As I type this, the Rangers are down 2-0 to Colorado in the first (later on they go down 4-3).
It's an old story for the Rangers. They just can't seem to finish anyone off. The reason? Maybe the insane number of line combinations they roll. Or maybe because no one ever gets benched. Either way, the Rangers are playing just well enough to tie. On a good day.

Penguins GM Craig Patrick says he's surprised game attendance is as low as it is.
Everyone probably assumes it's because the Penguins are so bad, right?
But look in New Jersey.
They might be the hottest team in the NHL right now, but their attendance is pretty awful, too.
What's it all mean?
That fans realize the regular season is meaningless. Devils fans know the Devils will be in the playoffs and Penguins fans know the Penguins won't.
It's yet another argument for more rivalries. If the games don't really mean anything in the standings (even though they technically do) at least fans can see two teams that hate each other going at it.

A sharp PuckUpdate reader sent me a link to this article about how Todd Bertuzzi hasn't been playing well lately.
This is on the heels of an ESPN.com article talking about how well Bertuzzi is playing since he signed his contract (see below).
I'm not a huge Vancouver-watcher, being on the East coast, but I haven't noticed anything different to Bertuzzi's game.
Maybe the Vancouver media has higher expectations than me, though.

Jeremy Roenick said that if there's a strike next season, he would consider going to the World Hockey Association.
Is there another player (other than Brett Hull) who's a better fit for the WHA? Roenick is all attitude. He's a jerk, but he's entertaining on and off the ice.
The WHA probably doesn't have a lot of money to sign big NHL stars. And I could be wrong, but I think there may even be rules against teams signing too many stars, but if they're selective about the NHLers they invite into the league, it maybe, maybe, possibly could be a great show.

When the Leafs took on the Flames, it was more than just two Canadian teams facing off.
It was Calgary's past meeting its present as both Joe Nieuwendyk and Gary Roberts skated against their former team.
Not much else to say about that really. I'm just saying they both used to play for the Flames, and now they play for Toronto.

Are there a lot of injured goalies this season or is it me?
And the backups are doing amazingly.
Over in Calgary, Jamie McLennan is way better than the injured Roman Turek.
Plus, now the Flames have goalie Miikka Kiprusoff. If he gets hot, there might not be room for Turek when he comes back.
Over in Edmonton, Ty Conklin is kicking ass for the Oilers while he fills in for Tommy Salo. That's really shocking. Conklin was horrible against the Rangers last week. He was all about sweet rebounds and awful positioning. If the Oilers had been playing any kind of decent team, Conklin probably would have ended up pulled before the third period.
I guess he turned things around, though.

ESPN.com has an interesting piece on Canuck Todd Bertuzzi.
Bertuzzi is fascinating in that he actually started playing better after he got his big, new contract from Vancouver. Most players would have started coasting. Although, really, Bertuzzi is just too big to coast. I think he'd fall through the ice if he coasted.
I also learned that Bertuzzi's contract is really nice. He supposedly still gets paid if there's a lockout. He'd make $10 million from a two-year lockout. Obviously, he makes more if he plays, though.
So don't be shocked if Bertzuzzi starts egging on management, daring them to stop hockey next season.

Hmmmm. Here is why teams need more than one solid player.
Mario Lemieux is going to miss another week or so with his strained hip.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette also repeats the rumors that Lemieux is suffering more than a strain — that it's really a tear. Or even arthritis. The Penguins coaching staff denies all of this.
Me? I don't see what's so surprising about an old guy taking a while to heal. My dad gets a paper cut and he's out for like three days. It's the nature of aging.

The Sun-Times has more on why GM Mike Smith was fired last month.
Apparently Blackhawk ownership just loved coach Brian Sutter's intensity.
I'm not sure why that meant Smith had to be fired, but apparently the concepts are linked in the minds of the Blackhawk powers-that-be.

Wow. The Oilers kind of broke with their usual game plan, didn't they? Instead of going young, they went old and picked up free agent Adam Oates for just under $2 million.
Oates gives Edmonton depth down the middle. He'll also be hela-useful in the playoffs. I've heard rumors he can be pretty miserable in the locker room, but those are probably just rumors.
If I'm not mistaken, the big free agent still unsigned is Adam Graves, last seen in San Jose. I don't know why, but I have a feeling he may turn up in Chicago. He brings a lot to the ice in terms of character. He might be a good way to help shape a young team.

While I'm not Canadian, I do love Canada. I don't understand Canada's infatuation with inferior artists who happen to be Canadian, though.
Bryan Adams wrote and performed the theme to TSN's Wednesday Night Hockey. The song is called "We're Gonna Win." I think a better title would be "We're Gonna Win (Unless We Tie or Lose in Overtime)."
Did anyone know Bryan Adams was still working? And does anyone really believe that this new song will sound any different than "Summer of '69"? Because I know I sure don't.
Here in the states, the theme music to our sporting events is very refined. Take MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL. That theme song is sung by Hank Williams Jr. That's class and relevance in one nice, tidy, little bearded package.

The big question in the NHL?
What's wrong with the Dallas Stars?
Personally, I think ownership's off-season moves kind of put the team (especially Mike Modano) off. How could they not try to re-sign Derian Hatcher? How could they try and dump Bill Guerin? How could they wait so long to re-sign goalie Marty Turco?
The whole thing sent a strong message that winning wasn't a priority this season. So now the Stars aren't winning, and everyone is pissed.
Oh. And the Stars picked up veteran defenseman Ron Klemm from Chicago. The Blackhawks never met a solid player they wouldn't dump.

Kevin Paul Dupont of the Globe goes hard after the Blackhawks, calling them (and their myriad of on- and off-ice problems) comical.
My favorite part is how some people in the Blackhawk organization are saying Dale Tallon is the GM-apparent, while others are saying he's a seat-warmer.
It's funny because it's true.

It seems the Devils are trying to move Scott Gomez big time.
And what would the Devils be getting back in return?
Maybe Jarome Iginla, if you believe the New York Post.
I doubt the Devils would even want Iginla, though. The only thing they've consistently done with offensive talent is let them leave. The organization is much more interested in grinders and two-way players. But still, it's an interesting idea.
Gomez seems to spend most of his time in coach Pat Burns' dog house, but this time the Devils seem to be trying to move him because teams are interested. I think Gomez would be a great fit in Buffalo, but I'm not sure what Buffalo could offer the Devils in return.

Nashville's Jordin Tootoo is pretty big time.
The Times did a big piece on him Saturday.
Tootoo really seems to have changed the chemistry of the Predators. They're still awful, but now they're feisty (some might say violent) as hell. They're like something out of SLAPSHOT.
In fact, he's a bit out of control.
Saturday night he gave a concussion to the very study Radek Martinek, via a flying (and illegal) check.
Sure it's nasty, but it's also effective. He shut down the Islanders with that hit.