Post-Game Talk: Bruins @ Rangers

[AlternateSideParking]

The coverage sucked tonight. Nobody can deny that. The Bruins did their homework.

Both Boston and Philly were coming off bad losses. The Rangers needed to play two near perfect games and they didnt.

What's more concerning are the 3rd period meltdowns.

Dominated in all three 3rd periods since the Olympics.

 

[Bardof425*]

Trade Stralman; bring McIlrath up. Our play will be worse for a while but the grit and toughness he' bring will serve this team well in the long run. And Boyle showed again that scoring chances just die on his sticm and his defense is only avrrage. Move him to some idiot team that believes the hype

 

[Esa 10]

The issue is not that Lundqvist had two mediocre games in a row. The issue is that he has the highest cap hit in the league in his position and is not outplaying the opposing goalie on a nightly basis this year. That's a huge problem in a league with salary cap.

Speaking of cap hits, Nash is not outplaying enough right wings in the NHL either. He's been generally good since coming back from the concussion, but not $8 million a year good. Richards, Stepan. Neither is living up to their current contracts. Too many highly paid guys in key positions not pulling their weight.

Then there's the Captain. If the management have really offered him $6 mill. a year, they've truly lost the plot. He's not contributing at his current contract level. How many right wings is he going to outplay at a 6-7 million a year level?

 

[I Eat Crow]

It feels like every Rangers Bruins game lately has the same script. Boston owns us on the boards and in the slot. Their defense gives up chances, but Rask makes the right saves at the right time. Lundqvist has been awful against Boston since the playoffs last year. The defense plays carelessly in their own end. Girardi regresses back into an ECHL'er against this team.

The Bruins are officially in the Rangers' heads. Beating them in a best of 7 would be just what the doctor ordered.

 

[aufheben]

My main issue with this team is even when they play great it's often wasted because they can't finish.

It feels like every Rangers Bruins game lately has the same script. Boston owns us on the boards and in the slot. Their defense gives up chances, but Rask makes the right saves at the right time. Lundqvist has been awful against Boston since the playoffs last year. The defense plays carelessly in their own end. Girardi regresses back into an ECHL'er against this team.

The Bruins are officially in the Rangers' heads. Beating them in a best of 7 would be just what the doctor ordered.

Would also be miraculous.

 

[Fataldogg]

I make him look worse???????????? Yes. It's my fault he's been average/inconsistent this season.

Henrik has never been criticized like he has this season. Never. Maybe one or two games a season. Maybe some playoff games.

You cant fault people for being pissed that hes not playing as well as he should.

He's not a little kid who accidentally dropped an ice cream cone on the sidewalk. This season, he's the drunk ice cream truck driver. Nobody knows what the hell to expect.

My point was, why not use his most recent performances? You took his season in context, which is an average season, but did not give credit where he has been a stud the least two months.

Not exactly a fair shake.

Lundqvist has had his ups and downs. He has points in this season where he has been pitiful, average, and best in the world caliber. Statistically, he was the best goaltender in the world alongside Bobrovsky over the last 15 NHL games, and proved to be one of the top two goaltenders in the Olympics after it.

You could have mentioned that, rather than emphasize his stats which are skewed from his worse months.

He's had a so-so game, and a bad game, but people need to look at how he has been doing LATELY. Statistically, over the last 15-16 NHL games, he's been rock solid. Two games doesn't change that.

 

[AKrangerfan]

The difference in this game was the goaltending. Bruins had it, we did not
Hank .818%
Rask .929%

The turning point was at 18 minutes into the 1st period when Inglia scores. We DOMINATED

 

[Bardof425*]

I agree it has been an average, not bad year. But when you are paid to be the best goalie in the world, expectations are far above average.

I know he is capable of picking it up and I hope he does.

It's not just expectations; it's the amount of the cap we have invested in him. He must be better.

 

[Fataldogg]

The issue is not that Lundqvist had two mediocre games in a row. The issue is that he has the highest cap hit in the league in his position and is not outplaying the opposing goalie on a nightly basis this year. That's a huge problem in a league with salary cap.

Speaking of cap hits, Nash is not outplaying enough right wings in the NHL either. He's been generally good since coming back from the concussion, but not $8 million a year good. Richards, Stepan. Neither is living up to their current contracts. Too many highly paid guys in key positions not pulling their weight.

Then there's the Captain. If the management have really offered him $6 mill. a year, they've truly lost the plot. He's not contributing at his current contract level. How many right wings is he going to outplay at a 6-7 million a year level?

People need to start learning that Lundqvist isn't the highest paid goaltender in the NHL until next year. Complain about his cap hit next year. Not this year. This year he has a cap hit of $6.875M. While he still isn't meeting expectations in this arena, don't use his contract for NEXT year, to brutally rip him apart for THIS year. Right now, there are goaltenders making more money than Lundqvist.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

The difference was the Bruins are a better, more experienced, tougher, more physical, and mentally tougher team. And no Hank wasn't great, but how can anyone act like that was the only reason.

