David Kalan at NHL.com takes a look at how deadline acquisitions have looked so far stating Bryan McCabe is a player who has made an immediate impact...

"Bryan McCabe has boosted the blue line for a Rangers' team that has won two straight and scored 11 goals in the process. McCabe himself has chipped in two assists and is a plus-3 as a Blueshirt."

...like I said the other day, despite the Rangers going one for their first 15 on the power play after the McCabe acquisition I thought they looked in sync. And yesterday's 2-for-5 proved that. As McCabe becomes more and more comfortable with the Rangers system along with the return of Gaborik the Blueshirts power play will be clicking on all cylinders in no time.

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Laurie Carr at Beyond the Blueshirts posts an Artem Anisimov interview with Sports Express which covers a number of issues including Anisimov's growth as a player, his role on the team, a visit from Russian National team coach, and his feelings on being the focus of those recent trade rumors.

Here is Anisimov's thoughts on being mentioned in the recent Brad Richards trade rumors...

"There was some nervousness, of course. But I tried not to get caught up in it. I plugged away in practice as usual. Only in the locker room did the guys tell me that it was a real possibility. Naturally, I was very happy that the deal ultimately didn't take place and I remained with the Rangers. It'll give me additional strength to prove that their trust in me isn't in vain, and to help the team win a ticket to the playoffs."

...after a really fast start to the season, Anisimov seemed to hit a wall in January. But I've been very encouraged with his performance the last few games. If the Rangers have any chance of making the playoffs they will need Anisimov to continue his strong play of late.

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I usually like to post TheNYRBlog readers pics, but today I thought I'd mix it up a bit with pictures of myself with Brian Mullen and Stephane Matteau at a Blueshirts United brunch before yesterday's 7-0 Rangers thrashing of the Flyers. As always the Rangers put on a first class event...



For information on becoming a Rangers Blueshirts United member which gives you access to not only alumni and current players, but also to Ranger events and practices click here.

...not sure if you guys have ever seen Matteau in person but the guy is huge. I know I'm not the tallest person in the world but I'm only up to his shoulders for goodness sake.

...feel like I should explain the sweater. If you ask anyone who knows me, I am the classic under-dresser. If the event calls for a suit I'm in kakis, if it's kakis I'm in shorts. I can never figure it out. So for the brunch I said to myself, not this time. I figured a brunch is a little more formal than a draft party at a bar and I didn't want to be wearing a jersey while everyone else was dressed in their Sunday best. So I decided to class it up with a sweater and kakis. I should have known I made the wrong decision when the friend I was going with questioned my thinking during a phone conversation an hour before the event (FYI, he went along with the non-jersey approach as well). So we get there, walk in and I'm sure you can guess who were the only two (other than Mullin and Matteau) at the event not wearing a Rangers jersey or t-shirt. I can't win.

As always please continue to e-mail ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) your Rangers related pictures to me so I can post them.

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Just a reminder that there are just three weeks left in TheNYRBlog Fantasy Hockey League regular season. The winner of each of the eight divisions will not only win a great prize, but will also be placed in a two-week rotisserie finale starting March 28th for the grand prize. Here are the top two teams in each 10-team division and their top forward, defenseman and goaltender point-wise...

Messier Division:
1st - GetTheFrolovMatteau (F Ovechking, D Byfuglien, G Quick) - 87.5 pts.

2nd - Zissou (F Perry, D Wideman and G Lundqvist) - 81 pts.

FYI, I'm in last place with an embarrassing 33 pts.

Leetch Division:
1st - Fire Sather (F St. Louis, D Doughty and G Crawford) - 86 pts.

2nd - mattsteele (F Eric Staal, D Weber and G Price) - 83 pts.

Gilbert Division:
1st - Spring of '94 (F Kesler, D Byfuglien, and G Quick) - 84.5 pts.

2nd - Scotch and Cigars (F H. Sedin, D Burns and G Thomas) - 75 pts.

