Raspewtin
Stay at home defenseman hater
- May 30, 2013
- 44,300
- 21,901
Absolutely not.
He was complete trash this series. What a ****ing bum. Couldn't believe I ever wanted him in a Rangers sweater.
Post-Game Talk: SC Finals, Here We Come
- Thread starter BBKers
- Start date
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- Status
Absolutely not.
He was complete trash this series. What a ****ing bum. Couldn't believe I ever wanted him in a Rangers sweater.
nice to see a few fine folks giving him a word or two in the comments on both articles.
Thanks for bringing this up, makes me feel so good.
For anyone wanting some major laughs, check out the few pages of playoff discussion on the Devs and Isles boards. There are going to be some people on suicide watch tonight.
PS: Does anyone have a link Michelles post game conference? Or Don Cherrys meltdown? Looking all over for those.
Dear Mighty and Fearful LA Kings, the true Gods of hockey, yee who stride like angels of forechecking amongst the weak and flatulent mortals of the East, we desperate and playoff-less rabble humbly supplicate ourselves so that yee may smite the all consuming Evil that haunts these rinks, the villainous and vile NY Rangers, the evil that fills us with impotent rage and makes our eyes brim with tears made of real tears. Hear our whine filled forum posts and rid us of this darkness that has stolen our dreams, our hopes and our brackets. This we humbly beseech thee.
Love, Devils fans everywhere.
OMG This is great.
Cmox
Registered User
haveandare
Registered User
I feel like this is being overlooked by a lot of people. It's not quite as simple as matching rosters and saying who is a "better" offense. The Rangers play a speed game. They out skated MTL almost all of this series, and MTL is a skating team. If they can force LA to play like that, they'll be in a good position. Of course, if LA can force them to not play that type of game, the opposite can happen.
Killem Dafoe
Hold my baby, man.
Dear Mighty and Fearful LA Kings, the true Gods of hockey, yee who stride like angels of forechecking amongst the weak and flatulent mortals of the East, we desperate and playoff-less rabble humbly supplicate ourselves so that yee may smite the all consuming Evil that haunts these rinks, the villainous and vile NY Rangers, the evil that fills us with impotent rage and makes our eyes brim with tears made of real tears. Hear our whine filled forum posts and rid us of this darkness that has stolen our dreams, our hopes and our brackets. This we humbly beseech thee.
Love, Devils fans everywhere.
Fitzy
Very Stable Genius
- Jan 29, 2009
- 36,357
- 24,158
I'm concerned about LA's physical forwards like King and Clifford imposing their will on guys like Diaz in the offensive zone.
Each team has its token counterattack players. Gaborik is skating the fastest he has in about 3 years.
Gaborik-Kopitar-Brown is the line that will draw much of McDonagh-Girardi. With Gaborik playing on the left side Girardi is going to have to be really careful not to get burned. I'd actually much rather LA switch the wings, it's a bad situation for NY.
They have similar line depth with quality players like Carter, Williams, and Mike Richards scattered across lines 2 and 3. But their real deal in the playoffs so far this year has been the power play. They're running 25%, which is way up from the 15% they totaled in the Regular season.
AdamGravesNight
Registered User
I just read 754 posts...
I don't post here much, but I lurk before most games. I cannot be more excited. Was 7 in '94, and it's a whole different world.
F Philly, Pittsburgh, Montreal, LA, and Chicago... THE CUP IS GOING TO BE OURS!
I don't post here much, but I lurk before most games. I cannot be more excited. Was 7 in '94, and it's a whole different world.
F Philly, Pittsburgh, Montreal, LA, and Chicago... THE CUP IS GOING TO BE OURS!
Vinny DeAngelo
Jimmy Easy to defend
Ya ya the kings are good and the Blackhawks are good but there is one thing they haven't had to deal with..
US! Were playing great hockey on the back of our defense, well rounded offense, and the King himself, Protector of the Eastern Conference Realm Henrik Lundqvist.
If u think were done u have another thing coming.
We won't be beat. We can't be beat!!!
US! Were playing great hockey on the back of our defense, well rounded offense, and the King himself, Protector of the Eastern Conference Realm Henrik Lundqvist.
If u think were done u have another thing coming.
We won't be beat. We can't be beat!!!
KotsyJr
49ERS/NYR/RAPS/JAYS
Bluenote13
Believe In Henke
I really feel good for you younger fans who have never been through this. This will be my 3rd finals. I was 20 yrs old when they won in '94, now I'm 40.
20 years was a long time comin'.
20 years was a long time comin'.
