minutes left in the first period to tie the game at 2-2, Dany Heatley caught usually reliable Rangers defensemen Dan Girardi and Marc Staal standing still, split the D and showed his world-class hands in slapping a bouncing puck past goalie Stephen Valiquette.

Unnecessary penalties of the hooking, holding and tripping variety led to a parade to the penalty box and a pair of power goals for the Sharks. Asked for the areas in which his team failed, Rangers coach John Tortorella said, "Penalties. If guys don't stop taking them, I guess they'll have to lose some ice time. The only hammer coaches have is ice time." As for the Rangers' other failures, the coach said, "I'm not going to go through the list."

The Rangers gave up five goals in their previous five games. In a total team effort from Valiquette to the defense and forwards, the Rangers allowed five goals by the Sharks in the first two periods. With the game essentially over at 5-2 after two, the third period played like the second half of the Giants' blowout loss in New Orleans on Sunday. The key was to get through it without anyone getting hurt.

Give the talented and tough Sharks plenty of credit for ending the Rangers' streak. After getting off to a slow start for the second game in a row -- they were out-shot 19-8 and trailed the Islanders 1-0 after one on Saturday -- San Jose got their game back and let their high skill level take over. "The attitude was good, even when we were down 2-0," said Heatley, who had a goal and an assist. "When we needed them, we scored the big goals." Defenseman Dan Boyle called the win "a big opportunity for us. We've been playing .500 hockey and the Rangers had won seven in a row. We passed a good test on the road."

The Rangers failed the challenge presented by a top team in the West, but won't lose any sleep over it. "Plain and simple, we lost the momentum and couldn't get it back," said New York center Brandon Dubinsky. "We haven't played our best for a while. I'm not concerned because I know what we have here. We'll take a few days to get the wheels back on the bus."

If the notoriously demanding Tortorella was looking for a game to knock his sky-high team down a peg, the head coach has plenty of video to show at practice the next two days. The Rangers' next game is Thursday at home against New Jersey.

"We have some things to work on," said Tortorella.

Notes: San Jose was led by two goals and an assist from Devin Setoguchi and a goal and an assist from Patrick Marleau ... Sharks right wing Ryan Vesce, who grew up a Rangers fan in Lloyd Harbor, Long Island, scored his second NHL goal on Monday after getting his first Saturday in a San Jose win over the Islanders in front of his family at Nassau Coliseum.

Valiquette, starting his second game of the year, was benched after two periods in favor of No. 1 starter Henrik Lundqvist. "I thought Vali fought it," said Tortorella. "I was hoping he'd fight through it. I don't think he was sharp. That hurt us."

Rangers rookie defenseman Michael Del Zotto scored his fourth goal of season and his ninth point in nine games. Although he was eligible to be returned to London of the Ontario Hockey League without the Rangers losing a year off his Entry Level contract, his superb play has earned him a permanent spot on the roster ... Rangers captain Chris Drury played his 800th NHL game. Enforcer Donald Brashear is three games away from playing his 1000th game.

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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: of the San Jose Sharks of the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on October 19, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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Latest NHL Images

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: of the San Jose Sharks of the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on October 19, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: Joe Thornton #19 of the San Jose Sharks hits Brandon Dubinsky #17 of the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on October 19, 2009 in New York City. The Sharks defeated the Rangers 7-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brandon Dubinsky;Joe Thornton

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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: Ryan Vesce #53 of the San Jose Sharks scores a third period goal against the New York Rangers as he is hit by Dan Girardi #5 at Madison Square Garden on October 19, 2009 in New York City. The Sharks defeated the Rangers 7-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ryan Vesce;Dan Girardi

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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: Evgeni Nabokov #20 of the San Jose Sharks covers the puck against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on October 19, 2009 in New York City. The Sharks defeated the Rangers 7-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Evgeni Nabokov

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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: Joe Thornton #19 of the San Jose Sharks embraces Devin Setoguchi #16 after his second goal of the second period against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on October 19, 2009 in New York City. The Sharks defeated the Rangers 7-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Thornton;Devin Setoguchi

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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: Joe Thornton #19 of the San Jose Sharks hits Dan Boyle #22 of the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on October 19, 2009 in New York City. The Sharks defeated the Rangers 7-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dan Boyle;Joe Thornton

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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: Dany Heatley #15 of the San Jose Sharks celebrates a third period goal be teammate Ryan Vesce #53 (not shown) against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on October 19, 2009 in New York City. The Sharks defeated the Rangers 7-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dany Heatley;Ryan Vesce

