I rewatched the game from last night. Stomached it. I wasn't able to watch until about 10 minutes left in the 3rd, and wanted to see for myself how the Rangers conceded 6 goals for a 2nd straight night.
Game 2, I reasoned it was sloppy play and lack of focus. This game, I have a lot of blame on the coaches.
First and foremost, the score is what the score is, and I've already harped on individual players' mistakes that I don't necessarily feel the need to return to attacking that as a reason that the Rangers lost. We get it. Henrik had a horrible night. Nash again did not help our cause. McDonagh and Girardi were woeful, especially on the final two goals. Boyle started horribly but actually turned it on at the end. And St. Louis was again rendered utterly useless.
Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I will centralize on what I believe are two of the biggest flaws the Rangers had in game 3 (and even in this series).
1) Vigneault's HORRIBLE game plan against Tampa's bread and butter. We are playing the league's most potent offense. Personally, I think their system does not create offense... but instead, capitalizes on the mistakes that other teams make. Namely, penalties and turnovers that lead to an unreal transition game. While many teams can live with making these mistakes, something special strikes me about the Lightning. They're incredibly efficient - i.e they convert on these mistakes better than seemingly any other team in the league. In game 2 and 3, the Rangers did nothing to stifle either area of this success. Namely, they lacked discipline that led to Tampa Powerplays time and time again AND they refused to make it tough on Tampa's transition speed game by neglecting any type of defense whatsoever. In game 1, the Rangers played conservatively, committed to playing team defense, and Tampa looked devoid of 5v5 offense. Since then? Reckless, sloppy, and shooter happy hockey. And that my friends falls on AV, and his lack of preparing this group. They should be taking away Tampa's speed. After all, the Rangers are the team that is more comfortable playing tighter, low scoring games. Instead, Tampa trapped AV and the Rangers, who were closed off of space on the ice for 2 series' and couldn't wait to play a happy go lucky offensive style of game. And yes, that happens to do with our coaching falling right into this trap.
2) And I hope no one takes this as me saying that I want opposing team players injured... the Rangers are not making the Lightning physically pay. This is the playoffs. This team is standing in the way of your dream... a dream that dramatically collapsed at the final moment last year and is even more within grasp this year. Ron Duguay said it before the series even started, but he mistakenly only localized this to how the Rangers should treat Callahan. You have to make the opposing team's players lives hell. And the Rangers? They're letting scrawny, pubescent-looking, pests like Tyler Johnson post up in front of the net. Kucherov, Namestikov(sorry if wrong), Palat... these ****ing undersized clowns are skating right into the zone and going to the slot and front of the net with NO physical penalty. And that... to me, is ****ing disgusting. This isn't wishing injury on anyone, but when someone is smaller than you, making you pay offensively, and going to areas that physicality dominates... that is a slap in the face to your defenders. They're not physically executing. Tyler Johnson should be absolutely leveled for going within 10 feet of Henrik. He is 5'8. Palat needs to be drilled. And of course, I mean legally. But these players need to regret even thinking about going close to the slot or font of the net. They need to wince any time a defender looks at them. And their will needs to be broken.
If the Rangers stand any hope to come back and win this series, it will be because Vigneault stops foolishly trying to beat Tampa at their bread and butter, closes the team up and tightens the defensive screws, focuses them and grounds them from taking undisciplined penalties, and reminds them that size really does matter in swaying mental fortitude.
The Rangers are the better team. The Rangers are the more experienced team. It is time they started taking what should be theres rather than letting it slip between their fingers.
Solid post, especially about how they are not punishing them physically.
