November 30, 2010, Pittsburgh Penguins-New York Rangers game story for Metro NYC Newspaper

Pens get their revenge, as Sid extends point streak

NEW YORK

29 November 2010 10:19

SCOTT LEVY/GETTY IMAGES

Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves for the Rangers.

Penguins 3, Rangers 1

The Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins 44-year rivalry may have become a blood feud with one act and mouthfuls of words.

The Rangers’ 3-1 loss to the Penguins last night was overshadowed by a disputed first period slew foot incident involving Sidney Crosby, Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky.

Callahan and Crosby were skating through the neutral five minutes into the game when the Penguins center kicked out the Rangers’ right wing’s leg out from under him. Referees Brad Watson and Steve Kozari called Callahan for interference against Crosby five minutes into the first period.

Dubinsky railed against the no-call to MSG Network during a first period intermission interview, saying it was a “dirty” act before taking aim at Crosby. “That’s the kind of (guy) he is.” Dubinsky declined to talk about Crosby after the game.

“I don’t want to sit here and talk about him anymore. I’m not going to even address it,” Dubinsky said. “I’m not going to sit here and talk about Sidney Crosby. I don’t care what he does – I care what our team does. It’s one of those things. Guys do things all the time. It’s not just him. It’s not something we can sit here and make a huge story out of, because it’s not.”

When told by Metro what Dubinsky said to MSG Network, a clearly irritated Crosby fired back.

“How many penalty minutes do I have this year, if I’m that dirty? I mean, please. Show me all those dirty plays. It’s a battle and he falls. I think Dubi has done his fair share of things out there that are questionable. I guess he’s talking again. But I’m not surprised,” Crosby said sarcastically.

He had 13 penalty minutes going into the game and was called for a trip in the third period.

“It’s a battle (with Callahan). He’s holding me going up ice and I’m trying to push him off. Is it that calculated? I’m trying to get to the net. I’m not worried about that kind of thing. If I tripped him, I tripped him. Am I dirty hockey player? C’mon. I think Dubi is smarter than that.”

While he believed Crosby did slew foot him, Callahan was controlled when he talked to reporters about the episode.

“Absolutely I thought it was a slew foot. He kicked the feet out from under me a little bit there,” Callahan philosophized to reporters. “I don’t know, the ref saw interference, and he called it. Once the call is made there’s not much to change his mind, so you just go about your game and continue to play.”

The play overshadowed another dominant effort by Crosby, who won 74 percent of the faceoffs he took against the Rangers (14-of-19) and recorded his 26th point in his last 13 games assisting on Kris Letang’s second period game-winning goal. Crosby was one of 11 Penguins who were plus-one or better against the Rangers. Max Talbot and Chris Connor added scored goals for the Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 25 of 26 shots to earn his ninth win of the season.

The only Ranger to pierce him was Marian Gaborik with 3:41 remaining in the second period. Gaborik, who was a game-time decision to play due to effects from the flu, beat Fleury with a beautiful snapshot from the left faceoff circle. Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves.

The Atlantic Division rivals meet for the third time this season on Dec. 15. After that they will play three more times (Feb. 1 at MSG; Feb. 13 at MSG; March 20 at Pittsburgh).

Three things we saw last night:


1 Let’s get physical — There’s a good reason why Pittsburgh hasn’t lost since that Nov. 15 defeat to the Rangers. In one word: toughness. Ryan Callahan slammed Kris Letang into the half boards with such velocity that Letang’s helmet came loose in the first period. Sidney Crosby retaliated shortly thereafter with a slew foot of Callahan. Brandon Dubinsky called Crosby’s play “dirty” before offering “that’s the kind of [guy] he is.” Dubinsky’s words hit as hard as the fists thrown by Brandon Prust and Michael Rupp in the first period, and those exchanged by Sean Avery and Tyler Kennedy in the second.


2 Can’t contain Crosby — This just in: Sid the Kid is pretty good. Crosby recorded the primary assist on Letang’s tally that put Pittsburgh up 2-0 midway through the second. It was his 26th point in his last 13 games, and came as no surprise to the Garden faithful. The Pens’ captain now has 20 goals and 31 assists in 26 games against the Rangers.


