Ole! Ole! Ole! Ole! Ole! Ole! In a game they once trailed 5-0, the Montreal Canadiens rallied from that deficit for the first time in their proud history to comeback and defeat the New York Rangers 6-5 in a shootout before an electric capacity home crowd of better than 21 K.

This was one of the wackiest games you’ll ever see. How unpredictable was it? It started when Ranger rookie Brandon Dubinsky and Sean Avery got their team on the board with goals 14 seconds apart.

With the momentum theirs, Brendan Shanahan’s one-timer blast off a nifty Jaromir Jagr setup with Alex Kovalev in the box made it a three-goal lead sending rookie netminder Carey Price to an early shower.

When Shanahan redirected his second of the night off a Paul Mara shot pass to make it 19 consecutive seasons with at least 20 goals, it looked like the rout was on. Especially when Chris Drury later also scored on the back end of a double minor penalty for his 20th popping one top shelf.

But a resurgent Habs team rallied thanks to a couple of strong shifts by their fourth line resulting in a couple of Michael Ryder tallies before the second period was done.

Three goals with a period left was no longer insurmountable. Not with the kind of speed, aggressive attack and grinding they had. Continuing to batter the Rangers, they kept getting pucks in and having great shifts resulting in chances. When Kovalev notched his first of the night off an Andrei Markov pass, suddenly it was 5-3.

They weren’t done. Just nine seconds later, another Ryder shot ricocheted off Mark Streit’s leg past a stunned Henrik Lundqvist. They were within one with over 13:00 to play. Could the Blueshirts hang on for dear life? The answer was a resounding no thanks to Kovalev, who whipped a one-timer via Montreal’s No.1 ranked power play past Lundqvist for his 29th. It was shot so hard and accurately that the ex-Blueshirt fell over before celebrating with teammates.

The OT was almost all Habs as well with the exception of one solid Scott Gomez chance but the playmaking pivot couldn’t redirect a Shanny slap pass past Cristobal Huet instead pushing the puck wide.

And so, this topsy turvy edge of your seat thriller needed a shootout to decide the outcome. Not surprisingly, Les Habitants prevailed thanks to a breathtaking two deke forehand finish by captain Saku Koivu. Jagr’s backhand deke missed everything and the Habs celebrated like they’d won a Stanley Cup.

Why not? It’s not every night a team comes back from that kind of deficit. Never in their history had they and never had the Rangers ever blown a five-goal lead to lose.

The history book was re-written thanks to a great performance by the Canadiens who fed off their rabid fans.

I’ve been talking up this team for a while and for good reason as it was on display allowing them to keep pace with Ottawa for tops in the conference.

Can you think of any other team who would’ve been able to pull that out? I can’t.

Kudos to them. For the Rangers, it’s back to the drawing board wondering how the heck could they have allowed this to actually happen. Oh. The Habs are good. Better than them. They might only trail the Habs by seven points in the standings but it’s for good reason.

This was the Habs’ night. Let’s leave it at that.

For more on this exciting game and the entire Eastern playoff picture, please refer to our BONY blog game recap. 

More HB reaction: This game had it all. Quick end-to-end action. Plenty of goals along with stuff you just don’t see. It’s rare that teams score so quickly as these two teams did in this game. It’s hard to score 14 seconds apart let alone a ridiculous nine which the Habs pulled off to make their comeback chances realistic.

Even more, I loved the feistiness. It felt like a playoff game. You had nastiness. There was Dubinsky and Mike Komisarek getting together for a scrap which the nasty Montreal blueliner easily took. The goalies had to be on their toes. It was that on your edge. This was one of the most exciting games I’ve ever seen. I’d love to see these teams have a playoff series rematch. Preferably in the second or third round. Just wait and see.

Dubi also went for a Gordie Howe hat trick scoring and setting up the first couple of goals. The former second rounder in 2004 is going to be the Rangers’ next home grown star. It’s a rarity for them to produce any forwards. Well, he’s the exception because he has all the tools to be a really good second line center. Playing with Jagr and pest Sean Avery hasn’t hurt. He has really played well.

The Habs got their only win tonight in the four-game season series. They’re tied with the Sens with 75 points- two more than both the Devils and Pens, who each lead the Atlantic.

The Rangers are sixth with 68 points- two better than both the Bruins and Flyers. With so many teams in this wild race, it’s going to be interesting to see which teams are buyers at the deadline. Who will sell? Not Mortimer.

It had to happen some time. For once this season at least, the Rangers can actually say they beat a Western Conference team. Having entered this afternoon’s home tilt against the visiting Sharks 0-7-2 against the West, it was their final opportunity to come away with two points versus the other conference.

Thanks to inspired performances from forwards Chris Drury and Ryan Callahan along with reliable goaltending from recently re-upped No.1 goalie Henrik Lundqvist, the Blueshirts cameback from a goal down to post a hard fought 3-1 win over San Jose at Madison Square Garden.  

It was their second straight victory temporarily moving them into sixth in the East two points clear of the Flyers, who at last check trailed the Canadiens 2-1 after one period. With 67 points and 21 games remaining, New York trails the division-leading Devils by four points and second place Pittsburgh by two pending the result between the Pens and Sabres tonight. The Penguins led 2-1 in the third.

After permitting the game’s first goal on a nifty Joe Thornton backhand setup to finisher Jonathan Cheechoo, a determined Ranger club cameback to tie it when Chris Drury got to a loose puck and found Ryan Callahan all alone in front for his fourth.

