Whats the Best 1st Round MatchUp?

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I made it a poll.

I'd say we match up against Boston best. The Caps are hot, and I'm tired of seeing them. **** playing in Montreal and Pittsburgh.

I feel the same way, but ive always felt the the B's are a deep, complete team and they've put it all together not too long ago in the playoffs. A be careful what you wish for scenario.

It more like; "What teams do we not want to play in the playoffs?"

1. Pittsburgh. Uh, for like obvious reasons.
2. Caps. Like you said, SO SICK of that PO matchup. So Sick of Ovy and the like.
3. Mtl. We havent scored in their building since they tore down the Berlin wall or something.
4. Bos. That leaves them. We've had some success against them. They havent been playing that well. Ok lets do that.

 

[NCRanger]

Over the course of a real season, I don't think Montreal would be anywhere close to a top 4 seed. Think they'd end up in a similar position to where the Rangers are now. If they finish 4th, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Toronto or the Fishsticks knock them out fairly easily. (So, Montreal first, unless there were two games in the Bell Centre on Saturday nights.)

The Rangers for some reason match up well with the Bruins. The Bruins schedule could catch up to them, plus that grind it out style could end up tiring them out. Bruins as my second choice.

I hate bandwagon fanbases and I hate the NHL when they try to ride them. The Rangers are a better team than Washington, but for some reason Washington usually has some ***clown third line scrub turn into Maurice Richard even if Ovechkin is kept under wraps. I HATE Jason Chimera and all the crappy players like him (like 13 interchangeable Ottawa Senators with jersey numbers in the 50's and 60's) and all that bull**** they bring.

Pittsburgh? Rangers don't have a prayer. Not only are they loaded, they also play every game with a 6 vs. 5 advantage with the refs.

 

[Oak]

I'd like to play Boston as well.

Man you gotta imagine that Prust is as happy as a pig in **** right now.

 

[Boom Boom Geoffrion*]

I might be the minority here, but I want nothing to do with Boston. Thats a team built for a 7 game series. Depth, size, defense, and goaltending.

 

[nyrpassion]

My ideal match ups would be:
Pitt-Ott: don't want to face the PEns, amazing team.
Boston-Rangers: no brainer, I think out of the possibilities.
Caps-Fishsticks: HATE both teams. plus i'm ****ing SICK of the Caps in the post season.
Montreal-Toronto: this has the potential to be an amazing series.

Pens: they're a machine. so much skill and loaded with talent. do not want any part of them.
Caps: hate that we keep bumping into them in the playoffs. hate ovechkin. they're red hot right now. also do not want any part of them.
Montreal: enough said. we cannot play in their building. plus with Prust/Halpern, this has the makings of a ****show.
Boston: that leaves boston. far from ideal, but out of the choices, I take them.

 

[TheTakedown]

Hm I don't know if you knew that.. but in the western conference, Anaheim and Chicago lost to teams which are (nearly) last in the league, too.

Chicago :
5 - 6 against Edmonton
2 - 6 against Colorado

Anaheim:
1 - 3 against Calgary
1 - 4 against Colorado

So this "we can't even beat the worst team in the league" argument is worth nothing.

Some teams just match up really well to other teams... Rangers are prime with getting stuck with those teams in particular (to them)... Quite sad, but this is the consequences of the perimeter hockey system

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

not mtl we never win in the bell centre

 

[Swept In Seven]

Boston without a doubt. Lundqvist has had their number practically his whole career. I want nothing to do with MTL, Ovechkin is lighting it up and we all know a hot Ovechkin in the playoffs is a no go for the Rangers, and the Penguins are not a team I'd fancy playing

 

[Clown Fiesta]

This team is capable of beating any team, just depends on if they show up or not. I don't really care about the standings in a short season, all that matters is they start clicking now and upset some teams.

 

[ChrisKreider20]

I want Boston.

Reasons:
1. I think we match up well. We've done well in recent history and it would be a close, tight series. Although, it saddens me whenever we have to play Jagr.
2. Washington has Ovechkin at 150% right now. Don't want to play that.
3. Pittsburgh not only does well against us, but they have an absolutely STACKED top six.
4. Montreal: Lundqvist don't play in Montreal just like Filly don't do rebounds. But seriously...Biron always freaking plays there!

 

[The Mouth]

I wanna Play against playoff goalies who cant stop a beach ball with a boat oar.

Thats how we got here.

 

[The Gloaming]

I'd prefer Boston. If need be, tank on Saturday. Anything to get 7th place.

 

[zelrio*]

It isn't the playoffs until we play against the Capitals and their ref buddies.

 

[3rd Guy High]

**** it. Let's play Pittsburgh. Take them out first and ride the momentum. Fleury and their defense sucks anyway. Defense wins championships. Malkin hasn't been on fire lately and they're missing Neal. Crosby hasn't played a game in weeks. If Hank catches fire and we get under Fleury's skin this series is over quick. We smoked them last time we played them, it should lift some weight off our team's shoulders.

If we play Boston we're going to be banged up and worn out by the second round if we somehow manage to win. At least with Pitt we have a chance to go further. We need Staal back though.

Only really worried about the refs in a series against the Pens, because you know they're going to get every call.

 

[trilobyte]

The one constant I see is the inability to beat Montreal.
It may be completely mental, but nevertheless the games always become a total onslaught of whirling dervishes in Canadiens sweaters dicing the Rangers defence, like they are just having fun at our expense.

No Canadiens, after that I am happy to let the chips fall where they may.

 

[Tawnos]

Montreal. The team overachieved and possibly wouldn't have even made the playoffs in an 82 game gruel.

All that **** with us in Montreal doesn't matter in the playoffs.

 

[Khris Creider]

washington

 

[Kreider Typical]

minority, but i want pitts--especially if crosby is still out... we actually play hard against them. montreal i think could kill us w/ the home advantage. boston feels like they will injure us and my gut feeling says it will be our key guys. washington is streaking...

imo in order probably:
pitts
wash
boston
montreal

i think this is 100% round dependent. i'd be much more comfortable w/ a 2nd round boston match-up.

 

[High And Wide*]

Sure Boston would be our best matchup, but you have to look past that. What happens when we beat Boston? We have to play Pittsburgh. I hope we get 6th, beat Washington and pray a hot Isles team beats Mtl/Boston so that we don't have to play the Pens in Round 2.

Round 1:
Pens-Senators
Habs/Bruins-Isles
Rangers-Caps
Habs/Bruins-Leafs

Round 2:
Pens-Isles
Rangers-Leafs/Bruins/Habs

 

[Giacomin]

I have been saying al season that the Rangers are built for the playoffs so bring on the Pens1

 

[The Mouth]

Washington. They are chokers

 

[Doctyl]

I have been saying al season that the Rangers are built for the playoffs so bring on the Pens1

im still afraid of them and no clowe is gonna hurt in the playoffs but hopefully dorsett and staal come back.

i want 7th place. good matchup with boston or worst case scenario we play the slumping habs (i know we are cursed, but all curses end eventually right?)

6th is scary because ovi is on fire

8th is death

 

[Clown Fiesta]

I would like the Rangers to face a team who has goaltender who cant stop a beach ball with a boat oar. because thats how we got here.

Probably a reason people ignored you the first time you said this.

 

[*Bob Richards*]

We can not play Pittsburgh. At least not in the 1st round. Saturday is an important game.

 

[Tawnos]

Unless the Isles lose tomorrow in regulation.