I can take the loss but if the Islanders are going to play with an intent to injure then Rempe can run their goalie Saturday.
With games left against the Habs, and at NJ without Hughes, I think the Isles look like a decent bet to finish 3rd in the Met, plus they host the Pens last game of the season and have a 2-point lead over the Caps. As for the 2nd WC, and the team we may play, maybe slight edge to the Caps with a 1-point lead currently, but the Wings/Pens are in the mix. The Pens are playing the best, but also have the toughest remaining schedule. Huge game Thursday night, Wings at Pens. The loser may be done.
Agreed, and it starts with beating Philly. You win that game, and it takes some pressure off knowing you only need 2 more points to clinch the East. If they get 4 points, and end at 114, and the Stars go 6 for 6 points wise after tonight to end at 115, I won't be upset. I would be perfectly okay if we don't have home ice in the SCF against the Stars....
Who gives the fuck about presidents trophy. I feel more confident they would win game 7 on the road than at home.
Yeah, I have only been focused on top seed in the East due to matchups, I am not worried about finishing ahead of the Stars. I actually prefer to start the series on the road and think home ice only means anything in a game 7, and even then, I don't think it is a big edge. Secure top seed in the East and go from there.
And what actually makes it worse is look at who they have lost to. The Hawks, Habs twice, BJ's, and they have been outscored 15-5 in the past two games. Bury them early Thursday night.
The flyers weren't supposed to be in a playoff hunt to begin with. They're still in rebuild mode. They just were happy they were contending and in the third place. If they don't make it they will consider their season successful.
If Lav played Brodzinski all 82 games he'd still be the same player, there's no growth left for Jonny but he's a serviceable backup. Rempe on the other hand has 15 career games, obvious room for growth and most importantly a deterrent to cheap play. Tonight Gustafsson was -3, Schneider -2, Trouba even with 5 hits, another typical day at the office. The only thing worse than the missed boarding call was Joe Mich stroking the clown. Lav's stupidity gets a few key players banged up and when Jonny sees a cheap shot all he can do is spoon Dobson -- embarrassing.
I kind of disagree with Lavy on this one, that seemed accidental to with me Mika skating into Pelech: Rangers bench boss Peter Laviolette didn't take kindly to what happened. "He came back at the end, from that vicious hit," Laviolette said. "Yeah, he came back. That vicious shoulder/elbow to the head. Watch it." He later said he felt that Pelech's end of the exchange was deliberate. The Trocheck play, that absolutely was a penalty. With so little time left, I don't think it would have changed the outcome, but it was a penalty for sure. While Rempe 100% needs to be in on Saturday, the Rangers also need to be careful and not get someone injured, and they may need to win that game also.
Let’s face it the Rangers aren’t a bunch of choir boys this year, they can play it dirty. Trouba has been a pussy all season. I’m sure you’ll see the appropriate response on Saturday. Special teams wins in the playoffs and the Islanders can’t kill penalties for shit plus they’re gonna have to play Carolina who they have absolutely no chance against.
The only team I fear are the rangers themselves they have not been outplayed by any team from start to finish bad coaching decisions and lackluster performances by our own is what concerns me still feel this team has done special things and special teams win cups… one of the best comeback teams in league go rangers BTW, no one mentioned that chop to vecey from varlomov, that has to be addressed
I agree on the Zibanejad hit too...there was nothing vicious about it...Zibanejad wasn't looking where he was going. Pelech (or whoever it was he ran into) was looking at the same thing the Z was and wasn't even skating...he was in a natural position. That was just Lav trying to defend his guy and it's the right thing to do. Varlomov whacking the back of Vesey's leg should've been a penalty too but aside from that and the boarding against Trocheck there was nothing wrong with how the game was called. The refs are never going to see/catch everything.
We talk about NY/NYR haters, and this guy is by far the worst. Every comment he makes on TNT is anti-NYR. He is a joke, and disgrace, a so called "expert". Paul Bissonnette rips mad Rangers fans over controversial hit (nypost.com)
Bissonnette was a scrub as a player and is the same as a studio analyst. I don't watch him. I didn't have an issue with the hits. Cuylle did the same thing to Smith on the Devils that happened to Trochek. I think it was more who the hits were against. Islanders probably will find out Saturday, better to let sleeping dogs lie. Rempe is going to be running around like an fn maniac in that game. Trouba is due to stop being a pussy and throw his first huge, open ice hit of the year.
What I do have a problem is that they didn’t call a penalty on that Trochek hit which is a fucking joke.
I have the same POV. The hits are what they are, but the hit on Trocheck 100% was a penalty, that was the big miss IMO. We need to be smart on Saturday. Play aggressive and hit hard when it is there, but don't turn it into a mess going for cheap shots, that is not what we need. On Trouba, I don't know what is up with him, but he has become a total mess. There were a few plays last night that I literally said, WTF. He is way off his game, and to a level that is absurd with the mistakes and turnovers. He needs to get it together ASAP.