3 Turned away — The Rangers are at their best playing a physical, cycle game. Pittsburgh did not allow their Atlantic Division rivals to control the puck in the offensive zone. Instead, both teams spent 21/2 hours skating up-and-down the Garden ice. When the Blueshirts did rush, Marc-Andre Fleury turned them away, stopping all 12 shots in the final period. Marian Gaborik scored the Rangers’ only goal, cutting the lead to 3-1 with four minutes left in the second.

DENIS GORMAN

http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/article/705399--pens-get-their-revenge-as-sid-extends-point-streak--page0

November 27, 2010, UCLA-VCU Men's Pre-season NIT consolation game story for Orange County Register

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Bruins miss opportunities, fall to VCU

BY DENIS GORMAN

2010-11-26 16:36:00

NEW YORK – Ben Howland walked to towards the circle, his hands formed into the shape of a 'T,' and stared at the video replay on the scoreboard hanging overhead.

What he saw would give any coach indigestion, to say nothing of one who built his career and his programs with a defensive mentality.

A Virginia Commonwealth guard named Rob Brandenberg drove the lane and was bumped by Lazeric Jones, but not before the ball rolled off the VCU's freshman's fingertips and nestled softly through the net as a whistle blew. The basket was good and there was a foul. That Brandenberg missed the free throw was irrelevant.

Simply, it was an example of a collectively young team making a crucial mistake.

"This team we have has to develop," Howland said after UCLA lost to the Rams, 89-85, in the consolation game of the 2010 Pre-Season NIT at Madison Square Garden Friday afternoon. UCLA (3-2) will look back on their Thanksgiving excursion to New York City as a missed opportunity. The Bruins never had a lead in the 80 minutes they were on the court with Villanova (on Wednesday) and the Rams (4-1), but still had chances to win both games.

"This is a process," Howland said. He emphasized front court rebounding, defense, drawing fouls, not spotting opponents early leads, taking intelligent shots early in games and ball security as areas of improvement for his team. UCLA turned the ball over 21 times compared to the Rams' 13, and VCU turned those additional possessions into 24 points. "I think we'll be able to score. I think we'll have a team that can be able to put some points up on the board. But it doesn't do any good (when) we're putting up 85 tonight and the other team had four more. Eighty-nine points allowed is hard to win a lot of games."

Unlike the 82-50 loss to No. 7 Villanova, the Bruins had multiple opportunities to take a lead. Each time, they would miss a shot and the Rams would respond with a basket. VCU shot 48.5 percent from the field and an otherworldly 45.5 percent from three point range.

The best example of this occurrence took place 41 seconds into the second half. Malcolm Lee drew a foul on Bradford Burgess with the Bruins down one, 40-39. Lee missed both free throws and the Rams responded with a 10-2 run.

"I'm proud of our guys. I thought UCLA did a great job of making shots and rebounding," VCU coach Shaka Smart said. "Really proud of the way our guys battled."

Lee and VCU forward Jamie Skeen tied for the game high with 23 points apiece. Nelson Reeves added 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Tyler Honeycutt chipped in with 18 points and 13 boards.

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November 25, 2010, Atlantic Division Notebook for HockeyPrimeTime.com examining Brent Sutter's return to Newark

