The Best Scripts Are The Unwritten Ones

Throughout his 20 years as the face of the most successful franchise in American sports, Derek Jeter had the constant knack of being in the right place at the right time and in his final game in baseball's cathedral, The Captain found himself in a very familiar spot.

After Brett Gardner bunted the game-winning run in Antoan Richardson to second base, the stage was set for the man who has always had a flair for the dramatics. In vintage Jeter style, he took the first pitch to the opposite field for a walkoff single that set the Yankee Stadium crowd into a frenzy the Bronx had not seen in nearly a half-decade.

But this forever-etched-in-stone moment almost never came to be. With the Yankees holding on to a 5-2 lead over this season's American League Eastern Division Champion and rival Baltimore Orioles, the Stadium crowd nearly overtook Jeter's emotions, which he has been known to never show. The chants of "THANK-YOU-DEREK" and "DEREK-JETER" reigned down from the nearly fifty-thousand in attendance as Jeter tipped his cap and fought back tears.

Yankee closer David Robertson surrendered a two-run home run to Adam Jones and after striking out Nelson Cruz for the second out, Jeter's career at The Stadium was an out away from being complete. How was Joe Girardi going to handle this? Was he going to remove him from the game early like he did a year earlier in Mariano Rivera's final game? Was Jeter going to finish the game? Would Jeter make the final putout?

But before I could stop asking myself just how it would end, Jeter's former teammate Steve Pearce hit a Robertson-offering into the left-centerfield seats tying the game at five.

I had no idea what to think. When the ball off Pearce's bat cleared the wall I yelled some choice words but if I knew what was to come, I may have cheered like an Oriole fan. It ended up being undoubtedly my favorite Yankee blown save of all-time.

After Richardson slid safely into home plate beating Nick Markakis' throw, the cameras cut to an elated Jeter in mid-air with limbs spread in every direction in jubilation. My all-time favorite athlete....who's been playing baseball in the Bronx for two-thirds of my 30 years on this earth....hit a game-winning base hit in the bottom of the ninth in his final home game.

Baseball is a game that has created heroes like Francisco Cabrera, Aaron Boone and Bobby Thomson. It's a sport where the script is never written, but it always seemed to come down to Jeter and more often than not, he delivered.

It's moments like Jeter's farewell single that make baseball such a beautiful game. When you watch a tight football game, all eyes are on Peyton Manning or Tom Brady to lead his team downfield to the game-winning score. In the NBA, everyone in the arena knows LeBron James or Kevin Durant is going to have the ball in his hands with the clock winding down for the last shot. In baseball, it could be any of the nine guys that's turn is up in the batting order.

How I did not cry is a mystery to myself. Maybe it's because Jeter remained stoic in a time where the sports world finally expected him to let his emotional guard down. Maybe it's because I was in the middle of the MLB Network control room surrounded by co-workers. Right now, I don't know. I don't care to know.

What I do know is this is the perfect bookend to a career full of amazing, unscripted memories that came at the most dramatic moments. Whether it was coming out of nowhere to relay an overthrown ball to home plate, hitting a walkoff home run as the clock struck midnight on a Halloween night or taking one of the game's top left-handed starters deep over the wall for his 3,000th career hit, Derek Jeter never stopped giving us jaw-dropping moments.

Was he the best player we've ever seen play? Certainly not. But was he the closest thing to a perfect ballplayer and model athlete? You better believe it.

Goodbye, Derek....and thank you for everything.

An Early, Realistic Rangers Offseason Outlook

Less than a week after losing the Stanley Cup Final in five competitive games to the Los Angeles Kings, the wounds are beginning to heal and it's time to look forward to an offseason full of questions for the New York Rangers.

THE BRAD RICHARDS SITUATION:

The absolute first and foremost task at hand is what to do with Brad Richards. The 34-year old center has just finished the third year of a nine-year, front-loaded contract with the Rangers. However, he has six years remaining on his current deal with a huge cap hit of $6.67M per year.

Despite what many Rangers fans will tell you, Richards has been a nice player for them. Now, he hasn't played like a player that earns the high cap hit he's signed to, but he has not the disaster some have made him out to be. In the two full seasons he's played with New York (excluding the lockout-shortened 2013 season), Richards has totaled 107 points.

Granted he's had his share of regular season success, his postseason resume while with New York has been less-than-stellar. His brightest moment came in his first season when he scored the tying goal in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2012 with 6.6 seconds remaining in regulation:

In two playoff appearances since, Richards' has seen his role to diminish to a healthy scratch under former coach John Tortorella in 2013 and a demotion to the fourth line in this prior season's Stanley Cup Final.

On Tuesday, Richards' agent Pat Morris told Sportsnet's Fan 590 that he has a "gut feeling" the Rangers retain Richards.

I honestly see no possible way Richards returns to Broadway next season in a Rangers sweater. Listen, I like Richards, but as they say, this is a business. It's nearly an impossibility the Rangers can keep Richards because of the length of the contract, the huge cap hit he's responsible for and the many holes the Rangers now have on their roster.

This is also the final year NHL clubs can use their two compliance buyouts on any player on their roster. The Blueshirts have already used one to get out of Wade Redden's horrendous contract and it makes perfect sense to use their second on Richards.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS:

Should the Rangers use their "get out of jail free" card on Richards, the $6.67M cap hit can and should be used on four of their restricted free agents: Derick Brassard, Chris Kreider, Mats Zuccarello and John Moore.

The Rangers absolutely need each one of them back and it starts with Kreider. Finally out from playing under Tortorella, Kreider has begun to emerge as the star he was portrayed to be while he played his college hockey at Boston College. He put up 37 points in an injury-shortened regular season before returning to the team in the postseason.

Out of the four, Zuccarello is the most due in line of a pay raise. The 5'7" Norwegian had a major coming out party this past season leading the team in assists (40) and points (59) at a minuscule $1.15M cap hit....a bargain any team in the league would sign up for.

Brassard was a key contributor to Zuccarello's success as the two of them, along with Benoit Pouliot, formed the most consistent line for the Rangers throughout the season.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS:

Pouliot is among the many unrestricted free agents I'd love to see return to the Garden along with Brian Boyle, Anton Stralman, Dominic Moore and Raphael Diaz.

Pouliot was the definition of a bargain buy in free agency last season as he signed a 1-year, $1.3M contract and really played well in the second half of the season and into the playoffs. While he took a stupid amount of offensive zone penalties, Pouliot flourished at times in Alain Vigneault's offense.

I don't see the Rangers retaining Boyle or Stralman as I expect them to seek raises and bigger opportunities elsewhere. Boyle has even publicly stated he's looking for "more responsibility."

A last-minute, trade deadline acquisition, Diaz saw limited action but showed he can move the puck well on the power play. Also, should Stralman depart, his right-handed shot on the blue line could be something the Rangers can ill-afford to lose.

NHL FREE AGENTS:

The biggest name on the NHL free agent market is Colorado's Paul Stastny. Coming off his best season in four seasons, Stastny has said he would like to stay with the Avalanche and Colorado has already offered him a multi-year deal. Regardless if Stastny stays with the Avs or not, his cap hit should hover around what Richards earned with the Rangers which would handicap the Rangers from keeping their depth. I doubt Stastny comes to New York.

