GDT: ECF: Game 4 - New York Rangers @ Florida Panthers, 8pm ET, ESPN

[JimmyG89]

Lomberg has 7 points in 80 games and has not been on the ice for a single goal scored in the playoffs. We complain about Kakko doing the little things and not putting up results yet it's crazy for them to take out Lomberg whose put up even worse results?

Considering his only contribution this series is injuring Vesey, he's done more damage than he would if he did put up points.

 

[EdJovanovski]

LOL

@EdJovanovski this one is definitely for you.

Why do people keep saying this, I was one of the few fans who said Laf >>>> Kakko all along. I was down on both of them sure but I was not some distinct hater of Laf compared to anyone else on our board. Kakko on the other hand..

 

[Larrybiv]

During the regular season the Panthers were second worst in the league with 5.01 penalties per 60 minutes.

Against TBL they took 4.75 penalties per 60 and against Boston they took 4.5 per 60.

So far against the Rangers? Only 3 penalties per 60. Funny how they’re somehow taking 1-2 less penalties per 60 than they have all season long and in rounds 1 and 2 of the playoffs.

Good find. Yeah, so exactly how is that? Maurice tell them to be especially careful because they don't wanna face our PP?
Play less aggressive? Hmmm, how does a heavy team like they're titled as, do that? I've seen bodies flying all over the ice, ho about that Lindgren hit where he left his sklates? High sticks, cross checks, clutching, grabbing and the likes aren't seen?
Our early success vs Carolina poroved to the NHL that if they call every penalty, we'd fly through series like nobody's business.

During the regular season the Panthers were second worst in the league with 5.01 penalties per 60 minutes.

Against TBL they took 4.75 penalties per 60 and against Boston they took 4.5 per 60.

So far against the Rangers? Only 3 penalties per 60. Funny how they’re somehow taking 1-2 less penalties per 60 than they have all season long and in rounds 1 and 2 of the playoffs.

Love your username. ME knows what that means in Italian lingo. Maybe some don't, haha.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

I feel like they have thus far, no?

No, he means take care of him

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

why the hell are they scratching Lomberg? he's one of their best players in this series.

Yeah, that makes 0 sense to me from the onset. He's been a PITA this series and one of their best players from what I've seen.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Why do people keep saying this, I was one of the few fans who said Laf >>>> Kakko all along. I was down on both of them sure but I was not some distinct hater of Laf compared to anyone else on our board. Kakko on the other hand..

Weren't you the one who posted the softball pic this offseason?

It sparked some of the most hilarious discussion ever where we had people straight up analyzing his swing lmao.

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

I was 19 when I joined this site. Being in my 30's has giving me a new appreciation for what these guys do.

I'm exhausted. Chris Kreider is older than me and he's going out and playing the games.

To be fair, this has been our most exhausting run for me, even though it's been comparatively the easiest.

I think it's because this is the deepest we've been in my adult life where I actually believe it could happen.

2014 and 2022, I was absolutely just happy to be there. The 2014 team was fire in retrospect but while it was happening, they were a game 1 away seed three times. Nobody really expected it. In 2022, I was thrilled to lose in round 3 to a team that was just better than us. It didn't stress me out at all.

It was kind of there in 2015, but I looked at the Chicago matchup and I was really like "eh, I don't know." The PIttsburgh series was mid. The Caps series was razor thin. It never felt dominant.

The poor 2012 team -- they had a fun run at the time but I don't really give them the time of day compared to the teams that came after to be honest. The 2024 Rangers would blow them the f*** off the face of the Earth.

This is the first time where I'm like, "you know, they could" and I don't feel like I'm lying to myself. It's cool, but it weighs a lot.

I still wonder if the Rangers would have won it all in 2014 if they played the Hawks in the finals and not the Kings. The Hawks wouldn't have been an easier matchup by any means, but I think that Rangers team would have matched up better with them.

 

[mas0764]

I was 19 when I joined this site. Being in my 30's has giving me a new appreciation for what these guys do.

I'm exhausted. Chris Kreider is older than me and he's going out and playing the games.

To be fair, this has been our most exhausting run for me, even though it's been comparatively the easiest.

I think it's because this is the deepest we've been in my adult life where I actually believe it could happen.

2014 and 2022, I was absolutely just happy to be there. The 2014 team was fire in retrospect but while it was happening, they were a game 1 away seed three times. Nobody really expected it. In 2022, I was thrilled to lose in round 3 to a team that was just better than us. It didn't stress me out at all.

It was kind of there in 2015, but I looked at the Chicago matchup and I was really like "eh, I don't know." The PIttsburgh series was mid. The Caps series was razor thin. It never felt dominant.

The poor 2012 team -- they had a fun run at the time but I don't really give them the time of day compared to the teams that came after to be honest. The 2024 Rangers would blow them the f*** off the face of the Earth.

This is the first time where I'm like, "you know, they could" and I don't feel like I'm lying to myself. It's cool, but it weighs a lot.

This run is interesting.

As you say it's clearly their best team/best chance in forever.

