Rebirth of a dynasty The NEW YORK RANGERS

[NYR29]

It was a great day as the Rangers Restarted the lost season of 2003-04.

Before the season began many things changed this time around. I decided that I was not going to keep players, that I did not want and trade for those just because the real life Rangers had them.

Preseason Trades

Mike Ritcher to Boston for Draft Picks 1 and 6 thru 9
Jussi Markanen to Nashville for Draft picks 7 thru 9

Free Agent Signings

Joe Nieuwyndyk
William Snyder
Jiri Slegr
Oleg Tverdovsky
Mark Messier

Season begins with road trip to Minnesota and Columbus

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Wild 1 Rangers 4

Eric Lindros scores 2 goals and gets an Assist. Snyder, the Rookie netminder. has 40 saves in the game and 1st Star honors.Rangers score on 2 PP and a Shortie!!

Bluejackets 2 Rangers 3

Snyder has 37 Saves in a contest that was down to the wire. Kovalev scored the game winner with 54 seconds left.

Atlanta 2 Rangers 3

3 starts three wins! the Rookie Goalie does it again this time at home with 40 saves

Carolina 1 Rangers 4

35 Saves and 2nd Star for Snyder as the Hurricanes are blown away at MSG.

Panthers 2 Rangers 4

Mike Dunham Leads the way to Victory at MSG as Messier gets a Hat Trick and 1st Star honors.

Detroit 3 Rangers 6

Dunham again in Goal solid with 41 saves 5 Rangers netted goals.

Anahiem 0 Rangers 8

Snyder was back in Net stoping all 31 shots the ducks threw at him for his first NHL shut out. 6 Rangers Scored including 2 Short handed.

Carolina 3 Rangers 0

Snyder and the Rangers suffer thier first loss at the sticks of the Canes. Snyder stops 32 in the shut out at MSG.

Won 9 Lost 1 Tie 0 OTL 0 Pts 18

On to November 2004

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November 2004

As November began the rangers went after some talent that can help stop some of the missed scoring ops, we had in the loss to Carolina. We need some finishers, Sounds funny that a team with only 1 loss needs help but I think over the long haul our luck will run out and we will be in the hurt locker.

Trades

Slegr- Leclerc
Odjick- Bylsma
Leclerc&Figeruoa- Stefan

I can't say that these trades helped right away but it freed up some money for more down the road.

Montreal 2 Rangers 3

Another solid proformance in goal by Snyder with 39 Saves.

Colorado 2 Rangers 4

Snyder at MSG 43 Saves, Kovalev put in a shortie for the lead in the 3rd and the Rangers never looked back, empty netter put it out of reach.

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As November Continues Dan Blackburn takes a turn in net for the Blueshirts.

Dallas 3 Rangers 1

Blackburn stopped 38 of 41 an dthe Rangers didn't capatialize on the scoring chances we had. Special Teams was the lone bright point knocking in a PP goal.


Carolina 3 Rangers 3

We tied, Blackburn was strong tonite stopping 41 of 44. Barnaby hit a late PP goal to put us in to OT. Then we ran out of gas, Many good looks just no finishers.


Trades

After a loss and a tie I decided to shake the Trade Tree, Here's what fell out.

Brown for Michal Grosek

Cosselin for Ian Moran

Petrovicky for Espen Knutsen

Jason Botterill from free agency

Valicevic for Shawn Horcoff


Flyers 5 Rangers 6

At MSG, Dunham was the starter he gave 5 thru 2 periods. Blackburn came in with NYR down 5-3 Stone walled the Flyers on a 11 shot 3rd period. Botterill caught fire with a Hat Trick in the 3rd, Defense was not the greatest and we may go hunting for some D- men.



Oilers 6 Rangers 3

What the heck happened? Dunham was ineffective in net the defense was out to lunch and Special Teams(what are those?) Stupid Penalities ruled as we took 14 and allowed 5 PP goals.

Pittsburgh 4 Rangers 3

Snyder returned to Goal as the Rangers fell again, Defense was the key as there was none in the ranger zone. 2 Goals by Botterill was nice but not enough to over come the 47 shots on goal by the Pens.

4 Game Road Trip up next, But first some Trades.

A 3rd rd. Pick for Sean O'Donnell

Kovalev For Shawn McEarchern and 2nd Rd Pick

Carter for McGillis

1st rd. Pick and Lacouture for Glenn Murray

Horcoff for Ales Kotalik

Some D and some O, None of the trades were for league leaders, but I felt that they all could help out.

Devils 2 Rangers 5

The Sweet Smell of sucessful trades, Murray kicks in 2 Goals, Grosek gets 1 Goal and 2 Assists, Mcgillis is Solid on Defense and O'Donnell is awesome.


BlackHawks 1 Rangers 4

The Rangers Blew in the windy city and defense was the order of the ice.
Chicago took 12 penalities and the Rangers got two each from Barnaby and Grosek. New D playing like a dream.

[NYR29]

Rangers Go Shark Fishing

West coast road trip the Rangers hooked the Sharks. Snyder continued to dominate in net stopping 50 of 52 Sharks shots. Barnaby had 2 goals 1 on a PP.

Final Rangers 4 Sharks 2

The road trip continues at Colorado.


Rocky Mountain High, Yeah Right!

Injuries hurt the Rangers tonite with 8 of 12 Blueshirt Bluliners out, we had to do what we could against the Avs. with a 2 - 1 lead going into the 3rd period things looked good to go. So what happened? Peter Forseberg scored the GTG early and the GWG on a breakaway late in the period that left Dale Purinton standing still, Defensive fatigue killed us.

Colorado 3 Rangers 2

2 sim games no reports

Ottawa 2 Rangers 3
Tampa Bay 2 Rangers 2

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Panther Pride beats Rangers in OT

Snyder had a good note in goal stoppimg 30 of 31 but it was not enough as Valeri Bure Scored the GWG 1:32 into the OT.

Panthers 1 Rangers 0


Super Mario! Oh, No!

Lack of defensive starters, still on I/R hurt us again as the Pens rule from start to Finish. Rangers go 0-3 on this road trip.

Pittsburgh 5 Rangers 3


Overtime against the Leafs. Rangers defend home ice

The Rangers returned from a 3 game road trip with 3 losses but managed to pull put an OT win against the Leafs.
Snyder was in goal and stopped 43 of 46.
With most all Blueliners on I/R the proud few held on for a victory.
Michal Grosek scored 2 goals and assisted on the other 2 for the Rangers.


Toronto 3 Rangers 4 OT

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As we closed out a long december on the road go West young man.

Coyotes Howl and Rangers can't win

Phoenix ties the Blueshirts The I/R is full of Defense and some scrapy Offensive guys have tried to keep up.

Phoenix 1 Rangers 1


City of Angels, Rangers caught in earthquake and they lose.

Ziggy and company stopped the Rangers and held the Blueshirts to only 19 shots on goal. While the Kings put on a clinic and beat the Rangers who have not won in the last 4.

Kings 4 Rangers 1


Free Agent Signings in December
Trying to bolster our banged up D core we hired the services of some D-men that have been sitting waiting for thier chance. Coming to terms with the Rangers were Chris O'Sullivan, Patrick Boileau and Todd Rohloff.

The Rangers sit 2 points out first with The Washington Capitals leading the East.

With December over it's time to bring on 2004 and the Rangers are waiting.