Pre-Game Talk: MDSF: (2) New York Rangers vs. (3) Philadelphia Flyers

[NYRSchrute217]

If the Rangers can get off to a good start, and take the first two at home, this will be a short series. If Philly steals game 1, I could see it going 7.

This won't be a cakewalk though, every game will be hard fought and I hope the Rangers can match the Flyers' intensity.

 

[Wolfy*]

I believe it's game 1 and 2 at MSG, and game 3 and 4 in Philly.

 

[BwayBshirt]

Very debatable. I think the real x-factor (outside of the obvious(goaltending)) would be the Flyers scoring depth. McDonagh is a fantastic defenseman will get matched up against Giroux. The key for the Flyers is get offense from lines 2-3. The key for the Rangers is stopping the Flyers depth. The Flyers have 7 20 goal scores. So that should be important. I have a hard time not seeing this series go at least 6 games, maybe 7. Should be awesome.

To be fair, this is as true of a test for Berube as it will be for Mason.

I gave the advantage to AV because going off by what I've seen of AV's Canucks' the last few years he/they've been beaten in the postseason by some great coaches.

McClellan last year(though the Sharks were just a flat-out better team than Vancouver).

Sutter before that.

Julien before that.

Quenneville before that IIRC(and that was a Luongo meltdown).

Is Berube on that list? I doubt it for now, but who knows.

 

[broadwayblue]

I believe it's game 1 and 2 at MSG, and game 3 and 4 in Philly.

Yes, Rangers have home ice for this series. Game 1 is on Thursday. Rest of the schedule is released Sunday night.

 

[highandwide]

I will tread lightly, give them credit when it's due, flyers can be a beast in the post season. This will not be easy but I believe in the boys.

 

[FlyTimmo]

To be fair, this is as true of a test for Berube as it will be for Mason.

I gave the advantage to AV because going off by what I've seen of AV's Canucks' the last few years he/they've been beaten in the postseason by some great coaches.

McClellan last year(though the Sharks were just a flat-out better team than Vancouver).

Sutter before that.

Julien before that.

Quenneville before that IIRC(and that was a Luongo meltdown).

Is Berube on that list? I doubt it for now, but who knows.

I can appreciate that AV has more experience, but I don't think coach will be a difference maker in this series. I do think match ups are very important. The last change is something that is huge in this series. Being able to get McD out against Giroux everytime on the ice is huge. Maybe that is why the Flyers have had trouble at the garden.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Very debatable. I think the real x-factor (outside of the obvious(goaltending)) would be the Flyers scoring depth. McDonagh is a fantastic defenseman will get matched up against Giroux. The key for the Flyers is get offense from lines 2-3. The key for the Rangers is stopping the Flyers depth. The Flyers have 7 20 goal scores. So that should be important. I have a hard time not seeing this series go at least 6 games, maybe 7. Should be awesome.

The Rangers are very deep too, they just don't have a guy like Girioux. Thankfully they have McDonagh.

 

[aufheben]

Whatever happens, this is a great matchup.

 

[FlyTimmo]

The Rangers are very deep too, they just don't have a guy like Girioux. Thankfully they have McDonagh.

The Rangers have only 2 20 goal scores, they have some guys in the mid-high teens albeit. The Flyers are among the deepest teams in the NHL, and since they moved Vinny to the 4th line, every line is dangerous.

Despite Lundqvist being very good, he is very beatable. If the Rangers win this series it will be on the back of McDonagh.

 

[aufheben]

Meh, we have a bunch of guys who are right on the edge of 20 goals. Does it really matter if one guy has 20 and the other has 17-19?

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

The Rangers have only 2 20 goal scores, they have some guys in the mid-high teens albeit. The Flyers are among the deepest teams in the NHL, and since they moved Vinny to the 4th line, every line is dangerous.

Despite Lundqvist being very good, he is very beatable. If the Rangers win this series it will be on the back of McDonagh.

3...

Nash, Richards and MSL and as you said it, a bunch of guys in the mid to high teens.

I don't think you'll find many people who wouldn't give the edge on offence to the Flyers.

Though if Lundqvist is very beatable, what does that make Mason? Flyers D is terrible and that'll get exposed in this series along with Mason.

Rangers in 5.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

The Rangers have only 2 20 goal scores, they have some guys in the mid-high teens albeit. The Flyers are among the deepest teams in the NHL, and since they moved Vinny to the 4th line, every line is dangerous.

Despite Lundqvist being very good, he is very beatable. If the Rangers win this series it will be on the back of McDonagh.

If Lundqvist is very beatable then so is any goalie in the league. Also the Rangers have 3 20 goal scorers, though one of them got most of his goals in Tampa, he's been playing really well lately and has the potential to score at a good clip. I don't understand why 20 is the cutoff. The Flyers have better scoring, but the Rangers have a whole top 9 of guys that can score at a decent clip. They have 4 effective lines (though the Richards line is least effective) that create a lot of pressure throughout each game and each of the lines can score. I also like how McDonagh is the new Lundqvist. It used to be "if the Rangers win it'll be because Lundqvist stole the show", not it's McDonagh, yawn.