Lundqvist was strong in net for the second consecutive day of a challenging back-to-back allowing only one goal as he had in a 5-1 home win over Buffalo yesterday. The 25 year-old Swede came up with a large save on Milan Michalek’s shorthanded bid getting a pad on it. It would prove pivotal as his teammates went the other way three-on-two with leading point getter Scott Gomez setting up a Drury right wing power play slapper past San Jose netminder Evgeni Nabokov at 5:44 of the second. It was Drury’s seventh goal in the last nine games.

With a focused Lundqvist standing up to the Sharks’ challenge in the third (12 saves) and a solid Blueshirt D doing an excellent job in their end, Callahan salted it away with an empty netter with two seconds to go for his second of the day concluding a very productive weekend.

“These are two big wins to build on,” the 22 year-old Rochester native noted to the Associated Press after recording his fourth goal in five following a lengthy 25-game drought.

“We have a long road ahead of us, but we can move forward and go from here. We have a lot of character in this room from top to bottom. You have to follow your leaders and go from there.“

Lundqvist outdueled Nabokov (30 saves) finishing with 29 stops altogether in notching his 26th win of the season.

If the Rangers are to continue to climb up the competitive East, they must continue to get solid goalkeeping from the former 2000 seventh round pick who was nominated for the Vezina as the league’s top goalie the past two years.

They also must continue to play as fundamentally sound as they did this weekend. Now, the Blueshirts hit the road for a game Tuesday at Buffalo and then go across the border to play Les Habitants next Friday.

We’ll see how they fare. 

For more on this game and how close the Eastern playoff race actually is, please refer to my other blog over at Battle of NY.

In case anyone missed it, the Rangers and starting goalie Henrik Lundqvist reached agreement Thursday on a new six-year contract worth a reported $41.25 million.

The 25 year-old netminder who led Sweden to Olympic gold two years ago in Torino has been nominated for the Vezina for the NHL’s top goalie the last couple of seasons. The former Rangers’ 2000 seventh round gem has been largely responsible for the Original Six club’s turnaround- backstopping them to the postseason the last two years and leading them to a series sweep of Atlanta for the team’s first playoff victory in a decade.

After coming out of the gate on fire this season, the affable Lundqvist has struggled the past couple of months while dealing with the off-ice distraction of his father who is back home in Sweden recovering from a brain aneurysm.

He started the season looking primed to capture his first Vezina posting a 15-9-2 record with a 1.83 GAA. However, since Dec.1, King Henrik has been subpar with a 3.35 GAA as the club has played sub-.500 hockey (13-15-5) to drop out of the Eastern Conference’s top eight. They currently trail seventh seeded Buffalo and eighth seeded Boston in the playoff race with only 23 games remaining to salvage a very disappointing season with so many high expectations due to key additions Scott Gomez and Chris Drury. 

“There is a lot maybe going on,” Lundqvist told the Associated Press after the deal was signed on Valentine’s Day. “When you’re here or when you play a game, you don’t really focus on what goes on around you, whether it’s a contract or your dad is sick or whatever it is.

“When I’m here I focus on the right stuff, and I don’t think it affected me. I just want to work really hard here and bring my ‘A’ game.“

Despite only a 24-21-5 record in 50 games this season, his seven shutouts ranks second in the NHL behind league-leader Pascal Leclaire. He’ll need to be just as razor sharp in helping the Rangers elevate their game down the stretch if they want to see the Spring for a third consecutive year.

“We talked about this during the summer, that we would sign for one year and then start talking at the start of ‘08,” he admitted. “Nobody really wanted to wait until the summer. We wanted to get it done.”

Lundqvist could’ve become a restricted free agent in July. He’s making $4.25 million this season. By next year, the popular Swede will become the league’s highest paid goaltender passing Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo where he’ll be slated to earn $7.75 million. Luongo makes $7 million.

In his three-year NHL career, Lundqvist boasts a 91-55-22 record with a career 2.32 GAA, .916 save percentage and 16 shutouts.

“All I’m seeing is the metamorphosis of a top-notch goaltender in this league,” Rangers coach Tom Renney said. “He’s still evolving.”

HB Analysis: It’s easy to see why the Ranger organization got this done as Lundqvist has become their best goalie since Mike Richter, whose No.35 hangs from the rafters. Now is the time for King Henrik to relax and elevate his game to where it needs to be to get this team into the playoffs and beyond.

Guess this means Al Montoya is officially a bust. Another first round draft pick wasted by the club. What a shock? With the exception of Marc Staal, the Rangers are clueless when it comes to drafting and developing top draft picks. When will they get a clue?

There’s less than two months left in the NHL regular season. Playoff races are intensifying. Which players are stepping to the forefront and trying to carry their teams in?

Let’s break it all down:

HART TROPHY

1.Alexander Ovechkin, Wsh (47-29-76 in 57 GP): The league’s leading goalscorer and point getter continued his remarkable play by factoring in on all three Caps’ goals in a big 3-2 overtime home win over the Rangers today. The admirable 22 year-old Russian can’t be stopped right now. If the league leader in power play goals (16) and game-winners (8) gets this Washington team into the playoffs, the league MVP is his.

2.Evgeni Malkin, Pit (31-42-73 in 56 GP): If Ovechkin is the super finisher who plays like a freight train locomotive, then the silky smooth Malkin is the superb playmaker who is a factor in every zone. Since Sidney Crosby went down, all the 21 year-old two-way pivot has done is play possessed carrying the Pens to a 6-2-2 record which included a huge 4-3 home win this afternoon in which he netted his 31st goal and three helpers to climb within three points of his Russian comrade. Geno now has eight goals and 13 assists in those 10 games, propelling the Pens to first in the Atlantic. If he continues this frenetic pace, Malkin could sneak away with his first Hart to go with last season’s Calder.

