RANGERS @ NEW JERSEY LIVECAP

By Steve Stirling
for 2ManAdvantage.com

Published: March 19, 2008

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9:44 PM ET: This also leaves just two chances for Patricia to avoid having to burn her skin off after wearing a Rangers jersey.Â Check the story below for more on that.Â That’s it for me tonight though. Goodnight!

9:40 PM ET: Not a good start to a three-week long set of crucial divisional matchups. The Devils played well through most of the game but fell flat at the exact moment they needed to hold up most. On the bright side, we’re still in first in the conference and the Rangers haven’t gained on us. Nonetheless, this one hurts.

9:38 PM ET: Dubinsky and Parise both get shut down and thats it. ANOTHER Devils loss to the Rangers. That one stings too. Rangers in the shootout 1-0, pick up the 2-1 win.

9:37 PM ET: Dawes scores. Gio does not.

9:36 PM ET: Shanahan is… stoned by Brodeur! Langenbrunner gets shut down too. boo.

9:34 PM ET: Langs, Gionta and Parise to shoot for the Devils. Shanahan, Dawes and Callahan for the Rangers.

9:31 PM ET: And we’re headed to a shootout.

9:30 PM ET: Not a lot of big chances here in OT, neither crew wants to be the team to give up that extra point.

9:27 PM ET: Shots for both sides here at the start of OT. The Rangers have really picked up their play here though and look a lot better when they have the puck.

9:25 PM ET: OT is underway. Tension!

9:23 PM ET: Regulation ends with the Devils on their heels a bit. Each team will get a point and we’ll head to overtime. Boy I miss Patty in this situation.

9:20 PM ET: Marty makes a HUUUUUGE kick save on a slapper from the point with a minute to go. Oh man. I think I just pooped a hammer.

9:17 PM ET: The boys look shaken after that goal and Sutter calls a a pow wow timeout with 3 minutes left.

9:16 PM ET: Why?! Why can’t there be a Devils game that isn’t crazy intense down the stretch? If I had one word to describe this season it would be ulcer.

9:14 PM ET: Boy did I speak too soon. Brookbank leaves his position and the Rangers get a wide open Drury at point blank range, and he puts it in. 1-1 game.

9:11 PM ET: Goooood kill by New Jersey. I’ve got to imagine that puts a dent in what’s left of the Ranger’s confidence.. which has looked akin to a rusty El Camino to begin with.

9:09 PM ET: Paul Martin just put a shoulder on Nigel Dawes like a linebacker! Man, everyone just seems like they woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Good stuff.

9:08 PM ET: Boo. Rupp takes a holding penalty at a baaaad time. 7 minutes to go and the Rangers will be on the PP for the next 2.

9:06 PM ET: Zubrus has really been taking it to Avery along the boards since the penalty last period.. but I guess most probably take it to Avery whenever they get a chance.

8:59 PM ET: Talk about your true-blue Devils game. 1-0 with 13 left in the 3rd, the Rangers just being stymied and held to next to no solid chances here in the third.

8:55 PM ET: Not a whole lot happens on the powerplay and we’re back at full-strength. Parise gets the lone chance, a big shot form the slot, but it’s smothered by Lundqvist.

8:52 PM ET: Big time kill for the Devils. The Rangers got nothing going and we’re back at even strength. Then again… Colton Orr takes a holding call as I was typing and the Devils are back on the powerplay!

8:51 PM ET: Back for the third and back for a Rangers powerplay as the puck hits the ice.

8:32 PM ET: A pretty listless powerplay by the Devils save for the Langenbrunner chance. Mottau takes a silly hooking penalty in the waning seconds of the period and the Rangers will start the 3rd with the man advantage. That’s it for the second!

8:31 PM ET: Big defensive play by Chris Drury. Langenbrunner was about to bury a rebound and Drury took out his stick at the last minute and we’re still 1-0.