Sutter, Devils' struggles mirror each other

Atlantic

Written by Denis Gorman

Tuesday, November 23, 2010 21:02

Wednesday's Devils-Flames tilt was better viewed as a trip down memory lane than 65-plus minutes of flashy hockey. The grass isn't any greener for Brent Sutter or the Devils since they parted ways. As far as returns go, what took place Wednesday night, won’t ever be compared to Brett Favre starting at quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. Still, there was some emotion as Brent Sutter coached his first game against the Devils in New Jersey. Sutter stepped down as head coach of the Devils on June 9, 2009. AROUND THE ATLANTIC Exactly two weeks later, he accepted the same position with the Calgary Flames, whose general manager happens to be his brother Darryl. It was a decision that, when announced, upset Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek “Yes, it puts a different light on things. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth,” Vanderbeek complained to the Newark Star Ledger. “All of the conversations we had throughout the year with Brent had been regarding his family, them not moving here, about Red Deer and changes he was contemplating back there. Certainly I was surprised when the prospect of coaching another team raised its head one month after leaving this team. It's upsetting. “I certainly feel disappointed because I thought Brent was the right coach for the long term,” Vanderbeek added. "It doesn't do a team or organization any good to employ somebody that does not have 110 percent of his head in it." Jump forward nine months to March 3. There was Sutter, attempting to explain his rationale for ostensibly leaving the Devils for another NHL head coaching job. “I was going to leave either way. I was going back to Red Deer no matter what. I wasn’t staying. I made that very clear. It had nothing to do with anything else. ... To be quite honest, if it didn’t materialize or work out here, I wasn’t going to coach,” Sutter told the Star-Ledger two nights before his Flames beat his former team, 5-3, at the recently renamed Scotiabank Saddledome. “I think people made so much out of it because it was Darryl,” Sutter suggested. “But he was shocked. Not shocked, but he was surprised that I said I wasn’t going back. If people understood our relationship, they would know. Outside you don’t see it. People know, ‘They’re brothers, but Darryl does his thing and Brent does his.’ “No one was there except for Lou and me and my family. We’re the only ones that know,” Sutter said. “I was disappointed to see some of the comments that Jeff (Vanderbeek) made, but he’s the owner of the team and he has every right to make them. I respect that. But he wasn’t part of the process that we went through. He didn’t come to the farm. He didn’t fly in to see what I had here. He didn’t know what I had here. To be honest, I met with Jeff before I left and I never ever heard another word from him. And it’s too bad, because I was hoping to get a phone call from him in that first week or two after I left and I never did hear from him. That’s OK.” Brent Sutter has a better-than-OK career coaching record of 145-94-22. A closer examination shows that he was successful in Newark (97-56-11 and two playoff appearances) but his Alberta homecoming has been less than stellar. The Sutter brothers’ 17 months running the Flames’ hockey operations department has been marked by on-ice mediocrity (48-43-11), speculation of players feuding with each other and coaches, and a permanent pick-up and drop-off spot in front of Calgary International Airport. The Flames finished 10th in the West last season with a 40-32-10 recording. The season was deemed a failure because Calgary had acquired Jay Bouwmeester from Florida, then signed the defenseman to a five year, $33.4 million contract extension before the 2009 free agency period began. Darryl Sutter attempted to shake his team out of its 2009-10 season long malaise with two late January trades. He consummated a blockbuster deal with Brian Burke, sending defenseman Dion Phaneuf, penalty-killing forward Fredrik Sjostrom and prospect Keith Aulie to Toronto for Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Jamal Mayers and Ian White. Sutter then traded Olli Jokinen and Brandon Prust to the Rangers for Christopher Higgins and Ales Kotalik. The deals weakened an already weak group and Calgary missed the playoff for the first time since the 2002-03 season. To attempt to rectify those personnel failings, Darryl Sutter signed Jokinen to a baffling two-year, $6 million free agent contract over the summer, and he traded his son Brett and Ian White to Carolina last week for Anton Babchuk and Tom Kostopoulos. Like the 2009-10 trades, these moves haven’t paid off. Only provincial rival Edmonton, at 5-11-4, has a worse record in the West than do the 8-11-2 Flames. The latest speculation is that the Flames' head coach does not see eye-to-eye with Jarome Iginla, the team's captain and undisputed star. The supposed feud has fueled supposition that the Flames may be forced to trade Iginla and that the Sutter brothers could be canned. An on-ice lack of success, a player-coach spat and rumors of a change behind the bench are unpleasant aspects of NHL life that the 2010-11 Devils know only all too well. The Devils, who entered the campaign as a Cup favorite, are 7-13-2 under rookie coach John MacLean. Already, MacLean has had to scratch top line right wing Ilya Kovalchuk for being 10 minutes late to a team meeting. The collapse of the Devils has led to conjecture that MacLean may be fired himself. New Jersey has also had an almost unfathomable amount of injuries in the first eight weeks of the campaign. Zach Parise, Martin Brodeur, Brian Rolston, Anton Volchenkov, Mark Fraser, Bryce Salvador, Anssi Salmela and Jacob Josefson have all missed time due to a variety of injuries. Wednesday's game, a 2-1 shootout win by the Devils, wasn't much to look at. And while the jobs of both MacLean and Iginla could be safe, but in the aftermath of Brent Sutter’s return to Newark, one wonders if he had to do it over again, would he choose to leave the Devils? If fate grants the Devils and Sutter a second chance, would they hire back their former coach? Notes Pat Burns, who died due to complications from cancer last weekend, was remembered warmly by his former players. Former New Jersey Devils, and current Montreal Canadiens, Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta shared their memories of the three-time Jack Adams Award winner with The Canadian Press. ... Martin Brodeur may miss the next two weeks with a bruised elbow, according to The Associated Press. … It is tough to remember a more bizarre week than the one the Islanders experienced last week. As reported by HPT and elsewhere, the organization fired head coach Scott Gordon on Monday. A little more than 24 hours later, the organization revoked Chris Botta’s press credential. Botta, who was employed by the organization in its public relations department for 15 years, told the New York Times that he believes GM Garth Snow decided to revoke his credential due to "negative" coverage. Botta spoke with New York City sports talk radio host Mike Francesa regarding the controversy. On the ice, the Islanders' losing streak reached 14 games with Wednesday's overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets … HBO aired a preview of its 24/7 Penguins-Capitals show Saturday night. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Penguins blog, Chipped Ice, speculated what the show would spotlight, specifically the disdain the two teams have for each other. The Rangers’ 5-2 win in Minnesota Saturday night was also John Tortorella’s 300th NHL coaching win. The game marked the first for Marian Gaborik and Derek Boogaard against their former team in Minnesota. Also, it was the first professional game in Minnesota for native sons Derek Stepan and Michael Sauer. … The Flyers announced Sunday morning that they had acquired forward Rob Bordson and defenseman Danny Syvret from Anaheim for forwards Patrick Maroon and David Laliberte. Bordson and Syvret were then sent to the Flyers' AHL affiliate in Adirondack. Twitter: @DenisGorman

