Disgraceful!

My compatriots have all beaten me to the punch about last night's game which was as an abominable a performance that any sport team can come up with. Think about this though. After the Rangers were outclassed by Ottawa last Saturday night they had four days, four days, one more time, four days of practice to get their collective acts together to face a winless Atlanta team that had not won a hockey game since April 2007. A team that had lost six straight and given up 29 goals. A team we swept in last years playoffs. What were the Rangers practicing? Were they practicing? Where is the coaching staff? When does Tom Renney start talking responsibility for all this?

Those of you who read me regularly know that I never believed Tom Renney is the coach to lead this team to a Cup. I was shocked on opening night when I heard the ovation that was given to Renney by the fans. Let me say this one more time. The Rangers won last year because they discovered lightning in a bottle, Henrik Lundqvist, and because Jag had a return to form. The Rangers cannot win anything with Tom Renney as coach.

Tom Renney will use last nights debacle to return Marek Malik to the starting lineup replacing Thomas Pock who did not have a good game. So name me a player, especially on defense who played a good game? The Rangers have the softest defense in the league, a defense that brings out the best in even the most average of opposing wingers. Also, with minor exceptions the Rangers do not have the kind of forwards who like to come back and play defense. They also don't have the type of forwards who want to forecheck and get dirty in the corners. They like to play the basketball version of war, everyone in a circle, but no shots only passes.

The other disgrace here is that Henrik Lundqvist should not be left defenseless every night. Which brings up another point. When is Lundqvist going to get a rest so we see what Steve Valiquette can do and what the defense will do in front of him? Against Boston tomorrow afternoon or is Tom Renney going to play Lundqvist until he drops and then we bring up Montoya? It is getting late early but it is not that early to get a hockey coach to turn the Rangers around.

Forget the score. The three third period PP goals were totally meaningless. As bad as the defense is the Ranger offense is offensive to ones sensibilities. Last night was a circus with the forward lines with even the announcers not certain which combo was on ice. Speaking of announcers, I though Sam Rosen got carried away with his comment about how the Rangers were losing it with Shanahan wanting to go after Garnet Exelby who not only put a high hit on Prucha but kept hitting Jagr and took a cheap shot at Jagr when his back was turned. . Hollweg tangled with Steve McCarthy after he kneed Prucha. So the Rangers finally stand up for each other and Rosen says we are losing it. The one good thing we did all night and Rosen moans.

I see where Sather was at the arena to greet Atlanta GM and interim coach, Don Waddell. Is he going to go to Boston tomorrow? Is he following Renney around and ready to drop the hammer if the Rangers lose to Boston tomorrow and Pittsburgh on Tuesday? Maybe Dolan should follow them both around and drop the hammer on the stealth GM who has given the Rangers all of six playoff wins in his seven year term. Now you know why they didn't bring Messier into the management group. Messier is result and action oriented and would not tolerate this mess. Remember he already got rid of one Ranger coach.

ICINGS: Remember the New York Hockey Talk show Sunday night from9-10 PM on 1240AM WGBB. I'll be there live.

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