8:29 PM ET: Fedor Tyutin takes an interference call and we’ve got another Devils powerplay! Kinda looked like Gionta just slipped as he came in on Lundqvist but the ref felt otherwise, and I’m not going to argue.

8:26 PM ET: Pretty quiet period overall here. The Devils are really locked into their game, breaking down New York’s attack. The tension’s building and the physical play is picking up with just 3 minutes to go in the third, as the boys in red n’ black really seem like they’re starting to get under the Rangers’ skin.

8:21 PM ET: The freight train from the Ukraine just made a stop on Colton Orr’s face! Vishnevski connects on an unsuspecting Orr (for once) and sends him flying.

8:18 PM ET: Back at even strength, but the Devils have completely thrown a wet towel over the Rangers, who seemed like they were waking up a moment ago.

8:15 PM ET: Strong powerplay so far, but no goals. Dainius Zubrus looks like a new man these days, grinding it out in front of the net big time. 50 left on the PP.
8:12 PM ET: Just as it looks like the Rangers are starting to control the play, Zajac breaks out with Langenbrunner on a 2-on-1, gets hooked and we’ve got a 2nd Devils powerplay coming up! Deja Vu please?

8:10 PM ET: A wild flurry in front of the Devils net after a quick shot from a Ranger clangs off the post. Whew. No goal. We caught a break on that one.

8:08 PM ET: Zubrus’ penalty for asshole-badgering is over and we’re back at even strength. The Devils are creating some good chances on turnovers so far this period.

8:06 PM ET: Marty makes a cliffhanger of a save after a weird bounce jumps off Colin White’s butt and heads towards the line. Marty cartwheels and snatches it just in the nick of time.

8:04 PM ET: Wow. There are few people I hate more than Sean Avery. He leans on Zubbie in front of the Devils net, they tumble and somehow Zubrus takes the penalty. Rangers PP. Unbelievable.

8:03 PM ET: We’re back in action here in the 2nd and we’ve already got some fireworks. Avery takes a cheap shot at Clarkson before the puck drops, smacking him in the face with his stick. No penalty.

7:48 PM ET: That’s it for the first, see ya in 17.

7:44 PM ET: Rupp smears Avery into the board while Brandon Dubinsky distracts the ref by clipping him from behind. Thanks for running the pick Brandon!

7:42 PM ET: Ok seriously though, come on Oduya. Our perennial punching bag slips and falls on his keester to allow the breakway for what seems like the umpteenth time this year. Can we get some backwards skating lessons for this guy?

7:38 PM ET: Martin Straka breaks in free and clear and Marty shrugs it off like a fly on his arm!

7:37 PM ET: A healthy boo goes up from the crowd as Gomez gets an extended touch on the puck. Good to see we showed up in strong numbers for this one.

7:33 PM ET: Good kill by the boys. Vish jumps back on the ice and were even-Steven again.

7:31 PM ET: Vishnevski gets called for a hook and we’ll have a Rangers PP coming up. A real borderline call as the play looked fairly harmless but so it goes these days in the ‘new’ NHL.

7:28 PM ET: The Devils have slowed things down a lot and look like they’re already trying to break the Rangers spirit, playing a frustrating defensive game.

7:25 PM ET: I’d totally fire up the Zubbie counter, but alas, I’m HTML-handicapped. I suck. Assists to Rupp and Brylin on the goal.

7:23 PM ET: Woo!!! We’ve got another Zubrus goal! Dainius puts in a rebound early in the powerplay and we’ve got a 1-0 lead 7 minutes into the first.

7:22 PM ET: I’d like to take the chance to wish Mike Mottau a happy 30th birthday!

7:21 PM ET: Parise takes a stick up high but looks O.K. Powerplay for New Jersey though as Rosival heads to the box for 2.

7:20 PM ET: Good energy here to start the game, scraps breaking out everywhere. Gio breaks in with a good chance but sails it over the glove of Lundqvist. Madden and Pandolfo get a nice chance 30 seconds later but again is stoned by Henrik.