3.Daniel Alfredsson, Ott (34-39-73 in 49 GP): It’s tough to distinguish between the Ottawa team captain and very gifted linemates Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley. However, it’s Alfie who is the leader of the Sens and is putting together his best season. Despite missing time due to a hip injury, he’s still tied for second with Malkin in scoring. How solid a player is the 35 year-old Swede? Nine of his 34 goals have come via the man-advantage. Nineteen have been at even strength and he’s notched six shorthanded which places him second behind only Chicago’s Patrick Sharp (seven SHG). Due to this balance, Alfredsson gets the nod over either linemate, Calgary’s Jarome Iginla, Detroit’s Henrik Zetterberg and Nicklas Lidstrom.

NORRIS TROPHY

1.Nicklas Lidstrom, Det (7-47-54 in 57 GP): Has there ever been a more consistent defenseman than the ageless 37 year-old from Sweden who the Red Wings stole back in 1989 in the third round? Ray Bourque was great but I think Lidstrom just might be better. They both have won five Norris Trophies but that seems destined to change by June as the 16-year career Red Wing should take home his third consecutive Norris and sixth in the last eight years with only Scott Niedermayer winning one in between. Lidstrom has two more Cups than Bourque. His remarkable plus-43 rating paces the league and his 47 assists placed fifth entering Sunday’s games. He’s still logging over 27 minutes of ice and leading an Original Six with the best record.

2.Dion Phaneuf, Cgy (10-27-37 in 56 GP): The 22 year-old out of Edmonton has helped the other side of the Alberta rivalry become a very tough team to play against. He combines physical attributes with solid skating and a rocket of a shot which opposing goalies must watch out for. In his three-year NHL career, Phaneuf’s hit double digits every season and already has 47 goals along with 89 helpers for 136 points in 217 games. The former Calgary 2003 first rounder is never afraid to mix it up as evidenced by his 111 penalty minutes which included a scrap in a win over the Oilers last night. There should be a few Norrises coming his way in the future.

3.Andrei Markov, Mtl (12-28-40 in 56 GP): It’s pretty safe to say that the Canadiens made the right choice locking up the more steady and younger 29 year-old Russian blueliner while letting injury prone vet Sheldon Souray walk to Edmonton for greener pastures. He might not have the toughness of a Phaneuf or be very flashy but Markov’s evolved into one of the NHL’s most efficient defensemen. It’s hard not to take notice of how well the Habs have played surprising many this season. His 12 goals rank third best among D while the 40 points placed him fourth in defense scoring. What has to be admired is that he rarely ever winds up in the box (28 PIM). Instead, he’s out logging big minutes anchoring one of the more overlooked bluelines in the league. It’s no wonder this Hab team could finally make some noise come Spring.

VEZINA TROPHY

1.Roberto Luongo, Van (23 Wins, 2.21 GAA, .922 Save Pct, 6 SHO): Every season, the former Islander gets better and better. This season’s been no exception as he’s sixth in GAA and save percentage while his six shutouts are tied for third best in the league. Is this the year he finally captures a first Vezina?

2.Martin Brodeur, NJ (29 Wins, 2.19 GAA, .917 Save Pct, 4 SHO): Every year, the cynics doubt whether the model of consistency in net can keep up his very high level. He got off to another slow start this season as did the team in front of him but once again, the 35 year-old Montreal native has played brilliantly keeping the Devils in games and in position for an 11th consecutive postseason. His 29 wins rank second while his 2.19 GAA place fifth best. There’s also the matter of his continued pursuit of Terry Sawchuk’s NHL record 103 shutouts. With four so far in 2007-08, Marty has 96 for his brilliant career- needing seven more to match Sawchuk. He might not get it this year but definitely should sometime next season. 

3.Evgeni Nabokov, SJ (31 Wins, 2.16 GAA, .911 Save Pct, 6 SHO): While Brodeur and Luongo get all the accolades, the 32 year-old Russian netminder for the Sharks quietly goes about his business pacing the league in wins. Remarkably, his 31 victories account for every San Jose win because they basically have no backup. All the minutes (3,224) along with impressive numbers across the board deserve recognition. It’s why he gets the nod here over Columbus’ Pascal Leclaire, whose eight shutouts lead the league.

CALDER TROPHY

1.Nicklas Backstrom, Wsh (9-36-45 in 57 GP): The former Caps’ 2006 fourth overall selection is an impressive playmaking pivot who makes linemates better. With veteran Michael Nylander out the rest of the season, it’s been the play of the 20 year-old Swede which has Bruce Boudreau’s club with a realistic chance of qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in five years. He ranks second among rookies in points with his 36 helpers pacing all freshmen.

2.Patrick Kane, Chi (12-34-46 in 54 GP): The 19 year-old American who the Blackhawks took first overall last summer is a wondeful skater who battles extremely hard every shift. The Buffalo native possesses great hockey instincts and it’s easy to see why many were very high on him. Trying to turn around a dead Original Six isn’t easy but with Kane and linemate Jonathan Toews formind a solid chemistry, they’ll be back in the playoffs soon. His 46 points lead all rookies and is good enough for most on the Hawks.     

3.Peter Mueller, Phx (19-19-38 in 54 GP): The 19 year-old out of Bloomington Minnesota is one of the game’s rising stars. After a slow start, the former 2006 Coyotes’ sixth overall selection has howled making plenty of noise up the rookie scoring list. With 14 points in 14 games during last month, Mueller was tabbed NHL Rookie of the Month for January. He helped lead the surprising ‘Yotes to a 9-4-1 record. They trail eighth place Nashville by only two points with Vancouver also a point ahead. Mueller’s 38 points rank third best on Wayne Gretzky’s club.  

