Who do we want in the playoffs?

[TominNC]

Colorado

 

[Brief Candle]

Play offs are a different animal. Look at what happened last time. We crushed Carolina all season and they made us look like an AHL team in the play in round.

Don't read too much into regular season records. The reality is that the Metro and Atlantic divisions are STACKED. Whomever we play are going to be REALLY good and hard to beat, and as big a leap as we've taken this year, the play offs have a way of exposing a teams problems, just as much as it can also bring out the best in them as well.

Let's get there first and then see what happens. All I really care about is getting the kids play off experience.

With that said, anyone but Carolina in the first round.

 

[Larrybiv]

A Topic of...."Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it" and not in a good way. I remember wishing to play Carolina as we had beaten them for many years and also that year.
Turned out it was the mystique of King Henrik that was gone OUT of Carolina's collective psychies. Anyway, I hate Pittsburgh with every pore on my skin and would do a song and a dance should we win.
However, if we should lose......my life would be in tatters.
So, I'm gonna say Buffalo. Haha.

 

[Brief Candle]

A Topic of...."Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it" and not in a good way. I remember wishing to play Carolina as we had beaten them for many years and also that year.
Turned out it was the mystique of King Henrik that was gone OUT of Carolina's collective psychies. Anyway, I hate Pittsburgh with every pore on my skin and would do a song and a dance should we win.
However, if we should lose......my life would be in tatters.
So, I'm gonna say Buffalo. Haha.

When I was a kid, my neighbor was a Penguins fan. We could very clearly see each other's living/tv rooms. Consider this was in the mid eighties when the Pens were a powerhouse.

Every f***ing time the pens would score a goal on us, he'd flicker his lights on and off to taunt me. There is no team I hate more to this day than the pens. lol

 

[Lays]

Pens don’t scare me at all. Although I said the same about the Canes in the qualifiers we actually match up very well with the Pens and I’d consider it disappointing if we didn’t win a series over them. We have better depth everywhere and better players everywhere but C.

 

[Larrybiv]

A Topic of...."Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it" and not in a good way. I remember wishing to play Carolina as we had beaten them for many years and also that year.
Turned out it was the mystique of King Henrik that was gone OUT of Carolina's collective psychies. Anyway, I hate Pittsburgh with every pore on my skin and would do a song and a dance should we win.
However, if we should lose......my life would be in tatters.
So, I'm gonna say Buffalo. Haha.

 

[Larrybiv]

When I was a kid, my neighbor was a Penguins fan. We could very clearly see each other's living/tv rooms. Consider this was in the mid eighties when the Pens were a powerhouse.

Every f***ing time the pens would score a goal on us, he'd flicker his lights on and off to taunt me. There is no team I hate more to this day than the pens. lol

Those Lemieux years were horrific. My initial hatred for that team started when (and remember clear as day) that our Rangers were playing IN Pittsburgh last game of season. They were terrible, attendance was like about 1000, and actually felt sorry for them as our broadcast team had said their team might become defunct or the city of Pittsburgh would have no team soon. Stupid me, and have never forgiven myself for letting my guard down.

 

[GG96]

Pittsburgh. Not even a question. End of debate. Close thread.

 

[Larrybiv]

Thanks. In that case I guess I "want" Tampa. Let's be the ones to take them out. If we're not good enough to beat a team in the first round, we're not going to take them out in a subsequent round. I'd honestly rather go out in R1 than in the Conference Finals or something. I guess it's good for the guys to win a playoff round or two, but as a fan that's no consolation. So let's go, whoever is toughest is who I want.

I understand that "tough guy" mentality but it really can be an act of contrition. Staying alive while 2 "other teams" kick the crap out of one another. For me, I believe would be our "less physical" opponent which would lead to less chance of losing a player or 2 to injury. There is no room for an injury or 2. That would put us severely behind any 8 ball out there. Imagine NO MIKA, or NO FOX or PANARIN. We would be screwed. Especially Mika, as he does everything. Fox would be irreplaceable as well.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Thanks. In that case I guess I "want" Tampa. Let's be the ones to take them out. If we're not good enough to beat a team in the first round, we're not going to take them out in a subsequent round. I'd honestly rather go out in R1 than in the Conference Finals or something. I guess it's good for the guys to win a playoff round or two, but as a fan that's no consolation. So let's go, whoever is toughest is who I want.

It seems really unlikely but I'd love a first round date with Tampa. 2 time champs against the newest contender in the East. Vasilevsky vs Shesterkin. Panarin vs. Kucherov. Lots of exciting storylines there. And I agree: winning an 'easy' round means not much to me if you get stomped in the next one. Of course, I'd also rather lose to a team were 'supposed' to lose to than a Pittsburgh who -- depending on tonight and seeding -- we might be the popular favorite against.

 

[OTGHockey]

I have no preference in a match-up in the first round, ultimately you have to win 4 series to hoist the Cup, and only one team each year does that. With the Rangers added forward depth, I think they have a chance to beat any team, though don't think there's any team I'd put them clear favorites over.

Of the three potential match-ups (four if you include Toronto) each have strengths and weaknesses.

Penguins - Aging core, but have proven to be resilient and you can never count them out in a game. Great coaching, getting a pretty good year out of Crosby and Letang, Jarry has had stretches of being very good, and they're certainly above average in their own zone. They're near the end of their window, so think they're beatable, but could easily beat you in a series too.

Lightning - Two time champs, who aren't perhaps as deep as they have been in the last two seasons, but certainly have a lot of experience winning. Similar in some ways to the Rangers, and are very comfortable playing tight games and capitalizing on your mistakes, but aren't necessarily as dominating as they have been in recent years

Bruins - Also reaching the end of their window, and with a promising netminder. Not sure whether Boston has the depth this year, but they can be aggressive on the forecheck, and don't shy away from the physical game. Not my favorite matchup with the Rangers, but they're not unbeatable either. Will be interesting to see how Swayman does.

Maple Leafs - When this team commits to defense, they really can be tough to play against, and they transition quickly. Their instincts are still to score though, and that I think remains the bit question there. If they play a sound game in their own zone, then I think they get out of the first round and perhaps beyond....but that could be said about many of the teams, including the Rangers, and I think is one reason why Carolina will be a hard out for whoever matches up with them.

 

[DanielBrassard]

So far we have matched up best against Pitt for whatever reason so I guess them. But I'd like to see us win the division honestly regardless of who the opponent might be.

 

[McRanger92]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but it seems like the past month we have had more penalties called against us and not as many for us, where as in the 3/4 of the season we were pretty good staying out of the box and our PK was great.
Are we getting more calls and that's why our PK is dropping? Makes me nervous for a series against Pitt.

Rangers havent been getting a lot of calls, but its encouraging that they continue to win games and take advantage of the few PPs they do get.

 

[EdJovanovski]

After their antics at the end of the game I really want to play those flightless bird pricks.

 

[KevinFinnerty]

I want to demolish the Pens too

 

[McRanger92]

I wanted to win the division(and still wouldn’t be mad if we did), but after last night I want Pittsburgh. Ending Crosby/Malkin/Letang would be such a cathartic experience after mostly crushing our hopes for the better part of 20 years.