GDT: MDF #3 - 05/05/14 | Pittsburgh Penguins @ New York Rangers | 7:30 - NBC SPORTS, CBC

[Loff]

[FIELDSET="THE MATCHUP"]

2014 METROPOLITAN DIVISION FINALS
GAME #3 - 05/05/2014​

vs
(1) ____________ (1)



[table="width=550px"]TIME | 7:30 PM ET
ARENA | MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - NYC, NY
TV | NBC SPORTS, CBC, RDS[/table]


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[FIELDSET="ONLINE STREAMS/RADIO"]

ONLINE STREAMS: FRS - StreamHunter - MyP2P - STREAMO - Charlie460HQ | RADIO FEED: CLICK HERE​

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[FIELDSET="NEWS & NOTES"]

GAME LINKS:


___SERIES OVERVIEW___


Game Preview - Last Matchup; NYR@PIT 5/4/14 - NHL.com - Rangers.com - Penguins.com
NY Post - NYDN - Andrew Gross - MSG.com - Yahoo Sports - ESPN.com - TSN.ca


AROUND THE LEAGUE:

ROUND 2 SCHEDULE:

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[FIELDSET="QUOTES TO NOTE"]

They were a hell of a lot better than us.
- Brian Boyle

You just have to tell yourself it's good. There's no other way. It's been fun to be out there.
Obviously it's a lot of hockey, but you just tell yourself it's a great opportunity to play the first home game in Round 2.
- Henrik Lundqvist

They’re a team that plays a real tight gap, and managing the puck through the neutral zone is one area that we need to be better.
You’ve got to give them credit. Their top players played a real strong game. They made it real difficult for us all over the ice to make the right decisions.
We’re gonna turn the page on this one and get ready for the next game.
- Alain Vigneault​

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[FIELDSET="PITTSBURGH PENGUINS"]

TEAM STATS:

[table="width=200px"]GP | 8 | GF | 26
W | 5 | GA | 21
L | 3 | GF/G | 3.25
HOME | 3-2 | GA/G | 2.62
AWAY | 2-1 | PP% | 19.4
STREAK | W1 | PK% | 80.0
PIM/G | 9.8 | FO% | 48.9[/table]


TEAM LEADERS:

[table="width=270px"]Goals | Jokinen, Malkin | 4
Assists | Paul Martin | 8
Points | Evgeni Malkin | 10
+ / - | Paul Martin | +9
Shots | James Neal | 33
Hits | Chris Kunitz | 28
Blocks | Paul Martin | 23
PIM | Chris Kunitz | 12
FO% | Brandon Sutter | 52.5
TOI/G F: | Sidney Crosby | 21:25
TOI/G D: | Paul Martin | 27:23[/table]


PROJECTED LINES:

[table="width=465px"]LW | C | RW
Chris Kunitz (A) | Sidney Crosby (C) | Lee Stempniak
Jussi Jokinen | Evgeni Malkin (A) | James Neal
Beau Bennett | Brandon Sutter | Joe Vitale
Brian Gibbons | Marcel Goc | Craig Adams[/table]

[table="width=300px"]LD | RD
Olli Maatta | Matt Niskanen
Kris Letang | Paul Martin
Rob Scuderi | Robert Bortuzzo[/table]

[table="width=140px"]Scratched
Deryk Engelland|
Tanner Glass|
Jayson Megna|
Taylor Pyatt|[/table]


STARTING GOALIE:

Marc-Andre Fleury

[table="width=250px"]GPI: 8 | W: 5 | L: 3
SV% .914 | GAA: 2.49 | SO: 1[/table]


INJURIES / SUSPENSIONS / MISC:

[table="width=320px"]Brooks Orpik | Undisclosed (DTD)
Chris Conner | Hand (IR)
Pascal Dupuis | Knee (IR)
Tomas Vokoun | Blood clot (IR)[/table]


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[FIELDSET="NEW YORK RANGERS"]

TEAM STATS:

[table="width=200px"]GP | 9 | GF | 22
W | 5 | GA | 21
L | 4 | GF/G | 2.44
HOME | 3-1 | GA/G | 2.33
AWAY | 2-3 | PP% | 8.1
STREAK | L1 | PK% | 75.0
PIM/G | 8.8 | FO% | 48.7[/table]