 

[broadwayblue]

Whatever happens, this is a great matchup.

Indeed. Definitely one of the best you could ask for. Hopefully it's a great series (for us.)

 

[FlyTimmo]

3...

Nash, Richards and MSL and as you said it, a bunch of guys in the mid to high teens.

I don't think you'll find many people who wouldn't give the edge on offence to the Flyers.

Though if Lundqvist is very beatable, what does that make Mason? Flyers D is terrible and that'll get exposed in this series along with Mason.

Rangers in 5.

Okay maybe I should not say "very".

It makes Mason a mystery box. No goalie in the NHL is unbeatable. Get traffic in front of any goalie and there are bound to be plenty of goalies.

The Flyers defense may get a sizable boost when they sign their future Norris winner. Are you afraid of Ghosts?

 

[FlyTimmo]

I also like how McDonagh is the new Lundqvist. It used to be "if the Rangers win it'll be because Lundqvist stole the show", not it's McDonagh, yawn.

Well lets be honest. There is not a single forward on NYR that scares me outside of MSL, and even then he doesn't scare me a ton. NYR's best player is McD and you expect your best players to step up at important times. And if McD struggles I doubt Lundqvist can carry the Rangers alone through this series.

 

[BlueshirtBlitz]

Rangers in 5.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Okay maybe I should not say "very".

It makes Mason a mystery box. No goalie in the NHL is unbeatable. Get traffic in front of any goalie and there are bound to be plenty of goalies.

The Flyers defense may get a sizable boost when they sign their future Norris winner. Are you afraid of Ghosts?

Is that a roundabout way of hinting at playing a six goalie system?

Personally, I'd be pleased if the Flyers threw an undersized rookie with major questions about his defensive abilities into this series.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Well lets be honest. There is not a single forward on NYR that scares me outside of MSL, and even then he doesn't scare me a ton. NYR's best player is McD and you expect your best players to step up at important times. And if McD struggles I doubt Lundqvist can carry the Rangers alone through this series.

Zuccarello has been far better on the Rangers than MSL. You're just going for the big name. Besides, the Rangers don't have top end forwards, but they have depth, as I said. All 12 players when Kreider is healthy are good players that can score. Fast, I don't know what to think about he's a rookie that hasn't played much and only played 3 games (I'm writing off his games in the beginning of the season when the whole team stunk). You don't need to have a bunch of superstars to score. The Rangers create a lot of good chances. They're second in the league in shots on goal and are one of the best possession teams in the league. They play a system that pressures the opposition a ton. Now their weakness is that they don't shoot a high percentage.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Is that a roundabout way of hinting at playing a six goalie system?

Personally, I'd be pleased if the Flyers threw an undersized rookie with major questions about his defensive abilities into this series.

Cough Krug Cough.

 

[FlyTimmo]

Is that a roundabout way of hinting at playing a six goalie system?

Personally, I'd be pleased if the Flyers threw an undersized rookie with major questions about his defensive abilities into this series.

Well... he is better than Grossmann and probably L. Schenn too. I doubt he plays though. He did win the best defensive defenseman award in the ECAC. So I don't think there are too many question about his defensive play. He would probably have trouble against a guy like Nash though. I am really hype up for him either way. In the two final games in the Frozen four he has 1 goal, 4 assists, and a +11 plus/minus. In a game were four goals are allowed against you must being doing something right to go +7.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

This will be a tough, low scoring series. Heart says Rangers, head says Flyers. Ugh!

Are you using your head, then?

Offensive advantage goes to Rangers.
Defensive advantage goes to Rangers.
Goalie advantage goes to Rangers.

 

[FlyTimmo]

Are you using your head, then?

Offensive advantage goes to Rangers.
Defensive advantage goes to Rangers.
Goalie advantage goes to Rangers.

LOL... no.

The other two they have big advantages though.

 

[haveandare]

Well lets be honest. There is not a single forward on NYR that scares me outside of MSL, and even then he doesn't scare me a ton. NYR's best player is McD and you expect your best players to step up at important times. And if McD struggles I doubt Lundqvist can carry the Rangers alone through this series.

With the Flyers' defense and goalie situation, I don't know how you can say guys like Nash, Zucc and Stepan aren't scary. Philly ended up 19th in the league in GA/G. That's last among teams that made the playoffs.

Teams live and die in the postseason based on how tight they can play defense as a team.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

LOL... no.

The other two they have big advantages though.

Are you sure about that? They have a better 1st line and a worse 2nd, 3rd, and 4th line. And considering that McDonough and Girardi completely shut down G and his cronies... I would say that since we have such balance on our secondary lines, we will have the offensive advantage too.

 

[FlyTimmo]

Are you sure about that? They have a better 1st line and a worse 2nd, 3rd, and 4th line. And considering that McDonough and Girardi completely shut down G and his cronies... I would say that since we have such balance on our secondary lines, we will have the offensive advantage too.

The Flyers have 7 20 goal scores the Rangers have 3. Flyers are 11th in GPG the Rangers are 16th. The Flyers are clearly the better offensive team. I really don't see how that is arguable. Defense yea... about that.