Blue Notes

Hello from Philly .....tonight's preliminaries almost assuredly will take place on the first shift: Riley Cote vs Colton Orr.

Fine, let's get it over with quickly and move on.

Jed Ortmeyer (knee) was scratched as a precaution. "He could probably play," said coach Tom Renney, but will rest. Brad Isbister will start on a line with Nylander and Jagr.

As for Fedor Tyutin, forget about seeing him dress for Toronto tomorrow. "I don't see him going tomorrow. Tuesday's a possibility," Renney said. "He's absolutely pain-free. It's a matter of making sure he can sustain shifts over the course of 60 minutes. We can push him again tomorrow to try to elevate his fitness level. We'd like to have him Tuesday (against the Islanders) but we're not sure."

Continuing on the knee front, Marcel Hossa was to skate yesterday and today with a brace. "I don't know what the timetable is, but he's coming along," said Renney.

Orr could see regular shifts in the playoff, according to Renney. "He's advanced himself enough to where's he's a responsible two-way player. He understands the system well enough, he's a physical presence, no question, within the rules of the game. He can contribute, at least to a degree, on the part of a shutdown line."

On tonight's game: "It's really important that we don't look ahead of us. Philadelphia is playing quite well, thye're back to Flyer hockey that most of us are used to watching and I think their main objective tonight is to kick our asses."

The NY chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association has nominated RW Jed Ortmeyer for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL player who best exemplifies "perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.'

Ortmeyer's career, of course, almost was derailed in August by pulmonary embolism, and his quest to come back was not only a physical, but emotional, struggle that was well-chronicled in Newsday and elsewhere.
The scrappy U.S.-born right wing, who also wears knee braces, worked out with abandon to stay in shape, and came back as energetic as ever as one of the team's best penalty-killers.

I weighed voting for Jed or Marty Straka, but ended up with Jed on my ballot.

Anyway, thanks again to Dr. Staple for making the cameo appearance and it's on to Philly, from where I will dutifully report tomorrah.

The Flyers have nothing to play for. The Rangers have everything to play for. Seems like the Rangers should be able to avoid getting bogged down in what's sure to be a fiery start to tomorrow's game at the Wachovia Center -- at the very least, Colton Orr will be greeted harshly for knocking out Todd Fedoruk the last time these two teams played -- and by fiery, I mean a game in which the Flyers will run around trying to hit anything that moves.

Brad Isbister is back in the lineup to take some of the punishment and take heat off linemates Jaromir Jagr and Michael Nylander. Jed Ortmeyer might be out after injuring his knee on Tuesday; if he is, the rest of the lines might look the way they did today: Petr Prucha-Matt Cullen-Brendan Shanahan, Sean Avery-Marty Straka-Ryan Callahan and Orr-Blair Betts-Ryan Hollweg.

The Flyers will surely start out by trying to goad every Ranger, but Orr, Avery and Hollweg in particular, into fights and the silly stuff. The magnitude of the game should be enough to hold them in check.

"It's a huge game for us. It's all about two points," Orr said -- he couldn't even be goaded into a juicy comment. "That's all we're thinking about."

"We've got to play like our lives are on the line," Avery said. "We don't have a choice."

Tom Renney was asked if Orr needs to be in the lineup to keep the Flyers from running around. "Colton's a must no matter who we're playing," Renney said. "He's an influential player for us now."

Fedor Tytuin didn't quite mix it up with a lot of body contact today, so he's definitely out tomorrow. Sunday against the Leafs "is a possibility, not a probability," Renney said.

Marcel Hossa took his first spin on the ice today, a small step on his road back after missing the last 11 games. He said he'll take an extended skate tomorrow while the team is in Philly.

OK, Steve has had his little break now. Back to your regularly programmed schedule.

This report comes to you courtesy of my predecessor, Arthur Staple, guys and girls, pinch-hitting today and tomorrah. A round of applause please....and make sure you hop over to his snazzy, must-read Giants blog after this, OK?

