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Hossa’s Redemption, Former Thrasher the hero ousting Rangers

May 4, 2008   ·   Derek Felix   ·   Jump to comments

Maybe it was meant this way for Marian Hossa. Redemption is a very strong and symbolic word often used to describe sports. For the Rangers, that was used to describe their five-game first round victory over bitter Hudson rival New Jersey.

I definitely feel the same applies to Hossa and exceptional underrated linemate Pascal Dupuis, who were swept out by a superior Ranger team when they wore Thrasher sweaters one Spring ago. Clearly, the key Pens duo made a difference coming over from Atlanta at the deadline. Yeah. The talent level was much better and allowed them to fit in. That can happen when you play with such skilled centers as Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby.

Perhaps that took some pressure off Hossa, who had disappeared in prior playoff years with those disappointing Ottawa teams and even getting grossly outplayed by younger scrub brother Marcel Hossa. This time around, he was really good playing alongside Crosby and Dupuis. His great hustle to keep a puck alive at the blueline on the power play resulted in the first of two goals on the day when he buried a Ryan Malone feed at the right doorstep to supply the Pens the lead.

For whatever reason, the Rangers really let down. Before that goal, they had played on fairly even terms with the faster and more skilled Penguins. Hockey’s a funny sport. When a team scores, they really get a lot of momentum. I think that really showed in this one and summed up the series. Someone on NBC said it earlier today. Pittsburgh doesn’t need many chances to score. They proved it in that resilient three-goal Game One comeback which really made a difference.

The Pens kept coming. Especially at the shaky Michal Rozsival, who went to the box way too much killing his team’s momentum. The Blueshirts couldn’t afford to lose their discipline if they wanted to get this back to MSG tomorrow. Seven penalties were too much and allowed the Pens to control the puck and flow of the game.

Truthfully, if not for some amazing goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist in that second period, it wouldn’t have even been a contest. The Malkin backhand goal which made it 2-0 Pens was just a great play by a very physically gifted player. It also was a bit fluky as the puck came to him and he stayed with it despite good coverage from Paul Mara zipping it top shelf. That guy is the best player in the game. He’s also a bit cheap. The slewfoot of Mara near the conclusion of Game Four was uncalled for and should’ve warranted at least a fine. No way would our wussy league suspend him.

I also didn’t like Malkin punching his fist almost at Mara after he scored it. Act like you’ve been there before and not like a punk.

At 2-0 down having gotten zero shots the last 14-plus minutes of the second and registering no hits, it looked like the Ranger tank was on empty. Still, I told my angry younger brother Justin that it wasn’t over yet. They just needed to come out better in the third and get an early one.

Sure enough, in his first ever NHL game, rookie Lauri Korpikoski came through. Following relentless pressure from the Pens, the former 2004 first round pick forced a turnover and came in with linemate Fredrik Sjostrom two-on-one. Smartly using Pitt defender Ryan Whitney as a screen, the young Finn whistled a perfect wrister past Marc-Andre Fleury into the top of the net.

Now putting this in proper perspective, Korp had played three or four shifts the first 40 minutes. But oddly enough on his first ever shift, he got a good shot on Fleury forcing him to make a tough save. Should Tom Renney have played the kid more? It’s a tough situation cause he’s coming into a very pressure packed elimination game. Still, Renney’s move of inserting Korpikoski for Colton Orr worked and gave the Blueshirts a much needed lift.

What happened next was so stunning, I had to do a doubletake to realize it. I just didn’t expect them to tie it so soon. The goals were like 1:22 apart. Great play by Scott Gomez drawing two defenders and making a perfect pass to a cutting Nigel Dawes, who snuck a backhand deke thru Fleury’s five-hole to tie the game at two.

At that point, Justin and myself were ecstatic going nuts in the TV room. :D  Hey. With it looking so grim and the team not showing much last period with a season on the line, what would ya expect?!?!?!?!?! :lol:

Ultimately, they didn’t come out winners today but that’s not how I view it. Bottom line is they showed a lot of mettle in that third coming back against a very good team. A better one.

At the end of the day, sure. There were some missed opportunities including chances by Chris Drury (what a warrior) and Dawes where Fleury held it together with three and change left. It’s ironic that Drury, who was just unreal for a guy with bad ribs was in the sin bin for four minutes high sticking Malone when he got it much worse earlier on and nothing was called. Mike Milbury was right on it and a couple of other missed infractions on the home team which got three more man-advantages.

Not like it would’ve mattered with our popgun PP offense. God. They got only one shot on four chances. Path—et—ic!

I’m glad that the Rangers killed off that penalty cause that would’ve been a sucky way to lose. Especially with Dru in the box after he was wronged. It wouldn’t have felt right.

They did an outstanding job killing the double minor but never were able to generate an attack in sudden death which doomed them. I guess the series hung in the balance on Marc Staal’s shorthanded rush. But as has been a team issue all season, the promising 21 year-old rookie didn’t shoot opting to try for a cutting Martin Straka. The pass never made it getting picked off.

What if he had shot there? I guess we’ll never know. You don’t play would’ve, should’ve, could’ve in these series. The better team found a way to win. That the puck went off Dan Girardi’s skate to Hossa, who admitted to Lundqvist that he missed the shot intending to go high but instead the puck went five-hole was a good bounce for the Pens and an unfortunate one for the Rangers.

At the end of the day, they have nothing to be ashamed of. Many teams would’ve packed it in after such a poor second period. That they didn’t and came so close to making me look like a genius showed a lot of resolve.

I’m extremely proud of how they competed. Now it’s onto the summer and what happens in July. I have some thoughts on that but just don’t feel up to writing them at the moment. Maybe another day.

Congrats to the Pens on winning the series. They’re now 4-0 against the Rangers in playoff series and a ridiculous 16-4. What is it about that damn team? I’m sick of losing to them. Plus Crosby is still a bitch and Michel Therrien can go walk the plank with his underhanded bs complaints. Was very proud of Renney for being so diplomatic about such garbage. Ditto Brendan Shanahan even if he’s washed up.

I can’t believe it’s come to this. But go Flyers! For the love of God and the NHL, please destroy that team! Put Jarkko Ruutu through the glass! Wow. I’m as bad as Brian. :lol: Rooting for the Flyers doesn’t feel right but I’ve had enough of the Pens and NBC yucking it up with cheesy Pen promo after Pen promo. That “It’s Our Team” garbage entering the third was a direct slap in the fact and spoke volumes.

Let the Flyers prevail. ;-)

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  1. Hockey News Aggregator » Hossa’s Redemption, Former Thrasher the hero ousting Rangers on May 4th, 2008 7:05 pm

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