New York Rangers Mike Kostka Is Anything But Thor
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Eyes On Isles
New York Rangers defenseman Mike Kostka shares a striking resemblance to the superhero Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth in the movies, but other than appearance, that is as far as the resemblance goes.
Last night, in the first of five meetings this season between the Rangers and their crosstown rivals, the New York Islanders, not only was Kostka extremely bad, but he literally gave the game away in what became a rout in the 3rd period leading to a 6-3 Islanders victory. Thus improving the Islanders record on the season to 3-0 and worsening the Rangers record on the season to 1-3.
Near the end of the 2nd period, the Rangers were actually winning this game 2-1, and believe it or not, were in full control of the game. Then with just a few minutes left in the 2nd period, Kostka just gave the puck away behind the Rangers net, which was then centered to Islanders captain John Tavares who proceeded to one-time the puck past Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, tying the game at 2.
And if you think this killed momentum, just wait to read what Kostka did next in the 3rd period.
Right at the start of the 3rd period, just after Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault gave Kostka a second chance after his bonehead mistake, he once again had the puck behind the Rangers net. Now you are taught at a very young age to never do something in your own zone and that is clear or pass the puck through the middle. But obviously Kostka never received this lesson in hockey basics 101 since he tried to pass the puck, from behind his own net once again, through the middle of the ice, which of course was intercepted by Kyle Okposo and quickly wristed past Lundqvist, giving the Islanders a 3-2 lead, never looking back. The Islanders would then tack on 3 more goals, as the Rangers looked completely shot and lost any confidence they had in the 1st 2 periods.
Now I ask you, would the superhero Thor be dumb enough to turn the puck over in his own zone on two consecutive shifts, after being given a 2nd chance by the head coach in between the 2nd and 3rd periods? The answer to that is simply no.
Kostka is no Thor and he needs to never suit up in a Rangers uniform again. Now I know the Rangers as a whole played awful in that 3rd period but if it was not for Kostka giving the game away at the end of the 2nd and beginning of the 3rd periods, like he bet on the Islanders last night, that disastrous 3rd period could have been avoided and the Rangers could have won the game.
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As a Rangers fan, I am sick and tired of these slow starts to the season, and sick and tired of losing to the Islanders, especially at Madison Square Garden. It is time for the Rangers to call up either Conor Allen or Mat Bodie, release Kostka, and have Matt Hunwick as the extra defenseman until Dan Boyle comes back because this Rangers team cannot afford falling behind anymore in the division.
Changes need to be made and fast. And the first change that needs to be made is to take Thor’s hammer and smash it over this impostor Kostka’s head. In other words, getting rid of his contract.