Raspewtin
Stay at home defenseman hater
- May 30, 2013
- 44,300
- 21,901
Dear Mighty and Fearful LA Kings, the true Gods of hockey, yee who stride like angels of forechecking amongst the weak and flatulent mortals of the East, we desperate and playoff-less rabble humbly supplicate ourselves so that yee may smite the all consuming Evil that haunts these rinks, the villainous and vile NY Rangers, the evil that fills us with impotent rage and makes our eyes brim with tears made of real tears. Hear our whine filled forum posts and rid us of this darkness that has stolen our dreams, our hopes and our brackets. This we humbly beseech thee.
Love, Devils fans everywhere.
Lost it at villainous and vile NY Rangers
Black Tank
Registered User
I gotta be honest, the LA Kings fetish on the main board is pissing me off. First of all, the Hawks are still there and as we found out last night, it just isn't over until the final whistle of win 4. Second, we all know LA is a good team and if it's them against the Rangers in the finals, the betting line will clearly show LA as favorites. But even the most casual fans knows how a game turns in seconds and inches and as long as the Rangers keep their mental focus, the games should be very hard fought because they are both very good teams.
I can't make any predictions because there is simply too much variability right now, but it is very unlikely that it will be 4 games of 7-2 wins by the Kings, with any Ranger under 6'2" being stretchered off the ice. It doesn't annoy me as a Rangers fan, it annoys me as a hockey fan because that's not how the Stanley Cup playoffs work in my 40 years of watching them (yup my first NHL memories are from 1974!!!).
I can't make any predictions because there is simply too much variability right now, but it is very unlikely that it will be 4 games of 7-2 wins by the Kings, with any Ranger under 6'2" being stretchered off the ice. It doesn't annoy me as a Rangers fan, it annoys me as a hockey fan because that's not how the Stanley Cup playoffs work in my 40 years of watching them (yup my first NHL memories are from 1974!!!).
I would rather play Chicago simply because Gaborik has played very well this postseason and I have a feeling he's going to kill us. lol
(I would love to have Gaborik back with AV as coach!!!!)
(I would love to have Gaborik back with AV as coach!!!!)
AlternateSideParking
Registered User
- Dec 11, 2005
- 21,599
- 5,132
Vanek was as bad in this series as Staal was, but both players were excellent in the previous rounds.
It happens. McDonagh sucked (and thats putting it lightly) against Philly, showed signs of coming around against the Pens, and was the best Ranger skater in the CF.
You're not going to get a four-round dominant performance from a skater. It's impossible to sustain that kind of consistency unless you're a guy like Richard or Gretzky or Orr.
Leetch was shut down by the Devils for most of the seven games in 1994, and was bobby orr in the finals.
The Rangers need to keep doing what theyre doing -- roll four lines, and get contributions from everyone. You're not going to score 4-5 goals a night against either team.
The Kings have eight forwards with 4 or more goals. The Rangers have seven. Chicago has 4.
It happens. McDonagh sucked (and thats putting it lightly) against Philly, showed signs of coming around against the Pens, and was the best Ranger skater in the CF.
You're not going to get a four-round dominant performance from a skater. It's impossible to sustain that kind of consistency unless you're a guy like Richard or Gretzky or Orr.
Leetch was shut down by the Devils for most of the seven games in 1994, and was bobby orr in the finals.
The Rangers need to keep doing what theyre doing -- roll four lines, and get contributions from everyone. You're not going to score 4-5 goals a night against either team.
The Kings have eight forwards with 4 or more goals. The Rangers have seven. Chicago has 4.
Same here I was 19 years old 20 years ago been watching since I was around 10, my dad always had the games on when it was on.
LGRDunDunDunDunDa
Registered User
- Mar 17, 2011
- 303
- 5
What a run so far and I watched all the postgame MSG,and NHL Network.
These guys are not satisfied at all yet.
They are CUP or Bust.
They have grown so much and have a rock in AV.
This team will win the Cup, it is there time!
These guys are not satisfied at all yet.
They are CUP or Bust.
They have grown so much and have a rock in AV.
This team will win the Cup, it is there time!
I hear you, Bluenote. I'm a few years older but 20 years ago seemed like a longgg time ago! Watched the clincher against the Devils back then at a Jersey shore bar just ahead of Memorial Day weekend, on a Friday, drinking pints of Bud, and maybe Busch. Funny enough that bar has changed. Watched last night on my couch, after watching in the kitchen and making dinner, drinking Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, wondering why I didn't keep up my 7 year old. Yea, 20 years ago was a longg time ago.
