Let me preface this rant by saying that I despise Darius Kasparaitis'. I hated him as an Islander andas a Penguin. Sabres fans have a serious hatred for him because he scored the series clinching goal against The Flatulator...errrr..the Dominator in 2001. Buffalo haven't been back to the Playoffs since that Kasparaitis goal.
Back to the story at hand. Kasparaitis, Martin " Pele"Havlat, Ugh Samuelson,and Claude "Le Turtle" Lemieux were cut from the samefilthy, disgustinglydirtycloth.All are / were frequent offenders of the rules and reglations of the NHL, to say nothing of their aggregiousdisrepect of the ethics and decorum that have ruled my beloved game for eight decades.
Having said that, the hip checkthat Kasparaitis delivered on Tim Connolly in The Garden on Tuesday night was a text book hip check. There, I said it.
I hate Darius for a lot of things, not the least of which is running like a bitch every time he finds himself in a jam with an opponenton the ice. However, I do not hate him for sending Connolly ass over tea kettle. I saw the play in realtime, and I've seen the replay a couple dozen times since Tuesday. You cannot convince me that Kasparaitis' intent was to injure Connolly. Plain and simple, Connolly got caught rolling across the trolley tracks with his head down, and he got nuked for it. Shame on Connolly. He missed the entire 03/04 season due to a serious concussion, and he needed every minute of the lockout to shake all the dust and cobwebs from his dome. Tim reported the post-lockout training camp in superior mental and physical strength. He's always had soft hands and F-16s strapped to his feet. hwever,he's hulked up and he improved his overall game by dedicating time to the weight room. He's been Buffalo's best player on many nights this season, and he's used his speed to shred opposing defenses and to create separation for himself and his linemates. Kasparaitis whacked Connolly while Connolly was trying to gain the blue line to set up the power play. Kasparaitis had his feet and momentum flowing to the left wall. Had Connolly picked his eyes up from the puck, he would've read the play.
Memo to Tim: don't get caught trying to admire your own work when there's a sucker-punch artist like Kasparaitis on the ice at the same time. You're not new at this. You've played with the big boys for four years now.
Tom Renney and the Rangers coaching staff knew going into the game that Buffalo has been red hot on the PP and the PK this season. I'm certain that they watched the Sabres on video at the game day skate. Reney knows that Buffalo has ranked in the top five on special teams this season. Kasparaitis read Connolly's eyes, which were facing down to the puck,and he simply tookaway histime and space. Connolly had two Sabre teammates lined up at the point waiting for the dish; Connolly thought that he could skate the puck into the zone, check up on the half wall like he's done all season, and findKotalik for the one-time above the Circle. Connollygambled with his sped and lost. He played "chicken", ironically enough, with the biggest chicken in the NHL, and he lost. Period. End of sentence.The right play in that situation is to give and go with Pominville at the point, or, a soft dumpof the biscuit into the corner to make Kasparaitis turn his entire body and retreat to the corner with his face to the glass. Apply pressure to the puck, cycle from the corner, find the cutter...its all good. Text book hockey, eh ?
I admire Chris Drury and Mike Grier for manning up and coming to the defense oftheirinjuredteammate .
Kasparaitisbeen a GUTLESS PUKE his entire NHL career for balling up in the fetal position after he's injured/attacked an opposing player. Kasparaitis has never thrown the gloves down to defend himself and his actions.He simply adjusts his skirt and saunters away from the scene of his crimes. He's an arsonist: heruns away from the fires that he sets.He's an embarrassment to his family, the NHL, and, to the NY Rangers.
The Buffalo Sabres and Lindy Ruff won't have to worry about exacting their revenge on Kasparaitis the next time they meet on March 27.If I were Jagr or Prucha, I'd place a call to my insurance carrier to makesurepremiums are up to date.You know the code in the NHL: you touch one of my best players, I must take out one of your best players. No worries, Sabres fans, Grant Marshall will serve up some five knuckle justice on Kasparaitis'grillewhen The Rangerstip toeinto The Swamp on March 4.
What say you ? <mailto:
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That's my story and I'm stickin to it............
Garth
