GDT: ECF - Game 2 - New York Rangers vs Tampa Bay Lightning - 8pm EST, ESPN - Series (NYR 1-0)

[WojtekWolski86]

The Avs really scare me. They play the same game as us, only better and quicker than we can. They are extremely fast, even more so than the Canes. And the Canes gave us fits. It sure looks like if we want to win the Cup, we are gonna have to beat the best there is. And that is no small feat with them having home ice in a place where we don't do well.

Shesty has faced them only once and got the win at MSG.

Don't care about the West. We have to defeat the 2x defending champion first.

 

[will1066]

Avs are more like Florida than anyone that the Rangers have faced.

How, and why?

 

[Larrybiv]

I think saying Tampa was rusty is a BS excuse for them. Maybe Vasi & their PP weren't clicking because of the time off, but that doesnt explain why the Rangers were outskating and outmuscling them on the cycle and off the rush. You'd think 9 days off would work in their favor in those areas.

The Rangers being the youngest and Tampa the oldest in the payoffs will make an impact in this series. Experience, to me, is no longer a factor. Our team knows we have what it takes to win after the first 2 rounds

We really are gaining momentum, getting better as each game goes by. Guess we need to thank Pittsburgh and Carolina for "allowing us" to gain some experience and confidence and everything good that comes with those 14 games.
So yeah, I am with you McRanger as our youth should be more of a benefit than a detriment.
Our kids know how to play, and it doesn't seem like any of them are overwhelmed with the glistening of the cup, staring them in the face.

 

[Greg02]

Can a mod make this thread live next time one swings by?

 

[ohbaby]

Home ice advantage will be very important for us in the coming years.

I never really gave much consideration on the importance of home ice. But this year, something is different. Could be the pandemic. Players excited having their fans back, fans excited to be back, whatever the case, home ice has been huge. Also making the playoffs, when everyone is excited things are getting back to normal couldn't happen at a better time. Everyone has said the Garden has never been louder.

Drury mentioned at the presser, he didn't know that the Bridge shook until they moved his box up there. LOL!

 

[DialUp]

There should be no expectation except that each game going forward is going to be harder than the last. I just can't look at a team that has players like Stamkos and Kuch and Mac and Hedman and Vasy and think they will get WORSE as a series goes on. Regardless of how much better we have been overall starting from game 3 of the last round, the other side is not going to roll over.

ONIONS! WE NEED ONIONS!

 

[duhmetreE]

They do. Colorado is a lot faster and deeper. I was just pointing out that if we had trouble shutting down Pittsburgh, we'll have even more trouble shutting down Colorado.

Yeah, my point was styles make it interesting. I do not think they match up well against us or Tampa. I still liked STL's chances against them with Binnington.

They have dynamic game breaking talent. I get it. I don't think that outweighs the shortcomings. Just like I dont think McDavid is good enough to make up for the rest of his teams shortcomings. Both teams are similar IMO -obviously Edmonton is a poormans Colorado

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

How, and why?

They're a rush based offense. Their PP is more like Carolina's in terms of concept, but they're way better in execution. Makar is a phenomenal PP QB and really the personnel is just... superior. That top unit is amazing.

In terms of how to defend them? I actually thought that after game 1, the Blues did a pretty good job slowing them down 5v5 by walling them up in the nz and forcing more dump ins. It came at the expense of their own offense, but they clearly found something that worked pretty well. Even though they lost 3 out of 5 from that point on, they were in those games and had they focused on hockey instead of killing Kadri in game 4, they may have ended up coming back and winning that one as well.

Makar was generally invisible (and honestly, pretty f***ing poor) in this series for a reason. If you let him do his thing, he's going to kill you. They didn't let him do his usual waltz through the NZ and when he had the puck in his own end, they did a really good job getting in his face. He turned over the puck a bunch in that series.

OTOH, ROR absolutely ate up Mack. We don't have anyone capable of doing that.

 

[JimmyG89]

Colorado is rolling JACK JOHNSON out there. There will be plenty of opportunities to get goals if both team meet next round.

Also, the two games during the season, like we have seen with every other series, are pointless. The first Avs game Huska was the starter and Georgiev started the 2nd one. Both games were played before the leaves were falling off the trees.

Said it last series, I'd love the opportunity to go head to head with Tampa. It'd be the same thing for Colorado.

 

[Richard Banger]

Don't care about the West. We have to defeat the 2x defending champion first.

We are facing the best team left. I wouldn’t worry about who comes out of the west. Either of them are a step down from Tampa.

 

[will1066]

They're a rush based offense. Their PP is more like Carolina's in terms of concept, but they're way better in execution. Makar is a phenomenal PP QB and really the personnel is just... superior. That top unit is amazing.

