Too good to be true. Those five little words sum up the Rangers (1-0) stature as they prepare for their home opener against the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday night. That 6-0 thwacking of the Penguins in Steeltown-By-The-Rivers was so absolutely flawless that if you're looking for a goat, check out the Swiss Alps. Yes, at this moment in time, Peter Laviolette's club is so perfect that – for the moment at least – The Maven won't even call the goalie "Izzy Greedyguts." (Believe me, that will come later.) C'mon. When a former Mister Nobody – alias Sam Carrick – scores the first, and winning, goal you gotta be thinking Stanley Cup, Right? When Blue Cross poster boy Fiery Fil Chytil looks like Clark Kent as Superman – whoa, Bibs! – the sky is falling on Sidney Crosby. When a kid from Hancock, Michigan you never heard of before October -- I'm talking about Vic Mancini – emerges from the roster fog to become a 17-minute regular on the blue line, you'd better re-believe in miracles. Okay, okay, I was only kidding when I said this is the start of an 82-game winning streak and beating the putrid Penguins is not cause for celebratory handstands. Then again, maybe there is because every single round peg found the round hole and Commodore Jacob Trouba actually came away with two assists. You name them – Vincent Trocheck, Chris Kreider, Breadman Panarin – they all did their thing. Even Rubles-In-His-Head Shesterkin made all of the necessary saves and newcomer Reilly Smith wound up with an assist. Untitled video - Made with Clipchamp As for The Maven's personal favorites, I couldn't be happier that Jonny Brodzinski not only played but contributed. Better still Lavvy logically explained why: "Jonny had a terrific camp and deserved to start." Pistol Pete further showed his smarts by indicating that The Peoples' Choice, Matt Rempe, will start against Utah. (Already The Skating Giraffe sounds like one of the three stars.) That will make 18,806 jurors jump for joy and about eight Utes can expect to be knocked on their keesters by King Matt. I'd better stop right here because if The Maven says any more nice things about the beloved Blueshirts, I might be mistaken for Santa Claus. So, to reduce my adrenaline count, I contacted my Joy Consultant, Mike Cosby, for his view of the Rangers bonanza. True to his wisdom, Michael delivered three little words – brilliant beyond belief. "Time will tell!"
