The Cutest Rangers Fan Ever, Strikes Again...

Prepare for cuteness.

Engage cuteness...

'Go Rangers!'

Thanks again to JoAnn C for raising little Sydney right!

SwoonD

After having an uber girly discussion with @runningnheels09 on twitter, I realized something.  I find myself 'attracted' to a certain type of player. Defensemen. This is not correlated to my favourite players, or who I think is a good scorer, playmaker, etc...


There are certain defensemen who are more swoon-worthy than others.  Some do not deserve to be swooned at, and some make me fall off my chair swooning away.  I'm not quite sure what it is, but its something.  I find myself in awe of blocked shots and solid checks behind the net.  Maybe it's Stuart's almost-ever-present battle wounds, or the gosh-awful black eye that Bickel sustained? Or #JML's curly locks of blonde?  I don't really know, but I'm also not one to argue with my brain.


Here is a look at some defensemen that would make my SwoonD: 12 Months of  Swoon-worthy Defensemen calendar. You know, if I was making a year long calendar of swoon-worthy defensemen. Cause that would just be pure awesome.


Pure. Awesome.


Ladies, hold onto your ovaries....



Let's take a look at Mr January, Stu Bickel (NYR)

Mr February, Mark Stuart (WPG)

Mr March, Derek Morris (PHX)

Mr April, Michael Sauer (NYR)

Mr May, Dan Girardi (NYR)

Mr June, Jeff Woywitka (NYR)

Mr July, Mark Streit (NYI)

Mr August, Mike Komisarek (TOR)

Mr September, Shea Weber (NSH)

Mr October, Nicklas Lidstrom (DET)

Mr November, #JML John-Michael Liles

Mr December, Mark Flood (WPG)

Mark Flood (r)

I Was Inspired By A Goalie

September 23^rd, 1992.

I remember that day fondly. It was the day that my love of the game of hockey changed. I was 13 years old, and had just gotten into hockey thanks to some male schoolmates that I tried to impress.  I remember waking up that morning for school and headed into the dining room.  The soft sounds of WALK played from the kitchen radio that my parents played every morning. There was the aroma of Folgers wafting through the kitchen (and now we know the root of my addiction…), and my dad sitting at the dining room table reading Newsday.  As I sat down at the table, I waited not-so-patiently for him to finish, and as he closed the newspaper, I snatched it up.  I did what I had done religiously for the past few weeks. I flipped it over to the back and was greeted by some sports image of sorts.  I flipped through the pages and was caught by the hoopla around a female playing her first NHL game.

I scoffed and probably snorted too.

“A woman playing hockey?” I thought to myself, followed by a classic “Pffffft”. Funny, coming from a girl who had just signed up for her first hockey league to play on an all male team right?

Now, back in the day, we had MSG, ESPN and Newsday. Those were my only sources of hockey information.  No internet access, no Twitter, and no Google.  How the heck did we ever come out of the early 90’s alive?  So I waited.  I was curious.  I wanted to see how she did. After all, she was only playing goalie. I carried on my day as usual that day, came home from school, flipped on ESPN and waited. 

I don’t remember the exact coverage that ESPN had on Rheaume at that time, but I’m sure it was far better than any NHL coverage they currently have today. I believe they did show snippets or something of her one period manning (or womanning) of the pipes.  I was amazed. She showed such poise, such confidence.  After watching a few more minutes of ESPN, I went to bed. The next day was the first day of hockey practice.

As my mom rolled up to the rink in her tiny Mitsubishi sedan, I remember how excited I was. My hands were clenched around the handles of my large equipment bag. I could not wait to get out of the car.  As she stopped, I wasted little time opening the car door and sprinting to the doors.  I opened them and was ushered to a row of folding chairs where I sat and watched as boy upon boy piled in the room.  There were a few girls spread out here and there, but my team was all guys. That scared me.  I was not a confident person. And playing with all guys, many of whom had a significant height advantage on me, was daunting.  But then I thought back to yesterday and sat up a little straighter in my chair.

After we all settled in, there came the million dollar question.

“What position do you play?”

“I… uh…”

Apparently I was equally as suave and good with words then as I am now. “Goalie”, raced thru my mind. It was a natural choice, given that I was on the heftier side. After all, I could literally cover more net, and wouldn’t have to move too much. Win-Win situation right there.  But the thought of galvanized rubber being shot at my face with only some metal caging between me and said puck scared the bejeebus out of me. So I muttered out…

“Right wing” which was followed by a cringe.

I spent many years playing right wing. Ice hockey, roller hockey, dek hockey. It didn’t matter.  I enjoyed it.  I still cringe though, every time a goalie takes a puck to the mask and think to myself that I made the right decision.

So, you’re probably wondering what Manon Rheaume had to do with all of this, especially since I don't play goalie.  Well, I’ll tell you. She made me realize that I too, could play hockey with guys.  Granted, it was no where near the same level.  I remember following her in the papers, and on ESPN, but the coverage was minimal at best.  It wasn’t until we got internet in the late 90’s that I actually began to look her up and learn more about her.  By this time, I had a few seasons of hockey behind me, and I probably wouldn’t have played for so long had it not been for her. She broke the mold in the NHL. And I like mold-breakers.

