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Having covered the Rangers for more than half a century, The Maven can say one thing without fear of contradiction: no more complicated personality ever has worn the blue shirt than Jaromir Jagr. No one.
The Captain is at once erudite, morose, remarkably amusing, thoughtful. You name it; he plays it. Whatever the role. Jagr also plays hockey. As a matter of fact, he plays it better than about 70% of the National Hockey League skaters, and most likely will do the same next season.
 Interestingly, The Captain keeps a biography of the physicist Albert Einstein on a shelf in his locker. Well you don't have to be a genius to realize that Jagr wants to return to the Rangers next season. The reasons are many:
THE MONEY: The precise numbers are irrelevant. Jags will be appropriately compensated. The bucks will be BIG enough to inspire that Czech-check smile.
THE APPLE: A sophisticate if ever there was one, Jaromir appreciates Manhattan as much as Mayor Bloomberg; it has everything he wants, including the wonderful Hudson River promenade at the 79th Street Boat Basin. As Rodgers and Hart wrote, "We'll turn Manhattan/Into an isle of joy." Ditto for Jaro!
THE COACH: Never could a player have wished for a more accommodating, understanding and kind coach than Tom Renney has been for Jagr. If Jaromir says he doesn't want to be captain, no problem. If he does -- as he did -- fine. With Renney-Jagr, the theme has been, "You Name It, We Play It; Requestfully Yours." Who wouldn't want to play for Tom again -- especially if his name is Jaromir?
THE TEAM: He is a smart cookie, and he knows that Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, et al. are up-and-comers; Scott Gomez and Chris Drury are no slouches, either. Jagr likes this bunch. He's at a career point where he does not want to break himself in with a new club somewhere in the sticks.
THE CHALLENGE: No Ranger was more committed in the playoffs than Jagr. Sometimes it can be painful, but he does enjoy a challenge, and as captain he will face one in 2008-09. And that won't be the worst thing in the world for his career.
All of the above are fine and dandy plusses, but who's to say that Glen Sather wants him back? For one thing, Slats is on record suggesting that he would. Renney is on record noting how much he enjoyed coaching Jagr. But, since this IS a free country, there could be second and third thoughts on everyone's mind.
For example, Jagr is not the overpowering player he had been in his halcyon years. He overhandles the puck, especially on the power play, which was the Rangers' Achilles heel for much of the season, especially in Game Five vs. Pittsburgh.
His critics, like Mike Milbury, and their points must be considered in an overall evaluation of his worth. Summed up, he can be difficult and often a minus as much as a plus.
Bottom Line: Would the Rangers be better off with or without Jagr in the 2008-09 lineup? The Maven says they would be better off -- and that he WILL return!
Next: Should the Rangers re-sign Sean Avery?
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It's a simple fact that not every Ranger will be back with the team next season.
With retirement, free agency or even Europe a possibility, the Blueshirts could lose key players this offseason.
Four of those players, Jaromir Jagr, Sean Avery, Brendan Shanahan and Martin Straka talked about their future plans as the club cleaned out its lockers at the training facility Tuesday.
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It's disappointing to realize, but the Rangers offseason is now upon us, and there are many questions the organization will need to answer.
Of course the biggest question is what will the Rangers do about Jaromir Jagr? Decisions also have to made about Sean Avery, Michal Rozsival and Paul Mara, just to name a few. And what if Brendan Shanahan retires, and Martin Straka goes back to Europe?
With all these questions to ponder, I brought in Dave Maloney for some insight.
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Based on the overwhelming number of responses to my "Where Do We Go From Here?" blog, it's apparent that individual issues must be dealt with one-by-one.
So, let's begin with the most SENIOR of senior citizens: Brendan Shanahan. Should he retire? Should he re-sign? Should he go elsewhere for one, last NHL season?
I don't like to beat around the bush on Seventh Avenue and 33rd Street, so I'll get right to the point.
