SB Nation New York - Features

New York Vs. New York Vs. New Jersey -- A Brief History Lesson

2012-05-14T16:44:15Z

With the New York Rangers facing the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference finals, the question on eveyone's mind is this: What was every local postseason matchup in the history of the four major sports? Well, I'm glad everyone asked because here they are. What's better than rivals who play right next to each other squaring off in the playoffs? It's just like brothers beating the snot out of each other in the backyard (though siblings most likely don't shake hands when the brouhaha has concluded). Local, of course, includes Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island and New Jersey. And here's the list. Every one of them.

It all stated in 1889, when the New York Giants and Brooklyn Bridegrooms faced each other in a precursor to the World Series. The Giants were the best team in the National League that year, while Brooklyn was tops in the American Association. The Giants won the local war, and it was already Wait Until Next Year for Brooklyn. Moving on to the 20th century, the Giants battled the American League's pennant winner, the New York Yankees, in 1921 and John McGraw's team came out on top. The following year's rematch resulted in the same outcome, but the third time around in 1923 was the charm for the Yankees, as they won their first World Series, beating the Giants in Yankee Stadium's inaugural year. The Yankees continued their luck against the Giants, beating them in 1936, '37 and '51, before the NL team headed out west to San Francisco.

The Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers met in the World Series seemingly every year of the 1940s and '50s, though it was really only seven times ('41, '47, '49, '52, '53, '55, '56). The Yanks won all but one of those, with the Dodgers winning their only title in Brooklyn in '55. What about the famous three-game playoff series between the Giants and Dodgers in 1951, which ended with the Shot Heard Round the World? Those games actually counted as part of the regular season. And the only New York-New York postseason matchup since 1956 was, of course, the 2000 World Series, when the Yankees beat the New York Mets, four games to one.

There have been no playoff football games with local teams facing each other. Not even in the 1920s and '30s, when the Staten Island Stapletons and Brooklyn Dodgers played in the NFL alongside the New York Giants (we're not counting the Buffalo Bills in this equation). And if we're disqualifying the Bills in football, then the Buffalo Braves, Rochester Royals and Syracuse Nationals won't make the cut in basketball, which leaves us with the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets (well, now Brooklyn Nets -- couldn't they have changed their name to the Bridgrooms in a nod to tradition?). Those two teams met three times in the postseason, all in the first round, with the Knicks winning in 1983 and '94, and the Nets coming out on top in 2004.

And now on to the good stuff: Hockey. Way back in 1929 and '38, the Rangers matched up against the old New York Americans, with the Blueshirts winning the first time and the Americans avenging their loss nine years later. The first modern meeting came in 1975, when the New York Islanders shocked the Rangers, two games to one, on J.P. Parise's overtime goal. The Rangers got their revenge four years later, stunning the powerhouse Islanders, in six games, to advance to the Stanley Cup finals, where they fell to the Montreal Canadiens. During the Islanders' run of Stanley Cup years, they routinely dispatched the Rangers, each season from 1981 to '84. It was finally the Devils' turn to get in on the fun, when they beat the Islanders in those two teams' only postseason matchup, in 1988. The Rangers have since dominated the regional playoff meetings, defeating the Islanders in 1990, the Devils in '92, both the Islanders and Devils in '94, and the Devils again in '97 and 2008. New Jersey beat the Rangers for the only time in 2006, sweeping the Blueshirts. The WHA's New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights never managed to squirm into the action.

And now we get one more matchup to add to the list, with the Rangers and Devils meeting once again starting on Monday night. Will a Parise doom the Rangers once more? Or will there be a new Stephane Matteau? We'll soon find out.

The SB Nation New York Top 5: Rangers-Devils Playoff Series

2012-05-14T13:29:27Z

OK, there have only been a total of five playoff series between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils, so we have to include them all here. The Devils transformed from the Colorado Rockies into the New Jersey Devils in the fall of 1982, and after tying the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-3, in their first-ever game, they earned their first victory when they defeated the Rangers, 3-2, on Oct. 8, 1982 (and they tied their next two games after that). But it wasn't until their 10th season in the Garden State that New Jersey squared off with the Rangers in the postseason for the first time. The Rangers have had the upper hand in the playoff matchups, only losing once. Here are the five, ranked by memorobility factor.

5. 1997: This was the last hurrah for the Mark Messier/Brian Leetch/Mike Richter Rangers and first and last for the Wayne Gretzky/Messier reunion. The Rangers won the series four games to one, with the Devils being shut out twice and only scoring a total of five goals in the series. The Rangers couldn't sustain any momentum, though, as they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference finals.

4. 2006: This was the only Devil win over the Rangers, so that counts for something. And it wasn't close either, as New Jersey swept the Blueshirts in the conference quarterfinals. Martin Brodeur was still in the midst of his reign of terror over the Rangers, but the Devils lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in the next round.