It's actually hard to imagine the Rangers going after any of the major free agents this offseason, a move in which GM Glen Sather is well known for, just because it might be financially impossible. Going for lower cost players and depth while keeping most of the current roster might be the smart play this summer.

Should Richards get bought out, that'd leave a void at center, which could be filled by Dave Bolland. Bolland missed much of last season with an injury, but is a solid player that could bring Stanley Cup experience as he's won two with the Chicago Blackhawks.

I'd also like to see the Rangers take a look at wingers Radim Vrbata and, if affordable, former Islander Matt Moulson.

Rangers Dream Run Ends In Heartbreak

*AP Photo

The New York Rangers' 2014 Stanley Cup chase ended the exact way I have dreamed about them winning it for years: a goal in overtime that sends the home crowd into an absolute frenzy. And, boy, did this one hurt.

Perhaps it was bad karma for me to think ahead and dream about a storybook ending. Perhaps it was just coincidence. Regardless, it was undoubtedly the toughest loss I've experienced in my life as a Rangers fan in a season and playoff run that this city has waited for for 20 years.

It most certainly was not your typical bad loss by the Blueshirts. It wasn't a 5-0 blown lead at the Bell Centre. It wasn't a game where a future captain tied it with 6.6 seconds left and then losing in overtime. It wasn't a game in which a trade-deadline acquisition was turned aside in a shootout on the regular season's final day.

It was a game in the biggest series' the Rangers had been in since before Y2K was a thing. It was a game where the Rangers played much, much better than they have in memorable losses of the past. It was a game where the Rangers played up to their competition and nearly stole one on the road (on a few occasions) to bring the series back to Madison Square Garden for a crucial Game 6.

While coming up on the short end in the Stanley Cup Final to the Los Angeles Kings, it's hard to say this team played poorly in the series. The Kings were most certainly the better of the two teams, but the Rangers hung with them in four of the five games as well as any opponent could. After falling 3-2 in overtime in Game 1, I said the Rangers could play alongside the Kings and they proved my point.

Three of the four losses came in extra frames, all games in which the Rangers held a lead. They had four power plays in the five overtime periods played in the series (stop blaming the referees). Henrik Lundqvist proved he is worth every single dollar he's ever earned and, at one point, I thought he had a good shot at becoming the first Conn Smythe Trophy winner in a losing effort since Jean-Sébastien Giguere in 2003.

That's what makes this loss so tough to swallow. Even though the Rangers were playing with house money since their 3-1 series comeback to the Pittsburgh Penguins, they were oh so close to hockey's top prize. The Rangers were right there with the Kings and were a bounce or two away from being up or tied in the series multiple times.

This team is absolutely one to be proud of, however. Players like Carl Hagelin, Dominic Moore, Mats Zuccarello and Chris Kreider all stepped their games up offensively while guys like Brian Boyle, Derek Dorsett and Anton Stralman held their ground in the faceoff circle, fourth line and defensive end respectively.

An offseason full of questions lies ahead for New York with question number one surrounding the contract of Brad Richards. Getting back to the Stanley Cup Final will certainly be another uphill climb.

Sidenote: My favorite three (or four if you count the two in the first clip) goals that I'll remember from this great run:

Kings Take Game One But Rangers Can Play With Them

If it weren't for two costly turnovers, the New York Rangers would be on the opposite end of a 0-1 deficit one game into the Stanley Cup Final.

After burning the Los Angeles Kings with their trademark speed for the first two goals of the Game 1, Derek Stepan failed to clear the puck out of the Rangers' zone. Jeff Carter found Kyle Clifford in front to cut the Rangers' lead in half just 2:30 after Carl Hagelin scored to make it 2-0 in favor of New York.

Clifford's goal was a huge momentum swing in favor of the Western Conference Champions who then tied it in the second period on a gorgeous move by Drew Doughty. If the Rangers go into the dressing room with a two-goal lead after the first, perhaps it would've been a different story in Game 1.

It also didn't help the Rangers that they were dominated by the Kings in the third period as they were outshot 20-3 and couldn't muster their first shot on goal until the second half of the stanza. Los Angeles was relentless in the third and the Rangers survived, again, because of all-world goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

The game was lost on a horrendous turnover by Dan Girardi 4:36 into overtime. Girardi, in his own zone, whiffed on the puck, fell and then coughed it over. Justin Williams found himself in front of Lundqvist, who started to cheat to his glove side, which Williams noticed and then scored short-side. It was a brilliant move by one of the most clutch players in the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Kings made some key adjustments in the first intermission as they were able to take away the Rangers speed, which led to a lot of dump-and-chase hockey which worked in the Kings favor and cut New York's scoring chances dramatically.

One key factor I worried about coming into this series was the style of Los Angeles' play with their big bruisers and it showed in Game 1. The Kings threw their bodies around ferociously landing more than 20 hits in the first period. I love their style of play, unfortunately it comes against the Blueshirts in their biggest series in two decades. They play hard, they play aggressive and they can really skate.

But so can the Rangers. The experts picked the Kings to win this series in a landslide. They may have won Game 1, but it wasn't by a landslide, not even close. It was evident the Rangers can play alongside the Kings despite a horrendous third period. If Girardi is able to get the puck out of their zone, who knows if the Ranges get a bounce their way down in Los Angeles' zone.

I expect the Rangers to answer strong in Game 2 because that's what they've done throughout the playoffs. If they feel the slightest moment their backs are against the wall, which isn't yet, they don't back down. This team has tremendous heart which helped them erase their 3-1 deficit against Pittsburgh. While the experts were singing the praises of the Kings after Game 1, this series is far from over. I still stand my prediction: Rangers in 6.

Rangers In Unfamiliar Territory Four Wins Away From Their Ultimate Goal

Let me welcome you all to the New York Rangers bandwagon....a bandwagon I could have never fathomed of existing. For the newcomers, know one key piece of information: this whole "winning" thing is not what this organization and fanbase is used to.

Since defeating the Montreal Canadiens in six games to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, the constant reminder the media has given us is this is the Rangers' first trip to the Final in 20 years. Yes, we all want to live in the positive that the Rangers are here, but what they fail to remind us of is that this Original Six franchise has won a grand total of one Stanley Cup in the last 74 years. Seventy. Four. Years.

To say the Blueshirts need to take advantage of this opportunity is the understatement of the century. In fact, in the last 10 seasons, the Eastern Conference has been represented by seven different teams. Just getting this far in the playoffs has an immense level of difficulty.

Defeating the Los Angeles Kings in a best-of-seven series will certainly be no easy task. The 2012 Stanley Cup Champions have a very deep, star-studded and battle-tested roster with a Conn Smythe winner between the pipes in Jonathan Quick. They've played the maximum 21 games in the first three rounds of the playoffs this year, winning and eye-popping three Game 7s on the road, a feat never accomplished in the history of this great league. They have the chance to shock the hockey world and no one is giving them a chance to beat the Kings in a race to four wins.

