Post-Game Talk: Rangers v. Bruins - Game 2 PGT

[PlamsUnlimited]

Our D's strategy is laughable. Keep collapsing, the Bruins will dismantle it even more. Too much of the goals against this team have been because of that defense style. Team D is a problem right now as well.

 

[eco's bones]

This game reminded me so much of the series we played against New Jersey last year. Boston rolls 4 lines and beats us up physically along the boards and in the corners. This allows them to claim more territory almost at will. They have an edgier team than we do--all their players fit easily into their respective roles. There are no passengers. Everyone knows what's expected of them.

I think in some respects this team we have now is deeper than last year's but the 4th line of Richards, Asham and Kreider is dysfunctional and it starts with Richards. He is the weakest link. Kreider as well is not really a 4th line type.

 

[Callagraves]

Below average game for Henrik Lundqvuist and below average game for an NHL goaltender are two completely different things.

If Henrik's average was for example 1 goal a game (hypothetically) and then he let up 2 goals in a game, that'd be a game where he played below average. But if every other goalie allowed, on average, 2 goals per game, then he would be playing below average for himself but average in terms of the other goal tenders in the league.

I'm saying he played average when compared to the other goalies in the league. Did he stand on his head today? At times, but not often. Is he capable of more? Absolutely. For him, ofcourse its not up to par. Below average for him? Sure. But did he play a bad game or even a below average game (in relativity to how other goalies play), I would have to disagree. I'd have argued to switch him out after we went down 4-2. This game wasn't his fault, it was the team's lack of focus... and in that sense, I would argue Henrik himself didn't have as much focus as he needed to have for such a game.

I don't think we have reasonable expectations for Hank, yet he meets them often.

An average goaltending game is below expectations for him. I don't expect a .950 every night, but it's ok to criticize Hank for having a below average game. What I'm saying is, when a player has a game below their expectation, it's ok to say it. Hank, for Hank, was bad. Not awful. Not bad enough to lose us a game, the defense did that for him. But he was below his standards, and expectations. When Nash plays like Boyle, we call him out for it.

It's ok for a player to have a bad game. He'll come through.

 

[ltsthinaz]

First thing is first: Fire Tortorella, hire Laviolette.

2) Amnesty Richards.

3) Resign Zuccarello. Resign Boyle.

4) Trade Del Zotto.

5) Call up Miller. Call up Lindberg. Call up McIlrath. (All by deadline next year, do not believe all of them will be ready by start of next year).

6) Trade Pyatt + Do not resign Asham + Do not resign Clowe.

7) Sign Staal to an extension, or trade him at the deadline if he refuses. Cannot let him walk for nothing.

Zuccarello-Stepan-Nash
Hagelin-Miller-Callahan
Kreider-Brassard-Lindberg
Powe-Boyle-Dorsett

Staal-Girardi
McDonough-Stralman
Moore-McIlrath

Hank
Biron

Don't particulary want LaViolette, we can do better. Doubt they will fire Torts after ECF last year and 2nd round this year, but I agree his "system" (if you can call it that) is killing us.

I like Asham a bit more than you do. He's slow, but he has both skill and heft. Pyatt has the trade value of dandelion.

Agree on Clowe. I love the trade of Gaborik, it brought us three solid players for a guy making 7.5 mil who does nothing and is on the downside of his career, but the Clowe trade was a waste. Enough with these expensive players on the downslope of their careers.

One more summer task - practice hitting the net.

Task for Sather - more speed in the line-up.

One other little thought. It is a big mistake trying this style of banging with the Bruins. What will expose their D is speed. It's why the Bruins should of lost to the Maple Loafs, who have skilled, speedy forwards (they would of lost had the Maple Leafs any semblance of defense and a more consistent goalie), and why they had trouble with Hagelin and Callahan today.

 

[Chief]

I think in some respects this team we have now is deeper than last year's but the 4th line of Richards, Asham and Kreider is dysfunctional and it starts with Richards. He is the weakest link. Kreider as well is not really a 4th line type.