3. 2008: The Rangers won this series, four games to one, and a mini storyline was Scott Gomez playing against his former team. But this one will forever be remembered for the shenanigans of Sean Avery. In Game 3, during a 5-on-3, the Ranger lightning rod stood in front of Brodeur, facing the goalie, waving his stick in the Devil's face and generally annoying the crap out of Brodeur. Avery didn't break any rules, but because he's Sean Avery, the league changed the rule book right in the middle of the postseason. The two combatants also got into a shoving match in the series. When it all ended, Brodeur refused to shake Avery's hand during the traditional handshake line. "Well, everyone talks about how classy or un-classy I am," said Avery, "and fatso there just forgot to shake my hand I guess." The Rangers lost to the Penguins in the next round.

2. 1992: This was the first one. The Rangers had won the President's Trophy in Messier's first year on Broadway and they struck first in the series, winning the opener. But the Devils came right back and took control of the series by winning the next two games. The Rangers reversed that, though, coming out on top in Games 4 and 5. The Devils' victory in Game 6 was marred by a giant brawl after the final horn sounded. Claude Lemieux, of all people, complained of a slew of Messier cheapshots. The Ranger captain replied to the allegations, "It takes two to tango. Welcome to the Stanley Cup playoffs; this has been going on for 100 years." The Rangers trounced the Devils in Game 7, 8-4, but fell to the Penguins in the following round.

1. 1994: This is the one everyone has been talking about for 18 years. The two teams were one and two in the league (Rangers 112 points, Devils 106), and the series played out that way, despite the fact that the Rangers were 6-0 against New Jersey during the regular season. The Devils won the first game in double overtime thanks to a Stephane Richer goal. The Rangers bounced back to win the next one, 4-0, and defeated the Devils in double overtime in Game 3, when Stephane Matteau scored the winner. New Jersey won the next two, which prompted the guarantee from Messier, who backed up his words with a third-period hat trick in the Game 6 win. In Game 7, the Rangers were 7.7 seconds away from celebrating when Valerie Zelepukin tied the game for the Devils, sending it to overtime. But we all know how it ended: "Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!"

New York Rangers-New Jersey Devils Eastern Conference Final: SB Nation NY Q&A

2012-05-14T11:27:01Z

SB Nation New York hockey writers Jimmy Hascup (Rangers) and A.J. Manderichio (Devils) debate how they think the NHL Eastern Conference Finals will turn out

SB Nation New York has had writers covering the local hockey scene all year. Now that the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers will be facing off for the right to advance to the Stanley Cup, AJ Manderichio and I have decided to throw together a little question-and-answer type post to add a little more insight to the series.

We've been following -- AJ, the Devils, and myself, the Rangers -- as diehard fans all season, and it's beneficial to gauge the pulse of our teams as the Eastern Conference final starts Monday.

Let's take a look at some of the topics we discussed:

1) Takeaways from the six regular-season games played between these teams.

DEVILS (AJ): If the regular season showed Devils fans one thing, it's that, for the first time in a few years, these two teams are back on equal footing. Henrik Lundqvist still owns New Jersey, posting a career 25-11-5, 1.79 GAA, .936 save percentage and six shutouts against the Devils. Pretty impressive numbers. But, in five starts this season, he won just three games. It seems like New Jersey is starting to figure out how to get to Lundqvist.

The Rangers technically won the series, getting an extra point in a shootout loss. The regular season showed these teams are evenly matched. The Devils advantages can be neutralized by the Rangers' stifling defense, and the Devils shut down the Rangers top scorers. Both goalies played well between the pipes. For the first time in a few years, it seemed like the balance of power began shifting away from the Rangers.

RANGERS (Jimmy): I think, if anything, these games reinforced how much these two teams hate each other. Between line brawls and the penalty minutes racked up in each one -- there was at least 30 (and then some) in every game but one -- the Devils and Rangers proved that they will make for a great postseason series, even if the regular season doesn't mean much. Composure will be key for each side: If you get caught up in all of the extra-curriculars there's always that chance the other team makes you pay on the power play and there's a chance some disciplinary action could be handed out.

Even though I put very little credence on game-by-game in the regular season, I think the Rangers showed they're the better team, if ever so slightly. So they earned just one more point, but recall a flukey loss on Jan. 31 when the Rangers had the game in the bank and until an innocent dump-in turned into a carom right to David Clarkson for the game-tying goal in a game the Rangers lost in a shootout. Also recall Feb. 7, a 1-0 Rangers loss, when the Rangers had a goal called off with 3.5 seconds left on a controversial goalie-interference call.

Devils Perspective: In Lou We Trust | Rangers Perspective: Blueshirt Banter

2) Takeaways from the postseason: What's encouraging? What is worrisome?

DEVILS: This postseason has shown a balanced Devils attack, and has made New Jersey one of the most dangerous offensive teams remaining. It all starts with the forecheck. Against the Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey established a forecheck early, forcing defenders to make quick decisions and keeping their best offensive weapons inside their own end. That led to more shots, more opportunities and, obviously, more goals. It also helped having Ilya Bryzgalov between the pipes. That forecheck seems to be clicking, and if New Jersey can establish that early, the Rangers may be in trouble.

Martin Brodeur will once again come under some intense scrutiny in this series. He was good, not great, in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. He's still letting in some soft goals, and sometimes routine plays become an adventure. He unquestionably gives the Devils an advantage in experience. Brodeur has been to the conference finals before, and knows what he needs to do to win. But will he be able to steal a game? That is yet to be determined.

