McD would be out there if he was healthy. But forget the D...we have 0 goals against their 3rd string goalie. That's the bottom line really. Again...what can you do...is what it is.
Nobody could've predicted Staal and Girardi would hit a wall like this. All the adapting in the world isn't going to change their inept play.
My venom tonight is on the offense. Zat-fucking-Koff in net and they have zero goals. You have a chance to attack a guy making his first playoff start and they shoot everything from the perimeter. He had to make a couple good saves in 2nd but this is a joke. Way to set the tone for the series.
I think we should trade Hank for the reason that he deserves a Cup and won't get it with this franchise, plus there's too much money tied up in him if we want to rebuild and retool. He's not going anywhere regardless though because he is the face of this team.
It won't make a difference whether it is Lundqvist to Raanta in net. The team just blows. The defense is slow, the top players suck, they're can't get a quality scoring chance, they are letting a 3rd stringer embarrassing them etc
The pens have done a good job keeping them on the perimeter. I mean zatkoff is still a capable goalie so he will make some saves.
I said it early in the first period. Everything is from the outside. No one is going to the net and screening or looking for a deflection. Just 5 guys all on the boards and when they win a board battle, they just cycle it further on the boards because there's no one to pass to in front because there's one guy behind the goal, one in the corner, one at the half boards and two at the blue line. It's the perfect recipe to be shutout. Moronic coaching at its finest.
The Rangers have kept themselves on the perimeter. No one is even trying to screen the goalie and get in front. And now down 2-0 the Pens are going to clog the middle and not allow any shots through so it's going to have to be a PP goal or an odd man rush executed properly to get a goal.
I've been saying this about Girardi for two or three years now. Staal i didn't think would sink so fast.
I'm the complete opposite. I didn't think Girardi would hit the wall like this, but to me Staal has always been overrated. He NEVER takes the body, but instead always reaches with his stick. He always got boxed out in front of the net too and was always just too soft to me to be a great dman. Has ALL the tools and talent, but has none of the heart his brothers have.
Staal has not been the same since his eye injury. He used to be more physical. Ovie would not get a sniff on net when he played against pre eye injury Staal.
This game is unfolding nowhere near the way I had hoped but not far from what I expected. For whatever reason the Rangers offense disappears against back-up goalies.
