Post-Game Talk: Rangers vs. Lightning, Game 4

[McRanger92]

Have you watched Colorado this year? Haha...

They had an easy road and were the preseason favorite to win the Cup. We weren't even picked to make the playoffs by most outlets. Nuance exists.

 

[ohbaby]

......Did you watch game 4 in Pittsburgh or game 5 in Carolina?

I've heard the "but did you watch that game?" argument in two series we've won.

Not only that, but we have already manhandled them in Games 1 and 2. We have shown what we can do when we come to play. I have said having home ice is huge, many times. And it will likely be the difference in this series.

 

[savebyrichter94]

Have you watched Colorado this year? Haha...

I think what he means is they went through some shit to get there first

“I know it’s everybody’s sin, you got to lose to know how to win”

-Steven Tyler

 

[rangers1314]

I keep thinking about Reaves effort at defending Bogosian on TB first goal last night and get more and more annoyed. What a pathetic effort that was.

Tampa has issues keeping up when NYR plays with speed. Gallant should be adding more of it where he can. Reaves is 35 and has been playing every other day for over a month. He's cooked. Play Hunt.

 

[gogreenbay]

I'm a Reaves fanboy.

He has no business playing in game 6. He hasn't been outstanding, but he has looked markedly better at home with last change. He has received 6 minutes of penalties in the last two games, 4 of which (being singled out against Maroon when they were jousting and the slashing call after he was boarded) were wholly unwarranted and 2 of which (tripping Bogosian) we never even got to see. His effort on the Bogosian goal was embarrassing, but beyond that I've been pleasantly surprised. He's a guy who has played a very disciplined game all year long but somehow gets reputation calls for a reputation he hasn't done anything recently to earn. If he's playing a conservative game and getting penalized, we shouldn't dress him. If he's going to pick up ticky tack penalties anyway, it's time to stop the scrumming that he gets called for and start forcing the issue with these guys. I'd much rather he take a 2 minute rough for punching someone in the mouth than 2 minutes for a weak retaliatory slash to someone's skate.

 

[McRanger92]

I keep thinking about Reaves effort at defending Bogosian on TB first goal last night and get more and more annoyed. What a pathetic effort that was.

Tampa has issues keeping up when NYR plays with speed. Gallant should be adding more of it where he can. Reaves is 35 and has been playing every other day for over a month. He's cooked. Play Hunt.

Rooney & Reaves were baaaaaaad last night. Hunt should have been in to play with Copp & Panarin. I also really think this is the game to get Blais in if he's even close to ready. We can control his matchups and he can provide some energy. Might be wishful thinking but we'll see.

 

[JimmyG89]

Have you watched Colorado this year? Haha...

Colorado is amazing, but let's be honest. Round 1 they got it easier with goalies than we did. Round 2 was tough cause of the Blues, but then Binnington got hurt and you're looking Husso who struggled in the playoffs. Then Edmonton was basically McDavid and half Draisatil. Of course there is Mike Smith.

Carolina is better than all the teams that Colorado faced. So is Tampa. The Pens are better than at least Nashville, especially since Saros was out. Probably better than Edmonton too, even Edmonton in the 1st round that was fully healthy.

The reality of the conferences all season was that the East was stacked from 1 through 8 and the West was Colorado, a healthy Vegas team, St. Louis and Calgary. Minnesota was a smoke and mirrors team, Edmonton was too top heavy, LA was just happy to be there, and Nashville was a lesser version of the Rangers.

 

[ohbaby]

They had an easy road and were the preseason favorite to win the Cup. We weren't even picked to make the playoffs by most outlets. Nuance exists.

I do like everyone's rosy take on why we might have a shot against Colorado. I wish I can be more optimistic. It certainly looks like their year to shine. But I always enjoyed the story of David and Goliath, Samson against the Philistines, Joshua and the tumbling walls of Jericho. It would be great if we could see another miracle of biblical proportions, so we can hoist the Holy Grail of hockey.

Let's take Game 5, dispose of Tampa and then march on to the promise land.