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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: Sean Avery #16 of the New York Rangers skates against Jason Demers #60 of the San Jose Sharks on October 19, 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Photo by Scott Levy/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Sean Avery;Jason Demers

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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: Devin Setoguchi #16 of the San Jose Sharks races for the puck against Marc Staal #18 of the New York Rangers on October 19, 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Photo by Scott Levy/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Marc Staal;Devin Setoguchi

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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: Ryane Clowe #29 of the San Jose Sharks takes a shot against Stephen Valiquette #40 of the New York Rangers on October 19, 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Photo by Scott Levy/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ryane Clowe;Stephen Valiquette

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Rangers Blown Out as Win Streak Ends originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gaborik, Prospal Help Rangers Extend Winning Streak to 6 Games

Adam Gretz — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Kings, Rangers

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Rangers 4, Kings 2: When the New York Rangers signed Marian Gaborik to a five-year contract this summer, it certainly raised some eyebrows. No one questions Gaborik's ability, as he's one of the most gifted players in the NHL. The concern with Gaborik is that he's a good bet to miss 20-or-so games per season, usually with a groin problem. Through the first seven games of the season, Gaborik has been incredible for the Rangers, and on Wednesday he logged over 21 minutes of ice-time, recorded three shots on goal and scored his sixth goal of the season in New York's 4-2 win.

After the jump: Vanek's Injury not serious, video of the day, and more.

Vaclav Prospal, another free agent signing, tallied two goals for the blue shirts, while goaltender Henrik Lundqvist turned aside 34 shots in a game his team was out-shot 10-1 in the third period (New York's only shot was Gaborik's goal).

The Rangers have now won six in a row since their season opening loss in Pittsburgh, and are currently tied atop the Eastern Conference with the Penguins.

Wednesday's Other Games

Penguins beat the Hurricanes in a shootout. [Box Score, Cam Ward's Great Save]

Chicago holds on to defeat Edmonton. [Box Score, Recap]

Dallas shuts out Nashville. [Box Score, Recap]

Anaheim tops Minnesota. [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- After initially saying that Thomas Vanek could be out "weeks," reports out of Buffalo are now saying that he could be back in the Sabres lineup by the end of this week. [WGR]

-- A look at the possible goaltending issues in Chicago. [Committed Indians]

-- Words from Florida Panthers goaltender Tomas Vokoun: "That's sometimes the downside of being a goalie," Vokoun said. "Other players make 20 mistakes during the game and nothing happens. You don't have that luxury. ... I made a mistake at a bad time and it cost us the game." [Sun Sentinel]

Video Of The Day

The nicest goal Mike Rupp will ever score.

Thursday's Key Games

Capitals vs. Sharks: The Capitals have lost four in a row (only two in regulation) and Alex Ovechkin hasn't scored a goal in three games. For any other player that wouldn't be news, but it makes you wonder if he is due for another two-or-three goal night. He only had three stretches of three or more games without a goal a season ago. Dany Heatley, on the other hand, has five goals in San Jose's past four games.

Avalanche vs. Canadiens: Colorado continues its seven-game road trip in Montreal. The Avs have won two in a row and earned a point in five of their first six games this season.

Red Wings vs. Kings: The Kings had their four-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday and they'll look to get back in the "W" column in Detroit. Not an easy task.

Gaborik, Prospal Help Rangers Extend Winning Streak to 6 Games originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Third Period Rally for Rangers; Sedin to Miss 4-6 Weeks

Adam Gretz — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Rangers, NHL Injuries

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Rangers 3, Ducks 0: After the Rangers and Ducks skated to a 0-0 tie through the first two periods on Sunday, the Rangers had an offensive explosion of sorts in the third period, scoring three goals, including a pair in the final six minutes. Rookie forward Artem Anisimov scored his first career goal for the blue shirts, while backup netminder Steve Valiquette stopped all 18 shots he faced to record his third career shutout. The Rangers outshot the Ducks by a 38-18 margin.

After the jump: Daniel Sedin out, picture of the day, Monday's key games

Daniel Sedin To Miss 4-6 Weeks: The Canucks have stumbled out of the gate in the opening weeks of the season, and it keeps getting worse. The team learned this weekend it will be without forward Daniel Sedin for the next four-to-six weeks due to a broken foot. The Sedin twins have both been extremely durable in recent years, including Daniel, who has played in 646 of a possible 660 games in his career.

