Oxygen Tanks At The Ready: The Clinic Dissects the 2011 NHL Winter Classic Alumni Game

Before the current lineups of the Rangers and Flyers take the ice for the 2011 NHL Winter Classic, both teams gathered up an illustrious list of alumni from their pasts, and had them take the ice to battle it out for the entertainment of the fans in a celebration of the sport itself. In an age of hockey where the youth is catered to, and a players age is an hour glass on how long the player has for greatness, the ageless players are a dying breed. We are blessed to be able to watch the wonders of Teemu Selanne and Niklas Lidstrom continue to blaze the trails of the NHL, but the Alumni game is something special.

Tonight, the Rangers Alumni team lost to the Flyers Alumni team to the score to 3-1, but the view of seeing all of these players back playing the game they've grown up loving once again after retiring is a memorable sight. So many highlights took place tonight. For us Rangers fans, it was the return of legends like Mark Messier and Brian Leetch who lead the franchise to end a 54 year drought and the Rangers' fourth Stanley Cup in 1994. For me, this was especially significant. I'm 19 years old, and was two when the Cup came to New York. I never got the chance to watch and appreciate the play of Messier, Leetch and Graves, so to see the men who lifted the Rangers in 1994 to win the Stanley Cup meant a lot to me.

12/28/11 Rangers vs. Washington Capitals

I said... reading is good... can we start the story now, Miss Lippy?

Rangers against the Washington Capitals.

This will be the second time these two teams meet each other as the Rangers and Capitals find themselves in reverse roles form last season. The Rangers have won their last five in-a-row and are looking to extend that streak over the team that eliminated them from competition last year. The Rangers took the first game between these two clubs, by the score of 6-3. As of lately, they have been performing at a higher level no one could have imagined. Marian Gaborik leads the league with 22 goals, and he has scored seven of those goals in his last five games. Along with that, surprise Carl Hagelin has stepped up to fill in at some key times for the Rangers to keep them in games. One can really see how this team is actually playing like a "team", if I can be so cliche about it. Everyone is carrying their own share of the slack, and in the process, the Rangers have been able to win long stretches of games in-a-row. Now they sit atop the Eastern Conference with 48 points, while the Capitals, find themselves looking for answers in this confusing season they've had so far.

12/26/11 Rangers vs. New York Islanders

But I didn't get to shake my belly like a bowl full of jelly!

Rangers against the New York Islanders.

The Rangers meet for the four time already this season. All three of the previous match ups between these teams this season have ended in a score of 4-2, the Islanders taking the first one, and the Rangers taking the latest two. The Rangers have been riding high lately, beating three division rivals before the break for Christmas. The Rangers started by beating the Devils, then the Islanders, and Flyers in a back-to-back series to cap off their first quarter for the season. The team has gelled in the midst of losing much of their defense, but some light has been shed on the Rangers situation as defensive cornerstone Marc Staal was cleared for contact today after being shelved for the entire season so far with a concussion. And with the defense taking a toll, the defense and goaltending of the Rangers has really stood strong to pick up some of the slack. Marian Gaborik leads the league with 21 goals, and Henrik Lundqvist and Marty Biron have done their best to keep games close.

12/23/11 Rangers vs. Flyers

I'm in the club, hollerin' ay-bay-bay.

Rangers against the Philadelphia Flyers.

These two teams will face off tonight for the final time before the winter Classic on January 1st. The Rangers took the last game against the Flyers 2-0 at MSG nearly a month ago, and now they host the Flyers again to see if they can conjure up the same magic they showed in the first meeting. The Rangers are coming off of a good win against the New York Islanders not even 24 hours ago where they won 4-2. Marian Gaborik, Brandon Dubinsky, and Michael Del Zotto scored for the Rangers, and John Mitchell got the empty netter to seal a victory for the Rangers that was backup goalie Marty Biron's seventh win of the season. The Rangers really amped it up when they needed to in that game, and they took advantage of every opportunity they saw, like the set play from Artem Anisimov to Marian Gaborik off the face-off to give the Rangers the lead. They played physical, and aggressive, but they also played intelligently too. For tonight, that same power they had last evening is going to be needed, as the Flyers are cruising.