Coach Tom Renney had Brad Isbister back with Jaromir Jagr and Michael Nylander today for practice, and dropped Marty Straka down to the second line with Sean Avery and Brendan Shanahan. Ryan Callahan, who had been a second-liner, skated in Jed Ortmeyer's spot with Petr Prucha and Matt Cullen -- Ortmeyer missed practice and is day-to-day with a knee injury from the Montreal game.

It's not the usual Ranger knee injury, though. This was just precautionary.

Renney said he talked with Straka, whose assist on Tuesday in Montreal was his first point in 13 games. "I did sense (some frustration), but our conversation left me at ease," Renney said. The coach added that the lines have been shuffled enough of late so that either today's combinations or the ones that started Tuesday's game could be used Saturday in Philly.

Fedor Tyutin (sprained MCL) participated in the first half of practice and Renney said Tyutin would try a full practice tomorrow. "I'm reluctant to try for Saturday," Renney said of Tyutin. "Maybe (Sunday against the Leafs)." Tyutin has missed 12 straight games.

Banging around in the basement the other day, opening windows to let in the mild breezes (Global warming, bring it on!) and pulled out jazz pianist Phineas Newborn Jr.'s version of the above classic from the record bin.

Nice tune, along with "Tamarind Blues" from another of his 1975-76 trio albums: "Look Out--Phineas is Back!"

Newborn, who died in 1989 at age 57, was compared to Art Tatum in his prime, then was hospitalized and made a comeback in the 70s. Those sides were recorded in LA.

Anyway, I'm off today, keeping appointments and running overdue errands, and Newsday's Arthur Staple is covering practice; if there's news, we'll pass it on.

***
Although the defense will get a boost whenever Fedor Tyutin returns, when I saw Marcel Hossa in the weight room at the training center the other day, the thought struck home again:

The discussion of the Rangers' scattershot offense would be different had he not suffered the MCL. His loss has had a domino effect.

Hossa's discovery of how to use his size to curl from the corner or behind the net, as well as play with Nylander and Jagr, was a revelation. As we know, he scored eight goals between the All-Star break and his knee injury.

If Hossa could have continued his roll, the second and third lines would be different, and perhaps achy Marty Straka could have gotten some more rest. He's been out of synch, for sure.

The three-day break before Saturday's tilt with the Flyers, who I suggested would be spoilers in today's editions of Newsday and pounded Carolina last night, should be beneficial because of the back-to-back. Beating Philly and Toronto would just about assure a post-season berth.

Will be watching some games tonight. More thoughts later...

I'm here late because I'm recovering from the news that my 17-year-old daughter had her first fender-bender back home in Westchester on the way to school with a pal.

No injuries, no significant damage. Lucky.

And a lecture about caution is coming, I assure you.

Speaking of caution, the Islanders will provide details about the DiPietro situation at 5 p.m.
The initial diagnosis after his collision with Steve Begin, remember, was "general body soreness"---and I really hope that neither the front office or DP felt the need for him to return to the ice too soon.

Whether it was the pileup with Sean Avery and several Islanders in the crease or the third-period, 27-foot slapper from Jagr that struck DP in the mask on Sunday, something happened to put DP on the shelf for tonight, at least.

If it's my franchise goaltender and I've possibly underestimated a problem already, I absolutely sit him until he's completely ready and has passed all the tests. Which I assume he will, possibly by Friday.

OK, back to the Rangers:

*** Isbister scratched again; same lines. Straka looked like he had some jump in the skate, as did Shanahan. They will both need to contribute tonight and moving forward.

*** Kovalev, Souray and Koivu rested for the Habs, but they will play in what the team considers a must-win, according to the Montreal media, which surrounded Avery and Shanahan in the visitors dressing room.
Avery was on his best behavior, giving credit to the entire team for the turnaround and saying he could "bear down" more offensively. Renney said he likes Avery at center, although I prefer him on the wing.

*** Also, Renney said he believed that Ryan Callahan and Petr Prucha need to have more ice time, especially to counter Montreal's speed. Good idea.