Richter Division:
1st - Glen Sather (F D. Sedin, D Goligoski and G Luongo) - 82.5 pts.

2nd - Bring Back Jagr (F Toews, D Burns and G Thomas) - 69.5 pts.

2nd - Moose (F Stamkos, D Visnovsky, G Lundqvist) - 69.5 pts.

Giacomin Division:
1st - The Greeks (F Daniel Sedin, D Chara and G Thomas) - 87 pts.

2nd - upstatenyrangers (F Eric Staal, D Babchuk and G Ward) - 68.5 pts.

Bathgate Division:
1st - MS G-Unit (F D. Sedin, D Lidstrom and G Thomas) - 84 pts.

2nd - BK Beanie (F Stamkos, D Yandle and G Lundqvist) - 82.5 pts.

Graves Division:
1st - Jim Dolan All-Stars (F Perry, D Seabrook and G Crawford) - 92 pts.

2nd - Theo Fleury's Dealer (F Sharp, D Babchuk and G Thomas) - 78.5 pts.

Howell Division:
1st - BLUESHIRTS (F Nash, D Ehrhoff and G Thomas) - 89 pts.

2nd - TapeOnTheFoil (F Sharp, D Byfuglien and G Vokoun) - 72.5 pts.

Still a lot of divisions still up for grabs so the final three weeks should be awesome.

Thank you to the Rangers and Glass Bangers T-Shirts (I definitely recommend checking them out) for hooking us up with some great prizes.

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Mike Humes at ESPN New York tries to find out why the Rangers went with the home whites yesterday and came up empty.

Humes reports that Ryan Callahan said he'd love to where the white jerseys at home all the time, but has no idea why the Rangers sported them today...

 "They were just hanging up when we came in."

Hume adds that John Tortorella didn't want to address the reason in his press conference either, referring the question to a member of the team's PR staff who similarly declined.

Jay Greenberg at the New York Post, who says the Rangers asked the Flyers if they could wear the whites, has this additional quote from Callahan...

"I absolutely think the home team should wear white," Callahan said. "I don't know why they ever switched."

 ...absolutely loved the home whites yesterday. I kept thinking Richter was in goal and Leetch was getting ready to jump over the boards. Home teams should wear white. Period. One of the worst decisions of the Bettman era. And there's been a lot of them. I also enjoy seeing the visiting team come in wearing their colors instead of a white jersey.

...i've heard a few teams have been doing this lately so I hope this is the NHL's attempt to integrate the return of the home whites.

...assuming the Rangers wore the whites b/c Torts wanted them to feel like they were playing on the road (aka the only place they can win this season).

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Bergen Record - Rangers rout Flyers, 7-0

New York Post - Callahan nets four as Rangers flatten Flyers

New York Post - Gaborik bolsters Blueshirts

Daily News - Seventh heaven as Callahan and Lundqvist lead Blueshirts over Flyers

New York Times - Too Early to Wear White? Not for Rangers, Who Score Fast and Frequently

Newsday - Callahan nets four as Rangers rout Flyers

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Rangers head coach John Tortorella speaks with reporters after the Blueshirts shut out the Philadelphia Flyers 7-0 on March 6 at Madison Square Garden.


Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist and alternate captain Ryan Callahan, heroes of a 7-0 win over the Flyers on March 6 at MSG, discuss the Blueshirts' big victory.


Rangers vs. Flyers highlights

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The New York Rangers (35-29-4) defeated the Philadelphia Flyers (40-19-6) by the score of 7-0, today. For a recap and box score go to Yahoo! Sports and newyorkrangers.com.

...by far the most enjoyable game of the season. Goals, fights, great saves. Can't ask for anything more. What's got me the most excited is today we finally saw a full squad on the ice. Loved the line combos.

...just sew the "C" on Callahan's jersey right now. That's what you expect from a captain in a game of this magnitude.

...shocked to see Gaborik in there today, but I've got to trust the Rangers doctors. And it's amazing what his presence means to the Rangers lineup. Opened up a lot for others.