Inferno
Registered User
McKenzie said it best. Carey Price playing makes zero difference in this series, the Rangers were the better team.
captain9nyr
@captain9nyr
How We Got Here, and Keys to the Series
For the first time in 2 decades, the New York Rangers are back in the Stanley Cup Finals. For many, myself included, this was not something that could have been forecasted or predicted, but following a 7 game back and forth series against the Flyers, an unbelievable comeback from down 3 games to 1 against the Penguins, and a mostly dominant series against the Canadiens, the Rangers now await the winner of the Chicago Blackhawks and the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Finals, which start Wednesday, June 6th, in Chicago or Los Angeles.
The off-season of 2013 and start of the 2013-14 season was tumultuous to say the least, and saw the Rangers jettison former head coach John Tortorella, who had led the Rangers to the Conference Finals in 2012, and a very auspicious 3-7 start under newly minted coach Alain Vigneault, who himself had been let go by the Vancouver Canucks a few years after leading them to the Finals, falling to Boston in 7 games. Ironically enough, it was Tortorella who replaced Vigneault in Vancouver, as Vigneault was replacing Tortorella in New York. Considering the Rangers are now vying for the Stanley Cup, and Vancouver is again looking for a new coach after relieving Tortorella of his duties following a non-playoff season, it would appear that the Rangers came out ahead on that swap.
This 2014 edition of the Blueshirts is markedly different than their 2012 counterparts, even though much of the roster remains the same. Following two consecutive series in which the 2012 Rangers needed a Game 7 win at home to advance, the Rangers were simply gassed. The style of play that Tortorella instilled in the group led to the moniker “black-and-blueshirtsâ€, identified by a very physical team that led the league in blocked shots and hits, which is a very taxing style to play, and led to the Rangers’ demise.
Muddling through most of the regular season while learning Vigneault’s system, a large departure from the Tortorella mindset, the Rangers didn’t really hit their stride until after the Winter Olympics. There was a lot of uncertainty surrounding the contract situation of captain Ryan Callahan, who was rumored to be looking for a very lucative, long-term deal not commensurate with his production. At the same time, Tampa Bay Lightning captain, and the reigning NHL scoring champion, Martin St. Louis was demanding a trade out of Florida, with the Rangers as his only chosen destination. At the trade deadline. the Rangers subsequently packaged a couple of first round picks with Callahan and acquired St. Louis, whom they were hoping would bring the scoring touch that the team was missing, despite having players like Brad Richards and Rick Nash on the roster. The Rangers did not name a new captain after the trade.
In discussing what this team was able to accomplish to this point, the impact that a tragedy had on the team cannot be ignored. After a Game 4 loss against Pittsburgh, where the team looked lifeless and beaten, it was reported that Martin St. Louis’ mother, France, had passed away unexpectedly at the age of 63. With the team’s season on the brink, St. Louis flew from Montreal to Pittsburgh to play in Game 5. This game the team something to rally around, and sparked an unlikely comeback from down 3 games to 1 and propelled the Rangers to the next round. The team became much more of a tight knit unit during this time, and it’s fair to say that without this seminal moment, the Rangers may not be where they are now.
Entering the Stanley Cup Finals for only the 3rd time since 1979, this Rangers team is marked by balance between their forward lines, a very deep defensive corps, and arguable the best goaltender in the world. The shot-blocking mentality has been replaced by one that pushes for more offensive creativity and allows players like Carl Hagelin and Chris Kreider to use their elite-level speed to their advantage. This group doesn’t really have true marquee players up front, the way that Chicago has Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, and Los Angeles has Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter.
This Rangers team is the most talented and deepest roster the team has fielded since the hallowed year of 1994, their last finals appearance and their last Stanley Cup. This group truly has balance through the lineup. Derek Stepan, a few days removed from having surgery for a broken jaw at the hands of former teammate and current Canadiens enforcer Brandon Prust, centers Chris Kreider and Rick Nash. The crown jewel of the 2011 free agent crop, Brad Richards, centers Carl Hagelin and Martin St. Louis. The top two lines mirror each other very well, as a playmaking center (Stepan/Richards), join a speedster (Kreider/Hagelin) and a sniper (Nash/St. Louis) to create formidable trios. Arguably the most consistent line of the bunch has been their 3rd line, where Derick Brassard centers the diminutive Mats Zuccarello and enigmatic free-agent pickup Benoit Pouliot. The Rangers have relied on that line to create a spark all year, and that has been the one line coach “AV†has been the most reluctant to toy with. Rounding out the forwards is a 4th line where Dominic Moore centers Brian Boyle and Derek Dorsett, and the trio has been a very effective energy unit, akin to the 4th line that the 2012 Devils used to get past the Rangers.