*** If the Rangers win, it will be the first time in the team has won more than 20 road games since 1994, when the eventual champs won 24. That stat courtesy of Kenny Albert, who along with the other broadcasters, was watching from the stands.

*** Another unusual stat. Habs are carrying four goalies: Halak, Huet, Michael Leighton and Aebischer. Leighton and Huet---who might play this weekend, we hear---worked out with coach Roland Melanson prior to the skate, then Huet rotated with the other two.

*** Canadiens and Bruns alumni are playing here for charity March 30 at 7:30 p.m. The lineups are incredible: Lafleur, Bourque, Robinson, Middleton, Richer, but Canadiens seem deeper and faster. Anyway, what's really impressive are the tickets: Top price: $29.50. Lowest: $9.50. That's called: Getting it right.

More from the rink soon...

One of the red-coated bellmen at the Marriott Chateau Champlain, a stone's throw from Bell Centre, often greets me with some remark about the Canadiens.

Not this time. After I clambered out of the cab last night, he grabbed my luggage and was all fired up about how the liberals were whipping up on the ruling Parti Quebecois in yesterday's elections.

Reality check: The NHL took a back seat here yesterday.

Tonight? Another story.

It'll be a privilege to be in attendance at Bell Centre, which will be rocking for a monster game. One of my fondest memories from last season was here, the ceremony to honor Boom Boom Geoffrion---who died suddenly a day before the tribute was staged. Hey, I even look forward to the morning skates here.

A dispatch on that will follow shortly.

But quickly, some responses to posts which apparently arrived while I was out and about dodging raindrops in the old city (including a stop at the bistro Modavie):

*Two points is a lot to ask for against the red-hot-at-home Canadiens, as I wrote in today's editions, especially if the Rangers parade to the penalty box. One point would suffice, and two would knock me out of the skeptic's soapbox from which I moaned much of the season. Either way, some favorable scores in other games tonight couldn't hurt and two points in Philly on Saturday is crucial.

*It could come down to a clutch-save duel bewteen Lundqvist and Bratislava's Jaroslav Halak, who made his NHL debut Feb. 18 and has gone 7-4-0, 2.84, .907 SP with a shutout in 11 games.

*Commish Bettman made headlines up here with his stance on the rush to ban fighting yesterday. A little late, eh? I spoke with him by phone Thursday afternoon about Simon and Orr and my Sunday Newsday column quoted him on that---including his feeling that fights were not the worst thing in the world but that stick attacks certainly were.

*As far as I'm concerned, the Simon-Hollweg incident fallout is stale, it's over. Newsday's Greg Logan has covered this extensively as well. In my opinion, Simon---dazed or not--- should have apologized to Hollweg during his presser in the locker room immediately after the game, before he got all lawyered up. He somehow managed to apologize to his team, though. FYI: Among the first words out of Colton Orr's mouth were "I hope he's OK" after his punch flattened Fedoruk.

*Not sure if these notes from yeserday made the paper or newsday.com today (some internet gremlins this a.m., so...)

Lundqvist will start his 12th straight game tonight...The return of D Fedor Tyutin, out since March 1 with a sprained MCL, has been temporarily delayed by the availability of a knee brace, which was to have arrived a few days ago. "Once he gets the brace, he'll be able to skate on his own without pucks and then moving into the middle of the week when we get back...we'll evaluate where he is," said Renney. "I don't think it's day-to-day at all". Personally, I'm not sure he's back before the final game of the regular season... Karel Rachunek and Marcel Hossa won't be either, and Jason Strudwick isn't eligible for the post-season....The Rangers have not surrendered a first-period goal in ten consecutive games and have led 1-0 in nine....After Perry Pearn and Mike Pelino's team won a four on four, blue-line-in game, goaltender Stephen Valiquette said with a wink, "it's never a bad idea to let coaches score."...In the team's NCAA pool, according to Jed Ortmeyer, a lot of players have Florida and Ohio State; Hollweg has UCLA winning it all and Orr has Georgetown, a pick made with Ortmeyer's assistance.