...nice to see MZA and AA starting to heat up.

...lost in all the scoring was McD's outstanding return to the lineup (+4) and Gilroy's puck moving ability.

...nice to see someone finally come to the aid of Gaborik. Sorry Girardi I had to.

...you would think Richards would learn not to mess with Dubinsky. I'm pretty sure Dubi is 4-0 in bouts against the Flyers captain.

...Henrik, Henrik, Henrik.

...big props to Boyle for mixing it up with Shelley. Sent a message. And what's up with the instigator call? Awful.

....the only negative was the penalties (5). Got to start cutting down on them. Although it was nice to see the struggling pk step up.

...off until Wednesday when the Rangers are in Anaheim.

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Update, 1:29 p.m.:
Away from my computer this morning so I obviously missed the returns of Gaborik and McD. Great game so far. As Andy says in the comments section loving the home whites.

Original Post:
The New York Rangers (34-29-4, 72 pts., 8th in East) host the Philadelphia Flyers (40-18-6, 86 pts., 1st in East) at MSG today starting at 12:30 p.m. For a preview go to Yahoo! Sports.

Rangers Game Notes

TV: NBC; Radio: 1050AM ESPN Radio, XM206

Probable Lines:
Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan
Wolski-Stepan-Zuccarello
Avery-Christensen-Prospal
Fedotenko-Boyle-Prust

Staal-Girardi
Gilroy-Sauer
McCabe-Eminger

Goaltenders:
Henrik Lundqvist - 26-23-4, 2.33 gaa, .921 sv%, 8 so.

Brian Boucher - 15-7-2, 2.33 gaa, .919 sv%, 0 so.

Opponent Notes:
- The Flyers have lost three straight.

- Kris Versteeg has three goals in two games.

- The Flyers have outscored the Rangers 15-6 in winning all four matchups so far in 2010-11.

- Danny Briere has gone a season-high seven games without a goal.

2010-11 Season Series:
Nov. 4 Rangers 1, Flyers 4 at Philadelphia
Dec. 18 Rangers 1,. Flyers 4 at Philadelphia
Jan. 16 Rangers 2 vs. Flyers 3 at MSG
Feb. 20 Rangers 2 vs. Flyers 4 at MSG
March 6 Rangers vs. Flyers at MSG
April 3 Rangers vs. Flyers at Philadelphia

Opponent Blog:
Flyers Goal Scored By

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Larry Brooks at the New York Post says just because Glen Sather didn't overpay for Brad Richards at the deadline doesn't make the Rangers winners...

"Pardon, but Sather hasn't made a prospects-for-veteran deal since acquiring Pavel Bure from the Panthers at the 2002 deadline. And excuse me, but the objective shouldn't have been to avoid getting fleeced by Dallas in the Brad Richards negotiations, but to have improved the team. The Stars made it easy for the Rangers to be resolute. No harm, no foul against Sather. But to declare the absence of a calamity a victory, well, that's akin to suggesting that an hour in which Lindsay Lohan manages to escape arrest is worthy of commemoration."

There is concern that the Rangers won't have enough to sign Richards in the off-season as Brooks expects the Dallas center to get offers for seven or eight years in the neighborhood of $7 million to $7.5 million per, while the Blueshirts can only offer five or six years at between $6 million to $6.5 million per.

...nice to see Brooks look at both sides of the argument. How pissed would we all be if Sather gave up AA, Valentenko and a #1 for Richards who is still isn't playing because of the effects of a concussion and probably would only end up playing about 10 games for the Blueshirts this year.  And then what if he hated it in New York and signed in Toronto this summer. So yes Larry, the Rangers were big winners at the deadline.

...this organization is building for the future not this year's playoffs and I assume mortgaging that future for a concussed player looking for an expensive long term contract is not in those plans. You'd think Larry would know that covering this team every day.

...plus they addressed their need at the point on the power play. And did he not see the Rangers got John Mitchell. ;)

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