Series Talk: ECSF: New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes (NYR Lead 3-2)

[SnowblindNYR]

NYR(Good Guys): 205 GF 184 GA (+21)
CAR(Jerks): 199 GF 168 GA (+31)

Where did you see this? Moneypuck says +1. 166 for and 165 against.

 

[UnSandvich]

One big advantage for the Rangers in this series is that Zibanejad and Goodrow have seemingly remembered how to play hockey again, and Trouba is buried on the 3rd pair. The Rangers arguably have the better top-end talent, and if the anchors on the team are playing better, it narrows the gap on the depth side of things. Plus Chytil's potential return

On the other hand Pesce & Fast are big losses for the Hurricanes. Even if Pesce comes back in this series, the fact that he's been in a walking boot means his skating will likely be a weakness the Rangers hitters can exploit to make contact.

I homer voted Rangers in 7, but can really see it going either way. Definitely not a short series though

 

[Machinehead]

Where did you see this? Moneypuck says +1. 166 for and 165 against.

5v5 is +1.

The +21 is probably even strength. All sorts of hooey counts as "even strength" including 6v5 somehow.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

5v5 is +1.

The +21 is probably even strength. All sorts of hooey counts as "even strength" including 6v5 somehow.

Considering we were like +7 in 3 on 3 that puts a damper on things.

 

[Machinehead]

Considering we were like +7 in 3 on 3 that puts a damper on things.

To dissect it a bit further, the Rangers top six are two of the best goal differential driving lines in the NHL.

Their bottom six got crucified on a nightly basis. People we say "but deadline" but it really didn't get much better. Kaapo Kakko is the biggest offensive black hole I've ever seen play hockey. Both teams couldn't score trying to shoot into the ocean when he's on the ice. If nobody scores, your +/- is zero. The 4th line sucks. They sucked all season. They were good against Washington so we'll see.

I'm addition to that, the Rangers gave a ton of minutes to Miller-Trouba and they were in legit contention for worst pair in the NHL. Laviolette f***ing FINALLY broke them up in game 82.

Good news: Trouba didn't concede a goal against Washington. Bad news: the Caps scored 4 5v5 goals and Miller-Schneider were on the ice for 3 of them.

If it's just a sampling error and the Rangers got the tumor out of their defense corps, they're in good shape. If Miller continues to bleed goals against like somebody unscrewed a fire hydrant, they're not in good shape.

 

[Kords]

Love how civil this thread is. Reminds me of the "wine phase" of Chardee MacDennis (the game of games) and as soon as the puck drops we're all gonna smash our glasses and start yelling like fools.

As a Ranger fan I could easily see this going either way. Two legit contenders.

Cheers Canes fans, here's to hoping it's a good one and not decided by the stripes

 

[Identity404]

'23-'24 Rangers: 278 goals, 214 ES goals, 166 5v5 goals

'23-'24 Hurricanes: 277 goals, 210 ES goals, 169 5v5 goals

a LOT better?

It’s crazy how close these two teams in a lot of different categories.

I think the narrative that the rangers are “bad” at 5v5 goals is compounded by the fact that they are deadly on the PP, get leads and don’t need to score a whole bunch at 5v5. The Canes had a good PP this year so their 5v5 goals are lower than in the past.

The one thing I’ll say though, the canes do have better advantaged metrics at 5v5, and control the punk more, so I’d still give them a slight edge even if 5v5 goal stats don’t back it up.

 

[NorthStar4Canes]

Water is wet...

Not sure what this has to do with the fans discussion.

Actually, the discussion was transplant fans, and that got me thinking how aside from a few towns up yonder Buffalo-way near Canada, NY doesn't have much of a hockey culture that produces players despite their population and proximity to their neighbours to the NE, N, and W, who do. NYC in particular, relative to its size, is a veritable wasteland.

There's no greater water-is-wet discussion than the existence of transplants in the Canes' fanbase; It's the entire reason they knew hockey could be a success in the market. Obviously, transplants were the toehold of support that helped keep them viable during the first lean years.

The notable story is that as seasons pass there are ever-fewer and fewer of you jersey-flippers and the percentage of native NC fandom has grown. At first, perhaps 90% of fans in attendance were transplants, but that really began to change in 2002 when they made some noise all the way to the SCF, and the trend has only continued in the 20+ years since.

The small(est)-market Hurricanes now have some of the best total and % (100+) attendance numbers in the NHL, and this is due to growth in new, home-grown fans of the game who now form the core of the faithful, not because of transplants. Hockey sells itself once you get the unfamiliar into the arena, and young fans have grown up with the team, the only pro team in the area.

And happily, it has grown devoid of the quasi-elitist, snarky bullshit copped by swaths of some fanbases, many of whom may had had teams to be fans of longer, but aren't from what you'd call a "hotbed of hockey". NYC, for instance, may be the largest market for jersey sales but its no hotbed of the game like BOS, DET, or even little 'ole BUF (bless their hearts).

 

[NorthStar4Canes]

Oh... this series is def not going to be easy.

But, I think the jerks seriously underrate the Rangers defense and physicality. Caps were a crap team, that said, they are not a small team. They got pushed around easily and were thrown off their game.