In four games this season the 29-year-old winger has zero goals and four assists. Speaking of injury problems for the Canucks, Pavel Demitra's rehab is not going as well as planned. Consider this from head coach Alain Vigneault: "Without getting into specifics, his rehab is not going as well as we had planned ... All I can really say is, it's not going as quickly as he had wanted to at this time." [Canucks]

Sunday's Other Game

Canucks beat the Kings in a shootout. [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- What to expect from John Tavares. [Puck Prospectus]

Picture Of The Day

No interesting video's from Sunday's action, so we'll switch things up a bit and go with the picture of the day (actually, it's from Thursday). Behold, the awesomeness of net camera's.

Monday's Key Games

Maple Leafs vs. Rangers: Toronto is one of two team's in the NHL still looking for its first win, and it's coming off a rather dismal 5-2 loss to the Penguins on Saturday night. On the plus side, the Maple Leafs get a Rangers team playing the second half of back-to-back games. Vesa Toskala has been awful for Toronto in his first three starts, posting a 4.98 goals against average to go with a .824 save percentage.

Devils vs. Capitals: The Capitals look to end a three-game losing streak as they host Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils. The Devils come in having won two in a row.

Flames vs. Blackhawks: Chicago finally gets to play a game on home ice as it welcomes the Calgary Flames in for a rematch of last year's Western Conference Quarterfinals.

Third Period Rally for Rangers; Sedin to Miss 4-6 Weeks originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Teenager Michael Del Zotto Quarterbacks Rangers' Power Play

Christopher Botta — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Rangers

NEWARK, N.J. -- The big-city, big-market, big-payroll New York Rangers have a Vezina-nominated goaltender in Henrik Lundqvist, a world-class sniper in Marian Gaborik and a Stanley Cup-winning captain in Chris Drury.

Quarterbacking the power play? A 19-year old rookie named Michael Del Zotto.

It's quite a shock, watching a defenseman just four months removed from the Ontario Hockey League in this crucial position on Broadway. Picture the Yankees' closer being a teenager out of Single A, the Giants' quarterback straight out of Boise State. That's Del Zotto as the point man on the first unit of the Rangers' power play.

So far, the kid is all right. In the Rangers' 3-2 triumph over the Devils on Monday night at the Prudential Center, Del Zotto scored a goal and added an assist on the power play. On Saturday, the 6-1, 190-pound defenseman scored his first NHL goal in a 5-2 home win over Ottawa.

Breaking the youngster in easily, John Tortorella has been reserved in his praise of the rookie quarterback. But after Del Zotto's performance in New Jersey, the Rangers head coach cracked a small smile and spoke about his young player with admiration.

"He's playing well. He's learning how to battle," said Tortorella. "Baptism by fire. There's going to be some bumps, but it's exciting to see a 19-year-old take the steps he's taking."

Tortorella pointed to Del Zotto's assist on a first period power play goal by Ales Kotalik in which he froze the Devils forwards before making his pass. "That was a subtle play, the way he moved his stick," said the coach. "Smart, good instincts."

"Baptism by fire. There's going to be some bumps, but it's exciting to see a 19-year-old take the steps he's taking."
-- John TortorellaDel Zotto is on the first unit power play over veterans Michael Roszival and Wade Redden. Although his final time-on-ice of 11:42 shows he has a long way to go before Tortorella gives him big third period minutes in close games, his prowess on the power play makes him an invaluable Ranger.

"I don't know where the Rangers would be without him," said a visiting scout in the Prudential Center press box, blown away not just by Del Zotto's poise on the power play but his "confidence and steadiness in all zones."

New York selected Del Zotto 20th overall in the 2008 draft. According to Rangers player personnel director Gordie Clark, the scouts liked the defenseman's "hands and head" so much, they contemplated trading a second round pick to move up the draft board. In the end, they took their chances and celebrated when Del Zotto was there at 20.

Clark says Del Zotto only needed to upgrade his strength and conditioning. When the teenager's junior team in Oshawa was taken over by Rangers legend Adam Graves and future Florida coach Peter DeBoer, they implemented a pro-level fitness program. "Michael got stronger and fitter and his athleticism matched his head and hands," said Clark, who also credits the Rangers' coaching staff for Del Zotto's NHL development on the fly. "That's when we knew we had something special."

Although he has made it look easy the last two games, Del Zotto has studied video and put in extra time at practice to handle the jump from running a power play in juniors to facing the New Jersey Devils. "Everything is different," he said after the game. "The forechecking, the way they take away the lanes. You have to be ready for it or you're in trouble."

Del Zotto doesn't appear to be in any danger of being returned to his junior team in London, Ontario. On his entry level deal, he could be sent to the OHL before his 10th NHL game without the Rangers losing a season on his contract. That is unlikely to happen since his two goals and three points lead all NHL defensemen. "Oh, I'm not making any assumptions about anything," he said, "including the scoring race and my roster spot here."