TEAM LEADERS:

[table="width=270px"]Goals | Pouliot, Richards | 3
Assists | G, MSL, Nash, Rich | 4
Points | Brad Richards | 7
+ / - | Marc Staal | +6
Shots | Rick Nash | 37
Hits | Brian Boyle | 30
Blocks | Dan Girardi | 25
PIM | Carcillo, Dorsett | 10
FO% | Dominic Moore | 55.9
TOI/G F: | Martin St. Louis | 19:36
TOI/G D: | Ryan McDonagh | 24:45[/table]


PROJECTED LINES:

[table="width=465px"]LW | C | RW
J.T. Miller | Derek Stepan | Martin St. Louis
Carl Hagelin | Brad Richards (A) | Rick Nash
Benoit Pouliot | Derick Brassard | Mats Zuccarello
Brian Boyle | Dominic Moore | Jesper Fast[/table]

[table="width=300px"]LD | RD
Ryan McDonagh | Dan Girardi (A)
Marc Staal (A) | Anton Stralman
Raphael Diaz | Kevin Klein[/table]

[table="width=140px"]Scratched
Dan Carcillo|
Derek Dorsett|
Justin Falk|
John Moore|[/table]


STARTING GOALIE:

Henrik Lundqvist

[table="width=250px"]GPI: 9 | W: 5 | L: 4
SV% .926 | GAA: 2.07 | SO: 0[/table]


INJURIES / SUSPENSIONS / MISC:

[table="width=320px"]Chris Kreider | Hand (IR)[/table]


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.

Click to read more...

 

[KingP]

Here we go

 

[bubba5]

We are a tired team, don't expect much. Play Diaz , Fast and Miller. Maybe a few fresh legs can help.

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

We are a tired team, don't expect much. Play Diaz , Fast and Miller. Maybe a few fresh legs can help.

I actually agree with this. Maybe Diaz can spark this PP that's just been even worse than abysmal most of this postseason, with the exception of game 1 of the first series.

 

[poeman]

Big time effort needed here...We need this one after how the team looked flat and let Lundqvist down

 

[Ian]

Pooper play, pls

 

[eco's bones]

The guys who probably need the most rest are the guys you depend on the most. Putting Fast, Miller in for Dorsett or Carcillo? Dorsett and Carcillo play 10 minutes a night. I don't think they're worn out at all or not in comparison to say older guys like St. Louis who's getting about 20 or Richards who's getting 17. If any of our forwards could use a rest it would probably start with those two. So who's for playing Fast and Miller and sitting St. Louis and Richards?--because otherwise you're changing out players just to get a different look--and fresh legs is just an excuse to do it.

Diaz could step in probably for Moore and probably without much of a hitch. Either he or Klein would then have to move to the left side and you'd definitely not want either of them on the ice with Crosby or Malkin then--but the Rangers have the last change so that could be controlled.

 

[LeetchisGod]

Diaz needs to be in the lineup. We're not winning this series with the powerplay as is.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Need to have our best game of the playoffs tonight. First period we need to come out flying and ideally have a multi goal lead after 1. When Pitt falls behind they open up and scramble and play very sloppy. That's how you beat them. If we let them play perfect to their game plan and control the game like we did last night, we won't win another game.

So please come out flying. Don't let MAF get any more confidence. Pot a few early ones please.

For all the bickering about Dorsett and Carcillo and Diaz and such, it's not them who are going to lead us. We need out big guns to lead us to victory. Hank, Nash, MSL, Richie, Mac,G, Staal. These guys are the most important players. Also would like to see a nice bounce back game from Zuccarello's line. We need them in top form as well.

Id like to see Hank continue his strong play, Nash to finally score, MSL to look dominant and for Mac and G to go back to normal.

But above all else, please win.

 

[eco's bones]

For me anyway to reach the point that they have the Rangers have already met expectations. IMO the Bruins are the best team in the east bar none and barring injuries there's not another team in the east that's even in the conversation. When healthy the Penguins are No. 2 but it's a real step down from Boston with their shaky goalie and questionable blueline. After that it is the Rangers and Montreal--the Rangers inconsistent offense and pwp. They've accomplished what I expected and anything after this is gravy.

