Post-Game Talk: Rangers vs. Islanders: It's Miller Time

[17futurecap]

Fun game to go to after I had to sit there for both Pens games. Nice effort by the defense tonight, as well as the PK, so much fun watching Callahan!

Congrats to JT Miller! Enjoyed watching Pyatt tonight live, guy is always going to the net looking to clean up the garbage. Nice job by Powe tonight on one of the PK's where he kept the puck in the Icelanders zone for what seemed like twenty seconds. Almost 27 minutes for Stralman, so happy he is here on a cheap two year deal. Nice to watch a team that is healthy, and will only get better when Girardi gets back in there.

 

[mike14]

Finally got a chance to watch the replay. Good win, wasn't a great game but they outplayed a team they should beat 4 out of 5 times. Miller looked pretty good (less the turnovers), it was good to have Cally back and the King looked 'on'. How nice is it to see a fully fit Staal patrolling the blue line again?

Richards is paid to produce, and he needs to lift, but I've been impressed by how much better he looks on defense this year. He gets back and has actually broken up several good scoring chances. He, and the rest of them really need to pull their finger out on the PP though...

 

[Thunderhead]

No poll for the 3 stars ?

 

[Vickers8]

Kreids-JT-Cally...Great to see some youth and energy, great to see the heart and soul of the team back blocking a Streit slapshot with his shoulder and almost his face...Captain Fearless! Strals had a great game, probably his best as a Ranger

 

[nyr2k2]

Heard Miller on the radio this morning. Kid has a great attitude. If he keeps playing this hard, it will be impossible for the team to only give him 5 games.

 

[beastly115]

Last night looked to me a case of the Islanders playing horrible rather than the Rangers playing well.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Yeah. It's awesome to have our best PKer as a healthy scratch.

Do some of you guys just not understand how good of a player Boyle is?

He's a very good PKer and a decent defensive player, but he's a 4th liner on a good team. You're making him sound like a star or something.

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

He's a very good PKer and a decent defensive player, but he's a 4th liner on a good team. You're making him sound like a star or something.

This is what I've been saying for the longest time. People get upset around here when you have a differing opinion on things, making you a hater apparently. I think everyone here likes Boyle because he's a solid pk guy, good locker room guy, and fits the identity of the team. But let's be realistic, Boyle is a 4th liner.

 

[Levitate]

What did Torts mean by this about Miller?

" “I know a lot of things went on before he came to us, he’s got some bite to him and I’d rather have a guy that you need to tame a little bit as he’s learning to be a pro then to get someone to play with some spunk like that."

Maybe he's taken some bad penalties in the past? But my first impression was that Torts meant he didn't want Miller getting too fancy and trying to do stuff that results in a turnover. He tried some ill advised passes this game that he'll hopefully learn not to try

 

[Machinehead]

This is what I've been saying for the longest time. People get upset around here when you have a differing opinion on things, making you a hater apparently. I think everyone here likes Boyle because he's a solid pk guy, good locker room guy, and fits the identity of the team. But let's be realistic, Boyle is a 4th liner.

Boyle is a borderline 3rd liner so if he is a 4th liner, he's one of the best 4th liners in the league. That's a big omission.

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

Miller and Kreider very good as expected.

Stralman was outstanding.

Gilroy was very good. He's been a stabilizing presence on the 3rd pair.

Eminger should always be in for Bickel.

Henke was himself. Outstanding.

Cally is Cally.

Pyatt's board work is impressive.

Great job by Powe on the PK.

McDonagh is great other then the penalties.

Staal outstanding.

Rebound game for Del Zotto.

Step and Hags very good.

Halpern good.

Still need more from the top guys; Richards, Gaborik, Nash. Other then the one shot on goal and hard work by everyone around especially the work down low by Pyatt on the goal, Gaborik needs to assert himself more. Same old argument.

 

[Ola]

Awsome start for JT Miller!!! I am not sure if he will stick for the resto of the year let alone keep his play as of now up, but long term I've said for a really long time that I see very few dark clouds over him. He is well suited to make an impact early in his career. There are at any given time many posisitons on a team that fits him well (on top 2 lines as well as bottom lines, and he can play both at center and at wing). He will do well both in the PO's and regular season. When I saw him right after he was dratted, I was very impressed with his ability to take the puck to the net and challenge D's, and I hoped that he might be one of those real diamonds in the rough that with just month's in hindsight would climb alot in the rankings. But he has kind of leveled out at least when it came to his offensive production in the WJCs and for Plymouth. But I see no reason for why this kid won't become one of those core guys that you can build a team with if not around.

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

Boyle is a borderline 3rd liner so if he is a 4th liner, he's one of the best 4th liners in the league. That's a big omission.

The solution is pretty simple. IMO.

