Series Talk: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New York Rangers | Eastern Conference Finals

[NickyFotiu]

We need to stop whining. If before the season started we were told we would be in a best of 3 (with home ice) in the conference finals we would have been thrilled. Lets win game 5 at home. Then the pressure shifts.

 

[McRanger92]

Tampa clearly learned a lot playing the Islanders. They are totally content to muck it up at home and hope a young Rangers team makes enough mistakes for them to pot 2 or 3 then let Vasilevskiy bring it home.

It will be a different ballgame at MSG though.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Good question. Game 5 is do or die and he just can't be in the lineup but I'm sure he will be. With the injuries and all the hockey that this team has played we need new blood and fresh legs desperately.

Im a big play tough guy but Reeves isn't supplying what we need this series. He did do it vs Pitt and vs Carolina. Question is without Reeves will Maroon run wild?

 

[Clark Kellogg]

Early edition Media Availability. Andrew Copp, Tyler Motte and Coach Gerard Gallant.
Gallant sounds horse. Screaming or Allergies?

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Tampa clearly learned a lot playing the Islanders. They are totally content to muck it up at home and hope a young Rangers team makes enough mistakes for them to pot 2 or 3 then let Vasilevskiy bring it home.

It will be a different ballgame at MSG though.

they didn't learn anything from the Islanders, they've been able to do this for years.

They did it against us in 2015.

 

[McRanger92]

they didn't learn anything from the Islanders, they've been able to do this for years.

They did it against us in 2015.

Revisionist history. Tampa played much more of a track meet style in that series. The aging and injured Rangers couldnt keep up.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

I appreciate Ryan Reaves more than many on here, but really how useless has this guy been?

Last night was the perfect excuse for him to step up with the intimidation factor, getting on their D in the corners, etc. and he was a ghost.

What is the purpose of having him in the lineup if he isn't capable or willing to do that? He did it for like 4-5 periods in the Pens series and it was a massive boost.

And with Strome and Chytil possibly out for game 5, gotta take Reaves out of the lineup and plug in Hunt, Brodzinski and/or Gauthier. We need the speed and forecheck going. These guys may not score but at least they'll be able to get some O-zone time.

Gauthier might actually be useful here. If nothing else he brings speed, size, and crashes the net consistently when he plays.

Gallant has to do something.

Kreider - Zibanejad - Vatrano
Panarin - Copp - Hunt
Lafreniere - Goodrow - Kakko
Motte - Rooney - Gauthier

These injuries... it's like the 2015 ECF all over again.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Revisionist history. Tampa played much more of a track meet style in that series. The aging and injured Rangers couldnt keep up.

Did you watch games 5 and 7?

They did this exact same thing.

it may not have been plan A for them, but they were able to carry it out.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

I just hope they're not as dejected as the fans are. The series is right there for the taking. Best of 3 with home ice. Whatever happened in the first 4 games is irrelevant now.

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

We need to stop whining. If before the season started we were told we would be in a best of 3 (with home ice) in the conference finals we would have been thrilled. Lets win game 5 at home. Then the pressure shifts.

Was just coming in here to say that, lol.

 

[savebyrichter94]

Revisionist history. Tampa played much more of a track meet style in that series. The aging and injured Rangers couldnt keep up.

In a way it’s sort of a blueprint for this team moving forward, for the most part we want to score off the rush and haven’t fully committed up and down the lineup to playing a more playoff style game, Tampa was once like we are now and it took heartbreak, setbacks and the right moves before they ultimately prevailed, keep this young core together and let them learn and grow from these experiences and I think similar results are possible

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

And with Strome and Chytil possibly out for game 5, gotta take Reaves out of the lineup and plug in Hunt, Brodzinski and/or Gauthier. We need the speed and forecheck going. These guys may not score but at least they'll be able to get some O-zone time.

Gauthier might actually be useful here. If nothing else he brings speed, size, and crashes the net consistently when he plays.

Gallant has to do something.

Kreider - Zibanejad - Vatrano
Panarin - Copp - Hunt
Lafreniere - Goodrow - Kakko
Motte - Rooney - Gauthier

These injuries... it's like the 2015 ECF all over again.

Gauthier has been healthy and available this whole time.

He hasn't gotten in a game in like 2 months and like 1 game in 3+ months.

He isn't an option.

 

[McRanger92]

Did you watch games 5 and 7?

They did this exact same thing.

it may not have been plan A for them, but they were able to carry it out.

I try to block them from my memory but yes I did watch. I attribute those shutouts more to the Rangers having 4 injured defenseman, no Zucc and the ghost of Marty St. Louis

In a way it’s sort of a blueprint for this team moving forward, for the most part we want to score off the rush and haven’t fully committed up and down the lineup to playing a more playoff style game, Tampa was once like we are now and it took heartbreak, setbacks and the right moves before they ultimately prevailed, keep this young core together and let them learn and grow from these experiences and I think similar results are possible

I agree and regardless of how this run ends, its hard to be anything but excited for this team going forward. Sometimes you learn lessons the hard way. Just ask the Lightning & Avalanche.

