SabreGirl
March 27th, 2006, 2:21:39 PM
The Rangers have had a recent bout with bad luck and losses as well, tying them with the Flyers for the division lead. The Flyers have one more win than the Rangers. They are hungry to win and take back the title.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/story/403319p-341617c.html
Ranger season turns for home
2nd place gets travel and Sabres
BY SHERRY ROSS
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Sabres-metrics: Atlantic champ will duck Ryan Miller and Buffalo in first round of playoffs.
What's the big deal about winning the Atlantic Division title? It's not as if the victor gets to go home with any valuable game-show prizes, like a year's supply of Rice-a-Roni.
What is at stake for the Rangers and Flyers, though, is even more of a treat, or will be once April 21 rolls around. The Atlantic winner gets one of the top three seeds in the East - that is to say, third behind Ottawa and Carolina, in the likely order of finish - and home-ice in at least the first round of the playoffs. Whoever finishes second is likely to drop down to fifth, and would start on the road against the fourth-seeded Buffalo Sabres, who just happen to be stopping by the Garden tonight to try to make the Rangers' task more difficult.
The Atlantic winner gets to play the No.6 seed in the opening round, which right now looks to be any one of four teams: Tampa Bay, the Devils, Montreal or Atlanta. Any one of the quartet likely would prove an easier out than the Sabres, despite Buffalo's recent struggles.
The Sabres have lost a season-worst five games in a row, a slump that followed an eight-game winning streak. Coach Lindy Ruff has been absent from the team on several occasions recently to cope with the illness of his 11-year-old daughter Madeline, who underwent surgery Tuesday to remove a brain tumor. According to Ruff's comments after her operation, Madeline is expected to make a full recovery.
The Ruff family's crisis immediately eliminates the use of any life-or-death clichés to describe a mere hockey game. The business of hockey does grind on, however, and "grind" may be just how the road trip over the weekend felt to the Rangers.
On the positive side, the Rangers picked up two points out of their games in Florida and Tampa Bay, but both were shootout losses. In the Lightning game, the Rangers blew a pair of two-goal advantages.
"It's kind of mixed feelings with these shootout losses," said center Steve Rucchin. "We could have played better, but we still gave ourselves a chance to win. At this point of the season, every point is so critical."
"It's tough. It's frustrating," said goalie Henrik Lundqvist, the loser in the 4-3 loss to the Lightning. All three goals against him in regulation were created by deflections, two off of his own teammates. "As a goalie, you always feel responsible."
The Rangers shooters were as much to blame, if not more. They scored only once in six chances in the two shootouts, that by Peter Sykora against Florida.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/story/403319p-341617c.html
Ranger season turns for home
2nd place gets travel and Sabres
BY SHERRY ROSS
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Sabres-metrics: Atlantic champ will duck Ryan Miller and Buffalo in first round of playoffs.
What's the big deal about winning the Atlantic Division title? It's not as if the victor gets to go home with any valuable game-show prizes, like a year's supply of Rice-a-Roni.
What is at stake for the Rangers and Flyers, though, is even more of a treat, or will be once April 21 rolls around. The Atlantic winner gets one of the top three seeds in the East - that is to say, third behind Ottawa and Carolina, in the likely order of finish - and home-ice in at least the first round of the playoffs. Whoever finishes second is likely to drop down to fifth, and would start on the road against the fourth-seeded Buffalo Sabres, who just happen to be stopping by the Garden tonight to try to make the Rangers' task more difficult.
The Atlantic winner gets to play the No.6 seed in the opening round, which right now looks to be any one of four teams: Tampa Bay, the Devils, Montreal or Atlanta. Any one of the quartet likely would prove an easier out than the Sabres, despite Buffalo's recent struggles.
The Sabres have lost a season-worst five games in a row, a slump that followed an eight-game winning streak. Coach Lindy Ruff has been absent from the team on several occasions recently to cope with the illness of his 11-year-old daughter Madeline, who underwent surgery Tuesday to remove a brain tumor. According to Ruff's comments after her operation, Madeline is expected to make a full recovery.
The Ruff family's crisis immediately eliminates the use of any life-or-death clichés to describe a mere hockey game. The business of hockey does grind on, however, and "grind" may be just how the road trip over the weekend felt to the Rangers.
On the positive side, the Rangers picked up two points out of their games in Florida and Tampa Bay, but both were shootout losses. In the Lightning game, the Rangers blew a pair of two-goal advantages.
"It's kind of mixed feelings with these shootout losses," said center Steve Rucchin. "We could have played better, but we still gave ourselves a chance to win. At this point of the season, every point is so critical."
"It's tough. It's frustrating," said goalie Henrik Lundqvist, the loser in the 4-3 loss to the Lightning. All three goals against him in regulation were created by deflections, two off of his own teammates. "As a goalie, you always feel responsible."
The Rangers shooters were as much to blame, if not more. They scored only once in six chances in the two shootouts, that by Peter Sykora against Florida.