Post-Game Talk: 11/19/13 Boston @ Rangers

[The Gloaming]

Seriously there are some games you can just see the disappointment coming a mile away.

The 11-12 team is the only one of recent memory that I had any faith in coming back from deficits and overcoming the usual list of adversities this team seems to continually become overwhelmed by. So far this year this team has been fragile after losing momentum or dominating play and getting scored on. At least they kept the foot on the gas last night, but even after the Brassard goal you knew what was coming. Said the same thing after the first goal against LA.

Sometimes it is unwarranted pessimism and sometimes you've seen this one a million times; there is no surprise ending. It's just a feeling you get.

Exactly. I haven't been watching the Rangers for THAT long of a time, but last night was just a bad movie I've seen 300 times.

It's not an accident that the opposing goalie is almost always the first star of the game. Yay, we outshot the other team. So did the Devils of last year. All we heard from their fans all year is how they outshot the other team, out worked them, you name it. And where did they end up? Out of the playoffs.

Now, we still will probably make the playoffs, but that's only because we are in the new Southeast division. Put this team in the West and they're obliterated every night.

Add to that the ********* Bruins fans around me, (drunk college girl, annoyingly loud guy who sang "you can shove your ****ing bruins up your ass,") and it was not a pleasant night in any way.

Oh, and commenting on the ice: yes, pucks are bouncing, but the opposing teams don't seem to have a problem with receiving passes. It's only this team that can't receive a pass if its going more than 5 mph. A skilled team can play and win on craptastic ice. This team plays 41 games a year on this ice. You'd think they'd be used to it.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Now when we finally get those chances Hank is losing them for us.

When did that happen? Last night? You must have watched a different game. I saw a goalie give up a bad goal and a team fail miserably to cash in on a multitude of opportunities. They failed on way more scoring opportunities than Henrik failed on tough and easy saves altogether.

You seem to be allowing your bias against one player override common sense , logic and accurate analysis of all aspects of the game from goalie to D to F.

Blaming henrik alone and to this degree is foolish, overreactionary, nonsense. I blame Hank for not getting us to OT which he should have. I blame the forwards for not at least tying it like they should have

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Which goal was even that bad of a goal? The breakaway? It was still a breakaway. Thornton's? That was an absolutely perfectly placed shot in the elbow. Could Hank have had one or both, sure. Can't blame him though. Every goalie in the league gets scored on by those shots - the only question is how frequently.

Now, if you want to argue it may not be a good idea to give him $8-9M long term I'm all ears. As good as he is, we have seen that in today's NHL you still need to score. Well that was true in any era. But now every team gets 4-5 PPs a game and the likes of Shawn Thornton can snipe glove side if given time and space thanks to one piece sticks.

 

[Dr. Ogrodnick]

Which goal was even that bad of a goal? The breakaway? It was still a breakaway. Thornton's? That was an absolutely perfectly placed shot in the elbow. Could Hank have had one or both, sure. Can't blame him though. Every goalie in the league gets scored on by those shots - the only question is how frequently.

Now, if you want to argue it may not be a good idea to give him $8-9M long term I'm all ears. As good as he is, we have seen that in today's NHL you still need to score. Well that was true in any era. But now every team gets 4-5 PPs a game and the likes of Shawn Thornton can snipe glove side if given time and space thanks to one piece sticks.

That's my problem. Last year I have no problem with those two goals. But now I find myself being a lot more critical of Henrik's play knowing what he's going to get from the Rangers this summer.

 

[The Gloaming]

27th in league GPG!

26th in the league in ES GF/GA!

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2013-14 NY Rangers!

 

[RangersHank*]

So this game was Hanks fault because we didnt win 1-0? What happened to scoring some goals? The past few games all we had is chances and we cant even get more than a goal. No matter who the goalie is they will have a hard time. God forbid Hank has a bad game (which he didnt imo) the team cant bail him out once? 2 goals a game should be enough, we should average at LEAST 3 goals a game. Amazing that anyone can argue that Hank gave up soft goals. Maybe the breakaway but its a breakaway, the worst players beat the best goalies on breakaways, it happens. Score some damn goals

 

[The Gloaming]

So this game was Hanks fault because we didnt win 1-0? What happened to scoring some goals? The past few games all we had is chances and we cant even get more than a goal. No matter who the goalie is they will have a hard time. God forbid Hank has a bad game (which he didnt imo) the team cant bail him out once? 2 goals a game should be enough, we should average at LEAST 3 goals a game. Amazing that anyone can argue that Hank gave up soft goals. Maybe the breakaway but its a breakaway, the worst players beat the best goalies on breakaways, it happens. Score some damn goals

This. Unless people expect any team in the league that's not in the 1940's to win 40 games a season by 1-0 scores, they should stop complaining about Hank and start complaining about this abortion of an offense.

 

[RiceCooker]

After a hot start Richards has disappeared and Cally is not a top line player !!

 

[KreiMeARiver*]

I think Hank should have had that Thornton back hand..... but he played fine.

The problem was that, as hard as we try, we just aren't talented enough to finish like other teams.

I was happy with the effort, but....yeah, that doesn't win games; goals do.

 

[The Gloaming]

I think Hank should have had that Thornton back hand..... but he played fine.

The problem was that, as hard as we try, we just aren't talented enough to finish like other teams.

