Pre-Game Talk: Metro Division Final: (2) Rangers vs. (1) Penguins

[StepansLabyrinth]

Hopefully Girardi is on his a game, we're going to need to have him shadow Crosby w/ McDonagh. Staal v. Malkin. Those are the keys to the series, IMO, along with scoring on the PP chances we get.

 

[Hire Sather]

Pretty safe bet that the Pens score the first goal in the series off a puck shot/thrown to the net on the PP that takes a bounce right to a Penguin stick who puts it in

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Keys for the series:

-Getting traffic in front
-Getting a forecheck going against the Pens' smaller, less physical D
-Keeping Crosby and Malkin in relative check
-Staying out of the box
-Converting on the PP
-Hank needs to be Hank

We do those things, we'll win.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Pretty safe bet that the Pens score the first goal in the series off a puck shot/thrown to the net on the PP that takes a bounce right to a Penguin stick who puts it in

No it'll go off Girardi and sit in the crease where it "goes off" of Kunitz's skate, and it will count.

 

[Hire Sather]

No it'll go off Girardi and sit in the crease where it "goes off" of Kunitz's skate, and it will count.

No distinct kicking motion!

I'm gunna lose my mind if we get the bad end of that call again.

 

[aufheben]

Pens fans, either be respectful, or politely buzz off.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Keys for the series:

-Getting traffic in front
-Getting a forecheck going against the Pens' smaller, less physical D
-Keeping Crosby and Malkin in relative check
-Staying out of the box
-Converting on the PP
-Hank needs to be Hank

We do those things, we'll win.

Wouldn't those be keys for pretty much any series?

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

Pens fans, either be respectful, or politely buzz off.

To be fair to them - and this is our board, so whatever - the "PenRefs" thing in the poll is kinda needlessly confrontational

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

To be fair to them - and this is our board, so whatever - the "PenRefs" thing in the poll is kinda needlessly confrontational

Well yes it is our board and I enjoy calling our (somewhat) rivals childish nicknames.

 

[Ail]

To be fair to them - and this is our board, so whatever - the "PenRefs" thing in the poll is kinda needlessly confrontational

So is calling Sidney, "Skidney" but I am still gonna do it.

 

[yrrebbor]

ROFL at us winning the series in less than 7.

Rangers in 7.

Pens in 6 or Rangers in 7. It could really go either way depending on who wakes up to play on any given day.

I think Brad Richards has become our captain.

He has definitely started playing, but is it too little too late?



So many factors at play:

The major issue is the refs clearly did not want them to win round 1, and it probably won't be any different in round 2.

Nash, MSL and Richards need to score goals. All picked up for a game, then faltered. They need to be consistent or they're toast!

Malkin, Kunitz, and Crosby need to be shut down. They played below average in round 1, so let's hope McDonough gets his game back to keep the whole line in this rut!

Carcillo needs to stay in. He's playing well, but would be mentally tougher knowing he had spot on the line. Like Boyle, he shows up when he has to!

Last and most importantly is Lundqvist. He needs to be on his A-game for 60 minutes a game. We can dispute whether individual goals are softies, but he needs to get any doubt out of his head. He's made $6,875,000 this year, and he needs to play like it. He is the best in the league when he plays his game without thinking about it. He gets way too rattled after giving up the first goal in a game, and that has to stop NOW. He had a .943SVS% in Russia this year, and needs to do that to win here!

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

All depends on how many games Carcillo gets.

This.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

To be fair to them - and this is our board, so whatever - the "PenRefs" thing in the poll is kinda needlessly confrontational

If you go to their PGT, their posts are littered with "rags". So I don't feel guilty in the slightest... even though I haven't referred to them as Penrefs or Pengirls... because, what's the point?

 

[Bullseyes]

Can we not blame the refs for things that happened in the last series or things that may happen in the next? Every team thinks the refs are against them. I thought the refs were terrible, too, but they overcame that and if they're a good enough team they'll overcome any potential issues too.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Can we not blame the refs for things that happened in the last series or things that may happen in the next? Every team thinks the refs are against them. I thought the refs were terrible, too, but they overcame that and if they're a good enough team they'll overcome any potential issues too.

Yeah, I hate the blaming of the refs from every angle. Just an easy copout that 99.9% of the time isn't even close to the reason a team loses a game or series.

 

[Fitzy]

I didn't expect Moore and Carcillo to help carry the Rangers through the first round, and I certainly don't expect that in the second.

First concern is the faltering penalty kill. How is that going to hold up against a Pittsburgh onslaught?

Second concern is a good matchup for the Crosby line. Going to Hagelin-Stepan-Nash is my solution, rather than trying to match up our 4th for 10 minutes a period against them.

Third concern is Nash's offense.

