Game Thread Rangers at Florida

I have made my peace with that now Mess...we know that is a losing battle...LOL.

To me this regular season is what it is for a team that has been to at least the ECF for 3 of the past 4 seasons. The regular season just doesn't mean much to me. You will have your ups and downs per the norm over an 82 game marathon.

This team will finish 1-3 in the Met, most likely 1 or 2 with the Caps as the other team. Then the real season starts. That is really all I am focused on with this team. It is cup or bust now, no other way to look at it IMO. And with that being the focus I think for us to take that last step we need to be dirtier and score more gritty goals I believe. That is why we struggle to score in the playoffs.

That is a long way off, but I was thinking that as I watched us try and be pretty and watched Brass pass to a guy who was covered by a dman who didn't think for a second Brass was going to shoot, and that is an issue that we need to correct if we want to actually score goals in the playoffs.

Until we get that we'll be in a bunch of 2-1 grinding games in the playoffs and win some and lose some, and be drained come the ECF or SCF.

 

A nice recovery for the win, the best start in team history but I guess not quite perfection. Nash played his best game of the season, hopefully more of the same is coming. I agree with the overpassing on the odd man rushes, Zucc has 10 goals on 40 shots, turn it loose Hobbit! He's been a huge upgrade on the 1st line over MSL.

 

Good stat panzer. Zucc, Brass, Step, Yandle, Hayes all always looking to pass and very reluctant to shoot almost as a last resort, and even Nash gets into that mindset sometimes as well.

If we look to shoot more, Nash decides to go strong to the net all the time, and Kreider gets his net front game going this team has as good of a shot to win the cup as any team...which at this point is the ONLY goal I believe.

 

The Rangers have given up 30 or more shots this season 12 times. Washington has let up 30 or more 3 times. A big reason why if this coach and GM don't change up this defense and take Stepan off draws permanently, they will lose against that team in the playoffs. Tampa has let up 30 or more quite a few but that team has a crap load of injuries. That won't continue.

 

Just watched the recording. Awful defensive effort again. Awesome second goal by Nash, that's how he needs to play. Go to the net. Refs were abysmal last night. Rangers sneezed on the ice and had a penalty called but the Panters were getting away with interference a ton. Is what it is. Great way to find a win. Defense needs to figure it out still. 40+ shots to a bad Panthers team is horrendous. As chuck said, offensively we need to shoot on those odd man rushes but I'm not too concerned about offense really. We play too cute and it's been an issue for a few years. No one wants to take the shot. They just pass it off. Defense has been our strong point and right now it's our weak spot. Dmen need to take away space and forwards need to back check better. Right now it looks like forwards are just itching to jump out of the zone and get an odd man rush. Have to commit to defense first AND THEN transition to offense.

 

The Rangers for the most part have been an awful defensive team this year. A tribute to Hank and his greatness. They should be in the bottom third for GA's. Hank has bailed this team out time and time again this year.

 

Bad effort last night 94, but that happens from time to time over LONG 82 game seasons. The refs were fine, but our D had a rough night.

Overall our D is very good we all know, we can sit and quibble over the 6th dman but I don't get too caught up in that.

My take is we acknowledge that over a long 82 game season down games happen and low effort games happen. We accept that last night, also accept that we still won, and we move on and expect a better effort Monday night against the Preds.

 

Watching this and most of our other games I see the problem as more than just the 6th d man. Our other 5 d-men have been lacking big time. They constantly give up great scoring opportunities and yesterday was no exception. McD for all his prowess gives the puck away via careless passes a lot as do the others. As dump said if not for the magic of both hank and ranta with the stunning saves they consistently make to bail them out our defensive numbers would look a lot worse and our defense's rep would be taking a big hit. I'm amazed at some of his postgame press conferences AV isn't screaming our forwards need to shoot the GD puck and stop looking for the picture perfect goal. Saw nash taking some cheap shots last night that either doesn't happen or immediately gets answered if Dylan is out there. Neither girardi, klein or boyle's play merit them playing every game at this point. AV needs to dylan in there more as the others sure look like they could use a rest.

 

Honestly, I wish they could move Staal. Mostly because of his salary. Boyle cause he just sucks now. I really don't see how the team would be worse by the end of the year with Skjei and McIlrath in there.

 

I know you guys are OBSESSED with McIlrath as if he is some magic bullet, but that isn't the case sadly. That is all this board cares about now, and it is real sad. McIlrath McIlrath McIlrath. On and on and on. I find it very funny. If he was playing over Boyle you all would find something else to whine about. I would play Mac more as I have said many times, but my lord mel you are creaming over the kid...LOL.

After this season Yandle or Staal will be gone, that is a given I believe. I will worry about that in July though. For now I will focus on what matters this season. I would give Mac a few more games here and there, but we also need to remember there are 60 + games left, so PLENTY of time for him to get PT and PLENTY of time for other dmen to get some rest.

I know we live in the what have for you done me this second world, but have patience people. I know it is really difficult, but the good thing is we are 15-3-2 and have the 2nd best record in the NHL. I know we still have some big issues...LOL...but how about we accept that and have patience that we will continue to improve and give McIlrath, the savior, more PT as the season progresses.

