Pre-Game Talk: Stanley Cup Final: New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings

[GordonGecko]

PEOPLE ARE REALLY ANGRY ABOUT THE RANGERS’ SUCCESS
http://nyrangersblog.com/uncategori...angry-about-the-rangers-success-you-guys.html

 

[NikC]

Malkin and Crosby didn't have 3-4 other threats behind them. It was a 1-2 trick Pony for Philly & Pittsburgh.

What? What do you consider Kunitz 35g, Neal 27G, Jokinen, 21g
Niskanen 46p and Letang?

Throw in Stempiank, Suter, and Goc with 10g each?

In addition to the two best players in the WORLD!



We beat a superior team in the Penguins already. Why do people dismiss this just because they have weaknesses?

crazy talk.

 

[MGF0723]

I just read through the Kings thread on their board...my god. They think our team sucks. I'm ****ing pumped now. I want this so bad.

Los Angeles, the city, in general has always been a bunch of ass out, nose up elitists. Let them think what they want.

 

[aufheben]

I consider them Crosby and Malkin's line mates, lol.

 

[Lime]

The Rangers have given up 9 PPGs in the playoffs. Six to the Flyers. 1 to the Penguins. Pittsburgh had 6 PPGs against Columbus. 2 to Montreal. The Habs had 12 PPGs in the playoffs. 2 against Tampa Bay. 8 against Boston. LA has scored 17 PPGs. The Rangers have 11 PPGs. LA was 6 for 19 against Chicago the PP. 31.5%. Chicago was 6 for 22 against LA on the PP. 27%. LA has given up 15 PPGs. The Rangers did a good job shutting down the Penguins and Habs on the power play after they averaged at least one power play goal per game in their previous series. The Hawks had 12 PPGs in the playoffs. 6 of them came against the Kings. The Rangers will get their looks on the PP. Ulf Samuelsson runs the PK. He made the proper adjustments in the last two series.

RB I think your sarcastic 1994 forever avatar change was the turning point of this season. 2014 forever!

 

[Maximus]

I'm shocked...

I have to admit that I am absolutely shocked that no one is giving us much of a chance here. Not losing sleep about this and it will be even sweeter when victory is our but what are we missing here?

Sure there are some very ignorant folks here on the boards and even on our board and some folks are just blind homers and don't see anything thru their red,white and blue colored glasses.

I truly am trying my damnedest to be objective here and looking at both teams and both teams strengths and weaknesses, I can't see this series going anything but minimum of 6 games and likely 7. Yet most "experts" in the national media of both Canada and here in the US are not expecting this to go more than 6 and 95% of folks are picking the Kings.

So in my unbiased view(I'm trying here), here's what I see are strengths of LA:

PP with Doughty QB'ing it....Physicality....top tier goaltending in Quick....solid d-corps 6 deep....solid fwds that can roll for sure 3 very good lines if not 4.

Here's what I see are strengths of Rangers: Excellent team speed....top tier goaltending in Henrik...solid d-corps 6 deep...solid fwds that can roll 4 very good lines.

I've obviously simplified things but does Kings physicality outweigh our definite speed advantage and make it a no brainer that LA wins? I don't see it. This series by accident has to go at least 6 and depending upon some puck luck, Rangers can win just as easily as LA. Someone...anyone please tell me what I'm missing. How can anyone who follows hockey, knows the game and has watched the two teams think that these two teams are very close in talent and no way any one team is a dominating favorite. Look forward to reading some responses.

 

[GordonGecko]

I have to admit that I am absolutely shocked that no one is giving us much of a chance here. Not losing sleep about this and it will be even sweeter when victory is our but what are we missing here?

Why are you shocked? People around the league have zero respect for the Rangers, it does not matter who is on the team. This isn't something new, now that we're in the finals they're freaking out because it makes them look bad having talked us down all year. This is a good thing, as long as the Rangers stay on their game plan there is no way on god's green earth we're not going to find a way to bring home the Cup

 

[Killem Dafoe]

0% shocked that no one is giving us a chance. We are clearly and understandably the underdog here.

And with this group I wouldn't want it any other way.

 

[aufheben]

0% shocked that no one is giving us a chance. We are clearly and understandably the underdog here.

And with this group I wouldn't want it any other way.

Well, the poll on the main board is actually 40/60; I think the most obnoxious and clueless statements are just the loudest. Got a hearty LOL out of comparisons to the 2002 Final though. What is it, the dumbest wheel squeaks the loudest?

 

[New York RKY]

Why do we feel the need to defend our team?

Just reading their posts and seeing comments such as "do they have a second pair defense" and "av will roll 3 lines" they clearly haven't seen much of this team. There's no need to defend the Rangers. Hopefully the Rangers play will do the talking and hopefully king's fans are in for a rude awakening.

 

[Killem Dafoe]

Well, the poll on the main board is actually 40/60; I think the most obnoxious and clueless statements are just the loudest.

Haven't really checked that out, or the main boards too much. Honestly, I'm just trying to stay in a state of Zen. We are here. I just want to savor this moment and not start popping blood vessels until the series starts.

 

[Maximus]

Killem and Gecko...I hear ya fellas loud and clear...I do. But there are people I respect and who do know their hockey and even they are saying we have no shot. I don't know fellas, it's very surprising that just us here in Ranger Nation see what no one else does. WE have a heck of good hockey team....we really do. I understand that some folks don't want to admit they are wrong and I understand how stubborness is a tough thing to overcome. And trust me, I do relish this underdog role we have but it's ridiculous the things I'm reading...."we will be lucky to win even a game and that's only if King steals one". "Rags will be pulverized by Kings physicality"....yada yada yada.

