Post-Game Talk: We did it!!!!!!!!!

[The Lunatic Fridge]

LOL at votes being

159 lundqvist
11 boyle


everyone else.

 

[ArPanet]

Do you remember 10-4 over and out?

Sure don't (and it sounds like I'm lucky I don't).

 

[trilobyte]

LOL at votes being

159 lundqvist
11 boyle


everyone else.

The voting was screwed. Only one choice was allowed. I took Lundqvist, though I also would have voted Boyle and Staal.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Snowblind where aaaaarrrrrrreeeeee yyyyyyyooooooouuuuuuuu

One day, we will learn what Hank is made out of. It's clearly not human. Hopefully there is no Krypton in Montreal or Boston

Maybe read the posts first, I posted and said this was the best series of his career.

 

[Greg02]

LOL at votes being

159 lundqvist
11 boyle


everyone else.

3 Rick Nash

 

[ArPanet]

So proud of this team and so excited to still be playing hockey in May. The beard is staying!

The depth this team has is fantastic. Benoit Pouliot has been fantastic. He's been playing with grit and skill. The whole line, like they have been all year, have been great.

Nash has got to be hurt in some way, shape or form. He just looks like he's 2 steps behind every play, looks slow, and just tries to get off the ice as fast as possible. Hopefully he can be better next round against a smaller MTL team, or against a bigger, but slower Boston team. He needs to be doing something when we can't get goals from the rest of the team, because let's face it, streaks happen (see Games 3 and 4 of this series).

Back to tonight's game though, the King was phenomenal...again. Never doubted him. Anyone who says he isn't a big game player has never watched him. Even before this, he's always played great in the playoffs, but when your team can never score more than 2 goals (and that's usually a lot for them), you're not winning many games.

1) Hank
2) Boyle
3) The rest of the team.

Great team effort all around. Would like to see them not turtle again though, it's been the death of them many of times. Teams that win hit the pedal, put their foot on throat, etc. and finish off their opponent. In the next series, we need to find a way to get that 3rd goal.

4 2 on 1s 1 meager shot had me worried. But this US no time to be critical. Still...gotta be more lethal.

 

[RangerBlues]

Sure don't (and it sounds like I'm lucky I don't).

That was the backpage headline of DailyNews after being annihilated and humiliated in 1992.

 

[nevesis]

Henrik Lundqvist is 5-1 with a 1.00 GAA, a .965 SV%, and one shutout in six career Game 7s.

#ridiculous

 

[dr robbie]

Congrats Rangers. I'm still upset about blowing the series, but holy freaking crap I just gained a lot of respect for Lundqvist over these last three games. Maybe I've just been watching Fleury too long, but that was beyond belief goaltending in three straight do-or-die games. Just unreal.

Good luck in the next round.

 

[Killem Dafoe]

Now heres to winning a series in under 7 games!

 

[Kane One]

Now heres to winning a series in under 7 games!

I didn't know that's possible.

 

[2Leetch_94]

Now heres to winning a series in under 7 games!

Lets make more history, 28 playoff games with 16 wins!

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

The video of hags mic'd up during the handshake line had to be the move boring and pointless video of a handshake line... Literally doesn't say anything

 

[highandwide]

hank is a ****ing god.

 

[TheTakedown]

It's surreal. I am still in shock.

Richards is living up to his playoff clutchness again. Hank was just nuts. Just an unreal team win.

Here is the 4 save sequence:

reminds me of the "save by Richter, Another save by Richter, Another save by richter!" clip from the 94 run!

 

[TheTakedown]

Islanders fan here (can't you tell? ) saying congrats - I might be the only Isle fan who actually likes the Rangers...

Anyway, a few thoughts:

1- I like Alain V a lot, but vehemently dislike his NY Jets'-style/try-not-to-lose "pass-prevent" defense; just sitting back in your zone, letting the Pens fire away while trying to block shots and relying upon Henry to make one miraculous save after another. Henry is amazing and it worked this game, but allowing that kind of pressure for long stretches is not a winning strategy over the long run, IMO.

2-the Marty StL trade was HUGE, it is obvious he is doing things out there that Callahan, while a stand-up guy and generally a good player, simply could not do - that pass to Richards from behind the net tonight was superb.