On the assumption that Jaromir Jagr will NOT be a Ranger next season, Shanahan must be invited back for another term. However, if management learns in a reasonable amount of time that Jagr wants to be back on Broadway for 2008-09, then Shanny must be given a fair "adieu." No more, no less.
As far as The Maven is concerned, there's no room on an invigorated -- and, yes, it WILL be invigorated by younger aces -- roster for two elder statesmen. One is enough.
 Of the two, Jagr must get the nod because he's younger, more productive and, clearly, provided leadership and hope during the second round Pittsburgh battle.
By contrast, Shanny was hardly a factor in any way, shape or form; other than to provide his usual post-game and off-day insightful quotes for the media.
But the fact remains that Jagr just might return to Europe and play either in Russia or the Czech Republic. And if he does, more power to him. Contractually, he's free to do what he wants; and he made that clear after the Pittsburgh series ended on Sunday.
Thus, if Jagr goes bye-bye, Tom's Renney-gades will need a veteran player with leadership skills and a resume of championships.
Brendan may not have the wheels, but he certainly has the brains and can add considerable savvy to an increasingly younger dressing room.
My "One Or The Other Theory" goes a step further and it has to do with personalities.
Shanahan and Jagr see the game differently and manage their mates in differing ways. Brendan rates a tremendous amount of praise for the manner in which he helped control Sean Avery, enabling the latter to become a keen asset to the club.
While Jagr's emotions follow a roller coaster curve, Shanny is cool, calm and collected. He's a team guy and proved it early on when he went fist-to-fist with Donald Brashear, one of the most feared fellows in the game.
Whatever happens, the 2008-09 Rangers must be either Jagr's or Shanahan's team. There no longer is room for both in the Blueshirts' dressing room.
Granted, a 2008-09 Brendan would have to adjust to more limited duty on the ice, but his off-ice role -- as an aide to Renney -- could increase; perhaps as a playing-assistant coach.
Personally, I would love to see Shanahan back; but only if Jagr leaves!
Coming up in the next chapter: Should Jagr Return?
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As William Shakespeare once said, "There's much virtue in IF." And the Rangers can IF 'til the cows come home about why their season is officially over, FINIS!
You know all the IFs:
- What IF the refs whistled four minutes on Pittsburgh when Chris Drury was bloodied and the score was 0-0 in the second period of Game 5?
- What IF Marc Staal shot the puck on his two-on-one with Martin Straka during the overtime penalty-kill and the Penguins defense in disorderly retreat? Instead, the rookie tried a pass that failed.
- What IF Petr Prucha fought HARDER along the left boards in the Penguins zone as the clock ticked away in overtime to keep possession of the puck instead of feebly losing the rubber? That specific play is the one that enabled a Pitt rush that led to the winning goal. Prucha was a MAJOR culprit.
But the cows have come home -- and the Rangers are going home with the empty feeling of "what might have been" and wasn't.
"We fell short and that's the bad part of hockey," says Scott Gomez, who fell VERY short compared with his powerful performance in Round 1 against New Jersey.
 Drury, who played valiantly but never delivered the kind of clutch goal that might have turned the tide for the Blueshirts, says, "It was a huge disappointment the way it ended."
Nevertheless, sour grapes are not in order as the Blueshirts brass looks ahead, wondering -- among other important decisions -- precisely what Jaromir Jagr has in mind as far as his future is concerned. All we have now are definitive tips that he will play next year -- somewhere.
"What makes me happy," explains the captain, "is what I'll do."
One element that SHOULD produce a smile is the Rangers opening next season in JJ's favorite city, Prague. Another plus is Glen Sather being on record as wanting to sign the large Czech. Perhaps the size of the check for the Czech will be as pivotal as anything.
"I've got hockey left in me," Jaromir insists, "but I don't want to make any decisions now."