But I remember feeling 2012 and 2014/15 being way more fun. Way more suspenseful, which made it fun. The winning was more euphoric. And it's not like those teams weren't good - one of them won the President's trophy too.

Maybe it's just because I'm older and tired of losing, but I have mostly dread. I think it's like Parcells said, eventually you begin to hate losing more than you love winning.

But I'm not having a ton of fun with this playoff run. The announcing is awful and generates no excitement. It feels like except for a moment here or there, the first two lines are laboring. Igor is brick walling it up a bit but not even in a fun, Mike Richter sprawling out and diving to make a ridiculous save kind of way.

Lafreniere exploding onto the scene has been awesome. But to me, the team feels like it's underperforming (like vs Washington) or getting outplayed and lucky (Carolina and Florida). It's not as fun as it should be. Depressing. I'm a grouch.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Weren't you the one who posted the softball pic this offseason?

It sparked some of the most hilarious discussion ever where we had people straight up analyzing his swing lmao.

Nope not me lmao
I posted the "fat Kakko" pic

 

[Psycho for Perreault]

Why do people keep saying this, I was one of the few fans who said Laf >>>> Kakko all along. I was down on both of them sure but I was not some distinct hater of Laf compared to anyone else on our board. Kakko on the other hand..

You were loud in hating Laf. You were just louder in hating Kakko.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

You were loud in hating Laf. You were just louder in hating Kakko.

Yeah this is accurate.

 

[JimmyG89]

One of the problems we have to accept, just like with the Leafs, is that people are going to participate who hate the Rangers. They're going to participate because they hate the Rangers. There's no way to moderate that. You're not required to like anybody on the main forums.

Embrace the hate. They can talk all they want about the team, the city, the fanbase, but 30 fanbases would want to be in our position (Dallas is in it, so I will omit them).

What is amazing about the Panthers fans is that they can be completely unaware of what their team is. They are dirty, but they won't even think about leaning into it. Guess what, Trouba can be dirty. Goodrow can be dirty. I'm fully embracing it. We're not winning a cup with 23 angels on the roster.

Someone is going to flatten a Panther tonight and everyone will call for their heads. I'll be leaning in on it.

 

[bl02]

Lomberg has 7 points in 80 games and has not been on the ice for a single goal scored in the playoffs. We complain about Kakko doing the little things and not putting up results yet it's crazy for them to take out Lomberg whose put up even worse results?

Fair enough but in a playoff series when you have a guy like him running amok you probably have to account for 1-2 injuries. Vesey is already a serious one.
Mika almost got buried under the ice.

 

[Psycho for Perreault]

This run is interesting.

As you say it's clearly their best team/best chance in forever.

But I remember feeling 2012 and 2014/15 being way more fun. Way more suspenseful, which made it fun. The winning was more euphoric. And it's not like those teams weren't good - one of them won the President's trophy too.

Maybe it's just because I'm older and tired of losing, but I have mostly dread. I think it's like Parcells said, eventually you begin to hate losing more than you love winning.

But I'm not having a ton of fun with this playoff run. The announcing is awful and generates no excitement. It feels like except for a moment here or there, the first two lines are laboring. Igor is brick walling it up a bit but not even in a fun, Mike Richter sprawling out and diving to make a ridiculous save kind of way.

Lafreniere exploding onto the scene has been awesome. But to me, the team feels like it's underperforming (like vs Washington) or getting outplayed and lucky (Carolina and Florida). It's not as fun as it should be. Depressing. I'm a grouch.

You should be having more fun. This team is one of the most likeable Ranger teams in my lifetime (41 years). They get outplayed but they don't quit. They are NEVER out of a game. They are putting together amazing memory after amazing memory this postseason. We will rewatch these OT winners for decades. Bored at work? Lets go to YouTube and watch Panarin go between the legs, Trocheck celebrate with the fans, Goodrow/Wennberg shock us. This is fun.

 

[mas0764]

Scratching Rempe would be idiotic considering all the signs are pointing to a physical game. Brodzinski in over him isnt going to help the defense get the puck out of their zone quicker.

I wouldn't put Brodzinski in over Rempe, but Wheeler? Would think about it.

Anything to help the Mika line get going again. They were ok with Wheeler earlier in the year.

 

[Machinehead]

I still wonder if the Rangers would have won it all in 2014 if they played the Hawks in the finals and not the Kings. The Hawks wouldn't have been an easier matchup by any means, but I think that Rangers team would have matched up better with them.

I think we would have beaten the Hawks that year. Not in 2015 tho.

This run is interesting.

As you say it's clearly their best team/best chance in forever.

But I remember feeling 2012 and 2014/15 being way more fun. Way more suspenseful, which made it fun. The winning was more euphoric. And it's not like those teams weren't good - one of them won the President's trophy too.

Maybe it's just because I'm older and tired of losing, but I have mostly dread. I think it's like Parcells said, eventually you begin to hate losing more than you love winning.

But I'm not having a ton of fun with this playoff run. The announcing is awful and generates no excitement. It feels like except for a moment here or there, the first two lines are laboring. Igor is brick walling it up a bit but not even in a fun, Mike Richter sprawling out and diving to make a ridiculous save kind of way.