In terms of how to defend them? I actually thought that after game 1, the Blues did a pretty good job slowing them down 5v5 by walling them up in the nz and forcing more dump ins. It came at the expense of their own offense, but they clearly found something that worked pretty well. Even though they lost 3 out of 5 from that point on, they were in those games and had they focused on hockey instead of killing Kadri in game 4, they may have ended up coming back and winning that one as well.

Makar was generally invisible (and honestly, pretty f***ing poor) in this series for a reason. If you let him do his thing, he's going to kill you. They didn't let him do his usual waltz through the NZ and when he had the puck in his own end, they did a really good job getting in his face. He turned over the puck a bunch in that series.

OTOH, ROR absolutely ate up Mack. We don't have anyone capable of doing that.

I generally agree with the exception that they're a rush-based offense. Their o-zone possession cycles are outright frightening. There's always support around the play or puck carrier, and everyone knows where to go as they buzz around the zone at high speed. Edmonton could stack the NZ in an attempt to neutralize their entry speed but I think the downside of that is it inhibits their own attack, as they also need speed through the NZ. What makes Col dangerous is even with a 2 on 2 situation, you have your 2 dmen ready for their 2 Fs, they have a trailer coming in hot that the Col puck carrier always seems to find. That leads to an odd man chance or if your 3rd guy does make it back, then they work on setting up in your zone for extended buzzing.

 

[duhmetreE]

They're a rush based offense. Their PP is more like Carolina's in terms of concept, but they're way better in execution. Makar is a phenomenal PP QB and really the personnel is just... superior. That top unit is amazing.

In terms of how to defend them? I actually thought that after game 1, the Blues did a pretty good job slowing them down 5v5 by walling them up in the nz and forcing more dump ins. It came at the expense of their own offense, but they clearly found something that worked pretty well. Even though they lost 3 out of 5 from that point on, they were in those games and had they focused on hockey instead of killing Kadri in game 4, they may have ended up coming back and winning that one as well.

Makar was generally invisible (and honestly, pretty f***ing poor) in this series for a reason. If you let him do his thing, he's going to kill you. They didn't let him do his usual waltz through the NZ and when he had the puck in his own end, they did a really good job getting in his face. He turned over the puck a bunch in that series.

OTOH, ROR absolutely ate up Mack. We don't have anyone capable of doing that.

RO'R is such a stud

UFA in a year

 

[GENESISPuck94]

Craig Button on Sirius XM just now:

"Can the Rangers win, sure, but Tampa Bay has shown resilience, they can come back and win, and until they show they cant I believe they'll win."

...

This is why I have a hard time believing that these people know what they're talking about, and believe they're just spewing nonsense from their mouths. Button, someone I normally have respect for. But sometimes these people are out to lunch.

The Rangers LITERALLY just won two series coming back from 2 games down to Carolina (who they all guaranteed would win handily), 3 games down against Pittsburgh who have three 3-time Cup winning Hall of Fame players on their roster... But it's Tampa that's shown resilience these playoffs? A 4 game sweep of Florida shows resilience? Does he understand the meaning of the word?

Guy, stick to giving us info about prospects.

 

[DialUp]

I generally agree with the exception that they're a rush-based offense. Their o-zone possession cycles are outright frightening. There's always support around the play or puck carrier, and everyone knows where to go as they buzz around the zone at high speed. Edmonton could stack the NZ in an attempt to neutralize their entry speed but I think the downside of that is it inhibits their own attack, as they also need speed through the NZ. What makes Col dangerous is even with a 2 on 2 situation, you have your 2 dmen ready for their 2 Fs, they have a trailer coming in hot that the Col puck carrier always seems to find. That leads to an odd man chance or if your 3rd guy does make it back, then they work on setting up in your zone for extended buzzing.

When a team has a line out there that are faster than you, there are more than enough ways to counter that and mitigate that advantage. Hook, obstruct, interfere, sure. Also, and even in this series against Tampa, we need to ensure that unless we are facing on of their less offensive lines, we should never get caught 3 or 2 deep behind their goaline.

 

[ohbaby]

Don't care about the West. We have to defeat the 2x defending champion first.

If you felt like I do,... knowing there's no way Tampa can beat us, that there is no route to victory for them, then you might care more about the west.

Hell, you can even see it in Coop's pressers. He is hiding the best he could, the awe he has for the Rangers. He knows he's in tough.

 

[will1066]

Craig Button on Sirius XM just now:

"Can the Rangers win, sure, but Tampa Bay has shown resilience, they can come back and win, and until they show they cant I believe they'll win."

...