I was happy with the effort, but....yeah, that doesn't win games; goals do.

That was not a backhand. Forehand wrister that went of the crossbar and in.

 

[RangersHank*]

I think Hank should have had that Thornton back hand..... but he played fine.

The problem was that, as hard as we try, we just aren't talented enough to finish like other teams.

I was happy with the effort, but....yeah, that doesn't win games; goals do.

Agreed. Bottom line is you can have the worst goalie in the league but if you score, they look great. You have one of the best goalies in the league (Hank) and you dont score then they look bad because we all know if Hank gives up a bad goal the game might be over due to the teams inability to score. What ever happened to scoring a few unanswered goals? I mean can they give the goalies some support?

 

[The Beezer]

I've never been as satified with a loss as I am with last nights game. I thought that they pretty much dominated the game. If they could come close to replicating that type of effort on a nightly basis this team should have a very good chance of going deep into the playoffs. All you can do is tip your hat to Rask and board the plane to Dallas.

 

[The Gloaming]

Agreed. Bottom line is you can have the worst goalie in the league but if you score, they look great. You have one of the best goalies in the league (Hank) and you dont score then they look bad because we all know if Hank gives up a bad goal the game might be over due to the teams inability to score. What ever happened to scoring a few unanswered goals? I mean can they give the goalies some support?

Perfect example: Marc Andre Fleury.

Yeah, he has wins. Maybe that has something to do with the 3 GPG that his team scores.

 

[Tawnos]

Very frustrating game. The Rangers really did outplay the Bruins in just about every facet of the game. There's no excuse for losing a game like that. It happens constantly across the league, but given the goals for in the two previous games, it wasn't acceptable. This is now an extended offensive problem. Again.

 

[Megustaelhockey]

I've never been as satified with a loss as I am with last nights game. I thought that they pretty much dominated the game. If they could come close to replicating that type of effort on a nightly basis this team should have a very good chance of going deep into the playoffs. All you can do is tip your hat to Rask and board the plane to Dallas.

I'm sure that's how the players see it, but there are no moral victories in this sport. You have to take advantage of every opportunity you get through discipline, effort, and a little dumb luck.

And score on penalty shots...

 

[RangersHank*]

Perfect example: Marc Andre Fleury.

Yeah, he has wins. Maybe that has something to do with the 3 GPG that his team scores.

thats a perfect example. if we can average at least 3 goals a game, we will be in great shape. This lame lucky to score 1-2 goals crap isnt good enough. Of course some games will be defensive battles but when we have chances like we've been having, we need to score. just crowd the net and get some pucks through. I'm so damn sick of seeing guys pass up on shots to pass or guys trying to stick handle and then lose the puck, it just kills the offense.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Its a pretty simple question. Do the Rangers lead the NHL in running into hot goaltenders, or do they simply lack the skill to finish off plays?

Hint: Its the latter.

 

[The Gloaming]

Tip your hat to Rask, tip your hat to Scrivens, to Andersen, to Steve Mason, to Schneider, to Budaj.

Basically, to any goalie that is lucky enough to play against the Rangers offense.

 

[silverfish]

Could probably use another finisher on this team. Wonder if Gaborik is available

(Fully aware that Gaborik is injured, BTW).

This is why I advocated bringing Jagr in this off-season, but what do I know

On the other hand, if Kreider finishes any one of his chances, and the Rangers win in OT, we are having a VERY different conversation on the boards today - about how we dominated the Bruins and how we are amped for a run.

The goals will come, I'm not worried about that. Definitely wouldn't hurt to replace Pouliot in the bottom six with a guy who can score more consistently. Steve Ott, where you at!

 

[KreiMeARiver*]

That was not a backhand. Forehand wrister that went of the crossbar and in.

sorry I meant Paille's goal..

 

[thevreelander]

Frustrated...

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Its a pretty simple question. Do the Rangers lead the NHL in running into hot goaltenders, or do they simply lack the skill to finish off plays?

Hint: Its the latter.

Normally I would 100% agree. However they generated more quality chances last night than they have in just about any other game this season. This wasn't a typical "Rangers outshot them but couldn't score" effort where all of their shots were wrap arounds, weak wide angle shots, or point shots. They were getting grade A chances from the slot and off the rush.

I guess ultimately yes, they still couldn't finish. But if they get chances like that consistently over 60 min I'd wager they will win far more often than they lose.

 

[Crease]

With some true finishers, the Rangers will do very well under AV's system.

 

[JaeTM]

1) Richards looked terrible. So many blind passes thrown wherever when he had time with the puck.

2) Stepan, Kreider, Zuccs line should be broken up. This line has no finish. Stepan and Zuccs are pass first players.

3) Our bottom 6 sucks. This is a game where our top 6 is playing well for the most part, getting chances but can't finish, and either Boyle or Pouliot needs to pot a gritty goal.

Kreider needs to start putting some of these chances in the net.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I've never been as satified with a loss as I am with last nights game. I thought that they pretty much dominated the game. If they could come close to replicating that type of effort on a nightly basis this team should have a very good chance of going deep into the playoffs. All you can do is tip your hat to Rask and board the plane to Dallas.

The problem is this same type of scenario played out 3 of the last 4 games. If this game was an outlier I'd tip my hat to Rask and be done with it.