Jan Levine: Game 17: PIT 3 NYR 2, S/O, Rangers Win, Then Lose Game, Subplots Galore One regular season game generates several conversations

- stevens87

Still bitter over the playoff loss last spring, huh?

The guy never had a clean breakaway... Scuderi had at least a step from the blue line all the way to face off circle.

Still bitter over the playoff loss last spring, huh?
- gkmkiller

No, I got over it. The Pens are still four and one against you guys in the playoffs all time and don't need 54 years to win a championship, but man the you guys are doing is absolutely priceless! Keep it up.

Quick thoughts on Hayes: Not real worried on his faceoff struggles. Crosby was not very good in that area early in his career but worked hard to improve. Hayes can do the same. I see a kid who works in all three zones and shows plenty of hockey sense. I believe in his potential. You can't teach 6'5" 225 and with that size he can match up physically with the bigger pivots in the league like Malkin, Anze Kopitar, Ryan Getzlaf, etc. We needed just that kind of player and Hayes is proving he will be that kind of player.

The only worrisome note is that he struggles to convert on his scoring chances. He has had some tremendous opportunities that he has either flat missed or hesitated or whatever. If he can start burying more of the chances he helps create, look out, he'll be a pretty good center to go with Brassard (who has been damn good most nights this season) and Stepan.

The guy never had a clean breakaway... Scuderi had at least a step from the blue line all the way to face off circle.
- nelson911

Which is why I said, I would love to say a penalty shot should have been called but that would be having my Rangers' blinders on. I agreed with the call, it was the right one.

No, I got over it. The Pens are still four and one against you guys in the playoffs all time and don't need 54 years to win a championship, but man the you guys are doing is absolutely priceless! Keep it up.
- stevens87

Have you seen me cry? Didn't think so. All I saw in terms of crying was Crosby after the first period and early in the second. Berating the officials and slamming his stick into the boards when he doesn't get the calls he thinks he should. I knew then that the refs would put their whistles away for a while and they sure did.

No, I got over it. The Pens are still four and one against you guys in the playoffs all time and don't need 54 years to win a championship, but man the you guys are doing is absolutely priceless! Keep it up.
- stevens87

Where are we constantly bemoaning? The comment about Crosby wasn't solely from this game but more in general. Did anyone say that Pittsburgh did not earn the win or that it was taken away from the Rangers?

Which is why I said, I would love to say a penalty shot should have been called but that would be having my Rangers' blinders on. I agreed with the call, it was the right one.
- airjan23

That was a tough one only because Kreider is so damn fast. It doesn't take much for him to turn nothing into a break. But I didn't have a real gripe there. I just marvel at how often Kreider comes down the wing with a D appearing to be in perfect position only to see Kreider get around the edge. Kid can fly.

Jan, watching with rose coIored gIasses I guess, I cant bIame you. But, to criticize the captain of the team for Ietting the ref know what he thinks is pIain stupid. AII captains are aIIowed to do this. Sid pIays harder and smarter than any pIayer in the Ieague, being the best PIayer in the worId and AII , he goes into every corner for the puck and Iives in front of the net and takes tons of abuse. He doesnt start fights or take cheap shots against other pIayers. He works for everything he gets and can make his opinion known to the ref anytime he gets abused, which is aIot. So Iook at it from his point, he may get pissed every now and then , but at Ieast he doesnt take stupid penaIties and cheap shots because of it. He reaIIy is a good kid.

