Post-Game Talk: Cat in the Hat

[RangerBoy]

After the first period, Henrik Lundqvist said the Rangers need to start finishing their checks to slow the Devils down. Unfortunately. the Rangers aren’t built that way.

During the game, Joe Micheletti said the Rangers need to get the puck in deep and stop trying to make plays in the neural zone and near Devils blueline. Unfortunately, the Rangers aren’t built that way.

The Rangers are an east and west team. They like to hold onto to the puck and make a play. Not enough north and south. The Rangers look fantastic playing some of the bad teams who can't defend. Get the puck in deep and go get it. Nope. The Rangers were more north and south last season in the playoffs. Pucks deep. North and south on the blueline. Finish your checks. They don't have to be big checks. Those checks/rubs add up over a playoff series.

 

[ThirdEye]

After the first period, Henrik Lundqvist said the Rangers need to start finishing their checks to slow the Devils down. Unfortunately. the Rangers aren’t built that way.

During the game, Joe Micheletti said the Rangers need to get the puck in deep and stop trying to make plays in the neural zone and near Devils blueline. Unfortunately, the Rangers aren’t built that way.

The Rangers are an east and west team. They like to hold onto to the puck and make a play. Not enough north and south. The Rangers look fantastic playing some of the bad teams who can't defend. Get the puck in deep and go get it. Nope. The Rangers were more north and south last season in the playoffs. Pucks deep. North and south on the blueline. Finish your checks. They don't have to be big checks. Those checks/rubs add up over a playoff series.

They CAN play both ways if they really wanted to and I’m sure we’ll see it in the playoffs to a larger degree. Getting thumped in the regular season sucks but you don’t typically see lopsided matchups translate into the postseason as by then teams have mostly figured each other out. Going to ultimately come down to who wants it more and execution.

 

[McRanger92]

We weren't sharp but we were clearly the better team as the game went on. Congrats to the Devils on home ice "advantage". They can have the regular season wins, like Carolina last year. We didnt match up well against them either or so I am told.

Credit to Vanacek, he was very good and won the game for them. Kids and the 3rd pair stunk, and the Panarin line couldn't complete a pass. The more the Rangers see the Devils, in quick succession, the better we'll play against them. Nothing I saw shook the confidence i have that we will win the series

After the first period, Henrik Lundqvist said the Rangers need to start finishing their checks to slow the Devils down. Unfortunately. the Rangers aren’t built that way.

During the game, Joe Micheletti said the Rangers need to get the puck in deep and stop trying to make plays in the neural zone and near Devils blueline. Unfortunately, the Rangers aren’t built that way.

The Rangers are an east and west team. They like to hold onto to the puck and make a play. Not enough north and south. The Rangers look fantastic playing some of the bad teams who can't defend. Get the puck in deep and go get it. Nope. The Rangers were more north and south last season in the playoffs. Pucks deep. North and south on the blueline. Finish your checks. They don't have to be big checks. Those checks/rubs add up over a playoff series.

This is the same song and dance we heard last year going into the playoffs. We're 7th in the league in hits per game, and 3rd among Eastern Playoff teams. The shoe doesn't fit the narrative.

 

[Crease]

This is the same roster that went to the ECF last year, with Trocheck, Kane and Tarasenko instead of Strome, Copp and Vatrano. They know what it takes to win playoff games. Let the inexperienced teams empty the tank in the regular season (like Tort’s Rangers). Stay healthy and focused over the next couple weeks, then turn it up a notch for Game 1.

If they lose in the first round, then be pissed. But nothing that happens this month (except injuries) will have an impact on how they do in the playoffs. Certainly not a one goal loss.

 

[NYRfan85]

That was exactly the type of game I expected it to be last night. Low-scoring, one goal game against a good team in their building (even though there appeared to be more blue, as always). I'm not too worried, they'll be fine come playoff time.

Also, I'm convinced Sam will never get Mikkola's name right, he continues to butcher his full name every time he touches the puck.

 

[leetch99]

This is the same roster that went to the ECF last year, with Trocheck, Kane and Tarasenko instead of Strome, Copp and Vatrano. They know what it takes to win playoff games. Let the inexperienced teams empty the tank in the regular season (like Tort’s Rangers). Stay healthy and focused over the next couple weeks, then turn it up a notch for Game 1.

If they lose in the first round, then be pissed. But nothing that happens this month (except injuries) will have an impact on how they do in the playoffs.

Reaves and Gauthier did help soften up a few Dmen in the opening 2 rounds . We have neither this playoff . So....it is not the same roster . Removing a couple of 220+ pounders at some point will be missed . When Reaves did not play Gauthier with his speed did make things happen .

 

[KevinFinnerty]

Yeah Gauthier will be missed due to his speed that's for sure

 

[Crease]

Reaves and Gauthier did help soften up a few Dmen in the opening 2 rounds . We have neither this playoff . So....it is not the same roster . Removing a couple of 220+ pounders at some point will be missed . When Reaves did not play Gauthier with his speed did make things happen .

You must be misremembering, because Gauthier didn’t play a single minute of playoff hockey last season.

Reaves is not much of a loss. He had zero points and 12 penalty minutes in 18 games, while playing zero special teams. Who would you take out of this lineup for Reaves?

 

[klingsor]

Shesterkin looked like Shesterkin to me.

That gives me hope.
Maybe in a seven game series Devils slow up a bit?

 

[Ruggs225]

Was it just me or did that game not feel
Like a playoff game at all. It felt
More like an october game.

 

[Kaapo Bustfreniere]

Canes lost with 4 seconds left.

Wish they didn't. I want the Devils.