JACK ADAMS TROPHY

1.Bruce Boudreau, Capitals: What the new Washington coach has been able to accomplish since taking over for Glen Hanlon is remarkable. Turning around a young team is never easy. Especially one who most figured were a year or two away from cracking the East’s top eight. Instead, here they are competing for the Southeast Division and playing very inspired hockey. 

2.Claude Julien, Bruins: It’s amazing what a difference a year makes for Julien. Last year, he was unfairly fired by task master Lou Lamoriello before the playoffs. Justice was served as the Devs quietly bowed out to Ottawa in the second round. Julien has done sound job with the B’s getting them to play his disciplined system instead of looking like they never played hockey before under former coach Dave Lewis. Even without Patrice Bergeron (concussion) and other key players missing significant time, he has the Bruins poised to make the postseason for the first time since before the lockout.

3.Mike Babcock, Red Wings: His team might’ve fallen for the third consecutive time just now to the Ducks thanks to a dreadful call which negated a tying Lidstrom goal in the final minute but it’s hard to ignore how well Babcock’s Wings have played this season. Their 87 points are still 14 better than Dallas and 15 more than Ottawa, placing them in position to win The President’s Trophy and earn home ice for the entire playoffs. All this team does is win every season when most keep expecting them to take a fall. Sure. They have great players. But it takes a lot of good coaching to win as consistently as they do.

Man, it sure didn’t take long for the Rangers to bring New Yorkers back to reality. Leave it to this heartless team to put a damper on an otherwise memorable day for this city as it honored its first champion in eight years. To think that I rushed from a HS basketball game I scored in Park Slope to see that awful display at Seventh and 33rd.

How could the same team which just beat the Flyers, Devils and Canadiens in succession all on the road be the one who looked so lackluster against the hapless Kings? Oh wait. That’s right. The Rangers don’t beat the other conference. They’re now 0-for-8 against the West. I don’t count the brownie point they got either.

We’re strictly talking actual wins. Can this team which was picked by many to go very far do that? They got two more chances. One against the defending Cup champion Ducks Thursday and the other when they host the Sharks on Feb.17. Considering that those are a couple of the best teams in a much deeper conference, who believes Tom Renney’s club will get two points against one of them? Thought so.

If you can’t beat the lowly LA Queens at home, then you don’t deserve to make the postseason. This was just a pathetic effort. There are zero excuses. Especially at this time of year when the Blueshirts can’t afford to mail in games. They have played more than everyone else in the East except for Southeast competitors Carolina and Atlanta. One is most likely taking that division while the other could sneak in along with the Caps. Speaking of which, they won again thanks to Alexander Ovechkin’s league-leading 44th and 45th including the OT winner in a 4-3 road win at Columbus. If the Russian sniper gets that team in without ex-Ranger Michael Nylander, he should be a lock for the Hart Trophy. Bruce Boudreau should also win the Jack Adams if that happens. His lookalike Claude Julien also is a candidate if the Bruins get in despite all their injuries including a season-ending concussion to star Patrice Bergeron.

I just can’t comprehend how the Rangers could come out so flat after such a character building comeback win at Montreal in which they dug out of a 3-0 hole scoring the next five against a quality club who I feel could win the East. You’d think they’d be able to carry that kind of momentum forward in front of their home crowd. Oh but what’s this? They de-proved to 0-4-1 in their last five against the Kings. Are you freaking kidding? What a nightmare.

So the Berkeley Carroll girls varsity game ended a little late. At least they won thanks to an inspired 31-point effort from star player Zoe Cohen. Well, it wasn’t all her. They played like a team and spread the ball around. A foreign concept for the Knicks. I wish I could’ve said the same for the rest of the night. I ran to the car and drove in with my Dad hoping to see the same Blueshirts from Super Bowl Sunday when the Giants made everyone proud stomping on those Patriots. You tell’em Michael Strahan. That’s what they get for holding lame ass pep rallies when they already won three rings. Arrogant, much?

The first bad sign was when the radio guys allowed PA announcer Joe Tolleson to introduce two Giants who were at the game for a ceremonial drop of the puck. You were half expecting it to be Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress. Or maybe even Michael Strahan or possibly unlikely hero David Tyree. So what did we wait for exactly?!?!?!?!

They rolled out the red carpet for right guard Rich Seubert and Grey Ruegamer (pronounced Rooooo by the MSG crowd; no not the phonies who sit on their hands and knees up close getting everything spoonfed to them). What a letdown. I like Seubert but come on. That’s the best they could do? Maybe the Super Bowl champion Giants knew something we all didn’t.

After a nice little tribute and a stirring Star Spangled Banner rendition from the one and only John Amirante (despite Dumb and Dumber Clown Mgt 101 founder Jim Dolan trying his best to replace a Ranger icon), the Rangers responded by getting outshot 14-1. By the time I parked and walked up to my usual 412 seats, it was already:

Kings 2  Rangers 0

Should’ve just turned around right then. What a joke. The Kings do boast some talent such as second-year pivot Anze Kopitar, who later put the game out of reach by burying a one-timer in the slot past Henrik Lundqvist early in the final stanza for his 21st.

You know what’s sad? When I was in the building, the actual score was 2-2. I luckily got to see two Ranger goals including Chris Drury’s latest rebounding home a nifty Nigel Dawes redirect to slice the deficit in half with 2:10 left in the first. 

