Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1: Rangers vs Pens

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Rangers basically have nothing going for them this season other than nobody expects anything out of them because they have been bumbling idiots almost all year defensively and on the PK. So, they have no pressure this season. Pitt might get tight if they can't score early in the series.
 
Finally the games mean something! Can't wait for 8pm Wednesday night!
First round guesses:
Flyers over Caps
Pens over Rangers
Det over TB
Fla over NYI

Ducks over Preds
Kings over Sharks
Stars over Wild
Hawks over Blues

I am sure I've picked enough wrong to not have to bother trying to guess how many games in each series.
 
Everyone loves the Pens. Can't say they are totally nuts, but most think the Pens/Caps winner is the team in the East. We are a huge underdog, and that's okay with me. Use that for some motivation is what I say.

Truth is unless we score like crazy, which isn't our MO ever in the playoffs, we will need to play D like we haven't done all season really. Can we essentially do a 180 on D back to the past couple of seasons...if not we cannot win this series IMO. And I would throw our PK in there as well. We have to kill penalties like we have the past couple of seasons to have a shot.

I think we can do it, a lot of the same players here outside of Hags and McD for the first couple of games, but will we do it this season...don't know. I remain hopeful...
 
Both Dan Girardi and Henrik Lundqvist are on the ice at Rangers practice today. (Cyrgalis)

Dylan McIlrath and Oscar Lindberg are skating as scratches. (Gross)

The lines the Rangers are using at practice today are (Cyrgalis):
  • JT Miller, Derick Brassard, Mats Zuccarello
  • Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan, Rick Nash
  • Eric Staal, Kevin Hayes, Jesper Fast
  • Tanner Glass, Dominic Moore, Viktor Stalberg
Keith Yandle and Kevin Klein, Marc Staal and Dan Girardi, Brady Skjei and Dan Boyle.
 
I figured Skjei would get the call over McIlrath.

Same lines as the last couple of games, so no change there. I would expect the Stepan line against the Crosby line.

Interesting they went Yandle/Klein and Staal/Girardi as the top two pairs. I would try and have Staal/G against the Crosby line AND Yandle/Klein against the speedy Hags/Kessel line.
 
Al's growing the playoff beard. Let's hope he doesn't have to shave it off after 10 days...:).
 
If we get the MAF of the last couple playoffs its going to be tough. I am not convinced we will. That guy could be horrible, it wasn't that long ago after terrible playoffs they were wondering if he would be a buyout candidate
 
I hear you Dis, and you never know, but the past two playoff seasons he has played well as you said. I wouldn't count on that being our ace in the hole...:).

He practiced again today, so I expect to see him and Maatta in game 1.

Also saw McDonagh was on ice today and was holding his stick with his right hand. Here are AV's comments after practice:

On McDonagh in the series, "I would say that at this point there is a chance he might be able to play....at some point."

Maybe game 3 or 4 considering game 3 is a week from tonight. But I would think it is possible we could see him at some point even if it is game 6 or 7 if it goes that far.
 
17 people picked the Pens on NHL.com...4 picked us. Same for the Isles...17-4 Panthers. 14 Caps, 6 Pens, 1 Lightning to the SCF from the East.

We are a HUGE underdog, and no one is giving us a chance to do anything. I like it...play that no respect card AV.
 
I'll tell you, everywhere you look we are given no shot. If we don't use that as motivation we are crazy.

I know the Pens have played really well, but we are being totally over looked here and written off. Crazy IMO.

And I'll say now...both Malkin and McD will play in this series. Somewhere between games 3-5 for both.
 
Yeah, there's no way you can go with McIlrath over Skjei, that would be instant death.
 
While I was pissed they didn't get Florida and don't love the Pens matchup I agree we are huge underdogs and that is dangerous

Only the Kings and Hawks have won more playoff series then this core

This team is resilient. They proved it last year again vs the Caps not only down 3-1 but they were down 3-1 and were behind late in G5 and had Lundqvist pulled and scored then won in OT and won the next 2.

Lundqvist has been RIDICULOUS vs the Pens in the playoffs

Pens are hot but this is a professional core of players that knows how to win playoff series and if not for some tough injuries to Zuc and McD they prob make the Finals last year again
 
Rangers in 5 flying under the radar without the pressure of expectations of a President's trophy.
 
It is expected that we are huge underdogs. First it is the Pens, and we know how the NHL and NHL experts worship them. Second, we did not play well for large portions of the season.

Our PK, our road record, our Corsi #'s, our GAA are all way worse than they have been in years. That is not opinion...that is just fact.

