Yep, everyone is predicting that the Rangers should win it in six. Hopefully, they wont screw it up. Good thing for them is they start on the road where they usually win game 1.
If I am wrong I will say it after the series, but I don't see this as difficult of a series as Montreal. Karlsson is obviously a monster, and he can change the game/series by himself, but outside of him just exploding and single handedly winning some games for the Sens I don't see this series as tight as the Montreal series. Upfront I do think the Sens are a little more dynamic than Montreal, but they aren't that deep either. Their 4th line is nothing special. And their 3rd line is like our 4th line. On D they have the stud (Montreal also had a stud in Weber who is maybe 95% of what Karlsson is), but after that they aren't anything great. Phaneuf is a solid 2nd dman. And Ceci and Methot are solid 2nd pair dmen, but neither are anything that special. And their 3rd pair is very lacking. And in goal obviously Anderson is not Price. So to me I view this as an "easier" series than Montreal. To me the way the Sens win is: 1. Karlsson simply dominates and takes over the series in his 30 + mpg. 2. The trap slow it down system they play frustrates the Rangers. 3. The Rangers should be the favorites and it goes to their heads and they don't bring the same focus level. Outside of that to me the Rangers are clearly the better team. Better forward group, better overall D group 1-6 (although that is very close because Karlsson is a monster), and clearly better in goal. I watched a lot of the Bruins/Sens series, and I was not that impressed with the Sens. The Bruins were destroyed by injuries and yet hung toe to toe with the Sens. I just don't see them beating us. Rangers in 6 I'll say, and could be 5.
Plus Ottawa was in the 20's on the PP and PK, and was in the 20's in scoring as well. They were 10th in face-off %, but Boston was 3rd, so I view this as better for us. I wanted Ottawa to win that series, we'll see if I was right or if Ottawa surprises me. Just don't let Karlsson blow up the series and we should be good.
Because the Bruins still have injuries, and they play a little slower than Ottawa, plus Karlsson, i think the Bruins would've been better for us. This is a pretty even series, and the tipping point could be Lundqvist playing at his best again. Going to be a tough battle but I'll say Rangers in 7. Zib vs Brass.
I don't agree with you that this is a pretty even series, but we'll see. I think we are the better team. Not WOW we are so much better, but the better team. You have been high on the Sens the past couple of weeks, so we'll see. If this goes 7 I will be surprised, but who knows.
Goaltending..NY Upfront Scoring..Ott Depth forwards..Even D-offense..Ott..McD has to step up. D-defensively..NY ST...probably Ott..going to be big Coaching..AV Looks like 7 to me but we'll see.
Wonder when the series will start. Wednesday I wonder (that's when the Bruins/Sens potential game 7 was scheduled for). Or does it start Friday and the 2nd round doesn't start until Thursday. I also wonder if the Leafs/Caps potential game 7 plays into it. Meaning if there is a game 7 in that series the 1st round extends and 2nd round doesn't start until Thursday or Friday. Edit to add, if there is a game 7 it would be Tuesday night. And no game 7's in round 1, that is rare. A ton of OT's, but no game 7's yet.
And that is where we couldn't disagree more. Did you really just write scoring Ottawa??? Ottawa was 22nd...yes 22nd in scoring, and you give them an edge on upfront scoring...come on man. D-offense I would agree because of Karlsson. D-defense just as big of an edge to us. Their 3rd pair is not good and we will take advantage of them. Goalie is a huge edge us. And Ottawa was in the 20's on both the PP and PK, so why is special teams Ottawa. Again, I think you overrate Ottawa. But time will tell, and maybe you will be right. The Rangers MO says you will be right and it will be a long tight series, but I really think the Rangers are the better team.
Are they 22nd?..i thought they were a little better so that's a bit surprising. Maybe i am overrating them some though i am picking us in 7.
They play that defensive trap type system. Boucher is their coach (the old TB coach), so they focus on D first and second, and yet were only 10th on D.
And BTW...you write depth of forwards even. Have you looked at the back end of their 3rd line and their 4th line? Again come on man.... We have clearly more depth than they do upfront, no shot it is even. That is more of an advantage than scoring forwards I believe.
Karlsson and your post 717 are the things to focus on. Cannot get frustrated with their 1995 boring style of neutral zone trap hockey. Have to stay the course.
I will probably regret this as all Rangers series in playoffs are tight 6-7 game series but I really feel like our underachieving forwards (Kreider Hayes Stepan) are going to get new life in 2nd round. I wasn't super confident in round 1 but this team has confidence now especially in goal and McD Girardi Smith and Skjei are playing physical and with attitude. Buchnevich is going to make a difference in round 2. Rangers in 5
I tend to agree with you Disturbed. I say 6 not 5 because of home ice, and I respect Karlsson that much. But overall I agree with you, and I don't think we'll see the same level of feisty and physical play we saw in round 1. If anyone watched our series, and then watched the Bruins/Sens series it looked like two different levels to me.
I'm sure they'll be watching Grabner with Karlsson out there but maybe he can get a few TO chances. Girardi was very good but we are still dealing with some older guys who you just don't know how they will be from round to round. Staal was flat awful. I don't see our depth as all that much better but who knows.
I would be interested to see if Sens put Wideman & Neil in lineup with Burrows to punish Rangers with their ugly antics.