Of course, they came out and dictated the play in the second generating chance after chance. We’re not talking long perimeter shots either. We’re talking goalmouth scrambles where if a Ranger stick had gotten there, it’s a tie game. They had one solid power play where they had the Kings on their heels but couldn’t bury their opportunities which cameback to haunt them.

Note: When you turn former Wolf Pack goalie Jason LaBarbera into Ken Dryden, you deserve to lose.

In any event, an awful giveaway from Sean Avery led directly to the eventual winner off the stick of Alexander Frolov. All the former King who once dated Elisha Cuthbert had to do was clear the zone. Instead, his halfass attempt resulted in a three-on-one down low and an easy Frolov tap-in sucking the air out of the building.

Who cared if he later atoned for that miscue with a rebound goal for his fifth at 17:26 just teasing us fans some more? Maybe if Avery didn’t commit that kind of glaring mistake while our team was outshooting LA 40-17 the rest of the way including an eye opening 24-10 in the middle stanza, this team might’ve comeback to win this game.

Problem was he was far from the only culprit. Our D was soft as molasses. Hey. That means you Fedor Tyutin, who failed to take out Frolov behind the net allowing his Russian comrade to walk out and setup a cutting Kopitar for the crusher only 81 seconds into the third.

My Dad figured they’d get one and tease us some more before an empty netter. Instead, the Rangers took a couple of undisciplined hooking penalties. One, I saw. The other I never stayed for as I just made the appropriate decision and left.

The ride home was quick and easy.

Final thought: How the hell do you let LaBarbera come back and finish as the game’s First Star with 39 saves?

No wonder this team is so demoralizing. Just call them the anti-Giants cause that’s exactly what they are.

See ya later.

Alright. So you puck heads definitely get who we’re referring to here! None other than Martin Brodeur and Dominik Hasek- two of the best netminders to play the damn game in this era.

Between them, they’ve combined for the following:

Games-1,659 (Brodeur-937, Hasek-722)

Starts-1,628 (Brodeur-926, Hasek-702)

Wins-900 (Brodeur-520, Hasek-380)

GAA-2.20

Save Pct-.917

SHO-176 (Brodeur-96, Hasek-80)

Cups-4 (Brodeur-3, Hasek-1)

Harts-2 (Hasek-2) 

Vezinas-9 (Hasek-6, Brodeur-1)

All-Stars-16 (Brodeur-10, Hasek-6)

1st All-Star Team-9 (Hasek-6, Brodeur-3)

Olympic Gold Medals- 2 (Hasek-1998 Cze, Brodeur-2002 Can)

When you break it down, the list of accomplishments these two future Hockey Hall of Fame goalies have earned during standout NHL careers are remarkable.

So, which goalie do you want with one big game to play with all the money riding on the line? Many would probably say Brodeur just for the simple fact that he’s won two more championships and is eight years younger than The Dominator. Either way you slice it, both are fully capable of backstopping teams to hockey’s pinnacle.

They’ve also been extremely fun to watch helping revolutionize the art of goaltending. These days, you see more and more top flight goalies who are not only athletic but are well schooled and emulate their boyhood idols.

That’s when you sit down and begin to realize the sort of impact Brodeur and Hasek have had on the game of hockey. Both have had their fair share of unbelievable moments as evidenced by our research above. You’ve seen these guys stand on their collective heads lifting their teams to victories. They’ve been quote on quote “Franchise Players” who impacted their rosters.

What’s most amazing is that none of Hasek’s Sabre teams ever won it all despite his amazing performances which included unorthodox sprawling saves which defied logic. Truthfully, Dom never really had the kind of caliber team around him a la Marty where he’s helped backstop the club to three Stanley Cups (1995, 2000, 2003) and 10 consecutive postseason appearances. Hasek’s ‘99 Buffalo team which won the Eastern Conference by eliminating bitter rival Toronto fell short in their attempt to win the franchise’s first Cup, losing to the Stars in six games on a controversial Brett Hull goal in triple overtime.

ESPN replays revealed that Hull’s foot was in the crease. It has since become known as “No Goal.” Just another sad moment synonymous with Buffalo sports history. We’ll not mention the other sports team as we’re on the fringe of Super Bowl XLII tomorrow night between the Giants and Patriots.

Ironically, Hasek forced a trade and went to the Red Wings where he won his only Cup backstopping them to a five-game series win over the Hurricanes in 2002. It put the icing on the cake of a brilliant NHL career in which he didn’t come over from Europe until 1990-91 with the Blackhawks. That’s what people tend to forget about him. That he wasn’t really a No.1 goalie until 1993-94 when he captured his first of six Vezinas after coming over to Buffalo from Chicago (Stephane Beauregard and future considerations-Eric Daze). By that time, the goalie who would three years later become the first netminder since Jacques Plante to sweep both the Hart and Vezina trophies was already 29.

Here’s our big question based on that fact along with what we’ve provided above? As every hockey fan knows, Brodeur continues to chase Terry Sawchuk’s shutout record of 103. With four blankings in 2007-08 entering tonight’s home game against the Kings, Marty’s 96 trails only Sawchuk by seven and should be a lock to break it. However, would Hasek have as many shutouts as Brodeur if he had 224 more starts (225 after tonight)???

The answer is debatable but it sure would be exciting to see two of the best goalies compete for Sawchuk’s record.

