Game Thread 4/14/17 Game 2 New York Rangers vs Montreal Canadiens

I think Klein deserves the chance. The Staal/Klein pairing has played well in the past, so I would give them a shot. BUT if AV doesn't want to go Klein it will be Kampfer before Clen. That I can promise you.

Holden needs to be celebrating Easter from the press box.

I think Kreider, Zib, and Staal have all had some struggles in games 1 and 2, but none is close to Holden I don't think. He has been clearly our worst player through 2 games.

 

You have to think Price is probably going to have one game where he's really dominant and they beat us 2-3 zip. Winning that game in OT not only would've gotten them closer to a series win but also probably hurt MTL spirits after tying it late. Now they have to be feeling great going into NY.

 

I don't know if they are feeling great (they were right on the edge of being down 0-2). But I will say this, that is why I feel game 3 is so huge for us. Such a pivotal game.

We are due for a good home playoff game. 0-5 in our last 5 home playoff games.

 

Turn it into a best of 3 where you go try and nab a game 5 there and come home and grind the series out. Gut feeling i don't see them winning in less than 7 though.

 

They almost never do. I will say this though, winning in 6 is the Rangers best bet. As good as they are on the road, it is darn hard to see them winning game 7 in that building. Need to win game 3 and then it will start to take shape from there. Without a win in game 3 this all becomes moot potentially.

 

Sitting on the lead is a trait this group has had since the Torts days. It is frustrating.

WIN GAME 3!!!

 

At least the Torts teams were in shape. This team looked like a bunch of cigar smoking, beer drinking, imbeciles in OT who were sucking wind. Why do I have a feeling the morons went out Thursday night and got wasted.

 

It's hard to say whether they were gassed in OT or more likely just on their heels from Montreal's pressure and momentum. It looked they were playing not to lose and maybe shocked from it getting to that point.

 

I think I'd lean with kreider on this one, they seemed gassed to me late in the 3rd and in OT. It is a fine line though.

As the day has gone on I have thought more about it, and what worries me most is the potential hangover from how we lost game 2. If we simply lost because Montreal was fired up and won a game they were desperate for, all good. The way we lost is not easy to come back from. That may actually be my biggest concern as we head into game 3, how do we rebound from a gut shot like that.

 

Winner tomorrow wins the series IMO. Rangers have been terrible at home this year and lost their last playoff 5 games at the Garden which is ridiculous.

I am still glad this is at MSG. Get it done tomorrow and I like our chances for the ECF.

 

I won't go as far as saying winner of game 3 wins the series period, winner could lose game 4 and then we are back at 2-2 and a tossup, but as I wrote this AM I think it is a huge game for us. The winner has a clear edge.

And if we can get it done I'd like how we are sitting overall in the series considering how close we were to winning game 2 in a very difficult atmosphere. We know how desperate Montreal was to win that game and we still performed well, good sign to me.

Now we need to break the home ice curse. Crowd should be rocking. Hopefully we come out flying early.

 

Interesting stat on Holden:

Nick Holden: 9 hits, hit 16 times

The next closest Rangers in terms of getting hit are Girardi and Zucc at 9 times. Tells me Holden is not moving the puck quick enough and not making his decisions quick enough. Very indecisive.

Once again shows he needs to be out in favor of Klein.

 

Rewatching the tying goal i had thought Grabner failed simply clearing it but in seeing it again they seemed to bottle him up pretty quickly.

 

No doubt the Habs were like rabid dogs the last 2 minutes or so of regulation. Mentally I am onto game 3....

 

This coach will go with the same lineup as he thinks that they are tied at 1 and coming back home. Why do you think Holden and Staal were on the ice in the last minute of the game? I doubt it he wants to take his boy Holden out of the lineup.

 

Holden has been bad both games, give Klein a chance at home to shake things up. Don't mind when refs look the other way on a trip or hold but the intent to injure stuff has to be called or it escalates. I don't think Buch would make it through a game in this series, classic playoff hockey. Too many developing chances resulting in no shot or a turnover trying to make an impossible pass, keep it simple. The Garden should be rocking! LGR!

 

How crazy is that series. Most people picked the Hawks to make the SCF, me included, and they haven't even scored a goal going down 0-2 at home. Another reason the NHL playoffs are awesome, there are no givens in the playoffs like in other sports.

Normally you'd say a team in the Hawks position is in huge trouble and maybe done, but I would never count that team out with their pedigree. Uphill climb for sure though.

As for tonight...HUGE game...LGR!!!