Pittsburgh is beatable. They're not that deep or disciplined. They have a goalie with confidence issues and his confidence issues capable of infecting the rest of his team. This is the area that needs to be exploited to beat them. I seriously doubt that they're going to be in the finals. Even the Bruins seem beatable if you handle their forecheck--their defense is not the same without Seidenberg and McQuaid--do I think the Rangers are capable of handling that forecheck?--probably not.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

From the post game thread prior to the lock:

Disagree - whatever version of McDonagh this happens to be is still a top 4 D-man on this team.

I really love McDonagh, but we have to do what's best for the team.

In 24:12 of regular season PP time over 11 regular season games, Raphael "PPQ" Diaz has 1 assist.

Our golden boy McDonagh has been on the PP 4:21 over 9 games, and he has 0 points to show for it!

I know McDonagh is having other issues, and he may be hurt, but based on PP support alone, you gotta dress Diaz over McDONEUghhh.

We are a tired team, don't expect much. Play Diaz , Fast and Miller. Maybe a few fresh legs can help.

Although he may of said it is jest, that is nearly identical to the quote that Dan Blysma said in the Pittsburg Gazette.

I actually agree with this. Maybe Diaz can spark this PP that's just been even worse than abysmal most of this postseason, with the exception of game 1 of the first series.

Diaz needs to be in the lineup. We're not winning this series with the powerplay as is.

He is the X-Factor!

Word of the day to keep everyone from going ape **** until puck drop:

Apophenia /æpɵˈfiːniə/ is the experience of seeing patterns or connections in random or meaningless data.

Summary: The Rangers didn't play well, but we split and negated their home-ice-advantage. The power play is our achilles heel right now, and any other outliers to our problems are missing the point.

The schedule is cramped, but I think these professional athletes can handle it.

If they are that tired, and keep continuing to put on the crap show that we saw last night, this team has some major foundations issues.

LGR!

 

[Fataldogg]

Need to be a lot better. Can't count on Lundqvist to stand on his head again. He might be the one who is physically and mentally fatigued. And if that's the case, this game could be a disaster.

I'm hoping we win 3-2, but I'm not counting on it.

Lundqvist has let up 2 goals or LESS in 7 of his 9 games played (EN last night does not count). He is due to let up more than 2 goals in a game. It's a reality that people need to accept.

Rangers will need to score AT LEAST 3-4 goals to win this one.

 

[Infinitum Vitae*]

Diaz for moore and fast for Dorsett... we will win this one I guarantee it

 

[Samuel Culper III]

From the post game thread prior to the lock:

I really love McDonagh, but we have to do what's best for the team.

In 24:12 of regular season PP time over 11 regular season games, Raphael "PPQ" Diaz has 1 assist.

Our golden boy McDonagh has been on the PP 4:21 over 9 games, and he has 0 points to show for it!

I know McDonagh is having other issues, and he may be hurt, but based on PP support alone, you gotta dress Diaz over McDONEUghhh.

He is the X-Factor!



LGR!

Genius. 24:12 over the course of 11 games comes out to 2:12 PP time PER GAME. Wowie, he has one assist in that time.

Meanwhile 4:21 over the course of 9 games comes out to 0:29 PP time PER GAME. You think it's odd that McDonagh has ONE less assist playing 1:43 less PP time per game, over less games to boot (2:12 p/g over 11 vs 0:29 p/g over 9)?

This is quite possibly the worst argument I've EVER seen made on these boards. As the poster you were responding to said; even this injured version of McD is still top 4 on this team. Diaz is the 7th. One regular season point in significantly more time doesn't make up the difference between Diaz and even this version of McDonagh, and you also underrate the importance of having McDonagh there, on the bench and on the ice as a leader. He's likely the captain of the team. You're not going to scratch him to play a limited use, mediocre puck mover, especially when you can just as simply scratch John Moore and have almost no effect on the lineup while still bringing in this key PP player with his one point. I can't believe I even just read a post this bad. And I'm not talking about you as a poster overall. I know you've made plenty of good ones too, but this one is just really poorly thought out. You clearly didn't do the math on this one.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Diaz for moore and fast for Dorsett... we will win this one I guarantee it

I think these moves should be made, but I think they are just window dressing without the top forwards playing much much much better.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Genius. 24:12 over the course of 11 games comes out to 2:12 PP time PER GAME. Wowie, he has one assist in that time.