I know that Jaromir loves the Big Apple and that Sather will be fair to him. Having said that, I'll go on record predicting that Jagr will return to the Rangers.
As for Brendan Shanahan, I have more serious doubts. He was considerably less than a factor against Pittsburgh, often seeming to skate in mud. "Next season? Now is no time to think about it," asserts Shanny, who very well could get a front office job at NHL headquarters not far from his Park Avenue abode.
Fortunately, Sather has a solid nucleus. Vezina Trophy candidate Henny Lundqvist is in his prime and will only improve on his excellence. New York has the perfect back-up in Steve Valiquette. Youngsters such as Brandon Dubinsky, Nigel Dawes -- he scored the HUGE, game-tying goal in the third period -- and Ryan Callahan will be featured in larger roles along with Lauri Korpikoski, the Finnish left wing who launched the Blueshirts' comeback in the third period at the Igloo.
Rookie D-man Marc Staal, who matured faster than anyone could imagine, will anchor a defense that still sorely needs a big-time hitter. My guess is that neither Marek Malik nor Christian Backman will return. Jason Strudwick, Paul Mara and Michal Rozsival are in the IF-fy category, while the other blue-liners figure to return.
Needless to say, the power play was consistent in its ineffectiveness again in the finale when only one shot on goal was achieved in four PP attempts, which means that Sather could very well make a pitch for UFA Brian Campbell in the off-season.
 Assuming that he regains normal good health, Sean Avery becomes a major tug-of-war figure in terms of negotiations with Sather. I'll make it simple: Avery needs the Rangers as much as the club needs him. His agent would be foolish believing that he could excel elsewhere. My prediction: Avery will return with a mutually acceptable deal.
There are uncertainties up front. Ryan Hollweg, who killed his club with a foolish penalty in Game 3, certainly is expendable. Ditto, Prucha, who apparently disappointed the high command BIG TIME.
As for the coach, no question Tom Renney will return behind the bench; he's smart enough to have learned from the mistakes of 2007-08. "Being eliminated is tough to swallow," the classy coach allows. "We wanted to keep playing but we've got to suck it up. Our expectations were higher than what we accomplished."
That they were. Perhaps looking toward a Stanley Cup in 2008 when training camp broke last September was a bit too optimistic. Renney had a challenge to find chemistry with newcomers such as Gomez and Drury, while absorbing the loss of Jagr's linemate, Mike Nylander.
The coach readily admits that changes must be made. "We need physical engagement," he avers, perhaps realizing that the likes of Gary Roberts and the other Pitt toughies neutralized the Rangers less physical players.
When all is said and done, the Rangers were eliminated because they played like a fifth place team and Pittsburgh -- which surely could win the Stanley Cup -- performed like a club that finished on top.
Now that the off-season has hit New York hockey, Sather and his high command will be blueprinting how his Blueshirts can get to the peak in the Spring of 2009. THAT is where the Rangers go from here!
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The Rangers dropped Game 5, and the series to the Penguins, Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh.
Stan Fischler, Ron Duguay and I look at what went right, what went wrong, and what can be corrected in time for next season. MORE:
While hoping, it wouldn't hurt to dig into hockey history, specifically April 22, 1975. On that day, the Islanders -- having lost three straight games to Pitt and then winning Game 4 -- skated into The Igloo and defeated the Penguins 4-2, including an empty-netter from Jude Drouin.
What was special about that game that can be incorporated by the Rangers? Glenn (Chico) Resch starred in goal for the Isles, making 36 saves. For luck, GM Bill Torrey switched airlines before flying to Pennsylvania and booked his club into a hotel it had not used for two-and-a-half years.
As for Lady Luck, Resch heard Pens' shots clang harmlessly off his goalposts; soon he began kissing the pipes! But the Lady's help won't be enough. There's more in the Rangers arsenal that has not been fully exploited and that's precisely where Number 19 comes into the picture.
