Team report: New York Rangers

It's all the Florida Gators football team's fault. Had the Gators, in Hockey Bay to play Penn State in the Outback Bowl, not been staying at the same hotel as the New York Rangers on New Year's Day, I'm certain we would have had much better luck than we did.

Though we hustled enough to add two dozen autographs, including half a dozen pucks, to the collection, we fell victim to a never-ending stream of buses shuttling the Gators and their boosters from the hotel.

Rather than walk past as earlier teammates had, the late risers took a right, rather than a left, and I didn't want to run across an active driveway, especially with Colin and a couple of his teammates with me.

Sometimes, it's just better to play it safe and be happy with what you can get. There's always another season.

Signing the pucks were:

Top row: Martin Biron (Rangers and Islanders) and Michael Del Zotto; and
Bottom row: Ruslan Fedotenko (Rangers and Lightning 2004 Stanley Cup Champions - he scored the Cup-winning goal) and Alexander Frolov.

One of the morning's biggest surprises, as well as the biggest score, came when Rangers captain Chris Drury signed all four cards I offered. I told him I'd be happy with any one.

Rounding out our hockey adventure were:

~ getting a little help from Colin's teammates; and
~ Colin helping the Rangers celebrate their 85th anniversary.