I don't think the coach is completely lost. Lav has done a very good job with this team, he has a lot of options now. I think he is being a bit stubborn with Wennberg, who I believe is going a long way to hurting the O on the 3rd line, but I am not going to make overarching comments about Lav as a coach for this team. Let's see how the rest of this game goes, then we can talk about where we are and what is next, I think a 1-1 series.
Florida is incredible defensively....its pretty impressive. Their D are so fast compared to Lindgren and Fox who look like they are skating on mud.
This third period will decide our season if we don’t win it. Fox is just embarrassingly WEAK. For gods sake man you make enough money. Hire a personal strength trainer already.
Pretty even period. The Rangers have to get their PP going. This is the kind of series we'll have, question is can the Rangers stay disciplined and structured to win a series like this. So far tonight they have been as this is essentially an even game overall, but can the Rangers win this kind of hockey. I truly believe if the Rangers win this game they will be okay in this series. I like the Rangers on the road more than at home most of the time, and Florida has been better on the road in these playoffs, won 4 straight, while losing 2 of 3 at home against Boston. If they can get this one and get the confidence going, I think the arrow is pointing up for us, I truly do. These next 20 minutes are huge for the series, I think.
I’m not giving up by any means, but if we lose this series then Drury needs to be shitcanned. His two “moves” at the deadline were a total waste. Completely useless. Could have made real moves, instead he sat idly by while Florida and Carolina made moves to vastly improve. Think about this team with Tarasenko on it. No way Florida could match that. Instead we have the trio of wasteful moves he made (one of which literally is a garbage ass dman that never plays) and the always invisible come playoff time Panarin and Mika. Now throw in Fox, Kakko, Chytil and Trouba. That’s 9 of 18 players. Half of the lineup is a shell of itself. Rangers should explore a Fox trade in the offseason before that NMC kicks in. All this will be forgotten if this team can find their balls and play like men, not like the women’s ice hockey team, but based upon what we’ve seen through 5 periods, is anyone really hopeful of that?
I think we will know a lot about where this series is going after the 3rd period. I'll give you my thoughts after that....
He doesn’t need to be strong, but he also isn’t decisive. He hums and haws with the puck on the PP and when he does shoot it’s a weak ass shot from the blue line that gets stopped and cleared. He MAY be more injured then we think which is why I won’t crush the guy, but injured knee/leg shouldn’t affect his decision making.
Even if we win the game, the moves by Drury are an embarrassment. He has to be held accountable. We knew going into the deadline we needed a winger that could finish and a faceoff winning center and he got neither for us. I’m just not a fan of what I’ve seen Drury do and not do this far.
If you play, you play, so no excuses, but I have to think Fox is hurting, it is the only thing that makes sense as to why he hasn't had an impact even on O the past 6 or 7 games. Panarin on the other hand is more puzzling, it's like he's reverted to 2023 playoffs Panarin since game 4 against the Canes. Very odd.
As I said at the time, I don't love it either, but the middle of a huge game in the ECF is not when I am going to focus on that. Win the 3rd period and go from there.
