When a team is bigger and stronger, you have to find other ways to beat them. Speed and quickness wouldn't have hurt. Do the Rangers have to get bigger? Of course. I'd like to see them pick up a big center who has the ability to play in front of the goalie, and force the defense to spend considerable time trying to move him. Is that type of player available? If not then they better go with speed and quickness, and reduce the amount of mistakes made on the defense side.
There's only about 2-3 teams that can hang with Boston in a series and that's Chicago, LA and maybe SJ.
If that's the case, then they need to forget this year and start building for the future. If they aren't going to challenge for the cup, then get rid of the parts that will not work and bring in the parts that will. '
once again first time not getting a point when leading after 2 in 100 games. an amazing streak actually, i'm sure the best in the NHL. However, all streaks must end, and so it did today. Almost all of December sked is at the Garden. This homestand will go a long way in determining the rest of the year.
Today was not about effort. It was simply about a bigger more talented team pounding us shift after shift. Doesn't get much deeper than that IMO.
But wait we changed coaches...all will change...we will become an offensive power fucking house....its the lack of talent people wake the fuck up! Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk
Staal's problem is that he's partnered with the utterly useless Stralman (though his play has been described as "steady" by Sam and Joe Mich), I think Hank was distracted by Anton's body flying through the air on Chara's game winner. The Rangers have the sniper they need in Nash, the problem is the number of undersized, non-physical, offensively challenged players on the roster. I'm all for a trade and admittedly like MDZ but for AV to be sitting him when this team ranks 28th in scoring is puzzling. I could understand if he was going to be traded but that doesn't seem to be the case, he's led the Rangers dmen in scoring the last 2 years and has more offensive talent than anyone but perhaps McD this year but for what McD is getting paid he should be the team leader. I can't see another rebuilding year with all the upcoming free agents. If I were AV I'd scratch Stralman and dress MDZ, partner him with Staal and see what happens.
Staal should be doing a little more offensively for what he gets paid, eye injury recovery or not. In the past he's shown he can jump into the rush well and has a pretty good shot. DZ may get put back into the lineup but I'm sure they're trying to work a trade so part of it they may not want to risk injury to him either. That and he's stunk for the most part this year. Stralman is fine, he's not very physical by nature but he does his job and dosen't screw up like some of the others do, even McD.
Stralman didn't do his job on the first Bruin goal when he strayed behind the net out of position nor on the third when was sent flailing by Lucic, the difference is that if it was #4 instead of #6 ther's an uproar. MDZ is hands down the better player of the two, he's bigger and more physical than Anton and a better skater, puck handler, passer and scorer. Anton's smarter but he should be since he's 4 years older. What you see is all you're going to get with Stralman, I believe MDZ will be light years better when he's 27.
Panzer.. what don't you understand? Yes people are going to be hard on mdz more so than a journeyman #6 defenseman which Stralman is. There is simply way bigger expectations of a former 1st round pick. This is not mdz rookie year. .. this is not his second year. . This is not his third year. I fully expect more out of this guy. Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk
If you want to get on any dman from yesterday, Staal is the guy IMO. Goal 1 he was checking air beside the net. Goal 3 it was his soft flip up the glass that was stolen and then one pass and boom winning goal. Staal did not play well yesterday. Is what it is. Who cares who gets the blame. Bottom line is we were pounded shift after shift, and that led to turnover after turnover in our own zone. What can you do.
Hank did not let in that goal because he was distracted by Stralman. Please. I'm not a huge Stralman fan but he has been fine for this team. Did you see the replay from behind Lundqvist? Go look it up right now, Stralman seals off Lucic and Lundqvist has a clear view of the shot. Yes Lucic then decks him with a crosscheck right to the back but he did his job and allowed Lundqvist to see the shot all the way. That was not a good goal to give up by Hank.