Jan, watching with rose coIored gIasses I guess, I cant bIame you. But, to criticize the captain of the team for Ietting the ref know what he thinks is pIain stupid. AII captains are aIIowed to do this. Sid pIays harder and smarter than any pIayer in the Ieague, being the best PIayer in the worId and AII , he goes into every corner for the puck and Iives in front of the net and takes tons of abuse. He doesnt start fights or take cheap shots against other pIayers. He works for everything he gets and can make his opinion known to the ref anytime he gets abused, which is aIot. So Iook at it from his point, he may get pissed every now and then , but at Ieast he doesnt take stupid penaIties and cheap shots because of it. He reaIIy is a good kid.
- iluvmineos

I said in the blog, I am a Crosby fan, plus as most who read me here, while I blog and root for the Rangers, I am fair and balanced. But I am pointing out that Crosby seems to get away with more than most captain do. If you read the exchange of Rick Carpinello with Paul Stewart, it's a pretty good indication of how a former ref believes and he too seems to think that Crosby gets away with more than he should, regardless of his status.

There is no doubt he is a super talent and plays hard nightly. However, when he goes over the line, as I thought he did last night, a call should be made. It shouldn't matter who he is or his status in the league or on the ice. Not arguing he takes a world of abuse, but he also can't constantly show up the officials, which he he as tendency to do.

Jan, watching with rose coIored gIasses I guess, I cant bIame you. But, to criticize the captain of the team for Ietting the ref know what he thinks is pIain stupid. AII captains are aIIowed to do this. Sid pIays harder and smarter than any pIayer in the Ieague, being the best PIayer in the worId and AII , he goes into every corner for the puck and Iives in front of the net and takes tons of abuse. He doesnt start fights or take cheap shots against other pIayers. He works for everything he gets and can make his opinion known to the ref anytime he gets abused, which is aIot. So Iook at it from his point, he may get pissed every now and then , but at Ieast he doesnt take stupid penaIties and cheap shots because of it. He reaIIy is a good kid.
- iluvmineos

- stevens87

Sidney, this is the rangers forum. The vagisil FAQ forum can be found at www.yourwussystinks.com. now go away.

Jan, watching with rose coIored gIasses I guess, I cant bIame you. But, to criticize the captain of the team for Ietting the ref know what he thinks is pIain stupid. AII captains are aIIowed to do this. Sid pIays harder and smarter than any pIayer in the Ieague, being the best PIayer in the worId and AII , he goes into every corner for the puck and Iives in front of the net and takes tons of abuse. He doesnt start fights or take cheap shots against other pIayers. He works for everything he gets and can make his opinion known to the ref anytime he gets abused, which is aIot. So Iook at it from his point, he may get pissed every now and then , but at Ieast he doesnt take stupid penaIties and cheap shots because of it. He reaIIy is a good kid.
- iluvmineos

Crosby is the only player, let alone captain, in the NHL who I've seen scream at the ref during play and slam his stick into the glass. Most players will go and have a conversation with the ref after the play and not show them up. Really not that hard to do.

Sidney, this is the rangers forum. The vagisil FAQ forum can be found at www.yourwussystinks.com. now go away.
- mjh609

Jan, watching with rose coIored gIasses I guess, I cant bIame you. But, to criticize the captain of the team for Ietting the ref know what he thinks is pIain stupid. AII captains are aIIowed to do this. Sid pIays harder and smarter than any pIayer in the Ieague, being the best PIayer in the worId and AII , he goes into every corner for the puck and Iives in front of the net and takes tons of abuse. He doesnt start fights or take cheap shots against other pIayers. He works for everything he gets and can make his opinion known to the ref anytime he gets abused, which is aIot. So Iook at it from his point, he may get pissed every now and then , but at Ieast he doesnt take stupid penaIties and cheap shots because of it. He reaIIy is a good kid.
- iluvmineos

I need explanation on all the replacements of the letter "l" by "I".
I often mix up 0 and o while typing but that is super weird to me.