So, who’s better? If you just base your answer on championships, then the edge goes to the Montreal native who at times can be a lot more arrogant than NJ fans want to admit. Did anyone see his comments about the latest Ranger loss? According to Marty, they were the better team. Yep. Everywhere except the scoreboard buddy. Maybe if you knew how to stop sneaky sharp angle wraparounds, your team finally might’ve gotten a win against the Rangers. They’re now 0-for-5. It must really sting Brodeur to be losing these type of games to them. Especially when his team is locked into such a tight playoff race.

Brodeur’s always an interesting interview before and after a game. The chatty netminder will talk about pretty much anything when it comes to his team along with the sport. In terms of handling himself off the ice, he’s done a much better job than the more ornery Hasek who once attacked former Buffalo News reporter Jim Kelley for asking a question pertaining to a rift with then Sabres’ coach Ted Nolan. Everyone knows how that turned out.
Don’t piss off Dom or he might chop you like he did to a pour skater during a freaking pickup roller hockey game back home in the Czech Republic. If you tick off Marty, he’ll just tell the refs or take an Oscar Award winning dive like he did when Sean Avery pushed him last year during a scrum. And don’t forget, you’ll still have to deal with the one and only Chico Resch AKA Protector of Martin Brodeur Goals Allowed Enterprises.

So, which goalie is better? I guess it all depends on who you prefer. They’re both different in terms of style and Brodeur is the much better stickhandler. Hasek’s won more hardware while Brodeur’s got a couple of more Cups.

One day at a bar while having some brews, I’m sure they’ll still be debating this one. For now, we’re just fortunate to be able to watch these two great athletes in net.

All season, Tom Renney’s club has been mystifying. At times, this Ranger team which added Chris Drury and Scott Gomez has been offensive to the eyeballs. That was the case in a disappointing 3-1 road defeat in Carolina the other night following the All-Star Break.

Maybe that’s why tonight’s 4-0 blanking of the rival Flyers at Wachovia Center was such a pleasant surprise. Considering the Blueshirts’ recent road trouble having entered tonight dropping six straight away from Madison Square Garden, this was a change for the better which hopefully will get this underachieving bunch rolling as they start the final three months by visiting New Jersey tomorrow night.

That Renney opted for backup Stephen Valiquette instead of starter Henrik Lundqvist didn’t inspire much confidence. Maybe the affable coach knew something we didn’t because his team played arguably their best game of the season. It came at a critical time with the Islanders falling at home for the sixth consecutive time 3-1 to Los Angeles- suddenly moving them back ahead of their most hated rival into the eighth and final playoff spot in the ultracompetitive East.

Having been embarrassed in their last meeting by the Flyers at home which saw them permit six unanswered including a Scott Hartnell hat trick, it was the Rangers who turned the tables to improve to 3-1-0 over the first place team in a topsy turvy Atlantic.

Despite an early 5-1 edge in shots for Philly, Valiquette was sharp allowing his teammates to steady themselves. They would dominate the rest of the match-up from that point outscoring the Flyers 4-0 and outshooting them 26-15.

Solid in all three zones, the Rangers for once played the way Renney wanted paying close attention to detail and capitalizing on Flyer turnovers by actually driving hard to the net and finishing. Such was the case on the first tally by improving rookie Nigel Dawes. Drury forced a turnover in the neutral zone and then fed a streaking Dawes, who patiently outwaited Antero Niittymaki before putting home his seventh into an open left side.

Another smart defensive play led to the team’s second goal of the opening stanza. Off another Flyer miscue forced by defenseman Dan Girardi which setup an odd-man rush, a hustling Petr Prucha got to a loose rebound off a soft Girardi shot for his seventh at 17:56.

Even the Ranger power play made an appearance. After not getting much accomplished during a late Flyer penalty, they came out and got one thanks to another simple play by Drury, who maybe played his best game as a Blueshirt. Taking a nice pass from Gomez at the left point, the former Little League World Series Trumbull Connecticut star skated to the side and took a wrist shot which sailed thru traffic past a screened Niittymaki for his 13th of the season only 23 seconds into the second.

In command up three, the relentless Blueshirts didn’t stop there. Instead, they cashed in on an overly aggressive Flyer team who was trying to do anything to change the tempo. When Girardi forced another turnover, rookie pivot Brandon Dubinsky won a battle along the wall and sprung Sean Avery and Brendan Shanahan on a two-on-one. The speedy Avery threaded the needle to Shanny who wired it into an open net for his team-leading 17th just 1:18 after Drury’s power play tally. It was the recently turned 39 year-old veteran’s second game in a row with a goal after going without even a point in eight previous games before the AS Break. Just maybe the time off helped him recover from a knee injury which clearly was hampering his effectiveness.

The Rangers are going to need a healthier Shanahan down the stretch to finish like he did tonight.

All that was left in the third was whether Valiquette would notch his first career NHL shutout. To the Flyers’ credit, they came hard playing to the final buzzer. However, a late flurry of shots didn’t seem to faze the Ranger backup who was playing with a heavy heart due to the loss of his uncle. His best stop came on Simon Gagne in the final two minutes where he got across to stack the pads on a laser of a shot from 20 feet targeted for the top part of the net.

It’s obvious that without a win, we’re really in trouble,” Valiquette told the Associated Press after a relatively easy 20 save night allowing his team to avoid matching their longest road losing streak in six years.

“As long as we carry it over tomorrow in New Jersey and Sunday in Montreal, then we’re back in the playoff picture and nobody can count us out anymore,” Valiquette was quick to point out.

He got it right. This team has been an enigma all season. Now we’ll see if they can carry the momentum forward against two more quality opponents this weekend.

For now, it’s a step in the right direction.

