GDT: #20 - 11/17/17 | RANGERS @ blue jackets | 7:00 - MSG PLUS, NHLN

[FultonReed]

heave....ho?

 

[PuckLuck3043]

It’s approaching that Thanksgiving deadline and we’re sitting at 20th in the league and out of the playoffs. Note: it’s still extremely close and these things can swing in a few games, but it’ll start approaching that time Gorton has to evaluate what he wants to do with the team.

Fire the coach.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

A game like this where the 1st line isn't doing much at 5v5 is when you need your depth to step up and create offense. When your options there are David Desharnais and Jimmy Vesey it becomes pretty obvious just how much at a disadvantage that puts us.

Vesey is just not good right now. Has a player ever gotten more chances and such an unearned benefit of the doubt than he has? Seriously.

AV rolling him out there all 3rd. This is a typical Jimmy Vesey shift:

- gain a full head of steam with the puck into the O zone
- lose the puck after being unable to do anything off your rush and being such a putrid passer that you turn it over
- fall down
- go in the D zone and cover nobody usually permitting your man to get a high quality scoring chance
- proceed to get pinned in your own zone and continue to do nothing
- rinse and repeat.

Not to mention when he does get a good chance he seems to either shank his shot, get it blocked or miss the net a very large percentage of the time.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Did AV really flip Buchnevich and Vesey? I really hate playing the "Russian Card" but I can't think of any other reason AV would constantly f*** with Buchnevich like that. If Buchnevich were an NA player and Vesey were Russian you'd see their treatment reversed.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

DD sucks so bad lol

He's just overmatched out there. And he doesn't really fit the system, despite being a relatively quick guy he doesn't play with speed and he's really not good on the rush. DD is good cycling down low and creating chances near the net but outside of that he's pretty useless. He's pretty bad in the D zone too.

That is the most glaring hole in the lineup, the 3c. If you're not going to make a move for another center somehow, you need to move Miller to play with Zucc and Nash. He's wasted with DD and Vesey because he's just trying to carry them the whole time. Run Zucc-Miller-Nash and let Hayes hog the puck on the 3rd line with Vesey and DD bc they're not doing anything anyway.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Did AV really flip Buchnevich and Vesey? I really hate playing the "Russian Card" but I can't think of any other reason AV would constantly **** with Buchnevich like that. If Buchnevich were an NA player and Vesey were Russian you'd see their treatment reversed.

He did and it was total bullshit. Buchnevich at his worst is better than Vesey at his best. The fact that AV seems to think they're comparable talent levels is insane.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

He did and it was total bull****. Buchnevich at his worst is better than Vesey at his best. The fact that AV seems to think they're comparable talent levels is insane.

Vesey is our worst forward, Buchnevich is top 3. Unreal.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Oh and for the actual game:

Hank was fantastic.

CBJ's first goal was a ridiculous lucky bounce but once again poor net front coverage to even allow them to capitalize on that bounce. A whole lot of standing around. Second goal was an amazing shot by Panarin right by Hank's ear, but it never should've happened by Hayes made maybe the worst giveaway of the season. He's been really good on the PK lately, but that was just a horrible horrible turnover at a horrible time.

Kreider was really sluggish out there, very hesitant and not moving his feet at all. Not sure what's wrong with him.

Miller is wasted playing with DD and Vesey. Those two are really not pulling their weight and are the black holes in the forward lines. If we had two better players in their places, everyone would slot in nicely, but alas, that's not the case.

Oh and that penalty call on Buchnevich giving CBJ the PP they scored their second goal on was awful by the ref. Buch did skate in Jenner's lane but didn't make any contact and Jenner jumped on his back and wrapped his arm around Buch and them flailed himself out to embellish and get the call. If I were the ref I'd be pissed watching tape of that after the game because Jenner completely played him. Then how many times is Fast gonna get interfered with in front of the CBJ net without a call? Consistency was really lacking.

PP was bad tonight. 1st one got chances but other than that they couldn't even set up.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

Both Chicago and Columbus were coming stretches of poor hockey. Torts was freaking out because they lost four in a row, then had two straight bad third periods where they blew leads in each one.

You had to expect major pushback from both teams, especially the Hawks who were embarrassed at home by the Devils. The other teams get paid too.

Lundqvist let up a huge stinker vs Chicago late in the 2nd. He stops that shot, there's a strong chance they walk out of there with at least a point. I know people say things like "It woulda been 7-1 if not for Henrik blah blah blah". That's not the point. He had a lead late in the second and gave up a softee that changed the complexion of the game.

I never expected them to win in Columbus anyway for the aforementioned reason, plus Torts was livid about the bad penalties in the third at the Garden. Henrik from the bits and pieces I saw was amazing. He did his job, but the Jackets were hungrier. They were cornered by their coach and they rewarded him a 60-minute effort.

Their upcoming schedule is a joke and every game is winnable. I get it, other teams are probably saying the same about when they play the mediocre Rangers. But even games at Pittsburgh and Washington shouldn't scare anyone anymore.

OTT
@car
DET
VAN
FLA
CAR
@pit
@Wsh
NJD
DAL
@OTT

This stretch of games lasts until mid-December and will decide whether or not they are for real. If they don't win at least seven or eight of these times, or keep giving up 40+ shots and get outplayed at home against the panthers and Canucks, then you can close the book on the season, or Vigneault. Or both.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Snap back to reality...oh there goes gravity!

 

[Irishguy42]

I long for the day when we will have a coach who will let their best forward(s) play at least 20 minutes a night.