Do some of these folks realize that due to Rangers speed and skill level, it's not going to be all to easy to line up our guys for these supposed big hits? I don't know...I can't wait for us to shock the world and win this puppy in 6...going to be alot of fun boys

 

[aufheben]

The self-deprecation is admittedly getting a little old. Just meeting hyperbole with hyperbole. If the Rangers are going to earn respect, it's gonna be on the ice, not on HFBoards. Hell, even if they win the Cup, there's still gonna be a large faction of people trying to add their own asterisk to it, for whatever arbitrary and bitter reasons.

 

[GordonGecko]

No Ranger fan (sane ones anyway) is declaring that we're going to win the cup or anything like that.

I am, and I think I'm pretty sane. That line under my username, "Stanley Cup 2014", I have had since the beginning of the season. I have full faith in AV, we are so close there is no way we're not going to close this. LA has better players, we have a better team

 

[AdamGravesNight]

There is only ONE TRUE KING in all of hockey, and LA/the rest of the world are about to find out just who that is.

 

[aufheben]

Haven't really checked that out, or the main boards too much. Honestly, I'm just trying to stay in a state of Zen. We are here. I just want to savor this moment and not start popping blood vessels until the series starts.

Yeah, I don't know what people expect to find on other teams' boards.

 

[KHenry14]

Quick likes to go down early, shoot high. He's not a world beater.

Yeah, I wonder why Kane and Toews never thought of that???

 

[Maximus]

I am, and I think I'm pretty sane. That line under my username, "Stanley Cup 2014", I have had since the beginning of the season. I have full faith in AV, we are so close there is no way we're not going to close this. LA has better players, we have a better team

I'm with ya GG. I'm very sane, have been following and playing hockey for past 40 years and feel I know our sport very well. I don't see anyway shape or form that this series goes less than 6 games. I see no way the Rangers will not be prepared for the Kings. I think the rest we have gotten will end up playing HUGE dividends beginning Game 3 forward. We have some big guys on our team also and so I don't see this supposed physical advantage Kings have being any big deal... I really don't. And to be honest as good a goalie as Quick is, I firmly believe Lundqvist is better and is on a mission this year to win his first Cup. I think we will do it...no question. I can't see anyway this isn't a close series...none!

 

[aufheben]

Yeah, I wonder why Kane and Toews never thought of that???

Hawks scored 3.29 goals per game against the Kings. They lost because the Kings had free parking in front of Crawford, who isn't that great to begin with, all series long.

 

[Bullseyes]

Yeah, I wonder why Kane and Toews never thought of that???

They had no problem scoring on Quick.

 

[KHenry14]

Hawks scored 3.29 goals per game against the Kings. They lost because the Kings had free parking in front of Crawford, who isn't that great to begin with, all series long.

Hawks have a great offense, no doubt. So the scoring was no surprise.

My comment was made because we Kings fans read that it's easy to beat Quick by shooting high all the time. Yet all he does is win.

 

[aufheben]

Hawks have a great offense, no doubt. So the scoring was no surprise.

My comment was made because we Kings fans read that it's easy to beat Quick by shooting high all the time. Yet all he does is win.

Every goalie has [supposed] weaknesses, I wouldn't read into it too much.

 

[Thirty One]

http://puckprediction.com/2014/06/02/2013-14-nhl-playoffs-stanley-cup-final-prediction/

Puck prediction's statistical forecast has the Rangers as 51% favorites.

 

[Bullseyes]

Hawks have a great offense, no doubt. So the scoring was no surprise.

My comment was made because we Kings fans read that it's easy to beat Quick by shooting high all the time. Yet all he does is win.

Winning is hockey is a team effort. Quick would be way down on the list of reasons that the Kings won that series. I thought he was outplayed by Crawford tbh.

 

[ThisYearsModel]

Killem and Gecko...I hear ya fellas loud and clear...I do. But there are people I respect and who do know their hockey and even they are saying we have no shot. I don't know fellas, it's very surprising that just us here in Ranger Nation see what no one else does. WE have a heck of good hockey team....we really do. I understand that some folks don't want to admit they are wrong and I understand how stubborness is a tough thing to overcome. And trust me, I do relish this underdog role we have but it's ridiculous the things I'm reading...."we will be lucky to win even a game and that's only if King steals one". "Rags will be pulverized by Kings physicality"....yada yada yada.

Do some of these folks realize that due to Rangers speed and skill level, it's not going to be all to easy to line up our guys for these supposed big hits? I don't know...I can't wait for us to shock the world and win this puppy in 6...going to be alot of fun boys

Assuming you guys don't live in SoCal, like I do. You should hear it here. Unbelievably arrogant bandwagonners (as most LA sports fans are). I am wearing Rangers gear every time I leave the house this week, including tonight to the kid's HS hockey tryout where I will see, among others, Teemu Selanne. I am going to try to get Teemu to wear a Rangers hat and take a picture with me. If I get it, I will post it. It is almost like having to deal with the carpetbaggers from the Islanders and Devils when I lived back there. For this reason, the Rangers need to come through so I will have bragging rights over these bandwagon Kings fans.