 

[eco's bones]

Can we not blame the refs for things that happened in the last series or things that may happen in the next? Every team thinks the refs are against them. I thought the refs were terrible, too, but they overcame that and if they're a good enough team they'll overcome any potential issues too.

The referees around the league suck--pure and simple. The linesmen are fine. Why is that? All a linesman has to do pretty much is determine icings and offsides and break up fights and be able to skate pretty well.

This overcoming stuff--there's no overcoming some stuff. You get in a hole because of a stupid call--there are some teams good enough to keep you in that hole no matter who you are. Nor does everything always balance out. If everything balanced out why are some few people born into billions and lots and lots of others into ****?

What I expect from a NHL referee is he doesn't **** over my team. If the call is legit--then fine make the call--if they're ****ed up calls I'm not going to sit around thinking 'oh, well--it's all going to even out in the end'--first off we'd have to qualify what or even where the 'end' is that we're talking about.

 

[AHB*]

To be fair to them - and this is our board, so whatever - the "PenRefs" thing in the poll is kinda needlessly confrontational

It's not confrontational if its kept to our board.

 

[Cassano]

Can we not blame the refs for things that happened in the last series or things that may happen in the next? Every team thinks the refs are against them. I thought the refs were terrible, too, but they overcame that and if they're a good enough team they'll overcome any potential issues too.

Drury bleeding. Non call.

Nuff said.

 

[pld459666]

To be fair to them - and this is our board, so whatever - the "PenRefs" thing in the poll is kinda needlessly confrontational

And you call yourself classless?

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

Drury bleeding. Non call.

Nuff said.

Don't you ever mention those word's ever again. I'm not over that game. Scarred for life.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Don't you ever mention those word's ever again. I'm not over that game. Scarred for life.

If the Rangers had any chance in hell of winning that series, I'd probably feel the same way.

 

[Fitzy]

This appears to be the most difficult path to the cup I've ever seen.

Even if NYR somehow were able to get past Pittsburgh and Boston, they'd run smack into the fittest of all those super Western teams.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Pittsburgh, just like anywhere else, has a very large group of fair weather fans. The Steelers are an exception, but the Pirates and Penguins are certainly experiencing a resurgence in fan support that only came about in recent years for the Pens, and within the last two years for the Bucs. It's been quite normal for fireworks and after-game concerts to attract more fans to PNC Park than the game itself. Which is a shame because the food is great and the park is gorgeous.

When I first moved here in 2006, I could walk up to the Igloo at 6:45 and get a lower-bowl seat for next to nothing. There were regularly thousands of seats available. The Pens PR department did a fantastic job of reviving interest in the team over the last 7 or 8 years by focusing on the younger audience, and not trying to pluck people away from the "Stillers" anymore.

Dude! Stop trying to rationalize the situation. Penguins fans are not "fair-weather" fans. Any real hockey fan knew that Crosby would be available in 2005, so the Penguin fans did what any real fans would do to get him, they stopped attending and watching the team in order to drive the team near the brink of bankruptcy. They knew that tanking is the only way to build a successful team, but if they kept giving money to the team, nothing would change. That is why they had to take matters into their own hands. There was a risk that the franchise would have been moved north of the border, but true fans are willing to do what it takes. Now that they have Crosby and a cup, they are free to come back to the team the love.

Keys for the series:

-Getting traffic in front
-Getting a forecheck going against the Pens' smaller, less physical D
-Keeping Crosby and Malkin in relative check
-Staying out of the box
-Converting on the PP
-Hank needs to be Hank

We do those things, we'll win.

In addition to this, if Nash starts scoring, Carcillo keeps his goal scoring pace, and Crosby doesn't receive any league-star protection, this series will be an easy sweep!

If you go to their PGT, their posts are littered with "rags". So I don't feel guilty in the slightest... even though I haven't referred to them as Penrefs or Pengirls... because, what's the point?

Since we never actually touch the ice, there are only a few things we the fans can do. If the fans can't purchase $1000 worth of team memorabilia, taunt the other team and their fans with silly names, or occasionally beat up one of the opposing team's skinny fans, then you can go back let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya! Murica!

Yeah, I hate the blaming of the refs from every angle. Just an easy copout that 99.9% of the time isn't even close to the reason a team loses a game or series.

smh! It's not the refs man...It's the allure of the big city! Opposing veteran net minders who are paid salaries that total the net worth of some of the upper bowl sections, look up at the rafters and say "take it in baby! We finally made it!

LGR!

 

[nevesis]

Don't you ever mention those word's ever again. I'm not over that game. Scarred for life.

That one hurt. Feels like yesterday.

I was in much more pain after 2012 Conference Finals loss though. I took a 3 hour drive by myself and sat in a desolate parking lot for a few hours after that game.

Inconsolable.