The Rangers certainly have the team to get this done. In fact, they are the absolute definition of "team" as compared to recently assembled Rangers squads. Head coach Alain Vigneault has used all four of his lines and each of them have contributed, something we have not seen in recent years under former coach John Tortorella. They all came together during the tragic time of the passing of Martin St. Louis' mother and rallied from a 3-1 deficit against the rival Pittsburgh Penguins, something never accomplished in the franchise's history.

They play for one another and are playing at the peak of their game.

The Rangers get contributions from every player that dresses as opposed to their 2012 run, under Tortorella, in which they lost to the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Final. During that run, it was mainly Henrik Lundqvist driving the ship while getting a timely goal here or there from Brad Richards or Marian Gaborik. Oddly enough, the Blueshirts face their former leading goal scorer in Gaborik as he leads the NHL in goals scored this postseason with the Kings (I still don't know what to do with my Rangers' Gaborik jersey).

Their best line all year has been their second line of Mats Zuccarello, Derick Brassard and Benoit Pouliot. Aside from Pouliot taking a number of really bad penalties this postseason, they've been the most consistent and it'll be interesting to see how they mach up against the Kings' big bodies.

During NHL Network's Media Day coverage Tuesday, analyst Barry Melrose noted the team really came together with the acquisition of St. Louis at the trade deadline when they shipped captain Ryan Callahan to Tampa Bay along with two draft picks. St. Louis didn't get off to a flying start with his new club, but man has patience paid off. St. Louis has emerged as a major leader in the clubhouse in his brief period on Broadway and it's hard to say the Rangers would be here without him.

The Rangers are fortunately a healthy squad heading into the Final and they'll get defenseman John Moore back from suspension in Game 2 and Dan Carcillo back from suspension (if they need him) for Game 4.

The experts seem to think this series is mainly one-sided and believe the Kings will cruise to victory. THN's Ken Campbell thought the Penguins would breeze through the Rangers and also said the Rangers wouldn't get by Montreal after that. He says the Rangers' only hope is if the Kings are out of gas.

Look, I understand the Kings are a really, really good team, but so are the Rangers. They've come together better in the last three rounds than I've seen a Ranger team come together in, let's say, 20 years.

The Rangers have just as good of a shot to win the best trophy in sports as Los Angeles does. There's no reason we can't see a parade with Lord Stanley being the guest of honor down Broadway in a couple of weeks. Rangers in 6.

The John Moore Suspension and Other Off Day Notes

A big storyline that surfaced late in the Rangers' Game 5 loss to the Canadiens was John Moore's match penalty on Montreal's Dale Weise which drew immediate parallels to Brandon Prust's late hit on New York's Derek Stepan two games earlier, in which there was no penalty called. Exactly like the day following Prust's hit, Moore received a two game suspension.

Based on the number of Rangers fans I've spoken to personally and what I've seen posted to Twitter, this last left a sour taste in the mouth of the Blueshirt Faithful. I seem to be in the minority as I believe Moore's ensuing penalty and suspension were deemed the right calls.

Many Rangers fans note how nothing on the ice was called regarding Prust's hit and Stepan's broken jaw should have led to a power play and lengthier suspension accordingly and that's a fair argument. As much as you want to compare the two, right now, you can't.

The officials, who haven't had a very memorable series, are absolutely looking for any hint of a dirty play ever since Prust laid the blindside hit on Stepan. What do you expect them to do, turn their heads the other way when Moore made a very illegal play?

Officials miss calls....it happens every game. It's unfortunate they failed to have their eyes on Prust's flying elbow in Game 3, but there's nothing you can do about it. It's not the first time the officials have missed a severely illegal hit and a player was issued a suspension in the days following. The only thing we can do is hope we see Moore in the Stanley Cup Final and Raphael Diaz fills his spot well.

Other things that caught my attention today:

• A co-worker told me today he believes this Rangers team is "destined" to win the Stanley Cup this year and it took me by surprise, because I haven't heard something like that in 20 years. I thought about that line all day and think he may be on to something. This team has bounced back extremely well from adversity throughout the regular and postseason. It also helps they're a win away from the Cup Final.
• As a fan, it's not good karma to look ahead to potential opponents in the next round until the current round is over, but as I sit here and watch Game 5 of the Western Conference Final between the Kings and Blackhawks with the Rangers a win away, it's hard not to. I travel to Chicago next weekend so part of me wants the Hawks and part of me doesn't simply because they're so, so loaded, but so are the Kings. Corey Crawford has made it evident that he can be very average and while the Kings may lack the incredible star power the Blackhawks possess, they're deep. I don't know who I'd rather see the Rangers battle for the Cup, but at this point it wouldn't matter because this run has been so great so far.
• I believe Henrik Lundqvist has a huge bounce-back game in Game 6 after a sub-par performance in Game 5. Hank's hard on himself when he struggles and he had a tremendous Game 7 in the first round against Philadelphia just a day after getting abused by the Flyers.
• The crowd at Madison Square Garden better blow the roof off the building tomorrow night. For the most part in these playoffs, the MSG has been nothing short of a morgue. I've seen pictures of guys in suits at the games watching the NBA playoffs on monitors in front of them instead of the action on the ice. Hey moron, I've never been to a Rangers home playoff game and here you go with a free ticket not even paying attention to the best postseason tournament that exists. That is such a pet peeve.
• Speaking of tickets, as of pm the night before Game 6, the cheapest ticket on StubHub is $326.50 which is way too rich for a guy with Hoboken, New Jersey rent to pay among other bills and weddings to attend. Barring a miracle, I still will not get to a Rangers home playoff game (the one Rangers playoff game I've been to was in Jersey in 2006 -- the John Madden hat trick game).
• Prediction: Rangers win Game 6 and we all celebrate.

Penguins Fire GM Ray Shero, Retain Coach Dan Bylsma - Wait, What?

Before I get into the Ray Shero firing -- I know this is a New York related site, but I've been wanting to branch out to other big news that happens in sports (I've been suggested to do so as well) but I haven't found a story compelling enough for me to write about until this one.

In a shocking move, to me at least, the Pittsburgh Penguins relieved general manager Ray Shero of his duties Friday afternoon, while keeping head coach Dan Bylsma on board.

Shero put together a seemingly super-team over the last seven years winning the division three times, appearing in the Stanley Cup Final twice and winning the Cup in 2009.

With that said, the Penguins have underachieved in the playoffs the last few seasons as they were eliminated before reaching the Cup Final, most recently blowing a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the division-rival New York Rangers.

