November 30, 2004
New York Rangers or Brooklyn Brawlers?
Last time I checked I was the NY Rangers hockey beat writer, but have
on many a night asked myself if I attended a hockey game or a WWE pay
per view. Seems to me like the Rangers are pulling away from the competition
in the thug department. The team leads the league in numerous penalty
related categories and is also 3rd in hits.
While I'm all for a physical brand of hockey (hitting, intensity, and
the odd slobber knocker), this season's Rangers are really pushing the
envelope. All this "old time hockey" does come with a price
tag, the team sits 3rd worst in the Wales Conference with a record of
6-10-4 =16. The ever rising 7.65 penalty kills a game (28 times short-handed
in last 2 games) wouldn't be so bad if the penalty kill wasn't 9th worst
in the RSHL, successful on only 83.66% of occasions. The Rangers have
allowed 25 power play goals against, the most in the league.
All this time in the penalty box has really stifled last season's 6th
best offense, resulting in this year's 4th worst goals for. It is really
hard to score goals playing almost 38 minutes a game down a man. The lack
of discipline has been so bad that even star goaltender Jose Theodore
has gotten into the action. He sits 2nd among goaltenders with 9 PIM,
5 of which came in a game in early November in which Jose was assessed
a 5 minute major for abusing an official.
Despite having a terrible year the team is mid pack when it comes to
attendance at home games, averaging 15,416 fans a night. However, I am
concerned about the atmosphere in the arena. I'm just wondering if these
ticket holders are there to watch hockey or wrestling. With every passing
game the crowd gets rowdier and rowdier, my concern is that we may have
a similar situation as in the NBA, between the Pistons and Pacers or a
full-blown riot. Only time will tell.
Most Penalized |
Rank |
Team |
Total
Penalty
Minutes |
Avg.
Per
Game |
1
|
|
752
|
37.60
|
2
|
|
684
|
34.20
|
3
|
|
609
|
30.45
|
4
|
|
583
|
29.15
|
5
|
|
559
|
27.95
|
|
|
Least Penalized |
Rank |
Team |
Total
Penalty
Minutes |
Avg.
Per
Game |
1
|
|
261
|
13.74
|
2
|
|
266
|
13.30
|
3
|
|
314
|
16.53
|
4
|
|
322
|
16.95
|
5
|
|
341
|
17.05
|
|
|
|
|
Most PK Attempts |
Rank |
Team |
Total Attempts |
Avg.
Per
Game |
1
|
|
153
|
7.65
|
2
|
|
141
|
7.05
|
3
|
|
119
|
5.95
|
4
|
|
115
|
6.05
|
5
|
|
114
|
5.70
|
|
|
Fewest PK Attempts |
Rank |
Team |
Total Attempts |
Avg.
Per
Game |
1
|
|
76
|
3.80
|
1
|
|
76
|
3.80
|
3
|
|
79
|
3.95
|
4
|
|
79
|
4.16
|
5
|
|
80
|
4.00
|
|
The Brooklyn Brawlers
|
Scott Mellanby
|
G.P
|
PIM
|
Fights
|
Ejections
|
Games
Suspended
|
Enforcer
Rank
|
20
|
113
|
6
|
2
|
|
10
|
Victims: |
No one thus far. |
|
Sheldon Souray
|
G.P
|
PIM
|
Fights
|
Ejections
|
Games
Suspended
|
Enforcer
Rank
|
20
|
77
|
6
|
2
|
|
14
|
Victims: |
Jason Doig (LA)
James Patrik (TB) |
|
Willie Mitchell
|
G.P
|
PIM
|
Fights
|
Ejections
|
Games
Suspended
|
Enforcer
Rank
|
17
|
81
|
5
|
1
|
3
|
23
|
Victims: |
No one thus far. |
|
Olli Jokinen
|
G.P
|
PIM
|
Fights
|
Ejections
|
Games
Suspended
|
Enforcer
Rank
|
20
|
80
|
4
|
|
|
28
|
Victims: |
Steve Staios (EDM)
Matt Cooke (ATL) |
|
Andy Sutton
|
G.P
|
PIM
|
Fights
|
Ejections
|
Games
Suspended
|
Enforcer
Rank
|
20
|
53
|
4
|
1
|
|
29
|
Victims: |
Pavel Kubina (SJ) |
|
Tyler Wright
|
G.P
|
PIM
|
Fights
|
Ejections
|
Games
Suspended
|
Enforcer
Rank
|
20
|
58
|
5
|
1
|
|
30
|
Victims: |
No one thus far. |
|
Scott Hartnell
|
G.P
|
PIM
|
Fights
|
Ejections
|
Games
Suspended
|
Enforcer
Rank
|
20
|
68
|
3
|
1
|
|
41
|
Victims: |
Steve Konowalchuk (VAN) |
|
David Legwand
|
G.P
|
PIM
|
Fights
|
Ejections
|
Games
Suspended
|
Enforcer
Rank
|
20
|
32
|
|
2
|
|
|
Victims: |
Chris Pronger (SJ)
Steve Poapst (DET) |
|
Jaroslav Spacek
|
G.P
|
PIM
|
Fights
|
Ejections
|
Games
Suspended
|
Enforcer
Rank
|
20
|
24
|
|
1
|
|
|
Victims: |
Andy McDonald (DAL) |
|