RANGERS: The Rangers have shown time and again that they won't deviate from the structure put in place by John Tortorella. They played a grinding, playoff-style game all season long, and even though it took them seven games in each series, they've kept an even keel after thrilling wins and difficult losses. Further, the Rangers' physical, body-on-the-line style is not one teams enjoy playing against and their shot-blocking prowess can be very annoying for opposing teams.

This one's an easy one: goal scoring. The Rangers have had to put a heavy reliance on Henrik Lundqvist and their defense because they haven't really been able to break out this postseason. In their last series, they scored 15 goals, 12 over the last six games. This team has to scratch and claw for most of its goals, and that means it's not a group that can easily put points on the board. Plus, the power play has been dreadful, so it hasn't helped pick up the slack.

3) What about the opposition makes you worry, and what makes you optimistic?

DEVILS: The biggest worry for Devils fans is the way the Rangers defense plays. They collapse around Lundqvist, creating what seems like an impenetrable shield. Combine that and one of the best goalies in the league (yes, that one hurt to say), and you've got a team that doesn't allow many goals. With the shot-blocking capabilities of the Rangers defense, offense will be hard to come by.

Establishing the forecheck, though, will help neutralize that advantage. If New Jersey can wear down the Rangers defense, it will come unglued. At some point, one of them will make a mistake. Washington never tried to forecheck as hard as the Devils do. That may eliminate that advantage, and open up some opportunities for New Jersey.

RANGERS: The fact the Rangers can't key on one guy, like they could most of the time with the Capitals and Alex Ovechkin. With the Devils, Ilya Kovalchuk will be the focus, but then you have the all-world talent of Zach Parise, skilled players like Patrik Elias and a streaking Travis Zajac, along with skilled agitator Clarkson, who has found his scoring touch this year. Tortorella likes to "line match" and he relies heavily on a shortened bench as the game winds down. It makes it tougher to do this when the Devils can throw out a balanced attack that has goal scorers on each line.

The Caps employed a similar shot-blocking, collapsing style to the Rangers making it difficult to get shots through and even tougher to create offense. The Devils don't make as concerted an effort to do the same thing, so that could be a benefit to the Rangers, who haven't had a ton of free shooting lanes or close-range chances. Plus, the Devils' defense can be exploited, and the Rangers wear teams down with the way they forecheck and cycle the puck down low.

4) Who scares you the most from the opponent's side?

DEVILS: The scariest part of the New York Rangers is their defense and goaltending. Yes, they have marquee forwards, like Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik. The Devils defense already shut down one of the best offenses in the league, holding many of the Flyers big guns to under five points. Breaking down the Rangers defense is tough enough. They're big, physical and love to block shots. If New Jersey can break that defense, they still need to deal with Lundqvist, who time and time again makes the big save. Goals will be tough to come by, and the Devils will need to avoid getting frustrated by the play of the defenders and Lundqvist.

RANGERS: Ilya Kovalchuk. The Devils have a well-rounded offense, but Kovalchuk is simply a game-changer with the size, skill and shot to be a thorn in the Rangers' side. He's also extremely tough to defend because of how big he is, and the only way to have success with him is to be physical. Plus, he's rolling right now with five goals and seven assists in 11 games, after a 37-goal, 83-point regular season. He's an even bigger reason to stay out of the penalty box, as he had 10 goals and 29 points in the regular season with two goals and three assists already in the playoffs.

5) Why will the Devils/Rangers win?

DEVILS: These aren't the New Jersey Devils of the trap days. This team is more willing to play offense, forecheck aggressively and make something out of nothing. At any time, Devils head coach Pete DeBoer can send out one of his four lines, and they can pop one into the back of the net. Often in the playoffs, you need those secondary scorers to win a series. The Devils have got that, with players like Dainius Zubrus, Alexei Ponikarovsky and Steve Bernier stepping up to score big goals at one time or another. That depth is the foundation for any Stanley Cup winning team, and the Devils have it established. If they continue to stick to their system, I think you'll see the Rangers stout defense slowly but surely wear away. New Jersey can frustrate them into making mistakes and, in the end, create opportunities to take down their Hudson River rivals.

RANGERS: Overall, this is a team that has been consistent all season, losing three games in a row twice all year. The overall body of work -- even through the playoffs -- suggests this team plays a winning style. Even though it hasn't been displayed this postseason, the Rangers have the ability to score on all lines, their attention to defense is what sometimes stifles their offense. Also in the Rangers' favor is that the Devils took seven games to dispatch the Florida Panthers, a team many thought was a good story but certainly was a very weak playoff team. Plus, the Philadelphia Flyers, like Florida, also pay no attention to defense. This is the real dose of defense the Devils will face all postseason.

Predictions:

AJ: DEVILS in 7

Jimmy: RANGERS in 6

For New Jersey, Breaking Down Rangers Defense Key To Series

2012-05-14T05:50:23Z

There's one simple key to beating the New York Rangers: breaking down their stout defense.