When Shero took over in Pittsburgh in 2006, he had come into a team with top draft picks in the three previous seasons in Marc-Andre Fleury, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby on the roster already. But Shero made a number of tremendous moves while general manager in Pittsburgh:

• At the 2008 NHL trade deadline, the Penguins acquired Pascal Dupuis (still on the roster) and superstar Marian Hossa from Atlanta, who helped Pittsburgh reach its first Stanley Cup Final since 1992.
• At the 2009 trade deadline, Pittsburgh traded Ryan Whitney to Anaheim for Chris Kunitz (still on the roster). Kunitz exploded for 35 goals this season and has a cap hit under $4M through the 2016-17 season.
• Also at the 2009 trade deadline, Shero claimed Craig Adams (still on the roster) off waivers from Carolina. Both Adams and Kunitz had won Stanley Cups in their previous two seasons (Adams with Carolina in 2006 and Kunitz with the Ducks in 2007). The Penguins lacked that experience and it paid off as the brought the Stanley Cup back to Pittsburgh for the first time since '92.
• When the 2011 trade deadline drew near, Shero traded young defenseman Alex Goligoski to the Dallas Stars in exchange for James Neal and Matt Niskanen (Niskanen is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season). The following season, Neal posted his first, and only, 40 goal season and Shero locked him up to a contract with a $5M cap hit through the 2017-18 season.
• During the lockout-shortened 2013 season, Shero acquired Jussi Jokinen from the Hurricanes for an unconditional draft pick. Jokinen had his best season in four years putting up 57 points and had a monster playoff performance scoring seven goals in 13 games (unrestricted free agent at the end of this season).

Shero added major key pieces to an already star-studded core and the Pens were seldom a first-round exit in the postseason.

One other move Shero made in his tenure was hiring coach Dan Bylsma early during the 2008-09 season. Michel Therien was fired less than a calendar year after leading the Pens to the Stanley Cup Final a season earlier. Bylsma was an immediate fit with the team, obviously winning the Cup with Pittsburgh that season.

After the Penguins were ousted from the playoffs earlier this week, reports surfaced that there were problems between Bylsma and Crosby but Crosby has denied those reports. Earlier this week, Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported the Penguins ownership leaned toward firing Bylsma while undecided on Shero's future. Rossi also notes the Pittsburgh front office believed Bylsma had lost the locker room.

So why keep Bylsma over mastermind Shero? Shero compiled a deep, star-studded roster and multiple times throughout the series against the Rangers, I wondered just how the Rangers could come out on top. On paper the Penguins were better, and perhaps they still are, but they're sitting at home watching the remainder of the Stanley Cup Playoffs while the Rangers are battling Montreal in the Eastern Conference Final.

Shero wasn't responsible for the lack of production and leadership from Crosby this postseason, which is another whole story. Shero wasn't responsible for the Penguins' lack of killer instinct up 3-1 in a series to a seemingly dead Rangers team after four games.

If you ask me, this all falls on Bylsma. It goes all the way back to the opening round in the 2011-12 season when the Philadelphia Flyers completely took the Penguins off their game mentally. In one of the most bizarre playoff series you'll ever see, Pittsburgh allowed 20 goals in the first three games, all losses. That was not the general manager's fault, that is a coaching issue.

A new general manager will be hired and he will most likely want his own coach in place, so I still expect Bylsma to be fired in the near future. But it shouldn't have cost Shero his job.

*Shero image courtesy of Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Rangers Overcome 3-1 Series Deficit; Easily My Favorite Moment in 20 Years

Admit it, you didn't think a comeback was possible. Now tell yourself it's OK to admit when you're wrong.

For the first time in the history of the franchise, the New York Rangers overcame a series deficit of 3-1 to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

After the Rangers scored twice in overtime to beat the Penguins in Game 1, the series spiraled out of control in favor of Pittsburgh. The Penguins rattled off three straight wins in dominating fashion, outscoring the Rangers 9-2 in those games and posting shutouts in Games 2 and 3. The Rangers power play unit was something like 0-for-the-century, Rick Nash still hadn't scored (and still hasn't). It was bad. Really bad.

The Rangers looked dead. Hell, I even thought the season was over based on what I witnessed in those three losses and so did many others. It even led to Ken Campbell of THN to declaring them dead and suggesting the front office blows the team up (Mr. Campbell faced a severe amount of backlash from Ranger fans on Twitter Tuesday night).

But one thing you can never hang your hat on in the Stanley Cup Playoffs: declaring a team dead. Just in the opening round of this season's Playoffs, the Los Angeles Kings overcame a 3-0 deficit to the San Jose Sharks and won the series 4-3.

After the Game 4 loss, the Rangers held a closed-door meeting before the team addressed the media. We don't know exactly what was said, but Joe Micheletti said on WFAN on Tuesday that it was led by Brad Richards and Martin St. Louis, who know what it takes to win a Stanley Cup.

On the following day, St. Louis' mother unfortunately passed away. Perhaps the team used that as a rallying point (after Game 7, Brian Boyle told NBCSN's Pierre McGuire that it brought the team closer). At any rate, the Rangers came out with their hair on fire in Game 5 matching their series total in goals scored to that point with a 5-1 beatdown of the Penguins (and actually scored not once, but twice, on the power play). They followed that up with close victories in Games 6 and 7 to complete the comeback.

The team MVP by far and away throughout the comeback was Henrik Lundqvist who held the star-loaded Penguins to just one goal per game in the final three games of the series, including stopping 35 of 36 shots in the deciding Game 7.

This Game 7 victory was easily my favorite moment as a Ranger fan in the last 20 years. Now, the Rangers haven't had exactly a lot of success since winning their first Stanley Cup in 54 years in 1994. In fact, my favorite night as a Ranger fan up to this point since that magical Cup run was Game 5 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Washington Capitals when Richards tied the game with 6.6 seconds left and Marc Staal winning it in overtime.

To rattle off three straight wins against that Penguins team after looking so, so terrible in three straight losses could not have been predicted by the most optimistic of optimists. I'm still trying to fathom how this team was able to turn on the switch and do what they did. Again, the franchise had never come back from a series when trailing 3-1.

As to who I wish the Rangers face in the Eastern Conference Final (can't believe I'm saying that)....it's difficult to say. They'll be facing a team that's been through the ringer just like they have as the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins face off in a deciding Game 7 of their own tonight. The Bruins ousted the Rangers in five games last season in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and are 3-0-0 against New York this season. The Canadiens are 2-1-0 against the Rangers this season and beat them on the final day of the season winning 1-0 in overtime and seemingly own the Rangers at the Bell Centre.

I don't want to eat my words, so I'll take whoever comes out on top in tonight's Game 7 in Boston. The Rangers are playing with house money and are half way home to a Stanley Cup. They'll start on the road regardless this weekend. LGR.

*Rangers photo by Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images

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UPDATE - 5/14/14 @ 12:00 PM - new, exclusive video of the Penguins collapse:

Rangers Lose Another Game 2; Related: The Sun is Hot

In an expected effort Sunday night, New York Rangers lost their eighth consecutive Game 2 in a playoff series as they were blanked 3-0 by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Blueshirts continued beautifully playing the role of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as they looked flat for the full 60 minutes after a thrilling overtime win in Game 1. For some reason that seemingly cannot be explained, the Rangers cannot put up a full effort in consecutive games in a series, let alone come out on top.

In Game 1, the Rangers got out to an early 2-0 lead and fell flat on their face in the second period and the lead vanished (eventually winning in OT), which is exactly how they've gone about holding their leads in a series. The Rangers have now played nine postseason games and have given up a lead in the series four times.