This team isn't deeper...and Torts has mishandled certain players to such an extent they are worthless, see Richards, Kreider (Gaborik before them) and his messing with Hagelin doesn't bode well for him either.

If the Rangers lose v. Boston, Torts should be fired immediately but I don't think Slats sees Torts as a problem.

 

[haohmaru]

Laviolette still has a job. How are we going to hire him?

And Torts isn't getting fired after taking the team to the ECF's last year and at least the 2nd round this year.

 

[Rangers ftw]

I'm getting more and more convinced that MDZ is nothing more than a 3rd pair dman. His low level is just so damn low. Stralman has outplayed Girardi in the PO.

Need to get Staal back, and Clowe.

 

[aufheben]

Laviolette still has a job. How are we going to hire him?

And Torts isn't getting fired after taking the team to the ECF's last year and at least the 2nd round this year.

Yeah, seriously.

 

[LittleKev6D9]

I missed the whole game cause I had my college graduation today. Sounds like I didn't miss much.

 

[Doctyl]

I missed the whole game cause I had my college graduation today. Sounds like I didn't miss much.

you missed girardi **** over the whole team

 

[ltsthinaz]

I'm getting more and more convinced that MDZ is nothing more than a 3rd pair dman. His low level is just so damn low. Stralman has outplayed Girardi in the PO.

Need to get Staal back, and Clowe.

I think Del Zotto was worse than Girardi today. He is awful -no hockey sense, and he is slow as molasses. Doesn't belong on the PP either, his decision as to pass or shoot are terrible and he can't hit the net to save his life. He showed such promise as a rookie and the beginning of this season, but he's going backwards. Why, I haven't a clue.

Don't want to resign Clowe for anything near what he's going to demand.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

First of all, I will say that Lundqvist was not the worst player on the ice today. You have to be a SPECIAL kind of suck to be -5 in a 5-2 games. Girardi had probably the worst game that any Ranger has had since I can remember. NOW, I really miss Sauer. He'd be a great replacement. I've always thought Girardi is incredibly overrated. The guy is just a great cinderella story. An undrafted FA, makes the team to the top pairing of a high profile team like the Rangers. He plays a gritty game. It's just a lot sexier for the media to toot his horn than McDonagh or Staal who are positionally sound and skate will but don't stand out as gritty players or offensive forces. Girardi has always gone on months' long vacations in his career. Today was a new low. That was embarrassing. It could have been Bickel there are and I wouldn't know the difference.

That said, I'm done with picking on my "mediocre son" for getting an F and I'll proceed to blast my genius son for getting a D. I'm sorry, but from around the time the Bs scored the 1st goal to the end of the 2nd period we outplayed them. In the second period we flat out dominated. Our defense wasn't very good, but we had the puck most of the time. To come out down 3-2 after 2 periods after that second period was criminal. I know it's been the other way around often this season, but this time that was your potential HOF goaltender throwing his team under the bus. Rask, meanwhile was great. If Rask played this way and Hank had an average Hank game we'd probably be up 2-1 going into the 3rd period, with momentum from a great period and the lead. Maybe the 3rd period doesn't happen. Maybe the Bs are on their heals and not so confident. Instead the complexion of the whole game changed. If we traded goalies in the first 2 periods I'm convinced we'd be up 4-1 at least.

Now, that's 5 games in 9 where Lundqvist has given up 3 goals or more. That's 2 straight games with multiple soft goals. The only time he was close to doing this was the first 3 games of the season when he didn't play a game during the lockout. That was understandable. This is not. This is the first game in 2 ****ing seasons, including playoffs that Lundqvist allowed 5 goals. Only thing that came close is when he gave up 4 goals in like half a game early this season to the Pens, but once again lockout and all. I really want someone to argue with me that he doesn't drop his play in the playoffs. His stats are bumped up because he manages to offset those games with great games. However, consistency is key in a 4 game series. If he doesn't improve (and he's ****ing 31 now) and we don't all of a sudden get a dominant offense and an offensive coach, I honestly don't like the prospects of winning a cup with him. You can't give up 3 goals or more in 5 of 9 games and expect to win consistently. Granted one of those was in OT. Still you're asking your team to score 4 goals or more in about half your playoff games. No matter what you think of our O and our PP, that's a tall task for all but maybe 2 teams in this league.

