Rob McGowan

"Off The Post: Inching Closer to the Future"

Long Island, NY • United States • 25 Years Old • Male

Hollweg and Renney's Future In Jeopardy?

I'm not surrounded by many hockey fans where I work...but somehow I managed to get the Pens/Rags game on the tube to help pass time on a slow day. Let me tell ya it was much better than watching baseball...and the fact that the Pens held off the Rangers after erasing a 3-1 deficit made it all the better.

But I cannot ignore to mention the fact that a typical hit from behind from none other than Ryan Hollweg gift wrapped Evgeni Malkin's game winner, which made it that much sweeter.

It almost seems a bit ironic to me. We all know what Chris Simon did to Hollweg with that baseball swing of his, and most Isles fans probably remember how it cost us the game with that 5 min match penalty that kept us shorthanded for the rest of the third period.

Well now Hollweg's antics and lack of hockey ability have done the same, and he looked just about as foolish as that mustache does on his face.

What was Renney thinking? The team was finally showing life! I was not very impressed with the Rangers offensive game plan. They showed energy but weren't getting enough shots or chances on Fleury. But eventually Jagr's emotion (which to me was very uncharacteristic) seemed to rub off on the rest of his teammates as they propelled into a tie game, with Captain Jaromir netting that third goal.

Then Renney sends out Hollweg, who is about as useful as a chewed piece of gum. And what does he do? His notorious hit from behind, only this time it cost the Rags the game, and quite possibly any chance of coming back in this series. The decision by Renney to put out someone who can't even be labeled as a goon since he rarely fights and only delivers cheap shots, resembled former Isles coach Mike Milbury's decision to throw out softies such as Czerkawski when the Rags had P.J. Stock and other tough guys lined up for the faceoff in a classic Isles Rags brawl of the 90's...you all know the YouTube video where Cloutier tears apart Salo and then challenges the Isles bench...not a proud moment.

But yeah...it just doesn't make sense.

So I missed the third period but came home to see that the Rangers had lost and that the goal that Hollweg practically scored on his own teammates may have been the nail in the coffin.

It goes to show that there is no place in the game for players who can only take cheap shots. Simon is a prime example, and he will probably be out of a job next year. Hollweg hasn't committed acts as ruthless as Simon yet, but the fact that he does not produce anything besides unnecessary penalty minutes will cause future concerns for their hockey club, I'm sure.

With all that being said, I hope they re-sign him to a 10 year deal

--In regards to the news on Sean Avery...I have always stated that what happens on the ice stays on the ice, and no matter of your opinion of Avery as a player, we must remember he is still a human being. Best of wishes to him and to a speedy recovery.

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