Charlie Sheen: Michael Del Zotto

Mark it down as being a rough and tumble hockey game between two teams that really don't like each other at all. In the end the Rangers kind of lost it and acted like a bunch of spoiled babies at the end of the game.

For his efforts, New York Rangers forward Mike Rupp was given a 10 minutes misconduct and a double minor (4 minutes) for roughing. I don't know, If I was Rupp, I might think twice of trying to rattle Marty Brodeur's cage, your just looking for some extra lumber to the back of the legs. It's obvious that the Rangers are sending a message but the fact remains that the Devils really didn't take the bait from the Rangers.

Personally, I think that the Mike Rupp hit behind the net on Devils Defenseman Peter Harold was questionable even a border line and unnecessary check, Rupp left his feet and led with his hands as well, lucky for Peter Harold that Rupp didn't catch all of him.

It should be an exciting game in Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night as the series is now tied again. During game the Devils play disciplined hockey for the most part.

Here are the penalty minutes from the boxscore
06:18 NYR Mike Rupp : Misconduct (10 min) - 0 min
06:18 NYR Mike Rupp served by Michael Del Zotto : Roughing - 2 min
06:18 NYR Stu Bickel : Roughing - 2 min
06:18 NJD Ryan Carter : Roughing - 2 min 06:18
NYR Mike Rupp served by Michael Del Zotto : Roughing - 2 min
06:18 NYR Stu Bickel : Misconduct (10 min) - 0 min
06:18 NJD Ryan Carter : Misconduct (10 min) - 0 min

This is the hit by New Jersey Devils forward Zach Parise on New York Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto that the Rangers head coach John Tortorella took issue with - the video is not very good and the hit in question would be the hit in the left corner at the 7-8 second mark of the video.

It would appear from all of the talk between game three and four, that this series is beginning to heat up and get even more nastier, if that is even possible, the two teams started a game off back in March 19th, 2012 by dropping the gloves on the opening face off and having an old fashion Donny Brook.

Ranger fans will be happy to know that the slow footed Ranger defenseman Stu Bickel will be in for Brandon Prust who is sitting out the game on suspension tonight.

My final question is: does the Rangers head coach John Tortorella have a case? Was the hit by Parise's on Del Zotto in the corner a dirty that hit? Is this hit worthy of Parise sitting out a one game suspension?

Larry Brooks, New York Post --- “You can sense the hatred building from the last game, especially with some of the big hits,” Michael Del Zotto told The Post after coming off the ice from yesterday’s optional skate at the Garden. “It feels like there’s something building.”

There were three incidents involving hits to the head in Saturday’s Game 3, but only one gained notice enough to be reviewed by the NHL after it had been replayed multiple times on the NBC telecast of the Rangers’ 3-0 victory. That was Prust’s elbow.

That was followed by Saturday’s post-game press conference in which Devils coach Pete DeBoer matter-of-factly labeled the incident, “Headhunting, plain and simple.”

What was plain and simple is the unpenalized Prust elbow at 2:38 of the second period came between the unpenalized Dainius Zubrus right elbow to Anton Stralman’s face that drew blood at 8:00 of the first period and the unpenalized leap from behind by Zach Parise onto Michael Del Zotto’s head when the Blueshirts defenseman was in pursuit of the puck with 6:22 remaining in the third period.