Post-Game Talk: ECQF Game 2: Rangers @ Capitals 5/4/13 - Lundqvists 0 - Capitals 1

[Green Blob*]

Some of you are hysterical. As if it's Torts' fault Stralman hit the cross bar and Nash hit the post. Either goes in and it's a tied series.

But it didnt.

And those open nets the Caps had didnt either.


But the Green shot did.

 

[Gresch04]

I think the defense-first, last, and only strategy has run well beyond it's course. Last year, losing to the Devils, was proof enough for me that it would never win us a cup. We built a team around a goalie who has yet to prove he is as good in the playoffs as in the regular season - except for last year.

Again, back to my original point: THIS TEAM CANNOT WIN A CUP EVEN IF HANK IS AT HIS BEST. So it's time for a new strategy. This team is not dangerous, clearly demonstrated by the success this year of teams scoring first and winning about 66% of the time. Look at Anaheim in that 3rd period comeback. DANGEROUS. They buzzed and buzzed and you just knew they would tie the game. This team can't come back 2-0 after the first period in a game.

Hell, the Isles will win a cup before we do. DANGEROUS. Down 3-1 to the BEST team they kept at it and scored 3 goals to win it. Because they have more than 2 players who can scare the opposition.

This team scares no one. They are dull, lack any real elite talent, and will win nothing for the foreseeable future.

 

[qwertyaas]

I think the defense-first, last, and only strategy has run well beyond it's course. Last year, losing to the Devils, was proof enough for me that it would never win us a cup. We built a team around a goalie who has yet to prove he is as good in the playoffs as in the regular season - except for last year.

Again, back to my original point: THIS TEAM CANNOT WIN A CUP EVEN IF HANK IS AT HIS BEST. So it's time for a new strategy. This team is not dangerous, clearly demonstrated by the success this year of teams scoring first and winning about 66% of the time. Look at Anaheim in that 3rd period comeback. DANGEROUS. They buzzed and buzzed and you just knew they would tie the game. This team can't come back 2-0 after the first period in a game.

Hell, the Isles will win a cup before we do. DANGEROUS. Down 3-1 to the BEST team they kept at it and scored 3 goals to win it. Because they have more than 2 players who can scare the opposition.

This team scares no one. They are dull, lack any real elite talent, and will win nothing for the foreseeable future.

Did you see him play today? He can't steal a game if his team scores ZERO goals.

Look at the Caps. They became a heavy defensive team but their main weapon is pinning you in your zone. Look what happens when they have the puck in our zone - it's scoring chance after scoring chance.

Now, look at the opposite. When we had it in their zone, it's just a mindless cycle behind the net until the puck is coughed up with 0 sog.

 

[qwertyaas]

Some of you are hysterical. As if it's Torts' fault Stralman hit the cross bar and Nash hit the post. Either goes in and it's a tied series.

You're right. But it is on Torts for leaving McD out there for close to a triple shift. Matchups are on Torts as well. A lousy transitional game comes from somewhere. Look at the first games Brassard played with us and how much better he looked at carrying before he joined in the defense first practices. Now look at his game.

Everyone on this team plays the same style. Dump, cycle, block.

 

[Tundra]

I don't think you guys are as bad as some are insinuating. Yes, you have some holes and key guys are injured (Staal, Clowe) but you got a horrible draw against an extremely potent Washington team. That was just not the matchup you wanted at this juncture.

 

[ltrangerfan]

Washington has carried the play for much of this series.



With that said, let's go back to game 1.

My simplistic thinking.

Henriq lets in 1 soft goal otherwise it's basically a 2-1 loss. The Rangers lose the specialty game 1-0 (thus the difference)


Game 2- The Rangers can't score on the PP, Washington does (the specialty team game is the diff).

It's true that the games might have gone differently if the Rangers could score on the PP. But..... when you lose the PP / defense game almost every game it's unlikely that you'll prevail consistently.

 

[Riverdale]

Hank is unproven in the playoffs?

Who would people rather have? Who would you rather have on a long term deal who is as consistently dominant as Hank (regular and post season)?
Goalies get hot, and then cool down. Hank is a major threat to steal a game almost every single night he plays.

This team scored him ONE FLUKE GOAL off of a Capital's skate so far. He can't get a shutout every single night. When this team starts scoring 3-4 goals and becomes a legitimate offensive threat and Hank gives up more THEN we can discuss Hank.

