SECTION 404 Attention Facebook Users

2009-03-31T14:10:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Graig, there's a new place for the all of the 404 gang to hang out. If you're on Facebook, join the group New York Rangers- MSG Section 404. See you there.

p.s. Maaaaaar-ty!

Showing improvement

2009-02-28T21:43:00.002-05:00

I am not going to get all crazy and think the teams problems are solved, but they are definitely showing some improvement. They needed this win..let's see if they can build on it.

I hope the 6 goals were not all they had left in the bank.....

Goodbye to Renney and Pearn

2009-02-23T14:36:00.002-05:00

It had to happen...this team stopped playing for him. He found way to many positives in their losses. He actually thought they played well last night?????? Is the man insane. We were all there, we saw a half assed effort at best. They need a coach who is not afraid to challenge them..let's see what happens.

Congratulations Janine and Mike!

2009-02-15T19:59:00.006-05:00

As most of you know, Janine got married on Friday. It was a wonderful wedding and Janine looked beautiful!!!!!!!!! Here a few photo's of the big day.

Unable to comprehend this team.....

2009-02-15T19:53:00.002-05:00

They lack in every phase of the game....They are a team with no heart!

Graves

2009-02-04T20:30:00.002-05:00

Adam Graves was a great Ranger and is a wonderful person. It was a pleasure to see his jersey raised to the rafters. His long walk to the ice spoke volumes...he has touched the lives of so many people both on and off the ice. It is just like him to stop, shake hands and hug every kid in his path. It was a great night for him!

If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting Adam Graves, you know his warmth is unmeasurable. ...and if he hugs you...you will never forget it ;)

I just wish the Rangers did not have a game after the ceremony. They have a way of crapping up everything. They were awful...just awful. Everything is wrong with them. They are a disgrace on both ends. Many changes need to be made, starting with the coach.

As for our section, we had an annoying visitor last night, who sat right next to us. He made everyone insane. Let's hope he does not come back soon.

Disgrace

2008-12-31T17:03:00.002-05:00

Are they kidding me??? Can someone please explain to me what is gong on with this team?
We sit there night after night watching the same damn game, but somehow they managed to take it to an even lower level against the Islanders. Many will argue the Islanders play hard against the Rangers because of the rivalry-blah, blah, blah. It is true to some degree, but they are just plain awful this season and they made the Rangers look like fools. I know I complain about the defense all the time, but they are a total disgrace. I would love to see Staal and Girardi develop on this team because I think they are worth the effort. However, without good veteran defenseman to learn from, how do they stand a chance? Let's be honest, trades have got to be made and no NHL team wants to pay Redden or Rozsival their offensive salaries and we will loose promising youth yet again.

Prucha was the only spark of the game. It was nice to see him out there hustling. He sits there night after night wondering when he may get the opportunity to play the game. Are the forwards so unstoppable that Renney does not want to kill the good karma?? Drury and Gomez have done nothing.. nothing at all! Gomez has scored 7 goals in 34 games and Drury 10 in 39 games. Why not Prucha? Right now he is on pace to pass them both with his stellar 2 goals in 12 games. I certainly do not think he is the answer to the problems, but he can't make it much worse.

Some of my many suggestions for this team are to take the C away from Drury. Maybe it is just too much pressure for him. Say goodbye to Renney and do not replace him with one of the assistant coaches. We need a total overhaul. And finally, try to convince our overpaid defenseman that hitting is Good!

Now my small gripe with the Ranger faithful. It is totally embarrassing to hear a "last place" chant while the Islanders are scoring their forth goal. The Islanders should not have been able to score one never mind four. When the Rangers are having a hard time with the last place team, we should just be quiet and humble.

I will stop now because it is New Year's Eve and I need to power nap. Getting old sucks!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!!! I will see you next week.

Happy Holiday's!

2008-12-27T15:44:00.001-05:00

I have not been able to log onto the blog in weeks, which is unfortunate because we missed out on some interesting discussion.

Rozsival's penalty shot has been this months most exciting event, which is both sad and true. I have to admit I was impressed with his stick handling abilities. I am sure we will start to see him in the shootout lineup. Now I would like to be dazzled by his defensive abilities soon..please?

The game vs. Washington was a disgrace. You have got to be kidding me with that performance. The entire team fell under the Ovechkin spell. The first period was promising but as usual they could only maintain 20 minutes of play. The only high point of the night was the many holiday beers we shared.....

Anyway, I hope you all had a great holiday and have a very happy new year!

It has been to long..

2008-12-02T10:35:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone!

We have been slacking off this season, but now it is time to jump back into Ranger discussions.

They have been sitting at the top of the division all season so far, yet they are a defensive nightmare. If it were not for the outstanding goaltending of Lundqvist, this team would be on the bottom of the pack.