 

[IDvsEGO]

I try to block them from my memory but yes I did watch. I attribute those shutouts more to the Rangers having 4 injured defenseman, no Zucc and the ghost of Marty St. Louis



I agree and regardless of how this run ends, its hard to be anything but excited for this team going forward. Sometimes you learn lessons the hard way. Just ask the Lightning & Avalanche.

Theres nothing wrong with learning a lesson in the ECF. If our first run is all the way to the ECF that just shows what we can do. Young teams typically don't make a run this deep at first.

Our core is mostly set, we don't have massive UFA's this year, and we still have some young talent coming in to fill holes. We didn't mortgage the future for this run.

 

[McRanger92]

Theres nothing wrong with learning a lesson in the ECF. If our first run is all the way to the ECF that just shows what we can do. Young teams typically don't make a run this deep at first.

Our core is mostly set, we don't have massive UFA's this year, and we still have some young talent coming in to fill holes. We didn't mortgage the future for this run.

Yup. This team is staying mostly together for at least 2 more runs before they need to move out a contract. Theyve shown us they can win series (if you dont think this is huge mentally, look at Toronto) and that our stars show up in big moments. These Rangers already look like they belong here more than the Lundqvist era teams ever did when they were hanging on for dear life and hoping Hank saved them.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Theres nothing wrong with learning a lesson in the ECF. If our first run is all the way to the ECF that just shows what we can do. Young teams typically don't make a run this deep at first.

Our core is mostly set, we don't have massive UFA's this year, and we still have some young talent coming in to fill holes. We didn't mortgage the future for this run.

Probably a discussion better suited for the roster thread, but the biggest challenge is going to be bridging the gap between vets and youth in a way that maximizes total team performance and especially performance / $.

The timing of Panarin, Kreider, Trouba at a minimum IMO is questionable with how it connects with the development of the kids from both a peak combined roster output, as well as perhaps more importantly financially.

My fear is the NYR end up with "two windows" that are at 75% of optimal because in one instance the kids are too green and in the other the vets are terrible value / $ and the team can't be as complete because of that.

It is what it is. But NYR are in a strange position where you can say so much of this roster (especially current and projected future core players) are so young and gaining such great experience that should only be a good thing for the franchise moving forward. But they also have large investments across the roster (that are not going away any time soon), investments I personally am unsure of regarding whether they will be net positives or net negatives as the young portion of the roster matures.

Drury doesn't have an immediate fire under his ass this summer but the next 2-3 years are going to require a ton of creativity.

 

[17futurecap]

Just start with getting Goodrow out of the top 6, he should be getting 4th line minutes five on five, if he wants to throw his broken ankle in front of shots on the PK, I guess that’s fine?

He can’t skate, it’s insane how many minutes he got last night.

 

[cheech70]

Tampa clearly learned a lot playing the Islanders. They are totally content to muck it up at home and hope a young Rangers team makes enough mistakes for them to pot 2 or 3 then let Vasilevskiy bring it home.

It will be a different ballgame at MSG though.

I hope your right ...I was at msg game 5 and 7 2015 ecf....we got shut out and I am getting the same vibe.

 

[Crease]

Just start with getting Goodrow out of the top 6, he should be getting 4th line minutes five on five, if he wants to throw his broken ankle in front of shots on the PK, I guess that’s fine?

He can’t skate, it’s insane how many minutes he got last night.

Not much alternative with their 2C and 3C hurt. It was either give ice time to Goodrow, or give it to Copp (who they view as a winger not center) and Rooney. They really need Strome and Chytil ready to go tomorrow.

 

[17futurecap]

Not much alternative with their 2C and 3C hurt. It was either give ice time to Goodrow, or give it to Copp (who they view as a winger not center) and Rooney. They really need Strome and Chytil ready to go tomorrow.

Goodrow took one faceoff last night, if both are out, you can’t roll that Bread-Copp-Goodrow line like he did in the first last night, it was embarrassing.

Would like a top six of some mix of Mika, Copp, Bread, Kreider, Laf and Kakko.

Third line I guess would have Goodrow centering Vatrano and Motte, Motte can use his speed to help Goodrow at least.

4th line of Hunt Brod and Rooney? I guess, but I know it will be Reaves and Rooney both in.

 

[cheech70]

feeling a little bummed out

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

feeling a little bummed out

It's almost a miracle we were even up 2-0 in this series to begin with, lol. The rangers just love taking every series to 7 games, lol

 

[17futurecap]

feeling a little bummed out

It’s almost like teams in the playoffs are good, and can also respond to a loss. I don’t buy the lack of desperation thing from Carp, but I’m never going to be a Carp fan.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

20 minutes for Ryan Reaves tomorrow should tilt the series back in our favor

 

[McRanger92]

feeling a little bummed out

Rick loves calling out the team now that he doesnt interact with them anymore.

The unspoken part of this is that 2 teams are involved in these games. Very often when both are evenly matched in a series, the team that needs it more usually wins.