Post-Game Talk: Devil II

[Circus86]

 

[nyr2k2]

I think they understand the task at hand. They were on both ends of the dreaded 2-0 lead last year. I am excited for Saturday at the Garden. I think the team will smell blood in the water.

Yeah I'm pretty confident. They have a really good group--a mix of guys that were on the team last year and went through all of that, the guys that they brought in that have actually won it before and know what it takes, and even a guy like Kreider who has been around forever and remembers not just last season but also 2014.

 

[Larrybiv]

A

Much like Colorado last year we don't have a single plug in our lineup

And hoping for the same result. Imagine, not too long ago since "the letter".

 

[qwertyaas]

Mikkola has been great as a 3rd pair D.

Love how active he has been on the O-Zone as well.

Gotta say though, Kane's whole sequence last night was a thing of beauty. If he was struggling with confidence since the trade, hoping last night turns him back on to playoff beast mode.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

My point is that I hope they can remember the spot they were in last year and how close they were to where they wanted to be, and that it got away from them. Whether it was "deserved" or not, they had a 2-0 lead in Game 3 of a series they were up 2-0. They let it get away. I just hope that is still clear in their minds and they continue playing with this intensity and structure and use that as additional motivation to see this series through.

They let it get away because they were playing an experienced 2 time cup champ on the road up 2-0 and they were completely exhausted. That is nothing like this year. This Rangers team is also better. They look like a team that is on a mission. That's not to say that they can't lose a game or 2 in this series but I have a hard time believing that they will lose 4 out of the next 5 in this series against a Devils team that looks shell shocked. I said it before the series began that I did not think the Devils would be able to win 4 games in this series.

 

[Clark Kellogg]

Mollie Walker Up in the Blue Seats Podcast with Larry Brooks:

 

[nyr2k2]

They let it get away because they were playing an experienced 2 time cup champ on the road up 2-0 and they were completely exhausted. That is nothing like this year. This Rangers team is also better. They look like a team that is on a mission. That's not to say that they can't lost a game or 2 in this series but I have a hard time believing that they will lose 4 out of the next 5 in this series against a Devils team that looks shell shocked. I said it before the series began that I did not think the Devils would be able to win 4 games in this series.

God, I'm not saying it's the same thing. I understand why they ultimately lost to Tampa.

Part of learning how to win is often experiencing painful losses. Plenty of really good teams never make it over the hump, though. I'm hoping the team can use the lessons they learned and the emotion they felt last year to help fuel them this year. Yes yes they're better, deeper, etc. Not my point.

 

[The Gloaming]

Every year come playoff time, I remember that regular season team and individual stats mean absolutely nothing.

 

[Megustaelhockey]

I still don't understand how Stephen A. Smith has a career, but apparently he is BFFs with Gary B. Bettman.

 

[will1066]

I still don't understand how Stephen A. Smith has a career, but apparently he is BFFs with Gary B. Bettman.

Ah, a video of two guys who don't know anything about hockey.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

God, I'm not saying it's the same thing. I understand why they ultimately lost to Tampa.

Part of learning how to win is often experiencing painful losses. Plenty of really good teams never make it over the hump, though. I'm hoping the team can use the lessons they learned and the emotion they felt last year to help fuel them this year. Yes yesy they're better, deeper, etc. Not my point.

You were lamenting that they were in the same spot last year and let a 2-0 series lead get away from them and are hoping they learned some lessons. I was just saying the circumstances last year were far different from this year.

Ah, a video of two guys who don't know anything about hockey.

You beat me to it. Has Smith ever uttered a thing about hockey not that I would pay attention anyway.

 

[LOFIN]

Still no MSG highlights? Anyone?

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I still don't understand how Stephen A. Smith has a career, but apparently he is BFFs with Gary B. Bettman.

This is the same guy that's indirectly called the league racist.

 

[Megustaelhockey]

Still no MSG highlights? Anyone?

They'll be very hard to find because the game was carried nationally, and that's what they tend to prefer when posting.

 

[Levitate]

They were certainly contenders in 2015. Presidents trophy, finals appearance the year before, etc.

