Game 6 Panthers vs. Rangers

Elimination staring them in the face.

 

It's all on the line tonight. I am curious to see what the lineup and lines look like. I really don't see Rempe playing tonight on the road, does Chytil stay in and Wheeler takes Rempe's place, does Chytil stay with Kreider and Zibanejad. A lot of questions that we'll see how Lav answers. They have a morning skate at 11:30, so maybe we'll get some insight then.

I am seeing a lot of comparisons to 94, which I don't really get. That team was filled with players who had won Cups, had the greatest leader in sports Messier, and it was 30 years ago, which has absolutely nothing to do with today. I don't even think a 94 comparison should be part of anything.

There have been 4 straight one goal games in this series, 3 of which went to OT, and yet the Rangers have one PP goal in the whole series. Yes, they have struggled to get pucks out of their zone leading to rushes and scoring chances, but truth be told it is the Rangers PP that has let them down most of all in this series. They are 1-14 on the PP in the series, I claim if they have 2 PP goals, they may be leading the series 3-2, and if they had 3 PP goals, they absolutely would be leading 3-2.

Since game 1 each team has scored 11 goals, so despite how the ice may be tilted, this series has been very close in the most important place, the scoreboard. My biggest takeaway is non-PP the Rangers have been fine in this series on the scoreboard, what is costing the Rangers, surprisingly considering their makeup, is the PP. If they score on the PP tonight, I think they have a shot to win, or at the very least it will be another close game. And it really would be typical Rangers to win game 6 as huge underdogs (Florida -167, New York +141), just to blow game 7 at home.

It will be very difficult, but I truly do give the Rangers a punchers chance to win tonight. In a weird way I actually give the Rangers a better shot to win tonight than in game 7 at home, I have seen that story too many times late in the playoffs. I think you have to view it as go play one great game on the road and get a win, that is all you focus on right now.

 

I just read that Wheeler is sore and did not skate this morning, so I guess Rempe stays in with Wheeler not available, unless Lav plays Brod over Rempe, which I think would be unlikely.

I know it is sort of out there, and is what it is, but the Rangers do miss Vesey a little, especially on the PK.

 

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Brod in over Rempe and nothing change with the PP units. Lav hasn’t shown his willingness to demote vets when they should be demoted. Mika is trash this series. If not for lack of depth he’d be our 3rd center tonight due to how abysmal he’s playing. Honestly, Goodrow has played much better than Mika this series.

 

Mika has gotten trashed this series, and rightfully so IMO, but what about Panarin. Now we can say oh the Panthers are focusing on him blah blah blah, but isn't Panarin supposed to be one of the top 5 -8 players in the league. Shouldn't he be able to get something done? He has not scored a goal in EIGHT games, of which the Rangers have lost 5. Where the F is Panarin, and why is he getting a pass. From where I sit, crap do nothing playoff Panarin is back in all his glory. Once again, don't give me the Panthers keying on him, that is BS IMO. We are not talking about a guy who is a good player, we are talking about a top of the whole league talent and performer. He was the 4th leading scorer in the league, 5th most goals. He needs to get it going tonight, otherwise he should take the same amount of flak as Mika is, no doubt.



Panarin has been unproductive against the Panthers in the first five games. He has three assists, two in Game 4, and hasn’t scored a goal on only 12 shots. His metrics 5v5 are good, though the play of linemates Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere may have a lot to do with that, but the eye test sees Panarin dancing on the perimeter, consistently losing the puck to the aggressive checking by the Panthers.

He seems to be avoiding the areas where goals are most often scored this time of the year, the dirty areas, those that are most difficult to get to. Florida deserves a lot of credit for keeping Panarin to the outside, in far less dangerous scoring areas. Fair or not, though, there are numerous flags being raised about Panarin’s will or desire to get down and dirty.

Panarin opened the Stanley Cup Playoffs with three goals in the first five games, two in the first round against the Washington Capitals and the Game 1 winner against the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 2. He scored the overtime winner in Game 3 against the Hurricanes on a brilliant redirection, and at that time had four goals, each a game winner, and nine points in seven games, all Rangers wins.

Since then, Panarin has gone eight games without a goal and the Rangers have lost five of eight.

 

Past Ranger teams would bow out tonight. The problem is that those past Rangers teams had patterns - going stale like against TB x 2 and NJ. Not being able to score (Hank years), etc , these Rangers have a pattern of being dominated in 3rd periods against FL. I hope they are different from past Ranger teams and can win.

And… yes no comparison to 94 except for being down 3-2. That team was an All NHL Historic All Star team compared to this current squad

 

I don’t see Panarin getting it done. This game the PP needs to click. Panarin needs to score, Zibanejad, Fox, etc. it needs to be a 4-1, 5-2 game. I don’t see them winning a tight game. Too much pressure and they’ll blow it

 

And not shooting, 12 shots in 5 games.

 

I guess with Wheeler unable to go, they'll put Brod in. I get it as Rempe doesn't add much, even though Brod doesn't add much either at least he can skate a bit.

Jonny Brodzinski is expected to replace Matt Rempe for the New York Rangers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday (8 p.m ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS, CBC).

Brodzinski was seen working with the Rangers' second power-play unit during morning skate drills, while Rempe stayed on late with the extra skaters.

He will likely skate with Barclay Goodrow and Will Cuylle on the fourth line.

"Something that I've been preparing for for the last couple of weeks is when you're in the lineup, do what you can do to help the team win and when you're out, prepare as much as you can so whenever you get back in you can make a difference," Brodzinski said. "Just go out there, play my game, play fast and play physical. I feel like we had a good game last game, one of our better ones of this entire series, so just build on that.”

 

We will see what this team is really made of...I want to see full speed kreider forechecking and slamming some panther dman into the first row..


It's time each and every forward looks themselves in the mirror and say
.not tonight..not because of me...

This team can do it.

Get ready for Monday night....it will be a blast
They will do it...

 

Good for Kreider being a leader and speaking up, now we see if he/they can back it up on the ice. I always say I like the Rangers better on the road in these big spots. I expect them to play well and for it to be a close could go either way game, like the past 4 games have been.

 

CK's -4 leading the team is almost as pathetic as Lav starting Jonny, better be one of those high hockey IQ moves the average layman doesn't understand but may explain his career record in Finals series.

 

Down 3 games to 2, facing elimination the coach is going to play the available guys that he has the most trust and belief in to get a W. There is no tomorrow if you lose so you're going with the guys that give you the best chance to win. Lav thinks it's Brodzinsky over Rempe. We will find out in about 7 hours.

 

Barkov is a minus 3

 

Agreed. I don't love Brod at all, but what has Rempe done to have this cult following. It is over the top with Rempe now as if he's this irreplaceable player that needs to be in the lineup. The guy is a nice energy guy who hits, and if he continues to grow and evolve as a player maybe he has a nice future as a guy who can add value to the bottom 6. Right now, as he is learning, he's a whatever 12th forward, that is all, which Brod is as well. If Rempe played over Brod I would be okay with it, just like I am fine with Brod playing over Rempe. Neither guy adds a whole lot right now, and if we are down to the 12th forward deciding it, we have already lost.

 

Brodzinsky usually plays very well when he comes back into the lineup for a few games.

 

I do not want to be in the off-season thread tomorrow. Let's go fucking Rangers! Help your stud goalie for once you tools!