This from Shawn Mitchell of The Columbus Dispatch...

#CBJ will participate in Traverse City prospects tournament Sept. 5-9. Also partricipating: DET (host), BUF, CAR, DAL, MIN, NYR, STL.

— Shawn Mitchell (@smitchcd) April 12, 2013

The Traverse City tournament was cancelled this year because of the lockout.

- This is very exciting news. MSG did a great job two years ago televising the tournament and giving fans a look-in at the prospects. Hopefully they did the same come September.

- We should get to see the likes of Michael St. Croix, Shane McColgan, Josh Nicholls etc. Not to mention Jonathan Audy-Marchessault and Blake Parlett on the other side.

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Update, 3:59 p.m.:

Great win last night! Sleeping better now.Had allergic reaction last week. Thanks for the concern, though!#blownoutofproportion

— Brian Boyle (@BriBrows22) April 11, 2013

...well that's very boring. Insomnia would have been much cooler.

Original Post:
During last night's telecast of the Rangers 3-2 shootout win against the Maple Leafs, Joe Micheletti mentioned that Brian Boyle has been dealing with some kind of sleeping disorder.

He went on to mention it again during the post game as he gave credit to Boyle for playing so well despite this malady.

After Micheletti reiterated his Boyle comments during Rangers Extra, Brian Leetch responded that he had no idea what sleeping issues the Rangers television analyst was talking about.

...it's very bizarre that we're first hearing about this from Micheletti and not the team. Actually, what the hell am I talking about? This is exactly what I should expect from the Rangers when it comes to a player's health.

With the ridiculously huge Rangers/Islanders game on Long Island Saturday night, I'm going to post a piece of Islanders hate the next few days leading up to puck drop...

...for you youngsters on the blog, Rangers/Islanders hasn't exactly lit the world on fire this last decade, so I don't blame you for thinking that the Flyers or Devils are the Blueshirts' biggest rival. But Saturday night, you'll get a taste of what it was like back in the 80s & 90s. For my money, the once great rivalry is just as good if not better than Bruins/Canadiens or Flames/Oilers.

And nothing exemplifies the hatred between these two franchise at its peak than this video from 1985...

Larry Brooks at the New York Post reports that before last night's game vs. the Maple Leafs, John Tortorella left open the possibility that J.T. Miller could be recalled from the CT Whale if the Rangers require a reinforcement up front.

Miller was assigned to the Whale on Tuesday.

Here's Torts on why Miller was sent to the AHL...

“He did some good things, but you could see more and more mistakes come into his game. That’s the wrong way to develop a player. He’s only 20 years old.”

...with the added depth at the deadline, I really have no issue with the Rangers decision on Miller. Actually, I praise them for it. The only reason will was initially brought up was out of necessity. And while he started off red hot, eventually the speed, pace and physicality of the NHL deemed to be too much for the 20-year-old.

...great point by Torts bringing up the fact that it was a big win considering the Rangers recent travel. First game at home after a long road trip is always tough.

Players...

Bergen Record - Rangers beat Leafs in shootout, 3-2, to gain valuable points in playoff race

Bergen Record - Rangers' Marc Staal at morning skate

New York Post - Rangers earn key win over Leafs

New York Post - Mats makes rare scoring opportunity count

Daily News - Zuccarello answers Tortorella's call, giving Rangers shootout win over Maple Leafs

New York Times - Shootout Specialist Comes Through for Rangers

Newsday - Zuccarello, Lundqvist lift Rangers in shootout

Newsday - Staal takes step forward in practice

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The New York Rangers (20-16-4) defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs (22-13-5) by the score of 3-2 in a shootout, tonight. For a box score go to Yahoo! Sports.

...so that game took 10 years off my life. I cannot understand how this team can come out with so little emotion and passion in such a big game. Sadly it was way too reminiscent of earlier this season. But got to give them credit for hanging in there and slowly changing the momentum back in their favor and picking up two titanic points.

...and how did the momentum begin to change? With a fight. I find it baffling that so many fans still refuse to admit that fighting can be such a huge part of the game and turn the outcome the way it did tonight. Big props to Clowe for knowing the team needed a spark. The Rangers didn't have someone who could do that pre-trade deadline.

...also helps to have Lundqvist back there. These last two weeks, he has put the team on his back and put them in position to get back into the post-season.

...McDonagh doing his best "Irish Jig" at the blueline before scoring his fourth goal of the season. Didn't know he had moves like that.

...Zuccarello earned a ton of respect in my book tonight as he didn't back down from Phaneuf once. Heck, he even went after Phaneuf and called him "another way to call a cat a kitten" after the Toronto defenseman high sticked him in the face.

...i was dizzy by the end of the game after all those line changes. The new guys must be like, "what the hell is this guy Torts doing?"

...even I couldn't find a way to blame Del Zotto for Girardi failing to keep the puck in the zone leading to Toronto's tying goal.

The New York Rangers (19-16-4) host the Toronto Maple Leafs (22-13-4) at Madison Square Garden starting at 7:00 p.m. For a preview go to Yahoo! Sports.

Rangers Game Notes

TV: MSG; Radio: ESPN Radio (98.7 FM), XM 92

Live Stream (Don't click on ads in stream, may download virus):
http://www.firstrow1.eu/watch/180056/1/watch-new-york-rangers-vs-toronto-maple-leafs.html

Probable Lines:
Nash-Stepan-Callahan
Clowe-Richards-Zuccarello
Hagelin-Brassard- Boyle
Pyatt-Powe-Asham

McDonagh-Stralman
Del Zotto-Girardi
Moore-Eminger

Goaltenders:
Henrik Lundqvist - 17-14-3, 2.13 gaa, .926 sv%, 0 so.

Katie Strang at ESPN.com reports that after skating for a third straight day, Marc Staal says that while his peripheral vision is fine, his eyesight is still blurry and he needs to work on depth perception for reads on plays in tight.

Strang also notes that Staal also found it helpful reaching out to Dany Heatley, Colin White and Manny Malhotra, who each suffered similar eye injuries.

...i know Berard played with blurred vision, but I'm not so sure the Rangers should take a chance by just throwing him in there unless he's 100% comfortable and confident playing while visually impaired.

...maybe Staal can bring Del Zotto along when he works on his depth perception.

According to Andrew Gross at the Bergen Record, the Rangers organization was offended during Monday night’s first intermission at the Air Canada Centre when a video clip of Maple Leafs D Dion Phaneuf’s concussion-inducing hit on Michael Sauer was shown on the scoreboard.

Apparently, before the hit was shown, the segment host, in a Maple Leafs’ jersey, asked the Air Canada Centre crowd whether it wanted to see a particularly good hit by Phaneuf.

...absolutely disgusting. Good to know the Maple Leafs organization feels showing clips of players receiving career ending hits is the way they pump-up the crowd. Talk about poor taste. Showing that clip has put shame on the Leafs entire organization. Not that there isn't already after missing the playoffs nine straight seasons. Appalling.

...i hope the Rangers use this as extra motivation to pound the Leafs into the Garden ice tonight.

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