 

If Winnipeg is out of it in Feb i think Ladd will definately be available in his ufa year and at a portion of his 4m salary. What they might give up i don't know but probably at least a 2nd and top 5 prospect. I might even give up a 1st since it will be most likely very high again. I don't care about losing another 1st to help this team get over the top in this 3-4y window.

 

I have no worries about the offense, it's the defense that concerns me as well. The Rangers forwards play an aggressive back check with AV's system which greatly assists the defensive unit. When the system breaks down you'll rarely see a Rangers defender take the body and the opponent usually gets a quality chance. Why do you find it strange that a Rangers fan like myself wants to see what they have in McIlrath Chuck? He was a high pick in the first round whose development has been delayed by 2 major injuries. We know what we have in Boyle, an over the hill turnover machine with zero physical presence totally unsuited to the physical grind of playoff hockey (4 assists so far but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Dan returns to his former glory). I find the assumption by some on this board that McIlrath is nothing more that a #6 dman curious, based on what?

 

I don't find it strange at all panzer. I have said 65768 times I would be playing him more as well. I would be playing him more in favor of Boyle than AV has. So we agree there.

What I find strange is how some of the posters in here go on and on in post after post about McIlrath playing more as if he is some savior and dominant dman. What I also find strange is how these posts happen again and again as we sit at 15-3-2.

So that is what I find strange panzer, not that people want to see McIlrath play more than he has, because I would like to see him play more than he has also, I just don't go crazy about it because I don't think it is this huge issue through 20 games that McIlrath plays more as the 6th dman.

And that would be his role on the team right now...a 6th dman which is what Boyle is. Is he better than Girardi or Klein? If not he is the 3rd pair RD, so he would be our 6th dman, and I won't sweat that through 20 games as we win and win and win and win. I also know that as the season progresses he will get his chances to play some games IMO.

We'll see...

 

What I do find strange is that every year in the playoffs when we do lose it is the O that let's us down not the D, yet you worry about the D and not the O. That is weird to me I must admit.

I have zero worries about the D, I expect them, combined with Hank, to do what they always do. I am concerned about the O once we get into the playoffs though as they have consistently struggled to score in the playoffs.

I still sit here scratching my head wondering how did we get shutout in games 5 AND 7 on home ice to lose in the ECF last season. I still scratch my head wondering how we won four 2-1 games against the Pens who were playing without 4 dmen. I still scratch my head wondering how we scored only 13 goals in 7 games against the Caps as we grinded out a long 7 game series (and in 5 of the 7 games we had 0 or 1 goal through regulation).

So yeah worrying about the D over the O is interesting to me. Wanting to play MacIlrath over Boyle as the 6th dman more, that one I get and agree with.

 

The defenseman already get run ragged enough in these games, why do we need slowpoke AHL level people making it worse?

 

Chuck, you need to stop scratching your head Ha ha ha. I'm more worried about the defense this season than the offense. The offense problem is just shooting the puck more instead of constantly overpassing as we get a million opportunities. The defense constantly requires hank and raanta when he's in there to stand on their heads. Watching this season our supposed suffocating defensive is a myth. One turnover after another. I'm waiting for hank to crack his stick over someones head soon or kneecap them. Outside of being 39 and good years ago what the hell does boyle bring at this stage to stunt the development of big mac. He is a turnover machine (including a penalty shot in the last minute yesterday) that hank bailed his ass out on as usual. Why do you feel the need to keep antagonizing those of us that feel this kid should be in the lineup more regardless of what our record is. As nash starts to get pounded as he did yesterday with no response from anyone how long till teams start open season on our best players without fear of having their heads broken in return.

 

71, if your referring to dylan being slow I think outside of mcd and yandle he's probably a better skater than the rest of our defense.

 

I respect you guys feeling that way, but to me there is just no way I would be more "concerned" about the D than the O. We have years and YEARS of evidence that this O let's us down in the playoffs. And we have years and YEARS of evidence that our D plays really well in the playoffs (combined with Hank of course).

But if you guys feel there will be a 180 this year from all of the past playoff runs, so be it. Your right to feel that way of course. I respectfully disagree 100%.

And for the record not sure how I am antagonizing anyone about McIlrath WHEN I AGREE WITH YOU GUYS...LOL. I also would play him more than AV has and play him over Boyle way more often than AV has...so I AGREE WITH YOU GUYS.... Also on the record, I have no issues with McIlrath and would play him more than AV has...period. That is where I stand. McIlrath would be getting more PT at the expense of Boyle if I were the coach.

I just don't think it is the criminal act that you guys do...LOL. AV is stubborn and continues to play Boyle as our 6th dman over McIlrath, I wouldn't play Boyle nearly as often as AV has.

With that said we are 15-3-2 so I don't focus on it that much. PLUS we have played 20 games of an 82 game season, I am very confident that McIlrath will play more as the season progresses to give some of the other dmen a blow.

I think you may be related to McIlrath and that's why you love to post about him mel....

All good overall...at 15-3-2 there isn't much to talk about, so we might as well discuss McIlrath and Boyle again...LOL.

 

Bite your tongue! Blasphemous!