Game Thread Nashville at Rangers

Hank knows the time is running out. If they don't win the Cup this year with Hank playing out of his mind then it will probably never happen.

 

You guys are funny, the other team spends 5 hrs in the Rangers zone but the D is fine.

 

Yes we are the funny ones as the Rangers sit at 16-3-2...LOL.

The regular season doesn't mean sh*t to the Rangers, and yet all they do is win and all you "fans" do is bit*h...LOL.

 

Ok Mr. Rose colored don't upset the apple cart.

 

So does a little objectivity i guess..at least until the playoffs. Then i suppose it won't be 'bitching'.

 

So wait...guys like Mess, Prod and I are Rose colored as the team sits at 16-3-2? Are you serious 71? Wake up bro.

No one is sitting here saying the team is dominant, or perfect, or a SC lock (that doesn't happen in the NHL...this isn't the NBA). No one is saying we don't have things to work on. But we are 25%.....................25% through the season man. That means we have plenty of time to cleanup some of the concerns. It also means this is early season hockey, and yeah it isn't always crisp and perfect, but we are winning.

Should the Rangers, or any team for that matter, be playing ECF game 5 hockey in November? It doesn't work that way, especially with a team of vets that is a SC or bust team. It is possible/likely some nights they go through the motions and play how they would never play in the playoffs, and that's okay. The regular season means sh*t to this team right now IMO.

We all know where you stand on our D, you think they all suck and have for years, and that's okay but we are Rose colored at 16-3-2. Give me a break bro.

Rangers fans are the most negative over the top fans I have ever seen. 16-3-2 and you all bit*h. You all sit here in November and act as if you know what will happen 60 games from now in April/May/June. Just because you want to be Mr. Negative 71 don't turn it around and call us Mr. Rose colored at 16-3-2.

To me this team can use a top 6 RW, I agree with Prod, and needs to be a little dirtier/less pretty and get pucks on net no matter what come playoff time. We do that, or even the latter, and we'll be right there for a cup AGAIN...and that's all you can ask for. There are no locks in this sport.

 

I don't think anybody here is saying the D is playing well, the point that we're making is that the D has not been good and this team STILL has a top record in the NHL. They are winning, and when the D turns it around they will be a very, very tough playoff team. I say "when" because, despite what you have said over the years and how you call them "McDope" and "Girardope" and "Staalmoron" or whatever other clever nicknames you have in your vocabulary, they are consistently viewed as a top d line in the NHL. And I'm not throwing in the towel on them after 20 games while they've put up season after season of quality hockey. Try being a Pittsburg fan or an Edmonton fan, then you'll see what a crap defense really looks like.

Another game, another win, another amazing performance by Hank. Real tough one Wednesday and I'm pumped to see how they respond.

 

Chuck, your head is up your ass again. The defense has given up tons of shots. Glorious scoring chances all season. Doesn't hit anybody. Takes a lot of dumb penalties. In other words, like last year this defense and team isn't built for the playoffs. Now, if you want to be a moron and ignore the fact that the team has the record they do because the goalies have played out of their mind, so be it. You'll be disappointed once again in the post season. This team is soft and the defense is overpaid for the crap production they have given this year. This from somebody who has defended the defense for years against our fan base. This year they deserve the criticism. They have sucked.

 

Don't bother Dump, the defense is fine and clicking on all cylinders, just ask HL. Right Chuckles?

 

You nailed it dump. Me, Mess, Prod are all crazy because we think the D is good based on YEARS of evidence. But you and 71 are dead on that our D sucks and the team sucks because after 21 games we sit at 16-3-2 and the D hasn't been perfect...LOL.

Yes dump our heads are up our a**es...LOL.

 

As for you 71...Prod LITERALLY JUST SAID: I don't think anybody here is saying the D is playing well

I LITERALLY JUST SAID: No one is sitting here saying the team is dominant, or perfect, or a SC lock (that doesn't happen in the NHL...this isn't the NBA). No one is saying we don't have things to work on.

But yeah clearly that means the D is clicking on all cylinders.

What it means is the team is winning, we are 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% through a regular season that really doesn't mean s*it to the Rangers, AND we have YEARS of evidence that our D is very good and we don't think you forget that after 21 regular season games.