When a team that just went to the Finals comes out like dog ****, you have to put the nail in the coffin during the 1st period, or it's over.

So when the Bruins play well and the Rangers play poorly, the Rangers are just inferior. When the Rangers play well and the Bruins play poorly the Bruins just "came out like dog ****". Can't win. Bottom line both teams' D was bad. The Bruins have an elite goalie, the Rangers have garbage. Yet you want to pretend like it's just the Bruins being much better. The Bruins didn't play much better, their goalie just did. 2 years ago, this is a 3-3 game MAYBE.

 

[Kane One]

Yeah two games. Big sample compared to the previous 20. What a tool. We get it, you don't like Lundqvist.

You're using 2 games to validate your opinion of him over the previous 20.

And Lundqvist is the one that needs a reality check?

I can't even take these forums seriously.

You know why? If Lundqvist pitches a shutout in the next game then we will be back to "King is back!" and we will have a slew of comments in "Just How Good Is This Team" thread about how this team is a contender.

It's one bad ****ing game. Get over it already.

Talbot isn't as good as Lundqvist. He isn't now. He never will be. He will never take a team to the Stanley Cup. Talbot will never win a Gold Medal. He will never win a Vezina. That's a reality check for you guys on the forum. Let that sink in.

Lundqvist is my favorite hockey player... And just stop with the "It's one bad ****ing hockey game." That's just ******** and you know it. And if you read my post before, I said I'm not saying Talbot is better than Lundqvist. He's obviously not and obviously never will be. I just want some blame placed on Lundqvist. This forum seems to be split (maybe not evenly) among people who would blame him and and some who never will. Lundqvist needs to take some blame from some of you.

 

[Infinitum Vitae*]

We can't beat big tough teams...what's the point of making the playoffs?

 

[AlternateSideParking]

My point was, why not use his most recent performances? You took his season in context, which is an average season, but did not give credit where he has been a stud the least two months.

Not exactly a fair shake.

Lundqvist has had his ups and downs. He has points in this season where he has been pitiful, average, and best in the world caliber. Statistically, he was the best goaltender in the world alongside Bobrovsky over the last 15 NHL games, and proved to be one of the top two goaltenders in the Olympics after it.

You could have mentioned that, rather than emphasize his stats which are skewed from his worse months.

He's had a so-so game, and a bad game, but people need to look at how he has been doing LATELY. Statistically, over the last 15-16 NHL games, he's been rock solid. Two games doesn't change that.

You have to distinguish between the fans who genuinely dont like Luindqvist )(and there are some), the fans who understand the game and can view their team objectively, and the fans who are just angry and pissed and just like blaming somebody/anybody.

Lundqvist has a lot of supporters, some who take their support to the extreme.

The bottom line is that the team will not win anything without him playing at an all-star level consistently. He's done that eight of the last nine years. This year has been a struggle and nobody knows why.

Will he bounce back? If it was 2008 or 2012 or 2013 I would have said absolutely.

This season? I'm more skeptical.

 

[Beer League Sniper]

For a guy who wants a 7x7 contract, Callahan is playing like hot garbage. He's turning the puck over with those infuriatingly Pejorative Slured behind the back passes, bobbling open looks, and generally being a nonfactor.

And Lundqvist, well, he's just plain terrible. He milked every last dime out of the organization, got his payday, and now this is what we have to watch. He had us over a barrel in those contract negotiations, and gave nothing in terms of a discount. His right, obviously, but he gets no slack from me now. You got your blank check, now PRODUCE, scrub.

It's no coincidence that McDonagh, the one player on this roster that gave us a TRUE hometown discount, is the only guy who shows up most nights.

Hell, even lame duck Brad Richards is hustling. Excuse me while I go puke.

 

[aufheben]

So when the Bruins play well and the Rangers play poorly, the Rangers are just inferior. When the Rangers play well and the Bruins play poorly the Bruins just "came out like dog ****". Can't win. Bottom line both teams' D was bad. The Bruins have an elite goalie, the Rangers have garbage. Yet you want to pretend like it's just the Bruins being much better. The Bruins didn't play much better, their goalie just did. 2 years ago, this is a 3-3 game MAYBE.

If this game wasn't an OBVIOUS indicator of every reason why the Bruins are better than us, I don't know what to tell you man.

The Rangers played great in the 1st, who gives a ****? They came out TIED.

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

I miss the time period where we used to own the Bruins.

 

[Cassano]

Loving the bipolarity after 2 games.

 

[AKrangerfan]

The difference in the game was the goaltenders
Hank .818%
Rask .929%

We had a lot of grade A chances that Rask saved. The Bruins had a lot of grade A chances that Hank did not save. The 11-12 version of Hank would have stolen this game for us.