On the back end, the Rangers have enviable depth. The Rangers top pair of Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi are among the league’s best, while Marc Staal, Anton Stralman, Kevin Klein, and John Moore round out one of the deepest defensive groups in the game. Each pair has balance in that one defender is more of an offensive threat, and the other more of a defensive stalwart. The group plays in front of Henrik Lundqvist, who has become the franchise leader in wins, playoff wins, and shutouts in his 9 year career and is regarded among the truly elite netminders in the game. His play is usually the reason the Rangers win games, and he will be asked to be what we have all seen and more.
Rangers expected lines for the Stanley Cup Finals
Forwards
Chris Kreider (20) – Derek Stepan (21) – Rick Nash (61)
Carl Hagelin (62) – Brad Richards (19) – Martin St. Louis (26)
Benoit Pouliot (67) – Derick Brassard (16) - Mats Zuccarello (36)
Brian Boyle (22) – Dominic Moore (28) – Derek Dorsett (15)
Defense
Ryan McDonagh (27) – Dan Girardi (5)
Marc Staal (18) – Anton Stralman (6)
*Rapheal Diaz (4) – Kevin Klein (8)
*John Moore (17) is currently suspended, and will return in Game 2 of the Finals.
Goaltending
Henrik Lundqvist (30)
Cam Talbot (33)
7 Keys to the series for the Rangers
• Embrace the role of the underdog again.
It is without question that the Rangers will stroll into Chicago or Los Angeles as the underdog. After all, they’re not supposed to be here. The Blackhawks are the defending champions and the Kings won it all in 2012. These two prospective opponents are among hockey’s best, and that’s what one would expect going this far in the tournament. Just as they were in their last 2 series against Pittsburgh and Montreal, the Rangers need to relish the role of not being expected to win and continue to “shock the worldâ€, even if it’s not as much of a shock to themselves. As Sports Illustrated recently noted, this Blueshirts team has become a lovable underdog, which is very unusual for a high profile team from New York in any sport.
• Stay out of the box.
The Rangers are going to have to win the special teams battle to stay with either of these teams. With the offensive talent both Chicago and L.A. have, it is not in the Rangers best interest to take unnecessary penalties and give some of the best offensive players in the world a man-advantage and a possible shooting gallery. The Rangers don’t have the firepower that both Western foes have, so it would be counter-productive to give them more chances.
• Speed Kills.
These Rangers are a fast bunch, with young wingers Carl Hagelin and Chris Kreider leading the way in that department. The Rangers are at their best when they are using their speed to their advantage and keeping defenders on their heels. If you look back to the Montreal series, the play where Chris Kreider ran into Canadiens goaltender Carey Price happened because he used his speed to beat Alexei Emelin at the blue line, leading to Emelin tripping up Kreider who barreled into Price, ending his series. What the Rangers can do with their speed is create matchup problems for the opposing defensemen. Teams have to change the way they defend in order to account for the ability of a Kreider or a Hagelin to blow past their defenders, and this is something the Rangers really need to take advantage of.
• Puck Possession.
An advantage the Rangers had through the Eastern playoffs was there they ranked among the league’s teams in “fancy stats†such as Corsi and Fenwick. For those who aren’t familiar, these statistics measure gross shot attempts and puck possession. The idea is that the more shots you’re taking, and the more you have the puck, the better your chances are of winning. Can’t score if you don’t have the puck, right? This is a major difference between the 2012 Rangers and the 2014 Rangers. Those Rangers led the league in hits and blocked shots, which are statistics that accumulate when a team doesn’t have the puck. The Rangers bread-and-butter this year is how much more time they control the play than does their opposition. They will not have as great an advantage in this case as they did against Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Montreal. Chicago and Los Angeles both ranked in the top 5, as did the Rangers, in these statistics.
• All Hands On Deck: offensive help from all sources.
The Rangers will need offensive production from their blue-line to have a chance in the series. Ryan McDonagh will be the lead horse in that effort, as his breakout season continues. He has been very consistent for the Rangers and he will need to continue that trend. Having said that, they will need Rick Nash to be the Rick Nash they thought they were getting when they disassembled the core of the 2012 team to acquire him from Columbus. They will also need Martin St. Louis to be Martin St. Louis, who will turn 39 in this series and may not have that many chances left to reach the promised land as he did in 2004 with Tampa Bay. These players are being paid big dollars to produce, the Rangers expended a great deal of assets to acquire them both, and they have not been on a greater stage than this as Rangers. Their production will be crucial, especially on the man-advantage, which has been streaky for the Rangers in the playoffs, both positively (3 goals in Game 1 against Montreal) and negatively (0 for 36 slump between the Flyers and Penguins series).
• Win Game 1.
The Rangers won Game 1 in every round of the playoffs to this point, and having the early lead in the series has been helpful, even against Pittsburgh when they proceeded to lose the next 3. A great start to each series has been a great harbinger for the Rangers, and has been key to their successes. They proved that they can come back in the Pittsburgh series, and they proved they are able to win Game 7’s in both the Pittsburgh series, and the Philadelphia series. Having said that, it’s not the situation they would prefer to be in.