With a game in hand on the Bolts...

That's what the Rangers fans at the Coliseum were celebrating when Isles goalie Rick DiPietro backhanded Michael Nylander's overtime redirection out of his cage and skated off as the exhausted Blueshirts happily poured onto the ice after a back-to-back road sweep.

Henrik Lundqvist made 74 regal saves in those 24-plus hours and saved the kingdom again.

Newsday has extensive coverage tomorrow, with three writers filing from Uniondale, so make sure you check newsday.com or in print...

Now on to Montreal, carrying 87 points, for the first of the final half-dozen games, with just an optional practice tomorrow morning.

The mission: Cut down to three or four penalties. The Canadiens power play, with Souray bombing from the point, can be deadly. You can be sure the coaching staff will stress this after today.

Assignment No. 2: Score some power play goals. The PK can't be near-perfect forever. Nor can Henrik.
Apparently young Mr. Halak will be in the net for Montreal.

The Rangers should pepper him with shots from everywhere, first man on the rush shoots, make him move, handle the puck and react to rebounds. Drive the net. Maybe Isbister should play in this one, at least for his work down low. His hands have failed him so far, but he's waaaay overdue for a goal isn't he?

Prediction: Montreal is playing desperate hockey and the crowd will be roaring at Bell Centre. Rangers will need three goals to win up there.

I'll be back here after the optional with an update before boarding my very favorite airline.
With a little luck, maybe I can be in the cobblestone streets of the old city for a late dinner...

Probably just jinxed it. Mon dieu!

There's a rogue bird flying around the jerseys hanging from the rafters here, not sure if that's an omen or not.
When a bird flies down a chimney in a home, it's supposed to be bad luck.

Of course, this guy simply may have made the wrong turn at Hofstra and really wants to get out.

Prettty quiet so far around here. (As you can tell)

No meeting between former combatants SImon and Hollweg....no definitive word on whether Isbister will return to the Rangers lineup after being scratched yesterday.

With both teams winning matinees yesterday, there shouldn't be an edge in who's fresher.

More later...

Where this morning, I watched the dog walkers in the park from a window at the Long Wharf Marriott while transcribing an interview with Commish Bettman that will run in tomorrow's paper...

Please don't connect any dots on that one.

It is chillier here in the lower-level pressroom than in the arena itself; bellman at the hotel said 1-2 inches of snow might fall later tonight. I plan to be on the 7:30 shuttle, though

Dined superbly with friends last night at Pho Republique, a funky PanAsian place in the South end. Recommended if you're here for a Red Sox game or something this summer.

No changes for the Rangers this afternoon.

The Bruins brought up D Mark Stuart, 22, and Czech RW Petr Kalus, 19, from Providence. I expect the B's to come out hard to try to snap a three-game losing streak.

WIll be scoreboard-watching Isles-Philly from the press box/laptop.

More later....

Martin Straka, who suffered a hyper-extended right knee last Saturday against the Bruins, has recovered enough to play tomorrow in Boston. He skated today with former linemates Jaromir Jagr and Michael Nylander, and coach Tom Renney said Brad Isbister will likely be a healthy scratch for the matinee.

Also, it appears that Kevin Weekes (quad) is not totally ready to return and Stephen Vaiquette will continue to back up Henrik Lundqvist for the two weekend games, coach Tom Renney said. All three goaltenders practiced.

The other lines remain the same;

Shanahan-Avery-Callahan
Ortmeyer-Cullen-Prucha
Hollweg-Betts-Orr

Some quotes and more later....

....after today's skate in Westchester, from which I'll report later.

No breaks for Rangers from out-of-town games last night, as the B's allowed four third-period goals to Montreal.

Chris Simon said yesterday---read Greg Logan's story here at newsday.com and in the paper---that he will reach out to Ryan Hollweg by phone or in person in the next day or so. From talking to Hollweg, that horse has already left the barn, but I'm sure he'll accept the apology without rancor....