Meanwhile 4:21 over the course of 9 games comes out to 0:29 PP time PER GAME. You think it's odd that McDonagh has ONE less assist playing 1:43 less PP time per game?

This is quite possibly the worst argument I've EVER seen made on these boards. As the poster you were responding to said; even this injured version of McD is still top 4 on this team. Diaz is the 7th. One regular season point in significantly more time doesn't make up the difference between Diaz and even this version of McDonagh, and you also underrate the importance of having McDonagh there, on the bench and on the ice as a leader. He's likely the captain of the team. You're not going to scratch him to play a limited use, mediocre puck mover, especially when you can just as simply scratch John Moore and have almost no effect on the lineup while still bringing in this key PP player with his one point. I can't believe I even just read a post this bad. And I'm not talking about you as a poster overall. I know you've made plenty of good ones too, but this one is just really poorly thought out. You clearly didn't do the math on this one.

Similarly to the actual Reggie Dunlop, this one seems to be a comedian with a screw loose.

 

[True Blue]

Diaz for moore and fast for Dorsett... we will win this one I guarantee it

Against less competition, Fast did not look like he belonged on the ice.

 

[Clown Fiesta]

Similarly to the actual Reggie Dunlop, this one seems to be a comedian with a screw loose.

Who is equally unfunny.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Genius. 24:12 over the course of 11 games comes out to 2:12 PP time PER GAME. Wowie, he has one assist in that time.

Meanwhile 4:21 over the course of 9 games comes out to 0:29 PP time PER GAME. You think it's odd that McDonagh has ONE less assist playing 1:43 less PP time per game?

This is quite possibly the worst argument I've EVER seen made on these boards. As the poster you were responding to said; even this injured version of McD is still top 4 on this team. Diaz is the 7th. One regular season point in significantly more time doesn't make up the difference between Diaz and even this version of McDonagh, and you also underrate the importance of having McDonagh there, on the bench and on the ice as a leader. He's likely the captain of the team. You're not going to scratch him to play a limited use, mediocre puck mover, especially when you can just as simply scratch John Moore and have almost no effect on the lineup while still bringing in this key PP player with his one point. I can't believe I even just read a post this bad. And I'm not talking about you as a poster overall. I know you've made plenty of good ones too, but this one is just really poorly thought out. You clearly didn't do the math on this one.

I don't think there are any naturally occurring elements that are denser than that.

Similarly to the actual Reggie Dunlop, this one seems to be a comedian with a screw loose.

I blame it on this condensed schedule.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Against less competition, Fast did not look like he belonged on the ice.

Fast was invisible,

When the choices are between someone that is invisible, someone that is an idiot (Dorsett), and someone that is prone to several mistakes (Miller), I'll go with the invisible guy.

 

[Cynical TyranT]

I know its been said before, but, until I see more "media" reps talkin about it:

Hey, can the NYR get a few more back-to-backs? You f'ing POS NHL clowns!

 

[pld459666]

In games where the Rangers should come out on fire, they have come out flat more often than not.

Tonight, we need to get a few early as fatigue will set in as the 2nd period ends and 3rd begins.

Need Hank to repeat his performance from last night.

This is a winable game and series.

 

[AHB*]

I don't think there are any naturally occurring elements that are denser than that.




I blame it on this condensed schedule.

It's pretty awesome that you've completely fooled everyone on this board with your laissez-faire attitude lol.

That being said, I wouldn't bench McD for Diaz based on the PP, I'd bench him simply to give him some rest. The guy is clearly hurt and it seems to affect his play more and more. He's getting worse not better. Give him 2 full days of rest and put him back in for game 4.

Pray we can steal one tonight without him.

I know that won't happen, but I think it would be a productive move for any semblance of run we hope to have.

 

[egelband]

How about simply Diaz for Dorsett? Play seven defenders...just use Diaz on the pp.

 

[AHB*]

How about simply Diaz for Dorsett? Play seven defenders...just use Diaz on the pp.

We should be playing two fresh guys. Miller in for DD and Diaz in for someone.

Just saying, if I had to choose, it would be McD, simply to give him some rest.