Five words say it all for Gomer in Game 5: SCOTTY MUST PLAY HIS BEST! Pretty good -- which describes his effort at The Garden -- simply is not enough. Skating with Ryan Callahan and Nigel Dawes, Gomez waltzed through a quiet 21-plus minutes on Thursday. He can do better than that!
Which brings us to the need for a podiatrist because the Rangers still have an Achilles heel: the defense. Marc Staal played like a rookie; so did Dan Girardi, who was only a bit better; and Jason Strudwick appeared -- appropriately -- rusty.
Against a tenacious forecheck, the Rangers defense was constantly harassed. Fortunately, Henrik Lundqvist tidied up for everybody. "Defense wins games," says Brandon Dubinsky, "and goalies win championships."
Fair enough, and there should be a word or two about coaching as well. Tom Renney's advice before his troops take the ice on Sunday should be the same as it was in Manhattan: "Play hard, play smart, more traffic, more rubber to the net. Great things are done in the face of doubt."
Are any more lineup changes necessary with Blair Betts and Sean Avery definitely sidelined? One could paraphrase Henry Ford: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." But that's too simplistic. So, here are a few more points:
SPECIAL TEAMS: The penalty kill was superb and the power play produced two goals (one an empty-netter) in the shutout.
SHOTS FROM THE MIDDLE: As a rule, outside shots at Marc-Andre Fleury are borderline useless. Shoot from the middle.
MINIMIZE TURNOVERS AND THE FOURTH LINE: Self-explanatory.
NAIL CROSBY AND MALKIN: With cleanliness, of course.
BEWARE OF PASCAL DUPUIS: The speedy, gritty forward is dangerous but easily forgotten cruising Crosby's flank.
'Nuff said. PLAY HOCKEY. WINNING HOCKEY!!
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In further pursuit of "The Miracle On Thirty-Third Street," the Rangers require help from several sources, including, a) History; b) Lady Luck; c) Henny Lundqvist; d) Jaromir Jagr and, most of all, SCOTT GOMEZ -- wherever you are, Scotty!
Looking ahead to Sunday afternoon and Game Five at Pittsburgh's ignominious Igloo, Tom's Renney-gades have acquired a few feathers in their fedora. To wit:
 THE CAPTAIN: Jagr never has looked more inspirational nor determined. It's apparent that he WANTS to win, igniting his team with a superlative performance on Thursday at the Garden. However, one can rest assured that he cannot do it alone.
THE GOALIE: After a mediocre Game Three (at the Garden), Lundqvist played arguably his finest game in goal as a Ranger, blanking Crosby & Co., 3-0. No doubt about it, Henny must repeat that feat on the road for the Seventh Avenue sextet to prevail.
THE GUTSY ONE: Chris Drury played through injury, won key face-offs, killed penalties, even was injured -- yeah, again! -- and skated for more than twenty minutes. That kind of performance comes under the heading of INSPIRATION.
THE ROOKIE: Brandon Dubinsky may not have been the most dominating Blueshirts forward, but he skated with strength, confidence and poise. Better still, he was in the right place at the right time to skim the puck past Marc-Andre Fleury for the all-vital, second power play goal.
FOUND, AT LAST! THE MISSING SHANNY: Brendan, where were ye? We found out on Thursday night. Shanahan skated nineteen quality minutes, ripped off some solid shots and complimented Drury and Petr Prucha, as much as a 39-year-old can.
That said, there's no guarantee that any of the above quartet will enjoy a repeat performance, but one can hope, can't one?
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What people are talking about this morning ...
Stan Fischler, Ron Duguay, Butch Goring and I look at the Rangers 3-0 victory over the Penguins, where they showed the guts, goals and glamour we've come to expect from the Blueshirts. Watch Rangers postgame reactions by CLICKING HERE
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PERIOD ONE
One thing is certain, there is no quit in the Garden faithful. The Garden is LOUD.
