Blue Notes

So you thought I was kidding about Air Canada? We were headed back to New York late this morning, when the fuel computer data vanished from the screen and the cabiin crew decided to turn back to Toronto. After deplaning, waiting, and clambering on another plane at a different gate, the lucky passengers waited more than an hour for two other pilots. A 65-minute trip turned into four-hours plus. Grrrr...

Did pass the time listening to some blues, especially smoky-voiced William Clark's "Serious Intentions" on which he plays some outstanding harmonica and his band just out-and-out grooves.

While yours truly was circling and killing time, the Rangers celebrated Family Day with a gathering of the clans in Westchester and the Flyers had a divorce. Burnt-out Bobby Clarke (never one of my favorites) resigned and Hitch got the gate. The timing is probably right---only eight games into the season---which gives the club a fair chance to recover.

I've got a report on the fiasco in Philly in today's editions, plus a follow on Saturday's Rangers-Leafs game and the road ahead. Let me know which six D you would dress against Florida if you were Admiral Renney.

Also, if you missed it, there's an NHL Insider column in Sunday's paper. You can also backcheck newsday.com for my NHL Preview and needle me for some of the observations. One thing: My prediction of a Sabres-Sharks finals may have some legs.

Practice tomorrah at 11. I can drive there, thank goodness. Check here in the afternoon for the latest spinnings of the Rangers wheel....