Mart vs Henrik-Great goaltending was important but alot of times its the goalmouth scrambles and pucks off of bodies and skates that can turn a game.

Kovalchuk vs Richards- Richards did well fo his first year but Kovalchuk set upmany more key plays.

Henrique(22 yrs old) vs Kreider (21yrs old)-Both were key in big games but Henriques toiling in the minors vs Kreider's college set up Henrique for the big situation.

Salvador vs Girardi-Love Girardi's physical defense but Salvador matched him with key goals.

Gionta vs Callahan-Both played great but edge to Gionta for Game 5.

Clark (from OTT) vs Mitchell (from TOR)-Clark was huge but Mitchell was invisible.

Parise vs Gaborik-Gabby probably single handidly revived the Ranger as a UFA when he signed 3 seasons ago but I think he was unfairly pegged a goat when he's a pure scorer vs Parise who's a pressure player. Rangers probabably heartlessly unload Gabby to create the cash pool to sign Parise.

Deboer vs Tortorella- Torts deserves credit but the high profile Rangers caught all of the season headlines by leading the conference while Deboer and staff quietly crafted the team as the always held a playoff spot and finished only a few points behind the Rangers.

My biggest pain came May 18, 1971 at Chicago Stadium. Watching the Habs skate around the foggy ice with the chalice. After the 'Hawks blew a 2-0 lead, after nearly making it 3-0 but a clank off the pipe, after Lemaire and the infamous fog goal, then 2 more by Richard, including the winner...

I waited 39 years and 22 days for June 9, 2010 --- the amount of time it would take for the 'Hawks to once again be able to win the cup. And I have to say the agony of 1971 was mostly offset by the ecstasy of 2010.

New York Islanders 8-0 all time overtime playoffs vs skirts and Devils.

Flyer boy is still bitter about the 1980 Isles just like Snider who's got more used car goalies lined up front-loaded and ready to go.

Oh and Congrats to the Devils and Kings. Seriously.

Boy, the NHL must be loving what they've created.


- Doogs

Those Ranger ratings have been a sad joke with or without the Devils and the New York market watched baseball. Not like Pens and Wings were a big payoff either for a sport getting a little over one million viewers.

The New York demographics have no interest in hockey, that's why hockey is ignored ever with Cablevision in first place for six months.

Good thing Jeremy Lin even got Ranger games back on television and that team's got one playoff win in a decade.

That's the NY demographic.

My biggest pain came May 18, 1971 at Chicago Stadium. Watching the Habs skate around the foggy ice with the chalice. After the 'Hawks blew a 2-0 lead, after nearly making it 3-0 but a clank off the pipe, after Lemaire and the infamous fog goal, then 2 more by Richard, including the winner...

I waited 39 years and 22 days for June 9, 2010 --- the amount of time it would take for the 'Hawks to once again be able to win the cup. And I have to say the agony of 1971 was mostly offset by the ectasy of 2010.
- blackhawk24

May 18, 1971 was first game I remember watching and haven't sopped since.

I was a big Ranger fan from 71-72 season but Isles were like a local AHL club. I lived 4 miles from Nassau Coliseum and started watching their games when Arbour formed a kid line of Andre St Laurent-Bob Nysrom and Gary Howatt so alot of us got hooked on Isles Hockey. The 78 Toronto series with Tiger Williams and 79 Ranger series with John Davidson was our heartache but I remember trying to get a sclaper ticket in the Coliseum parking lot an hour before gametime for the 1980 Game 6 vs Philly.

Finally got a ticket to the 84 finals Game 1 when Kevin McLelland for Edmonton got only goal in 1-0 loss. Watched Isles on cable win big in Game 2 before they returned to Edmonton and got swept in Games 3,4, and 5. In those days they played the 2-3-2 format, so we were left empty because they never "came home" to "win it" in Game 6 or 7. Our 39 yr wait is on as well.

Those Ranger ratings have been a sad joke with or without the Devils and the New York market watched baseball. Not like Pens and Wings were a big payoff either for a sport getting a little over one million viewers.

The New York demographics have no interest in hockey, that's why hockey is ignored ever with Cablevision in first place for six months.

Good thing Jeremy Lin even got Ranger games back on television and that team's got one playoff win in a decade.

That's the NY demographic.
- NYI

Really, the Rangers ratings were bad? That's surprising and disappointing.

Really, the Rangers ratings were bad? That's surprising and disappointing.
- Zezel

Both the rangers and devils set local records for viewrship in round 2, which was obviously killed in round 3 having both teams from the same market play. But yeah... "bad."

Both the rangers and devils set local records for viewrship in round 2, which was obviously killed in round 3 having both teams from the same market play. But yeah... "bad."
- rmdevil313

Got a link to the "records" set?