The Rangers kill their first penalty successfully, a goalie interference on Marc Staal, and now have their first powerplay. Martin Straka misses two successive opportunities, one from point-blank range in the slot. The powerplay expires, without a goal. The powerplay drought is now a plague!
Staal takes another penalty, this time slashing. The Rangers do a great job killing it, allowing zero shots.
The period ends and the two teams have played even.
Jason Strudwick, inserted into the lineup for Christian Backman has looked rusty, losing the puck once to Pascal Dupuis in the defensive zone and allowing Tyler Kennedy make a nifty move around him, but Henrik Lundqvist made the ensuing save.
PERIOD TWO
A lot of nervous energy here. 40 minutes ‘til possible elimination.
Dupuis makes a great pass to Evgeni Malkin, but the shot is saved. After the shot Malking inspects his stick.
Rangers get another powerplay as Brendan Shanahan was held by Kris Letang while motoring into the Penguin zone. I guess the Pens figure why not, the Rangers have no shot on the powerplay.
Remarkably, the Rangers waste another opportunity. They are now one for seventeen on the powerplay in the series.
12:45 into the period Jaromir Jagr brilliantly uses the defenseman as a screen and rips a wrister past Marc-Andre Fluery to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead. As the puck enters the net and Jagr is raising his hand, Brooks Orpik absolutely flattens Jagr.
Jagr doesn’t miss a shift, and the fans cheer "Jagr, Jagr" repeatedly. On the shift Jarkko Ruutu gets called for holding.
The Garden holds its breath as Ryan Malone has a shorthanded breakaway, and exhales as Lundqvist is turns Malone away. That would have been a crusher!
The powerplay ends. One for eighteen, and zero for the last seventeen. OY!
Malkin in on a breakaway gets taken down. A PENALTY SHOT.
Wow.
Dan Girardi was chasing Malkin without a stick and nudged Malkin forward. Questionable call at best. The puck might have entered the net with Malkin’s momentum, and the play is under review.
No goal, and now the penalty shot. Malkin skates deliberately down the ice. He barely makes a move and Lundqvist makes a glove save, smartly staying on his feet and remaining patient.
Petr Prucha, makes several nifty moves entering the Penguin zone and is hooked by Petr Sykora with only 45 seconds left in the second.
The period expires with the Rangers leading 1-0.
They will have 1:15 left on the powerplay when the third period begins. Maybe a clean sheet of ice will cure the Ranger powerplay ills.
PERIOD THREE
I’ve moved from the press box, between the 300’s and 400’s, down to Dr. Thomas Kolb’s (my uncle) seats in Section 73, six rows from the ice. He’s got an empty seat because his 12-year-old Josh is doing a boatload of schoolwork.
And what a great decision it turns out to be as Brandon Dubinsky -- right in front Section 73 -- grabs a lose puck to the right of the net, spins and beats an already-on-the-ice Fluery. Section 73 explodes in conjunction with the rest of the Garden. 2-0!!!
 Ah, the fresh ice!!!
Sit back, or keep pushing? We’ll see.
Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Marian Hossa are now playing together, looking to get back into this game.
Michal Roszival and Staal are matched up against the Pens top line. It’s important for the Rangers forwards to keep the puck deep in the offensive end when the Pitt super-trio are on.
Sergei Gonchar is called for crosschecking Nigel Dawes (who was working hard in front), giving the Rangers another two-minute powerplay. Worst case scenario: it's two minutes off the clock, leaving less than 10 minutes for a Penguin comeback.
Gonchar is back, and we are at a TV timeout, and the fans are starting to feel it; thinking of ways to clear schedules Sunday to see Game 5.
A fracas breaks out near the Ranger bench. Malkin, Crosby and Girardi are all called for roughing. What a bonanza! Two of the best NHLers in the box with six minutes left; and another Ranger powerplay.
The three return to the ice with just over four minutes left.
Gomez gets called for a high sticking penalty, and now the pressure is on.