Scratch Asham, who is borderline useless.

Put Boyle on the 4th line with Halpern and Powe.

 

[Ola]

Staal outstanding.

He truely has been, and with all that hasn't gone as planned maybe, that's certainly one "questionmark" that seem to have been answeated positively.

Staal were up and down last season, and never really up to be honest. I was never really worried, but its great to see nontheless that he is back on track.

 

[Ola]

Heard Miller on the radio this morning. Kid has a great attitude. If he keeps playing this hard, it will be impossible for the team to only give him 5 games.

I heard a interview with Anders Hedberg about a year ago and he said that the org especially has looked at kids who takes up alot of space on the ice, who wants to make a diffrence and just sticks out. He said it in connection with the McI pick, but its also true I believe as regards Miller.

 

[toewsintangibles]

Thank god there are these kind of slump buster teams like Islanders and the Leafs in this league.

But I shouldn't complain, it wasn't that many years ago the Rangers played both up to the opposition and down

I found it refreshing to see a Rangers team without Brian Boyle on the 3rd line, still wouldn't mind him on the 4th line and on PK duty. I hope JT can keep this up

 

[pld459666]

Just got back from the game. Had a great time and I mistakenly jinxed the **** out of the shoutout.

Was I the only one complete confused as to why Nabokov was pulled while they were still in their defensive zone?

They had the puck, down by two.

Most teams defensively peel back and softly check through the neutral zone when they are up 2 with limited time on the clock.

Rangers have done it as well.

Glad they got caught.

Just wish McD would have noticed Miller to his right for the Hatty

 

[pld459666]

The solution is pretty simple. IMO.

Scratch Asham, who is borderline useless.

Put Boyle on the 4th line with Halpern and Powe.

I may not be Boyle's biggest fan, but that would be the way to go for sure.

Nash - Richards - Pyatt
Hagelin - Stepan - Gaborik
Kreider - Miller - Callahan
Powe - Halpern - Boyle

solid

 

[Bardof425*]

The solution is pretty simple. IMO.

Scratch Asham, who is borderline useless.

Put Boyle on the 4th line with Halpern and Powe.

you guys won't quit? Asham made a few plays with the puck last night that Boyle hasn't made all year. I don't understand this Asham hate. This is a standup guy who grinds, fights for his teammates and has a very good shot to boot. I understand the butthurt that goes along with BB being scratched but don't take it out on Aaron.

That 4th line looked really good last night and halpern showed why he has been in the league so long and why he too is a better player than Brian Boyle. I don't want Boyle sent down but until there's a reason to put him back in the lineup leave him where he is. 5 for 5 on the PK; not bad.

 

[NYR Viper]

I may not be Boyle's biggest fan, but that would be the way to go for sure.

Nash - Richards - Pyatt
Hagelin - Stepan - Gaborik
Kreider - Miller - Callahan
Powe - Halpern - Boyle

solid

Not during the regular season. Who drops the gloves if need be there? Boyle? That's not a good way to go in this division.

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

He truely has been, and with all that hasn't gone as planned maybe, that's certainly one "questionmark" that seem to have been answeated positively.

Staal were up and down last season, and never really up to be honest. I was never really worried, but its great to see nontheless that he is back on track.

Yea last year he didn't have a chance to get going after the concussion. Until the playoffs.

He's back to himself now. The lockout probably benefitted him, too.

 

[E-Train]

Not during the regular season. Who drops the gloves if need be there? Boyle? That's not a good way to go in this division.

Beat me to it. That is a playoff lineup, not an Atlantic Division regular season one. Get Mash on one of those 4th line wings and take it to the end of the season.

 

[Bardof425*]

Sad but true. Seeing so many posters **** on Boyle, Stepan, and MDZ can be embarassing, honestly.

A lot of people here think Boyle sucks, but there are plenty of teams that would be chomping at the bit to add him.

what do you think we can get for him?

 

[SixGoalieSystem]

Not during the regular season. Who drops the gloves if need be there? Boyle? That's not a good way to go in this division.

There will be games where they need to play Asham or even Bickel or Mash, but most nights like Sunday vs the Bolts I'd rather have Boyle in.

 

[Bardof425*]

Boyle is a borderline 3rd liner so if he is a 4th liner, he's one of the best 4th liners in the league. That's a big omission.

Yeah, but he's not a borderline 3rd liner. He's a borderline NHLer which is why he fits nicely on the 4th line. His skills with the puck are so poor. In his time here, how many times can you remember him taking the puck and passing it smartly to an open forward who then scored? Think. The number is so small because he has no vision on the ice, especially in the offensive zone. And don't blame his linemates. Feds has scored plenty in his career and we know Prust can finish when given the opportunity.
He has a role, but it is not on the 3rd line; not even close.