The turning point was when Iginla scored. We had dominated them until that point. shots were 20 to 4 or something like that. Rask bailed them out. When Iginla scored the team basically quit playing. Hank stops that shot and its a different game.

Yes the D sucked, this game is all on Hank. The goaltender on the other end was far better.

 

[Infinitum Vitae*]

So.. AV can't beat the Bruins

 

[Thunderhead]

For a guy who wants a 7x7 contract, Callahan is playing like hot garbage. He's turning the puck over with those infuriatingly Pejorative Slured behind the back passes, bobbling open looks, and generally being a nonfactor.

And Lundqvist, well, he's just plain terrible. He milked every last dime out of the organization, got his payday, and now this is what we have to watch. He had us over a barrel in those contract negotiations, and gave nothing in terms of a discount. His right, obviously, but he gets no slack from me now. You got your blank check, now PRODUCE, scrub.

It's no coincidence that McDonagh, the one player on this roster that gave us a TRUE hometown discount, is the only guy who shows up most nights.

Hell, even lame duck Brad Richards is hustling. Excuse me while I go puke.

Well said .

 

[Fataldogg]

Lundqvist is my favorite hockey player... And just stop with the "It's one bad ****ing hockey game." That's just ******** and you know it. And if you read my post before, I said I'm not saying Talbot is better than Lundqvist. He's obviously not and obviously never will be. I just want some blame placed on Lundqvist. This forum seems to be split (maybe not evenly) among people who would blame him and and some who never will. Lundqvist needs to take some blame from some of you.

Lundqvist sucked, tonight.

Lundqvist has sucked over stretches this season.

Lundqvist has played excellent hockey over the last two months.

I'm being honest and objective. He's had plenty of bad games. It's not just tonight. But tonight is just one game. And tonight, he SUCKED. Is that fair criticism? I do place the blame on him for this loss. But I also still think he has what's in him to be the best in the world. For the last two months he has been one of the best in the world.

Tonight, he wasn't his best. And I'm sure this isn't how he wanted his birthday to go. He's probably beating himself up more than the people on here.

Say he had a bad game. Say he had a bad two games. Say he's had an off year. Don't say the guy sucks.

There is a big difference between saying Lundqvist is having an off year, Lundqvist was bad tonight, and people saying Talbot could have been the starter for Canada, and should be starting for this team (I thought I saw it all until someone genuinely said Talbot should be on Canada).

People are looking at these last two games, one game of which he had a tremendous period, and Stralman scored on him, and using it to validate that he again sucks, after regaining his form for the 14-15 NHL games leading into the Olympics and kept that elite level up throughout the tournament.

I tend to believe the level he has played at leading into the break, is more indicative of things moving forward than these two games. I'm not saying "Look at his past Vezina nominations. Look at him in 11-12" I'm saying look at how he has done, literally, these past TWO months. And he's been great, outside of these two games now (and I still don't believe the Flyers was a bad game for him). This game, however, was arguably one of his worst performances of the year and this thread is a major knee jerk reaction.

 

[jgrangers2]

The difference in the game was the goaltenders
Hank .818%
Rask .929%

We had a lot of grade A chances that Rask saved. The Bruins had a lot of grade A chances that Hank did not save. The 11-12 version of Hank would have stolen this game for us.

The turning point was when Iginla scored. We had dominated them until that point. shots were 20 to 4 or something like that. Rask bailed them out. When Iginla scored the team basically quit playing. Hank stops that shot and its a different game.

Yes the D sucked, this game is all on Hank. The goaltender on the other end was far better.

What opportunities that we had in the first period would you define as "Grade A" scoring chances. I remember one really great scoring chance and it ended up in the back of the net.

 

[nexusrage21]

Does anyone hate the Rangers more than Ranger fans?

 

[Doctyl]

Does anyone hate the Rangers more than Ranger fans?

We hate our team as much as devils and isles fans do. 2 of the 3 fan bases care more about the rangers sucking than anything else and the other fan base is just angry at the world and wants half of the NYR franchise dead.

 

[NCRanger]

So when the Bruins play well and the Rangers play poorly, the Rangers are just inferior. When the Rangers play well and the Bruins play poorly the Bruins just "came out like dog ****". Can't win. Bottom line both teams' D was bad. The Bruins have an elite goalie, the Rangers have garbage. Yet you want to pretend like it's just the Bruins being much better. The Bruins didn't play much better, their goalie just did. 2 years ago, this is a 3-3 game MAYBE.

Agree, except Hank isn't "garbage".

Unlike the majority on here, I am far from impressed with the Bruins giving the puck away and needing Rask to come up huge. Even if Rask played well, it should have been 3-0 Rangers at the end of the first.

Lundqvist isn't to blame for the first Bruin goal. Bang-bang play which was as much luck as it was skill.

The Rangers played them evenly. A couple bad breaks, bad goaltending, and a great performance by the guy wearing #40 in white.