The question is how long can he keep playing at this level? He cannot be expected to be the Rangers number one defenseman. (A position Mike Richter knows very well) By next month, he will be totally exhausted and not able to bail them out of yet another shoot out.

I can go on and on, but fortunately for you guys I have to go for now. See you on Wednesday!

A New Addition

2008-09-17T09:08:00.002-05:00

Hey all, long time no chat. Camp opened yesterday so we'll have something to talk about soon. In the mean time I'm thrilled to announce the arrival of the latest addition to the Sec404 family.

Baby J.J. Jordan James was born on July 8th this summer and will be attending
his first hockey game at some point this season with his daddy Heath..sooo
excited, see yall soon..

Congrats Heath! We can't wait to meet him!

Schedule's Out

2008-07-17T12:42:00.003-05:00

I was a the dentist last night for my regular check up. When I was done I made my next appointment for January 21. As soon as I did it I figured that would without a doubt turn out to be Graves night for sure. Much to my amazement, the Rangers have an off night on Jan 21. Now it's just that two weeks I'll be gone in February to worry about. Want to start taking bets that Graves night will fall some night between Feb 13 and 29?

Check the entire schedule here.

How'd they find a picture that doesn't include Jagr or Avery?

2008-07-09T16:20:00.001-05:00

NOOOOOOooooooo!

2008-07-02T13:06:00.001-05:00

I couldn't be more disapointed. How is this a good move for the Rangers? I just don't understand at all.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

2008-06-27T12:02:00.002-05:00

by Sean Avery.

see the slideshow here.

On line petition to get Sather to resign Avery here.

An article Avery wrote for Men's Vogue

2008-06-24T23:34:00.002-05:00

http://www.mensvogue.com/magazine/articles/2008/06/sean-avery?currentPage=1

(Thank you Jon for forwarding this article to us)

I guess this is the last time we will see Avery wearing a Ranger jersey...thanks to Sather. Apparently he is the only person who is unable to comprehend the Ranger's loosing record without him.

questions on free agency

2008-06-24T08:49:00.006-05:00

Can anyone tell me why, oh why, the Rangers are courting Mats Sundin? Today's Post. Do they need another center? A 37 year old center? Really? Reminds me of the old days when the Rangers were most famous for overpaying over the hill players. JUST SAY NO! They could get Avery plus a defenseman for the money Sundin is going to cost.

And speaking of, I'm really aggravated and puzzled by this one. Sather had decided NOT to resign Avery. OK, we know the guy's an asshole. But he's our asshole. Just look at the with Avery v without stats. Without him the Rangers have very little team toughness. (I'm taking a wait and see approach on the kid they signed from Sweden.) He forces the opposition to play a different game when he's on the ice. Ask Marty! Did he sleep with Sather's daughter? Is there something I'm missing?

Jagr.
Why is this taking so long? He's said he's in for a year, two tops. Then he's going home to play for his dad. Perfect all we need is a year, two tops. Why is this hard? Just get it done. I'm bored already.

The draft.
Honestly, I have no idea. I don't make a habit of following Canadian high school hockey. Let me know how these kids have developed when they're old enough to drink.

I hope you're all having a lovely summer!

NY Ice Bowl melting

2008-05-22T09:40:00.003-05:00

I'm not a regular Newsday reader so I'm picking up on this a bit late. Newsday is reporting that the idea of the Rangers closing Yankee Stadium is quickly fading. Read all about it here.

I didn't realize they were talking about holding the game in November rather than on New Year's Day. After that snow swirling spectacle in Buffalo last year holding an outdoor hockey game in November seems anticlimactic. November = fall colors = Thanksgiving = football. January frost, freezing temps, ice, snow, now that's hockey.

It's too bad, I was all geared up to pile on my woolies and ring in the new year at the old stadium.

Reporting For Duty

2008-05-20T08:48:00.001-05:00

Did you ever think you'd see a link to Women's Wear Daily in a hockey blog?

REPORTING FOR DUTY: Sean Avery started his internship at Vogue on Monday, and already staffers at Condé Nast Publications Inc. are buzzing about the New York Ranger star's presence at 4 Times Square. Observers say he's involved in all sections of the magazine, including features and accessories, and attends edit meetings. And while Avery pulled down $2 million last year with the Rangers, he's earning minimum wage for his time at Vogue, a magazine spokesman confirmed, denying speculation Avery was being paid $5,000 for his summer job.
While Vogue has been mum on the specifics of Avery's internship, insiders say there's been talk of the hockey hard man attending the couture shows in Europe next month along with Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour and editors André Leon Talley, Hamish Bowles and Sally Singer (which would be sure to raise the eyebrows of jealous Voguettes). No word yet on if he'll be filing reviews on the shows, or, like tennis star (and Wintour favorite) Roger Federer, appearing on an upcoming cover of Vogue or Men's Vogue.

so quiet

2008-05-15T11:40:00.002-05:00

I guess I'm going to have to start watching baseball now.

