Post-Game Talk: Toronto Maple Leafs @ New York Rangers 3/5/2014

[Blueshirt Believer]

Pouliot was playing his best hockey...well, since coming into the NHL with Zuccarello.

Stepan should be with Hagelin and...I don't know. Definitely not St. Louis or Nash...I don't know, AV has to get creative.

But Nash and Stepan need to be separated

Stepan needs to simplify his game. Pouliot can actually assist in the corners were both Hags/Step can play as well. That line, against lesser defensive units, could actually produce.

I was only saying you should take a look at Nash with Brassard/Zucc. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work.

 

[Thunderhead]

Wow.............. Caps with 3 goals. 4-3 with 10 min to go .

 

[Holocene]

Wow.............. Caps with 3 goals. 4-3 with 10 min to go .

Of course. Why wouldn't that be a 3 point game?!

 

[aufheben]

Then throw Brass in there. Stepan really isn't playing well enough for me to want him to go anywhere, honestly. When Zucc gets back there should be some shuffling.

Also, MSL barely had time before the game. Once the players stop thinking "just give it to MSL" and actually start playing/practicing with him, they'll realize where he's going to be and find out about his game a little more. Things will come together.

Kreider - Stepan - MSL. Stepan, and Kreider too for that matter, aren't making players around them better; put someone with them who doesn't need to be better. Put our best player with them.

 

[Killem Dafoe]

Kreider - Stepan - MSL. Stepan, and Kreider too for that matter, aren't making players around them better; put someone with them who doesn't need to be better. Put our best player with them.

MSL makes everyone around him better. Put him with youngins. If he and Richards can rekindle some old flame and tear it up together, then great, but putting him with Stepan and Kreider might just turn their games around.

 

[n8]

Hags looked confused out there tonight but one added benefit of MSL that I hadn't thought of --- completely, while I thought he is going to be a good role model for Zukes, he's also going to teach our other players a lot and rub off on them in the right way. I saw a lot of instruction from him to Hags. I think Torts system had more emphasis on a brutal and aggressive forecheck which really utilizes Hags speed and was something he excelled at. Cycling and grinding work to his style. What we play these days, well hopefully MSL is a great teacher. The line generated a lot of chances but it was more MSL and Richards. Hags was more of a tourist from what i saw.

 

[aufheben]

MSL makes everyone around him better. Put him with youngins. If he and Richards can rekindle some old flame and tear it up together, then great, but putting him with Stepan and Kreider might just turn their games around.

Elementary, my dear Killem. I'd rather try that before they start demoting Stepan. Honestly, this team kinda looks like crap without Zucc. Does that say more about the whole roster, Zucc's skill, both?

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Hags looked confused out there tonight but one added benefit of MSL that I hadn't thought of --- completely, while I thought he is going to be a good role model for Zukes, he's also going to teach our other players a lot and rub off on them in the right way. I saw a lot of instruction from him to Hags. I think Torts system had more emphasis on a brutal and aggressive forecheck which really utilizes Hags speed and was something he excelled at. Cycling and grinding work to his style. What we play these days, well hopefully MSL is a great teacher. The line generated a lot of chances but it was more MSL and Richards. Hags was more of a tourist from what i saw.

I think not necessarily being able to teach what is being asked from some of these forwards is a major part of the problem.

 

[GregSirico]

Also, Zuccarello comes back Friday.

 

[Thunderhead]

Of course. Why wouldn't that be a 3 point game?!

5-3

 

[*Bob Richards*]

Yeah, and if MSL can't get Stepan going, I don't know what will. Stepan's play this season is reminding me of Beaver '12-13, still puts up points but is not an impact player.

I definitely see what you're getting at but Steps is nowhere near the liability Richards was last year. The guy was a straight detriment.

 

[aufheben]

I definitely see what you're getting at but Steps is nowhere near the liability Richards was last year. The guy was a straight detriment.

Yeah but he hasn't exactly been "wowing" me with his defensive prowess like he has in the past, either. Agreed though.

 

[Callagraves]

When Benoit Pouliot is your grittiest forward, well, you're the New York Rangers.

****ing THIS.

It's tough to watch the the forwards phone it in every night

 

[varanger94]

I'm really pissed that the reffing in this game was so one-sided.

I expect that garbage up in Canada. Not at home.

“OH CANADA†Come on. The same trip not called on St. Louis, called on Bucky. LOL, it backfired on them. That was a penalty shot? Anything that even looked like a penalty was called on us and Toronto got away with murder. We all know about Dean Morton and the game in Chicago in 2009, but Leggo was even more atrocious. Sauer probably cracked a smile when Phaneuf kicked in that goal. Surprised it didn’t go to Toronto and the goal taken away from the Rangers with a direct kicking motion.

These a--holes make watching games so difficult to enjoy.

 

[Crease]

Hags spent most of his ice-time chasing MSL down for an autograph.

 

[GregSirico]

MSL looked mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted in the post game interview.

 

[varanger94]

****ing THIS.

It's tough to watch the the forwards phone it in every night

Nash showed so much hustle on the winning goal.

 

[Crease]

MSL looked mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted in the post game interview.

Can't blame him. Two games. Three Cities. And a trade. Wild 24 hours for him.

 

[Thunderhead]

5-4 Flyers. Man , Mason is terrible and we only managed 2 goals against him .

 

[Leonardo87]

****ing THIS.

It's tough to watch the the forwards phone it in every night

Are you going to watch the game tomorrow?

 

[GregSirico]

5-4 Flyers. Man , Mason is terrible and we only managed 2 goals against him .

We are slumping collectively right now.

 

[RGY]

MSL looked great tonight. Richards looked ignited with him, there was a different kinda jump in his game tonight. I thought hagelin was moving well but was looking to pass to MSL too much.

This team will be fine. Lets see them friday with Zucc back

 

[GregSirico]

Zuccarello coming back guys ... we got some depth at D as well ... and I honestly expect Miller to be back with this team at some point. We just need to find our game, we are collectively slumping.

 

[Fataldogg]

From an entertainment stand point, really fun game to watch. Grade A chances at each end. Some good goaltending. Fast pace.

Rangers played a fine game. They had a few bad defensive breakdowns that were costly. First goal Moore missed his assignment and it lead to a penalty shot. Second goal it looked like Stralman fell down, letting a player into the slot to shoot, then an uncontested rebound. Third goal was a big mistake by McDonagh, for some reason he felt the need to go behind the net, two Rangers behind the net, one Leaf behind the net, it left Bozak wide open literally right in front of the net. I'm kind of surprised McDonagh did that.

Team battled hard. Moore was huge on the PK. I thought MSL looked great with Richards and Hagelin. I wouldn't mind Kreider getting a look on the left side (give some size to that line).

Plus, we got a point. Have to take the positive out of it. This was a game either team could have won. Both teams played well. And it was one defensive gaffe at the end of the game that was the difference.

On to the next one.

 

[Fataldogg]

I know it's tough to watch, but this board was ready to publicly execute Hank on the ps goal and Nash on the gwg

People need people to blame.

Lundqvist wasn't at fault for any of the goals. Didn't come up big on the penalty shot, but its hard to blame a goaltender on a breakaway, let alone a penalty shot.

Nash played fine. He had some looks. Didn't score a goal, but I thought he had a solid performance. St. Louis had some good looks too, and he didn't score either. It is what it is.

Last goal was on McDonagh. Kessel was already covered behind the net. You don't go behind the net to double team Kessel and leave Bozak completely uncontested in front

I don't know why anyone would blame Nash for the GWG, unless I missed something? I love McDonagh, but that one was pretty much on him.