The AP is reporting that Mike Richter won't run for Congress in Connecticut this year, probably a wise move. May as well finish his Yale sojourn.

Kevin Weekes (quad) told me on Monday that he was ready to resume his role as backup and it appears Stephen Valiquette has been returned to Hartford. Vally's major on-ice contribution was his play in the 3-2 shootout win over St. Louis after allowing a goal on the first shot of the game. The Rangers have really turned it around since that win.

More later...

The Orr-Fedoruk bout is making headlines; let's put in it context:

Todd Fedoruk, Ben Eager, Alexandre Picard and Joni Pitkanen and other Flyers repeatedly headhunted the Rangers on Feb. 17 without Colton Orr in the lineup.

The inconsistent NHL referees often seem more willing to call phantom holding and hooking penalties than the cheap shots than can lead to serious injuries.

So what is a team to do?

Answer: Protect its players if the officials are unwilling.

Don't tell me the Flyers weren't expecting some kind of reaction after Feb. 17. Check the scoresheet.
Thirteen Flyers penalties.

So Orr dresses, starts last night's game---as he did vs. the Pens---and if any Flyer acts up, he's ready.

Fedoruk is sent out eight seconds into the game; Orr challenges him and they go. No stick to the throat a la Chris Simon.

As Orr said afterward, Fedoruk could easily have caught him with a knockout punch. Orr immediately said he hoped Fedoruk was OK.

The message sent here wasn't to fans or the media or to hockey critics, it was to players such as Jagr and Nylander and Straka and Cullen and Prucha and Betts and even Henrik Lundqvist, guys who play hard and clean and shouldn't be exposed to cowardly cheap shots. Hell, Avery's not a giant either.

It said: Don't be afraid to play your game. We've got your back. They won't cheap-shot or push us around.

Sure, I had a queasy stomach when Fedoruk was twitching on the ice. You had to wonder if he would be able to recover, to play again. But I felt better when he began talking and trying to refuse the stretcher. It's terrific that he's recovering from the KO.

But Orr's willingness to stand up for and protect his teammates---who didn't forget Feb. 17 and a lot of other games this season---may well prevent some headhunting or spearing or low-life sucker punches down the road.

On the first day of spring, a little Latin from my academic days...

Loosely translated---and fine, I admit I was pretty loose in my Catholic schooling years--- "Knowledge is the light of the mind."

So here's some knowledge for ya:

Marty Straka (knee) is better but definitely out tonight.

Ryan Hollweg (bruised sternum from a collision with Brooks Orpik of the Pens) skated, is better, and in.

Nigel Dawes, here in case Hollweg couldn't go, skated in the optional practice, but packed his bag and was returning to Hartford as I write this. "Yeah, it's like commuting," said Dawes, who was briefly up last week before being sent back. "I understand it because you're only allowed four moves and we're in the playoff hunt just like up here. I hope to get back soon, though."

Jagr, Nylander, Cullen, Avery, Malik and Lundqvist rested. All will play tonight, said coach Tom Renney.

Unrelated note: The Penguins---in the area to face the Islanders tomorrow night---were supposed to practice here this morning but were re-directed to Rye, where the Rangers used to skate. Ah well, with a little extra time---7:30 start tonight at MSG---had hoped to hang and chat with Sid the Kid and Jordan Staal and file something here, but that went by the boards...

This might perk you up more than your morning caffeine.

The Flyers are hurting.

In last night's 4-1 loss to Florida, Mike Richards left in the third with a separated left shoulder and is expected to be out up to 10 days. D Denis Gauthier hurt his wrist. Simon Gagne (groin) and Scottie Upshall (shoulder) didn't play and are doubtful for tonight. G Martin Biron is 4-4-1 in last nine.

And just FYI, Aaron Ward is still casting his shadow on the Rangers, whose fans were rooting for the B's to beat the Canadiens last night.

But, according to the game reports...