Last Updated on Thursday, November 25, 2010 06:52

http://www.hockeyprimetime.com/news/atlantic/sutter-devils-struggles-mirror-each-other

November 24, 2010, New York Mets introduce Terry Collins as their new manager story for Metro NYC Newspaper

Mets introduce Collins, preaches confidence

NEW YORK

24 November 2010 02:04

The foremen are in place.

Now the heavy work of reconstructing a house that is outwardly attractive but rotted at its foundation begins.

The Mets introduced Terry Collins as the 20th manager in franchise history Tuesday at Citi Field. Collins has a 444-434 record in six major league seasons as a manager with Houston and Anaheim. Collins signed a two-year with the organization with a team option for 2013. Terms were not disclosed.

“It’s a new day. It’s a new year,” Collins crowed. “When we get to spring training, we’re going to talk about confidence. You have to be confident to play this game.”

Collins' hire, which was widely reported Sunday, is the conclusion of a 49-day restructuring of the baseball operations department. Fred and Jeff Wilpon announced Oct. 4 that they were not going to retain Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel in their respective positions as general manager and manager.

Sandy Alderson was hired as GM on Oct. 27. Alderson reshaped the front office by hiring trusted lieutenants J.P. Ricciardi and Paul DePodesta before settling on Collins over Bob Melvin, Chip Hale and Wally Backman to manage the team.

“We’re not looking for someone who is an extension of us,” was Alderson’s explanation of his decision to hire Collins. Collins has a reputation for being intense. “We’re looking for someone who is complementary to us.”

Collins will not have to undergo a gestation period with the Mets as he spent last season as the organization's minor league coordinator. As such, he is intimately familiar with the organization's young prospects such as Josh Thole, Luca Duda and Dillon Gee.

“Our farm system is very, very strong. We’re getting better,” emphasized Collins. “Contrary to what you might think, there are some good, young players coming. That’s the future. Knowing the personalities coming along the road, there’s going to be a bright future here.”

That is all well and good, but what about the present? The Mets have finished second in the NL East in 2007 and 2008 and fourth the last two seasons. Since 2006, in which the Mets won the division and advanced to the NLCS, the franchise has a record of 326-322 despite a half-a-billion dollar payroll ($536,821,968) in that time.

