Welp…that’s that. Devils have controlled play, controlled tempo, been the more physical team, more aggressive whereas the Rangers have looked like none of them want the puck on their sticks for more than 2 seconds for fear of getting hit.
The Rangers need to consider putting Trocheck back on the PP1 in place of Kane. They haven't clicked at all with the current configuration.
This team though doesn’t typically respond well to getting punched in the face early like this. Devils are quicker and much more aggressive whereas Rangers are more finesse like. And if you think the Devils won’t play like this in the first round against us you’re nuts. We want Canes first round, not Devils. Let the Devils wear themselves out in the first round.
We'll see what happens the rest of the way. The Rangers also blew early leads to this team this season. Maybe they wake up.
Devils are giving the Rangers no time to make plays with the puck and the Rangers don’t have the dump and chase style guys to play that type of game. The physicality and aggressiveness of the Devils will force the Rangers to start making more and more mistakes and turnovers, which they already make enough of on their own, and the Rangers will start panicking because of that pressure and will start moving the puck even sooner when the devils have laid back a little more and then the Rangers will continue to make quick plays/errors and that’s that.
The Rangers have the most or 3rd most comeback wins in the NHL. They come back all the time after terrible starts. Not saying they will tonight, but they certainly have a good history of doing it. As for the PP, you cannot play Kane, Fox, and Panarin together. Not sure why Gallant doesn't get it. Easy move to make is Kane down to PP2, and Tara up to PP1 as a shooter. So simple and easy Gallant.
They have a good history yes, but typically not against a team playing as physical as NJ. The Devils are playing to the Rangers weakness, which is grit and grind. Rangers don’t do well in these type of games. They’re gonna need the 4th line to play big and throw big hits. There were several times the Rangers could’ve thrown a big check but instead skated to the side of the puck carrier trying to poke check the puck away. Step into and threw the Devils. If you’re going to lose, at least make them feel your presence and know that a 7 game series will wear on them as much as it will wear on us.
As for the PP, it’s been a total disaster as PP1 has literally no one that wants to shoot. They all want to be pretty play makers. Useless pretty passes if they aren’t going to shoot when they have a lane. honestly, Rangers are lucky it’s only 2-0. Hopefully they find their heart and balls and play a better 2nd period because it sure they could play worse than they did in the first.