3-BEAT Boston, now that is a team I've come to dislike, their style is bad for hockey and Lucic is a gorilla who is starting to make me think he should have been banned after that Dekeyser nonsense. If you end up playing the Bruins, you'll need to deal with a number of cheap shots that will make Malkin and the pens look like Lady Byng winners.

Good luck in the next round.

I actually enjoy watching the isles, so it's cool

 

[nystromshairstylist]

I actually enjoy watching the isles, so it's cool

LOL, I don't think too many Islander fans will admit to that these days...

 

[Killem Dafoe]

I didn't know that's possible.

We got Duck, Bruins, Habs, Kings, Hawks left. I'm trying to think if we could beat any of them in less than 7 games.

 

[Richter Scale]

Amazing performance from Hank. Absolutely stunning. Now he needs to keep doing that (or as close to it as humanly possible) next round.

--

Wrote this just prior to the start of Game 5.

Contrary to what I've seen a few people writing on these boards, I don't actually think the Pens have played particularly well in this series. Fleury hasn't been challenged. Outside of one game, neither Malkin nor Crosby looked dominant. Their defense, when pressured, looks pretty poor. And they don't seem like the offensive juggernaut they have been in years past.

Don't get me wrong - they haven't been bad. But I've been rather unimpressed overall; and if they make it out of this series and continue playing the way they have to date against one of either Boston or Montreal, I think they get torn apart. In my mind, the door is open for NYR to get back into this series and force a game 6 and eventually 7. But in order for me to buy in, I'm going to need to see something a lot different than what we've seen the past couple games. Their play put themselves in this position; their play is going to need to get them out of it. Gotta see it to believe it.

Well, color me a believer and proud of what this team just accomplished. Keep on showin' it to us next round Rangers.

--

Looking forward to next round:

Some absolutely huge developments this round; all of which will need to carry over to the next round.

- Kreider coming back was big. With Nash's offensive production being a big flaming pile of turd, Kreider's play has actually made the first line passable.

- And his insertion into the lineup allowed AV to balance the lines and play with three lines that could be legitimate offensive threats. That's huge.

- And obviously that ignores the amazing job the fourth line has done; particularly Dom Moore and Boyle. Wow. Haven't had a fourth line this good in a long, long while.

- If what AV said in one of his postgames is true (yea, yea, I know; gamesmanship, etc) - that McDonagh is healthy - his play in the first 1 and a half rounds was incredibly disconcerting and concerning for the rest of the playoffs. But McDonagh actually looked like the McDonagh we've all grown accustomed to in the last few games of this series. It was nice to see, and let's hope his play stays at that level; this team will need it.


Things that need to change:

Love what the fourth line is doing, and without them, this team is booking tee times. You need a fourth line in the playoffs that can occasionally chip in. But when the team ends up relying on their offensive production to eek out individual and series wins, that is a problem. The first line needs to be better offensively. That means Nash. Love the defensive aspect he has added to his game; but the man needs to score some goals. Don't care how "hard" he's trying, or that he's "not getting the bounces." He's not getting the bounces because he's not playing to get the bounces. He has missed several wide open nets. Not acceptable from an almost $8mil winger. Don't care that he gets matched up against the best defensemen. Deal with it. So do other elite players, and they still manage to put up points and score goals in the playoffs.

Stepan, while he has been fine (and I thought he actually had a pretty stellar game tonight, absent a couple brain farts I'd like to not see again), will need to kick it up a notch as well.

The team as a whole needs to put to bed its inconsistent play when the season isn't immediately on the line. Too many times in the past few years (including this year) have they let playoff series drag on that they should have put away sooner. Teams typically don't win a cup by playing 4 straight 7-game series. Generally not a recipe for success. We'll see if this series was a turning point in that regard.

Hank - and the team in front of him - need to maintain the focus and the drive when the games aren't elimination games. As they progress deeper into the playoffs, the competition gets stiffer and stiffer. Can't afford to show up with anything short of 100 % effort. Don't play with fire.