Shanahan and Dubinsky make clears, Lundqvist stops a Gonchar slapper, and the Rangers are halfway home. Callahan escorts the puck out of the zone, and the puck bounces out of the zone once again and Gomez returns to the ice.
Dupuis hits Dawes in the neck with a stick and the Rangers will go to the powerplay with 1:14 left. Only a two-shorthanded goal miracle will save the Pens now.
With just over twenty seconds left the Penguins clear the puck. As the puck leaves the Ranger zone Malkin trips up Paul Mara away from the play. Mara has Malkin’s number.
Jagr deposits an empty net goal, but no celebration takes place because a brawl breaks out between Mara and Malkin, who get misconducts with seconds remaining.
The clock expires and the Rangers are heading back to the Igloo.
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Rangers fans get very creative as they voice their opinion of Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby, but that didn't stop Pittsburgh fans from being bold and starting their "Let's Go Penguins" chants.
See for yourself.
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It has been done three times before in professional sports: The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, 1975 New York Islanders, and 2004 Boston Red Sox. They are the only three teams in history that have come back from an 0-3 deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff series. The Rangers must join that select group in order to keep their 2007-08 season alive. But it will not be easy.
The Rangers could possibly take the ice tonight at The Garden without three key forwards. Sean Avery will be out for the remainder of the postseason with a lacerated spleen. Blair Betts took a puck in the cheek in Game 3, and Chris Drury was injured late in the second period. Despite returning in the third stanza, Drury was not 100 percent.
 "What a story it would be if we came back and won the next four," said head coach Tom Renney after yesterday's Ranger practice. "We must win one game, four times in a row."
Renney feels the Rangers must become "more desperate" during special teams play. The Penguins have scored the game-winning goal in all three games on the power play, while the Rangers have gone just 1-for-14 (including 0-for-their-last-13).
Pittsburgh took just two power play shots in Game 3, and both went in the net. The Rangers took 10 power play shots in Game 3, and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped them all.
The teams have played pretty even hockey during 5-on-5 play in the series, but the Penguins have out-scored the Rangers, 7-6. This illustrates just how important special teams have been over the 180 minutes of hockey that has been played. At even strength, the Rangers out-shot the Penguins, 29-14, in Game 3.
The Rangers will come out a desperate hockey club tonight, knowing that they still have a chance to make history. They must take it one shift at a time, one period at a time, one game at a time. The odds are not with them, but it has been done before.
Could the Rangers become the next NHL team to alter the course of hockey history?
Thirty-three years separated the Leafs' comeback in 1942 and the Isles' miracle in 1975. Could it possibly be ... yes ... it is 33 years later!
Blue Notes:
- Jaromir Jagr had his fifth multiple-point game of the postseason in Game 3, Martin Straka his fourth.
- The Penguins have blocked 51 shots in the series (to the Rangers' 33).
- The Rangers have won 58 percent of the face-offs.
- There have been 12 overtime games in the playoffs. On average, a goal has been scored prior to the eight-minute mark. Only one of the 12 games has gone longer than 12 minutes.
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Stan Fischler and I look at the Rangers' chances in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Maven says the Blueshirts need a hockey miracle, and believes a tough, marauding line might just do the trick.
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The Rangers are well aware of the daunting task that lays ahead.
Down 3-0 in the series, the Rangers must win four straight, but they are not looking at it that way as they head into Thursday night's game at The Garden. MORE:
Being down three games to zip is bad enough. Trailing the Flightless Birds -- except these Penguins ARE flying -- by a trio without hospitalized Sean Avery is as bad as it gets.
Let's face it, the Great Gabbo was New York's most valuable player in defeating New Jersey in five. Then, he scored the HUGE third goal in Game 1 at Pittsburgh -- which, if the Blueshirts had played it smarter, could have been the winner -- and eventually faded from being a game-breaker.
