Rangers v Islanders (only 9 games left!)

If it was the other way around, this stupid isles organization would do anything to screw the Rangers over.

 

This team sucks at home because the garden ice has always been total crap. This is s speed team. Not hard to figure out.

 

Here are my takes:

1. I don't think I have ever seen a team miss more chances than this team does. Last nights pile of missed opportunities were pointed out in an earlier post. From Hayes, to Grabner, to Ziban. It truly is crazy. And that is why this team simply does not score enough in tight spots late in the season, or in the playoffs. They do not finish.

2. They overpass like crazy. You would think a team that has # 1 as an issue would get pucks on net, not this team. If they have a good scoring chance they will pass for the 10% chance they could turn it into a very good scoring chance. It is ridiculous really. You would think at some point they would say enough is enough, but it has been going on for years.

3. I am fed up with Stepan. Guy has 1 goal in 700 games. Gets a decent amount of chances, and simply does not finish (theme on this team later in the season/in the playoffs). I am so tired of hearing he is snake bitten. When you score once on 78998086 chances you are not snake bitten, the issue lies squarely on Stepan's shoulders to FINISH please.

4. Barring a total epic collapse we will open at Montreal, which is the correct bracket, but right this second it is darn hard to see this team beating the Habs. We'll score 1 or 2 goals a game against Price max. With how god awful the PK is for this team, it is darn hard not to see the Habs scoring 2 or 3 a game. Right now I'd say Habs in 6.

5. My lord how atrocious is the PK on this team. I mean it is embarrassing now. Guys are all alone in front. Move the puck quickly and you'll get a wide open slam dunk goal. And the PP sucks also. You really do have to think the special teams issues are coaching.

6. Fast needs to be a 4th line player...PERIOD. It is kind of ridiculous that Buch sits and Vesey plays on the 4th line when Fast is in the top 9. Tired of hearing how versatile Fast is. HE IS A 4th LINE PLAYER. Now I happen to think he is good in that 4th line role, but that's who he is and where he belongs. AV needs to stop the BS of putting Fast in the top 9 when we are healthy upfront...PLEASE.

7. The structure on this team in their own zone is alarming. They chase pucks all over the place, and leave the crease and weak side wide open way too often. I don't get it. They lack so much discipline when they constantly do that. Again makes me question the coaching when I see it over and over and over again. Where is the discipline and attention to detail. AV and staff should be harping on that constantly. Stop chasing the puck and being the 3rd or 4th man into corners...PLEASE.

8. I happen to like Smith. I think he has played pretty well here, and been a good addition to this team. Playing a good deal of minutes also. I think I'd bump Holden down to play with Skjei when Girardi returns. Play Smith and Girardi together. And Staal and McD.

9. The team does not win at home. I think that shows how real 1 and 2 are. At home especially they live 1 and 2 game after game. Instead of playing a simple North/South game like they do way more often on the road, at home they try to be fancy and get so tight and miss tons of chances. Very frustrating, and not good heading into a series against Montreal.

10. The past 15 games or so this team has not played well...period. No sugar coating it...that's the way it is. I am sure some part of that is not having as much to play for as the teams they have been playing, being virtually locked into the perfect playoff slot. With that said, that's an easy convenient excuse for how poorly the team has played the past 4-6 weeks or so. I can't fully buy that they have struggled for 15 games +/- because they are virtually locked into the top WC slot. It is very concerning, and has most thinking another 1st round exit is likely.

11. Not much we can do now except watch, root, and hope. Hope the awful PK improves. Hope their attention to structure and detail in their own zone improves. Hope they cut the fancy BS out and get pucks on net. Hope AV plays the right guys in the right slots. And hope they finish the glorious chances they seem to miss way too often as the season progresses and the games get tighter, the calling card of the Rangers in the playoffs the past couple of seasons.

It all doesn't look good right now, and it is difficult to see us beating Montreal right this second, but the playoffs don't start for a couple of weeks, so we have time to right the ship again. Hopefully they can do it.

 

I can't imagine anyone is going to read the 11-point Chuck's-take post. Feel free to skip to the next post as I have nothing else to say.

 

Once again, no clue who Chuck is, but appreciate your thoughts Grey. Added a lot to the discussion for sure.

 

I think Smith is giving the effort and hasn't been awful, but just dosen't seem comfortable out there, even after 10g or whatever. Maybe i'm just expecting a little more from him. Not a huge deal.

 

Yep, skipped right over that long winded, Chuck post.

 

Once again, no clue who Chuck is, but thank you for contributing to a good discussion on the board. That post added some good info, so thanks.

 

Unfortunately for the past few weeks the games have meant nothing and the Rangers effort has been inconsistent especially at home. They could have easily won both games but as has been pointed out several high quality scoring chances were not converted. Have to hope they wake up come playoff time. Good news is the regular season is almost over, Hank's coming back, Nash is actually showing signs of life that hopefully carry on into postseason and the Rangers have multiple lines that can create scoring chances - converting them will determine their postseason success. If Montreal is their first round opponent Fast needs to be scratched, he is utterly useless against physical teams. Jesper's still young and showed great promise on special teams when he came up but this year's team has better options on the PK who offer a scoring threat shorthanded. I still think this year's team is better than last year's.

 

RangersFan - guys are referring to you as Chuck because your posts are basically identical in structure/phrasing to a long time poster Chuck who left the board last year. Could just be an amazing coincidence.

 

I'm with you on most of this except scratching Fast. I think you're really underrating what he means to this team defensively. I understand why some may want Glass in there as we'll be seeing assholes like King, Ott and Shaw but I play Fast every day of the week. The fourth line clicks with him and Lindberg on there.

 

As Chuck would say Prod "We can agree to disagree" about Jesper.

 

I agree with 223. Great post panzer, and I agree with all you wrote outside of the Fast part. To me if used correctly, a 4th line winger and PK guy, Fast is valuable. We get into trouble when AV decides Fast is more than that and plays him in the top 9 over Buch and Vesey. That is a dumb decision.

If my two options for the 12th forward are Fast and Glass, give me Fast please. I would go Vesey/Lindberg/Fast as my 4th line. Put Buch in the top 6. Go with Grabner/Hayes/Miller as the "3rd line". Great depth there IMO.

As for the Chuck thing, yes must be a coincidence because I am not him. All good.

 

IMO is exactly what chuck used to write at the end of his sentences...LOL Noone else did it as much as chuck. He has been reborn as RangersFan.

 

I'm assuming Glass is not going to be part of the playoff mix so really what we're talking is how do they manage PB/Fast. Buchnevich has to be in the lineup every night in the playoffs imo, you just can't be without his natural skill. Plus he needs to be in a playoff environment going forward. Fast will be in pretty much every playoff game over Pirri or Puempel.

 

With AV's unconditional love for Glass, I BET Glass will be in some playoff games.

 

Montreal has gotten tougher but without the fighting in the playoffs i don't know if you can really have Glass in there over Fast and definately not over Buch. King and Ott are better players than Glass.