Like a normal coach.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

Both Chicago and Columbus were coming stretches of poor hockey. Torts was freaking out because they lost four in a row, then had two straight bad third periods where they blew leads in each one.

You had to expect major pushback from both teams, especially the Hawks who were embarrassed at home by the Devils. The other teams get paid too.

Lundqvist let up a huge stinker vs Chicago late in the 2nd. He stops that shot, there's a strong chance they walk out of there with at least a point. I know people say things like "It woulda been 7-1 if not for Henrik blah blah blah". That's not the point. He had a lead late in the second and gave up a softee that changed the complexion of the game.

I never expected them to win in Columbus anyway for the aforementioned reason, plus Torts was livid about the bad penalties in the third at the Garden. Henrik from the bits and pieces I saw was amazing. He did his job, but the Jackets were hungrier. They were cornered by their coach and they rewarded him a 60-minute effort.

Their upcoming schedule is a joke and every game is winnable. I get it, other teams are probably saying the same about when they play the mediocre Rangers. But even games at Pittsburgh and Washington shouldn't scare anyone anymore.

OTT
@car
DET
VAN
FLA
CAR
@pit
@Wsh
NJD
DAL
@OTT

This stretch of games lasts until mid-December and will decide whether or not they are for real. If they don't win at least seven or eight of these times, or keep giving up 40+ shots and get outplayed at home against the panthers and Canucks, then you can close the book on the season, or Vigneault. Or both.

The joke may be on the Rangers actually. There is only 1 team on that list that has a worse record than the rangers who are currently at NHL .500. I will be happy as shit if they win seven or eight of those games.

 

[Inferno]

The av playbook....put buch on the 4th line..give vesey more mins...pray it works.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

The joke may be on the Rangers actually. There is only 1 team on that list that has a worse record than the rangers who are currently at NHL .500. I will be happy as **** if they win seven or eight of those games.

Just saying the next stretch of games should confirm or deny if the Rangers really are the team that's gone 8-4-0 or the one that started 1-5-2.

The Tampa game was the opposite of the last two in that Tampa was a steamroller and obviously took the Rangers lightly (even if the coach said they didn't). The Bolts didn't have their backs to the wall and weren't desperate. I think both Chicago and Columbus are Cup contenders regardless of what their respective record states and the Rangers caught both at a bad time.

 

[Lion Hound]

Snap back to reality...oh there goes gravity!

Really creepy. I was just going to post that.

 

[egelband]

Bob has been superb

Yep. This is pretty much it. Columbus from what I saw played better in general but their goalie was amazing. It happens. I do get frustrated seeing fast powerful guys with a step on the defender peel back. JT Miller in particular. Nash is trying to go to the net and I think it will start paying off. JT should do the same. Krieder too. Even if they don’t get off a good shot they can rattle the goalie.
I think this team needs one more shooter.

 

[egelband]

I was glad to AV didn’t bench Buchnevich after that penalty. It was a very iffy call. Particularly right after Miller was tripped. Was kind of a turning point there.

 

[egelband]

A game like this where the 1st line isn't doing much at 5v5 is when you need your depth to step up and create offense. When your options there are David Desharnais and Jimmy Vesey it becomes pretty obvious just how much at a disadvantage that puts us.

Vesey is just not good right now. Has a player ever gotten more chances and such an unearned benefit of the doubt than he has? Seriously.

AV rolling him out there all 3rd. This is a typical Jimmy Vesey shift:

- gain a full head of steam with the puck into the O zone
- lose the puck after being unable to do anything off your rush and being such a putrid passer that you turn it over
- fall down
- go in the D zone and cover nobody usually permitting your man to get a high quality scoring chance
- proceed to get pinned in your own zone and continue to do nothing
- rinse and repeat.

Not to mention when he does get a good chance he seems to either shank his shot, get it blocked or miss the net a very large percentage of the time.

I actually like Vesey and think he’s making things happen- if not finishing. But this post above made me chuckle. It’s very true. Vesey does all those things, a lot. I didn’t really see it that clearly. But I still maintain he does good things too. And I’m fine with him in the lineup. As opposed to a Puempel type who basically skates up and down the ice well but takes only what the defense gives.

 

[egelband]

This hobo bum ass coach has zero ability to evaluate talent.

Hobo? Hobo bum? Very funny. I have some issues with AV. But I’m not sure he’s a bummin’ around kind of guy. Boxcar Al? Haha. I like it.

 

[nevesis]

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Hobo? Hobo bum? Very funny. I have some issues with AV. But I’m not sure he’s a bummin’ around kind of guy. Boxcar Al? Haha. I like it.

†AV inspired†† Jethro Tull in their masterpiece
†† He didn't


Man people really hate AV. Now he's a stowing away in a box car with a jug of wine.

Gumlung.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Really creepy. I was just going to post that.

You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

RangersTown™ since the New Era®.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

I actually like Vesey and think he’s making things happen- if not finishing. But this post above made me chuckle. It’s very true. Vesey does all those things, a lot. I didn’t really see it that clearly. But I still maintain he does good things too. And I’m fine with him in the lineup. As opposed to a Puempel type who basically skates up and down the ice well but takes only what the defense gives.

I'm fine with Vesey on the 4th line as an energy guy, maybe moved up when he's playing well and deserves it. But to be given the opportunities AV gives him when he's not playing well is very frustrating.

Still, Vesey hasn't improved one bit in the defensive zone. He's still very bad there.

 

[Machinehead]

I can't stand watching this team. I don't even care if AV gets away with winning his share of games, his teams are a f***ing chore to be a fan of.