 

[ImIdaho]

Well, there are 3 NHL teams in the New York area. Brodeur is only signed for one more season, and the up-and-coming Islanders weakest position right now is in nets.

While it's highly unlikely Lundqvist would put on another jersey, never say never.


“Million-to-one chances,†she said, “crop up nine times out of ten.â€
-Sir Terry Pratchett (Equal Rites)

Hey, kaka-mouth, you keep that to yourself!

Don't you come around here insinuating Lundqvist in Devil's red or that Mets/Knicks awful hybrid of a jersey the Islanders have.

Lundy is going to be 32 next season. When oh when will the brass finally concentrate on ****ing offense. Ever since Jagr-Nylander-Straka (And that was our only offensive line), we have not had a team that can pot in goals regularly.

 

[nevesis]

If Tortorella is still here by the end of next season.....Henrik will be signing elsewhere. So enjoy watching him while you can.

Save this post. If you're right, I will Paypal you $5000.00

You won't be right, so I have no reason to worry.

 

[JohnC]

The ONLY problem Hank brings to this team is that he keeps then in hockey purgatory. Good enough to "compete" but not bad enough to tank for a good pick.

He lets in one (questionably two) soft goals in game 1 and people jump all over him like he's the worst goalie in the world? How about the fact that all we could do for him was a lucky ass off the skate deflection?

I won't say he shouldn't be criticized for soft goals, but a friggin essay about how the guy's a choker and blah blah blah just usually makes me laugh

 

[theJUMPER]

Get Richards off the point.

He doesn't have a good shot. It isn't heavy and he isn't making any plays.

Put him on the half boards for chrissakes.

And get Girardi off the point.

It should only be Stralman, MDZ, MCD & Moore during the 2 minutes.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Hey, kaka-mouth, you keep that to yourself!

Don't you come around here insinuating Lundqvist in Devil's red or that Mets/Knicks awful hybrid of a jersey the Islanders have.

Lundy is going to be 32 next season. When oh when will the brass finally concentrate on ****ing offense. Ever since Jagr-Nylander-Straka (And that was our only offensive line), we have not had a team that can pot in goals regularly.

I believe it was Nevesis who said that Henrik would never leave the Rangers because of his family and business connection to New York City. I was merely pointing out that he can stay in the city while still changing teams. Odds are Bettman and Fehr will jet away for a private honeymoon before that happens, but.....


The Rangers really do need to look at the situation on offense with this team and figure out where everything is going haywire. Bring in more offense? Add an elite #1 center? Change up the coaching staff? Add a powerplay coach? Whack Torts on the back of his head until he changes the system?

 

[Machinehead]

I don't think you guys are as bad as some are insinuating. Yes, you have some holes and key guys are injured (Staal, Clowe) but you got a horrible draw against an extremely potent Washington team. That was just not the matchup you wanted at this juncture.

It's the playoffs. If we can't beat potent teams then what are we here for?

 

[ImIdaho]

I believe it was Nevesis who said that Henrik would never leave the Rangers because of his family and business connection to New York City. I was merely pointing out that he can stay in the city while still changing teams. Odds are Bettman and Fehr will jet away for a private honeymoon before that happens, but.....


The Rangers really do need to look at the situation on offense with this team and figure out where everything is going haywire. Bring in more offense? Add an elite #1 center? Change up the coaching staff? Add a powerplay coach? Whack Torts on the back of his head until he changes the system?

I am aware to what Nevesis said. I was just being jovial.

Some of us said that the only surefire way Torts gets canned is if Lundy comes out himself and says he wants him gone. Wishful thinking on our part but if Torts still somehow managed to be with the team even after next season, I honestly think Lundy will bring him up if he were to sign a new contract with us.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I am aware to what Nevesis said. I was just being jovial.

Some of us said that the only surefire way Torts gets canned is if Lundy comes out himself and says he wants him gone. Wishful thinking on our part but if Torts still somehow managed to be with the team even after next season, I honestly think Lundy will bring him up if he were to sign a new contract with us.

lol, doh! My mistake.

Although, I don't think it will come down to an ultimatum from Henrik. Torts isn't the brightest bulb, but he is extremely adept at covering his own backside. He won't let the King turn on him. The system will be "modified" before that happens.

 

[AlternateSideParking]

History isn't on their side.

