OTTAWA — The Rangers should feel good about themselves following their six-game victory over the Canadiens that represented as impressive a first-round victory as the team has recorded in this extended run that began in 2012. Now, another voyage north of the border in a much less glamorous matchup against the Senators, marking the first […]
Read MoreWednesday night’s Game 1 between the Blues and Predators came to a screeching halt in the second period when Nashville’s Kevin Fiala suffered a lower body injury after a scary collision with the boards. Fiala was taken into the endboards by the Blues’ Robert Bortuzzo, and the rookie forward’s legs folded awkwardly on the heavy […]
Read MoreOTTAWA — It was 13 years and three months ago in the suburban Kanata arena, where the Rangers will open their second-round series against the Senators on Thursday night, that the value of having marquee names for marquee names’ sake was exposed as fool’s gold. On the game-day morning of Jan. 29, 2004, Jaromir Jagr […]
Read MoreOTTAWA — Derick Brassard was made for the spotlight, for the big moments, for the big games. Was made for Broadway. All things being equal, he’d have been a Ranger for longer than three-plus seasons and four playoff runs. Lord knows, nobody but Henrik Lundqvist had more big moments in the postseason than the Blueshirt […]
Read MoreFour Stanley Cup rings – owned by the Islanders team lawyer during their unprecedented run of glory – go under an auctioneer’s hammer Monday in Manhattan. The Championship bling, from 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983 all have engraved words “Stanley Cup Champions” and “Frease” – for the rings’ appropriately named owner, Belden Frease, according to […]
Read MoreOTTAWA — A playoff series between the Rangers and Senators begins with Game 1 of their second-round matchup Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre. It also begins a battle for the heart of Sweden. In one corner is Henrik Lundqvist and his Rangers, the top NHL team in Lundqvist’s native land — largely because of […]
Read MoreAny game spent in the booth is sublime right now for Dave Strader. But one spent in this booth perhaps means just a little bit more. Strader’s fight with bile duct cancer has been well documented, especially since he has been feeling well enough to call a handful of postseason games for NBC Sports. After […]
Read MoreOTTAWA — Walking in the locker room, the look on Henrik Lundqvist’s face said it all. There he was with his pads still on, looking exasperated, worn out, just utterly disappointed. His mouth agape, his eyes upward, his hat even partially askew. Not an easy one to swallow, that’s for sure, as fellow Swede Erik […]
Read MoreThough we’re often told, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat,” I’m not interested in knowing any of them. What catches my attention, especially at Stanley Cup playoffs time, is how there is more than one way to watch a hockey game, especially as provided for decades by Sam Rosen and Mike “Doc” […]
Read MoreOTTAWA — Rangers coach Alain Vigneault was not trying to make an excuse for his team’s 2-1 loss to the Senators in Game 1 Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre. Instead, he was just stating what he thought were the facts. In this instance, that meant he thought the Senators should have been called for […]
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