Just like in the previous series against the Flyers, the Rangers can't put their foot on the throat of the opponent and take control. They had three power plays in the first 10 minutes and couldn't capitalize on any of them. They've now had more consecutive scoreless power plays than the New York Yankees have World Series championships, so just don't bother counting anymore.

It's getting way too predictable with this team: get a big win in a playoff series, give a lame duck effort in the next game, lather, rinse, repeat. No message is getting through to these skaters. Henrik Lundqvist played outstanding, stopping 32 of 34 shots, but had nothing to show for it. He had a highlight reel of his own in this game but the offense couldn't generate any goal support.

Marc-Andre Fleury was barely tested the whole night. The Rangers put 22 shots on goal but maybe one or two of them were quality shots.

Also, Derek Dorsett took a terrible, terrible boarding penalty with under five minutes to go, in a one-goal game, which led to Pittsburgh's second goal and put the game away. Dorsett better not see the ice in Game 3. If Dan Carcillo is in the lineup, there is no reason to dress Dorsett. Give J.T. Miller a shot....he made his presence felt in Game 5 against Philadelphia.

Rangers come right back Monday night with Game 3 at The Garden at 7:30 and if things go the way they have been, and there's no reason to believe they won't, they'll win it and most likely relinquish control of the series in Game 4. LGR.

Rangers Lack of Killer Instinct Rears Ugly Head, Face Elimination in Game 7

If there is one thing the New York Rangers hate having in the postseason, it's a series lead. Over the last 12 playoff games in which they've had a lead in the series, the Blueshirts have lost every one of them, and Tuesday night's display in Philadelphia very well could have been their worst in this dreadful stretch.

The Rangers came out flying in the first five minutes and then Benoit Pouliot, who has turned out to be an outstanding offseason acquisition, took a holding penalty and it was all downhill from there. Philadelphia manhandled the remaining 55 minutes of action en route to a 5-2 drubbing of New York.

The Rangers have not won a postseason series that has not gone the full seven games since 2008 when Sean Avery parked himself in front of Martin Brodeur's crease and the Rangers defeated the New Jersey Devils in five games in the first round.

Under the reign of a new head coach in Alain Vigneault and with the addition of another Stanley Cup winner in Martin St. Louis, the assumption the team would have a new mentality while on the precipice of ousting an opponent would be fair. But, no, the same old Rangers showed up. No sense of urgency. No killer instinct to take ownership of the series. Not one thing to say, "we're a game away from facing Pittsburgh in the second round, let's end this tonight."

To be fair, the Flyers played like their playoff lives depended on it, which they did. Steve Mason played his best game of the series in goal while Wayne Simmonds became the first player to score a hat trick against the Rangers in a playoff game since John Madden did in 2006 (which is still the only Rangers playoff game I have ever attended).

The Rangers were as flat as a bottle of soda that's been opened for two weeks. The power play, which has been an utter disaster in the second half of this series (I believe it's something like 0-for-the-century), was as bad as it's ever been. They couldn't win a faceoff in the offensive zone with the man advantage and resorted to mostly a dump-and-chase style of attack to which the Flyers basically laughed at sending the puck down the other end of the ice with each opportunity.

New York gave its fanbase absolutely no reason to believe they will come out on the winning end of Game 7.

But yet, these are the Rangers and they own the Flyers at Madison Square Garden (9-1 vs Philadelphia in their last ten games at the World's Most Famous Arena). The Rangers are also undefeated in Game 7s on home ice, including three Game 7 wins in the last two seasons.

To put it nicely, being a fan of the Rangers is....well....less than easy, simply because they never make things easy. But when their backs are against the wall and they are at home, they play their best. Perhaps now that Game 6 is now behind us a sense of (potentially false) hope has been restored. Puck drop is shortly after 7 PM ET Wednesday night. LGR.

The Intermission That Won Game One For The Rangers

While watching the second period of tonight's Eastern Conference Final Game 1 between the Devils and the Rangers, you could visibly tell the Rangers had played 14 games in the first two rounds.

They started the game setting the ice ablaze. They were all over the ice and controlled most of the first period while peppering Martin Brodeur with 8 shots.

After the first intermission, the Devils came out and owned most of the second. The Rangers looked like a very fatigued group while giving every ounce of energy they had. Things looked even more bleak at the 17:15 mark of the period when Brandon Prust took an unexcused roughing penalty. While never giving up, looking gassed and desperate for rest, they got through the remaining 2:45 of the period unscathed.

Then came the intermission. Of course we'll never know what was said in the locker room between periods because, as you know, John Tortorella is not a man of words with the media. But you have to wonder if it was simply the 20 minutes of much-needed rest that the team needed.

53 seconds into the third, the Rangers took the lead for the remainder of the night. On the power play (go figure), boy wonder Chris Kreider possessed the puck along the boards so patiently as he was hounded by two Devils penalty killers. He then found an undetected Dan Girardi fresh on the ice after a change who blasted home a one-timer that ended up being the game-winning goal.

The goal for Girardi was a huge one as he was having a very unGirardi-like game. In the first, he tried to pinch on the blue line to prevent a Devils scoring chance and he was beaten badly by Zach Parise. Ryan McDonagh made a tremendous play getting back on defense stopping Parise on the breakaway without taking a penalty.

In said wretched second period, Girardi was behind his own net and tried to flick the puck up the ice over Dainius Zubrus in front of the net. The puck ricocheted off Zubrus and was nearly tapped in for the series' first goal.

The goal by Girardi set the tone for the remainder of the period and the Rangers owned it in its entirety. Kreider tacked on the 2nd goal on the power play and Artem Anisimov closed the book with an empty netter for a 3-0 victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final.

A complete victory all around for the Rangers stamped with the second postseason shutout for NHL MVP nominee Lundqvist. Seven more to go to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. I can't believe I'm saying that.

Rangers Fans: Move on from Game 5

I begin to write this at 6:43 PM ET on the day following the Rangers heartbreaking loss in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden. Since that deflating loss, for the most part, all I have heard are Ranger fans complaining about how poorly they've played and how the season is over.

Stop it.

Get over Game 5. There's nothing you can change about anything that happened in Game 5. Let's move past the poor passing, the extinct power play and Chris Neil's hit on Brian Boyle. Enough. Move on.

While you're at it, quit saying the season is over. If you want to write this team off before they are actually eliminated from the postseason, I don't want you rooting for this team anymore. Go root for the Devils. Seriously, go.

Have you forgotten what took place across the river just a short while ago with my beloved Giants? Throughout the entire season I was asked the same questions every week: "Why do you keep going to games and rooting for that team?" "Why are you wasting your time and effort with that team?" "You can't be serious thinking they're going to win."

That same team I was told to stop rooting for won the goddamn Super Bowl.

Two seasons ago, the Bruins had a 3-0 series lead on the Flyers. Flyers won and went to the Cup Final.

