The Week: Screw It! I’m Excited

By
Jen C.
Published: October 12, 2009Posted in: Rangers, The Week
The Week: Screw It! I’m Excited

Screw it being too early. I’m excited about the New York Rangers.

They work hard. They crash the net consistently. They shoot. The rookies are contributing and fitting in well (three rookies have scored their first NHL goals!). Plus there’s this guy name Marian Gaborik, who is one of the most exciting Rangers since, well, Jaromir Jagr. Maybe now we’ll stop pining for the big guy.

Oh and did I mention the Rangers are 4-1-0? How can you not be excited?

That being said, I think if the Rangers were 0-5-0, it would be fine too because of how hard this team has worked. Maybe not as fine as winning four of their first five games, but still fine. They’re exciting, enjoyable to watch.

And look at the teams they’re beating. They beat the Senators, whose only loss of the season was to the Rangers. The Capitals are a young, dangerous team, even at 2-2-1 in their first five games. Anaheim can be a dangerous team with the talent they have, although I don’t know enough about them to know if they’re supposed to be good. The only question mark is the Devils, who the Rangers beat. The Devils have not been playing good hockey, but at the same time it’s a classic rivalry game.

And the team the Rangers lost to? The Penguins? The Rangers and Pens are tied for first in the Atlantic with identical records.

Last year’s start is the sobering news because of how the season progressed. The first month or two was exciting hockey, but then we were back to mind-numbing defensive hockey. I doubt the same will happen with John Tortorella behind the bench.

Doesn’t mean there aren’t things to complain about. Like the “Avery Effect” mentions. NHL on the Fly decided they needed to mention the Rangers positive record with him in the line-up. Um, guys, the Rangers went 3-1-0 without him this season. Avery did have a positive effect on the game Sunday night, earning him second star status at Puck Daddy, but let’s not make it like the Rangers were significantly hurting without him. Avery even said this last week he wasn’t rushing to get back because of how well the team was playing.

But you know what’s more annoying than Avery hype or Rozsival’s game (and the bashing that comes with it)? Those “get to know the players” profile graphics MSG forces down our throats in the middle of games. Or how we’re constantly told Gaborik has a “quick release.” Or how we’re reminded every time he’s on the ice that Michael Del Zotto is only 19 years old.

It’s like MSG is that kid on the playground who wants everyone to like him. “Please, please, please like me! I’ll give you my Oreos during snack time! Just like me! Please!” And it only gets worse on MSG when the team plays well.

How about letting the guys on the ice do the talking with their play? You don’t have to say anything to make us like them when they’re playing well. Don’t force down our throat that there’s three Staal brothers and Dan Girardi likes cake batter ice cream. Save the “get to know the player” features for some time other than the middle of the second period of a 0-0 game when all I want is hockey.

Last Week

Sunday: Ducks 0, Rangers 3
Thursday: Rangers 4, Capitals 3
Monday: Rangers 3, Devils 2

This Week

Monday: versus Leafs (MSGHD)
Wednesday: versus Kings (MSGHD)
Saturday: at Leafs (MSGHD, CBC, NHL Network)

Weekly Poll

Highlights of the Week

Anisimov scores his first NHL goal against the Ducks

Gaborik caps the Rangers comeback against the Caps

Callahan scores on the Caps

Valiquette gets a shutout in his first start

Rangers blogs
Blueshirt Bulletin
Rick Carpiniello’s Rangers Report
Andrew Gross’ Rangers Rants (Gross on Twitter)
Hockey Rodent
Michael Obernauer’s Blueshirt Blog
Steve Zipay’s On the Rangers Beat (Zipay on Twitter)