GDT: ECQF Game 5 - New York Rangers vs Pittsburgh Penguins - 7pm EST - MSG, ESPN - Series (Pit 3-1)

[Chalfdiggity3]

Lol how is pittsburgh +110 for this game. Better hit that hard

 

[mas0764]

How does one quantify Reaves uniting a fractured team and why do you believe they were fractured? I think they were less experienced and incredibly young, but I'm not sure about fractured.

I rarely complain about individual players, although I have, but the fact that Nemeth remains in the lineup makes me believe the Rangers have no interest in keeping Zac Jones, which I find disappointing.

I think you are reading too much into that.

I think instead they have a dogmatic, slavish, misplaced devotion to veterans instead of trusting youth, as do a lot of GMs and coaches in a lot of sports, but this is also an old greybeard thing and it doesn't necessarily make them right about it.

Nils couldn't crack the lineup either. Are we running off both of them? That would be insane. I think they just don't think they are ready because reasons.

 

[Unpredictable1]

Please play tonight in a way that it won't force me to turn the TV off before the second period is done.

Kreider was on that 2014 team that beat the Penguins 3 straight includinggame 7 after trailing 3-1 against Penguins. He really should tell the team it can be done. Give some inspiration speech. Let Hank give a speech to Igor before the game. Frustrate the Penguins is how you beat them. Rangers need to get back to that. Strome has it at times. Rooney has in the past. Kreider can when he wants to play angry. Vartano has that in him. Trouba needs to agitate Crosby. It still works.

In other words, we need to stop p***y-footin around!

GO RANGERS!!!

 

[will1066]

Final Nini Skye of the season. @Cmox

 

[Machinehead]

The effort tonight will say a lot about this leadership group.

I really don't want to end the season thinking the team has a rotten core.

I think they're gonna look good tonight and probably win.

Unfortunately if/when they do go down, this narrative will prevail.

That's always it for some people.

 

[Unpredictable1]

Just a little advice for tonight…

View attachment 544530

Where I grew up it was "Beer before liquor, never sicker. Liquor before beer, never fear."

GO RANGERS!!

Cheers!!

 

[McRanger92]

I think they're gonna look good tonight and probably win.

Unfortunately if/when they do go down, this narrative will prevail.

That's always it for some people.

You think they need changes at the top? Not necessarily disagreeing but I'm curious

 

[Raspewtin]

The effort tonight will say a lot about this leadership group.

I really don't want to end the season thinking the team has a rotten core.

Barring winning the series and advancing, I think this narrative is already set, whether it's true or not

 

[EdJovanovski]

 

[Unpredictable1]

Is that Jacob Trouba??

 

[EdJovanovski]

Is that Jacob Trouba??

K’Andre Miller

 

[McRanger92]

Barring winning the series and advancing, I think this narrative is already set, whether it's true or not

Personally i think the core group has really disappointed in this series, as I've made clear. However, the main thing this series should show management is that players need to be put in better positions to succeed.

But as far as the Big 4 being "winning players", all I'll say is that everyone is a loser until they're not. You can always change the narrative

 

[will1066]

I think they're gonna look good tonight and probably win.

Unfortunately if/when they do go down, this narrative will prevail.

That's always it for some people.

Because it is mostly true. Not rotten in the sense that there's dysfunction. It is a tight knit group. It's also a misconception that they don't care. They do. What's not good is the compete level and the will to sacrifice themselves.

 

[zlev]

kucherov, stamkos, killorn, palat and hedman were all rotten losers for years before they won 2 straight cups

 

[Raspewtin]

Personally i think the core group has really disappointed in this series, as I've made clear. However, the main thing this series should show management is that players need to be put in better positions to succeed.

But as far as the Big 4 being "winning players", all I'll say is that everyone is a loser until they're not. You can always change the narrative

I think Panarin, personally, is getting way too much flak. The other three (assuming that's Kreider, Zibanejad, and Strome/Trouba) most certainly deserve what they're getting but I think Panarin is

1. Injured, his skating looks off and has looked off for a while

2. Not being put in a spot to best utilize his talents. Panarin played probably his best hockey all year with Copp as the center. Copp obviously has half a leg at the moment so Strome is there.

3. Being targeted because of this braindead logic that being a passer is inherently not "playoff style hockey".

I mean he has 5p in 4gp and was instrumental in our comeback in g3 and our only win. I don't think he's looked great or anything, or has even played to his potential, but I think some of you are just really mad and want someone to blame.

"anything can happen" goes both ways and a lot of this board drank the "Pens have no chance" kool-aid because Igor had a 4 month stretch where he was literally unbeatable.

 

[Raspewtin]

Because it is mostly true. Not rotten in the sense that there's dysfunction. It is a tight knit group. It's also a misconception that they don't care. They do. What's not good is the compete level and the will to sacrifice themselves.

This feels in bad faith. Not because I think they're perfect and know what it takes to win, but because you want them to win in a specific fashion that proves to you they've done something right.

Not to call you out but I think a not-insignificant number of you would be upset if they won 2 or more games but in the same fashion as they won game 2.

 

[Ail]

I'm actually starting to believe.

I feel it.

