I think you're glossing over those first two Ranger games personally. Yeah, the shot totals weren't as lopsided as yesterday's game, but I think if you look back at how this board was reacting after getting outscored 10-2 on home ice, coupled with a horrific PK and goaltending, the room for belief was not plentiful.
I'm not comparing those teams/rosters, mind you. I'm comparing what took place. Hence me not feeling as dejected as I might have in 2023 where I couldn't believe we had come out so poorly against the Rangers and tried to play a completely different game to what got us there. Yesterday wasn't shocking to me to see what took place. I know our roster makeup, just as you and everyone else does. I know we're fighting an uphill battle. But if you want my honest answer to your question, I don't find fandom to be enjoyable if I cannot attempt to root on the team that I support to do what everyone assumes we can't. Does that make me a blind optimist? Feel free to label me what you want. But I would personally prefer to be that and concern myself with the offseason when we get there rather than repeat the same issues over and over again ad nauseam and ignore the fact that we're in the playoffs.
We might get waxed. 31 teams don't win the Cup every year. Some will say that means that my bar for success is incredibly low. But that doesn't mean I don't want the Cup. We're in the dance until we're not. I don't find any joy in venting my frustrations on what I think is wrong over and over again. Or ragging on Fitz for what I presume he could have done that he didn't do last summer or at the deadline. I'm more than content to see how this plays out and enjoy being at a playoff game on Friday for the first time since 2018 before I have to start focusing on what improvements the team needs to make in the offseason. Take that for whatever you wish.