This is why I have a hard time believing that these people know what they're talking about, and believe they're just spewing nonsense from their mouths. Button, someone I normally have respect for. But sometimes these people are out to lunch.

The Rangers LITERALLY just won two series coming back from 2 games down to Carolina (who they all guaranteed would win handily), 3 games down against Pittsburgh who have three 3-time Cup winning Hall of Fame players on their roster... But it's Tampa that's shown resilience these playoffs? A 4 game sweep of Florida shows resilience? Does he understand the meaning of the word?

Guy, stick to giving us info about prospects.

They were down in the series against Toronto and rallied to win.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

They were down in the series against Toronto and rallied to win.

That's great. But using it as some unique trait to just Tampa to rationalize how they'll win is stupid when the Rangers have shown even more resilience these playoffs. They've had their backs against a wall the entire way. This series is the first time they've had a lead.

These talking heads find anything to rationalize their narratives. Carolina didn't have a goalie, Tampa was rusty, Tampa was tired (from playing FAR less games than any Stanley Cup champion since 95).

Barely any if them will simply call it as it is. The Rangers have been better then their competitors. Including Tampa. Until that changes they shouldn't be calling it the other way around.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I generally agree with the exception that they're a rush-based offense. Their o-zone possession cycles are outright frightening. There's always support around the play or puck carrier, and everyone knows where to go as they buzz around the zone at high speed. Edmonton could stack the NZ in an attempt to neutralize their entry speed but I think the downside of that is it inhibits their own attack, as they also need speed through the NZ. What makes Col dangerous is even with a 2 on 2 situation, you have your 2 dmen ready for their 2 Fs, they have a trailer coming in hot that the Col puck carrier always seems to find. That leads to an odd man chance or if your 3rd guy does make it back, then they work on setting up in your zone for extended buzzing.

They don't really happen with out the controlled entries for them though.

As a team, they aren't great at retrievals. With a goalie who handles the puck as well as Smith does, I don't know why they don't employ this strategy. They'd almost never get to set up shop.

This is how Vegas smoked them last year. They were SO MUCH better than Colorado after game 1 and that series really should have ended in 5. Grubauer was f***ing fantastic in that series.

 

[will1066]

That's great. But using it as some unique trait to just Tampa to rationalize how they'll win is stupid when the Rangers have shown even more resilience these playoffs. They've had their backs against a wall the entire way. This series is the first time they've had a lead.

"Tampa Bay has shown resilience"

My statement simply proves Button's statement.

 

[GAGLine]

They were down in the series against Toronto and rallied to win.

Yup. They were down 3 times, actually, and came back to win on the road. Plus it's essentially the same core that won the cup the last 2 years.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

"Tampa Bay has shown resilience"

My statement simply proves Button's statement.

Does it? They were down by 1 game.

 

[duhmetreE]

I generally agree with the exception that they're a rush-based offense. Their o-zone possession cycles are outright frightening. There's always support around the play or puck carrier, and everyone knows where to go as they buzz around the zone at high speed. Edmonton could stack the NZ in an attempt to neutralize their entry speed but I think the downside of that is it inhibits their own attack, as they also need speed through the NZ. What makes Col dangerous is even with a 2 on 2 situation, you have your 2 dmen ready for their 2 Fs, they have a trailer coming in hot that the Col puck carrier always seems to find. That leads to an odd man chance or if your 3rd guy does make it back, then they work on setting up in your zone for extended buzzing.

I feel like people get lost in the sauce. Watching MacKinnon skate around can be mesmerizing.

They only produced 1.67xG 5v5 last night, against a poorly structured Edmonton . 2 softies and a braindead pinch by Bouchard. I'm not saying they are bad but like I've been saying, they are beatable.... It will take an elite goalie performance. Rittich/Ingram, Husso and Mike Smith ain't it.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Does it? They were down by 1 game.

Well it showed that they could come back and win after getting throttled.

Think you guys are making too big a deal about this. Had the Rangers lost game 1 I'm sure Button would be saying the same things about the NYR resilience and how they came back from 3-1 and 2-0 deficits.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

Yup. They were down 3 times, actually, and came back to win on the road. Plus it's essentially the same core that won the cup the last 2 years.

Is it? They don't have the Gourde. They don't have Goodrow. Point is out.

Imagine the Rangers not having Zibanejad, Copp, and Goodrow in this series.

If they want an excuse, because everyone's making excuses for them all day on NHL radio, that's the excuse to use.

 

[duhmetreE]

Is it? They don't have the Gourde. They don't have Goodrow. Point is out.

Imagine the Rangers not having Zibanejad, Copp, and Goodrow in this series.

If they want an excuse, because everyone's making excuses for them all day on NHL radio, that's the excuse to use.

They are saving that one for Game 3 or 4