Notes: It was the first time the Flyers lost to another opponent in regulation other than the Devils since a 3-2 loss at Buffalo last Dec.21. … Ranger defenseman Fedor Tyutin picked up two seconday assists, earning the game’s Third Star. It was his second game of two helpers-or-more in the last four contests. He tallied a career best three in a 4-0 shutout of Atlanta on Jan.24. 

Dubi Dubi Doo: With an assist, Dubinsky has points in four of his last five games. Since Jan.12, the 21 year-old from Anchorage is 3-4-7 with a plus-seven rating in the past nine games. He was selected as the All-Star MVP in the Young Stars Game. … Rangers (25-22-6, 56 pts) look to make it five for five and clinch the season series from the Devils (28-19-3, 59 pts) in Newark. The Devs have dropped their last two.

I just finished writing a recap over at Battle of New York of how truly special it was to be at Madison Square Garden to see the greatest New York Ranger of them all have his number retired. Brian Leetch meant so much to this organization. After getting drafted out of BC in the first round by former GM Craig Patrick, No.2 became a staple on our blueline.

In a stellar 17-year Ranger career before he finished it with the Leafs and Bruins though his heart never left New York, the kid grew up before our very eyes morphing into one of the most dominant defensemen of his time winning a Calder Trophy along with a couple of Norrises and of course that remarkable Conn Smythe performance for the ages when the team finally broke a 54-year drought winning the Stanley Cup in 1994 over the Canucks in a fitting seven games.

There was Leetch impacting the biggest game played at the Garden since Willis Reed came out and intimidated Wilt Chamberlain and Lakers inspiring his 1970 Knicks to their first NBA championship. It was No.2 who scored on the power play off a brilliant no-look feed from Sergei Zubov into an open net taking all the time in the world (maybe that’s how it felt for a player who saw things differently on the ice than most) before burying it for that first important tally in Game Seven which set the tone.

It wasn’t just the offense though that special postseason where Leetch towered over everyone including The Captain Mark Messier pacing the team with 11 goals and 23 assists for 34 points en route to becoming still the only American-born player to take home playoff MVP. How remarkable is that all this time later?!?!?!?!?!

The D from a player who never quite got the credit from critics about how well he read and reacted to plays in his prime was also evident during that entire postseason. His hockey instincts were exceptional. From the smart anticipation to break up opponents’ rushes and transition the other way to the hip checks and blocked shots where he sacrificed his body on very bad Ranger teams which definitely put some wear and tear on this special American star, Leetch was everywhere on that ice.

And the best part was he cherished being a Ranger and understood how much it meant to wear that jersey. The classy man appreciated the history and that was very evident during a great speech where he pointed out former Ranger teammates such as Ron Greschner which helped him mature as a player.

The appreciation of close teammates Messier, Mike Richter and of course Adam Graves who got the shock of the night when on his friend’s biggest night, it was that same guy who announced that No.9 would be in fact going up to the rafters next year to thunderous cheers.

And what about the pointed remarks about former D partner Jeff “Beuk” Beukeboom? Class all the way from somehow the coolest guy in the building at 33rd and Seventh on his night with not one tear shed. You could see how much he enjoyed this special moment.

For myself, it’s still very hard to believe it’s really been 15 years since Leetch and that special 1993-94 team which truly will last as Sam Rosen might echo, “A Lifetime.”

You flashback and think to where you were during that run. Just seeing how much it meant to my father was enough joy. He grew up a diehard Blueshirt fan and had season tix even watching NHL legend Bobby Orr skate the Cup around the Garden ice in 1972. 

To finally see his team win after so many endless years of frustration, it meant everything. Maybe as a kid, I never realized it then. I guess as you get a little older, you learn to appreciate it that much more because unless you’re really lucky, championships don’t come around that often. That’s why I’ve always cherished when my teams have won. This epic Giant run this January has been special enough. It’s been seven years since that disappointing Super Bowl blowout defeat at the hands of the Ravens.

But really, it’s been 17 long years for Big Blue supporters since that very memorable dramatic conclusion of Super Bowl XXV. Who knows when we might get a chance to see this team get this far again? So what if the Patriots stand in the way looking to make even more NFL history. I got to be honest. I want the Giants to do it!

That run those Joe Torre/Derek Jeter Yankees had winning four world titles in five years is viewed differently because now we understand just how hard it really was to accomplish. When they’re packing up early every October instead of it being No.27, 28, 29 and so on…it really makes you reevaluate things.

As a sportsfan, you have to enjoy the moments when they come. That’s what June 1994 was and what more than ever Thursday night was all about. One more epic night to remember a great time for one of our childhood heroes and special teams.

Never forget it.

On a day in which the Bruins honored Willie O’Ree for breaking the color barrier 50 years ago today, the harder working undermanned Boston club fought back to defeat the Rangers 4-3 in a shootout at home this afternoon.

The win moved the Bruins (23-18-5) into a seventh place tie with the Islanders, who host the Flyers later tonight. It was the second straight win for the B’s this season over the Blueshirts with both wins coming via the skills competition. They also prevailed back on Oct.20 1-0. Tim Thomas again got the better of Henrik Lundqvist, who came away shaking his head in frustration after both Phil Kessel and Bruins’ captain Zdeno Chara beat him to gain a valuable extra point.

Truthfully, this was one of Lundqvist’s best performances this season. It’s no secret that the 25 year-old Swede has struggled recently in part due to his ailing father. With him getting better, King Henrik was splendid in making 36 saves including a few big ones during a Boston four-on-three man-advantage during the final two minutes of overtime.