“Players have to realize my passion for the game and my passion for excellence. I know they have the same passion. I’ve talked to a majority of them as the season has gone by, whether it be (when) I visited Citi Field or the rehab room. They all want to win,” Collins said. “I had a conversation with Carlos Beltran during rehab. One of the things he talked about was that he wants to win. Anybody I’ve touched with, that’s the common goal. Now we have to make sure this energy, they buy into it.”

Before the players buy into Collins’ system, they first must understand what it is that he wants them to do. It is an aspect of the job that Collins recognizes and is excited about.

“You still have to catch it. You still have to throw it. You still have to run the bases and put it in play. That will never change,” Collins said, his voice rising with every syllable. “A number of years ago, players developed in the minor leagues and once they got to the major league level, hopefully they were polished. That doesn’t happen today. Players are moving faster through systems, they are getting to the major leagues sooner, they’re not playing the number of minor league games they have in the past, they’re not (getting the) innings they have in the past. The teaching can’t stop.

“In our particular situation, we still have some young people here. Some young guys who have played two or three years but aren’t that crusty, veteran guy. So they are still learning (and) teaching is going to be done. Our coaching staff, when it’s all put together, we’ll lead (the players) down the right path.”

DENIS GORMAN

http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/article/700822--mets-introduce-collins-preaches-confidence--page0

November 23, 2010, Calgary Flames-New York Rangers game story for Metro NYC Newspaper

Biron beats back Flames in physical battle at MSG

NEW YORK

22 November 2010 10:39

LOU CAPPOZOLA/GETTY IMAGES

Martin?Biron has filled in admirably for Henrik Lundqvist.

Rangers 2, Flames 1

What transpired last night at the Garden was not for the faint of heart.

Simply, it was, to quote the estimable Hanson Brothers, “old-time hockey.” It was a game in which the Hansons would have been right at home as the Rangers and Flames spent the evening trading heavy hits, punches and insults.

“It was” as Brandon Prust would deem the evening’s events and the Rangers’ 2-1 win “fun.”

Perhaps for the players and those who appreciate mean hockey. For those who were weaned on Gary Bettman’s vision of hockey, it was 60 minutes of the trapping Flames clogging the neutral zone against a forechecking, skating Rangers team, then counter attacking.

The game was scoreless for the first 22:08 spanning the first and second periods until
Brian Boyle’s ninth goal of the season opened the scoring. Ruslan Fedotenko forced a turnover at center ice by planting the mobile-as-a-Michelangelo’s-David Anton Babchuk into the boards. Dan Girardi snared the loose puck and sprung Boyle for a breakaway. Boyle and Fedotenko came in on a 2-on-1 and Boyle snapped a shot under Miikka Kiprusoff. Calgary’s goaltender yielded two goals on 24 shots.

Jarome Iginla tied the game 3:16 later with his ninth of the season when he converted a Jay Bouwmeester feed past Martin Biron. It was Biron’s lone mistake as he improved to 5-2-0 with a 31 save performance.

Dan Girardi’s power-play slapper goal with 7:19 remaining was the game-winner. It was his second goal of the season and his first since Oct. 11 against the Islanders. The Rangers had the man advantage because Curtis Glencross high-sticked Ryan Callahan at center ice.

Rookie center Derek Stepan won the faceoff directly back to Girardi, who threw a slapshot towards Kiprusoff. The puck hit the tip of Kiprusoff’s catching glove and rolled into the net.

“It is a type of win where you are grinding,” John Tortorella analyzed. “We just have to play behind their net, try to grind it and get scoring chances that way.”

One of the reasons the Rangers have been successful in the first two months of the season—they are 12-9-1—has been the nightly efforts from the grind line of Fedotenko, Boyle and Brandon Prust. The trio has combined for 26 points, 94 penalty minutes and is plus-seven after the Rangers’ second win in as many games.

Fedotenko was a free agent signing, brought to provide secondary scoring. Boyle was thought to be the odd man out during training camp and pre-season. Rangers General Manager Glen Sather and Calgary GM Darryl Sutter consummated a deal on Jan. 31. In return for Chris Higgins and Ales Kotalik, the Rangers would get Prust and Olli Jokinen from Calgary.

