Tortorella and Brooks Put the Act Back Together

I love the feisty approach that the New York Post brings to its sports coverage. It gets to the point, comes out swinging and isn't afraid to take a punch or two. On the hockey beat, Larry Brooks gets in there. Gets in deep. Irritatingly deep, a team might say.

But as a reader, you know Brooks was at the game or practice. And the coaches and players do, too.

So the little set-to he had with Rangers Coach John Tortorella after the Rangers took a 2-0 beating in Philadelphia was no surprise. In fact, I'm pretty sure there would be video of the two every night, if possible.

The next clip comes from the 2007 playoffs. Tortorella is running the Tampa Bay Lightning, which lost to the New Jersey Devils on this night to fall behind, 3-2, that playoff series.

Brooks has a question. Tortorella is sticking his chin out in full knowledge that most of the reporters in the scrum aren't going to take a poke. Guess who takes a poke?



The two are made for each other. It's a win-win situation for New York readers. Here is Brooks' game story in The Post this morning. Some background: Brooks and others in the reporter scrum want to know why no other Ranger stepped in when Marian Gaborik, the team's scorer, was getting a thorough pat down from the Flyers' Daniel Carcillo. For more of the story line, here is Puck Daddy's breakdown of the disconnect between the two.



Spot anyone who could have helped out Gaborik? It was old-time hockey in Philadelphia last night, from the drop of the puck until well after the last word was set in type or committed to pixels on your screen. Good stuff. Can't wait for the next round.

THE SCOREBOARD
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Columbus 3, at Boston 2
At Ottawa 3, St. Louis 2
At N.Y. Islanders 2, Florida 1 SO
At Philadelphia 2, N.Y. Rangers 0
Carolina 5, at Atlanta 2
At Tampa Bay 3, Toronto 2 OT
Washington 6, at Pittsburgh 3
Detroit 4, at Minnesota 3 SO
At Phoenix 4, Nashville 2
Chicago 3, at Calgary 1
At Vancouver 4, Dallas 3
At Los Angeles 4, Buffalo 3 SO
At San Jose 3, Anaheim 1
The standings are here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Acadie-Bathurst 6, Shawinigan 3
The standings are here.
The recap is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
At London 3, Kitchener 2
Owen Sound 4, at Peterborough 3
At Windsor 2, Brampton 1 SO
At Barrie 5, Kingston 2
At Niagara 2, Mississauga 1
Guelph 5, at Sarnia 2
The standings are here.
The roundup is here and the Kingston/Barre recap is here.