Let's Go Rangers!

 

[NCRanger]

The Final might suck anyway.

They're taking this thing deeper and deeper into June.

Mid-90's next week in Tampa. Mid 90's this weekend in Denver. It's almost officially summer and the real shit is coming. I'm sure we're not far behind.

They know ice melts, right?

Tampa does a pretty good job with keeping that building cool. Not as worried about that ice as I would be about MSG or Denver at altitude.

I was there in late August early September 2012 as a delegate to the RNC. Building was downright cold at times, even though the outside temps and humidity were approaching the third level of hell.

 

[McRanger92]

I do like everyone's rosy take on why we might have a shot against Colorado. I wish I can be more optimistic. It certainly looks like their year to shine. But I always enjoyed the story of David and Goliath, Samson against the Philistines, Joshua and the tumbling walls of Jericho. It would be great if we could see another miracle of biblical proportions, so we can hoist the Holy Grail of hockey.

This biggest disappointment with losing last night was that its hard for me to see the Rangers winning the Cup if they couldnt get this series wrapped up quickly. Obviously now were going 6 or 7 at minimum with Colorado being the most fresh team left after getting 2 sweeps and not playing a game 7.

To win a Cup, you usually need the stars to align for you. Its happened for the Avs. You could make a case the opposite has happened for the Rangers. Yet here we are, one of 3 teams left in a tied series with home ice against the class of the league. Where would you rather be?

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

I keep thinking about Reaves effort at defending Bogosian on TB first goal last night and get more and more annoyed. What a pathetic effort that was.

Tampa has issues keeping up when NYR plays with speed. Gallant should be adding more of it where he can. Reaves is 35 and has been playing every other day for over a month. He's cooked. Play Hunt.

If Gallant was ever going to give Reaves a breather, this would be the perfect time. He's completely gassed and him and Rooney together is a death sentence for that line. When it was Motte-Goodrow-Reaves, the other 2 were able to kind of help him be fine out there but not with Rooney.

I'd think long and hard about giving Reaves the night off, even if it's just one game. Put Hunt in his spot for some fresh legs and a little more speed.

I think coming off of a clearly poor performance in game 4 could work to an advantage in Game 5. Come out to a sure to be raucous crowd and try and feed off the energy and catch Tampa trying to play the same game plan but come out and score early, get some of our mojo back. One thing is for sure, they HAVE to come out and score first and they HAVE to come out with energy. That's why swapping Hunt in to the lineup (or Brod) would be a good move so you can roll 4 lines that can come with speed.

 

[ohbaby]

To win a Cup, you usually need the stars to align for you. Its happened for the Avs. You could make a case the opposite has happened for the Rangers. Yet here we are, one of 3 teams left in a tied series with home ice against the class of the league. Where would you rather be?

I agree it takes a bit of luck to win the Stanley Cup. But it is hard to say the Avs were very fortunate. They were the best team this year, and proved it by reaching the Finals. And now will enjoy home ice advantage. That doesn't happen by chance, that is all due to hard work.

This isn't really comparable to David and Goliath. It's more like David's baby sister vs Goliath. Trying to take him down with her rattle.

 

[McRanger92]

I agree it takes a bit of luck to win the Stanley Cup. But it is hard to say the Avs were very fortunate. They were the best team this year, and proved it by reaching the Finals. And now will enjoy home ice advantage. That is isn't by chance, that is all due to hard work.

Not taking anything away from Colorado. They have been through the heartbreak, and they seem to have found that extra gear that Tampa did after the Columbus sweep. I expect them to win the Cup as long as Francouz/Kuemper can make the easy saves. Its not like Tampa is generating a huge amount of offense this series, they are more capitalizing on our mistakes

 

[bl02]

I keep thinking about Reaves effort at defending Bogosian on TB first goal last night and get more and more annoyed. What a pathetic effort that was.

Tampa has issues keeping up when NYR plays with speed. Gallant should be adding more of it where he can. Reaves is 35 and has been playing every other day for over a month. He's cooked. Play Hunt.

