Madison Square Gardens - New York Rangers

Trip Notes: Took a Friday night Jet Blue red eye flight into JFK. Went strait to my hotel, after I arrived sometime after 5am on Saturday. The hotel was within walking distance to most everything in upper Manhattan. Walked to Penn Station, about a mile, to hop on a bus to go to the Continental Airlines Center (New Jersey Devils) for an afternoon game. Later that night, I took a stroll around upper Manhattan visiting the area around Rockefeller Center, Radio City, and the theatre district. It was a fairly warm evening so the Rockefeller ice rink was a bit slushy from what I could tell. I didn’t have my skates so I didn’t have a chance to skate. Lots of people were out and about so I didn’t feel the least bit worried about walking around the city by myself. Next came a night out on the town. Met up with a friend for a few beers. I can’t remember the names of the bars, but I do remember having an amazing time. Had one too many Guinness’. We ended up closing down the bars. Definitely a fun city! Sunday evening I went to an early game at Madison Square Gardens (New York Rangers). It’s right next to Penn Station so it was close to the same walk that I made yesterday. Monday morning I got on the subway and took a train to Long Island where I would be going to my last game of the trip…Nassau Coliseum (New York Islanders). After taking a taxi from the train station, I checked into the Marriott Long Island hotel. The hotel was literally located in the parking lot of the arena. It was great having that short of a walk. After the game I went down to the sports bar in the hotel and had a shake to sooth my soar throat. Ended up sitting next to two nice guys who were in town for a teacher’s conference. Caught a cab back to the airport Tuesday morning and headed back home. Overall….the trip was a blast. I’d go back to NY in a heart beat!

Arena Notes: What a great arena. So far it is my favorite. When you're first walking into the arena you pass by this huge mural of Mark Messier holding up the cup from 1994. Very cool. I sat near center ice close to the top. I don't think there's a bad seat in the house. The arena had an old time hockey feel to it which I liked....probably because it's very old. ;) I also liked how you can walk around the seating area and get to anywhere you want. It doesn't have the normal 2-3 different levels. It's basically one steep level. So even though I sat near the top, I was able to walk down to the lower seating area to catch a closer view. Didn't wear my Avs jersey to this game. Decided to be safe and not wear it. The fans were decent. They yelled at their own team more than any other fans I've seen. Found it amusing. There was a great turnout in the sold out arena. The area surrounding the arena also received a good rating...lots of places to eat and drink. MSG IV opened it's doors in 1968 and has a hockey seating capacity of 18,200. I don't believe they have a mascot.

Game Notes: Nothing fazed the Colorado Avalanche.
Not a five-minute disadvantage in the first period, not a two-goal deficit in the third period, not a crowd giving a rare standing ovation to the host New York Rangers.
Because once the Avalanche got things rolling, Alex Tanguay led the way to a 3-2 overtime victory Sunday over the Rangers.
"We didn't get flustered, no matter what happened," coach Tony Granato said.
Tanguay scored the tying goal in the third period and assisted on Karlis Skrastins' winner 1:14 into overtime to stretch his NHL season-best point streak to nine games.
Skrastins' shot struck the right post behind Mike Dunham and then caromed off the goalie's skate and in to win it.
"It was a good pass from Tanguay. I shot it, but I didn't see where the puck go," said Skrastins of Latvia. "It was a big goal for me and a big game for the team."
The Avalanche won four times last season when trailing after two periods. This was the first time they did it in four tries this season.
"We stuck to our game plan," captain Joe Sakic said. "It's human nature to try to pick it up in the third down 2-0. We kept it simple."
Tanguay tied it with 9:06 left in regulation when he picked up a rebound of Milan Hejduk's wraparound try and banked a shot in off Dunham's left arm.
The Avalanche trailed 2-0 until Travis Brigley scored his first NHL goal during a third-period power play.
Colorado also won last season at Madison Square Garden in overtime when Greg de Vries, now of the Rangers, scored to spoil Glen Sather's first game as New York's coach.
David Aebischer stopped 22 shots and kept the Avalanche close until Colorado could catch up.
Bobby Holik and Mark Messier scored for New York. Dunham made 35 saves in his eighth straight start, the last two coming on back-to-back nights. He has allowed 12 goals in that stretch, going 4-2-2.
"We should expect ourselves to win a game like this," Dunham said. "We gave them momentum and they took it from there."
Brigley knocked in a rebound, while falling to the ice, to lift Colorado within 2-1 at 6:14 of the third period.
The Rangers' power play clicked for the third straight game after failing in its first 32 chances. Anson Carter was just stepping out of the penalty box to give the Rangers the advantage when Holik made it 1-0.
The Rangers scored their first power-play goal of the season Thursday against Carolina and then added two more Saturday at Montreal -- both victories.
Colorado played without Peter Forsberg and Paul Kariya for the second straight game.
Forsberg sat out his second game because of a slight groin pull and is day-to-day. Kariya missed his sixth straight game due to a sprained wrist that has him sidelined indefinitely.
Aebischer, playing his third consecutive game and sixth in seven, made several good stops during New York's five-minute power play, including denying Carter a few times.
"The big key was killing off the five-minute penalty," Aebischer said. "We played well defensively in the third period. We almost didn't make any mistakes."
Colorado was short-handed because of Steve Konowalchuk's checking-from-behind penalty against Alex Kovalev with 6:09 left in the first period. Kovalev was driven into the corner boards and glass headfirst.
Kovalev missed the rest of the period but returned in the second. Konowalchuk was ejected.
New York made it 2-0 at 4:14 of the second period. Matthew Barnaby took a pass from Chris Simon, made some moves in front of Aebischer, and passed right to Messier for his fourth goal.
Messier moved within one point of Gordie Howe for second place on the NHL career list. Messier has 1,849 on 680 goals and 1,169 assists.
Game notesRangers D Brian Leetch made his season debut after missing nine games because of a bruised ankle. ... Rookie forwards Dominic Moore of the Rangers and his brother Steve of the Avalanche were on the ice simultaneously. Dominic had three assists in NHL debut Saturday. Steve has no points in 17 career games. ... Rangers C Petr Nedved didn't return after straining his back in the first period.
(*Game notes taken from espn.com*)