Post-Game Talk: ECQF Game 1: New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

[JimmyG89]

Screwed by the refs all night. Troubas hit was not a board. Lindgrens hit wasn't even a penalty. Kakko didn't interfere with the goalie.

Just three absolute blunders in officiating. Cost them the game. Gifting a team a 5 on 3 after they gave up a short handed goal and then wiping out a goal called on the ice that at worst could be deemed inconclusive and stood.

All of that and the Penguins only committed one penalty? I don't believe any of that.

 

[Crease]

Need more from Kreider-Zibanejad-Vatrano and the third pair.

Thought everyone else played good to excellent.

 

[Jaromir Jagr]

Yes, bc if you watched the game we got severly outplayed after the 1st period. Our stars look like shit. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Not one had a good game. The kids were the best players but dont forget our stars are the ones making the big bucks and are signed long term. We are stuck with them.

secondly, the refs will control this game towards the pens. We lost Lindgren who is replaced with ahl defensman tinordi or braun.

thirdly, we lost home ice advantage.

lastly, we just dont have real leadership in the locker room.

Like i said, we are going to be swept. 70% of game 1 winners win the round. We just arent there this year. And i hope we can just get one before losing. IT would be a massive growing experience for our kids.

IMO you're being overly dramatic and Lindgren is likely back next game per Gallant.

The Rangers were not severely outplayed after the 1st period. They were severely outplayed in the second and then it was more or less equal, probably favoring Pitt most of the periods, but not "severely." Rangers also severely outplayed them in the first.

The game was pretty even overall and I feel like your emotions are getting the best of you.

 

[clmetsfan]

Screwed by the refs all night. Troubas hit was not a board. Lindgrens hit wasn't even a penalty. Kakko didn't interfere with the goalie.

Just three absolute blunders in officiating. Cost them the game. Gifting a team a 5 on 3 after they gave up a short handed goal and then wiping out a goal called on the ice that at worst could be deemed inconclusive and stood.

All of that and the Penguins only committed one penalty? I don't believe any of that.

Eh, Trouba's hit was definitely a boarding.

 

[DanielBrassard]

Watching the replay again and again the call gets worse every time I see it. It's clear that Kakko is going to cut across the top of the crease or just outside of it before he gets pushed from behind. A clear call. They call it a goal on the ice and somehow have enough conclusive evidence to overturn the call? If you told me it was rigged I might believe you. I had a feeling at the time it happened they wouldn't let it stand because of where the game was, tied late in the 3rd. But it's one of the worst calls I remember in a long time.

 

[Unpredictable1]

Eh, Trouba's hit was definitely a boarding.

For me it was a matter of consistency on that infraction. Geuntzel sold it, got to give him props there. Trouba hopefully knows for next time. Maybe I got to rewatch it again lol

But given the other stuff that wasn't called leading up to that point, I don't think that particular incident while Pitts already on the PP was something that should have been called. IMO

Guentzel was howling at the refs all night, he dropped like a wet mitt when Fox gave him a shove and he fell (this was when Lindgren smoked Rakell with a clean hit), he was literally screaming in pain as if he took a .22 to the knee cap... but was flying on the ensuing powerplay.

Cheers!

 

[Thordic]

Losing the game really sucks but whats worse is what someone above mentioned and that is fitness. It was clear as day that the Penguins were vastly superior as the game went on and that is quite inexcusible from an organizational standpoint considering they have a much older team.

I agree but disagree. The Rangers clearly were gassed as the game went on but I think its BECAUSE they are young. Too many players who are young and aren't used to the playoffs. They got all amped up and used up a ton of energy in the beginning of the game and emptied their tanks. Its like racing full speed out of the gate at a marathon. You'll look great for a bit but your finish is going to look terrible. With experience comes the knowledge you have to manage your energy through the whole game (including potential lengthy OTs) and a long series.