While she only suited up for 26 games in her career with sub par numbers, she left a mark on many female hockey players of the early 90s, myself included. She made us all aware that you can be a girl and still play hockey. In 2008, she founded the ManonRheaumeFoundation in effort to encourage girls and women to play hockey. She even has a scholarship for girls under 19.  Its great to see the encouragement of girls playing hockey, when it used to be seen as a 'men's only' sport.

The #RichardsMunnEffect Spares No One

Hide yo kids. Hide yo wife. Hide yo fo'wuhds. Hide yo defensemen. The #RichardsMunnEffect is on the loose.  It has no friends. It does not care who is hurt in the process. And in the end, it leaves you feeling rejected. Rich, but rejected.

The Faces of The #RichardsMunnEffect... sure, they look all sweet and innocent... and rabbit like.PhotoCred

As word spread across the Twit-verse that Brad Richards and Olivia Munn (who is the SOLE reason for the Rangers’ early 7 game winning streak) had parted ways (ok, ok, she realized she liked him more as a 'friend'... likely story...), I heard faint cries of joy emanating from almost every female in the metro NY area.

There were also ‘well wishes’ sent Mr Richards’ way via Twitter in hopes that he could pull his game together and find the strength to go on.  “I’ll never let go… I’ll never let… go…” One can only hope that he is not sobbing on his $40,000 leather couch curled up in a fox fur trimmed pink snuggie consoling himself with a big bowl of baby carrots. Oh, Olivia’s naked PETA Anti-Fur ad comes out tomorrow. And now she’s single. The irony.

Photo Credit

Unleash The #RichardsMunnEffect.

Then, The #RichardsMunnEffect took hold of it’s first victim.  Brandon “Baby Face” “Dubi” Dubinsky.  Yes folks, it got Dubi. Dubi was no where to be seen at practice. Knowing he had gotten an owie in the last game, thanks to a generous shoving to the boards courtesy of the ‘Yotes’ Taylor Pyatt, I did what any rational human being could do. I came to the conclusion that he was out of practice due to The #RichardsMunnEffect.  Somewhere in Gotham, Dubi is sitting on a ledge contemplating how to end the vicious cycle of The #RichardsMunnEffect. Or how to improve his scoring. Either way, it could end ugly.

But The #RichardsMunnEffect did not stop there. No. It sent Erik Christensen and his bubbly personality packing for a 2 week conditioning stint with Puckey the Whale.  Not based on how the team was playing, or that there was great chemistry in the current lines, or that frankly, EC has yet to put together a solid effective game.  He was sent down solely because of the #RichardsMunnEffect.

The #RichardsMunnEffect is a cruel heartless bitch.

 It also golfs in wedge sandals and mini-skorts. Photo Credit

Now that the Rangers’ good luck charm is gone, the Rangers will sink into a downward spiral to last place in the league. Thanks Olivia Munn, you must be the Rapture that everyone spoke about.

I’ve come to the well-caffeinated conclusion, that the only person who could stop the #RichardsMunnEffect is Sean Avery. Sean Avery, dubbed the Rangers Fashionista Negotiator, would not only talk Dubi off the ledge, but make sure he was dressed to the nines, just in case.  He does, however, request unlimited refills of Tropicana’s finest pulp-free orange juice.

In all seriousness, in case you couldn’t tell that was sarcasm above, The #RichardsMunnEffect is fake, and Olivia Munn is NOT the aforementioned Rapture.  One could hope that Richards has experienced rejection before (heck, he played for the Stars) and can bounce back quite quickly. I don’t think he’ll have any issues in the lady department. I highly doubt that his performance in the next few games will be horrid or atrocious. 

Sleep safe tonight kids, knowing The #RichardsMunnEffect is fake and the rest of the Rangers are safe.

Or so I think.



I'd like to give a big 'thank you' to @jenconnic for the inspiration and absolutely hysterical twitter conversation.

It's Not The End Of The World, Folks...

In case you live under a rock or something, you may not have heard that Olivia Munn and Brad Richards have parted ways.

People are now worried Richards will slide into a tailspin of not producing on the ice. That he will become a useless player, destined to be reunited with his good buddy Avery on the bench in Hartford.

Seriously people, Olivia Munn had about as much to do with the Rangers as I do.

Moving on...

Where There Is A Will, There Is A Way...

And the Rangers have found that way.  They sit on top of the NHL with 58 points for a reason. They’ve earned it with perseverance, grit, determination and skill.  They find ways to win, even when wins seem impossible. They are making things happen.  Great things.

The Rangers have become a balanced team, balancing youth and veteranism.  They've been able to score at invaluable opportunities (think Richards' goal with 0.1seconds left in the game in Phoenix), come up with big saves (Lundqvist. Lundqvist. Lundqvist.), and play a disciplined game.

