Post-Game Talk: Coyotes at Rangers - October 23

[GoAwayPanarin]

The forwards are taking the puck out of the defensive zone themselves more than normal. They seem to be aware there's a solid chance the defense won't be able to make an outlet pass and thus resulting in the D being pinned in their own zone

Some people (both on twitter and here) are saying the team is fine. Sure the team is fine now, it won't be though. People were saying last season the team was fine when they got off to the hot start, and look how that ended up

Lol I read your post as in the other team is going to move the puck out of their end. I was like "um, how else are they supposed to get the puck out?"

Regardless, I don't see the issue with the F's carrying it up ice.

Others have touched on it here, but this team is playing MUCH better than last years team did right off the bat. They've literally improved everywhere across the board except for goaltending, and you're not going to get a better start than the one Lundqvist got off to last year.

They're tops in the league in High Danger Chances for, and once other teams catch up in games played, they'll be about middle of the pack in HD chances against (this is while they've trotted Nick Holden out as their 1st pair RHD for 4 games.)

This team isn't shooting out of their minds or playing in a way thats unsustainable ala last season. If anything, once things normalize, they should be even better.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

Last year's team was carried by Hank to a hot start. Right now, they're producing among the best advanced stats in the league. Much more sustainable than last year. The forwards are just better, and McD has gone into beast mode. Simple as that.

Which is great, but the point I want to stress to those saying that things are fine is that the defense still needs to be improved and is not "fine" at all.

The Stars last year had the same problem, could score 5-6 a game, but the defense was (and still is IMO) atrocious to where they needed to score that much just to win. Obviously the situation is different in the fact that we have Hank and Dallas has that garbage duo tandem, but the core of the issue is defense.

I am happy with the start the forwards have had with the possession they are putting up. I want to see if it can be sustained through the stretch of the season with such a bad defense.

We will see how things shake out either way

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

The defense is still bad, yeah, but for all the **** AV takes (rightfully) for his personnel decisions, I feel he (and perhaps Beuk) have made very good adjustments to the system and how he expects then players to execute.

We need a rh top -4 D, and I think Gorton will get that, whether it's Troubs or Vats or Shatty

 

[darko]

Skjei has been excellent so far this season.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

played like garbage but avoided the result.

goal aside Girardi still sucks. obvi you can't discount it though

this defense is truly awfulZ

Funny, this was the only game the D was awful in. But we need to keep harping on that because people came into the season expecting it and now they have to look like they knew what they were talking about.

 

[WesMcCauley]

Horrible game.... Looked like we had nothing in the tank, but nice work to get the win. Girardi was good!!!! Holden sucked. Miller and Mcdonagh solid again.

 

[WesMcCauley]

played like garbage but avoided the result.

goal aside Girardi still sucks. obvi you can't discount it though

this defense is truly awfulZ

Girardi was very solid tonight! Made some great breakout passes(never thought i was gonna say that!) and scored a goal. Holden was horrible again.

Mcdonagh-Klein
Staal-Clendening
Skjei-Girardi

Our 6 best defensemen right now imo

Holden needs to sit, i have no clue why he gets so much icetime....

 

[Open Mind]

The forwards are taking the puck out of the defensive zone themselves more than normal. They seem to be aware there's a solid chance the defense won't be able to make an outlet pass and thus resulting in the D being pinned in their own zone

Some people (both on twitter and here) are saying the team is fine. Sure the team is fine now, it won't be though. People were saying last season the team was fine when they got off to the hot start, and look how that ended up

All teams have areas they'd like to improve and we're no different. But we're 6 games in and there's no reason to assume the roster, as it stands, is set in stone. Our GM did a hell of a job addressing needs and improving the team in the off season, to the extent that our key needs are super easy to identify. Gorton seems patient and overall looks to have a good handle on the team's pulse. We obviously need a RD and we have areas of strength to trade from. It's way early in the season. Makes sense to be patient and see how things play out. The team looks really good right now and a single well placed trade can sure this team up substantially.

 

[Ori]

Skjei has been excellent so far this season.

I agree, unlucky that he didn`t score earlier - I feel he gain confidence for more games he play and that is positive.


About the game last night..
A slow pace frustrating hard fought back to back game with little in the tank, but that is kind of game G excels in. :s

 

[BBKers]

I doubt we will see this but it is Pretty sick:
K-Z-B
Vesey-Step-Nash
Miller-Hayes-Zucc
5 NHLers fighting for 3 spots

Blasphemy

I miss the days of Aaron Voros, Brash, EC, and Paille in the lineup on a regular basis
Cuz then we had more posts to read

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

Which site tracks HDSC?

6 games in and we're 2nd on xGF% and 1st in SCF% according to Corsica, that's pretty good

 

[eco's bones]

The forwards are taking the puck out of the defensive zone themselves more than normal. They seem to be aware there's a solid chance the defense won't be able to make an outlet pass and thus resulting in the D being pinned in their own zone

Some people (both on twitter and here) are saying the team is fine. Sure the team is fine now, it won't be though. People were saying last season the team was fine when they got off to the hot start, and look how that ended up

You do know that the forwards coming back are supposed to help the defense break the zone, don't you? Part of the issue with our forwards last year is they didn't help the defense nearly as much as they needed to. It's why the Rangers addressed forward depth this year and added guys like Jooris and Grabner. The Rangers back pressure game has been much better.