"Mike Komisarek sent a two-line pass that was tipped to Latendresse at the Boston line. He put a deke on Aaron Ward and went in alone to score. "That mistake was a killer," said Ward. "I got surprised by the pass, but it's unacceptable to have a guy walk in like that."

"But it was a good play on his part."

The final: Montreal 1, B's 0....

Avery was playing center in practice.

But Jagr and Hollweg weren't on the ice and Straka wore the yellow non-contact jersey

So, tomorrow's lineup might be:

Isbister-Nylander-Jagr---The JIN line
Callahan-Avery-Shanny---The Irish or "Green" Line
Prucha-Cullen-Ortmeyer---The COP Line
Hollweg-Betts-Orr---The HBO Line

Pock-Rozsival
Malik-Girardi
Mara-Strudwick

Not unexpected.

With Brendan Shanahan coming back and D Jason Strudwick here, the two youngsters have been reassigned.

Shanahan, as mentioned, says he'll play tomorrow in Philadelphia, where the news is that both Simon Gagne and Scottie Upshall are injured and won't dress.

Both Gagne and Upshall scored in that 5-3 Flyers win on Feb. 17, which was notable not only for the Shanahan injury, but the cheap and rough shots that some Flyers (Fedoruk, Eager, Richards, Picard) laid on Rangers starting soon after the puck dropped.

So Colton Orr, who did not dress that game, surely will tomorrow.

After that game, Garden chairman James Dolan apparently blew a gasket and lambasted both GM Glen Sather and coach Tom Renney for not dressing Orr, according to two persons familiar with the issue. "He said, 'What the bleep is going on here?'' according to one person who asked not to be identified.

Since then, Orr has played in all 15 games.

On the injury front, Martin Straka said an MRI showed no tears in his right knee, but won't play tomorrow against the Flyers. He said he is aiming for Saturday's game in Boston.

Fedor Tyutin, out since March 1 with a left MCL sprain, told me after practice that he would begin skating later this week and hopes to be back the week after.

Renney said he will ride Lundqvist---the team MVP, in my opinion---until the goaltender asks for a break. Lundqvist feels fine, so unless something unfortunate happens, expect to see him in the next three games (Philadelphia, Boston, Islanders), at least.

More later...

After missing 15 games from a concussion suffered against the Flyers, Rangers winger Brendan Shanahan said after practice today that he would return against Philadelphia tomorrow night at Madison Square Garden.

"I can't do any more than I've done in practice," said Shanahan. "I've got the approval of the coaches and medical staff and I'm ready to go. I won't play the role I had when I left the lineup, at least not immediately."

On Feb. 17, he and Mike Kruble accidentally crashed into each other in a collision that left unconscious for several moments and Knuble with broken facial bones. As Shanahan was wheeled off on a stretcher, fans chanted, "Shanny, Shanny".

This morning, Shanahan said: "That's what woke me up, that's what brought me out of it. So I'm excited to be coming back at home. It'll be right up there with one of the more emotional nights of my career,"

Here's Ryan Hollweg's reaction to the Nassau County DA's decision to not criminally prosecute Chris Simon:

"I think a lot of it was based on the interview they had with me and how I felt about the situation....so it's over now and done with and time to move forward. No ones's hurt and we can all move on."

"It's my opinion and that's how I wanted to deal with it. There's certain things you can't do on the ice. There's a line that's drawn and people can cross that line, but in my case, I didn't want to press charges."

"My attorneys told me. "they want to feel you out, you really don't know which way it's gonna go, but what you say will have a part in what they decide." So I'm pretty sure that what I had to say helped them make their decision."

Asked if law enforcement should get involved in sports, Hollweg said: "They should be involved to a certain extent, it really all depends on the victim, at the end of the day, and what they want to do, so it's a hard question to answer, everybody has their own opinion. So in my case, my opinion, I didn't want to go forward with anything, I just wanted to focus on making the playoffs."

Hollweg, 23, said the pain in his jaw and neck from the blow had subsided, but that he still had not heard from Simon.