So the reality is a lot of this is blind faith believing that this team wasn't on its A game most of the season because the long 82 game grind was a chore for a team that has been so close many times and only cares about the playoffs. Blind faith that we can flip the switch starting tonight and tighten up our PK, and D, and actually cover guys in front of the net. Now there is some legit hope there based on what this team has accomplished, so it isn't all just blind faith there is history, but we need to actually do it.

I am a big believer that the road team in the playoffs, especially in games 1 & 3, needs to get out of the first 7-10 minutes in good shape. Don't let the emotion take you down, and then go from there. And scoring first will be big for us considering our record when we do.

I am excited, I am hopeful, but I also know this Pens team that won 14 of 15 to end the season (toss the meaningless Flyer game) will be a very tough out. So we'll need to revert back to Ranger hockey to win this series, because a lot of what we have seen this regular season certainly will not get it done. Hopefully we can do it.
 
Either way it's time to get the party started. They either get their game together and leave it all on the ice every game or they will be looking at an early exit.
 
chuckd3534 said:
It is expected that we are huge underdogs. First it is the Pens, and we know how the NHL and NHL experts worship them. Second, we did not play well for large portions of the season.

Our PK, our road record, our Corsi #'s, our GAA are all way worse than they have been in years. That is not opinion...that is just fact.

So the reality is a lot of this is blind faith believing that this team wasn't on its A game most of the season because the long 82 game grind was a chore for a team that has been so close many times and only cares about the playoffs. Blind faith that we can flip the switch starting tonight and tighten up our PK, and D, and actually cover guys in front of the net. Now there is some legit hope there based on what this team has accomplished, so it isn't all just blind faith there is history, but we need to actually do it.

I am a big believer that the road team in the playoffs, especially in games 1 & 3, needs to get out of the first 7-10 minutes in good shape. Don't let the emotion take you down, and then go from there. And scoring first will be big for us considering our record when we do.

I am excited, I am hopeful, but I also know this Pens team that won 14 of 15 to end the season (toss the meaningless Flyer game) will be a very tough out. So we'll need to revert back to Ranger hockey to win this series, because a lot of what we have seen this regular season certainly will not get it done. Hopefully we can do it.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Lundqvist has been pretty average from Mid March too - I would be shocked if he was average in this series. I have a feeling Eric Staal is going to have a big series. We also have way better overall forward depth then the Pens. Not sure this team can "turn it on" but I do think they were pretty uninterested in the long regular season especially after the brutal Finals 2 years ago and being gutted in the ECF last year. I am not comparing them to the Hawks but the Hawks were not great for long stretches this year too and does anyone not think they will be ready for the playoffs?

Resilience wins in the playoffs. Let's hope they bring it.
 
I guess I'm the only one amused that the same posters who killed the Fishsticks for throwing their last game have already bailed on their own team before the puck is dropped. When the Rangers defense moves the puck quickly out of their zone they can run with any team creating offensive opportunities.
 
Lightning in 5, Isles in 6, Caps in 6
Stars in 5, Hawks in 6, Kings in 5, Ducks in 6
 
Nailed every East series.

Said Pens in 5 or 6, TB won in 5, Isles won in 6, Caps won in 6.

In the West:

Had the Stars, thought 5 instead of 6. We'll see on the Hawks tonight. WAY off on the Sharks/Kings series. And have a good shot to nail the Ducks series...think they may win tonight.

Good first round unless the Blues win tonight (certainly possible) AND the Preds come back to beat the Ducks (very unlikely).

Should go 6 or 7 for 8.

I like TB and the Caps in 7 in round 2...BUT I truly think the Isles and Pens can win either of those series. Pens/Caps is a coin flip to me...feel a little more confident about TB over the Isles, could be TB in 6, but I want to see their injury situation. I think we'll get a couple of good 2nd round series in the East.
 
kreidertime said:
Sadly, you continue to talk out of your ass and make up crap to be a argumentative dickhead.
Click to expand...

Tough guy routine days later. Your shtick is laughable. Give it up already. You have a problem with anyone who doesn't get on their knees and kiss your ass. People have different opinions and everyone is not an idiot or moron who doesn't agree with you and who you don't agree with. GROW UP ALREADY.
 
To show you how crazy and unpredictable the NHL playoffs are, the Kings/Hawks/Ducks/NYR all lost in round 1. Crazy.

Round 1 ended not so well for me in the West. 4-4 in the East. 1-4 in the West.

Round 2:

Blues in 6 over the Stars
Sharks in 6 over the Preds
TB in 7 over the Isles (total coin flip and after last night have to like the Isles)
Caps in 7 over the Pens (again total coin flip IMO)
 
Not sure why, but I felt compelled to go back to 2016 and see what people were thinking heading into the playoffs last year. Some interesting takes on that Pens series and even more interesting are the STRONG SIMILARITIES in the style, content, tone and overall writing structure to some of the contributors from last year that have left us.
 
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