I don't know about others or you but early on this team looks a lot better than it did early on last year--at least to me. We should have won the St. Louis game and we should have won the Detroit game. We certainly carried the play more in both the games we lost. Last night was their most blah game actually--keeping in mind that it was a back to back and they didn't get in until 1am in the morning---they still found a way to win. Anyway last year Henrik was the reason why we got off to the hot start we did--he was unreal over the first 25 or so games of the year and we won a lot that we were outplayed and sometimes badly. This year we're not being outplayed and Henrik's struggled a bit. That's my opinion anyway--so comparing last year to this year at least so far is apples and oranges.

 

[Nordic*]

Tiled view of where shots are being taken when Zibanejad is on the ice:

Mental.

Not sure how to read this on my celly, is it good or bad?

 

[egelband]

The team looks terrific to me. Really enjoying this season so far. Even the much-maligned Holden has shown good poise. I hope they can keep it going.

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

Not sure how to read this on my celly, is it good or bad?

It's ridiculously good.

 

[Kovalev27]

By the way Fast is ten times the player lindberg is. That's how little I think of that kid. Looks exactly the same as he did last year (after the first month) slow and invisible. Nothing impressive about him at all IMO.

 

[Do you want ants]

By the way Fast is ten times the player lindberg is. That's how little I think of that kid. Looks exactly the same as he did last year (after the first month) slow and invisible. Nothing impressive about him at all IMO.

He wasn't noticeable, which isn't a bad thing considering the kid had no preseason and is seeing his first game action of the year. If he's still like that 10 games from now, then sure, bash the kid. But he was still better than having Glass out there.

 

[Placid]

By the way Fast is ten times the player lindberg is. That's how little I think of that kid. Looks exactly the same as he did last year (after the first month) slow and invisible. Nothing impressive about him at all IMO.

Give the kid a few more games to settle in

As for your "Anti Swedish bias" in preferring Fast over Lindberg, i dont really see how that could be true since they are both Swedish

 

[kovazub94]

So tired to come to PGT and no matter how well the team played, Corsi, HDSF/A or circumstances like btb games, players missing or just coming back from injuries, it is still going to be full of "sucks", "horrible", "worst ever".

I LOVE how the Rangers been playing so far. No need to make excuses like last year that "it is still early in the season, players are vets who will turn it on later when it matters". Every single addition / replacement that Gorton made to the roster has been exactly as advertised in a good sense. We shouldn't Even complain about Holden as he's not in the position to excel by playing on a top pair on his offside.

On a topic of D, in addition to missing another top pair D, the situation seems worse because AV insists on carrying a dependable shutdown pair (that is Staal - Klein) and conversely being against an offense oriented pair that McD and Clendenning or Skjei would be. Is it because he doesn't trust them? Regardless this seems to be a reason for Holden playing on a top pair.

Has it been discussed why Miller was taking so many draws? Is he being showcased as a center or Ziba has some undisclosed hand injury?

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

So tired to come to PGT and no matter how well the team played, Corsi, HDSF/A or circumstances like btb games, players missing or just coming back from injuries, it is still going to be full of "sucks", "horrible", "worst ever".

I LOVE how the Rangers been playing so far. No need to make excuses like last year that "it is still early in the season, players are vets who will turn it on later when it matters". Every single addition / replacement that Gorton made to the roster has been exactly as advertised in a good sense. We shouldn't Even complain about Holden as he's not in the position to excel by playing on a top pair on his offside.

On a topic of D, in addition to missing another top pair D, the situation seems worse because AV insists on carrying a dependable shutdown pair (that is Staal - Klein) and conversely being against an offense oriented pair that McD and Clendenning or Skjei would be. Is it because he doesn't trust them? Regardless this seems to be a reason for Holden playing on a top pair.

Has it been discussed why Miller was taking so many draws? Is he being showcased as a center or Ziba has some undisclosed hand injury?

Did they not just take draws on their strong sides? I remember Zbad taking quite a few draws.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Lindberg took 9 faceoffs last night too, and he won 7 of them.

We're crushing the scoring chances and xGF game by the way.

 

[we want cup]

Has it been discussed why Miller was taking so many draws? Is he being showcased as a center or Ziba has some undisclosed hand injury?

Maybe they're letting Miller take the draws and cheat hard knowing that if he gets tossed from the dot Zbad can come in and have a good chance to win anyway.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Did they not just take draws on their strong sides? I remember Zbad taking quite a few draws.

This was my impression as well. Just a lefty-righty thing.

 

[Irishguy42]

Did they not just take draws on their strong sides? I remember Zbad taking quite a few draws.

ZBad was awful at faceoffs yesterday. 33%, IIRC. Not great. AV probably had Miller come in to help him out.

 

[nyr__1994]

Has it been discussed why Miller was taking so many draws? Is he being showcased as a center or Ziba has some undisclosed hand injury?

I though that at firsth but as I watched the game I realized he was taking the draws on the left side and Mika was taking them on the right.

Does that mean he is not being showcased? No, does that mean that he is being showcased? No.