Got a link to the "records" set?
- weirdoh

It's hard to imagine a professional sports team with only 893 fans...

Got a link to the "records" set?
- weirdoh

Game 3 between the Flyers and Devils on NBCSN drew 1.66 million viewers, tops for the series on cable, and the second-highest number for a Stanley Cup Playoff game on cable this post-season. The series is now averaging 1.47 million viewers on cable, and 1.81 million viewers counting in NBC’s Game 1 (2.5 million).

Locally, the series continued to set records. In Philadelphia, Game 3 averaged a 13.7 rating, a record for a semifinal game in the market. It was up 11% from Game 2 (12.4) and up 71% from the two-game average for the exclusive Flyers semifinal telecasts in 2011 (8.0).

In New York, the Devils drew a 2.1 local rating. That makes it the highest-rated Devils game ever in the market on NBC Sports Network. It’s also a 64% increase from the New Jersey victory in Game 2 (1.3).

http://puckthemedia.wordp...lueskings-still-mediocre/

Got a link to the "records" set?
- weirdoh

http://puckthemedia.wordp...-sets-record-in-new-york/

http://puckthemedia.wordp...-game-5-down-from-game-3/

Game 3 between the Flyers and Devils on NBCSN drew 1.66 million viewers, tops for the series on cable, and the second-highest number for a Stanley Cup Playoff game on cable this post-season. The series is now averaging 1.47 million viewers on cable, and 1.81 million viewers counting in NBC’s Game 1 (2.5 million).

Locally, the series continued to set records. In Philadelphia, Game 3 averaged a 13.7 rating, a record for a semifinal game in the market. It was up 11% from Game 2 (12.4) and up 71% from the two-game average for the exclusive Flyers semifinal telecasts in 2011 (8.0).

In New York, the Devils drew a 2.1 local rating. That makes it the highest-rated Devils game ever in the market on NBC Sports Network. It’s also a 64% increase from the New Jersey victory in Game 2 (1.3).

http://puckthemedia.wordp...lueskings-still-mediocre/
- _Zippy_

- rmdevil313

Sorry, I beat you.

Sorry, I beat you.
- _Zippy_

Great news. Hopefully this final will shut up all the people talking about it being boring. Not sure why they think that.

Great news. Hopefully this final will shut up all the people talking about it being boring. Not sure why they think that.
- weirdoh

Cause the Flyers and Leafs aren't in it...

My Devil friends you left out all the low or down national ratings.

Also those combined New York numbers of three local fan bases is simply not good.

Rangers/Devils Game 4 Hits Series Low
Game 1 (5/14/12): 1.28 million
Game 2 (5/16/12): 1.34 million
Game 4 (5/21/12): 1.26 million

Saturday’s Rangers-Devils game drew a 1.3 overnight rating, down 13% from last year’s Game 4 between Boston and Tampa Bay. It may have been hurt by the early timeslot, or the fact that there was a huge dip in ratings in the lone local market, New York. Game 3 drew a 4.2 in the Big Apple, well down from the 6.2 for Game 1 on the NBC Sports Network.

Regardless what local team advanced the ratings in baseball city USA were not going to go much higher. Good thing the Yankees did not play the Mets or Red Sox during this time either.

The Yankees knocked hockey off the backpage for game five.

Great news. Hopefully this final will shut up all the people talking about it being boring. Not sure why they think that.
- weirdoh

I will bet the under on the "2 1/2 goals scored" in every game this series.

Cause the Flyers and Leafs aren't in it...
- Flyfreaky

Hasek to the Flyers...

Hasek to the Flyers...
- rmiethaner

I'm pretty sure that I'll never see the Cup return to Philly...Unless Richards and Carter bring it back to show their ho's...

I will bet the under on the "2 1/2 goals scored" in every game this series.
- rmiethaner

thats still more than buffalo can manage

I'm pretty sure that I'll never see the Cup return to Philly...Unless Richards and Carter bring it back to show their ho's...
- Flyfreaky

Giroux and Couturier are the next Richards and Carter...

Giroux and Couturier are the next Richards and Carter...
- rmiethaner

I don't think Couts has enough teeth to get the job done...

thats still more than buffalo can manage
- dmarsden2988

I am actually kind of pulling for NJ to win this. Brodeur deserves a cup without the stigma of the "trap, system, defense" label.

I am actually kind of pulling for NJ to win this. Brodeur deserves a cup without the stigma of the "trap, system, defense" label.
- rmiethaner

I am actually kind of pulling for NJ to win this. Brodeur deserves a cup without the stigma of the "trap, system, defense" label.
- rmiethaner