The Rangers have emerged as an elite team. They've proven that they can play against the top teams, the top goalies and the top scorers. They've proven that they are a team to be contended with.

This has shaped up to be an amazing season so far for not only the players, but for the fans as well.

I know I am looking forward to a great second half!

Found here via GoogleImages

Cutest Rangers Fan. Ever.

And no, I don't mean myself...

This photo comes from my great friend, JoAnn C., from Long Island.

Decked out in a precious little Rangers jersey, Sydney cheered on the Rangers as they played the 'Yotes. Apparently, Sydney in Rangers' Blue is good luck, as the Rangers pulled out a shootout win.

Sydney protecting the crease, making saves that would make Lundqvist proud!

Let's Keep It Classy People...

By now, almost every hockey fan has heard about the utterly disgusting events that took place after the Winter Classic.

I don't believe that this was a 'Philly' thing versus a 'NY' thing... it has to do with being a decent and moral human being.  Not everyone in Philly is an ass, not everyone who is an ass lives in Philly. No one deserves to be hit like that, regardless of what they may or may not have done to provoke anything. It takes a bigger man to step away.

Per the Rangers twitter account:

Big props to all the bloggers & reporters who made this circulate quickly throughout the twitter world and the hockey world. @TheNYRBlog @PuckCentral @KatieStrangESPN @NYRNation

Mike Rupp Has Moves Like Jagr

Jagr-esque salute after Mike Rupp's first goal of the game.

What A Game! Wrapping up the Winter Classic

This is why I LOVE being a hockey fan.

Photo Courtesy of Blueshirts United

Minutes into the game, watching from the comfort and warmth of my house, I still feel the energy and excitement.  The audio work done my NBC is superb, as it allows us to hear every “Rangers Suck!” and “F The Flyers!” chants that erupt from the crowd. You can hear the skates on the ice, the puck hitting the blades of the sticks, the thud of the puck hitting the goalie pads, and the wind whipping thru Carl Hagelin’s hair.  I kind of equate it to the feeling you get when you watch Olympic hockey.  It comes around every 4 years and the sweet sounds of Doc Emerick calling a game brings me fond memories of listening to the Olympic games.  Granted, Doc usually calls players the wrong name, its still awesome to hear.  I was lost amidst the sights and sounds of the game, watching from the comforts of my home was pretty awesome.  You get to see the rink from all areas, thanks to NBC's stellar camera work.  While nothing matches the excitement of seeing the game in person, this was probably a close second.

Prior to the game, Ilya Bryzgalov and Marc Staal were breaking news... Bryzgalov was not suiting up as the Flyers starting goalie, and Staal would be making his much awaited return to the NYR lineup. Bryzgalov looked quite comfy on the Flyers bench, although I did not see his thermos he promised to bring.  Staal looked slow at times, getting skated around a few times while defending the Rangers Zone, but that is almost expected.  I will admit, every time he was on the ice I did cringe.  Knowing the Rangers/Flyers games are usually hard hitting, gritty games, I half expected him to get drilled to the boards at one time.  But thankfully, he left the game intact.

Lundqvist and Bobrovsky traded stellar glove saves.  Gaborik and company fired shots on net.  Mike Rupp proved that he was more relevant than Jody Shelley by scoring not once, but twice.  Brad Richards sealed the game with the Rangers' third goal. Well, actually Lundqvist sealed the game...  With 19.6 seconds left in the game, there was a shot that got past Lundqvist, and McDonaugh quickly gloved the puck.  Instead of batting it away, he 'closed' (I'll use that loosely since no replays really show this, but NBC announcers assumed thats what the call was) his glove on the puck.  Penalty shot Flyers.  It was Danny Briere against Lundqvist.  Lundqvist proved why he is called King Henrik.  With a solid save, he kept the Rangers lead.

Even with the crappy ice, dozens of uncalled penalties, and periods of sloppy play, this Winter Classic was amazing to watch and really ignited many fans love for the game.  This weeks last episode of 24/7 should be amazing to watch.

Staal Makes His Return

The Rangers announced that Marc Staal will be making his return from his concussion in the Winter Classic today.

When this was announced, part of me was about as joyous as a two year old playing with wrapping paper, but another part of me cringed just a little.  While I fully trust the NYR medical staff and their decisions, we all know that the Flyers will come out hitting. HARD. Since they lost the last game against the Rangers, you know they'll be playing with a vengeance.

Courtesy of Blueshirts United.  View the full gallery here.

#playitsafekids

You Smell That?

The cool crisp air. The sun gleaming off the ice.

Yes kids, we are hours away from the Winter Classic.

I'll be viewing from home, but many fans have been fortunate enough to score tickets.  If anyone is at the game, feel free to tweet me your photos!

Captain Cally (courtesy of Blueshirts United)

Let's Go Rangers!!!!!!!!

The Year of Twenty-Dozen

With the new year just hours old, it has already given me more ideas and news that I can shake a stick at.  Over the next coming days there will be a few announcements and changes to this site. So please bear with me as some changes are made...

and as always, Let's Go Rangers!