As a team, the Rangers play a simple, grinding game, which dovetails perfectly with Prust’s game. The third-year right wing from London, Ontario, is tied for fourth on the team in hits with 47, tied for ninth in blocked shots with 14, and averages 1:22 of penalty kill time a game. He has skated in all 22 games this season.

In his first game against his former team since the trade, Prust was plus-one with three hits in 14:44 of ice time and drew a penalty. “Every win is special, but it’s always good to beat your friends,” Prust said with a wide smile on his face. “I’m going to go over and say hi.”

Prust admitted that during skirmishes he chatted with some of his former teammates.
“There was a couple times, if there was a melee, a couple of the guys I knew (traded) chirps. It was fun.”

It was old-time hockey.

Three things we saw last night

1 Biron back in net — John Tortorella decided to start Martin Biron again last night because Henrik Lundqvist has lost three of his last four starts. King Henrik’s given up 12 goals on just 98 shots in that span. Biron, who started in the Rangers’ 5-2 win in Minnesota on Saturday night, was only pierced once on 31 shots. Biron was absolutely spectacular in the final period, stopping all 15 Calgary shots. Sniper Jarome Iginla was limited to only one goal on five shots after netting five in the previous two games.

2 Pick a fight — Losers of eight of 10 entering the contest, Calgary was looking for fights to swing its momentum. Mike Sauer fought Tom Kostopoulos and Stefan Meyer in first period bouts, while Brandon Dubinsky face-washed Curtis Glencross after the Flames’ winger high-sticked Ryan Callahan in the second. Then, Derek Boogaard challenged nearly every Flame in the third period after they expressed their displeasure with Marc Staal’s open-ice hit on Matt Stajan.

3 Second-period flurry — Dan Girardi sprung Brian Boyle for a breakaway goal that opened the scoring 2:08 into the second period. Iginla tied it five minutes later, but Girardi slapped in a power-play goal with 7:19 remaining to retake the lead. The puck bounced off the tip of Mikka Kiprusoff’s glove and bounced into the goal. The offense went quiet after that, but it was just enough.

DENIS GORMAN

http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/article/699455--biron-beats-back-flames-in-physical-battle-at-msg--page0

November 19, 2010, Atlantic Division notebook on Philadelphia Flyers locking up Jeff Carter for next 11 years for HockeyPrimeTime.com