Look, I get it. The Rangers aren't playing their best hockey right now. They haven't scored in five consecutive periods plus 2:42 of overtime. They're on the brink of elimination trailing 3-2 in the Cup quarterfinals. Things look a bit bleak.

You don't stop rooting when you're a fan. If you do, you can't call yourself a fan. There's a reason they put up 109 points in the regular season: they're a good hockey team.

If they lose tomorrow, they lose and I'll be heartbroken. But don't be negative about them now. Have some faith.

Rangers in seven.

Carl Hagelin Suspended 3 Games for Hit on Daniel Alfredsson -- This Is My Head Exploding

In one of the most mind-boggling moves in recent NHL history, the league has suspended Carl Hagelin for three....yes THREE games for this hit on Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson:

It was most certainly a dirty hit and Alfredsson was injured on the play (no word as to whether Alfredsson will play in Game 3 tomorrow). But while Brendan Shanahan slammed Hagelin with a three-game ban, what Shea Weber did to Henrik Zetterberg a few nights ago in Nashville warranted a mere slap on the wrist:

Watch each of those again and tell me what you think is worse. Weber did not commit a hockey play. Instead, Weber grabbed Zetterberg's head and slammed it against the glass like it was a turnbuckle at Royal Rumble. What was Weber's penalty? A fine of $2,500. That's it. This is an embarrassment.

I am more than just angry with this decision. This is a complete joke. Yes, Hagelin warranted a suspension, but to compare these two incidents and say Hagelin's is worse is more of a crime and you give him three games? Seriously?

Shanahan gave his reasons for Hagelin's suspension but I disagree wholeheartedly about the length of it. Because Alfredsson suffered injury and Zetterberg walked away that made it worse? If Zetterberg had suffered a concussion would Weber have been suspended? It should be about the act of the penalty, not completely based on the severity. What Weber did to Zetterberg was disgusting and he'd be in jail if he did it out in public (and I'm a huge, huge Shea Weber fan).

Shanahan also goes on to say that Hagelin has never been fined or suspended for an illegal act committed on the ice either. I find myself again asking why he received three games. Why such a lengthy suspension in the playoffs for a player not known for being dirty.

Meanwhile, Matt Carkner, a guy that's known to be an enforcer, goes out of his way to pummel Brian Boyle's head in and gets one game. ONE GAME!

Carkner was on the wrong side of the ice from his defensive positioning. Carkner personally assaulted Boyle who was unaware that Carkner was attacking him and gets one game. That is NOT a hockey play. That is a personal attack. Hagelin finished his check, albeit illegally. But that was a hockey play.

Carkner's sole intent on that "play" was to inflict injury on Boyle. There was no other reasoning behind it. He gets less of a suspension than Hagelin. My mind is blown.

I can't wait to see what Shanahan gives to two members of the Penguins who went out of their way to inflict pain on the Flyers today.

After Brayden Schenn delivered a punishing, legal hit to one of the Penguins, Arron Asham, a known dirty player, comes in an cross checks Schenn right across the jaw. How many games will Asham be suspended?

Later in the game, James Neal leaves his feet and charges Sean Couturier and no penalty was called:

Neal seeked Couturier out and delivered a punishing blow. Couturier looked very woozy when he skated off the ice as well. How many games will Neal receive?

This is a complete joke of inconsistency and I'm heated.

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UPDATE: 9:48 pm - 4/15/12 - RANGERS STATEMENT:
The New York Rangers accept the NHL’s three-game suspension of Carl Hagelin and will not pursue an appeal.  However, we are thoroughly perplexed in the ruling’s inconsistency with other supplementary discipline decisions that have been made throughout this season and during the playoffs.  We will have no further comment on this decision.
     ....good for the Rangers to speak out on this. Let's be consistent, eh?

UPDATE: 10:41 am - 4/16/12 - ALFREDSSON SKATING:

Reports all over the net are saying that Alfredsson is on the ice in morning skate. This is a surefire bet that Alfredsson will play tonight in Game 3.

     ....the Rangers need to retract their statement and appeal the suspension asap. If Alfredsson misses no time in the series and the punishment is based on the severity of the injury and NOT the intent like Shanahan said, Hagelin should miss no time and get the exact same fine that Weber received. This makes the suspension look so much worse. Much, much worse. Hagelin is not a dirty player and Shanahan recognizes this. He even said on WFAN this morning that Hagelin is "a good kid." To give him three games in a playoff series, Alfredsson had to miss time. But he's not. If the suspension is reduced to one game, or two max, I'd be OK with it.

John Tortorella Slams Penguins After Controversial Play

UPDATE - FRIDAY 4/6: Tortorella fined $20K for his postgame comments and Orpik receives no suspension. This is a complete joke. Tortorella speaks a factual statement about the Penguins and Orpik goes out of his way to illegally hit Stepan. The NHL dropped the ball on this one.



Rangers head coach John Tortorella delivered a verbal uppercut to Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik and the Penguins organization following a knee-on-knee collision with center Derek Stepan. The replays clearly show Orpik sticking his knee out to make contact with Stepan and Tortorella did not take kindly to it.

"It's a cheap, dirty hit," Tortorella said. "I wonder what would happen if we did it to their two whining stars over there.  I wonder what would happen. I'm anxious to see what happens with the league with this. Just no respect amongst players. None. It's sickening."

There have been no reports on the severity of Stepan's knee injury, but he did not return to the game in the few minutes remaining on the clock.

Tortorella has become the third significant person this week to openly criticize the Penguins after analyst Mike Milbury and Philadelphia Flyers assistant coach Craig Berube. Tortorella did not stop there.

"It's one of the most arrogant organizations in the league. They whine about this stuff all the time and look what happens. It's ridiculous. But they'll whine about something else over there won't they? Starting with their two (expletive) stars."

I wish there was a camera on me as I watched Tortorella speak on the postgame show. Eyebrows raised, jaw dropped.

It is about time there are strong words being thrown out at the Penguins. It is about damn time.

You might not think so, but I take a ton of heat from Penguins fans every single time I say anything anti-Sidney Crosby. There is no doubt Crosby is the best player in the NHL. None. Yet he constantly whines every time someone just simply breathes on him.

The most recent incident came this past Sunday in a game against the Flyers. He put a late hit on rookie Brayden Schenn along the boards. Seconds later, Schenn repaid the favor by crosschecking Crosby in the back. An eye for an eye. You're even, right? Nope. Crosby looked around for the nearest official. Much to my dismay, Schenn did not receive a penalty.

This points exactly to Tortorella's comments tonight. It seems the Penguins' mentality is: "we can do it to you, but you can't do it to us."

Finally it is not us, the fans, that are openly barking harsh words at Pittsburgh. People are taking notice and tensions are boiling over. I'm surprised it's taken so long.

Rangers Clinch the Atlantic and I'm Damn Proud

As the clocked trickled down in the final seconds of last night's game between the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers, I could feel the smile growing across my face as I did the goosebumps all over my body. The Rangers clinched their first Atlantic Division title in 18 years.

Within minutes of the Rangers winning the division on the ice of an arch enemy, I started to realize just how big of a deal this is. Ranger fans all across social networks were posting various status updates, tweets and photos in a barrage of excitement I have never seen regarding this team. This night may have been the biggest night for me as a Ranger fan in my life.

