Stephen Colbert gets millions of dollars for inventing 2006's Word of the Year "Truthiness" and meanwhile I don't get a single ounce of credit for the many words that I make up on a yearly basis. Just within the last two season of the Rangers, I brought many a new colloquy into the Ranger fan vernacular. For example:

Lundqvister -- the pressing need to isolate anyone that irrationally talks about Henrik Lundqvist. As in, "Dude, you're nuts, his save percentage is terrible -- that's it, we're lundqvistering you."

Jaromire -- sluggish, boggy and putrid play that results from a subpar performance by the Rangers franchise forward. As in, "Seven loses in row -- boy, the Rangers are really jaromired in a slump right now."

Hollwegian -- tireless persistence despite obvious disappointment. As in, "Bro, it's never gonna happen with her, you need an intervention, this little crush of yours is absolutely hollwegian."

Pruchanon -- exclusive to Rangers fans, the mass romance of Garden crowds toward any rookie with floppy hair that doesn't trip all over himself in his first season as a Blueshirt. As in, "It's a disgrace that Jarkko Immonen isn't playing sixteen minutes every night, when clearly he's a pruchanon."

Rennicide -- apocalyptic meltdown followed by Ryan Hollweg's promotion to the second line. As in, "If he starts Lundqvist again in back-to-back games, I'm charging him with crimes against humanity -- it's outright rennicide."

I'm like the Lewis Carroll of toothless athletes, only without the pedophilia. Onto the links.

Meanwhile, best win of the season on the last day of the year. And where is Steve Zipay during all this? Right here. Standard midpoint summary, complete with some much needed criticism of this stupid Vote for Rory idea. Get back to work, Steve Zipay.

According to Sam Weinman, it was all hugs and kisses in the Rangers lockerroom after the game. Where does Shanahan squaring off with Donald Brashear rank in the top 50 MSG moments? No youtube feed of it yet, but if you didn't see it, track it down. Fight was a draw, but watching Shanny prance around like John L. Sullivan was worth the price of admission. I keep coming back to my "Good Will Hunting" quote (starts around 4:00): I've been here so long, and I've only just found you. Wipes tear from eye.

Dellapina with more on the scrap. You know, I was kinda hard on the messageboard last night about the garbage time goonery, but when you read the papers and start to feel the excitement flowing from the players after the game, maybe this was exactly what they needed. Shanahan has the crafty veteran saavy of Crash Davis. Shanny! Shanny! Shanny!

And, of course, the lovely Sherry Ross with her weekly fodder. Great points about the absolute asinine idea of expanding the nets, some Gerald Ford stories, a Lindsay Lohan name-drop, and more Rory Fitzpatrick stuff (and really, what would Wayne Gretzky know about hockey). I give this column a 5.5. Her jokes need some zinging.

The Rodent with some good post-game analysis. And NY Sportsday is back up, complete with the Twisted Sister headline. Brendan Shanahan's Number One Fan has her own blog.

Lastly, Uncle Larry, waxing poetic about old time hockey. Toe Blake, Eddie Shore, Brendan Shanahan. Good times. And just to continue Brendan Shanahan Day, here's Sunday's Slapshots. Personally, I would have taken the column one step further and pointed out that intent to injure penalties commonly get overlooked or underpenalized, as when every perpendicular stick that slows for a microsecond warrants the same whistle as Colton Orr adjusting Alex Ovechkin's teeth last night. And Chris Pronger is the hands-down MVP right now. Take off the Devils-colored glasses for a second, Uncle Larry.

Around the league, Buffalo still rolling -- it's time to admit this, Tomas Vanek is a star. Some dude named Andrew Alberts led the Bruins in ice-time last night. Get this, Jeremy Roenick hat-trick! Is it 1992? Gretzky should just submit videotape of this game around the league under the title "For Your Trade Deadline Consideration." Stupid Devils with another stupid shutout. And the other bad team to watch, the Blues, with a shutout win -- if I keep saying that Barret Jackman is available on this page, it will eventually happen, right? Let's go, collective conscience!

I'm watching the Jets right now and, well, they got me. I'm in. The Giants have become an unlikeable bunch of whiners while the Jets have quietly endured. Plus they're coached by The King of Queens. Note to whoever is running the Giants next year: hire a fat guy. Everyone loves fat guys. Especially this guy. Hint hint.

I was going to link Claire Danes this week to bring some new blood into the skank fold, but it turns out that she doesn't do anything skank-worthy. No beaver flashing, no drunken outbursts, no rehab trips -- how boring. She's all class. You suck, Claire Danes. Then I thought that I'd link the beautiful Anne Hathaway but I never got past the words "Italian boyfriend." I bet his name is like Enrico Scuzzibaggio or something. You suck too, Anne Hathaway. And we're not linking Lindsay Lohan anymore until she detoxes herself and stops looking like a walking STD. What's left? NFL cheerleaders.

Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Blah blah blah ... Happy New Year! See you next week, Rangers fans.

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