While the Caps have blown a ton of series after going up 2-0 at home (mostly to Pitt), the Rangers just don't win when they're down 0-2 headed home.

They beat the Habs in 96 but they lost the first 2 games at home.

Whatever. I can't watch the games so at this point I'm kinda indifferent. I have zero expectations.

The Cubs of hockey.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

History isn't on their side.

While the Caps have blown a ton of series after going up 2-0 at home (mostly to Pitt), the Rangers just don't win when they're down 0-2 headed home.

They beat the Habs in 96 but they lost the first 2 games at home.

Whatever. I can't watch the games so at this point I'm kinda indifferent. I have zero expectations.

The Cubs of hockey.

Naw that's the leafs

 

[Captain Monglobster]

People blaming Henrik: go root for a different team.

Get Richards off the PP point and put Zuc there already for the love of christ. Special teams lost this game. They had their shot and blew it. Washington didn't. End of story.

 

[Blue Blooded]

Played scared. I feel bad for Lundqvist. Gut check time

Nail on the head.

The entire team, bar Strålman, took the "safest" option in every single situation. That's a great recipe for scoring 0 goals as it becomes incredibly easy to defend against you.

I watched the Swedish broadcast which has Mattias Norström as the colour commentator and he pointed out that while the Caps tried to pass it to a player on the breakout, the Rangers always threw it long to a safe area where they hoped someone would deflect it down into the Caps' zone.

The players can't be this cowardly, it has to be a directive from Torts and it is just so ****ing stupid! It seemed like the only times we could gain the zone in a controlled manner all game was when Hagelin or Zuccarello got the puck in our zone and skated it up the ice.

As I mentioned in the GDT, it was like looking at a softer version of the 10-11 Rangers. Back then, this gameplan made sense. We had a roster with very little talent, an all-world goalie, and a high calibre goalscorer. Just ensure you hang with the other team, and perhaps you'll score a goal.

But we have a different, much more talented roster now and I thought we had gotten away from that type of play as it is very much based on luck. But it seems like Torts only dares to play a more open yet controlled type of game at home or against poor teams, and as soon we face a good team, especially on the road, we come back to this risk-minimizing BS.

I would've been much happier if we had lost this game 4-2, but controlling most of the play. At least that would indicate that we should win most of the upcoming games. I've had hopes for our team in the PO's, I've even been confident that we'd beat the Caps and even move on to the ECF. But this cowardly, lacklustre effort has made me seriously question them, and they really have to prove themselves in the upcoming games at the Garden for me to have confidence in them again.

I honestly think this was one of the worst games the Rangers have played all year. Bar Lundqvist of course.

 

[Rangers ftw]

For **** sake MCD....and swap Richards with Zucc on the PP for the love of god

 

[TriFF51]

Just finished the game, what a waste of my time...I could've shut these guys out. There is no doubt in my mind now that without Lundqvist this team is just a pile of ****. They scored 1 lucky goal in two games. Series is over. I don't even want to go to the game Monday, waste of money. How the **** can the Rangers offense always suck, every damn year. They're the worst team in the ****ing playoffs. I'm done staying positive. Just get swept and spare us any further pain. Lundqvist you are a superstar, and you'll be in the HoF. But if you stay here for the remainder of your career you'll never get that cup.

 

[KreidertheGlider]

And Holtby seems particularly effective against the Rangers.

It seems like every goalie that plas against the Rangers should win the Vezina. Jhonas Enroth had 10 (?) losses before we played him. Not only did he win, he only allowed 1 goal. Even if the Rangers play absolutely perfect defense, they can't win unless they score.

 

[blixt]

It seems they are afraid to fail, leading to cowardly play.

 

[richardsequalscup*]

If I have to watch the clueless coach of this team put Dan "I can't pass or shoot" Girardi on the PP one more time I'm going to hurl. It's beyond dumb but this shouldn't surprise me. Our coach is beyond dumb with offense. It's bad enough every time this team has the puck in its own zone, 5 on 5 they look like they are defending a PP.

 

[nothingbeatshockey]

This board sounds like a Caps board after a loss - doom and gloom. I'm glad we're up 2-0 but all we've done is win our home games, and one of them a 1-0 overtime win. As long as you've got the King you've got a shot. Two evenly matched teams playing playoff hockey. Both goalies were huge. Our PK, which has sucked most of the year, has been the difference.