Post-Game Talk: #6 - Devils at Rangers

[Mac n Gs]

It's amazing how Staal's ankle is also hindering him from being able to pass the puck like a professional hockey player.

Another issue, while scoring off the rush does give you a higher probability of scoring goals, it can't be your only plan to score. With our mix of size, speed, and skill, we should really be trying to work the cycle more often.

 

[OverTheCap]

It's frustrating that yet again the Rangers play against a good goalie and they barely make an effort to screen him or wreak havoc in the crease. That's how you beat good goalies in this league, other teams do it against Lundqvist all the time. Goalies like Schneider or Price are going to stop a lot of scoring chances off the rush, the offense really needs to find different ways to score.

 

[charliemurphy]

When are you people gonna wake up and realize the severity of the McD, Staal and Girardi injuries?

They're not able to play at 100% yet...Period.

This is something that doesn't get enough attention around here. The results of losses are far too quickly blamed on the defense. I think this mindset comes from from some people that watch the games on TV while updating their data on their spreadsheets as opposed to seeing the game live.
I know you catch a few games at MSG as do I and I couldn't agree more in the couple of games I've seen at MSG so far.
I have no doubt that those 3 are not 100% and I have to say I'm more concerned with McD not being 100% than I am in Girardi and Staal. I've never bought into the whole pressure of wearing the C think with McD. He's far from 100%.
I just can't blame a banged up defense that has a history of starting slowly while the forwards who should have goals by now are given passes.

 

[The Gloaming]

It's amazing how Staal's ankle is also hindering him from being able to pass the puck like a professional hockey player.

Another issue, while scoring off the rush does give you a higher probability of scoring goals, it can't be your only plan to score. With our mix of size, speed, and skill, we should really be trying to work the cycle more often.

Forget professional. Right now he's at about a Junior B level in terms of puck handling and passing. The way Staal has played this season is completely unacceptable. He would be my number 1 trade bait. Maybe his name is still worth something to some GM.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Rangers dominated possession for large stretches of the game and had plenty of chances but they weren't a high enough quality as you would like. Everything was to the outside. They have trouble getting to the net and getting to the inside with the puck. They seem to have issues with staying in front of the net during the PP and when its warranted 5 on 5. This seems to be taking on a life of its own with this team's star players and its infecting the entire offense. This isn't something new to this season. They'll get better and be fine overall, but when the shit hits the fan this is the kind of play you are looking for and they aren't getting it enough.

The defense is looking older and slower and isn't jump starting the offense. As much as I love McDonagh we haven't seen the great play from him that we saw before he got the captaincy. Maybe they gave him the C too early and its putting too much pressure on him to perform. He's tight. He needs to play looser. There is an issue with this teams leadership imo. Lack of emotional fire and killer instinct. They should have put this team away yesterday. They are more talented up and down the lineup by a wide margin.

Again, this team will be fine but when you are talking about championships and closing windows we can and should expect more, even this early in the season. They'll find their way but their weaknesses are becoming easier to see in their game.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

It's frustrating that yet again the Rangers play against a good goalie and they barely make an effort to screen him or wreak havoc in the crease. That's how you beat good goalies in this league, other teams do it against Lundqvist all the time. Goalies like Schneider or Price are going to stop a lot of scoring chances off the rush, the offense really needs to find different ways to score.

Agree with this 100%. This current era of Rangers have seemed allergic to creating traffic. Then we make it to the SCF and the Kings made Hank's life a living hell with how much traffic they created, he couldn't see half of the shots.


Relying on scoring off the rush as your main offense is how you end up getting shut out in games 5 and 7 at home in the ECF while scoring 7 goals in game 6 in the middle. Ben Bishop didn't have to make 3 tough saves combined between games 5+7. I remember marveling at just how easy those games were for him. All the opponent has to do is clog the ice up and slow the game down and there goes your offense. It's why we can never seem to ever score on the Canadiens, that's how they play. It's not only Price, he's been shutting us out every game since before he was even good.

 

[Killem Dafoe]

GDT is up.