In January, he was dealt with John Tavares from Oshawa to London in a blockbuster OHL trade. The Knights knew they weren't getting back Tavares, drafted by the Islanders first overall in June.

They no longer need to wait around for Del Zotto.

ETC: Rangers D Matt Gilroy, the Long Island-raised 24-year old rookie out of Boston University, scored his first NHL goal at 17:50 of the second period for the game-winner. ..With his team down 1-0 and the Devils buzzing, Tortorella called a timeout two minutes into the game. "I was just shocked by how we were playing in our own zone and how we were watching the play," said the coach. LW Sean Avery (knee) skated this morning and hopes to return to the lineup on Thursday when the Rangers play in Washington.

Asked if he saw enough progress in his team's loss, Devils head coach Jacques Lemaire said, "Yes, there was progress. No, it was not enough. I just feel, right now, that we lack a bit of confidence." The Devils activated RW Ilkka Pikkarainen off injured reserve before Monday night's game.

Lineups

Rangers
Vinny Prospal -- Brandon Dubinsky -- Marian Gaborik
Chris Higgins -- Chris Drury -- Ryan Callahan
Enver Lisin -- Artem Anisimov -- Ales Kotalik
Aaron Voros -- Brian Boyle -- Donald Brashear

Marc Staal -- Dan Girardi
Michael Del Zotto -- Michal Rozsival
Wade Redden -- Matt Gilroy

Henrik Lundqvist

Devils
Zach Parise -- Travis Zajac -- Jamie Langenbrunner
Brian Rolston - Dainius Zubrus -- Niclas Bergfors
Jay Pandolfo -- Rob Niedermayer -- David Clarkson
Andrew Peters -- Rod Pelley -- Ilkka Pikkarainen

Johnny Oduya -- Paul Martin
Colin White -- Mike Mottau
Bryce Salvador -- Cory Murphy

Martin Brodeur

Teenager Michael Del Zotto Quarterbacks Rangers' Power Play originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The NHL's Top Goal Horns

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Capitals, Flames, Oilers, Rangers, NHL Fans

In recent years, goal horns have become all the rage at hockey arenas. Most junior, college, minor league, and professional arenas have a horn of some sort. It blares at a usually high volume whenever the home team scores. At some rinks, the horn also goes off when the home team takes the ice, or when they win a game.

Since the goal horn has become as much a part of the arena atmosphere as the organ used to be, it seems like a good time to rank the best of the best around the NHL. The top five, with obligatory YouTubes, are after the jump.

Honorable Mention

Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators

No. 5: New York Rangers

We tend to lean toward cool sounds, but this is also about tradition. No matter what other arenas sound like, there is one goal horn that is probably familiar to even people who don't follow hockey.

With apologies to all fans who feel nothing but general annoyance when the Rangers score, we can't pass up the old horn at Madison Square Garden.

No. 4: Washington Capitals

Some might call it loud and irritating. However, there are two better descriptions for the horn at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

Unique and cool.

It sounds more like a remix than a goal horn, but it's played every time the Capitals score. Lately, that means it's played a lot for the league's best player (well, he's at least in the top three).

No. 3: Chicago Blackhawks

After what he experienced in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals last season, Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo probably disagrees. It's reasonable to think he goes to sleep with this sound in his head, and he probably wakes up to it, too.

Patrick Kane scored a hat trick that night, part of a seven-goal Chicago barrage that ended Luongo's season. Even without that, the United Center is home to one of the older horns in the game, one that simply has to be on a list like this.

No. 2: Calgary Flames

It's hard to say what the Flames' horn sounds like, which is a good thing. It's one of a kind in the NHL. It's not ear-piercing (at least on television), and it sounds really good when you mix it with 20,000 happy Flames fans.

No. 1: Edmonton Oilers

In a way, it's fitting that the best goal horns come from Canada. At virtually every turn, those folks treat this great game the right way.

They might not win the Battle of Alberta on the ice, but they win it with their ambience. Not only are the fans at Rexall Place fully capable of singing the national anthem on their own, but they have easily the coolest-sounding goal horn in the league.

Hockey fans in America heard plenty of it in 2006, as the Oilers went on their magical run to the Stanley Cup Finals.

The NHL's Top Goal Horns originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Donald Brashear and Brandon Sugden Take Part in Fight Night at the Garden

Adam Gretz — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:20:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Rangers, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

The last time Donald Brashear was involved in a Rangers vs. Capitals game, he was suiting up for Washington and facing the wrath of fans in New York for knocking out Blair Betts in a playoff game.