After a review, the Nassau County DA's office won't file assault charges against Chris Simon. Ryan Hollweg, interviewed by the DA's attorneys last Thursday, said he personally wouldn't seek charges against Simon, who swung his stick and struck Hollweg in the jaw at the Coliseum.
More later...

Defenseman Jason Strudwick, who was signed Saturday, has cleared waivers and is expected to play tonight against the Penguins. Strudwick, who played for HC Lugano in Switzerland this season, practiced with Paul Mara. "My inclination is to play him", said coach Tom Renney.

Brendan Shanahan skated but will not play tonight, possibly Wednesday.

Martin Straka was undergoing an MRI and will not play either, although Renney said he was hopeful that no serious damage was done to his right knee, which appeared to be hyperextended after he caught a Bruins' skate and fell on Saturday.

Brandon Dubinsky will replace Straka tonight. Dubinsky centered Prucha and Ortmeyer in practice.

The rest of the lines:

Isbister-Nylander-Shanny (although Jagr will step in here)
Avery-Cullen-Callahan
Hollweg-Betts-Orr

More from Strudwick, Renney and the skate later...

Again, the previous was a lark, a flight of fancy, a best-case scenario, a pinata for you folks to swat.

If I were a wagering man, I would've sprinked in another loss or two; 88-90 going into the final tilt in the Burgh.

Given that the Rangers are 5-1-3 in the last nine, 5-3-2 for 91 is realistic, though.

Not only the title of the lovely 1921 violin/orchestral romance by Vaughn Williams, but appropos of the Rangers.

Three points out of sixth with 10 to play?
Callahan arriving and Shanny coming back?
Henrik peaking?
Strudwick in the wings?

A lark, to be sure.

A flight of fancy.

Purely for speculative purposes only---who can tell what injury lurks---let's take a stab at the Big 10.
Pittsburgh tomorrah: Da Pens coming off a back-to-back. A point, 80.
Philly. Shanny back, everybody pumped. A deuce. 82
In Boston after two days off. Does Henrik get a break here with Valiquette or Weekes in the net? One more. 83
The Island. With a rested Henrik, a win. 85
Montreal up north. Last stand for bleu, blanc et rouge or have they thrown in the chapeau? Tough call. A loss.
Three days off and then Philly. A win. 87
April Fool's Day, Leafs at MSG. Huge. A win. 89
Isles again. A war. A point. 90
Montreal visits. A win. 92
The Igloo. Uh-oh. Do the Pens rest some stars? A point?

Fiction?

Your thoughts?

The Rangers have assigned center Brandon Dubinsky to Hartford and are keeping Ryan Callahan, for the moment anyway.

Let's see if I can explain this:

Dubinsky apparently was sent back so as not to use another one of the four callups allowed after the trade deadline.

Ryan Hollweg is dressed and apparently will play, as will Orr and Callahan.

Callahan, who was called up as an emergency forward when Hollweg was stricken with a stomach virus, has now been linked as an emergecy callup to Marcel Hossa

It appears Straka will center Callahan and Avery tonight against the Bruins.

With 12 forwards and six defensemen, the Rangers can now call up another player on an emergency basis if necessary.

D Jason Strudwick was signed to a contract today, but it is unclear whether he was placed on waivers, which is required when a player is signed from a non-NHL league.

Rozsival-Pock starting on D, no Kari Lehtonen in net, one of two Hossas here. a Pascal Dupuis sighting, this is going to be interesting

Uncle Renney's Cabin

I emailed this to your alleged aol.com address as well, not sure it's genuine.
You're certainly allowed to voice your comments on hockey, but calling a guy a cretin (which isn't true) is just immature, unprofessional and a cowardly, uncalled-for slander.
So you're the No. 3 deletion in Blue Notes history.
Congrats.
Listen, I'm here to report on this team and the NHL.
Please don't make me monitor this site like a kindergarten class, OK?
It's a waste of time

The Thrashers didn't skate today (having played last night), and it was an optional for the Rangers.