12/22/11 Rangers vs. New York Islanders

Shut the door, baby, don't say nothin'.

Rangers against the New York Islanders.

The Rangers are coming off of a hard fought 4-1 win against the New Jersey Devils, as they look to extend their win streak to three games in MSG. The Rangers battled the Devils for the entire 60 minutes of hockey, as Marian Gaborik scored twice, and Carl Hagelin helped out shorthanded to lift the team to a victory. The Rangers have ended their road trip and return home tonight to take on interstate rivals in the Islanders, a team that has exploited the Rangers, and been exploited by the Rangers already this season. Both of the game the Rangers and Islanders have played so far ended in the score of 4-2, with the Islanders taking the first, and the Rangers taking the most recent. The Rangers, despite missing four key members of their defense, should look to play just the way they did against the Devils. The Rangers need to play with reckless abandon, and throw everything they've got at the Islanders to set the tone of this game. The main reason why the Rangers were able to overtake the Devils was because of the intensity they showed from the get-go. If they can do that again tonight against the Islanders, they can set the tone, play the game the way they want to, and swagger into a victory.

12/20/11 Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils

I make a rich woman beg, and I make a good woman steal.

Rangers against the New Jersey Devils.

The first meeting of these two teams this season. As all well  know, the Rangers and Devils never disappoint when they meet, and tonight will be no different. The Rangers are coming off of a very uplifting victory over the Phoenix Coyotes where Brad Richards scored the game winner with a tenth of a second left on the regulation clock to win the game. That was a much needed win for the Rangers, as they were at risk of losing three in a row had they not scored. But now, they are rejuvenated, and are looking to take a crack at the Devils in New Jersey tonight. Some worse news came to the forefront this week, as more of the Rangers defensemen went down with injuries in their game against the Coyotes. Steve Eminger hurt his shoulder, and will be out for 8-10 weeks. Along with him, Jeff Woywitka will potentially be sidelined tonight with an ankle injury and an illness. That leaves the Rangers without four of their major defensemen. Tim Erixon and Stu Bickel have been recalled from Hartford, and hopefully can do a somewhat competent job of containing the explosive offense of the Devils.

12/17/11 Rangers vs. Phoenix Coyotes

I remember my first beer.

Rangers against the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Rangers and Coyotes meet for their lone matchup of the season tonight in the desert, as the Rangers look to rebound from two brutal losses against Dallas and St. Louis. The Rangers lost their game in Dallas in the dying minutes of the game, and did not appear to show up at all during their match with St. Louis where they lost 4-1. The cure for jump in the game of the Rangers is unknown, but it could happen tonight as they take on the streaky Coyotes. A shade of good news for the Rangers is big man Mike Rupp has a possibility of returning to the lineup tonight after sitting out the past few games with a knee injury. One thing that Ranger fans seem hell-bent on is the fact that Sean Avery should be in the lineup. When Avery was recalled to the lineup earlier this year, the Rangers went on a rampage, and won a lot more games than they lost. Normally, I'd be an advocate for putting out the best players on the ice, but for some reason, it seems like the team does well with Avery in the lineup. I cannot explain why, but for some reason, it works. I, myself, would like to see Avery given one more chance to prove himself.

The Clinic Dissects HBO's 24/7: Rangers/Flyers Episode One

Like many Rangers fans, Flyers fans, and hockey fans in general, I tuned in to the second installment of HBO's 24/7 series. After much garnered success the first season had with the Capitals and Penguins, the Rangers and Flyers got their first crack at it tonight, and it did not disappoint. Here were some of the favorite moments of the Clinic.