On the flip side, I feel like a long grueling Game 1 can pay off. Pittsburg is older and will have a lot more aches and pains this morning than ours. Our younger roster should recover faster so if they can learn some lessons from last night they can keep going strong.

At the end of they day, we have a young untested roster. They could have come out wide-eyed and gotten flattened by the intensity of the playoffs. That wasn't the case at all. They came out strong and they did a lot of things they can build off of. As fans we're all disappointed but it's not like the sky is falling - that was a pretty solid showing from such a young roster and I feel like it bodes well going forward, this year and the next few.

 

[DialUp]

As I said earlier, I don't think it's a training issue. Crosby, Letang and Guentzel looked the same in OT3 as in the 1st period. Those three are flat out amazing. Considering the ages of Crosby and Letang, it's insane.

Makes sense that the players easily voted Crosby the best player in the NHL, even at 36. I know a lot of folks hate him here, but he is one of the very best I've ever seen.

Steroids and HGH. Because I am jealous.

 

[deathb4disco]

I agree but disagree. The Rangers clearly were gassed as the game went on but I think its BECAUSE they are young. Too many players who are young and aren't used to the playoffs. They got all amped up and used up a ton of energy in the beginning of the game and emptied their tanks. Its like racing full speed out of the gate at a marathon. You'll look great for a bit but your finish is going to look terrible. With experience comes the knowledge you have to manage your energy through the whole game (including potential lengthy OTs) and a long series.

On the flip side, I feel like a long grueling Game 1 can pay off. Pittsburg is older and will have a lot more aches and pains this morning than ours. Our younger roster should recover faster so if they can learn some lessons from last night they can keep going strong.

At the end of they day, we have a young untested roster. They could have come out wide-eyed and gotten flattened by the intensity of the playoffs. That wasn't the case at all. They came out strong and they did a lot of things they can build off of. As fans we're all disappointed but it's not like the sky is falling - that was a pretty solid showing from such a young roster and I feel like it bodes well going forward, this year and the next few.

This 100% , it was an adrenaline dump in the second, happens all the time to athletes who haven't had tons of experience. We will get better as the series goes on. Everyone is acting like we lost 5-1.

 

[Gordon Bombay]

Butt disrespectful to the coaching profession. Enjoy the ban. Cised.

So no rebuttal to the NHL making interpretation calls more decisive? No surprise there.

Not too worried about being banned bud. I’m actually talking hockey and not trolling people.

 

[The S5]

Eh, Trouba's hit was definitely a boarding.

Call it what ever you like, but that same hit happened/happens multiple times/game. If the refs aren't going to call it consistently, they shouldn't call it at all. Especially giving a team a 5v3 right after giving up a shorty. Makes it look like they are trying to even out the game,whether that was the intent or not.

 

[bigdog16]

Even more so 98 minutes with no penalty ???? Unreal.

I genuinely am curious, this has to be close to an NHL record. 5 periods with no penalties?

 

[Raspewtin]

not counting the bubble bullshit 8 of last night's players have never played an NHL playoff game, with 4 not playing significant playoff games in years.

I think they'll improve.

 

[zlev]

probably wont say anything he didn't already say on the post game, but

 

[CLW]

The Pens needed every bit of help they could possibly get from the refs/Toronto last night to eke out an OT win. Once/if Gallant and the Ranger vets get their sh*t sorted out this series should still heavily favor the Rangers. Zib, Kreider, Trouba, Panarin (yes, probably injured but still), Nemeth and many others did not play well last night individually or as a team. This is fixable but they need to wake up, this is the post season and many of them have shown nothing for too many post season games now. Maybe first game nerves got the better of them, several players burnt out early. Gallant's coaching was weak.

 

[rangers1314]

I'm too stupid to do this myself, but does anyone have the numbers on the Mika Vs. Crosby match up last night? How did the possession look?

 

[AddyTheWrath]

Doesn't it look like Strome tipped Fox's shot at 0:50? I played the video at 0.25x speed and the puck definitely looks like it changes direction.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

I know Kreider had the nice goal last night but overall he looked way too tentative to me, similar to how he looked a few years ago. He did not look that way for 99% of this season.