You may say to yourself, "the biggest night of your life should be back in June of 1994 when they won their first Stanley Cup in 54 years." Be that as it may, I was only 10 years old and wasn't as rabid a fan as I am today. I also did not realize the ramifications of what a Cup victory had done to a fanbase deprived of a championship for over half of a decade.

Quick side story: I had never watched a full Rangers game prior to them winning the Cup in '94. I had watched bits and pieces, but neither of my parents were hockey fans and I got into the sport on my own. We lived in Connecticut and I did not get MSG in the town that I had lived. On the night of Game 7, New York's FOX 5 said they'd broadcast the final few minutes of the game and dad said he'd let me stay up on a school night (I know...weird I got a local New York channel in CT but not MSG...I tell you it's awful living in that state). We had a horrendous thunderstorm in town that night and just as FOX was about to toss to the game, we lost cable. I had to run to my bedroom to listen to the final call on the radio.

If that had happened to me at this age, I promise you I would suffer from cardiac arrest and die on the spot. I'm convinced there would be no other outcome to that situation.

Since that night, my fandom for this team has steadily grown into a massive love affair. In the past 18 years, the highest rating I could possibly give one single Rangers season would have to be mediocre with the exception of a loss in the conference finals in 1997.

The Rangers had an eight-year, seven-season drought of missing the postseason (every NHL fan lost in the year of the lockout). Since '97, they have only twice reached the conference semifinals. This is why this year's division championship means so much.

Yeah, it's merely a division championship. I've seen more division championships as a Yankee fan than I have follicles of hair on my head. But, it's been nearly two decades since the previous one for the Blueshirts. This is the most we've had to celebrate this team this century and I'm going to milk every last drop of it.

Should the Rangers not bring the Stanley Cup back to the Canyon of Heroes on a June morning this year, we cannot consider this season a loss. While we all should be very optimistic of how far the Rangers can go in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, we should also embrace what we've had to enjoy this season. This team gives an all-out effort every night they take the ice. This has by far been the best season this team has brought us in a long, long time.

One Image Sums Up Current State of Giants and Jets

While I spent my Monday night perusing through Twitter-space like I usually do, I came across the photo above. My first reaction: that was the most fun I've ever had attending a football game (replacing the 12-sack game the Giants had against the Eagles in 2007). My second reaction: this single photo perfectly sums up where each organization is at right now: the Giants....standing tall, victorious, Super Bowl champions. The Jets...weak and desperate.

Eric Smith's last ditch effort to stop Victor Cruz's 99-yard, season-turning touchdown reception, captured in this single frame, serves as a metaphor for the state of desperation for the Jets. How? They just traded for Tim Tebow.

As the Giants continue to reign supreme in the greatest city in the world, the Jets made a P.R. move to steal the tabloids. Today they gave their new backup quarterback a nationally-televised press conference while they their starting quarterback got a conference call that was not allowed to be broadcast live. The Jets just gave Mark Sanchez an extension, yet it's his understudy that gets all the attention. It makes zero sense. Zero.

Sidenote: Jets owner Woody Johnson, head coach Rex Ryan, GM Mike Tannenbaum and Sanchez were not at the Tebow presser. Go get 'em, Timmy!

Perhaps the most criminal thing to come out of this media circus is that Tebow will most likely get more media attention than two-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback Eli Manning, who owns the city and the stadium. I'm sure it doesn't bother Eli based on his on-camera personality, but it sure bothers me and it's going to be forced down my throat so long as Tebow is a Jet.

For at least this coming season, Tebow and the Jets can claim they play in the home of the Super Bowl champions. Your team may have the tabloids, but the real team will have the rings.

Rangers Grab 2 Huge Points in Toronto

Before I get to the story, I'd first like to thank former co-worker, good friend and rabid Giants fan Ryan Doyle for volunteering to create the new custom header for the blog. He used an impulse photo I took while riding the East River Ferry and created an incredible logo. Thanks dude. You can follow him on Twitter if you choose at @ODoyle_Rulez. I will warn you, he's a bigtime Giants fan but also loves the Red Sox and Bruins. I suggest a follow from September-February only. OK now onto the first-place Rangers...

The New York Rangers currently have as many points as there were canines in a classic, animated Disney cinematic masterpiece: 101. The eclipsed the century mark in points with a dramatic shootout victory in Toronto with the game-winner scored by (guess who) Ryan Callahan.

While the Rangers continue to tread water atop the Eastern Conference, the two points earned last night were extremely important to hang onto the first place position. At the same time last night, just east in the same province of Ontario, the NHL's hottest team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, lost in regulation for the first time in over a month in Ottawa. To say the Penguins have been hot is an understatement and they just got that Crosby fella back (I'll refrain from personal feelings on Crosby, but just for today).

Now the Rangers have a three-point cushion on second-place Pittsburgh with seven games to play (Pittsburgh has eight remaining).

In five of those next seven games, the Rangers will be getting the absolute most out of their opponents. Winnipeg is fighting for their playoff lives and the atmosphere at the MTS Center on Wednesday will be electric as it is every night. Boston is out for vengeance as they're 0-2-1 vs the Blueshirts this season.

Then the Rangers embark on perhaps the toughest two-game stretch of the season: at Philadelphia and at Pittsburgh. Both the division rivals still have a shot at the Atlantic division title and top spot in the conference. It also helps that there's a bit of bad blood between each of the squads.

Last game of the season is home vs Washington in a possible playoff preview. As of right now, the Capitals are not in the top eight in the east. They are two points behind eighth placed Buffalo with a game in hand, and it appears Alex Ovechkin has found his former self and has turned it on. Based on recent playoff meetings between the Rangers and Caps, it'd be sweet revenge to either send them home on the season's final day or in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Any way you slice it, it seems the Rangers can't fall back further than fifth in the east. However, should the Rangers get the four or five seed, they'll either play Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in the first round. Either series can easily go seven games and could physically drain the Rangers. This is why the top seed is extremely important.

My Worst Nightmare: Tim Tebow is a Jet

Tim Tebow is coming to my city. New York's other football team has acquired Tebow from the Denver Broncos in exchange for a 4th round draft pick.

I chose to dismiss the rumors that the Jets were interested in him because I couldn't fathom this ever happening. I mean, they just signed a subpar Mark Sanchez to a very wealthy contract extension, so why would they give up anything for the worst quarterback I've ever seen play professional football?

As I was driving home listening to Evan Roberts break the news on WFAN, I nearly crashed. OK maybe that's a bit of an overstatement, but needless to say, I was, and still am, extremely shocked. Joe Benigno, Jet superfan and Roberts' co-host, immediately said the organization is a "disaster." I turned the dial to ESPN 1050 to only hear Stephen A. Smith say the exact same thing.

The Jets in no way can say they're committed to Sanchez. Peyton said no, so they gave Sanchez a big pay raise and a few more years on a contract. Then within a few weeks they trade for another quarterback.