• The amount of 'F' bombs dropped was about what was expected. Torts, Avery, everyone was dropping it everywhere in every situation. That is the sport of hockey people. It can not be contained by censors.
• Ilya Bryzgalov stole the show, without a doubt. It began with his rant about being traded to the Flyers, and moved into him becoming a modern day Socrates and discussed the universe. Later on in the episode, he was handed a bottle of Russian alcohol and proceeded to discuss tigers, which lead to the sparking thought many fans like me had which was "why you heff to kill tigers?". Bryzgalov needs either more airtime, or his own TV show. Or, he needs retire and just be a philosopher. His wisdom is unsurpassed.
• The crazed Jaromir Jagr fan had me rolling on the floor laughing. ROFL'ing as the kids say these days.

12/13/11 Rangers vs. Dallas Stars

We just put Sir Isaac Newton in the drivers seat.

Rangers against the Dallas Stars.

This is the first and only meeting of these two clubs this season. Last year, the Rangers beat the Stars in the shootout 3-2. The Rangers and Stars were two completely different teams last season, which makes this years matchup that much more interesting. For one, Brad Richards returns to his former team for the first time where he played four seasons. He scored more points than games he played here, and now he looks to add to his points total with the Rangers. Brad Richards has been doing it all for the Rangers. From assists, to much needed goals, Richards has been doing some good work when he's on the ice. Having a guy like Richards around is a benefit because he is so multifaceted in his skills that he can just make players around him better by playing on their line. As corny as that may sound, he's a real lightning rod for positive energy for this team, and it's showing by this team winning games. The Rangers trounced the Panthers 6-1 two night ago, one of their best offensive performances of the season so far. In the 2nd period, the Rangers capitalized on quite a few rebounds to score four goals in one period to cap a victory off. A good performance like that is needed against a team like the Stars who has been a surprise so far this season.

12/11/11 Rangers vs. Florida Panthers

If the Rock hits you, he'll kill you. If the Rock misses, the wind behind the punch will give you pneumonia, and you'll die anyway. Your choice, jabroni.

Rangers against the Florida Panthers.

The Rangers got back to their track of winning last night after beating the Buffalo Sabres to the score of 4-1. Carl Hagelin and Ryan Callahan got two shorthanded goals, and Hagelin managed to pot another one on route to a win. The Rangers got what they needed last night, and that was secondary scoring. Had Hagelin not chipped in, the Rangers would have still won, but to a much slimmer margin that would have been too close for comfort. The Rangers got what they needed from Hagelin, now they need the rest of the team to contribute. The Florida Panthers are a surprising team this season. The Panthers beat the Rangers a few weeks ago to the score of 2-1, and currently sit at the third seed in the Eastern Conference. If there was a team where secondary scoring was absolutely needed against, it's the Florida Panthers. After being beaten 2-1, the Rangers need to amp up their play with more hits, takeaways, and capitalization on opportunities if they want to come out of this game winners.

The Diagnosis


This is another close one to call. The Panthers are so good, and the Rangers just played a tough fought game last night. I cannot predict a score tonight because this game is so close to call. If anything, it will end in overtime.

Enjoy the game!

12/10/11 Rangers vs. Buffalo Sabres

Holler, if ya hear me.

Rangers against the Buffalo Sabres.

The Rangers and Sabres meet for the first time this season, after splitting four games last season. The Rangers are coming off a tough loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a shootout, while Buffalo is coming off a much needed overtime winner from Jason Pominville at home. The Rangers are the team thats had rest, receiving a day off from their loss to Tampa, while Buffalo will be playing their second game in 24 hours. The Rangers will be without a good porting of their defensemen, with Michael Sauer going down with a concussion after the Maple Leafs game. Despite the two consecutive losses, the Rangers have not been completely out of the games that they've played. Brad Richards is still paying dividends with a seven game point streak currently going. What the Rangers need is a bit more secondary scoring. Players like Brandon Dubinsky and Brian Boyle have yet to do anything spectacular this season, and in order for the Rangers to start picking up their play again, they need to start getting their game in gear.