I've got nothing on the Rangers at the moment except, please, just sign Avery already! Eh, just go read Brooks's column from Sunday if you haven't already. That pretty much sums it up.

So Disappointed

2008-05-05T09:53:00.001-05:00

I really had high hopes this year. I thought our combination of players was the best we have had in years. Finally a team who would not be carried by one player as had been the case in the past seasons. The defense was questionable but the kids stepped up and added some depth. So, what happened? Where were these guys this series?

Aside from Jagr (who decided to show life in the playoffs after his most lackluster season) the veterans of this team disappeared and left the kids and Lundqvist to fend for themselves. They took way to many penalties and the powerplay was awful all year. Sickening…Trust me I know there are many other reasons. I can go on all day about Renney alone. But all of my bitching is not going to help the fact that the season is over and we are left once again unfulfilled.

I will miss Shanahan. I waited his whole career for him to play for the Rangers. He has always been one of my favorite players. Now I have to deal with the idea of him retiring…not happy about this.

An interview with Jagr yesterday revealed he is defiantly thinking about playing next year but I doubt it will be in NY.

And finally, the situation with Avery is completely insane. How in the world could the Rangers organization not give this guy what he wants????? He has been the best addition to this team we have seen in years. He is a “Ranger” in every sense of the word. He loves it here, he plays hard and we All love him. Every single fan who attends these games night after night loves this guy….Do Not spoil that for us….give him his money.

So, fellow 404 (and one 405) friends, I hope you all have a great summer. Maybe we can try to get together at Stout or something. We can drink and watch Detroit beat up on the Eastern conference winner.

the end

2008-05-05T09:48:00.001-05:00

There’s a lot of chatter out there about the league wanting the Penguins to win, about the refs being one sided because the league wants the Sidney to win. That’s crap. The high stick that left Drury bleeding all over the ice is not what caused the loss. The Rangers haven't played up to their potential all year. They have been taking too many penalties all season, and the power play has been crap all season. That pattern continued into the playoffs and when they came upon a team with talented special teams they couldn’t compete. I’m not going to say the officiating has been good, but I’m not going to blame the refs. That’s a cop out. The Rangers just weren’t good enough this season. That said, Malkin is a punk and I look forward to somebody, anybody kicking his ass in the near future.

pictures!

2008-05-02T17:20:00.004-05:00

I feel happy!

2008-05-02T10:29:00.002-05:00

They're not dead yet.

The crowd was quiet and unenthused when we arrived at the garden last night. Ready to talk about summer plans and see you next season. By the time the game was over we were making plans for pregame (at STOUT) on Monday.

Thanks go to the captain and the goalie, sounds familiar doesn't it? Henrik made up for his mediocre showing on Tuesday night but dazzling us with some brilliance last night. Jagr once again, picked the team up and brought us all along for a ride. I didn't expect to see Drury on the ice at all last night, he really gutted one out and and played great. And, be still my heart, they scored on the powerplay. TWICE!

I've got a bunch of great pictures. I'll post them tonight.

AVERY

2008-04-30T11:27:00.005-05:00

I know you'll check the real news before coming here, but in case you missed this the Daily News is reporting that Avery was rushed to the hospital at 3am in cardiac arrest, unconscious and not breathing. Seriously. Story here.

Best wishes, good vibes, prayers and whatever else you got for a blueseat favorite.

UPDATE: Now ESPN is reporting that he has a lacerated spleen. Story here.

The Toronto Sun has a pretty complete story here confirming the lacerated spleen with Avery's mom.

According to Avery's mother, the Rangers' agitator suffered the injury during the first period of Tuesday night's game at Madison Square Garden after colliding with a Penguins defenceman.
Avery, not realizing how badly he was hurt, played the rest of the game in a great deal of pain.
Meanwhile, doctors at St. Vincent's are hoping that the spleen will clot on its own. Mrs. Avery said doctors were relieved the spleen had not ruptured.

Not going so well

2008-04-30T08:35:00.002-05:00

The three things that won the Rangers the first round series against the Devils are the three things that they stopped doing in the second round v the Penguins. (Not counting the anemic power play. That's been a nightmare all season.) They're not clearing the crease, they're not crashing the net and Avery is no longer a factor. Sidney seems to have taken that roll effectively getting into the heads of everyone in the building. Jagr was great last night but the stellar play of one man isn't going to be enough to come back from what's now a 3-0 deficit. Only two other teams in NHL history have done that. If the Rangers can manage that, they're going to the finals, no doubt in my mind. Unfortunately at the moment that is a very big IF.

I'll be sure to bring my camera on Thursday; I know how you all love to see your smiling faces on the tiny screen! See you then.