Carter deal illustrates Flyers' long-term approach

Atlantic

Written by Denis Gorman

Friday, November 19, 2010 12:00

Jeff Carter joins Mike Richards and Chris Pronger under long-term contract in Philly. The Flyers' Stanley Cup aspirations are high and their depth is enviable. Only their salary-cap situation is not. The present and future of the Philadelphia Flyers became brighter last Saturday afternoon, as the franchise agreed to an 11-year, $58 million contract extension with 25-year old center Jeff Carter. The 11th overall pick in the 2003 draft has skated in 400 NHL games. He has recorded 153 goals, 139 assists (292 points) and 271 penalty minutes. In 19 games this season, Carter has 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) and 22 penalty minutes. AROUND THE ATLANTIC Carter’s name had been mentioned repeatedly in trade rumors dating back to last season. Now it appears that speculators will need to find another perennial 30-goal scorer to covet in potential trades. “I’m sure as everyone knows by now, we have reached an agreement with Jeff Carter on a long-term contract. We’re happy to have Jeff signed for the foreseeable future. He’s an integral part of the core of our hockey team. This took a little bit of time to get done, but we’re happy to have it done,” Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren told reporters in a pregame press conference Saturday prior to Philadelphia’s 5-2 win over Florida. Holmgren noted that contract discussions with Carter began during the summertime, that the deal has a limited no-trade clause, and the term "doesn’t hurt us.” For a group that has legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations, news that Carter will ostensibly be a Flyer for life was met with a great deal of approval. “Well obviously him and Richie [Mike Richards], they’ve been here probably the longest and they’re going to be here the longest,” defenseman Kimmo Timmonen said. “Obviously, as a GM standpoint it’s really easy to build your team based on these two guys and they’re young, they’re going to be here forever. They’re good players and they’re going to be great players down the road and people are going to enjoy them for a while.” “Yeah, any time you get a guy like Jeff Carter for 11 years, you know you’re going in the right direction. He’s been playing well for us the last few years, even this year, so we’re pretty happy to have him for 11 years,” praised Claude Giroux. “As far as Jeff goes, I think it really says something about him as a player for this organization and what he has done. Jeff has put up a lot of points. He's young and talented. He's a big guy that plays center ice for us,” head coach Peter Laviolette said. “I always say you have to be strong down the middle and he certainly is that for us. It is a great deal for him, our organization and our fans. It seems to be a good fit.” A dissenting opinion was offered by broadcaster Mike Milbury. The frequent contrarian sniffed on Hockey Night In Canada's Hot Stove segment that contracts like Carter's were hurting the free agent process because the NHL's premier young players were eschewing the open market for long-term security. Offering such contracts brings its own set of risks. But why would a player would pass on the opportunity to sign a multi-year, large-money pact with an organization they are comfortable with? Philadelphia has done a good job making its young players feel welcome: Along with Carter, Giroux and Mike Richards have signed extensions, and Holmgren and Ville Leino said that both are looking to work out a deal to keep the left wing. “I’ve had some conversations with Ville’s agent. Obviously he’s a guy we want to keep in our organization so we’ll do what we can,” Holmgren said after the game. “If he keeps getting a couple points a game it gets harder and harder. Maybe we should sit him out. We’ll see. I think Ville likes it here, he’s found a niche here so hopefully we can get something done. “I enjoy it here. I enjoy playing here and staying here, but right now I am focusing on playing well and making sure we are winning. That’s where I want to be in my priorities and then see where it brings me,” added Leino. “Well they definitely signed the good guys who will be important for this team in the future.” Leino did point out that Philadelphia’s salary cap could make a pact difficult. According to capgeek.com, the Flyers do not have even a dollar’s worth of cap room. “Yeah it’s tough with the cap. These guys are signing big deals, so we’ll see what it is. We will see in the future,” Leino said. “I enjoy being here. It’s a good fit. I like being here. You guys probably want to ask [Paul Holmgren] that.” Florida head coach Peter DeBoer praised the Flyers’ depth after the game. DeBoer said that “any team that can move Jeff Carter to the wing that has that luxury; everyone is looking for a centerman around the league except Philadelphia. Philadelphia has the luxury of moving a 6-4 centerman that scores 30 goals to the wing, that’s a pretty deep team.” The signings of Carter, Giroux, Richards and Danny Briere are examples of how quality depth equates to on-ice success. The quartet are key components as to why Philadelphia possesses arguably the best top two lines in the NHL and why the team boasts a 12-5-2 record. The Flyers lead the Atlantic Division and are second overall in the league and Eastern Conference. Only Washington has a better record. “To be honest with you, we didn’t really think much about other teams. The guys you’re talking about are good hockey players on our team and it’s important to have them locked up for the success of our team,” Holmgren said. “Mr. [Ed] Snider is committed to having a good team here with the Flyers and getting Jeff done today and Claude done a few days ago are two big signings for us.” Notes The Islanders announced Monday that the franchise fired head coach Scott Gordon. The decision was ridiculed by The Hockey News’ Ken Campbell and ESPN.com’s Scott Burnside. … The Penguins are fifth in the NHL with an 88.2 percent penalty-kill rate. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette examined why the Penguins have been successful killing their opponents’ man advantages. … The Devils recorded their first 2010-11 NHL regular season home win Friday night when Ilya Kovalchuk lasered a power-play one-timer past Edmonton goaltender Devan Dubnyk with 1:33 remaining in overtime. … The Rangers’ 8-2 rout of Edmonton was marked by a third-period line brawl. Twitter: @DenisGorman Photos by Getty Images

http://www.hockeyprimetime.com/news/atlantic/carter-deal-illustrates-flyers-long-term-approach

November 18, 2010, Boston Bruins-New York Rangers game story for Metro NYC Newspaper

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Thomas too tough for Rangers

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SCOTT LEVY/GETTY IMAGES

The Rangers scored the first and last goals of the game, but couldn’t get anything else past Boston’s Tim Thomas, who made 34 saves.

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NEW YORK

DENIS GORMAN

Published: November 17, 2010 10:33 p.m.

