Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Luck Ties The Series!

The Broadway Blueshirts dodged a bullet in Game 4 tonight, and perhaps got the Karmic payback they deserved after being cheated out of a goal on Sunday. With only a few seconds left in the game, and up 2-1, Lundqvist wandered behind the goal to intercept a shoot-in and then left it for a teammate, only to have it land on a Sabre's stick with a wide open net. Lundqvist slid a pad across and knocked the shot back out of the crease at the last second, possibly after it had already crossed the goal line! No video evidence could conclusively reverse the "no goal" call on the ice, though, so after a lengthy review back at NHL headquarters in Toronto, the call was upheld! And the game ended a few seconds later, 2-1 Rangers.

And what would a Rangers playoff year be without a little controversy? I'm sure Lindy Ruff, Sabres coach, wasn't nearly so animated in Game 3 when the "kick in" goal was overturned, despite that being a case where it should've counted (there was no kicking or directing action, guys!)

Anyway, the game featured the first 2-goal lead the Rangers have managed in the series, although that only lasted - again - less than a minute! In fact, the MSG announcer was still calling out the 2nd Rangers goal as Buffalo drew back to within 1.

Full points to the Rangers for their effort in the last 2 - really, 3 - games, but tonight's Sabres didn't look like their A team. If it came out that half the team had the flu today, it wouldn't surprise me in the least. Game 5 goes on Friday night and I expect we'll see the Game 1 Sabres again, once they're back home. Regardless, though, how about the Rangers evening the series and making it a best-of-3? Good on 'em, I say!

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