Can make the case for 2012 as well as they finished with the 2nd best point total in the league. I guess that one was a bit more out of the blue and they were a bit more of a mirage, but that group willed it self to winning way more than they should have.

Injuries really did them in for that 2015 run. Zuccarello getting hit in the head with that slapshot, McDonagh playing on 1 leg and getting "treatment" on his ankle before and during the games, I think Staal and Girardi also had injuries that hobbled them. Was tough to drop that series with all that stuff going on. Would have been interesting to see how they stacked up against the Blackhawks

 

[will1066]

Still no MSG highlights? Anyone?

How about this?

 

[nyr2k2]

You were lamenting that they were in the same spot last year and let a 2-0 series lead get away from them and are hoping they learned some lessons. I was just saying the circumstances last year were far different from this year.

So because the circumstances are different, nothing that happened in the TBL series is potentially relevant to the team now? I know the circumstances are different, but a lesson learned is a lesson learned. You can't expect to get by and win a Cup this year just by being better than you were last year. You still need to rely on the things you learned previously. Even if it's the flipside, remembering "Hey we were down 2-0 twice and came back both times" as motivation to step on these guys' throats, it is what it is--using your past experience to help you accomplish bigger and better things in the future.

OR---we can just forget everything that happened in the past and expect to play that hockey and win a f***ing Cup because we're better now than we've been for a while.

 

[MrAlmost]

Only two games but if you would have told me Kane would have 4 points to Mika's 1 I would have said you are crazy. The fact is (not looking at scoresheet only) Mika has been fine, engaged and been playing like a 2 way center in the playoffs should be playing.

I knew the moment Kenny mentioned Z during the game he was going to give him his due for the Selke. Z doesn't get the support he deserves as one of the least penalized and best 2 way centers in the league.

 

[Baby Duck Homme]

I hope we sweep and every other series goes 7.

It seems like any series we won in last decade went 7. Let some other teams wear each other down.

The only downside is possibly losing momentum while we wait for a few days if we win quickly.

 

[I Eat Crow]

I hope we sweep and every other series goes 7.

It seems like any series we won in last decade went 7. Let some other teams wear each other down.

The only downside is possibly losing momentum while we wait for a few days if we win quickly.

Last series won that didn't go at least 6 was against Pittsburgh in 5 in 2015.

 

[The Gloaming]

I hope we sweep and every other series goes 7.

It seems like any series we won in last decade went 7. Let some other teams wear each other down.

The only downside is possibly losing momentum while we wait for a few days if we win quickly.

Avs had no problem with sweeps last year. Best to heal up this time of year.

 

[NYR Viper]

Avs had no problem with sweeps last year. Best to heal up this time of year.

Guys like Kane and Lindgren could use the 3-4 days to recover I'm sure.

 

[RangerLifer]

Yeah I'm pretty confident. They have a really good group--a mix of guys that were on the team last year and went through all of that, the guys that they brought in that have actually won it before and know what it takes, and even a guy like Kreider who has been around forever and remembers not just last season but also 2014.

Yes! He's been through the wringer with us.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

So because the circumstances are different, nothing that happened in the TBL series is potentially relevant to the team now? I know the circumstances are different, but a lesson learned is a lesson learned. You can't expect to get by and win a Cup this year just by being better than you were last year. You still need to rely on the things you learned previously. Even if it's the flipside, remembering "Hey we were down 2-0 twice and came back both times" as motivation to step on these guys' throats, it is what it is--using your past experience to help you accomplish bigger and better things in the future.

OR---we can just forget everything that happened in the past and expect to play that hockey and win a f***ing Cup because we're better now than we've been for a while.

Dude, all I said was being up 2-0 after 2 home games against the 2 time defending cup champs is far different than being up 2-0 after 2 road games against a team with little playoff experience that looks like a deer in headlights so far. I would say they have learned a ton from last years playoff run.

 

[rangersfansince08]

A

And hoping for the same result. Imagine, not too long ago since "the letter".

I'd take Colorado's skaters last year over us this year but our goaltending is in another tier from the garbage they had last year.