Pre-Game Talk: (3) Washington Capitals VS (6) New York Rangers (Schedule in Post #1)

[nyrpassion]

Absolutely do not want to face this ****ing team right now. I'm sick of them. Have lived in the DC area since the first time we met them in the playoffs, when we choked a 3-1 game lead. And since then, I just hate them. Hate their fans, hate their team.
****, and they're pretty hot right now. We'll see.
Anyway...LGR!

 

[trilobyte]

I fully believe that the Rangers are a better team 5 on 5. The penalty kill is a bit of a question mark for me, especially against the most efficient powerplay in the league.
One thing I will be watching is how Nash responds. Can he fight through all the atttention he will received and keep his cool, i.e. stay out of the box? Will he dump the puck off to someone before they take away all his room? Will his linemates take advantage of any openings they get due to this?
I realize that the Rangers are more than just Rick Nash, but we do need an effective game from him once the pressure is turned way up. Also, I'm not being overly critical of him as I am a huge fan of his.
It's a team game, and the guys just need to continue providing puck support to each other.

One other thing, though I don't think my wish will come true - crowd the points better when the Caps are setting up in our zone. Giving Green, Backstrom and Ovechkin half the day to unleash their absolutely lethal shots is tres dangerous.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Also I'm gonna puke if Doc, Pierre and Eddie Olyczyk are doing this series.

Last year was a Caps fap fest between the three of them.

Oh so now they're Caps homers too? Got it. Gonna have to add that one to my list.

 

[Brady Skjei]

Also I'm gonna puke if Doc, Pierre and Eddie Olyczyk are doing this series.

Last year was a Caps fap fest between the three of them.

Don't local networks have rights to the 1st round games? If so it'll be Sam and Joe with the calls which means we'd have to wait until the second round to puke

 

[Glennsoe]

Bag it in 4 games and rest up for the next round..

Tuesday or wednesday game?

 

[LittleKev6D9]

If the Rangers played like they did against the Panthers and Hurricanes, this series will be done in 3.

If they can get consistent scoring from Richards line, Stepan's line and Brassard's line, and if the 4th line starts chipping in with some goals I think the Rangers can take this series easily. I don't think the Caps will be deep enough defensively to match up with 3 consistently effective lines.

 

[Siddi]

I am not worried at all as long as we stay out of the box. We are much better team 5 on 5 not to mention better defence.

Lets not forget the goalie matchup. Neckbeard has nothing on Hank!

Cant believe playoffs is finally here

 

[TheTakedown]

I think we are banged up a bit too much to handle a long series . If we can get the first one in DC...we have a shot at it in 5 but if we lose...it becomes a short series .

Caps are rolling and they have a great PP..ours...well...who knows...as is the status of our team on too many nights IMO . Some nights we play...and some nights we go through the motions . Without Boyle/Clowe/Dorsett and Staal we lack a lot of size/animosity needed for crease play at both ends .

Kreider has to get more into the games with that big body of his...can't just rely on speed...he should be throwing the odd hit along the boards/corners to give himself some more room and to make the opposition D hurry their passes just a bit ...it all helps .

Pyatt also has to get some kind of mean streak going... he is just taking up space most nights and hopefully replaced by Newbury/Dorsett/Haley at some point in the series . I also hope that Moore continues his fine play as he grows into our system .

Finally...Nash has to come to play every night and every shift and Torts has to use Moore on the opening unit of the PP at every chance and certainly not Girardi .

I am not feeling very optomistic at this point...however if we have Staal back at 80 % along with Dorsett and one of Clowe or Boyle...I feel somewhat better...but in reality...none of the above may be back and that makes us a very thin and soft team to play against and possibly easy picking for Ovie & crew .

McD is already getting 25Mins a game... MDZ gets about 20 ish... so what else is there? Run Eminger more? hell no.. Hamrlik? Absolutely not...

We're running out of defensive options. If we have a pull up that is not a bad move, but Newbury is the only thing helping us right now. Haley won't do it, Miller won't do it, etc etc

 

[JohnC]

McD is already getting 25Mins a game... MDZ gets about 20 ish... so what else is there? Run Eminger more? hell no.. Hamrlik? Absolutely not...