He deserved better but his Jekyll & Hyde teammates managed to quickly blow a one-goal third period lead. After leading scorer Scott Gomez perfectly setup antagonist Sean Avery with a no-look feed for a power play tally at 8:08, an undisciplined Paul Mara interference penalty led directly to the tying goal.

Having already cashed in on one lazy Ranger penalty late in the second to go ahead when Chuck Kobasew beat Lundqvist on a breakaway while being tripped up by Michal Rozsival, the Bruins used a similar formula to knot the game back up. Marco Sturm took a Dennis Wideman pass and then went right up the seam getting in on Lundqvist, who made two sprawling saves to rob him. But Kobasew was left all along to deposit the loose change for his second of the contest. The goal came just 82 seconds after Avery had tallied his first since Nov.10 in a 3-2 win at Toronto.

It was indicative of just how frustrating and unpredictable Tom Renney’s club has been this season. From their unwillingness at times to shoot the puck on power plays to their inability to protect leads, this team which had such lofty expectations has teased fans instead. They haven’t competed consistently and once again were outworked by a Claude Julien more disciplined team who skated without seven regulars for the crucial first of a home-and-home series with the second wrapping up at Madison Square Garden tomorrow afternoon on NBC.

Despite Gomez finishing with a goal and two helpers for his 10th multiple point game of the season and captain Jaromir Jagr notching a tying goal 3:27 into the third along with two assists, the Rangers wasted a golden opportunity to gain valuable ground on a team they’re competing with in the standings.

They were fortunate to even get a point because after the B’s tied it, it was their little known young forwards who generated chance after chance late with only a sharp Lundqvist (17 third period saves) keeping them at bay to force OT.

In it, the Rangers caught a bad break when Jagr was pushed into Thomas by Boston defenseman Mark Stuart as the stripes awarded a bogus goalie interference penalty.

All day, they made very questionable calls while letting other stuff go. No surprise as that’s become the norm in many NHL games since the two referee system was instituted.

Though Lundqvist got it to a shootout without much help from Marek Malik who couldn’t make a simple clear in the final moments, it wouldn’t matter because the two Ranger shooters fired blanks while Boston’s came up golden.

In the second round, Kessel deked before tucking the puck thru Lundqvist’s five-hole to put his team ahead. After Petr Prucha was denied by a Thomas pad near the goalline, Chara came in and ripped a 15-foot slapper past the Ranger goalie off the far right post and in which ended it.

It concluded another disappointing day for this underachieving bunch who for some unknown reason continues not to put out the maximum effort that’s required to win consistently.

“I saw urgency and intensity in the last 25 games of last year,” a disappointed Avery noted about last season’s run.

“That’s urgency and intensity. Not right now, not how we’re playing. I wish it were different, but it’s not.”

That explains plenty about a team which remains undisciplined and takes far too many lazy penalties. Like lone All-Star representative Gomez pointed out a couple of days ago, the coach doesn’t hold anyone accountable. Something the former Devil who helped them win two Stanley Cups isn’t used to.

Maybe if Renney grew a pair, his team might actually respond. Why does this seem very similar to last year’s Mets?

They better hope not.

Alexander Ovechkin won’t be going anywhere. The 22 year-old Russian superstar reached agreement yesterday on an NHL record 13-year, $124 million deal to remain a Washington Capital.

He’ll make an average of nine million per year for the first six and it will increase to $10 million the final seven years of the richest contract in league history.

The former 2005-06 Calder winner ranks second in the NHL to countryman Ilya Kovalchuk with 32 goals while his 52 points are tied with Ottawa’s Jason Spezza for ninth this season.

In only 206 career games, the breathtaking former 2004 first overall selection has already lit the lamp 130 times. In his third season, he needs 14 more goals to match last year’s total of 46.

The best aspect of this megabucks deal was that the likeable Caps’ star forward negotiated the deal with team owner Ted Leonsis by himself.

“I’m happy I stay here,” a pleased Ovechkin expressed to the Associated Press Thursday. “It’s my second home. I like the fans. I like the team. I like everything here.“

There had been a few recent rumors regarding whether the Caps would be able to lock up their franchise player. Something which wasn’t lost on him.

“When you read the newspaper and, like, ‘Ovechkin can go over there,’ ‘Ovechkin can be traded,’ you feel it,” Ovechkin noted. “But then you try and don’t think about it, but you think about it. Right now, I think all about my game.” 

When questioned about the length of the contract, Leonsis didn’t flinch offering the same analysis we would:

“I’m a risk-taker. And if you’re going to make a long-term investment, who else would you do it with? This takes away any of the issues of how committed we are to winning a Cup, how committed we are to keeping a team together.“  

“My bet is the money won’t affect him,” Leonsis also added.

• “He’ll play every shift like it’s the seventh game of the finals of the Stanley Cup, and that’s what we’ve come to love about him.“

No doubt about it. So, what does Ovechkin think of all the money and extra pressure that comes with it?

“Hockey is my life,” he pointed out while adding ”and money is money. … If you think about money, you stop playing hockey.”

“I know it’s extra pressure, but I have to play the same,” he said. “If you think of pressure, it’s hard for you. I have to play the same way — play more, play better.“ 

Motivation certainly shouldn’t be an issue for a player who wants to take his team back to the postseason. There’s much for him and the club to accomplish including one day leading the franchise to their first Stanley Cup.

In order for the Capitals to survive, this was the move they had to make. Not retaining their most marketable player would’ve been a potential disaster.

Did Leonsis commit too many years? Maybe. But this is one of the most talented players in the game. Stars of Ovechkin’s caliber don’t grow on trees. He’s special. 

Kudos to the Caps and the Russian sniper on getting this deal done!