Easier said than done.

New York has been one of the best defensive teams this postseason. Forwards routinely collapse lower in the zone, and the team forms a shield around all-world goalie Henrik Lundqvist. Most shots never get through to the net, and when they do, the Rangers have the skill necessary to make the best of saves.

The New Jersey Devils know all about that. In three of their six regular season meetings with their rivals, they were held to one goal or fewer. In a 2-0 loss to the Rangers on February 26, New Jersey generated just 13 shots on net. The New York defense blocked 16 shots in that win.

"One thing we have to do is make sure we use the whole offensive zone and make sure we're changing sides a lot so we can try to get guys out of (shooting) lanes and whatnot," Devils defenseman Andy Greene told Tom Gulitti of The Bergen Record. "It's easier said than done and they've done a great job not only in the first two rounds, but they've been doing it all season long. We've got to get pucks through. We've got to pucks past that first guy."

That won't be easy. The Rangers have blocked 267 through the playoffs, easily dominating that stat. The Devils, who enter with 131 blocked shots, know that establishing the forecheck will lead to opportunities.

"We've just got to worry about ourselves in here and keep the forecheck on, keep playing the same way," right wing David Clarkson told Gulitti.

Defense is only one-half of the equation. Behind that staunch defense is Lundqvist, who is 8-6 with a 1.68 goals-against average and .937 save percentage in the postseason. He's continued to excel against the Devils in his career, posting a 25-11-5 record with a 1.79 goals-against average and .936 save percentage in 41 starts. He's also blanked New Jersey six times, and carries one postseason shutout into the series.

Devils captain Zach Parise knows that beating Lundqvist may be the toughest challenge.

"Probably getting some pucks by (Henrik) Lundqvist," he told Gulitti. "They're a very defensive team. They pressure you all over the ice. They do have breakdowns from time to time and most of the time he's there to bail them out."

In his playoff career against the Devils, Lundqvist is 4-4 with a 3.10 goals-against average, .888 save percentage and no shutouts. That success hasn't lent itself to a specific formula for how to beat the Rangers goalie.

"Obviously, you have to have traffic, try to screen as much as possible," Patrik Elias told Gulitti. "But, then again, you have their five guys and a couple more of you, us, and then all of a sudden where the puck's going to go. So you have to find a way. Maybe spread them out a little bit at certain times. You have to react to the game. Certain plays you have to get the puck on the net quick. Get the shots quick. Then at different times shift, maybe take a little extra time."

"I think for us it's going to be very important to create a lot of traffic in front of these guys, because it's not a secret he plays butterfly style and he will go down every time," Ilya Kovalchuk told Gulitti. "So I think he's kind of similar with (Ilya) Bryzgalov, those two guys. So I actually like to play against him. And it's a great challenge to play against the best, and we'll take the challenge any day."

It will certainly be a challenge. To move on to the Stanley Cup Finals, the Devils will need to break down a seemingly impenetrable defense and an all-world goaltender. In a season where they weren't picked by most to make the playoffs, it's just one more step toward proving the experts wrong.

How The New York Rangers Got Here: 2012 Eastern Conference Final Vs. New Jersey Devils

2012-05-13T19:04:19Z

Two straight series went to seven games for the Eastern Conference's top seed, the New York Rangers. With their latest thrilling Game 7 win in the books, a 2-1 victory over the Washington Capitals, the Blueshirts now will battle their local rival, the New Jersey Devils, in the Eastern Conference final in a series that should be even more gut-wrenching than the two prior -- for both teams.

The series kicks off Monday night at Madison Square Garden, but let's first summarize ...

How the Rangers got here, four wins away from reaching their first Stanley Cup since 1994.

All the cliched words apply here: consistency, determination and focus. The Rangers of yesteryear used to be an incongruous bunch -- a group of mixed and matched stars with gaping holes at certain positions basically because they had no clear organizational focus. Rewind to about five years ago and the Rangers now have a plan in place and it starts with building from within, cultivating a top-to-bottom organizational structure by which all their staff and players adhere to.

This is important to point out because the 2011-12 Rangers -- even more appropriately, the Rangers under the three-plus years of coach John Tortorella -- have become younger. Their average age is 26.9 years old, sixth-youngest in the league. They now live and die by their youth. It's now a learning process. No longer just throwing money at every free agent on the market, Tortorella and general manager Glen Sather now have objectives in place for what they want to accomplish each offseason and how that will affect the youth process.

Devils Perspective: In Lou We Trust | Rangers Perspective: Blueshirt Banter

This past offseason, the Rangers rectified one of their biggest problems from a year ago and that was acquiring a front-line center and power play quarterback. They did that, signing Brad Richards -- and all his playoff savvy -- for nine seasons. It was a well-intentioned move: the Rangers weren't heavy on young centers and the players they had weren't ready at this point in their careers to assume the No. 1 roles. The next move was bringing in Mike Rupp, an enforcer-type with offensive skills who also has a Stanley Cup and playoff experience under his resume. No longer was it about signing every marquee free agent -- this team felt they had young players growing into solid (or better) NHL regulars and didn't want to block that process. That couldn't have been clearer around the trade deadline, when they refused to part with a number of young players for the quick-fix addition of Rick Nash.

