Here are 20 points from the Maven heading into Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final.
1. Back in the 1950-51 season, when everything went wrong with the Rangers, the club imported a shrink, Dr. David Tracy, to screw the Blueshirts' heads on straight.
2. One of the Doc's gimmicks was to hypnotize the stickhandlers and that he did. That night the Blueshirts – now out of their collective trances – lost to the Bruins.
3. When the newspaper guys confronted the shrink post-game, they asked him what went wrong; why didn't the Rangers win?
4. I kid you not; these were Dr. Tracy's exact words in reply: "Because the 'ghoulie' wasn't paying attention." (The "ghoulie" was none other than Charlie Rayner.)
5. The Law of Averages virtually demands that the Rangers win tonight. So figure that The Big Three – led by The Breadman – will bust out and your boys win.
6. Vincent Trocheck is my choice for Rangers MVP – after Iggy Shesterkin.
7. Which trio would you rather have on your team, the Rangers' Big Three or Toronto's Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and William Nylander?
8. The Maven says that it has to be Breadman, Chris and Z. My reason: Look who's playing golf and look who's still in the playoffs.
9. How about a standing ovation for our friend Artemi; He's a Plus One! (Whaddya mean "slump?")
10. My MVP grunt = Will Cuylle.
11. My MVP Black Ace = Zac Jones
12. Just a hunch but I can see Jacob Trouba on another team next season with Chris Kreider being captain.
13. Trouba's "Dumb And Dumber" toss of Matt Tkachuk's mouth guard was good for a laugh. But had the mouthpiece gone into the crowd, the grand leader of Blueshirts would have been handed a game misconduct. (Naughty-naughty, Jakie!)
14. Florida's general manager Bill Zito deserves a heck of a lot more credit for building this formidable Panthers squad that he does obtain.
15. Tkachuk wins the "Best Quip Of The Week" wooden medal for his critique of Kreider's mouthpiece toss: "It was the best play he made all game!"
16. At this point in time do you see anyone but Iggy Shesterkin winning the Smythe Trophy? I don't.
17. With Jimmy Vesey out indefinitely Blake Wheeler has to make a return engagement tonight. (Hey, he could wind up the hero.)
18. If I had a Florida forward to pick for my team, the third choice would be Carter Verhaeghe – after Tkachuk and Barkov.
19. Verhaeghe On Panthers thinking: "Whatever happens; happens; that's how we play!"
20. New Maven Prediction: Rangers win tonight and wrap up the series in Sunrise!