FanHouse Michael Roszival

Things are getting ugly in New York as the Rangers continued their recent slide with a 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday afternoon, their seventh loss in the past eight games, putting them in the quagmire that is the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Aside from getting booed much of the afternoon (the only emotion the Madison Square Garden faithful showed) the Rangers were also getting crushed by NBC analysts Pierre McGuire and Mike Milbury for their lack of effort and intensity.

Yeah, you read that right. It looks like Russian sniper Ilya Kovalchuk, the league's second-leading goal scorer, may very well be the next player to find himself answering to NHL disciplinary czar Colin Campbell. The incident took place just a few moments ago in the waning minutes of the first period of the game in New York between the Thrashers and Rangers. Kovalchuk left his feet and hit Rangers defenseman Michal Rozsival from behind and face first into the boards in the New York defensive zone.

Rozsival left the game with a cut over his left eye. Kovalchuk got a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct. The period ended with the Rangers leading, 2-0.

Photos later, if they become available.

Previously on FanHouse:
With Season Slipping Away ...
As the Curtain Falls on Broadway
Rangers Won't Love Henrik Long Time

Coming into this game all the talk was about the talking that the teams were doing. Everywhere I turned I heard about how Sean Avery was going to annoy the Sabres all the way to the penalty box. Tom Renney's ill-advised comments about the quality of the Sabres were all over the media. I'm sure he regrets them after tonight's game. It sure sounded that way at the post-game presser.

But, the talking part of the series is over and the skating portion has begun. And, boy was there some skating at The Bank tonight. The Rangers came out of the gate strong with a very solid full rotation through their forward lines and a great chance by Jagr which was stuffed by Miller 30 seconds in. Both teams had jump early and both goalies had to be sharp.

Any momentum the Rangers had built for themselves quickly dissipated though as Sean Avery had his first tangible effect on the game by taking an undisciplined, offensive-zone holding call on Tim Connolly. Speaking of Connolly, it was his complete undressing of Michael Roszival that was the turning point of the game. Even though Lundqvist made a great save, Ales Kotalik's take out of Michael Roszival in the corner caused the Rangers best defenseman to leave the game.

So. while it took the Sabres until their 6th power play to finally cash in with the game's opening goal, they built momentum slowly throughout the first period after that, culminating in a series of chances that could have easily netted them three goals if not for some spectacular netminding by Lundqvist.

That three goal lead would be built where the Sabres win most of their games, in the 2nd period. Buffalo scored three times in 4:05 and really never looked back. Thomas Vanek scored twice and Ales Kotalik buried a beautiful wrister high glove side.