This version of the Rangers under Tortorella also has that hard-to-measure attribute in team chemistry. Many of these players came up through the system together. In recent memory, never has there been such a tight-knit New York group before. Even the new additions are thought of as great locker room guys, despite their veteran statures.

The Rangers set out this past offseason with one goal: to earn home-ice advantage in the playoffs. They did that and then some this season, coming two points short of the Presidents' trophy.

The cast of characters that helped the Rangers reach this point include Richards, who had 25 goals and 66 points this season, with six and 12 in the playoffs. Marian Gaborik was one of the top goal scorers in the league with 41 and 76 points. Captain Ryan Callahan had a career-high 29 goals and 54 points, thriving as one of the best two-way players in the game. The defense was headlined by All-Star Dan Girardi and the stingy work of Ryan McDonagh. Michael Del Zotto also grew by leaps and bounds defensively and offensively, getting 41 points. Of course, the team's backbone was Vezina trophy-worthy goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who had a season with a 39-18-5 record, 1.97 goals-against average and .930 save percentage. He has a a 1.68 GAA and .937 SV% in the postseasoon, as the Rangers advanced to the conference final for the first time since 1997.

When you're that good during the 82-game regular season, it's easy to dismiss the accomplishments. One of those accomplishments relates to the fact that these Rangers were remarkably consistent throughout the year. In October, they won four games, earning points in seven of 10. In November, the Rangers won nine of 11 games. December came and the Rangers won 10 of 15, accumulating points in 11. In January, the Rangers had eight wins in 12 games, getting points in nine of those contests. February rolled around and the Rangers collected nine more wins in 13 games, 10 of which they earned points in. Combining the playoff stretch run of March and April, the Rangers grabbed 11 more wins in 21 games, during which they had points in 12. To understand the consistency of the Rangers' season: They only lost three games in a row twice all season: to begin the year and and a short spell in March. This team withstood the long season, rarely losing focus and dipping in their overall play. Overall, it finished with a 51-24-7 record in the regular season, good for 109 points, the most since the 112 it earned in their 1994 Stanley Cup year. Granted, all of this means nothing in the playoffs, but it's still valuable to point out.

If the Rangers' success thus far this season isn't amazing enough, consider these potential roadblocks. The team began the season with seven straight road games as Madison Square Garden underwent Phase 1 of its renovation. The first two games (lost in overtime and shootout) were played in Sweden. The Rangers were also one of the teams, along with the Philadelphia Flyers, involved in HBO's all-access 24/7 series, meaning the cameras were around them -- at practice, in the locker room post-practice and after games -- for most of December. They then played the Winter Classic in Philadelphia and defeated the Flyers.

As the Pittsburgh Penguins peaked with incredible win streaks at the end of January and end of February through early March, the Rangers' grip on the top spot in the East became tenuous. They stuck with the game plan, though, and even as the season winded down and it was unclear if they'd get the No. 1 or No. 4 seed (division leaders occupy the top three spots), they didn't waver. Throughout the season, they never allowed one loss to snowball into the next, one win to get them too high. It has been a laudable trait for this group -- take one game at a time and allow the the big-picture focus to grow as the season progresses.

So when they ended the year with three losses in four games, there wasn't panic. There wasn't panic when the Rangers were forced to win Games 6 and 7 against the Ottawa Senators -- the first of which was played in hostile Ottawa -- or else go home prematurely and be upset by the eighth-seeded team. There wasn't any trepidation or worry when the seventh-seeded Capitals were going toe-to-toe, mimicking the Rangers' style. No worry in this group when they could never seem to parlay the momentum of a three-overtime win into another victory or the late heroics of tying Game 5 up with 6.6 seconds left, then winning it in OT into the series clincher in Game 6. There wasn't any nervousness that the Rangers played their worst game of the series in Game 6, with the chance to advance to the East final on the line.

All they did was "worry about their own business" -- a line Tortorella has patented at this point -- and get the job done in Game 7. Take one game at a time and not be demoralized by a loss or overly giddy about a big victory.

It's a mantra this team has lived by for 96 games now. And it will continue as the East final begins against the Devils on Monday.

New York Knicks Season Review, Part I: Top 5 Games

2012-05-11T15:16:02Z

The 2011-12 Knicks' season was a wild one. Here are some of its best moments.

The 66^th season of New York Knicks basketball has come and gone. Two of the 66 have ended in NBA titles, 39 have ended at some point during the postseason, and 25 were without any playoffs whatsoever. Thinking about this is quickly getting depressing, but despite the 2011-12 season ultimately being a disappointment, it wasn't without great moments.

That's right...this Knicks season was pretty damn exciting if anything else. While the MILPCAT never materialized (if you don't know what MILPCAT is that means you don't read the best Knicks blog in the universe, our very own Posting and Toasting, and that also means that you generally suck at being a Knicks fan), the season was a wild ride that will own a place in the memory of Knicks' fans. Yes, we all thought the Knicks would be big time contenders back in December when the lockout was lifted and Tyson Chandler came aboard. But most of us didn't know who Jeremy Lin was back then, or that we'd end up loving Steve Novak, and we honestly didn't know until watching him every night that J.R. Smith was really that insane.