Nobody is under-rating, let alone seriously.

It's not as if facing latter-round playoff teams that possess good D plus play tough is a rarity. That's as old as hockey. Just as old is the fact that being that team doesn't guarantee a win because there's more than one way to skin a cat.

Lavi is already adjusting his plan and practice to counter Carolina's style. You'd be safe to assume that RBA is adjusting to face NYR's style as well.

I get it, every NYR fan wants to see a bunch of Canes blown-up, starfished, or otherwise wrecked on the ice with (of course) perfectly-legal hits that leave the Canes roster depleted and, for those that remain, no willingness to play. Not going to happen, and the intimidation factor some are hoping for is a fantasy. In fact, if NY goes around in circles chasing monster hits it'll probably work in Carolina's favor.

 

[BelovedIsles]

Going with Canes in 7. Their overall depth, system, and experience will prevail. I also think they are better 5v5. With that said, I want both of these teams out, I'll have to wait another round for that.

 

[Derailed75]

Cheers Canes fans, here's to hoping it's a good one and not decided by the stripes

Same to you.

Also that hoping for a lot, this is the NHL after all

 

[Zalos]

My guts is telling me Canes in 6.

 

[Lempo]

Going with Canes in 7. Their overall depth, system, and experience will prevail. I also think they are better 5v5. With that said, I want both of these teams out, I'll have to wait another round for that.

This is one of them glass is half full situations again.

 

[yrrebbor]

Hopefully Rempe knocks them off their asses in games 1 and 2, and they Chytil is back for games 3 and 4. Mika is back to form and our bottom 6 is killing it. Their PP and PK is better, and both suck at 5 on 5. Rangers in 6.

 

[NJ DevLolz]

Hopefully Rempe knocks them off their asses in games 1 and 2, and they Chytil is back for games 3 and 4. Mika is back to form and our bottom 6 is killing it. Their PP and PK is better, and both suck at 5 on 5. Rangers in 6.

This might be the worst assessment I’ve seen in this thread. Congrats

 

[M2Beezy]

Carolina in 7 give or take 3 games

 

[Roo Returns]

If we’re doing the fandom thing, Rags fans are also Yankees fans are also Knicks fans are also etc etc etc. Your classic “New York” fans, just move from sport to sport.

Urines fans are the diehards. No other sports in the Triangle to distract. Live and die by the team, etc. Anyone still around since the Cup through the dead years is a real one. Very few “real ones” on the Rags side. Just a bunch of displaced New Yorkers who throw on their Rags jersey whenever the team happens to be in town. More of an identification with a city and a reminder of home than a true fandom.

Not really. This only applies to a percentage. Way under 50%.

There are a lot of Rangers/Knicks/Giants/Mets because rooting for NY National League baseball was passed down by family after the Dodgers and Giants went to California.

Then there are people who became very young fans "when teams were good" and got a lot of press. The Yankees and Islanders in the late-70s/early 80s, the Giants and Mets in the mid-80s.

When I started watching hockey the Giants were "struggling" but getting ready for a second Super Bowl run which did happen, the Mets were still very very good, and a young American DMan named Brian Leetch was breaking into the league along with a core of American players in the farm system (Richter, Turcotte, Millen, followed by Weight/Amonte/etc.) so it was natural gravitation.

 

[Profet]

Looks like ESPN has the game starting at 4pm

 

[NoelVilla]

Rangers in 7. Just look solid all around.

 

[Osakahaus]

Carolina>NYR

And I say that only because the Rangers MUST be a better team AT 5V5 this series. If they cannot play 5v5 against the Canes, this series is over. I mean it. Carolina will need to be forechecking Panarin and Zibanajed every chance they get. If they cant then its a gone series and a waste to an all in gamble for the Canes. they need to also have Guentzel and Aho on the top of their games. Biggest X factor to me is the play of Stefan Noesen and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. A lot rides on Kotkaniemi to actually show up instead of being a token troll piece of Les Canadiens.

Rangers must be a good team by not depending on the power play. They have a tougher goalie matchup this time compared to 2022, they have to actually PLAY a team thats aggressive, and Jake Guentzel LOVES feasting off of the Rangers. They have to be a better team 5v5 no matter what. It cannot be a repeat of 2022 where they got massively outplayed 5v5, but won thanks to a freakisly good power play, and Raanta being snakebitten for zero reason.

Carolina in 7. MSG floods as the hopes for another cup are dashed by a team down south.

 

[Profet]

Carolina will need to be forechecking Panarin and Zibanajed every chance they get.

How do you forecheck forwards that hardly carry the puck in the defensive zone? I stopped reading your analysis after reading this gem.

 

[Osakahaus]

How do you forecheck forwards that hardly carry the puck the in defensive zone? I stopped reading your analysis after reading this gem.

Dont let them dictate the game.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Rangers in six.

 

[The S5]

Fraud

How ironic.

 

[The S5]

Hes the exact person we talk about goes to every Canes game in Canes gear, except when his pajamas team comes through he changes uniforms

I don't wear jerseys to hockey games. I'm also not the guy being obnoxious when the Rangers score a goal at PNC.
It's a game folks. People can cheer for who they like.
A little perspective goes a long way.