About the Rangers - 10-25-08

A preview of the Rangers.

Record: 7-2-1

Leading Scorer: Brandon Dubinsky 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists).

Last Game: 3-1 win at Columbus last night. Nikolai Zherdev had a goal and two assists against his former team.

Last Game against the Penguins: 3-2 loss in Pittsburgh May 4.

Rangers Player We Would Bet Money On Scoring: Given how Zherdev ripped up his former team, let's stick with the revenge-against-a-former-team theme and go with Markus Naslund (right). Plus the former Penguins forward has three points in his last two games.

Ex-Penguins: Markus Naslund, LW; Michal Roszival, D; Glen Sather general manager; Rick Kehoe, professional scout.

Useless Rangers Trivia: The Rangers won the Stanley Cup in their second season of existence, 1927-28. In order to reach the Cup final, they beat the Pittsburgh Pirates hockey team in a two-game series in the first round.

Best Rangers YouTube Video We Could Find: In the somewhat lackluster movie "Pushing Tin," John Cusack's character, Nick Falzone, wore a Rangers jersey:

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-RuVR7LLek]

NOTES:

-Matt Cooke is expected back tonight. Hal Gill is still questionable.

-Cooke is expected to replace Paul Bissonnette in the lineup.

-Tonight's game starts a nine-day road trip.

-Rangers coach Tom Renney was hit in the head last night by a stick.

-The Pensblog found video of Renney's accident:

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDxlX19FD-g]
 
-Our live blog starts tonight at approximately 7 p.m. Please tune in.

EMPTY NETTER ASSISTS

Penguins



-Sidney Crosby (above) is kind of important to the NHL's popularity.

-The Penguins have the ninth youngest roster in the NHL.

-Jeff Taffe had a goal and an assist for the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins in a 3-2 loss at Manchester.

-Mitch Ganzak had four assists for the Wheeling Nailers who won a tight defensive game against the Cincinnati Cyclones, 9-7.

-Kudos to EN reader Justin Kelly of Birmingham, Ala. for getting our "Idiocracy" reference in Thursday's post.

Atlantic Division

-Scott Hartnell had two goals and helped the Flyers record their first win of the season, a 6-3 victory at New Jersey.

-Flyers forward Daniel Briere is dealing with a torn abdominal muscle.

-Devils forward Jamie Langenbrunner (right) suffered a lower-body injury in last night's loss.

-The Islanders will unveil their new third jerseys Monday.

 Northeast Division

-Senators coach Craig Hartsburg is still mad about his goaltending.

-Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey suggested the NHL take steps to limit shot blocking in order to increase offense.

-With defenseman Jeff Finger healthy, the Maple Leafs demoted forward Jiri Tlusty to their AHL affiliate.

Southeast Division

-Cory Stillman had two goals and an assist for the Panthers who edged the Sharks, 4-3. Florida goaltender Tomas Vokoun made 47 saves.

-Panthers defenseman Bryan Allen is dealing with a knee injury.

-Next time you get mad at FSN Pittsburgh because Paul Alexander screws up Maxim "Aff-EE-gene-OVE's" name, just be happy you don't have FSN South.

-The IIHF is investigating the contract former Hurricanes and Penguins forward Matt Murley signed with a team in the KHL.

-In a shocking development, Hurricanes forward Sergei Samsonov is struggling in the first year of a big-money deal.

-Thrashers and former Penguins prospect Angelo Esposito is still honing his skills in junior hockey.

-The Lightning will plan on using first-round pick Steven Stamkos more.

-Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (right) is off to the slowest start of his career. Good thing the Penguins didn't end up with this bum in the 2004 draft.

Central Division

-Marian Hossa's revenge tour against all the teams he played for last season has started. He had two goals and an assist for the Red Wings in a 5-3 win against the Thrashers. The Penguins and the Eastern Conference All-Stars better watch out.

-Click here to check out the insane goal Hossa scored in the first period last night.

-Hossa's gaining confidence with the Red Wings.

-The Republicans have conceded the vital St. Louis hockey vote. Sarah Palin was in town last night to drop a ceremonial puck before a Blues-Kings game. St. Louis' all-star goaltender Manny Legace tripped on the carpet set out for her and suffered a strained hip flexor.

-Here's a video Palin wrecking havoc on the Blues:

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nyFkdyjM8c]

-The Red Wings and Blackhawks will unveil the jerseys they will wear for the Winter Classic today. Why are we scared Reebok will unleash some retina-scarring abominations on an unsuspecting public?

-Blackhawks forward Adam Burish worked as a temporary security guard for "The Jerry Spring Show." In other news, "The Jerry Springer Show" is still on the air.

-Blue Jackets defenseman Mike Commodore apparently got into some trouble for rolling around on a bed in his underwear with thousands of dollars.

Northwest Division

-The Avalanche has suffered a decline in attendance.

Pacific Division

-In a rematch of the 2007 Stanley Cup final, Jonas Hiller made 27 save and led the Ducks to a 4-3 win at Ottawa.

-Jason LaBarbera made 15 saves and led the Kings to a 4-0 shutout win in St. Louis. Dustin Brown had a goal and an assist.

-Coyotes assistant coach and former Penguins defenseman Ulf Samuelsson (right) is writing a blog for The Hockey News.

-Forward Mikkel Boedker, the Coyotes' 2008 first-round pick, is showing he deserves to be in the NHL.

-Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle will be playing in his first game against his former team, the Lightning, since being traded this past summer.

Adams Division

-Going Five Hole is running tournament to figure out who the best captain in the NHL is.

-Bruce MacLeod of Red Wings Corner debunks the myth of the alleged "Original Six."

(Photos: Naslund-Petr David Josek/Associated Press; Crosby-Jamie Sabau/Getty Images; Langenbrunner-Jim McIsaac/Getty Images; Ovechkin-Brian Kersey/Associated Press)