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You all know the story by now. We recorded a kick ass podcast only to figure out that 11 minutes of it existed and the rest was off in never-never land. Epic. Fail.

To partially redeem ourselves we bring to you that long, lost podcast in text format. Yeah, not as good but here it is. The topics we covered were: Dubinsky, Gabby’s Return, Pitt Game, Edmonton Brawl and Team Likability. Eric and I each provide our takes.

DUBINSKY

Eric:

During the Pittsburgh game I kept screaming one thing as I watched the game unfold on TV….”Brandon Bleeping Dubinsky.” This guy is world-class. It’s amazing that, for me, the story line coming out of that game (at least from an individual performance standpoint) was Dubi. Amazing because you had stellar career performances from Henrik and Marc Staal that probably could have been the lead when talking about that game. But to me, it was Dubi. This guy has solidified for me the Captaincy for the Rangers after Drury’s tenure. Why? Because of his play this season and his leadership of a team that needed leadership desperately. Yes, he’s had great streaks in the past…and, no, I don’t think there’s anyway he can continue this pace. But, the reason this year stands out is because it was only him out there. When the early injuries hit, the success or failure of this team was put squarely on the shoulders of Dubi and Cally. Both have stood up and shined, Dubi to a greater extent. To me, it’s been one month of extreme maturation for Dubi, who looks primed to be the driver of the Rangers bus for years to come.

Erik:

How can you not like this guy? For a few years now it has seemed that Dubi (and Cally) were on the cusp of greatness. They were always supposed to be that next core of Rangers for years to come. Gabby is the star of now, but the team’s ultimate success in years to come would be how it could build around Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan and Henrik Lundqvist. Hank is already a star and has been for a few years now. Dubi and Cally showed flashes of brilliance at times but also showed their youth at other times and were overall inconsistent. This is the first season that these two have stepped up and never looked back. Dubinsky is a tad more impressive at this point because he did it from game one this season and, to be fair, is overachieving big time. What makes that most impressive to me is the timing of it all. What did we talk about at nauseam last year? The Rangers’ inability to have any consistent secondary scoring outside of Gaborik and Prospal. Well what do you know this season, Gaborik gets hurt and misses a lot of time, Prospal still hasn’t hit the ice and Drury tried to only to get re-injured. Who the hell is going to score goals now? Brandon. Dubinsky. Without his production at this point where would the Rangers be right now? I’m not trying to take away from the surprise production of Brian Boyle, but Dubinsky is the one who really led this charge. Now Gaborik is back. Drury and Prospal hopefully soon to follow. Bottom line: a very young Rangers team was desperate for someone to step up in a dire situation. Brandon Dubinsky (and Callahan) did that. That is a key characteristic of a Captain (cough). Make this man a Ranger for life.

GABBY’S RETURN

Eric:

Who had the over/under at 60 minutes before Gabby would come back and make a mark? Hat trick in his second game off of injury, not too shabby. When you talk about Dubi taking over as a leader on this team, it’s not because he has all-world talent. When you talk about Gabby taking over on the ice for this team…it is. It’s startling what one guy can do to enhance a team. Alex Frolov had been in a coma for a month until Gabby returned and than…BAM! Two goals. Christensen…Enhanced. Stepan…Reborn. All in the same week they get put on the ice with Gaborik. Truly remarkable. Combine Gabby’s consistent point scoring with Dubi/Cally leadership and you have a pretty tough combination on offense. An offense (and team) that has far overachieved any preseason expectations this season.

Erik:

We’ve come to expect greatness from him. To be fair, why shouldn’t we? He gets paid to do it. He proved it last season in New York and over the rest of his career. What makes him different from any other player the Rangers have (and most other in the NHL) aside from his goal production and salary is his ability to impact a game. He doesn’t have to score a goal. He doesn’t even have to record an assist. His mere presence on the ice makes teams worry. Opponents have to gameplan around him. As Eric said, he makes other players (Frolov, Christensen, Stepan, etc.) all better. We know the Rangers can’t be legitimate threats to do a lot without him. I’ll go back to something I said many times last year: with Gaborik on offense and Hank in net, the Rangers can be dangerous in any playoff series. Does that mean they will win the Cup? No, not necessarily, but it gives them a chance to do things they can’t otherwise.

By the way, how many of you had a minor heart attack when his shoulder went flying into the post after scoring on the breakaway in the Edmonton game? Hey Christensen, next time please don’t proceed to then maul him. Thanks.

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So, here’s the deal.  I know I promised everyone a podcast last night.  And in theory there should be one posted right now.  But, unfortunately, after Erik and I recorded 58 minutes worth of a show, we realized there had been a malfunction.

Consider it the best show you’ll never hear.  While we did an entire show (which may I say was very good), for some reason, only 11 minutes actually got recorded.  The rest is floating around somewhere in cyberspace. 

Trust me, neither of us are very happy that we spent an hour recording a show that no one will hear.  There were quite a few expletives being yelled when we found out.

We apologize for the inconvenience.  Because of our schedules, we will not be able to record another episode until Sunday.  This time, hopefully all of it will get recorded.