 Who can say why and how? All I can say is that Sean Avery was not the same SEAN AVERY after Game 1 of the Pitt series that he had been before. Who knows for sure when his lacerated spleen precisely became a major problem.
Sequestered in St.Vincent's Hospital, Avery is finished for the season, but that segues into the key question leading into Game 4 of the series Thursday night at The Garden: ARE THE RANGERS FINISHED?
Not necessarily. Not if they play it smart and recall the all-important hockey "Miracle of the Numbers."
Don't tell me you don't know about THE hockey pair of miracles:
Now here's the key: These "Miracles On Ice" happened exactly 33 years apart. Now do your math: Exactly 33 years from 1975 is NOW, and I don't have to tell you that the PENGUINS once again are involved.
THE MIRACLE FORMULA:
In each of the previous cases, the respective coaches made a dramatic move. Toronto's mentor Hap Day benched his top scorer, Gordie Drillon, and his top defenseman, Bucko McDonald. He inserted third-stringer Don Metz up front and inexperienced Ernie Dickens on the backline. Metz became a scoring star and Dickens was solid on 'D.'
For the Isles, coach Al Arbour replaced goalie Bill Smith with Chico Resch, and the rest was history.
 WHAT TOM RENNEY SHOULD DO:
The Blueshirts require a dramatic change at defense and up front. Marek Malik, once and for all, should be put on the backline. He deserves a chance and the Rangers need a MAJOR replacement there. Out with Christian Backman and in with Malik.
But the Renney-gades need more than that. They need real toughness. They have to inspire the fans who crave a tougher Rangers game. With Avery gone, Renney will have to give Ryan Hollweg a pardon and keep him in the lineup with a Crash Line alongside Colton Orr and Jason Strudwick.
They should play Pitt with gusto right from the opening face-off. And if Georges Laraque challenges Orr -- as he did in Game 1 -- this time Colton should oblige. No turning of the other cheek, thank you!
BOTTOM LINE:
The Rangers owe Game 4 to their fans. They cannot go down with a whimper; there must be fight in them this time. A roaring crowd will support a battling team as long as Hollweg omits the king of ridiculous penalty that hurt his team in Game 3.
Miracles have happened in hockey before and they can happen again. So what if it takes 33 years for one to happen. THIS IS THE THIRTY-THIRD YEAR!
P.S. The Garden happens to be on -- you guessed it! -- 33rd Street!
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Here's the official word from the New York Rangers:
New York Rangers President and
General Manager Glen Sather announced today that forward Sean Avery suffered a
lacerated spleen in last night’s game, and will be sidelined for the remainder
of the season.
He was taken to St. Vincent’s hospital after the game, and was
admitted following a CT scan. He is expected to make a full recovery during the
off-season.
The Rangers return to action tomorrow,
May 1, when they face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Four of their
Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup at Madison Square Garden (7:00
p.m.).
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What people are talking about this morning ...
- The Mets' bullpen blew the save for Johan Santana, but David Wright saved the day with a game-winning single in the 11th inning of a 5-4 win against Pittsburgh Tuesday.
MetsBlog asks how confident you are in the overall future direction of the Mets.
- After going on the disabled list Tuesday with inflammation in the rotator cuff and a biceps tendon in his pitching arm, John Smoltz said it's possible he would return to the closer role where he dominated during the 2002-04 seasons. (AJC)
- The Olympic torch returned to Chinese soil Wednesday after a turbulent 20-nation tour, landing in the bustling financial capital of Hong Kong where officials deported at least seven activists before the flame's arrival.
Stan Fischler, Butch Goring and I take a good hard look at the Rangers three-game deficit and what they need to do to turn things around. Game 4 is a must-win for the Blueshirts and they have a chance to make history. Watch postgame reactions from Henrik Lundqvist, Jaromir Jagr, Tom Renney and the Penguins' Sidney Crosby by CLICKING HERE.
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Phil Hughes'