• “The Kingâ€.
The key to winning the Stanley Cup for this Rangers team is the same as it has been for almost a decade: Henrik Lundqvist. Regardless of how talented the group up front has or hasn’t been in the past 9 years, it has been and will continue to be Lundqvist that is the backbone of the team and the main story in every game. So much has been said about “The Kingâ€, but this is the first time in his career he will play for the Stanley Cup. In Chicago, he would match up against Corey Crawford, who is more of an average goalie than a top-tier talent, despite his Stanley Cup win last year and 6 year $36 million contract he’ll begin receiving next season. In Los Angeles, he’ll matchup with Jonathan Quick, a Conn Smythe trophy winner as the MVP of the Playoffs in 2012 and a goalie who is discussed with the same respect and reverence as Lundqvist. Without question, he will have to outplay his counterpart for the Rangers to have a chance here. He is vital to the Rangers success, the same way he always has been. He has an opportunity now to reach true Rangers immortality if he plays the best few games of his career and leads the team down New York’s Canyon of Heroes as Stanley Cup Champions.
For the first time in 2 decades, the New York Rangers are back in the Stanley Cup Finals. For many, myself included, this was not something that could have been forecasted or predicted, but following a 7 game back and forth series against the Flyers, an unbelievable comeback from down 3 games to 1 against the Penguins, and a mostly dominant series against the Canadiens, the Rangers now await the winner of the Chicago Blackhawks and the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Finals, which start Wednesday, June 6th, in Chicago or Los Angeles.
The off-season of 2013 and start of the 2013-14 season was tumultuous to say the least, and saw the Rangers jettison former head coach John Tortorella, who had led the Rangers to the Conference Finals in 2012, and a very auspicious 3-7 start under newly minted coach Alain Vigneault, who himself had been let go by the Vancouver Canucks a few years after leading them to the Finals, falling to Boston in 7 games. Ironically enough, it was Tortorella who replaced Vigneault in Vancouver, as Vigneault was replacing Tortorella in New York. Considering the Rangers are now vying for the Stanley Cup, and Vancouver is again looking for a new coach after relieving Tortorella of his duties following a non-playoff season, it would appear that the Rangers came out ahead on that swap.
This 2014 edition of the Blueshirts is markedly different than their 2012 counterparts, even though much of the roster remains the same. Following two consecutive series in which the 2012 Rangers needed a Game 7 win at home to advance, the Rangers were simply gassed. The style of play that Tortorella instilled in the group led to the moniker “black-and-blueshirtsâ€, identified by a very physical team that led the league in blocked shots and hits, which is a very taxing style to play, and led to the Rangers’ demise.
Muddling through most of the regular season while learning Vigneault’s system, a large departure from the Tortorella mindset, the Rangers didn’t really hit their stride until after the Winter Olympics. There was a lot of uncertainty surrounding the contract situation of captain Ryan Callahan, who was rumored to be looking for a very lucative, long-term deal not commensurate with his production. At the same time, Tampa Bay Lightning captain, and the reigning NHL scoring champion, Martin St. Louis was demanding a trade out of Florida, with the Rangers as his only chosen destination. At the trade deadline. the Rangers subsequently packaged a couple of first round picks with Callahan and acquired St. Louis, whom they were hoping would bring the scoring touch that the team was missing, despite having players like Brad Richards and Rick Nash on the roster. The Rangers did not name a new captain after the trade.
In discussing what this team was able to accomplish to this point, the impact that a tragedy had on the team cannot be ignored. After a Game 4 loss against Pittsburgh, where the team looked lifeless and beaten, it was reported that Martin St. Louis’ mother, France, had passed away unexpectedly at the age of 63. With the team’s season on the brink, St. Louis flew from Montreal to Pittsburgh to play in Game 5. This game the team something to rally around, and sparked an unlikely comeback from down 3 games to 1 and propelled the Rangers to the next round. The team became much more of a tight knit unit during this time, and it’s fair to say that without this seminal moment, the Rangers may not be where they are now.
Entering the Stanley Cup Finals for only the 3rd time since 1979, this Rangers team is marked by balance between their forward lines, a very deep defensive corps, and arguable the best goaltender in the world. The shot-blocking mentality has been replaced by one that pushes for more offensive creativity and allows players like Carl Hagelin and Chris Kreider to use their elite-level speed to their advantage. This group doesn’t really have true marquee players up front, the way that Chicago has Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, and Los Angeles has Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter.
