Post-Game Talk: Game #12: Sabres @ Rangers 7pm eastern, MSG, ESPN+

[SnowblindNYR]

This is why you don't pay a goalie a lot of money. They're all f***ing head cases.

Put the first line back together.

Put Miller back with Fox.

Send Lindgren to Easter Island.

Trade for another real LD.

It’s hard to be mad when the necessary changes are so clear.

Lavi has loyalty to bad players more than he has a will to win.

 

[EEL]

Watch Mika on his shifts- he legit is pretending to play hockey. It’s not even very convincing.

Someone threw a perfect saucer pass to him from 20 feet away on a breakout and he missed the puck completely!? Happens 3 or 4 times a game. Whiffs on one timers!

 

[NYRFAN218]

I really hate to simplify things but this team is in all likelihood (don't want to speak in definites because you never know) not going to win a Stanley Cup playing both Lindgren and Trouba. You can get away with one possibly but not both because you're now sinking 2 different pairings or combining for an ultra bad pairing. The defense is just a mess and is problems 1, 2, and 3 ahead of Zibanejad. Mika's poor play you can theoretically cover up by playing him with Panarin and Lafreniere or limiting Mika's line at 5 on 5 by rolling heavy the other 2 lines under original groupings. The defense though you cannot hide as currently constructed. We knew this all of last year as Lindgren's play declined and Trouba was an atrocity, we knew it in the playoffs, and we know it now.

 

[leetch99]

Oh well....gotta love that core going forward . keep on loving Kreider and Co. I doubt there is a coach out there that could coach a NY Ranger club .

 

[The Crypto Guy]

The rotten core of Mika/Kreider/Trouba continue to impress me by getting worse and worse.

 

[McRanger92]

The rotten core of Mika/Kreider/Trouba continue to impress me by getting worse and worse.

Coworker has season tickets in the front row of 1 of the 100 sections. Watches warmups every game and says these guys barely skate. They spend the majority of their time canoodling with their wives and children at the glass. I'm a family man so I completely get it, but when you're the defending Prez Trophy winners and you get manhandled by a second rate team on your home ice (cheapest tickets were well above $100 btw) and the captain comes out after the game and says "we werent ready to play form the start", that's a flashing red check engine light for this team's culture.

 

[Cygnus 2112]

It's Season 2 w/ Gallant all over. ECF loss, half-ass it until April, "we'll turn it on in the PO's", annoyed Ranger fans.

 

[94leetch]

I get Lav trying to maintain some kind of stability, they've been a good team for a while, but if they're going to embarrass him with this play he may want to return the favor.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

The funny thing is I know there were score effects this game but we widly outperformed them in the expected goals. 4 to less than 2. Even if the 4 is from score effects the fact that Igor allowed 5 in half a game is embarrassing.

 

[Killem Dafoe]

Oh shit last night wasn't a dream.

 

[tlk]

This still having Live on is like being on the naughty step LOL.

 

[94leetch]

Obviously it's early and it's reasonable to expect them to at least pull themselves out of this morass but they need some fresh blood on the roster.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I think its worth keeping a really close eye on Kreider.

I chalked his struggles up to the usual Kreider shenanigans but it just looks different.

Whether its signs of a decline or what I don't know yet, but I don't like it.

Also @80shockeywasbuns can you clip the 4th Sabres goal?

The forwards put the D in a tough spot as all three Fs were behind the play. It was basically a 3 on 2 then 4 on 3. The D is trying to protect the middle of the ice when they look up and see 4 Sabres coming at them.

As bad as our defensemen are (and I’m not disagreeing here), they look even worse because our forwards choose to play irresponsibly. I thought it was one of our main problems against the Panthers last year.

Theres some truth to this yeah. This was kind of f***ed the second Smith (who had an abysmal game yesterday after being one of the few players who has been really good post Lindgren return) got beat along the walls.


Doesn't make Trouba's gap any better though. There is no reason to give anyone that much runway, it basically created that chance for them. If he maintains a decent gap that puck probably moves to the first guy who was trailing the play (I don't know who it was?) and a Ranger (Cuylle?) would have been on him. Instead it goes to Thompson (who is their most Dangerous shooter) who had enough separation from Smith (where this all started) and boom.

 

[McRanger92]

I think its worth keeping a really close eye on Kreider.

I chalked his struggles up to the usual Kreider shenanigans but it just looks different.

Whether its signs of a decline or what I don't know yet, but I don't like it.

Also @80shockeywasbuns can you clip the 4th Sabres goal?



Theres some truth to this yeah. This was kind of f***ed the second Smith (who had an abysmal game yesterday after being one of the few players who has been really good post Lindgren return) got beat along the walls.


Doesn't make Trouba's gap any better though. There is no reason to give anyone that much runway, it basically created that chance for them. If he maintains a decent gap that puck probably moves to the first guy who was trailing the play (I don't know who it was?) and a Ranger (Cuylle?) would have been on him. Instead it goes to Thompson (who is their most Dangerous shooter) who had enough separation from Smith (where this all started) and boom.

You think Kreider is hurt or checked out? I think it's the latter tbh. The boarding penalty on Byram was so lazy.

 

[94leetch]

They can't handle high pressure forechecking teams and everyone now knows it. If Lav can't get them to adjust, well, beat up on bad teams and pad your wins I guess.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

You think Kreider is hurt or checked out? I think it's the latter tbh. The boarding penalty on Byram was so lazy.

Checked out or in decline, can't put my finger on it.

He's a touch slower this year too and its the first year where it's been really noticeable. He's still above average compared to the rest of the league but he isn't able to keep separation like he used to. Thats a part of it for sure.

Not sounding the alarms yet but we'll see.

 

[McRanger92]

Checked out or in decline, can't put my finger on it.

He's a touch slower this year too and its the first year where it's been really noticeable. He's still above average compared to the rest of the league but he isn't able to keep separation like he used to. Thats a part of it for sure.

Not sounding the alarms yet but we'll see.

Watching his whole career, and how he saved their asses against Carolina, they probably thought "This is the year". Then Florida punches them in the mouth from game 1 on and it's not even close to being a winnable series for the Rangers. I watch alot of the fluff interviews on MSG and Kreider's comments about last season sticking with him and being so close so often and the disappointment and yadda yadda...the guy is demoralized from what I can see. Thats really bad for your longest tenured player and one of your top leaders. He absolutely is in decline as well.

The Rangers can save this season if they are willing to let their young players take on the top roles. If they aren't, and are waiting to make sweeping changes in the summer? We're looking at another 2015-16 season and an easily predictable first round exit.

 

[Gluten Free Breadman]

Checked out or in decline, can't put my finger on it.

He's a touch slower this year too and its the first year where it's been really noticeable. He's still above average compared to the rest of the league but he isn't able to keep separation like he used to. Thats a part of it for sure.

Not sounding the alarms yet but we'll see.

His passing is so bad. He loses the puck every time he has it and he has been taking a lot of penalties.