Rangers rough up Crosby, but 'The Kid' wins again
Last Updated: 11:45 AM, March 5, 2010
Posted: 3:17 AM, March 5, 2010
Comments: 27
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Jay GreenbergInto thin air has vanished Sidney Crosby's stick, gloves, and the puck that broke America's heart, at least for the few days it cared. During Sunday's gold-medal celebration in Canada, somebody scooped up everything that wasn't nailed down with fingers as slippery as victory had seemed last night to Crosby's Penguins, who had to outshoot the Rangers 23-1 in the third period and overtime to finally beat them, 5-4.
Crosby will get his stuff returned on the same day the Rangers get back Rick Middleton for Ken Hodge. The Garden's hockey house has long thought any such blips in a remarkably charmed existence cannot happen to a nicer guy, and then, while the Face of Canada laid on his after flipping his arms in the air in going down from a penalized Marc Staal hit, the fun began. Henrik Lundqvist skated over to inform The Kid what he thought about such embellishment.
"I didn't like the fact that he came over," Crosby said. "I got a good cross-check in the ribs. It didn't feel too good.
"The last thing I expected was him standing over me. I let him know how I felt. I was surprised and I didn't like it."
Crosby cross-checked a reply to Lundqvist, Brandon Dubinsky threw a punch at Crosby and the fans who booed him from the puck drop as usual didn't exactly summon the Olympic spirit.
They chanted that Crosby . . . well, you know. Sunday night, one would think that U.S. goalie Ryan Miller will feel more love when he visits with the Sabres, unless these fans want him deported for getting beat by Crosby in overtime.
Happens to the best of them at the hands of Sid the Kid. Sticks from Dubinsky, stones by Lundqvist and chants from the Garden rafters are not going to hurt the NHL's most recognizable star, who last night, like most nights, gave as good as he got.
A high-stick of Michal Rozsival left Crosby in the box for a Dubinsky power-play goal. But he did a remarkable job to bat down a popped-up Chris Kunitz pass and keep himself onside to feed Mike Rupp to cut the lead 4-3. In the third period, Staal was trying to lean off Crosby at the edge of the crease when Alex Goligoski's prayer from almost the corner caromed in off the defenseman's skate.
Then, of course, Crosby was on the ice for Jordan Staal's overtime power-play tip-in.
"We felt like it was only matter of time," Crosby said. If his conscience, Lundqvist, thought the same about Rangers teammates eventually picking him up, he sadly was mistaken. Crosby finished with just one assist, but ended up plus-2 and as, coach Dan Bylsma implied, the last laugh.
"Are you excited about a guy leaning over your guy?" Bylsma said. "No, but I think Sid's walking away from this game feeling all right about the situation."
Things tend to work out for this guy, whose only injury during his team's run to the Cup last spring was a knee that knocked him out of Game 7 of the finals with the Penguins already leading 2-0. He didn't really have a great Olympics, but he provided the seemingly fated finish, further poof of an existence so charmed that he even believes he will get back his Olympic keepsakes.
"I do," Crosby said. "I have been through these things before. Usually someone says something about it and it turns up somewhere."
Like the guy who wore it, generally does smelling like a rose, best hands in the NHL all over another victory.
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Comments (26)
Post Your CommentDangsta
03/05/2010 11:19 PM
billyranger, you make some good points. I have seen a lot of games with cindy. You don't have to call it whining. What I can't stand for example: when the rest of the team is heading off the ice and cindy is having private conversations with the refs I don't like it. It's bush league. No other player does that. Cindy will not be an impact pact player past 32 years old. Once his speed diminishes cindy will be an average player. Cindy is not overrated by any means. Ovechkin doesn't help cindy either. Ovechkin plays hockey with so much more class than cindy. They are the top 2 players in the league. Ovechkin is just so much more likable.
Dangsta
03/05/2010 11:08 PM
paul, cindy is a great hockey player. Ranger fans don't respect him I don't respect cindy. I don't like the way cindy caries himself on the ice. Constantly talking to the refs and complaining having his little private meetings with the refs. Cindy needs to be in the summer Olympics, his dives are always perfect 10's. Ask any Ranger fan and they will tell you they love Ovechkin who is a better player. Why aren't we jealous of him?
Paul
03/05/2010 9:29 PM
Ranger Fans- Try to hide your overpowering jealousy of
Sidney Crosby. Some of you don't even spell his name right.
One day the Rangers will have a talented player, but don't
hold your breath!!
beezer34
03/05/2010 5:37 PM
you see the rangers no matter what happens will never tank a whole season like the pens did for 3 years in a row to get draft picks like fleurey malkin and then crosby we try to make the playoffs every year no matter what spot you get you try and win to get in. if we took the pens approach we would be cup contenders for years to come this team did not even know if they were going to stay in pittsburgh but when they tanked and got sid the b#tch that saved there city the garden sells out if we stink or are good thats the diffrence between the two citys just a bunch of front runners in the state of pa just ask the phillie fans now everybodt is wearing crosby jerseys just like they did in the 90,s with marios and jagrs jersey,s ..
NC Bob
03/05/2010 4:22 PM
I will never say that crosby is overrated. He clearly is a talent, one that I should feel I am honored to see each time he plays. The fact is, I don't. I see a man/boy that is the NHL's darling. He's shoved in our faces in and and every NHL related advertisement. Jarome who? Jonathan who? Alexander who? Before last Sunday I wonder how many people have even heard of Rick Nash. The NHL would do much better if they spent half the time promoting the other stars in the league. But Gary Bettman is the most myopic commissioner with an undying love for anything Crosby. I'm just ranting at this point, I apologize. I'll never have much good to say about Crosby as he just comes off as an overindulged, spoiled brat.
Bettman and Crosby, perfect together.
nyr3439
03/05/2010 4:11 PM
billyranger
I give the guy his due,you'll NEVER see me knock him as a player,he's great and getting better,which is pretty scary.
billyranger
03/05/2010 4:01 PM
nyr3439
First, the OT penalty was absolutely a poor call. A couple of things went uncalled that were way worse in the 3rd period. Even thought we got outplayed, that call cost us a potential extra point. I taped the game and watched that call, and the Crosby incident, it did look like he got one to the ribs pretty good. No question he was a whiner when he first game into the league...big time...but I do think he's matured quite a bit...what is he 21 or 22? Give him his due. I thoght the craziest play involved Avery and Talbit. What was Talbot thinking?
nyr3439
03/05/2010 3:35 PM
billyranger
I'll respect your opinion,but Buccigross is a typical ESPN clown.Anyone who's watched Crosby play has seen his contsant crying and moaning,as far as his ability goes,I've never seen a post about him being "overrated",the guys an amazing player and he's getting better at things he wasn't that good at in the past(faceoffs).
I was pretty close to the "crosscheck" Crosby took a dive on last night,it was bogus,as was the call on Redden in OT.
There's no knocking how good the guy is.