This Rangers team is the most talented and deepest roster the team has fielded since the hallowed year of 1994, their last finals appearance and their last Stanley Cup. This group truly has balance through the lineup. Derek Stepan, a few days removed from having surgery for a broken jaw at the hands of former teammate and current Canadiens enforcer Brandon Prust, centers Chris Kreider and Rick Nash. The crown jewel of the 2011 free agent crop, Brad Richards, centers Carl Hagelin and Martin St. Louis. The top two lines mirror each other very well, as a playmaking center (Stepan/Richards), join a speedster (Kreider/Hagelin) and a sniper (Nash/St. Louis) to create formidable trios. Arguably the most consistent line of the bunch has been their 3rd line, where Derick Brassard centers the diminutive Mats Zuccarello and enigmatic free-agent pickup Benoit Pouliot. The Rangers have relied on that line to create a spark all year, and that has been the one line coach “AV†has been the most reluctant to toy with. Rounding out the forwards is a 4th line where Dominic Moore centers Brian Boyle and Derek Dorsett, and the trio has been a very effective energy unit, akin to the 4th line that the 2012 Devils used to get past the Rangers.
On the back end, the Rangers have enviable depth. The Rangers top pair of Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi are among the league’s best, while Marc Staal, Anton Stralman, Kevin Klein, and John Moore round out one of the deepest defensive groups in the game. Each pair has balance in that one defender is more of an offensive threat, and the other more of a defensive stalwart. The group plays in front of Henrik Lundqvist, who has become the franchise leader in wins, playoff wins, and shutouts in his 9 year career and is regarded among the truly elite netminders in the game. His play is usually the reason the Rangers win games, and he will be asked to be what we have all seen and more.
Rangers expected lines for the Stanley Cup Finals
Forwards
Chris Kreider (20) – Derek Stepan (21) – Rick Nash (61)
Carl Hagelin (62) – Brad Richards (19) – Martin St. Louis (26)
Benoit Pouliot (67) – Derick Brassard (16) - Mats Zuccarello (36)
Brian Boyle (22) – Dominic Moore (28) – Derek Dorsett (15)
Defense
Ryan McDonagh (27) – Dan Girardi (5)
Marc Staal (18) – Anton Stralman (6)
*Rapheal Diaz (4) – Kevin Klein (8)
*John Moore (17) is currently suspended, and will return in Game 2 of the Finals.
Goaltending
Henrik Lundqvist (30)
Cam Talbot (33)
7 Keys to the series for the Rangers
• Embrace the role of the underdog again.
It is without question that the Rangers will stroll into Chicago or Los Angeles as the underdog. After all, they’re not supposed to be here. The Blackhawks are the defending champions and the Kings won it all in 2012. These two prospective opponents are among hockey’s best, and that’s what one would expect going this far in the tournament. Just as they were in their last 2 series against Pittsburgh and Montreal, the Rangers need to relish the role of not being expected to win and continue to “shock the worldâ€, even if it’s not as much of a shock to themselves. As Sports Illustrated recently noted, this Blueshirts team has become a lovable underdog, which is very unusual for a high profile team from New York in any sport.
• Stay out of the box.
The Rangers are going to have to win the special teams battle to stay with either of these teams. With the offensive talent both Chicago and L.A. have, it is not in the Rangers best interest to take unnecessary penalties and give some of the best offensive players in the world a man-advantage and a possible shooting gallery. The Rangers don’t have the firepower that both Western foes have, so it would be counter-productive to give them more chances.
• Speed Kills.
These Rangers are a fast bunch, with young wingers Carl Hagelin and Chris Kreider leading the way in that department. The Rangers are at their best when they are using their speed to their advantage and keeping defenders on their heels. If you look back to the Montreal series, the play where Chris Kreider ran into Canadiens goaltender Carey Price happened because he used his speed to beat Alexei Emelin at the blue line, leading to Emelin tripping up Kreider who barreled into Price, ending his series. What the Rangers can do with their speed is create matchup problems for the opposing defensemen. Teams have to change the way they defend in order to account for the ability of a Kreider or a Hagelin to blow past their defenders, and this is something the Rangers really need to take advantage of.
• Puck Possession.
An advantage the Rangers had through the Eastern playoffs was there they ranked among the league’s teams in “fancy stats†such as Corsi and Fenwick. For those who aren’t familiar, these statistics measure gross shot attempts and puck possession. The idea is that the more shots you’re taking, and the more you have the puck, the better your chances are of winning. Can’t score if you don’t have the puck, right? This is a major difference between the 2012 Rangers and the 2014 Rangers. Those Rangers led the league in hits and blocked shots, which are statistics that accumulate when a team doesn’t have the puck. The Rangers bread-and-butter this year is how much more time they control the play than does their opposition. They will not have as great an advantage in this case as they did against Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Montreal. Chicago and Los Angeles both ranked in the top 5, as did the Rangers, in these statistics.