So before we get to the roster moves that have to be made, the necessary adjustments for guys like Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, and whether or not Mike Woodson is the right long-term head coach for the Knicks (all questions that will make you vomit if you think too hard about them), let's take the time to look back at the Top 5 games from the 2011-12 Knicks season:

5. The Streak Ends

After dropping the first three games of their first round series against the Miami Heat, the Knicks had set a new NBA record for playoff futility, losing their 13^th consecutive postseason game. Game 4 presented a chance to at least break the streak and extend the Knicks' season by a few days, and Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire delivered, at least for once. Anthony showed off his big-shot making ability, and Stoudemire gave an inspired effort in returning early from his self-inflicted, fire extinguisher case-breaking hand injury. Oh yeah, and Mike Bibby hit the biggest shot of the season. Wheeeeeeee!

4. Playoff Clincher In Milwaukee

The Knicks' win over the Bucks on April 11 didn't literally clinch a playoff spot, but it all but ensured the Knicks would be playing playoff ball again. Thankfully for the Knicks, J.R. Smith's good side picked a heck of a time to show up, late in the fourth quarter in drilling what essentially was the game-clinching three. Anthony had his then-customary 32 points, and five other Knicks scored in double figures in probably the most crucial win of the regular season.

3. Lin's Late Three Sinks Toronto

Jeremy Lin had seemingly done it all in the first five games of Linsanity; beating Kobe and the Lakers, dunking, etc. One thing he'd yet to do? Hit a last second, game-winning shot. Check.

The Knicks made a frantic comeback late in the fourth quarter with a lot of the credit going to Iman Shumpert for his great defense on Jose Calderon, including a late steal-and-dunk that kept the Knicks in it. With the score tied and the Knicks with the ball and the chance to take the last shot, the play was "Get out of Lin's way". Worked like a charm, as Lin decided to pull up and take a straight-on three, which he of course nailed. The Knicks' sixth straight win got them to within a game of .500 (well done, D'Antoni!)

2. Melo's Moment

After Mike D'Antoni ~~was pushed out the door by Carmelo Anthony~~ resigned, Carmelo Anthony seemed immediately galvanized. All of a sudden, ‘Melo looked like a guy that you can actually build a winning team around. Whether that's ultimately the case remains to be seen, but on Easter Sunday, Anthony had his first truly great Knicks moment, dropping 43 points in an OT victory. Anthony hit two clutch threes, one late in regulation, one late in overtime to lift the Knicks.

1. Linsanity's Official Arrival

Yeah, this whole Linsanity thing was nice...an unknown comes out of nowhere and becomes the star player for the New York Knicks, leading them to a few wins. Nice story, but really, this guy wasn't any good right? Look at the team's he's beaten; the Nets, the Jazz, the Wizards. Now the Lakers were coming to town, on a Friday night, on national TV, ready to play the role of buzz saw. So what did Lin do? Dominate the game to the tune of 38 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds, outscoring Kobe Bryant. The performance had The Garden rocking for a regular season game like never before. What's probably most impressive is that Lin led the Knicks to a win on a night when his starting lineup included Jared Jeffries (32 minutes played) and Bill Walker (30). While a knee injury ended Lin's season early, Linsanity gave us in two weeks a season's worth of memorable moments.

Devils Playoff Run May Help Parise Stay In New Jersey

2012-05-11T15:09:11Z

There aren't too many black clouds hanging over the New Jersey Devils these days. The team easily dispatched of the Philadelphia Flyers, beating them in five games to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2003.

One, however, continues to linger. It's in the background, diminished by the playoff success of this year's team. It's an ever present black cloud, however, and on it sits a number nine. That is the number of Zach Parise, the Devils 27-year old captain. He's helped lead the team to their deepest playoff run in years, and it seems like the organization finally installed a coach who brought the right system to match his skills.

His production matched that in the regular season. Parise recorded 69 points (31g, 38a), and slotted in on the top line with Ilya Kovalchuk and Adam Henrique. He's been just as valuable in the playoffs, collecting eight points (4g, 4a) and dolling out an impressive 30 hits. With each game the Devils win, Parise's value increases by the millions, and he's one of the biggest names on the free agent market this season.

Devils fans are used to watching some of their stars leave. Scott Gomez bolted for the New York Rangers, Brian Gionta left for the Montreal Canadiens and Brian Rafalski signed with his hometown Detroit Red Wings. None of those losses would compare to a departure of Parise, who has become a fan favorite and one of the most important players in the locker room.

"I think he's going to be an important part of this organization moving forward," goalie Martin Brodeur told Dave Caldwell of the New York Times back on April 14.

That sentiment, which rang true then, couldn't be more true today.

In his first season as captain, the team rallied around Parise. As a restricted free agent this past summer, Parise signed a one-year contract. The organization, probably in good faith, gave him the captain as a sign that they're willing to work on getting a contract extension signed. The response in the locker room has been a unanimous following, and several players quickly followed his example.