People wanna blame Rooney/Braun? Fine. The effort Reaves gave on that goal was a joke. Either that or he is really cooked (maybe both). It was Bogosian not Bobby Orr he was trying to defend.

 

[savebyrichter94]

Losing sucks but champions are often molded by it

I’m not throwing in the towel yet and even if things don’t go our way this year we’ve begun building something here and it will pay dividends down the road

 

[ohbaby]

I expect them to win the Cup as long as Francouz/Kuemper can make the easy saves.

I suspect we can make it difficult on them. But I truly believe we are underestimating how good they are.

Its not like Tampa is generating a huge amount of offense this series, they are more capitalizing on our mistakes

That's why I remain positive we will get by Tampa. That and home ice is huge. It's like we are on the man advantage playing in front of the Garden Faithful.

 

[nevesis]

Losing sucks but champions are often molded by it

I’m not throwing in the towel yet and even if things don’t go our way this year we’ve begun building something here and it will pay dividends down the road

People like him hate losing more than they like winning. Henrik was this way too. This is the mentality/personality you either have or you don't.

If I was building a team, beyond talent and ability, this is the next thing I would want in all my players.

Nothing annoys me more then during a post-game presser hearing a coach or player saying 'we need to be better, we need to come out and play better and we'll take this as a learning experience etc etc'

How is this not been worked on, figured out by now in the season? f*** those stupid cliche excuses.

How about know what the f*** you need to do BEFORE the game starts? That killer instinct mentality not to come out flat just because you're not on home ice is as frustrating as anything i've seen.

 

[RangerLifer]

Losing sucks but champions are often molded by it

I’m not throwing in the towel yet and even if things don’t go our way this year we’ve begun building something here and it will pay dividends down the road

Kreider is on his 11th year. So what? MacKinnon isn't entitled. I hate that team. They won in '96 and '01. Eff 'em!

 

[savebyrichter94]

Kreider is on his 11th year. So what? MacKinnon isn't entitled. I hate that team. They won in '96 and '01. Eff 'em!

Think you missed the point haha

 

[RangerFanInMKE]

Not much to add, but get Reaves off my TV. f***, he's terrible.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

People like him hate losing more than they like winning. Henrik was this way too. This is the mentality/personality you either have or you don't.

If I was building a team, beyond talent and ability, this is the next thing I would want in all my players.

The good news is - I feel pretty good that Adam Fox, arguably the NYR most important player for the next however many years, has this in his personality.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

Hopefully one of Strome and chytil can go.

call up Johnny brodz

Hunt in
Reaves out

If only chytil comes back:

Kreider zib vatrano
Panarin goodrow copp
Laf chytil kakko
Motte brodzinski hunt

If only Strome comes back:

Kreider zib vatrano
Panarin Strome copp
Laf goodrow kakko
Motte brodzinski hunt

If they’re both out, we’re f***ed

 

[Kravtsov420]

Panarin was a disgrace tonight. But in his mind, no harm no foul.

Maybe that idiot Gallant will send him a message instead of playing him even more?

Sorry, but just brutal

 

[Unpredictable1]

THIS should never ever happen. As soon as I noticed it, I screamed WTF are you doing, 20 seconds later they scored.
Even though we were the road team, that easily could be prevented. DON'T play your worst 5 players at the same time.
Sorry Schneider (not there yet) and Motte, but you know what I mean.

I'm a huge Schneider supporter, no secret, and I will fully admit he's been in over his head quite a few times but I still really like what we got there and want him as part of the team going forward.

That said, I'm beyond tired of watching Schneider get that puck from below the goal line with bodies hanging off him, and it's either no 4th line winger at the ready for the quick pass to get out, or, they're actually there and they handle the puck like a grenade and we're pinned in again.

 

[Unpredictable1]

People wanna blame Rooney/Braun? Fine. The effort Reaves gave on that goal was a joke. Either that or he is really cooked (maybe both). It was Bogosian not Bobby Orr he was trying to defend.

Not to mention Braun decided to exit the stage at the Zamboni door, that was crazy.