Jan, watching with rose coIored gIasses I guess, I cant bIame you. But, to criticize the captain of the team for Ietting the ref know what he thinks is pIain stupid. AII captains are aIIowed to do this. Sid pIays harder and smarter than any pIayer in the Ieague, being the best PIayer in the worId and AII , he goes into every corner for the puck and Iives in front of the net and takes tons of abuse. He doesnt start fights or take cheap shots against other pIayers. He works for everything he gets and can make his opinion known to the ref anytime he gets abused, which is aIot. So Iook at it from his point, he may get pissed every now and then , but at Ieast he doesnt take stupid penaIties and cheap shots because of it. He reaIIy is a good kid.
- iluvmineos

How can you post this and then say Jan watches with rose colored glasses? lol

Jan, watching with rose coIored gIasses I guess, I cant bIame you. But, to criticize the captain of the team for Ietting the ref know what he thinks is pIain stupid. AII captains are aIIowed to do this. Sid pIays harder and smarter than any pIayer in the Ieague, being the best PIayer in the worId and AII , he goes into every corner for the puck and Iives in front of the net and takes tons of abuse. He doesnt start fights or take cheap shots against other pIayers. He works for everything he gets and can make his opinion known to the ref anytime he gets abused, which is aIot. So Iook at it from his point, he may get pissed every now and then , but at Ieast he doesnt take stupid penaIties and cheap shots because of it. He reaIIy is a good kid.
- iluvmineos

Crosby deserved a 2 MINIMUM, and probably a 10. Don't be that fan.

As for the spear, eh, calls get missed all the time. Watching there were 3-4 calls that could have been made against each team.

Weird ending in the shoot out, both teams ignored the horn to stay in the benches. Refs/linesmen should have made sure both teams knew a review was going on.

Entertaining game to watch.

Quick thoughts on Hayes: Not real worried on his faceoff struggles. Crosby was not very good in that area early in his career but worked hard to improve. Hayes can do the same. I see a kid who works in all three zones and shows plenty of hockey sense. I believe in his potential. You can't teach 6'5" 225 and with that size he can match up physically with the bigger pivots in the league like Malkin, Anze Kopitar, Ryan Getzlaf, etc. We needed just that kind of player and Hayes is proving he will be that kind of player.

The only worrisome note is that he struggles to convert on his scoring chances. He has had some tremendous opportunities that he has either flat missed or hesitated or whatever. If he can start burying more of the chances he helps create, look out, he'll be a pretty good center to go with Brassard (who has been damn good most nights this season) and Stepan.
- gkmkiller

I thought Hayes was overrated when he went into free agency this summer and had everyone drooling. But he has looked alright so far in the bit that I have watch the Ranger versus teams that I pay attention to (Oilers, Penguins).

Converting on his scoring chances will come. Leon Draistl is having the same problem with the Oilers. Making the jump from college or Jr to the NHL not only alters the players but the goalies upgrade too.

Where are we constantly bemoaning? The comment about Crosby wasn't solely from this game but more in general. Did anyone say that Pittsburgh did not earn the win or that it was taken away from the Rangers?
- airjan23

Great work Jan, of course the only fans in the league that don't see the crying are Pens fans, last night was above and beyond Crosby's threshold, I'd be crying too if a team shuts you down every game, his wrist must still be bothering him

How can you post this and then say Jan watches with rose colored glasses? lol
- TPC

Because he read it with his gold reading glasses on, I love that they are pointing to our complaints as crying, nothing to cry about, it's game 16 and we took 3 of 4 points from the poster boys this week

Great work Jan, of course the only fans in the league that don't see the crying are Pens fans, last night was above and beyond Crosby's threshold, I'd be crying too if a team shuts you down every game, his wrist must still be bothering him
- HankdaTank

A lot of us see it and a lot of us hate it. You gotta take the good with the bad sometimes (Mario's dives) and with both guys, the good far outweighs the bad.

How can you post this and then say Jan watches with rose colored glasses? lol
- TPC

This. Plus I'm an isles fan and I generally like to read Jans blogs. They are pretty fair. You've missed the mark on this with the rose colored glasses bit.

There were bad calls both ways and inconsistent calls on the same things (especially compared to our game the night before). You had twice as many powerplays and the refs didn't do us any favours so I'm not sure what the whining is about.