• All Hands On Deck: offensive help from all sources.
The Rangers will need offensive production from their blue-line to have a chance in the series. Ryan McDonagh will be the lead horse in that effort, as his breakout season continues. He has been very consistent for the Rangers and he will need to continue that trend. Having said that, they will need Rick Nash to be the Rick Nash they thought they were getting when they disassembled the core of the 2012 team to acquire him from Columbus. They will also need Martin St. Louis to be Martin St. Louis, who will turn 39 in this series and may not have that many chances left to reach the promised land as he did in 2004 with Tampa Bay. These players are being paid big dollars to produce, the Rangers expended a great deal of assets to acquire them both, and they have not been on a greater stage than this as Rangers. Their production will be crucial, especially on the man-advantage, which has been streaky for the Rangers in the playoffs, both positively (3 goals in Game 1 against Montreal) and negatively (0 for 36 slump between the Flyers and Penguins series).
• Win Game 1.
The Rangers won Game 1 in every round of the playoffs to this point, and having the early lead in the series has been helpful, even against Pittsburgh when they proceeded to lose the next 3. A great start to each series has been a great harbinger for the Rangers, and has been key to their successes. They proved that they can come back in the Pittsburgh series, and they proved they are able to win Game 7’s in both the Pittsburgh series, and the Philadelphia series. Having said that, it’s not the situation they would prefer to be in.
• “The Kingâ€.
The key to winning the Stanley Cup for this Rangers team is the same as it has been for almost a decade: Henrik Lundqvist. Regardless of how talented the group up front has or hasn’t been in the past 9 years, it has been and will continue to be Lundqvist that is the backbone of the team and the main story in every game. So much has been said about “The Kingâ€, but this is the first time in his career he will play for the Stanley Cup. In Chicago, he would match up against Corey Crawford, who is more of an average goalie than a top-tier talent, despite his Stanley Cup win last year and 6 year $36 million contract he’ll begin receiving next season. In Los Angeles, he’ll matchup with Jonathan Quick, a Conn Smythe trophy winner as the MVP of the Playoffs in 2012 and a goalie who is discussed with the same respect and reverence as Lundqvist. Without question, he will have to outplay his counterpart for the Rangers to have a chance here. He is vital to the Rangers success, the same way he always has been. He has an opportunity now to reach true Rangers immortality if he plays the best few games of his career and leads the team down New York’s Canyon of Heroes as Stanley Cup Champions.
Wonder Years recently had a reunion. Coincidence?
she did a MUCH better job growing up compared to whoever the heck that is next to her (if thats fred savage then colour me shocked).
I have made one of these for each of the 3 series'. I feel like the observations and assumptions of playing style and match ups has been fairly spot on for the last 3 series' and I'm going to make one of these again for the Kings.
If the Hawks come back i'll re-do this for how we stack up against them, but I think the Kings take care of business tonight.
Offense: There are some key differences between these offenses that need to be established. These teams are not the same, although i've seen a lot of "the Kings are the Rangers with a better D". There is 1 common denominator between the two offenses and that is balance. Both teams can roll out 4 lines regularly without fearing disaster. But the similarities end there. The Rangers have a faster offense. LA has speed but no where near that of the Rangers'. However, LA has something that the Rangers lack (besides the obvious size which may or may not be an advantage). The Kings' offense is efficient and opportunistic while the Rangers are inefficient and unlucky. Kings resemble the Penguins in the regard that if they get a prime opportunity, more often than not, they'll bury it. The way that it will shake down is that the Rangers offense will create their opportunities by stretch passes and the Kings will create their opportunities by sending bodies to the net or capitalizing on Ranger mistakes. I'd give the offensive advantage to the Kings because they capitalize more often than we can.
Defense: The Kings are bigger but they are slower. The Rangers are faster but they are smaller. Kings have Doughty but I think he can be contained much in the same manner that Subban was contained for the last 6 games. After that we have a clear advantage over their defense. They play a similar defensive style to the Canadiens and Flyers where they clog up the passing lanes with their sticks. The Rangers found ways to beat both teams that played in this manner. The faster defense that we have will be able to mitigate the LA attack more than the Blackhawks have been able to. And for them, they will have to beat us with their secondary lines, on 5v5 hockey. I give the defensive advantage to the Rangers.
Goalies: It's even. A wash.
Coaches: Slight advantage to Sutter. Although I do believe that AV will be the hungrier of the two coaches. He'll likely have a score to settle from 2 years ago when LA embarrassed Vancouver in the first round.
