GEICO Week in New York: June 22-28

Alex Rodriguez started the week sitting on 2,995 career hits. He ended it with 3,003. In between, the 39-year-old designated hitter became the third player to enter the 3,000-hit club with a home run, joining Wade Boggs and Derek Jeter with an opposite-field blast off Justin Verlander in the first inning of Friday's series opener with the Tigers. Both Boggs and Jeter accomplished the feat in Yankees uniforms, and Rodriguez joined them as the only Yankees to reach the 3,000-hit plateau.

The inevitable milestone was controversial for Rodriguez, who was suspended for the entire 2014 season for using performance-enhancing drugs. The Yankees, who have openly balked at paying the bonuses in A-Rod's contract attached to his climb up the career home run list, publicized and celebrated Rodriguez's 3000th hit. Despite everything the Yankees and Rodriguez went through last season, the slugger has been invaluable to the team's success this season, as he leads the club in batting average (.282) and on-base percentage (.384), ranks second in home runs (14) and third in RBIs (43). No matter your feelings on A-Rod, his importance to the Yankees 38-31 record is indisputable.

Read the rest at SNY.tv

Rangers on the brink of elimination after fluky double-OT goal

(photo courtesy of blog.silive.com)

Heading into the third period of Game 4, the New York Rangers were feeling good about their chances of taking the series back to Washington tied at two. A three-goal second period staked them to a 3-0 lead, one that goaltender Henrik Lundqvist could surely hold.

The Madison Square Garden crowd was as intense as ever in response to Washington coach Bruce Boudreau's comments after Game 3 that the Garden's reputation as a tough place to play was overstated. Fans came out with a "Can you hear us?" chant as the Rangers took control of the game in the second period.

But the Garden intensity wasn't enough to break Washington's spirit, as a tough break around the net and some good passing from the Capitals brought them within a goal in the early minutes of the final period. They would eventually tie the game on a long slap shot with 7:53 remaining in regulation.

After that goal the teams played over 40 minutes of scoreless hockey, including an Alexander Ovechkin breakaway in overtime that was turned away by Lundqvist, who stopped 49 of Washington's 53 shots in the game. By comparison, the Rangers had just 39 shots on goal.

The game-winner finally came in the second overtime when Marion Gaborik attempted to clear the puck in front of his own net. Instead of letting the puck trickle to Lundqvist, who was looking to cover it, Gaborik's clear went right into the chest of Washington's Jason Chimera, who let the puck drop to the ice before slamming it into the open net vacated by Lundqvist.

Down 3-1 in the series, the Rangers should take solace in the fact that just last season, the Capitals were the Eastern Conference's top-ranked team and held a 3-1 series advantage against the Canadiens, who won the final three games to advance to the second round.

Is history doomed to repeat itself for the Capitals? Rangers fans sure hope so, but their team desperately needs a road win to bring this series back to the Garden. If they can pull that off and represent at home to tie the series, anything can happen in Game 7. Anything.

Rangers' new additions key fast start

Despite dropping their past two games to the Sharks and Devils at home, the New York Rangers are off to a fast start this season. Before Monday's loss to the Sharks, the Rangers had won seven straight games since falling to the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins in the season opener.

GM Glen Sather made several risky and questionable moves in the off-season, most notably acquiring high-scoring but injury-prone winger Marian Gaborik as a free agent from Minnesota. Gaborik has been earning his contract so far, with 13 points in the first 10 games.

His 7 goals are two behind league leader Alexander Ovechkin of the Capitals. Gaborik has given the Rangers the big offensive threat that they have lacked for many seasons; the question now is whether or not he will be able to stay healthy for the full season.

Wingers Ales Kotalik and Vinny Prospal were both questionable signings during the off-season as well, but both have been surprisingly productive. Kotalik has 10 points in the first 10 games, and his rocket of a shot has found the net four times.

Prospal is reunited with coach John Tortorella, who coached him in Tampa Bay. Prospal and Tortorella did not always see eye-to -eye in Tampa, and Prospal was pegged as someone with a lot to prove this season. He has delivered so far, with 3 goals and 9 assists for 12 points on the season. 

2008 first-round draft pick Michael Del Zotto has already had a huge impact in his rookie season. Del Zotto came to training camp this season unsure if he would even make the team, but the 19-year-old defenseman has delivered so far.

With 4 goals and 5 assists, Del Zotto is tied for the league lead in points by a defenseman and is one goal behind Calgary's Dion Phaneuf for the league lead in points by a defenseman. The Rangers hope that Del Zotto will continue to improve along with rookie defenseman Matt Gilroy and young defenders Daniel Girardi and Mark Staal to form a solid core of blue-liners for the future.

Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has been solid in net, as usual. This year he has finally been receiving consistent offensive support, and the combination has led the Blueshirts to a 7-3-0 record. Although the Rangers started out strong last season as well, they struggled down the stretch and barely made the playoffs as the seventh seed in the East.

But so far this year, the Rangers have shown more promise. During last year's quick start, the team was giving away many late leads and holding on to win in overtime and shootouts. This year's team is much more focused and has enough players who can put the puck in the net when it matters most.

If Gaborik stays healthy and the defense holds up, Madison Square Garden might finally get to host some late-round playoff games next May.