Does Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum realize what he just did? Does he have any idea what he just said to Mark Sanchez? He just created the biggest possible circus you could imagine in the sports media capital of the world. We haven't even reached the 2012 NFL Draft and there's already a mega QB controversy in the Jets locker room. Who do they go with? Sanchez, who regressed in 2011 from his decent seasons in 2009 and 2010 or Tebow, who is a flat out awful quarterback.

Who do we blame for this? Peyton Manning for telling the Jets no and taking Tebow's job in Denver? Victor Cruz for his 99-yard touchdown which ended the Jets season and sprung the Giants to another Super Bowl title? Rex Ryan for his necessity for being on the back pages of the newspapers?

Regardless of who we blame for this, I can't wait for this to blow up in the Jets faces. If you think Santonio Holmes had a problem with Sanchez, can you imagine what he'll say about Tebow? An hour before the Tebow trade news broke, Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie tweeted against bringing Tebow in.

Are the Jets really that upset because the team they share a stadium with just hoisted another Lombardi Trophy that they had to make such a bizarre move? The Jets are so desperate for attention in this city and it's an absolute joke. Ever since my beloved Giants beat the Patriots (again) in the Super Bowl, the Jets logo has basically disappeared from the city (and it's been beautiful). They are the little brother in this town and do whatever they can to grab the headlines. It's kind of ironic that they're the little brother, but the Giants' little brother QB has won more Super Bowls than that franchise.

If Tebow thought he had haters before, he has absolutely no idea what he's about to get into. Tim Tebow will not survive the New York media. No way, no how. Every Jet fan I know is hammering this move and they're already hating on Tebow (which I've done since his freshman season at Florida).

The media coverage for Tebow throughout the 2011 season (and his entire career at Florida) was beyond insufferable and now he's coming to New York. He's going to be everywhere. He might be bigger than Namath just because of the amount of media that has grown in the nearly 50 years since he won the Jets their only championship.

I'm sick to my stomach about what we're about to experience.

Step One Complete: Rangers Are Playoff Bound

For the first time since pre-Y2K, the Rangers clinched a playoff spot before April and not by the skin of their teeth. With a 4-2 win over the hated New Jersey Devils, the Rangers became the first team to clinch a postseason berth in the Eastern Conference.

Now, I can't stand writing game stories, but tonight feels a bit different. While I missed the opening trifecta of brawls in the first three seconds of the game (relax, I was at work), I was able to see the replays. Devils coach Peter DeBoer was out to send a message, which isn't a surprise in a rivalry like this. He put his tough guys on the ice and the Rangers made them pay. Stu Bickel vs Ryan Carter: win for Bickel. Mike Rupp vs Eric Boulton: win for Rupp. Brandon Prust vs Bryce Salvador: win for Prust. To see three fights taking place simultaneously was equally as bizarre as it was amazing.

Just over a minute later, Brandon Dubinsky (finally) scores and the Rangers had the momentum and never looked back. As the Garden crowd aired out chants of "MAAAARTYYY" to the Devils portly goaltender, you can tell just from watching an illegal online stream of the game how electric the atmosphere was.

This marks the sixth time in the last seven the seasons that the Rangers will play after their 82-game regular season schedule. But this is such a different team than in years past. It's not the usually-frustrating squads that are barely making it into the playoffs. It's a fun, confident group of guys that have all bought into John Tortorella's system. These guys play for each other and it's clear every time they take the ice.

We don't have to worry about Olli Jokinen in the shootout. We don't need Jody Shelley to score two goals for them to get to that shootout. We don't have to worry about other teams needing to lose to get into the playoffs. They're in. On March 19. After a total team effort win against a team that every fellow Ranger fan absolutely despises. This is so mind-bogglingly great and I'm going to enjoy it just like every other Ranger fan should.

Sidenote: Mats Zuccarello has been a tremendous spark plug since being recalled from the Connecticut Whale. I was a huge fan of that kid last season and was hoping to see him sooner this season, but he's here and he looks like he's going to stay. And I'm calling him Duke Zuke 'Em. It may not catch with everyone, but I personally love it.

Granted they have the Red Wings coming into town on Wednesday which will be one tough contest, tonight, I am not worried about that. The Rangers are in the playoffs before Easter and I'll have a beer to that. Now let's go get that Cup.

Addressing the Rick Nash to Broadway Rumors

When the casual hockey fan hears a rumor that their favorite team is in the market to trade for a top-tier player, the immediate reaction is: go get him! Of course you want nothing but the best players wearing your team's sweater....everyone does.

Rumors surfaced a few weeks ago that the New York Rangers could possibly be in the market for Columbus Blue Jackets 5-time All-Star and 2-time 40-goal scorer, left wing Rick Nash. I've always been a Nash fan so this especially perked my ears.

So instead of a rapid reaction and social network posts (which some of you have known to see from me), I did a bit of research. I went to one of my favorite hockey websites, capgeek.com, to check out what Nash's contract status is.

I knew Nash had received a large contract a few years back to keep the face-of-the-franchise in Columbus....a franchise that has struggled since it's inaugural season in 2000-01 (I'm still trying to figure out, of all places, the NHL settled on Columbus for a professional hockey team). Nash has a cap hit of a whopping $7.8M through the 2017-18 season.

The big rumor I saw came in yesterday's edition of the New York Post (it's the Post, I know). The rumor, reported by Larry Brooks, was the Rangers sending Brandon Dubinsky, top prospect Chris Kreider, and a first-round pick to Columbus. If this trade were to go through, it'd be a fair deal for a the 27-year old winger.

However, and this is a big however, the Rangers are easily the best team in the NHL's Eastern Conference. They have a solid core of young talent, including the (slim) potential of Kreider joining the team in time for the playoffs. They have a $6.7M cap hit with Brad Richards through 2019-20, a $7.5M cap hit with Marian Gaborik through 2013-14 and nearly a $7M cap hit with the best goaltender in the NHL, Henrik Lundqvist, through the same year.

Wojtek Wolski's cap hit of $3.8M does come off the books at the end of the season as he's set to become a restricted free agent. Don't look for the Rangers to retain him. But after next season Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh, Carl Hagelin's entry level contracts all expire and they become restricted free agents as well and they need to be retained.

For the Rangers to add Nash at that price in the current financial status the team is in would be irresponsible. Of course I'd love to have Nash on this team....he's an overall great player, but what the Rangers have here is something special. They have a team fully committed to their coach John Tortorella and they play a full 60 minutes every night. They're aggressiveness on the forecheck, backcheck, and in the neutral zone is something to truly admire.

With that said, the Rangers should add another scorer to their team. Perhaps Ducks winger Bobby Ryan, who the Rangers were rumored to trade for just a couple months back, is available. Another name surfaced recently with the Rangers is Hurricanes winger Tuomo Ruutu, who recently suffered the dreaded upper body injury. Buffalo winger Brad Boyes could also be an optoin, but it's certainly less attractive.

Whichever way the Rangers look like after the February 27 trade deadline, there is great excitement around this hockey club. They have a legitimate chance of bringing the Stanley Cup back to New York City.