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2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs: We're In!!! Let's talk (Clinched 2nd Place)

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Rust Heisenberg said:
Playoff tendencies:

Defenses tighten up.
Less risks taken to stretch ice.
Teams try to clog up the neutral zone.
Forechecking is key.
Goalies can govern the course of a series.

Seems to me that we've been losing a fair amount of our series' over the last 6-7 years because we don't have much balance. Our top lines never produce as they're up against the hardest defensive pairings. We never had the depth and balance to be able to legitimately threaten another team with our lower lines.

I think the Rangers will wear out any team with their balance this year. Our defense trumps the other 7 teams we can potentially face in the East (if McDonagh is healthy).

Our speed will allow us to naturally open up the ice while reducing risks.

We have an excellent puck possession system in place and our bottom two lines do a great job at forechecking and generating scoring chances off of this.

We have a top 3 goalie.
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I tend to agree with this. But here are my main reservations:

- Again, still a new system and coach going to the playoffs for the first time together.

- While fighting in the playoffs has become much more of a rare thing, physical play has not. If I were playing the Rangers I would literally RAM their crease and smash them into the boards. And keep ramming it and smashing them every chance I got. McD is coming off an injury and over all the Rangers are a pretty small team. These are potential vulnerabilities. They could be used by opponents to lessen the impact of a team that passes well, has speed and counts on puck possession to win. Also the Rangers PP has not exactly been on fire. It will have to be to offset physical play.

But as you point out the team is better balanced offensively than in previous years. Hopefully that and stellar play from Hank make a big difference.
 
Teams can ramp up the physicality all they want. The Rangers will, too.

The most physical game we played all year was against CBJ and we won 3-1 while taking no ****..
 
BlueshirtBlitz said:
Teams can ramp up the physicality all they want. The Rangers will, too.

The most physical game we played all year was against CBJ and we won 3-1 while taking no ****..
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Yes. Good game. Good point...but it was a single game not a series.

I simply make the point that teams like the Flyers, Bruins, Blues, Ducks, and Kings are set up better to play that kind of game. That's their advantage. Ours comes from a game that centers around skill and puck movement. Big teams will use physical play to counter that and can wear you down over the course of one or more series. Like if we somehow play Philly, Boston and say the Ducks in a playoff run.

As I have said, it will be interesting to see how the Rangers deal with it. It will be a clear cut, win or lose thing. We have a chance. Let's see what happens.
 
So are we pretty much locked in with a 1st round vs. Tampa?

I hope we don't have bad juju for trading our captain to them.
 
How would u compare this team to the team AV brought to game 7 against the Bs? Physicality? Goal scoring? Depth? Bobby lo vs the king?
 
Two thoughts about who we may play:

1) Much less we have a goaltending advantage against the Blue Jackets. This is one of the few teams where goaltending could even be a disadvantage for us.

2) If the Flyers play the Penguins there is a better chance Pitts could be knocked out. I don't like that matchup at all for us if we are able to get to the MDF.
 
Jersey Girl said:
Two thoughts about who we may play:

1) Much less we have a goaltending advantage against the Blue Jackets. This is one of the few teams where goaltending could even be a disadvantage for us.

2) If the Flyers play the Penguins there is a better chance Pitts could be knocked out. I don't like that matchup at all for us if we are able to get to the MDF.
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As I sit here right now Philly is the team I would to play. I don't think Mason is going to play consistently well over 7 games while I think BOB will for CBJ.
Of course, once we are in the second round that would mean Mason has already won a series and is presumably playing well, so I think I understand where you are coming from.
Columbus is young, hungry, physical, and have a better goalie. I think they are a dangerous team. Their "D" is probably a little thin to expect a long run, but I think they are going to be a team to be reckoned with in Metro for the next few years.
Pittsburgh is a strange team. I know most posters say they are not "scared" of the Penguins, but I'd still rather not have to play the best player in the game if I don't have to.
 
Machinehead said:
All things considered, hell of a regular season and hell of a job done by Alain Vigneault and staff.
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You bet :thumbu:

And to think, it wasn't that long ago that half the people here were yelling every day that the team has no talent, Hank needs to be traded for jock straps, and they never should have fired Tortorolla because we like that our skill players spend half their time lying down on the ice

LGR!!!
 
This is how it works guys, it's been a whole season now. These aren't the updated match-ups however, just how it works.

2014-nhl-bracket.png
 
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It's still a bit weird. It gives teams the possibility to win different divisions. The Red Wings for instance, can win the Metropolitan Division final this year and the fake-Atlantic Division final next year.
 
aufheben said:
It's weird, but it's not complicated, and it makes for very interesting match ups.
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I agree. It's different for us because it's new, but there is something to be said for a bracket format, where in every round you know exactly what series you play the winner of, if you win your series.
 
While Philly and Columbus are both winnable series, we'd be foolish to overlook either. It's a 60-40 shot at best. Hard fighting, gritty teams built for the playoffs.

Columbus is lacking a bit in top end skill but has a star goaltender. Philly has a poor goalie but can roll many lines of aggressive players.
 
Fitzy said:
While Philly and Columbus are both winnable series, we'd be foolish to overlook either. It's a 60-40 shot at best. Hard fighting, gritty teams built for the playoffs.

Columbus is lacking a bit in top end skill but has a star goaltender. Philly has a poor goalie but can roll many lines of aggressive players.
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Yep. That's why when people ask who I'd rather play I just bite my tongue :)

Gonna be a hard series either way.
 
Fitzy said:
While Philly and Columbus are both winnable series, we'd be foolish to overlook either. It's a 60-40 shot at best. Hard fighting, gritty teams built for the playoffs.

Columbus is lacking a bit in top end skill but has a star goaltender. Philly has a poor goalie but can roll many lines of aggressive players.
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Yea, Columbus' record is 42-31-7 with a game in hand. They're a good team.
 
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