Blue Notes

Buffalo---So I jumped out of the cab and rumbled through the rain into the HSBC dressing-room corridor before the morning skate wearing not my usual jacket and tie, but a hand-knit wool cap, jeans and a black raincoat and scarf.

Oh brother. All the MSG TV guys, wearing their suits, found yours truly quite the target.

Producer Joe Whelan, judging that my attire was more appropriate for someone destitute, handed me a quarter sorrowfully and said "Bless you, son." Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti fell over. Wojo, another MSG TV hockey wise guy, also slipped me a quarter.

Funny fellows. A regular riot, as Ralph would say to Alice.

They certainly quieted down when I told them the Knicks crew was far more generous.

These guys arrived in Buffalo on Thursday night. Must be something in the air that inflames the silly glands of out-of-towners if they're here longer than 12 hours.

During practice, the Rangers also were pretty loose, with trainer Jim Ramsey---looking veddy British---holding a small black umbrella over Jaromir Jagr on the bench while Darius Kasparaitis squirted water from a bottle in their direction.

In the dressing room, players hooted "hometown hero" as Ryan Callahan was surrounded by cameras and microphones and notebooks, with their owners asking him about Rochester---an hour away---and his impending NHL debut.

And Brendan Shahanan, (or was it Brendan Strahan) sitting at his stall, wryly told an approaching camera crew led by a female reporter: "Just look me in the eye, that's all I've got to say...." When she replied: "I don't know what you mean," Shanahan laughed and gestured in our direction: "The New York people know what I mean," then courteously answered her questions.

Anyway, as reported yesterday, Kevin Weekes in is goal for the third time against the Sabres, Adam Hall is lifted to the second line with Shanny and Matt Cullen and Petr Prucha joins Betts and Hossa.

With Jason Ward (right ankle sprain) out, Callahan will skate with Ryan Hollweg and Colton Orr on what---because of its suddenness--- we've dubbed the "Ad HOC" line.
(MSG's John Giannone was thinking "CHO", as in comedienne Margaret, but that's par for the course for Giannone, whose sub-rosa commentary really should land him a spot on Comic Relief.)

You've got to like Callahan, who was clearly excited about playing in front of his parents and about 15 relatives and friends. "I just want to go out there and fit in, bring a lot of energy to the table...and make no mistakes," he said.
Said coach Tom Renney, who admitted he did not expect Callahan to play when he was summoned from Hartford on Tuesday to practice with the club: "He's a good player. He'll get some early shifts obviously to get the bugs out and we'll just take it from there....Play hard. That's all he has to do for us. I think he doesn't gauge his success on the ice other than being responsible with and without the puck... and let the rest take care of itself. And enjoy the moment. There's nothing wrong with having fun and drinking it up."

For the Rangers to topple the Sabres here at home, they will have to let it all hang out. The Sabres are gunning to become only the fifth team in NHL history to have 20 victories through 25 games.
And they might have some other home-field advantages as well.
As Jay Greenberg of the Post and I were leaving practice to find a cab to return to the hotel, this conversation was overheard between a security officer and a colleague.
"How much should we turn up the heat in the visitors locker room?," one asked.
The other paused, then responded: "Use your own discretion."
More later...
Please stay tuned...