"He's someone on the ice who works hard every shift, a guy who never gives up," right wing David Clarkson told Caldwell. "When he's on the ice and you're the next to go, you want to work as hard as he did because he's your captain."

The deep playoff run might have made that black cloud shrink just a little bit. ESPN's Craig Custance spoke with Wade Arnott, Parise's agent, who had this to say:

"I don't know," he said. "Does the fact that they're showing well and taking a longer run and becoming more competitive, is it the right fit? I don't know the answer to that."

But it's got to help the cause, right?

"It probably bodes decently for the Devils," Arnott said.

Parise and the Devils are making an unexpected run, and the team looks like a Stanley Cup contender. But the question about Parise's future continues to linger, making these playoffs an important time for the organization. Winning will prove Parise's future is bright in New Jersey, but losing could muddy the picture.

The New York Week That Was (Stanley Cup Drama Edition)

2012-05-11T13:34:13Z

Every game in the Stanley Cup playoffs is a separate test in and of itself. The triple overtime win in Game 3 for the New York Rangers was just another win. Sure, it was almost two games in one but it only counted once (but it sure was memorable). And when the puck dropped in Game 4, momentum was nowhere to be found. Maybe it was hidden, or maybe momentum is fickle. But everything started over. The previous game was long forgotten once the Washington Capitals scored first. The two teams traded goals until the game was knotted at two, but as in Game 2, when Brad Richards went to the penalty box and Washington won the game on a power-play goal, a late penalty (this time by Carl Hagelin) did them in again. Yes, Ryan Callahan was tripped seconds before the game-winner, Brian Boyle had his stick slashed out of his hands and Mike Knuble committed a delay of game penalty -- though none of those infractions were called by the officials (and surely the Rangers have gotten away with much as well) -- but with the series being as even as can be, one mistake can lose a game. And Hagelin committed that penalty, no doubt. The real problem has been the Blueshirts' lack of production, not the lack of consistent officiating. There's been virtually no wiggle room in any game for the Rangers, win or lose.

And then there was Game 5. And both teams started from scratch again. But this just wasn't any Game 5. It was GAME 5! The Miracle at MSG. Washington rode their momentum by . . . allowing the first goal of the game to Anton Stralman. And even though the Capitals scored the next two goals, the Rangers set the pace and dictated the play, with the Richards/Hagelin/Marian Gaborik line buzzing all game long. But it seemed like the Blueshirts, instead of doing just enough to win, as they usually do, were going to do just enough to lose. But then it was Washington's turn to commit a late penalty (in the form of Joel Ward accidentally using Hagelin's head as a baseball). And one of the most magical moments in Ranger playoff history followed when Richards poked the puck in the net with 7.6 seconds left (the official time was changed on Tuesday), saving his team from despair. Marc Staal (after crucially breaking up a 3-on-1 late in the third) received the puck from a clean John Mitchell face-off win and finished things off less than two minutes into overtime, by rifling the puck into the back of the net. Unbelievable.

And then there was Game 6. And both teams started from scratch again. The Rangers rode their momentum by . . . allowing the first goal of the game after committing an early penalty, in the 2-1 loss. They began the game playing as if they had a Game 7 safety net, while Washington played with desperation. The Blueshirts couldn't take advantage of a four-minute power play, or any power play for that matter, they couldn't get the puck past the Capitals' shot-blockers and when they did, they couldn't solve Braden Holtby. So now it's on to Game 7, the latest test for the Rangers, who have stepped up all year to pass every test they've faced. Can they do it one more time, though?

Meanwhile, the New Jersey Devils didn't need momentum as they had domination on their side in their series vs. the Philadelphia Flyers. After falling behind 2-0 in Game 4, the Devils proceeded to steamroll over the Flyers, scoring four consecutive goals, while causing Philadelphia to become unglued, undisciplined and unruly. Claude Giroux personified his team's self-confessed "panic" with a cheap shot to Dainius Zubrus' coconut. It didn't prevent Zubrus from getting the last laugh, though, when he scored the empty-net insurance goal after previously putting home the game-winner. The victory was a nice, gift-wrapped present for Martin Brodeur on his 40th birthday. And Game 5 was more of the same. The Flyers scored first again, but it was just a tease, as New Jersey continued to have their way with their opponent. Though their first two goals may have come with a little luck on their side -- with Bryce Salvador's score assisted by a possible missed offsides call and David Clarkson's goal coming on an Ilya Bryzgalov gaffe that won't soon be forgotten in Philadelphia -- the Devils' patience and discipline played a huge hand in their series victory. When the Flyers dipped into their Broad Street Bullies bag of tricks, the Devils turned the other cheek and concentrated on playing solid, focused hockey. And it worked. And they won. Now on to face either the Rangers or Capitals.

And now on to the other top stories of the week in the world of New York sports.