Here's Why You Don't Pretend To Shoot The Other Team, Artem Anisimov

Consider this a lesson in ethics. My ethics. Which have 20% more salt than regular ethics. Where am I right now?

Watching the game against the Lightning tonight was an interesting affair. The Rangers held the lead going into the 3rd, and looked as if they were going to win the game until Domenic Moore shelfed a nice backhand and sent it to overtime where the Rangers lost in the shootout. But lets jump back to the second goal by the Rangers. Artem Anisimov parked himself in front of the net shorthanded to score the second goal for the Rangers. Uncharacteristically, Anisimov turned around, put the blade of the stick in his hand, crouched and pretended to shoot at the goal which he had just scored on. This incensed Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier, who was in the metaphorical line of fire, and he charged at Anisimov which sparked a big brawl where even Steve Downie came off the bench to get into the action. At the moment, I thought the celebration was friggin' hysterical. But looking back on how the game went from there on, I wish he hadn't done it.

12/8/11 Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Goonies never say die.

Rangers against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

For the second time in a week, the Rangers and Lightning are squaring off, this time at Madison Square Garden. The last time these two teams faced, the Rangers beat out the Lightning in the dying minutes of the 3rd period as Derek Stapan put the Rangers up with three minutes to go. Brad Richards sealed the win with an empty-netter, and there was much rejoicing. After coming up just short of beating the Maple Leafs, the Rangers are looking to get back to a win streak, and it starts tonight with the Lightning. The Rangers took a bump in their game against the Leafs, as Dion Phaneuf does what Dion Phaneuf does, and that is layeth the smacketh down on an open ice body check on Michael Sauer. Sauer unfortunately suffered a concussion on the play, and will be out for a undisclosed amount of  time. The Rangers called up recently added defenseman Anton Stralman to replace him. Stralman, who only played in one game this season, will hopefully blend well with the defensive system going on here with the Rangers. As far as who has been performing well, that compliment goes to Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik. Despite the loss to the Leafs, these two have done their fair share of contributing to the offense of the team, and are a threatening tandem when put out on the ice together. Watch them to stir up some magic tonight, as they are ones to do.

12/3/11 Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Are these men going to hurt us? No Donnie, these men are cowards.

Rangers against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

This is the first meeting between these two teams this season, and both are off to interesting starts. The Rangers are rolling once again, coming into this game winning four-in-a-row. The Rangers, who came back to beat Carolina two days ago, have been putting on some good performances, as both Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik, as well as the defense for the Rangers have been potting goals here and there. The defenseive corps for the Rangers seems to be chipping in at least once a game for the Rangers, which proves to be important as those goals sometimes are the game winner. Struggles for the Rangers have been few and far between since starting the season on a bad foot, and being able to control their house of MSG after their trip to Europe to start the season. The Rangers have been moving the chains in the standings, and playing with confidence, getting key wins against quality opponents, and doing it decisively, in regulation.

12/1/11 Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes

Stand back, there's a hurricane coming through!

Rangers against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Rangers beat all three of their toughest competition so far this season, after beating the Capitals, Flyers and Penguins all in succession. The Rangers have been doing what they needed to do to win in each of their last three games, they took advantage of opportunities, and played solid defense, which came to the forefront when the Rangers shut out the Flyers 2-0. The Rangers last played the Hurricanes in the midst of their long seven game win streak, when they won their 6th game, now the Rangers look to make it four in a row tonight, and start a new win streak. The additions of John Mitchell and Carl Hagelin, who were recently called up to replace Wojtek Wolski and Erik Christensen have paid some dividends so far. Both have a goal in the last two games, and the camaraderie they had in the AHL is showing with their awareness for each other here in the NHL. It is always nice to see kids in the system get called up to be given a shot, and I believe they'll keep getting these shots if they keep up the way they've been playing for the Rangers.