On Thursday night, Brashear was on the other side of the matchup and trying to win some fans in Madison Square Garden (after he was booed during his formal introduction a couple of weeks ago) by throwing down with 6-foot-4, 225-pound Capitals forward Brandon Sugden ... twice.

Video after the jump.

Midway through the second period the two squared off for the first time in a bout that lasted only a few seconds -- while being accompanied by a chorus of boos from the crowd -- and ended when Brashear lost his balance, allowing Sugden to get a couple of quick shots in.

The second round, however, was a marathon bout early in the third period that started off slow before gaining some momentum at the end.

As for the game itself, the Rangers pulled it out, 3-2, thanks a Christopher Higgins goal with 1:10 to play in regulation.

(H/T Hockeyfights.com via Japers Rink for the video)

Donald Brashear and Brandon Sugden Take Part in Fight Night at the Garden originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gaborik Stars, Survives in Rangers Debut

Christopher Botta — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:40:00 EST

Filed under: Rangers

NEW YORK -- With one play in the first period Monday night, Marian Gaborik showed New York the magnificence he's capable of when healthy.

Making his Rangers debut in a 4-2 win over Detroit at Madison Square Garden, Gaborik dazzled with a virtuoso piece of playmaking that led to a power play goal nine minutes into the game. Protecting the puck from Detroit defenseman Brad Stuart over two trips in one sequence behind the Red Wings goal, he backhanded a cross-ice pass to a wide-open Enver Lisin to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead.

Perhaps more important than the highlight-reel assist was Gaborik getting bounced around in his very first shift in his Rangers debut -- and surviving it. "He got knocked on his butt," said coach John Tortorella. "It woke me up," said Gaborik, who admitted to being nervous before the game.

The 27-year old Gaborik was signed by the Rangers to a five-year contract averaging $7.5 million a year after a season with the Minnesota Wild in which he was limited to 17 games with hip, back and groin injuries. He has missed sessions at camp as the Rangers treat his comeback with caution. Prior to his injury-filled season, Gaborik posted consecutive campaigns of 38, 30 (in just 48 games) and 42 goals.

Monday morning, Gaborik said he was "not 100 percent" but was not in pain and needed game action. Tortorella provided Gaborik a regular shift and a spot on the penalty kill. After the game, the All-Star said he made it through with his health intact, would see how he recovered Tuesday at practice, wanted to play in the Rangers' final two preseason games and hoped to feel "better and better." His stat line for the night: 19:38 of ice time, 5 shots and one big-time assist that had the Rangers dreaming of the possibilities.

"There are not many guys who can put up the points Marian does," said teammate Vinny Prospal. "He just has to stay healthy."

Said Tortorella after the game, "He did some really good things in our zone. He did some lousy things in our zone. That's going to take time. But he's going to add a dimension to our team with his creativity."

ETC: Rangers LW Sean Avery collided with teammate Ryan Callahan Monday at the team's morning skate. After Avery met with team doctors, Tortorella said, "He's going to be out for a little bit. I'm not sure yet how many days."

The Red Wings chartered to New York Monday, arriving at Madison Square Garden at 5:15 PM for the 7 PM game. The team flew home after the game and will do it all over again Tuesday, with as many as 15 different players making the afternoon trip to Philadelphia for a game against the Flyers. Monday's lineup included Detroit mainstays Pavel Datsyuk, Kirk Maltby, Valterri Filppula, Johan Franzen and Tomas Holmstrom.

Asked how veterans like Datsyuk and Holmstrom are able to motivate themselves for training camp after another long season that just ended in June, Red Wings assistant coach Brad McCrimmon said, "They just love the game. They love getting out on the ice, and their excitement and professionalism have a positive effect on our young players."

Tortorella had praise for Vinny Prospal, his former player in Tampa Bay who is now reunited with him in New York. "Vinny has been one of our best players," said the head coach, who added he may play Prospal at center. Prospal had a first period goal tonight.

2006 second round pick Artem Anisimov continues his push to make the Rangers. The 6-3 center from Russia was 37-44-81 in 80 games last season with Hartford (AHL) and has looked in camp like he belongs in the NHL. The debate for the Rangers will be whether the 21-year-old is better served by more time in the minors.

"We need to develop our own here," said Tortorella. "We have to be really careful with him. You don't want him playing three minutes some nights here when he can be playing 20 minutes every night in Hartford."

Anisimov scored an empty-net goal Monday.

While he said he "can't make any promises," Tortorella said it's a possibility the Rangers' roster could be pared down from 25 to 23 on Tuesday.

Gaborik Stars, Survives in Rangers Debut originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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