--

I don't think the Pens played a particularly impressive series overall - and even though the Rangers came away with the win; that they struggled as much as they did with a Penguins team that did not impress is concerning for next round. But a win is a win; and with the guts and heart they showed to execute that comeback, it's hard not to be pretty damned optimistic. I'm thrilled to be able to watch this team play some more hockey this year.

LGR.

 

[ajdj10]

Lets make more history, 28 playoff games with 16 wins!

Let's not.
My heart can't take this anymore and we're potentially only half way there.

 

[The Lunatic Fridge]

Here's hoping BOS-MTL kill each other tomorrow.

 

[One Winged Angel]

2 slices for everyone but nash. He needs to lay off the cake.

I literally laughed out loud at this.

 

[One Winged Angel]

Amazing performance from Hank. Absolutely stunning. Now he needs to keep doing that (or as close to it as humanly possible) next round.

--

Wrote this just prior to the start of Game 5.



Well, color me a believer and proud of what this team just accomplished. Keep on showin' it to us next round Rangers.

--

Looking forward to next round:

Some absolutely huge developments this round; all of which will need to carry over to the next round.

- Kreider coming back was big. With Nash's offensive production being a big flaming pile of turd, Kreider's play has actually made the first line passable.

- And his insertion into the lineup allowed AV to balance the lines and play with three lines that could be legitimate offensive threats. That's huge.

- And obviously that ignores the amazing job the fourth line has done; particularly Dom Moore and Boyle. Wow. Haven't had a fourth line this good in a long, long while.

- If what AV said in one of his postgames is true (yea, yea, I know; gamesmanship, etc) - that McDonagh is healthy - his play in the first 1 and a half rounds was incredibly disconcerting and concerning for the rest of the playoffs. But McDonagh actually looked like the McDonagh we've all grown accustomed to in the last few games of this series. It was nice to see, and let's hope his play stays at that level; this team will need it.


Things that need to change:

Love what the fourth line is doing, and without them, this team is booking tee times. You need a fourth line in the playoffs that can occasionally chip in. But when the team ends up relying on their offensive production to eek out individual and series wins, that is a problem. The first line needs to be better offensively. That means Nash. Love the defensive aspect he has added to his game; but the man needs to score some goals. Don't care how "hard" he's trying, or that he's "not getting the bounces." He's not getting the bounces because he's not playing to get the bounces. He has missed several wide open nets. Not acceptable from an almost $8mil winger. Don't care that he gets matched up against the best defensemen. Deal with it. So do other elite players, and they still manage to put up points and score goals in the playoffs.

Stepan, while he has been fine (and I thought he actually had a pretty stellar game tonight, absent a couple brain farts I'd like to not see again), will need to kick it up a notch as well.

The team as a whole needs to put to bed its inconsistent play when the season isn't immediately on the line. Too many times in the past few years (including this year) have they let playoff series drag on that they should have put away sooner. Teams typically don't win a cup by playing 4 straight 7-game series. Generally not a recipe for success. We'll see if this series was a turning point in that regard.

Hank - and the team in front of him - need to maintain the focus and the drive when the games aren't elimination games. As they progress deeper into the playoffs, the competition gets stiffer and stiffer. Can't afford to show up with anything short of 100 % effort. Don't play with fire.

--

I don't think the Pens played a particularly impressive series overall - and even though the Rangers came away with the win; that they struggled as much as they did with a Penguins team that did not impress is concerning for next round. But a win is a win; and with the guts and heart they showed to execute that comeback, it's hard not to be pretty damned optimistic. I'm thrilled to be able to watch this team play some more hockey this year.

LGR.

Great post, summarized everything I'd want to say about it as well.

 

[skymachine]

Don't know what amazes me more: that they came back from 3-1 down or that a NYR PP goal decided the series.

Still in shock.

 

[thepoeticgoblin]

And after Lundqvist lets up a couple of goals in the Conference Finals, people will start to talk about how his contract will handcuff the team for the next decade, and speculate that Talbot should go in net.

It's sad how true this is. Anyhow, couldn't be prouder as NYR-fan this morning (in Sweden). Hank, Brad, Boyler, MSL, Richards.. Everybody. 3-1 down, and we're going to the conference finals AGAIN. Believe.