It should be a good atmosphere at the Garden for game three. If Fleury is back have to challenge him early while he's rusty.
I hate Glass in that spot...but at least we were up 2...not 1. I fully expect MAF back in game 3. We'll see if McD can get back for game 3. The Garden should be on fire. Love going home for game 3 tied 1-1.
If McD is back I would scratch McIlrath before I scratch Skjei against this team. If you look at balance, and you look at playing time today (Skjei 19 minutes played McI 9 minutes played), and if you look at the game against the Pens I think Skjei is the better play over McIlrath this series. I would go: Staal/Klein Yandle/McD Skjei/Boyle Maybe you switch Klein and McD, but I like that balance better given Staal and Yandle are the top LD, and only Klein is that level right now on RD. Gives us good balance to play McD on RD. I hope it's a decision AV has to make Tuesday night....
When Rangers give up 3 goals or more, team loses. Two goals or less, team wins. Not much room for error.
I think McDonagh has a shot to play Tuesday night. That would've given him two weeks since taking that shot off the hand.
That is not the case for most teams right cage...LOL. Usually when teams give up 3 or more goals they lose in the NHL. I think so also Mess. He has been stick handling with his right hand. Now he has 3 more days. I think we'll know before Tuesday. If he practices tomorrow or Monday (whenever they practice next) then I think he will play. And I fully believe the play is leave Skjei in and scratch McIlrath when McD returns. He was an important player today, and even played some RD when Klein was in the box. Can't see scratching Skjei right now.
Remember when I said that the only chance they had to go far was if Skjei and McIlrath played which probably would never happen with AV. They did. Team won. AV will screw it up. When McDonagh comes back he will sit McIlrath and play Boyle who blows.
They go as far as their top players take them. Stepan has been on a nice streak for a while. When Brassard gets his game going it adds an entirely different dimension.
Did i just hear Barry Melrose say we're missing our top 2 dmen? Guess he hasn't seen Girardi since 2010.
As this team limps into Game 3, Lundy, with one good eye, will need to bring the Rangers forward. No easy task. [LOL] When has it ever been easy? Still have no confidence in AV decisions.
Refs looking the other way on numerous holds and hooks by the dirtiest team in hockey is to be expected in Pitt but the slashing and boarding missed calls are inexcusable. I wonder if the head ref will be issuing a report on why their crew to a man sucked. I would have had Glass out there too at the end after all the cheap crap, even the Pen-friendly announcers on multiple occasions expressed surprise at the lack of calls. It's been that way as long as I've been watching and no different this year as the Rangers finished last in the NHL in PP opportunities.
My biggest frustration was refs holding Klein. Finally there was a penalty called on Pens and Klein took the penalty by dropping gloves, let them fight, let Klein beat the shit out of Kunitz. I mean, refs helping Pens shamelessly and then when Rangers are trying to take matter into their own hands with all unpunished slashing and dirty hits, refs stop the fight right away. What's next, refs are going to fight Rangers? Let them fight, and if you don't let them fight, then don't call the penalty on Klein. It defeats the purpose of the penalty.
The Pens aren't a tough team. They start that cheap crap often when they are down. Somebody should plaster their head crybaby. The Rangers out hit the Pens by a huge margin yesterday.
I said before this series that the Penguins were tiny up front with 5 forwards under 6 feet. They are incredibly undisciplined anytime something doesn't go right for them. It will be interested if the Rangers get the lead in game 3 what those mental midgets do. I have to admit I was surprised the Rangers won yesterday. Nash continues to suck ass. I swear, the guy can't even shoot any longer. If they can get a late first and a good prospect for him in the off-season, Gorton will be on my good side again.
An idiotic call yesterday was the goalie interference on Kreider when jagoff was four feet out of the crease. Nash used his size yesterday and that was good but the guy needs to score. It's like I mentioned in the other thread though. To me he seems to operate like Frankenstein now. This stand up straight deliberate setup and shot. Just stop the low percentage and perimeter shots. Go to the net with it and force a save and possible rebound. Even draw a penalty.
I've never seen a ref jump on a guys back during a fight. That was bullshit there was no need for that. Klein should have threw an elbow into the refs kisser for that shit
Here it is from yesterday. Absolutely ridiculous to grab Klein from behind before anybody was there to grab Kunitz. Also ridiculous to not let them go out it except for the fact that Klein would've knocked him out.
The guy who I am tired of is Eddie O. He is the biggest douche when it comes to the Rangers. I hope the Rangers take his Stanley cup ring back from him. This dude has some kind of vendetta against the Rangers every time he does their games on national tv. He is worse now than Pierre by a mile.
Eddie O took crying about the Brassard goal to new heights. It was called a goal on the ice. They reviewed it and the goal was upheld. At that point enough with it already. Here's our 56th angle with the goal line cam. I'd rather have ESPN back with Bill Clement and over the last handful of years the joy with the Rangers making deep runs has been met with having to listen to these guys for far too many games.