 

[Doctyl]

my wish list

1) fire torts and sully
2) fire slats and let gorton take over
3) buyout richards
4) trade girardi and del zotto, preferably for an offensive dman and a young gritty winger with offensive skill
5) resign clowe (only if he is reasonable with his demands)
6) trade boyle if lindberg is ready, he is an upgrade in every part of the game over boyle
7) resign key players

 

[AlternateSideParking]

Win Game 3 and you have a whole new series.

Im kinda shocked Henrik played as poorly as he did.

To think that Eminger penalty in Game 1 could be the turning point of the series. Just like Hollwegs major against the Pens or Shanahans icing against the Sabres.

Brad Richards is turning in the worst postseason performance since Ozolinsh, and we all remember how he was trated at MSG when he touched the puck.

 

[bmw2004]

Knicks gone, Rangers to follow them.

 

[haveandare]

So. Many. Overreactions.

Been staying clear of the board until way after the game and it's way better. This place is wacky.

Being down 2 sucks. Not impossible to come back, but not great chances either.

Frankly, with this teams' issues, especially the problem that a useless player making a ton of money is absolutely failing to be the top 6 center he's supposed to be, I'm pretty happy that they even made it this far.

 

[AlternateSideParking]

Sorry but Clowe and Staal need to sack up and play in Game 3. Show some balls. Pull a Willis Reed or Bobby Baun or Rocket Richard.

It used to be that players would only miss a playoff game if their legs were sliced off.

 

[Championship*]

So. Many. Overreactions.

Been staying clear of the board until way after the game and it's way better. This place is wacky.

Being down 2 sucks. Not impossible to come back, but not great chances either.

Frankly, with this teams' issues, especially the problem that a useless player making a ton of money is absolutely failing to be the top 6 center he's supposed to be, I'm pretty happy that they even made it this far.

They just got embarrassed and they're down 2. Not even close. It's not an overreaction.

 

[haveandare]

They just got embarrassed and they're down 2. Not even close. It's not an overreaction.

Yeah, just like the Caps in 4, right? Wait, 5. Actually no, 6. Maybe 7. Those weren't overreactions either I guess.

History said NYR aren't even supposed to be in the second round though, so maybe this is just a figment of our imaginations.

 

[MessierIsGod]

No worries..we'll get some jam back Tuesday..rediscover our identity and find a way..

I just like us to find a PP system, get some sustain puck pressure, not collapse our D to become human shields for point shot after point shot, and hank be hank. Then maybe we can get back in this series.

 

[JohnC]

I don't see the team pulling off the same thing they did the first round again.

Boston>>Washington doesn't exactly help their cause

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Nah, not really.

Just disappointed that the team was flat out embarrassed for 2 games.

I read the context to that last post and I overreacted. That said, I think that last post was still bad form. The Rangers also were not embarrassed in game 1 until OT. People seem to think that any game that we lose, we get embarrassed in.

 

[Clowes Line]

I don't see the team pulling off the same thing they did the first round again.

Boston>>Washington doesn't exactly help their cause

But Washington was the 3 seed and Boston is the 4 seed

 

[Fitzy]

I don't see the team pulling off the same thing they did the first round again.

Boston>>Washington doesn't exactly help their cause

I think it'll go seven games again. But who wins game seven I haven't the slightest. This team does better when its back is against the wall.

 

[Championship*]

I read the context to that last post and I overreacted. That said, I think that last post was still bad form. The Rangers also were not embarrassed in game 1 until OT. People seem to think that any game that we lose, we get embarrassed in.

Embarrassed in OT = Embarrassed in my book. I have high standards.