The Rangers are the destroyers; the Penguins have nearly been destroyed -- they meet tonight at MSG.
The Rangers are the destroyers.
The Penguins have been destroyed.
This unusual National Hockey League point-counterpoint will be on view tonight at The World's Most Famous Arena.
It wasn't supposed to be this way when the season began.
Pittsburgh's favorite NHL team was supposed to be right up there in the playoff hunt.
Matter of fact, The Hockey News Yearbook had the Pitts right behind the Blueshirts.
Instead, Peter Laviolette's team is hellbent, heading toward Cup-ville-On-The-Hudson while Pittsburghers are still wondering what has happened to Sidney Crosby's outfit.
While Boss Chris Drury unobtrusively -- and without any fuss or fanfare -- constructed a rip-roarin', rampaging contender for the Presidents' Trophy, the Penguins wasted millions on over-the-hill D-Man Erik Karlsson.
Yes, it's true that the Penguins still are alive in the playoff hunt but they are on life support and a Blueshirt KO job tonight should leave Crosby hemming and hawing with the usual post-game palaver.
As I have pointed out elsewhere, Sid can't wait to get out of town and his relatively new ownership group can't wait to boot Mike Sullivan out of his "Nobody Listens To This Guy" coaching gig anymore.
Really, the coaching contrast is beyond stark. Drury imported the perfect bench boss in Laviolette while -- among the other guy's infinite mistakes -- Kyle Dubas lacked the foresight to sack Sully 'way back when.
Ironically -- and Sid being Sid -- Crosby played his heart out for Pittsburgh and once was even talked up as a Hart Trophy condidate.
Sorry, Bud, but that hunk of hardware should go to Breadman Panarin; but I digress.
Instead of relying on core stars like Geno Malkin, Kris Letang and Crosby, Drury has cemented a magnificently well-balanced club from goal on out to the Magnificent Matt Rempe.
So, while the good citizens of Rangerville wonder which team will be the Blueshirts first round victims, those rooters in the former Steel City, are left wondering why Dubas is any better than Ron Hextall or Brian Burke?
Or, as Pittsburgh's veteran hockey writer Shelly Anderson opined in THN's Hockey Yearbook: "The Penguins will primarily be a reflection of the Dubas' vision."