Happy New Year!

The missus and I along with number two son and his wife rang out the old and toasted in the new at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn to the music of The Piano Man himself, Billy Joel, and his wonderful band. It was a delightful night that was also joined for a tune by ABC's Rockin New Years Eve. And yes, we were awake the whole time. So a Happy New Year to all you out their in Rangerland. May 2014 be the best ever for you and have a happy, healthy and hockey New Year.

The Rangers also made it a happy eve and New Year by some late game heroics. With 2:10 remaining in the game, Dan Girardi, who had been the goat up until then, tied the score to send the game into OT and the eventual shootout. Brad Richards scored the only goal in the six man shootout and the Rangers closed 2013 with a win that put them one game over ,500 at 20-19-2. So halfway through the season, 41 games, the Rangers are one point over .500.

Lundqvist made 21 saves to win his second straight game, 12-15-2, as he pitched a shutout in the shootout. The Rangers weren't very good and they were lucky their opponents were the woeful Panthers. Florida is 15-20-6, is seventh in the Atlantic and 14th in the Eastern Conference.

But to paraphrase and old poem, 'a win, is a win, is a win." So the Rangers next game is Friday where they start a back to back against Pittsburgh and Toronto. Michael Del Zotto was scratched for the eighth time this year. Now I am not a Del Zotto fan and I know the Rangers are trying to trade him. The kid is only 23 years old. You would think the Rangers have someone who could teach the kid how to play defense. What's Ulf doing, besides making D pair moves? Let's teach Del Zotto how to play defense. He will surely learn it if he goes to another team.

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