So, I was getting ready to post a short blog about how Erik and I will be recording a podcast in about an hour and a half and how you should get your e-mail’s into hosts@nyrangerscast.com …But than I saw this on the Rangers Rants blog,

“Also, did anybody catch Henrik Lundqvist on Martha Stewart this morning? He was scheduled to bake an apple crosata with Stewart while chatting with some kids from the Garden of Dreams Foundation.”

Ummmmmm, come again now?  Henrik Lundqvist will be doing what with whom?  An apple what? Martha Stewart?  You can’t be serious.

Now, don’t get me wrong, kudos for the guy getting some love for the Garden of Dreams Foundation…But, come on Rangers PR! We couldn’t have found a better outlet?

I mean, isn’t this guy supposed to be The Intimidator?  He’s like Dale Ernhardt in net, no one wants to come close to him on the ice.  I know he’s dabbled in modeling, but even then I could excuse it because he looked like a bad ass. 

Martha Stewart? That’s just too much, Hank!  Too much!

I don’t know how I’m supposed to do a show now…I’m so flustered.  This has just rocked my foundation.

Kidding.

Show will be posted around 7.

Holy Henrik! That game was incredible!  Early candidate for game of the year.  One that, if lost, would have been absolutely devastating.  I was jumping out of my seat, screaming at the TV for most of the game.  Just a gritty, hard fought performance by the New York Rangers.  A total team effort.  Grades…

Offense: B

This was by far the worst unit of the Rangers tonight.  But, with that being said, the Rangers continue to win games by finding goals on limited shots.  Tonight was no different.  Only 25 shots, including the overtime period, for the Blueshirts tonight.  While the numbers aren’t out yet, the time of possession stat is going to be laughable.  BUT, despite all of that…WHAT A CLUTCH PERFORMANCE!  After seemingly not having the puck the entire third period, the Rangers respond after losing a lead they had had for 57 minutes with a miraculous pass by Brandon Dubinsky to Marc Staal for the goal.  And then, Dubi comes out in overtime and delivers one of the dirtiest moves you’ll ever see to assist Cally on the game winner.  Quality, not quantity.

Defense: A+

It seems like all the team did tonight was play defense.  But boy, did they play well.  The Penguins have tons of firepower and the Rangers took every shot and kept coming.  Hell, Dan Girardi was gushing like Old Faithful after getting hit in the face with the puck…and he came back to finish the game!  Yes Henrik was fantastic, but the Rangers defense never let up.  When you consider how much time the Penguins had the puck, to go 57 minutes plus without giving up a goal is pretty amazing.

Special Teams: A+

Let’s not even talk about the screw-job performed by the refs on the Rangers tonight.  In what was an insanely physical game, New York didn’t have a single power play…not one…not half of one.  On the PK, they were stellar.  Withstanding a 4 minute double-minor and even scoring a shorthanded goal with the net empty to tie the game.

Goaltending: A++

How can you ask Henrik to do better than tonight?  I just don’t get how the Penguins only had 2 goals.  Yeah, the second one was kind of bad…but come on, the guy had a billion saves before that.  Hats off to you Hank.

Coaching: A

How bout moving Christensen down because he wasn’t getting anything done on the top line?  Torts had to adjust to injuries, penalties and bad refs and he did a great job. Huge win.

How can you not be pumped after that one Rangers fans?

That did just happen, right? Wow. Tom Renney really knows how to ignite his bunch at the Garden! Wait, yeah, forgot he’s not the coach of the team in blue. Grades!

Offense: A+

Do I really need to say anything here? No, but just for good measure it sure is nice having Gaborik back. Frolov thinks so too!

Defense: A-

Aside from a sloppy 28 seconds in the 2nd period when the Oilers briefly actually led in this game, I was pretty pleased with the defensive effort. Edmonton is clearly a very young and inexperienced team that makes a lot of mistakes. Rangers capitalized on their opportunities and didn’t allow the Oilers to stay in the game.

Goaltending: A

Marty has been coming up huge in Henrik’s absence. This is exactly why the Rangers needed to go out this offseason and get him. It’s a long season and things come up. You don’t want to just bank on Hank starting 78 games. Another hats off performance for Biron.

Special Teams: B

If there’s one thing to not be overly impressed with in this game it’s again the power play. I was pretty disappointed to see the Rangers not able to convert (0-2). Yeah, they had chances and they did end up scoring eight goals, so I know I’m being nit-picky here. With that said, the Oilers are LAST in the NHL on the kill. I would’ve felt a little better with a goal. Can’t win ‘em all.

Coaching: A+

A+ for Tom Renney. Class act and you could tell in the interviews how much he misses NY. I always liked him and didn’t think he should’ve been fired. Oh yeah, Torts did alright too!

The Rangers have won a home game! I repeat, the Rangers have won a home game!  It’s a 3-2 OT victory against the struggling Buffalo Sabres.  Tack on two points to the Rangers season total.  Let’s get to the grades.

