MVN: Most Valuable Network

Bruins Feast on Islanders, 7-2

By DJ Abisalih | November 29, 2008 | The Bear Cave

In past seasons, teams across the National Hockey League have encouraged fans to come to home games wearing white. After seeing what happened Friday afternoon at the TD Banknorth Garden, it certainly appears that black is the color of choice for hockey fans around New England. The Boston Bruins took the ice in their new black third jerseys on Black Friday, and went on to hammer the New York Islanders 7-2. Apparently, the Bruins were still working Thanksgiving dinner out of their systems at the beginning of the game, as they fell behind less than two minutes in. Jeremy Colliton banked the puck off of the left wing boards to Nate Thompson entering the offensive zone. Boston's defense was caught out of position, allowing Thompson to carry the puck toward the slot. As he got close to the net, the former Bruin cranked a shot off the right post and...

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Gordon Returns to Face Old Friends

By DJ Abisalih | November 28, 2008 | The Bear Cave

Friday afternoon's tilt between the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders should provide a good amount of excitement for members of each team. As a special tribute to Black Friday, the Bruins will play their first game with their new third jerseys. For the Islanders, an old friend is in town, as Scott Gordon will get the chance to coach his first regular season game at the TD Banknorth Garden, following eight seasons behind the bench in Providence. Seven of the players on Boston's active roster had Gordon as a coach during that time span. The beginning of his first season as an NHL head coach probably hasn't gone the way Scott Gordon had invisioned heading in. That's because injuries have led to a total of 30 different players wearing the New York sweater over the first two months. However, the Islanders have faced the adversity head on, and are...

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Penguins (12-5-3) @ Islanders (9-10-2)

By Alan Smodic | November 26, 2008 | Get Me The Brandy

Fleury is still out indefinitely -- Dinur/flickr.com

The Penguins begin a New York trip tonight, meeting up with the NY Islanders. Buffalo, New Jersey and the NY Rangers await in the following week. Needless to say, these next four Eastern Conference games will be big for the Penguins.An opportunity to take charge in the division could present itself if the Pens can walk into Madison Square Garden on a three-game win streak. We'll see if it gets to that point.With the way the Pens have been playing, though, it won't be easy. The Penguins power-play has been struggling. Coach Therrien has been quoted as saying that he's going to shake things up, because the previous lines simply weren't working. I'm interested to see how he does this.Will he keep Boucher on the first PP line? Separate Malkin/Crosby?I wouldn't separate Malkin/Crosby, but I do think Staal needs to be on his own PP line. With Letang, Sykora, the...

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Best V.S Worst, Barry Melrose, All-Star Ballots + Much More

By | November 19, 2008 | The Hockey Ticket

Read more  |  Discuss  |  Tags: All Star Voting, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning

The New Marek Malik of the Rangers?

By | November 18, 2008 | MVN Outsider

For one and a half seasons, the Madison Square Garden crowd booed every time former New York Ranger Marek Malik touched the puck. Heck, things got so bad that they even booed him when the PA announcer said his name for a goal or an assist.Did he deserve it? Well, in some instances he did, especially if he coughed up the puck in our own zone or let an opposing player go right around him. On the other hand, there were times he didn't deserve it and yet, the Garden crowd still let him have it.One season later, it looks like the Garden crowd has found a new scapegoat in defenseman Michal Rozsival, a guy who signed a $20-million contract extension over the summer. This is something that the Rangers cannot afford to have and Rozsival needs to change things fast or else he is going to make Rangers' management look extremely stupid...

Read more  |  Discuss  |  Tags: Boston Bruins, Marek Malik, Michal Rozsival, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Tom Renney

Power Play Fails Rangers In Tuesday Loss

By Doug Fischer | November 5, 2008 | Blue Shirts on Broadway

I'm going to keep this one short because after all, there is an election going on and the results are being tallied as I type. That said, the Blueshirts were in actiuon as they hosted the lowly Islanders hoping to wipe away any bad memories from the debacle on Saturday in Toronto... What they ran into was a hot Joey MacDonald and some careless mistakes which led to a 2-1 loss.  This game would be decided in the 3rd period, which began all even at 0.  The Rangers Power Play, bound to break out got a chance early but it would be the visitors who would strike first. Nate Thompson scored his first goal on a shorthanded try when he batted a rebound out of midair and past Henrik Lundqvist.  Still plenty of time for the Rangers to get back in it and with another Power Play about 5 minutes...

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Rangers Win Third Straight On Long Island

By Doug Fischer | October 28, 2008 | Blue Shirts on Broadway

The Rangers headed out to Long Island to face the rival Islanders.  The teams are the bookends of the Atlantic Division standings (Rangers 1st, Isles 5th) but that doesn't mean anything.  In a rivalry game, standings don't matter.  The Rangers needed to beat the Islanders and the Islanders needed to beat the Rangers, just to make a statement, proving supremacy over an in-state rival.  Tonight, the Rangers played their hearts out took advantage of a Rick DiPietro-less Isles team, winning 4-2.  The fun started just 1:15 in when Chris Drury beat backup netminder Joey MacDonald.  Drury has been slumping to say the least- this was the Captains first goal of the season and it was assisted by Markus Naslund and Nikolai Zherdev.  The first period looked like it would end 1-0 but the Islanders scored very late when the promising youngster, Kyle Okposo snuck one past Henrik Lundqvist.  Both goalies...

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New New York Rangers

By recordstyle | October 20, 2008 | Community

"Hockey is dead." Long live Hockey. While I can write page upon page of all the negative sentiment I hold back for ESPN and the NHL top-brass for not having a partnership and making the NHL slightly higher/lower than MMA...

Read more  |  3 Comments  |  Tags: Blueshirts, Devils, Drury, ESPN, Gomez, Hockey, Iginla, Islanders, Jaromir Jagr, Madison Square Garden, New York Rangers, NHL, NYR, Sakic

The New Marek Malik of the Rangers?

By | November 18, 2008 | MVN Outsider

For one and a half seasons, the Madison Square Garden crowd booed every time former New York Ranger Marek Malik touched the puck. Heck, things got so bad that they even booed him when the PA announcer said his name for a goal or an assist.Did he deserve it? Well, in some instances he did, especially if he coughed up the puck in our own zone or let an opposing player go right around him. On the other hand, there were times he didn't deserve it and yet, the Garden crowd still let him have it.One season later, it looks like the Garden crowd has found a new scapegoat in defenseman Michal Rozsival, a guy who signed a $20-million contract extension over the summer. This is something that the Rangers cannot afford to have and Rozsival needs to change things fast or else he is going to make Rangers' management look extremely stupid...Read more

Read more  |  Discuss  |  Tags: Boston Bruins, Marek Malik, Michal Rozsival, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Tom Renney