The Blueshirts Are Playing Like They Think This Was A Best-Of-Five Series

Peter Laviolette's hockey team had better make up its mind, fast.

They either have to revert to the way they were -- The Richard The Lion Hearteds of the National Hockey League.

OR, to continue the way they've been in the last two games -- looking like Humpty-Dumpty sitting on the edge of a wall.

This isn't funny folks, nor was the performance -- or whatever you wanna call that abject 4-1 (one open-netter) -- defeat delivered by Carolina last night at The Garden.

Granted, the Blueshirts lead the series, three games to two but in this equation the TWO looks bigger than the three.

"We weren't very good in our approach," said Lavvy. "We have a lot of issues to

correct."

I can help him with the "issues," believe me:

ISSUE ONE, IGOR: Too often than not, this club needs Igor Shesterkin to steal -- and I do mean steal -- games. Not only did he fail in the last two losses but it got worse.

Remember his dreadful mid-season slump when Jonathan Quick took over? That

slump is back and if he doesn't get over it in Game Six, forget about The Stanley Cup. (Dare Lavvy switch to Quick? Not a chance.)

ISSUE TWO, SPECIAL TEAMS: Playing five-on-five, the Rangers are the square root of mediocre. Both the penalty kill -- in Game Four, especially -- and the power play last night looked like broken Table Hockey games.

ISSUE THREE, DEFENSE: People are talking and what they see is an Adam Fox suddenly just average. What they're saying is that he's gotta be playing hurt. If Fox is in fact playing hurt, well, good-bye Charlie, wait 'til next year for your Cup.

ISSUE FOUR, ATTITUDE: This the playoffs, guys; THE PLAYOFFS. The adrenalin must flow and there should be a go-go about the team all night. For crying out loud, I know pancakes that are fatter than the flat-cats that roamed the Garden last night.

(And I don't mean "meow" either.)

ISSUE FIVE ABSENTEEISM: Had he been around Iast night, I would have hired Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, to find a few of the missing Rangers. He could start with The Breadman who's skating like he needs another loaf; (sounds like loafing.)

Also, come out, come out wherever you are: Chris Kreider, Vin Trocheck, and the formerly Magnificent Mika. As Yogi liked to say, "It's getting late early!"

ISSUE SIX, THE FOURTH LINE: Once and for all get Matt Rempe out of there.

His eight minutes of playing time hardly intimidated the Canes. Jimmy Vesey and

Barclay Goodrow deserves better. Save Rempe for the exhibition season next fall.

ISSUE SEVEN, COACHING: Yes, we have to get a mirror for Lavvy's use. His opposite, Rod Brind'Amour, has rallied his team from hopeless to lose-never.

The time has come for Pistol Pete to press the right button on Thursday in Raleigh or I'll have news for him: If his Blueshirts have to return to MSG for a seventh game, it could wind up being a vivid replay of what happened to the Presidents' Trophy-winning Bruins last year.

Yup. Humpty did have a great fall!