Special Teams: The LA power play is better than our power play, but our penalty kill is better than their penalty kill. I'd say this is a wash, too... but I'm going to give this advantage to the Rangers, simply because normally, they will be the more disciplined team and likely take less penalties. I don't see the Kings getting under their skin like the Flyers and the Habs did. The special teams advantage over the series should go to the Rangers.
Playing style: The Kings take away the neutral zone and force teams to play dump and chase. The Rangers like to play a transitional style of hockey where they move through the neutral zone with short leading passes. Problem for the Kings is that the Rangers are also comfortable playing dump and chase. They excel at it, as we saw last night. They are a possession team and their speed allows them to take control of the puck in a dump and chase situation. They can move the puck well when they possess it. Rangers played their best game last night playing dump and chase hockey. However, the Kings are just an average team on 5 v 5 hockey. They have been scoring a lot of their goals on power play situations against the Hawks. The Rangers are the better 5 v 5 teams, but the less potent power play team. Stay out of the box and the games will be more manageable for the Rangers.
Overall analysis: It will be an even series. Both teams match up poorly against the other. The Kings will try to use their size, the Rangers will try and use their speed. The goalies are evenly matched and can both steal a game or two for their respective teams. The Rangers offense will give LA's defense fits while LA's defensive style will force Rangers into turnovers and their offense will capitalize on those mistakes. Staying out of the box will make winning easier/more realistic for the Rangers. Being penalized more often will clearly have negative repercussions.
Should be a fun 6/7 game series.
If the Hawks come back i'll re-do this for how we stack up against them, but I think the Kings take care of business tonight.
Offense: There are some key differences between these offenses that need to be established. These teams are not the same, although i've seen a lot of "the Kings are the Rangers with a better D". There is 1 common denominator between the two offenses and that is balance. Both teams can roll out 4 lines regularly without fearing disaster. But the similarities end there. The Rangers have a faster offense. LA has speed but no where near that of the Rangers'. However, LA has something that the Rangers lack (besides the obvious size which may or may not be an advantage). The Kings' offense is efficient and opportunistic while the Rangers are inefficient and unlucky. Kings resemble the Penguins in the regard that if they get a prime opportunity, more often than not, they'll bury it. The way that it will shake down is that the Rangers offense will create their opportunities by stretch passes and the Kings will create their opportunities by sending bodies to the net or capitalizing on Ranger mistakes. I'd give the offensive advantage to the Kings because they capitalize more often than we can.
Defense: The Kings are bigger but they are slower. The Rangers are faster but they are smaller. Kings have Doughty but I think he can be contained much in the same manner that Subban was contained for the last 6 games. After that we have a clear advantage over their defense. They play a similar defensive style to the Canadiens and Flyers where they clog up the passing lanes with their sticks. The Rangers found ways to beat both teams that played in this manner. The faster defense that we have will be able to mitigate the LA attack more than the Blackhawks have been able to. And for them, they will have to beat us with their secondary lines, on 5v5 hockey. I give the defensive advantage to the Rangers.
Goalies: It's even. A wash.
Coaches: Slight advantage to Sutter. Although I do believe that AV will be the hungrier of the two coaches. He'll likely have a score to settle from 2 years ago when LA embarrassed Vancouver in the first round.
Special Teams: The LA power play is better than our power play, but our penalty kill is better than their penalty kill. I'd say this is a wash, too... but I'm going to give this advantage to the Rangers, simply because normally, they will be the more disciplined team and likely take less penalties. I don't see the Kings getting under their skin like the Flyers and the Habs did. The special teams advantage over the series should go to the Rangers.
Playing style: The Kings take away the neutral zone and force teams to play dump and chase. The Rangers like to play a transitional style of hockey where they move through the neutral zone with short leading passes. Problem for the Kings is that the Rangers are also comfortable playing dump and chase. They excel at it, as we saw last night. They are a possession team and their speed allows them to take control of the puck in a dump and chase situation. They can move the puck well when they possess it. Rangers played their best game last night playing dump and chase hockey. However, the Kings are just an average team on 5 v 5 hockey. They have been scoring a lot of their goals on power play situations against the Hawks. The Rangers are the better 5 v 5 teams, but the less potent power play team. Stay out of the box and the games will be more manageable for the Rangers.
Overall analysis: It will be an even series. Both teams match up poorly against the other. The Kings will try to use their size, the Rangers will try and use their speed. The goalies are evenly matched and can both steal a game or two for their respective teams. The Rangers offense will give LA's defense fits while LA's defensive style will force Rangers into turnovers and their offense will capitalize on those mistakes. Staying out of the box will make winning easier/more realistic for the Rangers. Being penalized more often will clearly have negative repercussions.
Should be a fun 6/7 game series.
- Status
