The Islanders And Rangers Are Assholes
This is some bullshit. Tonight was supposed to be a precursor to a two week war. One final tune-up, perhaps for home ice, before a first-round matchup between the Isles & Rangers that was all but a lock a month ago. Both teams were coming off wins, the Penguins had lost (to the Islanders) & the standings looked like this:
NYR: 39-22-6 84 points
NYI: 37-20-7 81 points (and two games in hand on PIT)
PIT: 34-24-8 76 points (and one game in hand on NYR)
Since then, both NY squads have helped fuck it all up. Each of them has given 4 points to the Penguins while losing some crucial points of their own to piss-poor teams or in heartbreaking fashion. Pittsburgh deserves their fair share of credit – their top guns (Crosby, Kessel & Letang) have been so unstoppable they’ve won 13 of 14 without Malkin, Maatta & Fleury for stretches. Still, if the Blueshirts & Fishsticks didn’t shit their pants every other game there’d not only still be hope for an incredible rivalry series but tonight’s game would actually mean something. Instead both fanbases will be rooting for the other team (just admit it) in hopes of taking the soft route through the Atlantic.
If the Rangers are going to be playing the first round without Ryan McDonagh, Crosby & Co. firing on all cylinders is the opposite of who this team wants to see. They’ve been a penetrable defense with him as it is. Banking on one of Yandle, Boyle, Skjei & either Girardi or McIlrath to step up and play a shutdown role beside Klein or Staal against an offense that’s scored 36 goals over their 7-game win streak – yikes. Give me the Florida team loaded with inexperience & an aging goalie whose coming off a pair of 3.00/.900 months over arguably the best player in the world playing on a mission & his team rallying around it. Win tonight in regulation though & it’s a date with Sid.
So fuck you Islanders. And you too Rangers. It didn’t have to be this way. Fans on both sides were preparing for the inevitable collision course only to have both of you ruin it in an almost impossible time frame. Penguins or Panthers aside, it was supposed to be us. A 7-game intrastate dance to the death. New York’s Stanley Cup for bragging rights. Not only is that off the table but neither side can fully embrace victory in tonight’s regular season series finale either. Seriously, you’re all dicks.