 

AV's teams are never clicking this time of year, even going back to his VAN days. I really don't know what you guys were expecting. The only difference this year is that Hank has been god-like. This team will, just like the past two seasons, be playing much better hockey 2 months from now. I don't know why some people refuse to believe that will happen when it's happened every year under AV. And when it happens, if Hank keeps this play up, watch out.

 

Chuck is a good poster and fan. All fan bases should have fans that care that much about their team as people here. That being said. Team is not built for the playoffs. The defense may not look old but Staal and Girardi are 28 to 30 going on 40. Lot of miles. IMO, if they could move one and Boyle also, get a defenseman more physical and play McIlrath, it's not a bad move. A defense with that salary should not be giving up those scoring chances and 30+ shots every freakin game.

 

For a team not built for the playoffs they seem to make long runs and win a lot of series.

As for the D, yes through 21 meaningless regular season games (during which they have a 16-3-2 record mind you) they haven't been at their best. Clearly that equals they suck and they are not built for the playoffs despite the years of evidence. I agree.

 

If these 21 games are so meaningless like you keep saying then it really doesn't matter what our record is and you should look at the team as a whole and ignore the wins and losses. If you do that, objectively you can see that there are issues. Yes it's super early in the season, but there's nothing wrong with being objective and noting that this team is surprisingly struggling defensively with shots against and scoring chances against. That is not what this team has struggled with in the past. It's always been offense. Offensively we look good at times and lucky at others. Overall, despite the record, we've been outplayed in a lot of those wins and if not for just dumb luck and Hank playing OUTSTANDING, you can OBJECTIVELY say that we should have at least 5-7 more losses. I'm happy as a pig in shit that we don't. I love to see the team win, regardless of the time of year. However, this team has been predicated on its defensive foundation for the better part of a decade and as of right now that defense is abysmal. Yes, we're #1 in GAA, but we are also #3 in SOG against. Eventually some of those shots that Hank is making these incredible saves on will find the net and we will start to lose....unless the defense can tighten up and take away some of these great chances.

Chuck, you keep taking this critiquing by the fans as if we aren't happy with these wins. I'm pretty sure almost ALL of us are. But there is nothing wrong with pointing out the elephant in the room. Our defense, for how great it typically has been for the past decade, is struggling mightily CURRENTLY. I'm assuming that it will get fixed, but if it doesn't it 100% will be the reason the Rangers don't win the Cup. And isn't that the goal every year? Isn't that what every team builds itself for and hopes to achieve? So, as fans, it's only natural to look at the team and say "X is looking great, but if Y doesn't get fixed then Z won't happen." Stop taking it so personal. Keep enjoying the wins in these "meaningless regular season games," as am I, and keep hoping that Hank can continue to stand on his head and bail out this team. If he hits a rough patch, hopefully it's soon and not near playoff time though because with this team giving up 35-40 shots a game, it will be a miserable playoff if he gets hurt or struggles in the playoffs. I'm betting though that the defense will figure it out.

 

That's the thing, I don't think there is any elephant in the room. As Prod pointed out AV's teams always start slowly. Happened the past two seasons as well yet we ended up okay...right?

For a win now cup or bust team like the Rangers, the regular season is meaningless in the sense that I do not believe it matters where we finish, just get in. I also don't believe a team that has accomplished everything outside of winning a cup the past few seasons gets up big time for game 18 of a LONG 82 game season. Yet with that all said they continue to win.

As the season progresses I think the team overall will get better and better as they have every season under AV. And I would also expect McIlrath to be mixed in more and more to give some dmen a rest.

But again if you guys want to write negative post after negative post about a 16-3-2 team that has accomplished what the Rangers have the past 3 or 4 seasons, go for it bro.

F all the results and evidence we have that this D is very good, and let's focus on 21 early regular season games to draw all our conclusions. Makes perfect sense to me.

 

There is something to be said about teams finding ways to win.
You do hope that in 3 months staal danny g and mac improve their overall game. ..to the point we all come to expect and not take a turn for the worse.
Funny how its not me wearing the Ranger rosey glasses...i only put those on during the playoffs

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Right Al. And if the D's questionable play continues all season then we are F'd come playoff time, so that will be what it will be.

I just choose to believe that this is a sluggish start from the D, just like the past few seasons, and they will eventually "play up to the back of their cards", just like every other season, rather than say oh slow 21 game start = they are done and suck. But that's just me...maybe I will be wrong and they will suck all season and playoffs.