LW Ryan Hollweg, as mentioned previously hours ago, skated but said he was too weakened from a stomach virus to go tonight. He said he couldn't hold food down for more than two days and didn't really get much sleep. But he hopes to play against the Bruins.

So Ryan Callahan and Colton Orr will, in fact, dress tonight, and my guess is that Callahan will not play tomorrow because he is linked as an emergency callup to Hollweg and would cost the Rangers a move if he stays. But who knows..

Tonight's game will certainly depend on three young defensemen (Girardi, Pock, Liffiton) unused to playing much in the NHL.

"The bottom line is that five skaters will have to manage the situation together, so it shouldn't fall into the hands of any one person," Renney said. "It'll be a great experience for these young guys...The big thing is to keep numbers above the puck, get it deep, try to exert some pressure on them. They did play last night, we'll try to take advantage of that, but we have enough respect for this team that two games in two nights for a team of this quality is not too much for them to handle

Other stuff:

Who says Michael Nylander doesn't shoot enough? He was the first player on the ice this morning, dragging a bucket of pucks, spilled it out between the circles and began wristing them into the empty cage. Of course, a cynic might say there was no one to pass to....Avery was eventually out next and he joined Nylander...Perry Pearn and Mike Pelino ran the optional; Renney watched in street clothes from the stands but spoke with the media later. Nothing to read into there....Glad I didn't ask Petr Prucha for advice on my NCAA basketball pool, two players told me Prucha had Davidson to win the whole enchilada...If the weather remains terrible in New York tonight, the Rangers may not fly back until the morning

A blast from the past...

Defenseman Jason Strudwick, who played with the team last season before leaving via free agency for Switzerland, skated with the team today and could be signed for the remainder of the season if he clears some legal hurdles.

Strudwick, who scored the Rangers first goal against Philadelphia last season, is under contract with H C Lugano, his Swiss team, until April 1, but his season is over because the team was knocked out of the playoffs.

The Rangers are trying to untangle the contract situation with the team and the IHF to sign Strudwick, who was already back in the U.S. and said his agent received a call from GM Glen Sather yesterday.

If that can be accomplished, Strudwick---who played 44 games overseas and said he was in good shape---must still clear waivers, so he won't be able tp play either tonight or tomorrow against the Bruins. And if he is signed, I'm told, he would not be eligible for the playoffs because he was not on the protected roster at the NHL trade deadline.

No matter. The Rangers could use him, with three youngsters---David Liffiton, Thomas Pock and Dan Girardi---pressed into service and Paul Mara's shoulder still aching. Marek Malik, who is sore, did not attend the optional practice, but will play tonight.

Strudwick, 3-4-7 in 65 games here last season, had played the prior six seasons with Chicago and Vancouver. He wore No. 34 in the morning skate and said the "atmosphere was a lot different...it kinda feels like the finals."

Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg, who was felled by a stick swung at his head by the Islanders' Chris Simon, said today that he told Nassau County prosecutors that he wouldn't press charges against Simon for the incident at the Coliseum a week ago.

Hollweg, who briefly lost his hearing and received a gash on the jaw in the attack, said that he and two team attorneys met for about 30 minutes with two attorneys from the District Attorney's office on Thursday at the Rangers training center in Westchester.

"They asked me if I wanted to, but I told them I didn't want to press charges," Hollweg said after the Rangers' morning skate in Atlanta. "I'm not happy about what he did, but I want to focus on making the playoffs. I just want to move on."

Asked if he thought his reluctance to press charges against Simon, who was suspended for 25 games by the NHL, would deter the county from doing so, Hollweg said, "That's not for me to say." Rangers head athletic trainer Jim Ramsay also met with DA representatives on Thursday, a team spokesman confirmed today..

Hollweg, 24, played two games after the blow by Simon, which made headlines across North America, but has not practiced for two days because of a stomach flu and won't play tonight against the Thrashers.

Ryan Callahan, called up from Hartford because of Hollweg's condition, will dress tonight.