We lost one pretty meaningless game to a 100+ point team and our season is apparently over. Imagine losing to Detroit. By the same logic, it will be a piece of cake playing the Canes, because their season is even more over than our season is over. Also, the Bruins just barely saved their chance to win a Cup. Had they lost to the terrible Columbus team, they would have been just finished.

The amount of overreactions and recency bias makes this forum increasingly harder and harder to read.

 

[McRanger92]

Reaves and Gauthier did help soften up a few Dmen in the opening 2 rounds . We have neither this playoff . So....it is not the same roster . Removing a couple of 220+ pounders at some point will be missed . When Reaves did not play Gauthier with his speed did make things happen .

Gauthier didnt play a game in the playoffs last year.

 

[Kords]

Was it just me or did that game not feel
Like a playoff game at all. It felt
More like an october game.

Yeah, Sam and Joe kept trying to push that playoff atmosphere narrative and I just wasn’t seeing it.

 

[iamitter]

Kane was interesting last night. Still a floater and just kinda looks like a halfhearted ghost in the d-zone, but man, when he has the puck on his stick with open ice in the offensive zone, I hold my breath. Whether it's a slick pass or a bullet of a wrister, he's dangerous.

 

[gump116]

Harpur Schneider and the kid line should never be on the ice at the same time, even if everyone got sick mid game.

Would love to see the kid line’s possession numbers when they’re on with Harpur and Schneider vs any other defensive pair. With the former they never get out of their own zone vs with Fox and/or Miller they spend their whole shift in the offensive zone.

 

[gump116]

With that way the devs skate and how small they are I dont think its crazy that if lindgren cant go that you opt to roll with zac jones over ben harpur vs the devs in particular

Kind of hoping Harpur needs a few days off after blocking that shot and we can call up Jones as emergency call up. Can’t be worse as a 7d, especially in this matchup, but probably won’t get a shot.

Rangers would be better off just waiving Harpur and it really doesn’t matter if he gets picked up or not, but that would never happen

 

[The Gloaming]

Kane was interesting last night. Still a floater and just kinda looks like a halfhearted ghost in the d-zone, but man, when he has the puck on his stick with open ice in the offensive zone, I hold my breath. Whether it's a slick pass or a bullet of a wrister, he's dangerous.

It was really funny when he was playing D coming back and I'm just like...where the f*** is the actual defenseman and why is Kane playing defense? He's got this way of moving around the ice where it doesn't look like much effort is happening, but I'm seeing him deep in the defensive zone a few times each game and it's baffling.

But yeah, in the o-zone, he still looks dangerous like he can make something out of nothing.

 

[Graves97]

Devils suffer from little brother syndrome came out at 100% in the first to prove a point. Problem is they wore themselves out in the 2nd and were able to hold on. Kudos to them.

I don't think they can sustain that level over a 7 game series and will end up being similar to Carolina and ultimately tire themselves out. Rangers need to be smart defensively (this is my main concern) and let them run around at full steam while limiting chances. I'm not sure where the idea that we can bully or grind them came from, since the 4th line and to a lesser extent the kid line are the only lines we have that consistently do this. In terms of bullying, outside of Trouba we don't really have anyone that will make an opposing player think twice about going into the corner or cutting through the middle.

The only change I'd make outside of getting Lindgren back is and ultimately removing Harper is to drop Schneider (whose been a disaster) and call up Jones (won't happen because defensemen need to go boom boom according to the caveman) as his ability to cleanly exit the zone is essential against this team as they rely on turnovers and counters. I'd also consider sitting Kane the rest of the season and pray his zero speed is due to his hip and it can heal itself with a few weeks rest.

 

[mandiblesofdoom]

If we are going to beat the Devils in the playoffs we will have to do a few things much better:

-Transition from the D zone. It seems like Fox, maybe Miller, are the only D who can release some pressure with evasion or the proper pass to make zone exits clean. Otherwise, it looks like a Bantam B team rimming the puck to a winger who is already covered.

That point is so important. Most of our D are very weak with that.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

They slept walked through this game, zero intensity outside of a few minutes here and there. I don’t think they gave it their all and it was intentional. I expect a much different rangers team when the playoffs start.

 

[mandiblesofdoom]

Kane was interesting last night. Still a floater and just kinda looks like a halfhearted ghost in the d-zone, but man, when he has the puck on his stick with open ice in the offensive zone, I hold my breath. Whether it's a slick pass or a bullet of a wrister, he's dangerous.

I thought he was good last night. He figured out (quicker than the other guys) what kind of game it was & what had to be done.

 

[Leonardo87]

I thought he was good last night. He figured out (quicker than the other guys) what kind of game it was & what had to be done.

That line was good last night and noticed Kane in a good way.

 

[bhamill]

We had to win this game. WE HAD TO BEAT THEM. The other games don't f***ing matter. This matters. This is our playoff opponent. You think were suddenly gonna grow a backbone or learn to skate in 2 weeks?

No. We didnt HAVE to. Would have been nice but it was not near necessary.

 

[McRanger92]

They slept walked through this game, zero intensity outside of a few minutes here and there. I don’t think they gave it their all and it was intentional. I expect a much different rangers team when the playoffs start.

The Ol' rope a dope. I was actually thinking this last night. They certainly played well enough to win but having an "exhibition" before the playoffs as a way to study your game against a Devils team that was desperate for a win could be helpful. We were a good defensive play by Graves away from tying it anyway.

No. We didnt HAVE to. Would have been nice but it was not near necessary.

Hahaha we quite literally did not have to beat them. The crying after this game has been so predictable

 

[Kravtsov420]

I think Panarin was excellent. Very engaged. Very threatening.

Yea maybe threatening to us with his 700 turnovers