All Over: It wasn't quite Willis Reed limping onto the court in 1970, but Amar'e Stoudemire dramatically returned to action on Sunday, in Game 4 vs. the Miami Heat, with his Spalding-like hand all bandaged up, one day before the Rangers produced their thriller at the Garden. But Stoudemire didn't just show up, he produced, with 20 points and 10 rebounds, riding shotgun to Carmelo Anthony's 41-point gem, to spur the New York Knicks on to victory, 89-87, keeping their season alive. After Mike Bibby drained a key three-pointer, Anthony put in the dagger with a three-pointer of his own, as he finally showed up Miami's trio of stars with a star-like performance to match what they had done. And the victory, of course, put an end to the Knicks' NBA record 13-game playoff losing streak and was their first postseason win since April 29, 2001. But the bad news was the horrific injury suffered by Baron Davis, who partially tore his patella tendon while completely tearing both his ACL and MCL. On Wednesday, with Jeremy Lin glued to the bench and not a pulling a Reed or Stoudemire, the Knicks ran out of magic, losing 106-94. Everything had to go perfectly for the Knicks to have a chance to win the series vs. the Heat, and, as it turns out, nothing came close to being perfect. Anthony scored 35 points, but he didn't have any help, with the offense, again, devolving into standing around watching their star work in isolation. There were no contributions from Steve Novak nor J.R. Smith. And they had no answers for the Heat's offense or defense. Wait until next year.

Life After Mariano: Did the injury to Mariano Rivera emphasize the fact that the New York Yankees are filled with thirtysomething (and fortysomething) players and may be too old? Or are they just experienced? (And with Andy Pettitte starting Sunday, which category will he fall under?) Is this another slow start that will be overcome as usual? Or is this the beginning of a real decline? Those are the questions the Bombers will eventually answer as the season rolls on. After opening up their post-Rivera era with a four-game split in Kansas City, with the team alternating "They're fine!"/"They're in trouble!" games, they got their first real glimpse of how the absence of their legendary closer will affect the team in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. Entering the ninth after seven solid innings from Ivan Nova and two home runs from Raul Ibanez, the Yankees handed the ball over to David Robertson, as he received his first chance at replacing the great Mariano. And Robertson looked more John Franco than Mariano Rivera, loading the bases before getting out of his own jam, but that's been Roberson's M.O. all along. But on Wednesday, Robertson wasn't so lucky, doing his Heathcliff Slocumb impersonation this time around. After a pitcher's duel between Jeff Niemann and a cattle call of Yankee hurlers, Robertson set fire to the game, coughing up four runs, blowing the win for his team. There was of course another save opportunity on Wednesday, but this time Rafael Soriano got a shot at it and he came through with the save (though he let in a run). The star of the 5-3 victory was CC Sabathia, who in eight innings of stellar work had more trouble with his own third baseman, Eduardo Nunez, than he did with the Tampa Bay lineup. On a final note, with the army of Yankee announcers employed by YES, can they just ditch them all except for two? Last weekend in Kansas City, the booth was whittled down to David Cone and Ken Singleton, and the duo was a breath of fresh air -- insightful, informative and humorous. It was a formula that worked. (And a final, final note: Brett Gardner reaggravated his elbow strain on Thursday, and won't be returning anytime soon.)

A Sweet Sweep: After coming within one bullpen implosion of sweeping the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend (keyed by solid starts by Johan Santana and R.A. Dickey, and the hot bats of Andres Torres, Daniel Murphy and David Wright, but Ruben Tejada had to go on the DL with a strained quad), the New York Mets won in dramatic fashion a la the Rangers and Knicks (though not as important as their wins, of course) on Monday night when rookie Jordany Valdespin notched his first career hit with a ninth-inning, pinch-hit three-run homer that defeated the Philadelphia Phillies (and the homer occurred only seconds after Richards' goal, giving Met/Ranger fans a minute of glory that will be savored for a while). And the victory came against Roy Halladay and Jonathan Papelbon to boot (and almost three years to the day of Omir Santos' electrifying long ball off the former Boston Red Sox closer at Fenway). The bad news in this one: Josh Thole was creamed by Ty Wigginton, and had to join Tejada on the DL. But the Met catcher somehow hung onto the ball, for a crucial out at the plate, which set up Valdespin's heroics. On Tuesday, the Mets put the finishing touches on a resilient, comeback 7-4 victory just minutes after the Devils eliminated the Flyers (putting Philadelphia fans into a depression, and giving Met/Devil fans their special moment). The Mets climbed out of a 4-0 hole with one two-out, run-scoring hit after another, and they let the Phillies play the buffoon for a change when the home team botched a rundown, allowing Kirk Nieuwenhuis to score. And they completed the sweep on Wednesday, winning 10-6, sparked by a late-game offensive explosion, highlighted by a possibly-coming-out-of-his-slump Ike Davis' home run, double and three RBIs. The Mets' roster is filled with players fighting for their major league careers, and the result is a hungry, hustling team, as opposed to a few previous editions of the Mets who possessed the unfortunate characteristic of complacency. Terry Collins and complacency just don't mix, though.

Eli the Comedian: No, I haven't watched SNL in years, so maybe this was just a down episode, but it's kind of sad when Eli Manning is the funniest person on the show. The highlight was the Little Brother faux commercial -- "Aren't you Eli Manning?" "I'm your biggest %#$%# nightmare!"

And that's the New York week that was.