Offense: A

This was a very exciting game offensively.  Both teams with their fair share of opportunities to pull away from the other, especially in the third period (I’m looking at you Alex Frolov).  Artie tallied two goal, Fedotenko another.  But the line of the night was that of Boyle, Fedotenko and Prust.  It’s really amazing the effort these guys have been putting in on the forecheck as of late.  Missed opportunities? Yes.  But the Rangers got it done on offense with continued pressure and throwing the puck at the net.

Defense: B-

Most of the game was a clean sheet for the defensive unit.  Roszival is out 7-10 days, so Matt Gilroy gets some much needed time.  Overall not terrible.  But giving up a goal with 2 seconds to go in the 2nd period is unacceptable.  It completely took the momentum and wind out of the Garden.  Biron made some spectacular saves to keep the game in reach.

Goaltending: A+

Sometimes Biron makes saves like he’s a fish flopping around out of water.  But, he gets it done more often than not.  To come in and play the way he did when he wasn’t expecting to start was incredible.  Keep it up Marty.

Special Teams: B

Loved the PK tonight.  Couple of chances for SH goals.  PP took shots, but couldn’t find the net.  Another night where a lengthy 5 on 3 couldn’t be converted.  Overall, slightly above average.

Coaching: A

How bout Torts with the Tiger Woods fist pump at the end of the game?  Think he wants to win at home?  I like the increase of playing time for Boyle and Prust, got to go with the guys who deserve it.  Also, liked the way Gaborik was eased back in and put in positions to be effective in his role.

Lots of positive….errr…negative things to talk about! The Rangers continue to be ATROCIOUS at MSG. The fans fault? I thought faceoffs were supposed to be 50/50. Rangers defy the odds. A Canadian singer can’t even win at the Garden! Oh Frolov, where art thou? Boogard the sniper! …hey, we had to have some fun. Plus, a heavy mailbag thanks to our loyal fans.

- Questions/comments to hosts@nyrangerscast.com
- Like us on Facebook: NYRangerscast
- Follow us on Twitter: @NYRangerscast
- BONUS: Our bios are written and we are waiting for the powers that be to post them and re-design our “About” page. Hopefully it will be up soon. And yes, we know, LONG overdue.

BAM!

How about my man Erik Elken teasing two weeks ago on the NYRangerscast? It’s as if Erik Elken worked at ESPN and knew that this was going to happen…Hmmmmm

In case you missed it, word got out this week about something Erik and I talked about two weeks ago on our Parting Shots segment.  ESPN is fully poised and ready to make a run at the television rights for the NHL after the leagues contract with Versus expires.

Here’s a link.

This would be absolutely huge for the NHL.  With the NBA on the brink of a lockout, the NHL could potentially be the premier league on ESPN next winter.  The only thing it would compete for time with is MNF and the World Series of Poker.  We’ll see if the powers that be get this one right and bring back Gary Thorne and the NHL at ESPN.

“I just have to tip my cap and call the Rangers my Daddy.” -Devils Organization

Offense: A-

I’ll take a little bit off the grade right away because Marty wasn’t in net.  Obviously, there’s nothing the Rangers can do about that, but it takes away some cache. Three goals, very admirable effort.  Although, there were extended periods of time, especially in the 2nd period, when the Rangers could not sustain possession.  The forecheck was also lacking when you compare it to the past few wins. Only 20 shots…quality over quantity I guess.

Defense: B

CLEAR THE PUCK! The shutout was all on Hank last night.  It felt like the Devils dominated on time of possession.  Can’t say that the defense had a terrible game, but I don’t think this was an all-star performance.  I was really looking for the defense to spark some quick transition offense, but that didn’t happen.  Shut out’s a shut out though, can’t kill ‘em.

Special Teams: A

A PP goal and a SHG all in one night???? I better not jinx this by saying anything more.

Goaltending: A+

Can someone tell Hank we’re playing the Devils every night? Superb effort. Simply amazing to watch.

Coaching: A

When you’re playing the Devils, Hank is dictating the game, the coaches are just there for the ride.  The coaching staff looked to be alert during that ride, so they get an A.

Keep those tweets coming! We have a timely tweet in which a fan actually takes our advice. Wait, something doesn’t sound right there. Advice from NYRangerscast? We’ll take it! Anyway, loyal fan Dan French (@JDanielFrench) took the advice I gave to Torts to heart:

I took the @NYRangerscast advice and watched the last game of the 2009-2010 #nyr season…my blood’s literally boiling for tomorrow.

That’s precisely the reaction I expected and exactly the reason why I think it might be a good idea for Torts to sit his team down before the Flyers game and watch last year’s debacle. Get that blood boiling just before the game to ensure that every player remembers how last season ended so quickly. It can’t hurt, right? I can’t wait for this slugfest!

Don’t forget to check out our new podcast if you haven’t already. I have an Election Day parting shot and Eric has a bone to pick with the NHL Network. As always, get your questions/comments in at hosts@nyrangerscast.com. We’re still waiting for someone to write us a blog post so we can post it to the site.

Let’s Go Rangers!