We're running out of defensive options. If we have a pull up that is not a bad move, but Newbury is the only thing helping us right now. Haley won't do it, Miller won't do it, etc etc

I think you're missing the point of his statement

 

[The Gloaming]

or last game when mike and keith where talking about how kovalchuk deserves to be in the playoffs more than nash and why that was a good no call when kovy crosschecked nash on the breakaway

I was at the game. Did they really say that? That's pathetic.

 

[Hockey Team]

I can't believe the playoffs are here already either. It feels like we only played half a season

 

[broadwayblue]

If we take more than a minor penalty a period this is going to be a much harder series to win. Stay out of the box and keep the play 5 on 5 for most of the game and I like our chances.

 

[broadwayblue]

I was at the game. Did they really say that? That's pathetic.

They said they would take Kovalchuk more for the playoffs. He's done more for his team when in the lineup, and they aren't sure what Nash's compete level will be since he's barely been there before. They want to see much more grit and toughness from Nash with the stakes higher.

 

[NYR2007]

If we take more than a minor penalty a period this is going to be a much harder series to win. Stay out of the box and keep the play 5 on 5 for most of the game and I like our chances.

easier said than done... NHL wants power plays ... especially in playoff games that are national televised

Refs will make calls

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

I can't believe the playoffs are here already either. It feels like we only played half a season

Tell me about it. Its like we started the season in January.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

easier said than done... NHL wants power plays ... especially in playoff games that are national televised

Refs will make calls

What...?

The NHL wants interesting games that the audience will want to tune into to watch. This will be a physical series with minimal penalties, most likely. If we get into a penalty frenzy this will be over in 4.

 

[NYR2007]

im gonna put my whole 50 V cash money on the series

 

[NYR2007]

What...?

The NHL wants interesting games that the audience will want to tune into to watch. This will be a physical series with minimal penalties, most likely. If we get into a penalty frenzy this will be over in 4.

NHL wants scoring ... you can let the players play or call penalties in the playoffs... if their is scoring the refs will let them play . If it is a zero zero game you will see a tight called game to get some scoring going to open the game up

 

[The Gloaming]

They said they would take Kovalchuk more for the playoffs. He's done more for his team when in the lineup, and they aren't sure what Nash's compete level will be since he's barely been there before. They want to see much more grit and toughness from Nash with the stakes higher.

Rangers lost all 4 games when Nash was out with a "flu." but they didn't know that. And we all know what a great playoffs Kovy had last year. (Yes, he was injured. but so was Gabby, and no one had any problems with putting the "choker" label on him.)

 

[broadwayblue]

NHL wants scoring ... you can let the players play or call penalties in the playoffs... if there is scoring the refs will let them play . If it is a zero zero game you will see a tight called game to get some scoring going to open the game up

No doubt both teams will get PP chances. The key to our success though is to play smart and limit their chances. The league isn't going to give them power plays a night just for the heck of it. They didn't last year. We have been the least penalized team during the regular season and we need to carry that into the playoffs to be successful.

 

[Clowes Line]

Let's do it!

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

I like this matchup the best for us. Can't believe we actually finished 6.

On a serious note, shutting down Ovechkin is really this team's goal. If you stifle him, the Backstrom brothers both are ineffective. Same with Mike Green.

Rangers play like they have the last 2 against the Devils? We win.

 

[Fitzy]

Should we just go ahead and declare this thing a rivalry/grudge match?

This is some original 6 type stuff we have going here with Washington and how often we draw them in the playoffs.

 

[Clowes Line]

I like this matchup the best for us. Can't believe we actually finished 6.

On a serious note, shutting down Ovechkin is really this team's goal. If you stifle him, the Backstrom brothers both are ineffective. Same with Mike Green.

Rangers play like they have the last 2 against the Devils? We win.

He cloned himself? We're ****ed.

 

[Kwayry]

Pretty good match up.
Results will depend on how our second D pair performs.
Would have been a lot easier if Staal was playing.