Lafreniere exploding onto the scene has been awesome. But to me, the team feels like it's underperforming (like vs Washington) or getting outplayed and lucky (Carolina and Florida). It's not as fun as it should be. Depressing. I'm a grouch.

For me, it's that I don't feel like we're following a script. The 2012-2015 teams always felt like "win 2-1, lose 2-1, win 2-1, lose 2-1."

This team scores. They come back in games. They take leads in series. You don't feel like you know exactly what's gonna happen all the time.

I do agree on the announcing. ESPN as a whole just doesn't have the vibe down. The NBC playoff games always felt like special events. Doc screaming at you made every game feel like the final game.

On ESPN, there's no "Stanley Cup Playoffs" written on the ice, the announcing sucks, you barely hear the NHL on ESPN theme, they cut back to the panel and it's nothing but jokes save for Lundqvist occasionally talking about goaltending X's and O's (which is glorious). It's completely off.

 

[Machinehead]

I wouldn't put Brodzinski in over Rempe, but Wheeler? Would think about it.

Anything to help the Mika line get going again. They were ok with Wheeler earlier in the year.

Mika played 11 games with Roslovic and had 14 points.

We changed that for no ass reason.

 

[McRanger92]

I wouldn't put Brodzinski in over Rempe, but Wheeler? Would think about it.

Anything to help the Mika line get going again. They were ok with Wheeler earlier in the year.

Would be playing into Florida's hand with Wheeler. I was in favor of that after Game 1 but not anymore. We're in the end game now. I bet you see Roslovic and Panarin taking plenty of shifts with Mika tonight.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

This run is interesting.

As you say it's clearly their best team/best chance in forever.

But I remember feeling 2012 and 2014/15 being way more fun. Way more suspenseful, which made it fun. The winning was more euphoric. And it's not like those teams weren't good - one of them won the President's trophy too.

Maybe it's just because I'm older and tired of losing, but I have mostly dread. I think it's like Parcells said, eventually you begin to hate losing more than you love winning.

But I'm not having a ton of fun with this playoff run. The announcing is awful and generates no excitement. It feels like except for a moment here or there, the first two lines are laboring. Igor is brick walling it up a bit but not even in a fun, Mike Richter sprawling out and diving to make a ridiculous save kind of way.

Lafreniere exploding onto the scene has been awesome. But to me, the team feels like it's underperforming (like vs Washington) or getting outplayed and lucky (Carolina and Florida). It's not as fun as it should be. Depressing. I'm a grouch.

You would think that.

What if I told you that they actually deserved to win against Carolina and have outplayed Florida in 2 of the 3 games so far?

Underperforming against Washington? They swept the series and trailed for like 3 minutes through 4 games. I think we can put that one in the rear view mirror and draw the conclusion that they didn't want to exert themselves any more than they needed to (and mission accomplished, they won 4 straight 60 minute games) with Panarin doing f*** all for 2+games. They've performed way better against much stiffer competition through the next almost 1.5 rounds (Florida and Carolina are/were both contenders.)

Also have you watched these playoffs? Up until this round almost the entire top 6 was at or above a PPG lmao. Laboring? The f*** were you expecting?

 

[Levitate]

they cut back to the panel and it's nothing but jokes save for Lundqvist occasionally talking about goaltending X's and O's (which is glorious). It's completely off.

That's just what media is these days (trained by social media algorithms) . It's generating clicks and outrage and reactions and grabbing attention and not about analysis and intelligent discussion. We're probably all worse off for it. I kind of suspect it'll come back around eventually because if nothing else people get tired of the same shit eventually

Even watching some of the Stars/Oilers game last night Kenny Albert sounded tired and kinda done with doing pbp, and I usually love his calls

 

[EdJovanovski]

@EdJovanovski .....you know what to order tonight. You know.

I'm going to

 

[Hunter Gathers]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1795127589121503238

Trouba tonight

 

[Levitate]

Mika played 11 games with Roslovic and had 14 points.

We changed that for no ass reason.

big agree with this one! Ros is not a solution type player for that line in some kind of long term thing, but he has done well as being the guy for the current situation. He's not gonna play a great game every time and he'll take his fly bys and do some dumb shit but he has played better with them than Chytil.

Tossing Chytil into that situation with 3 games under his belt seems foolish to me. He'd be better off trying to get up to speed exploiting weaker matchups not trying to play wing and get matched up against Barkov

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

The staff has pulled the right strings thus far, ill be happy with whatever they decide.

Regardless of the lineup decisions, the team knows what they need to do. Go out and execute.

Get to Bob early and take a lead deeper into the 2nd and I think well start to see the Panthers become more individual. Thats when you need to strike.

I felt like the Panthers really didnt have that great of a first half in Game 3. There was room out there if the Rangers were sharper. Its not like it isnt there, the Rangers need to support the puck and bear down to create offense.

 

[AirGut]

feeling a Z laser beam snipe from the top of the circle tonight