Despite my recent disappearance, I am still kickin’ it.

I shall return tomorrow with Free Agency madness, and all that fun stuff.

-Patricia

Hey gang.  Wanted to drop a note up here to let everyone know that we are aware that there’s an issue regarding the comment pages and are working towards fixing it.  When that will happen?  I dunno.  Hopefully soon, it’s getting lonely without being able to recieve comments.

6/7/08 - Hey!  The comments work again!  Huzzah!

So, this season didn’t quite pan out the way we hoped for, but hey, can’t win ‘em all, right?

Okay, it would have been nice for at least one win at home, but I digress…

Alas, Josh, Steve, Scott, Joe, and I would like to thank each and every reader for another great year here at 2 Man Advantage. Each of you have fueled our passion for writing, and despite our team’s shortcomings this season, we are proud of Black ‘n Red.

Stay with us this offseason, we will be coming at you with the latest Devils news and notes throughout the entire summer. Oh, and it’s entirely possible that we have a few more tricks up our sleeves, so be sure to keep a watch out for more contests and reader participation!

Liked what we had to offer this season? Shoot us a comment or e-mail, thank the boys (and maybe me!) for our work this year. We work hard for you because you know what? We are just like you — passionate fans who bleed black and red through and through.

Once again, thank you from the bottom of our (broken) hearts!

Let us remember folks, if the Devils do not win this final tilt against the New York Rangers, your favorite friendly female fan (oh I killed that alliteration!) will don a Rangers jersey for an entire week on 2MA.

No one wants to see this, right?

Get it done boys, get it done.

Stick around for Mr. Stirling’s super awesome live-cap, and be sure to check back for a mighty post-game ‘cap from — you guessed it — your favorite friendly female fan who is hopefully not fuming and frantic, for sure.

I need to stop.

Sorry for the downtime folks! We’re back now!

Oh how we love cross-promotion!

Earlier this season, we sat down and had a chat with the kind folks at Ranger Land. We made fun of their team. They made fun of ours. All good fun. Why not go for another round at it?

Here we have Michael from the wonderful RL.net. Let’s dish…

2MA: Last we met, you guys weren’t feeling Mr. Scott Gomez too much. Have we had a change of heart since?

Ranger Land: Definitely. He’s had some dry spells, but for the most part has really stepped up his production since the initial few weeks of the season. Other than (Jaromir) Jagr and Michael Nylander, the Rangers haven’t had someone that skilled in the neutral zone in a long time. My friend and I were saying at the Pens game last night that we never appreciated how good he is with the puck until we watched him regularly this season. If anything, he makes the lack of a decent puck-carrying defenseman even more glaring. I’m looking forward to having him around for a while.

Plus, gotta love how he crushes Al Trautwig every chance he gets.

2MA: We still hate him, but that’s fine. Let’s shift gears towards another bugger we hate ’round these parts. You know who I’m talking about. Why is Sean Avery so God damn annoying?

RL: I think there was a typo in this question. You wrote “God damn annoying,” when you meant to write “totally awesome.”

2MA: Oh, naturally. How about the so-called “Yankee Stadium Game?” Looks like it’s finally going to happen after years of dreamin’ and make-believin’. Who’s your ideal opponent?

RL: Well, first, I think it’s pretty funny that Yankee fans were all up in arms about this on the same day that they signed Billy Crystal to a minor-league contract.

As far as possible opponents go, the Isles are a given, of course. Some on our boards have talked about the Red Wings, which would be really awesome. But one of our board members (who runs the great site www.DetroitHockey.net, by the way) mentioned that the Wings are trying to work out a double-header with Michigan and Michigan State in The Big House, so the Wings might not be up for coming East. Oddly enough, no one’s really talked about the Devils.

In any case, you know Dolan and/or the Steinbrenners would completely take advantage of the frenzy in setting ticket prices, and we’d be there every step of the way.

2MA: Name dropping for the win! I have a bone to pick with you jerks. Why is my team so terrible in the Metro Series this season? It’s really kind of bumming me out…a lot. I’m actually in therapy over it. True story.

RL: One of the greatest things about the post-lockout Ranger teams (other than that whole “making the playoffs” thing) is their ability to handle the Devils, or at least make the season series competitive. I alluded to this in my questions to you the other day, but those years when Marty beat them almost every single time (with the notable exceptions of the 1994 and 1997 playoffs, of course) were just absolutely demoralizing. I think most fans don’t over-analyze it too much. We’re still just in shock.

2MA: Fair enough. I’m going to hit you where it hurts now, in the form of a nine-foot beauty of a Swede named Henrik Lundqvist. He’s seriously a gift from the Gods. Look at him! Just look at him!!! Whew…sorry…I had a moment there. I do have a question, I swear. Okay, here we go. What happens if King Henrik either a) gets hurt or b) throws a massive choke-job?

RL: Pretty Pony…get…hurt?

I don’t think that’s something any of us really want to contemplate. But really, Steve Valliquette has shown himself to be a pretty capable backup, especially against the Flyers. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if he had to fill in for a few games.

2MA: Point taken. Well, thanks for the sit-down Michael! Hope we can have some more fun in the future, and when I say “fun,” I mean me pointing and laughing at your team after my team beats them 17-2. Yeah, I’m not holding my breath either…

WHAT THE HECK IS PATRICIA AND THE CANADIAN NATION?

Oh, good question. You see, I will be in Quebec this weekend. Naturally, I will be attending the Devils game, among other things. But come on, what is a trip to Canada without a hockey game, right?

I will be documenting my trip through photo and words and will post it up here on 2MA when I return to the United States. Think of it as a wordy photo journal, if you will.

WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?

I think it would be neat. Don’t you? Come on. You are totally excited for this. Admit it.

Besides, I’ll likely otherwise be too intoxicated from that oh-so-glorious Canadian beer to even remember my weekend, so having the trip documented through photo would be, well, a good way to remember things. No doubt!

Alas, let’s hope for a Black ‘n Red win in Martreal. I would quite enjoy that.

It is with great sadness that I announce the loss of a member near and dear to the 2MA family.

Banana Pads is no more.

Yes, it’s unfortunately true.

Mr. MA Fleury has decided to retire the Bananas, trading in the yellow beauties for a big ‘ol pair of marshmallow pads. How sad.

Banana Pads, we will miss you.

NOTE: Marc-Andre Fleury did not actually die.

We really don’t mean to abandon this site.

I swear.

Things have just been hectic for the 2MA Crew, whether it be totaling cars, getting job promotions, or going on massive drug binges, we’ve been busy.

Just kidding about the drugs.

2MA totally doesn’t condone (heavy) drug usage. I swear.

Anyway, we will be back. The TRADE DEADLINE (in caps!) is coming up, and that’s always a holiday ’round these parts, so I assure you all, we will be posting our tails off in the coming weeks.

Deal?

Deal.