I give this spirit 3 minutes into period 1.

 

[Beer League Sniper]

I give this spirit 3 minutes into period 1.

So until we get Nemeth-ed?

 

[Machinehead]

You think they need changes at the top? Not necessarily disagreeing but I'm curious

I don't think so and I also don't think it's realistic anyway so it's a situation where we have to butch up and eat our veggies if we don't like it.

We can't replace Panarin, Zibanejad, or Kreider any time soon. Lafreniere has had a good series and I'm very happy for him but it's mad that people want to ship out part of the core and pencil him in based on four games. They also all have clauses which will diminish their returns even if they waive.

I think they lack elements in their game which is not about soft or not; every individual has a different set of skills, We made mostly good moves to add missing elements to our roster and all of those guys got hurt. So it's unfair to indict the remaining players for coming up short when we knew we needed more, and that's why we made moves to get more.

I do think we could make certain adjustments. We need to pick three captains (a C and two A's) and stick with it, and I think a lot of guys need to work on their skating. That's not the same as saying it isn't a winning core.

Also, I think Panarin has been great tbh. He has 5 points, 2 even strength goals, the second best CF%, the best xGF%, and is the only forward who is a plus in the series at 5v5. Panarin is only getting shit (and Zibanejad to a lesser extent) because we didn't score on three powerplays in game 3. Three powerplays is such a non-sample that it isn't worth talking about.

 

[will1066]

This feels in bad faith. Not because I think they're perfect and know what it takes to win, but because you want them to win in a specific fashion that proves to you they've done something right.

Not to call you out but I think a not-insignificant number of you would be upset if they won 2 or more games but in the same fashion as they won game 2.

I'm happy when they win regardless, not to be confused with other posters who remain miserable 24/7 because winning ugly is bad. But I have harbored the feeling that their style would not translate to the post-season, and so far I've been proven correct. If they can win by playing their way, I'm all for it. But we've seen that they can't -- so far -- and also seen in the other series that all the teams play in that "specific fashion" in order to win.

 

[mas0764]

I don't think so and I also don't think it's realistic anyway so it's a situation where we have to butch up and eat our veggies if we don't like it.

We can't replace Panarin, Zibanejad, or Kreider any time soon. Lafreniere has had a good series and I'm very happy for him but it's mad that people want to ship out part of the core and pencil him in based on four games. They also all have clauses which will diminish their returns even if they waive.

I think they lack elements in their game which is not about soft or not; every individual has a different set of skills, We made mostly good moves to add missing elements to our roster and all of those guys got hurt. So it's unfair to indict the remaining players for coming up short when we knew we needed more, and that's why we made moves to get more.

I do think we could make certain adjustments. We need to pick three captains (a C and two A's) and stick with it, and I think a lot of guys need to work on their skating. That's not the same as saying it isn't a winning core.

Also, I think Panarin has been great tbh. He has 5 points, 2 even strength goals, the second best CF%, the best xGF%, and is the only forward who is a plus in the series at 5v5. Panarin is only getting shit (and Zibanejad to a lesser extent) because we didn't score on three powerplays in game 3. Three powerplays is such a non-sample that it isn't worth talking about.

I think we can replace Kreider. Depends on what the return would be. It's true that the return might diminish based on the clause but you never know. 50 goal scorer with term could be in high demand.

What if Dallas still wants him and is willing to pay Wyatt Johnston plus more?

 

[Psycho for Perreault]

GG is going to fix all of the problems by keeping everything the same? Good plan. How does this guy wear out his welcome everywhere he goes?

Wanna keep the lines the same? Fine. Leave it the same but give the kids the playing time they have earned. They are the only ones who have shown you anything. If not, expect more of the same.

 

[McRanger92]

I think Panarin, personally, is getting way too much flak. The other three (assuming that's Kreider, Zibanejad, and Strome/Trouba) most certainly deserve what they're getting but I think Panarin is

1. Injured, his skating looks off and has looked off for a while

2. Not being put in a spot to best utilize his talents. Panarin played probably his best hockey all year with Copp as the center. Copp obviously has half a leg at the moment so Strome is there.

3. Being targeted because of this braindead logic that being a passer is inherently not "playoff style hockey".

I mean he has 5p in 4gp and was instrumental in our comeback in g3 and our only win. I don't think he's looked great or anything, or has even played to his potential, but I think some of you are just really mad and want someone to blame.

"anything can happen" goes both ways and a lot of this board drank the "Pens have no chance" kool-aid because Igor had a 4 month stretch where he was literally unbeatable.

I agree with you on Panarin. We know for a fact he is hurt and he needs to be put with Copp & Kakko next year. Getting him away from Strome, who has been a good soldier and respectable Ranger, will be a plus.

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

I don’t know, I think they’re trying. I think some guys are playing hurt and the Zibanejad-Kreider, Panarin-Strome, Fox group has a very specific playing style that’s easy to counter.

When DQ/GG would try to get them away from that, we’d get truly awful stretches like the beginning of this season where we were creating absolutely nothing, still getting caved in most nights and only staying afloat when Igor was going .950.

 

[NYSPORTS]

Smh - com’on NHL. That’s too many men on the ice.