Why am I not surprised when I come to the post-game thread, theres very little conversation about the actual game, but instead scapegoating against 1 or 2 players from the usual suspects?
Lets start with Lundqvist and put the myths that he was "outplayed" by Mason to bed. The main reason this illusion is out there is because Mason didn't have a Ranger within 5 feet of his net the entire ****ing game. Meanwhile, the Flyers swarmed the Rangers net creating much better chances overall. That has just a little something to do with the 18 players that played in front of Lundqvist, no? If you think otherwise, you are brain dead.
The Rangers lost this game for 3 reasons:
1. They lost the special teams battle, badly
2. They showed little to no interest in getting to the front of the Flyers net or protecting the front of their own
3. They refused to adapt their game when the Flyers got a lead and started stacking the blue line
#1 manifested itself over and over. The Rangers looked great the first 5 minutes and it all imploded the moment Pouliot took a stupid penalty. The Rangers PP, who received praise and admiration earlier in the season, looks as bad as its ever been - primarily because of the teams refusal to keep it simple
#2 is perhaps the most frustrating part of this loss. The lack of killer instinct and the lack of urgency with a chance to close out an opponent is infuriating. The Flyers owned the front of the net/slot on both ends of the ice and the Rangers showed little willingness to change the situation
#3 became more apparent as the game went on, and was a byproduct of the Rangers lack of willingness to engage. The Flyers stacked the blue line and clogged the middle of the ice when they got the lead - it was clear as day. Yet, play after play, one Ranger would streak through the neutral zone, try to go through 2 or 3 guys, and inevitably turn it over. They just stopped playing like a team. And dumping it in and winning a battle to go get it? Nah, thats way too hard.
With all the frustration and me wanting to throw my television out the window, I still think the Rangers are the better even strength team and should win tonight -- if they want it bad enough.