It's always interesting to look back when the raw emotion of the loss is gone. When I look back at this series the Rangers simply couldn't catch a break. They lost the series 4-1 but incredibly three of those loses were on the road and in overtime. Not to mention in the double overtime games they hit several posts, missed wide open nets and had two breakaways stopped. Notice the plural in each one of those instances. Especially in game two if they get the game winner this is an entirely different series. To me game two had a major carry over to game three. Add to that the fact that the Rangers had several players give them absolutely nothing offensively it spelled some very tough loses. The Rangers had a lot of heart and an all world goalie.
Very well said Messiah. I don't want to keep harping on the breaks but it was amazing how little the Rangers got other than G4 where they got a ton. This run will help them. Obvious tweaks are needed. Richards has played his last game as a Ranger. Unlike others I do think Nash is tradeable as he only has 3 more years on his deal and he is a very good regular season player. Let's see what the offseason looks like and they will be better having gone thru this run. Oh and it was a very fun ride. Think about how most of us thought it was over at 3-1 vs Pitt. Just a great playoffs and they just ran into a better team that we all knew was built for the SCF
While I wouldn't be opposed to moving Nash if it's a good deal I doubt very highly it happens. If you figure Richards get bought out also dropping Nash means a lot of production you have to make up for. Regardless of how it ended you have to figure Nash and Richards for at least 50 or so combined goals in the regular season. Granted Kreider to me is definitely a guy who should be a 30 goal guy and they will have St. Louis for the season as well.
I won't harp on the breaks, but quite frankly a lot of times you make your own breaks, but I do agree game 2 killed us, and killed game 3 for sure IMO. Clearly there was a hangover from game 2 to game 3, and that is just natural given how we lost game 2. As for Nash, yeah he is tradeable, but for what? Someone going to give up a lot for a guy who has 5 goals in 41 career playoff games? PLUS he has a NTC. PLUS we are a win now team, which means we won't deal him for youth and picks, which is most likely what the team dealing for him will want to deal. I just don't see him getting dealt. To me this is his last chance to step up his game. After a down regular season for him, and a simply terrible playoffs (I don't want to hear about shots, checks, and PK) if he doesn't refocus this summer and come back on fire next year, he never will. This is his shot. Look in the mirror big boy and say this is my time. Man up and play with some balls, fire, and passion. You want to win at all costs and you will get into the dirty areas. This is the last hope for Nash IMO. If this season doesn't push him to be that guy, nothing ever will.
Who knows what would have happened in the Girardi game, but even 1/3 OT wins and theyre still alive. Wasnt meant to be but it was a solid run they had.
this was a series of "if only's" for the Rangers. Congrats to the Kings, they really are a very tough team to play against ( Henrik said that 3 or 4 times in the post game interview. A few bad calls and some untimely hit post's was just too much to overcome. The Rangers I believe are the hardest working most dedicated bunch of athletes of all the NY area sports team. Henrik and the boys left it all on the ice and all of New Yorkers should be proud. We came up a little short, but are now a battle tested group that should serve them well down the line. There will be changes for sure, but I believe Henrik and our homegrown core will give us plenty to cheer about down the line. Whether Hank ever gets that cup, who knows ? Hope he does, but he's already cemented himself as one of the all-time great Rangers. Will take a while to get over this. We could go right back to the Finals next year or wait another 20 years. That's the way it is in the NHL. Great, thrilling sport. Not for the faint of heart.
I think the team is in good shape. This experience will help. Buyout Richards. Try to get stronger at Center. Hope Nash regains his form. Congrats to the Kings. But the future looks good for the Rangers too Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Next season will tell us a lot about this team's character and coaching staff. I'm going to go off on a tangent here, because I think it applies. I'm a Seattle Seahawks fan, have been my whole life. (Mostly because I liked their jerseys and Steve Largent when I was very young, but that's a long story.) Two years ago in the playoffs, they had an amazing comeback in Atlanta (down 20 points twice) to take the lead with under a minute left on the clock. All they had to do was hold. Well, a few Matt Ryan completions later, and their kicker booted a 50 yard field goal to win the game as time expired. This past season, several of the players and coaches - Russell Wilson, Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, Doug Baldwin, Pete Carroll - talked about how they hated that feeling and didn't want to feel it again. They let that loss motivate them, let it burn inside them, let it inspire them to work harder and become better. And they won the Super Bowl. Champions have that spirit, that drive, that desire to get better. That burning inside that fucking hates losing and will do what it takes to not feel that again. Does this Rangers team have that spirit? We'll find out a year from now.
All I know is we could use a guy or 2 like Justin Williams and less overpaid so called superstars like Rick Nash. He is not the only guy that let this team down by far though. Girardi stunk the whole way through, Staal is another overrated guy these days, MSL did not have the scoring impact I thought he would on this team, Richards is finished as far as being a starting NHL player. But Nash is the guy that makes almost Sidney Crosby money. He is the guy whose agent puts his hand out and says pay my client Evengi Malkin-Sidney Crosby type money. And then he provides 3 goals in 25 games and no goals in the Flyers/Penguins and Kings series. Just horrible..
As the day goes on it hurts even more to know the season is over. Now we sit for 16 weeks just to start over and do the grind all again. It is a downer. It's also a downer to realize how tough of a road it is to get there again. Frustrating stuff.
I guess its better than not making the playoffs or losing in the 1st rd and having 6 mos off, but it does suck not having one more game to be excited about. I think they wouldve won a 7th had they gotten there.
Now that a few days have passed and I'm starting to get over it, in the end, this season and the run to the finals was so much fun. I feel a little lost with no games to look forward to. It's too bad we lost but LA is a very good team, not the mid '80's Oilers like every supposed expert tried to make them out be, but very good. I would say every Ranger left it all on the ice and there are no regrets. In 3 months we get to start all over again.