Last modified: November 18, 2010 6:51 a.m.

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Simply, it was an image that illustrated the Rangers’ night.

Trailing their Original Six brethren Boston by a goal, the Rangers were on a 5-on-3 power play late in the third period following mindless penalties committed by Andrew Ference and Zdeno Chara.

Ryan Callahan, the heart and soul and conscience of the Rangers stood by the post and tried to swat a puck past Tim Thomas and into the net. But one flash of Thomas’s pad and Callahan spun away and rolled his eyes in frustration.

That scene defined the Rangers’ 3-2 loss to the Bruins Wednesday night at the Garden.

On a night in which the Rangers wore their new heritage sweater, and former Blueshirts Steve Vickers, Bob Nevin, Rod Gilbert and Eddie Giacomin were in the house, along with the NHL’s Jackie Robinson, Willie O’Ree, the current edition honored their predecessors with a commendable effort. The execution, though, was lacking.

Despite being credited with 36 shots, the Rangers were unable to consistently create the forechecking pressure and cycle game that has defined their season up to this point.

“I thought Thomas played well. There’s not much we can do about him playing that good,” Callahan said of the Bruins’ goaltender. Thomas made 34 saves. “Boston is a good trap team. They’re patient with it, too. They wait for you to make turnovers and counter off of it. It’s a tough team to get a forecheck against especially against their mobile ‘D.’”

Brandon Dubinsky scored the game’s first goal 7:10 into the second period. Dubinsky wired an off-wing laser from the right faceoff circle over Tim Thomas’ shoulder while Nathan Horton was serving a four-minute minor for high-sticking.

The lead lasted all of 3:56.

Milan Lucic tied the game at 1-1 with 8:54 remaining in the period. Patrice Bergeron forced a Dan Girardi turnover in the defensive zone. Horton picked up the puck on the half boards and snapped a gorgeous pass to Lucic, who stood in front of Henrik Lundqvist (15 saves, one assist) without another Ranger nearby.

Tyler Seguin doubled the lead with a spectacular individual effort at 16:35 of the second. Matt Gilroy lost the puck to Seguin at the blueline. The No. 2 overall pick sped up-ice and ripped a shot from the right faceoff circle that eluded Lundqvist.

The NHL’s oldest player, Mark Recchi, decided the game 70 seconds into the third. Recchi fired a shot off the boards, low, towards Lundqvist. The Rangers goaltender attempted to pin the puck between his elbow and his hockey pants. The puck rolled through and into the cage. Boston 3, Rangers 1.

“I usually stop that. I don’t know how it went through me. It’s just a terrible goal,” Lundqvist said. “I just have to stop the third one.”

Rookie center Derek Stepan and Marian Gaborik combined to cut the lead to 3-2 5:26 into the third. Stepan came down the half-boards and feathered a backhand pass to Gaborik in the slot. Gaborik one-timed the feed for his fourth goal in seven games.

But that was as close as the Rangers would get. The Bruins tightened up defensively and what chances the Rangers generated—John Tortorella estimated that his charges “developed 19 or 20 scoring chances”—Thomas turned away.

“He was the difference,” Tortorella said. “He was certainly the difference.”

What went wrong ...

1 No advantage — Trailing by a goal late in the third period, the Rangers were granted a
5-on-3 power play when Andrew Ference high-sticked Sean Avery and Zdeno Chara was charged with delay of game. The Rangers, though, were relegated to passing around the perimeter and even gave up a 2-on-1 short-handed opportunity. They still haven’t scored a goal on the two-man advantage all year.

2 What a rush — In a game where both teams were unable to create sustained pressure in the offensive zones, the Bruins scored two of their three goals off the rush. Tyler Seguin’s was an end-to-end rush after Matt Gilroy could not keep the puck in at the blueline. It gave Boston a 2-1 lead late in the second. Mark Recchi pushed the advantage to 3-1 with a shot off the boards that trickled under Henrik Lundqvist.

3 Not great — Against a quality opponent and an equal in the opposite net, the Rangers needed Lundqvist to be great. He was merely good. Lundqvist surrendered three goals on 19 shots, as the Rangers dropped to 10-8-1. The netminder should have stopped all three goals.

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