 

[DanielBrassard]

The Pens needed every bit of help they could possibly get from the refs/Toronto last night to eke out an OT win. Once/if Gallant and the Ranger vets get their sh*t sorted out this series should still heavily favor the Rangers. Zib, Kreider, Trouba, Panarin (yes, probably injured but still), Nemeth and many others did not play well last night individually or as a team. This is fixable but they need to wake up, this is the post season and many of them have shown nothing for too many post season games now. Maybe first game nerves got the better of them, several players burnt out early. Gallant's coaching was weak.

If Igor puts up a .950 the rest of the series then yeah it should favor the Rangers but the Rangers have to play much better in front of him. Otherwise it won't matter how well Igor plays.

 

[huerter]

So no rebuttal to the NHL making interpretation calls more decisive? No surprise there.

Not too worried about being banned bud. I’m actually talking hockey and not trolling people.

What's your solution? For the push in the back call what if the defending player just puts their glove on the back of the attacker? Is that considered a push? For the kicking motion, if you say that all pucks off skates are no goal then what if you can't tell if it hits the skate or just above the skate? Good luck to you and your black and white rulings.

 

[EdJovanovski]

My grades on the night:

Shesterkin: A+
Reaves: A+
Lafreniere: A
Chytil: A
Miller: A
Fox: A
Kakko: B
Goodrow: B
Strome: C+
Schneider: C+
Vatrano: C+
Rooney: C
Zibanejad: C
Kreider: C
Panarin: C
Copp: C-
Nemeth: D-
Lindgren: D-
Trouba: F

 

[DanielBrassard]

I'm too stupid to do this myself, but does anyone have the numbers on the Mika Vs. Crosby match up last night? How did the possession look?

There's not really a way to find that out as far as I know, but just as a proxy Zibanejad against them:

Sid: 9CF-29CA 17.5% xGF
Guentzel: 10-31 18.12% xGF
Rust: 11-31 16.49% xGF


Pure domination. Unfortunately I fear this might be a huge advantage for Pittsburgh all series. Which I didn't expect to be this lopsided.

 

[rangers1314]

There's not really a way to find that out as far as I know, but just as a proxy Zibanejad against them:

Sid: 9CF-29CA 17.5% xGF
Guentzel: 10-31 18.12% xGF
Rust: 11-31 16.49% xGF


Pure domination. Unfortunately I fear this might be a huge advantage for Pittsburgh all series. Which I didn't expect to be this lopsided.

Got it, thanks. So the numbers tell the same story as the eye test.

Does this lead to GG tinkering with that line? Trying to get a little more defensive with a new RW? Swap Vatrano down for Goodrow? KK?

He'll need to have something in the back pocket tomorrow if its the same story.

 

[Ms Maggie]

Yes, what a fiasco. As I've been saying, this is par for the course with Pittsburgh Penguins. The league pushes them, shamelessly, and blatantly for the last 16 years. Everyone knows it. Not everyone will admit it, certainly not people with jobs and reputations to keep. But it's still a fact. I don't even want to imagine the amount of money refs and league officials have made off this over the last 16 years. Guarantee ref family/friends bank accounts got larger after last night.

And yet they got bounced in the first round the last 4 years.

 

[DanielBrassard]

Got it, thanks. So the numbers tell the same story as the eye test.

Does this lead to GG tinkering with that line? Trying to get a little more defensive with a new RW? Swap Vatrano down for Goodrow? KK?

He'll need to have something in the back pocket tomorrow if its the same story.

yeah no problem. The numbers definitely matched up. I was surprised since the KZV line had a lot of success in the 3 regular season games down the stretch vs Pittsburgh, although I guess Crosby was out for one of them. It's something to think about for sure, you can't afford to have your 1st line so badly outplayed like that and hope to win.