Stay out of the box and keep it 5/5 as much as possible. And convert odd man chances of which there may be a bunch.
Agreed guys. That's why I feel if you win round 1 you are in the ECF. I don't see Boston/Ottawa/Toronto beating the NYR/Montreal winner. So somehow win that series and it can be another long playoff spring for Ranger fans.
This team doesn't have great potential. They have looked like a minor league team when they have played Pitt. Jesus. At least be objective. Their starting goalie is now average who has been outplayed or played evenly by the backups for 3 years in a row. The defense can't stop elite players any longer and the PK sucks again now.
I think Ottawa is as good if not slightly better than Montreal but if Methot is out that could drag them down.
You are overrating Ottawa this year I think. They are a nice team, and can beat Boston or Toronto in round 1, but I would love to see them in round 2.
Price is better than Anderson and adding King and Benn probably puts them ahead but i think they're very close.
Getting way of ourselves here but I think I prefer Ottawa. Anderson gives us fits but I think Boston is the better team. Bergeron will probably go 150/150 on faceoffs in the series if we pull Boston. Also depends whether we want to lose McDonagh to a hit from behind from Chris Neil, or to a slew foot from Marchand. Toss up there.
I think we'll lose a tough series in 6 to Montreal, so this may not matter, but in order of which team I prefer to see in round 2 I go: 1. Ottawa 2. Toronto 3. Boston I will be rooting for Ottawa to stay in the 2/3 Atlantic bracket, and then rooting for them to win in round 1. I don't think there is a huge difference between the 3 teams, but I'd prefer Ottawa if I had the choice.
Hope you are right, but as I said earlier I don't have faith this team can stay structured and disciplined in their own end to win the series. Add my concern about that to playing Price, and our awful PK, and it is difficult for me to pick us to win the series. Hopefully they surprise me and really step up their game.
Biggest question is who is in the lineup? I have this feeling AV will scratch Buch game 1 in favor of Glass. 4th line of Glass/Lindberg/Fast. I also think he'll put Miller with Ziban and Nash and Vesey with Hayes and Grabner. I don't like that. If it were my call I'd go: Kreider/Step/Zucc Nash/Ziban/Buch Grabner/Hayes/Miller Vesey/Lindberg/Fast On D who sits? I'd go: McD/Smith Staal/Klein Skjei/Girardi I would sit Holden. I have this feeling he sits Klein, but not sure. I'd be shocked if he sits Girardi.
As much as Montreal kills us during the regular season one silver lining is we've played them in 2 series since 96 and we've won both of them including the 2014 ecf. I would feel better if in game 1 another montreal d-man can trip kreider into price again and break his leg for the series. That being said our D will be horrendous as its been for past 2 years giving up point blank shots right in front of Hank. In his younger days Hank could stop most of them but as he's gotten older his reflexes have slowed enough to make a difference. Another problem is I see Montreal trying to bludgeon us to death at every opportunity. If we don't get at least a split in the first 2 were done in 5. If we get the split than I think its anybodies series despite how poorly we've played at home this season.
Reason for so much optimism on this board is Rangers' record since February 26....... 7-12. Hope this does not carry over to the playoffs.
Agreed cage but I'll say that hockey is the one sport momentum goes game to game and regular season does not mean as much as other sports which is why you get a decent amount of 7 and 8 seeds advancing. Usually comes down to which goalie is standing on his head in that series.
They just have to get hot if they want to go far. If they play a pussy style they will get bounced in round 1
To me they are limping into the playoffs even if they have been sitting guys the last two games. You can tell by their faces when they walked off the ice today after the game. Looked a bit pissy and annoyed.