7:12 PM ET: Clarkson and Avery drop the gloves already! Woo!! Both get some good swings in but Clarkson really controlled it in the end! Atta Boy Clarkie! Already a physical game and we’re only 35 seconds in! EDGE â€” Clarkson

7:11 PM ET: Here we go, Clarkson and Avery out on the ice to start the game. And we’re underway!

6:58 PM ET: We’ve got all the makings of a dogfight here. I’m excited. We’ll do it without Elias, who’s still nursing a bum knee, as well as El Salvador, who’s sidelined with what Steve Cangialosi called “a lower body injury thing.” Our favorite angry pirate, Colin White, will be back in the lineup however after taking a few games off.

6:48 PM ET: I can not physically put into words how huge these two points are for both teams. We’re looking to stay atop the division and end the streak of futility against the boys in blue from across the Hudson. If we lose, the Rangers will be nipping at our heals, just three points behind at 87. If we can manage to finally take down King Henrik and his band of hooligans however, they could very well be just 3 points from being out of the playoffs with Washington set to lock horns with Chicago tonight. Craziness!

6:47 PM ET: Saddle up boys and girls, we’re about to get rolling with the first installment of a divisional slugfest. Devils v. Rangers coming up in 15.

6 Comments on "RANGERS @ NEW JERSEY LIVECAP"

Pat Chukwurah on Wed, 19th Mar 2008 7:23 pm

WOOOOWOOOOOOOO!!! All aboard the pain train!

Reply – Quote

Sergeich on Wed, 19th Mar 2008 8:49 pm

Alright:

1) brothers Brookbank – plain stupid, I get the “joy” of seeing Sheldon’s sibling up here in Raleigh – same shit. I mean, hell – Oduya is my a freaking Batman on the background of bROOKBANK at this point.

2) Perhaps Gionta’s cousin will have another insightful explanation for Brian’s N-th fuck-up but I just don’t wanna hear it. A) 48 brilliant rushes along the right board with a precise shot into the freaking chest of a goalie don’t indicate much of a thought process to me B) It’s a shoot-out… you ARE allowed to be creative believe it or not. Shooting at some 4-inch opening and missing it time, after time, after time is a freaking torture to watch. I, as a fan, supposed to have some faith in him instead of thinking: “oh that’s one of our best man, he’s surely to let us down”

3) My countryman Brylin finally got on my nerves, I admit it – years take its toll.

Reply – Quote

Marc on Wed, 19th Mar 2008 9:57 pm

Ha. Sergeich, I (Gionta’s cousin)really dont have any insightful explanations for tonights games. Although I only caught from the 3rd period on, I agree with what you have said. I grant you that he takes many a rush up the right boards and likes to take shots from around the circle. Some of which are pin point accurate to the twine, and make us all very happy but for the better part of the last few months and maybe longer, many of his shots are, yes, hitting the tenders right in the logo.

As for the shootout, I called him an “Asshole” outloud in my living room! When he scores in a shootout its with the deke on the forehand to the backhand top shelf. Works like a charm usually. Pretty much anything else he tries gets stopped; minus that rare 5-hole sneeky one.

Anywho. As final thoughts, I’d just like to say that he will be on the team for the remainder of the season no matter what curse words you or myself throw at him, so I suggest not throwing the remote at the wall so much anymore and just root on our guys!

Thats it…

Reply – Quote

Hasan on Wed, 19th Mar 2008 10:49 pm

Three losses to the Rangers in regulation
Two losses to the Rangers in overtime
One loss to the Rangers in a shootout
And no partridge in a pear tree for Devils fans.

Reply – Quote

Sergeich on Thu, 20th Mar 2008 8:36 am

2 Marc:

well, it’s nice to know that I was not alone in this universe during that horrifying yelling into the screen