Pre-Game Talk: Caps @ Rangers - Metro Division Finals

[GOAT AINEC]

I want the Caps because all you have to do is shutdown Ovi, but I have no faith in them.

Don't they always get blown out in game 7's? Or is that only against us?

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

Caps are so much easier to shut down. Jt > ovi. And that islanders fourth line would do some damage both on the score board and the injury department

 

[beastly115]

Another consideration is that if we play the Isles it's like playing all 4 games at home.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Even if I didn't want the caps to begin with, I have to pick them now. Will be traveling near DC for the next few weeks for work so it is entirely possible for me to go see a game.

 

[Mac n Gs]

We match up better against the Capitals than we do the Islanders. I'd rather worry about solving how to neutralize Ovi on the powerplay vs how to neutralize the Islanders non-stop forecheck and good 5v5 play for most of the game.

 

[Doctyl]

Isles 4th line would kill ours. Could be like the 2012 Devils all over again

 

[GraveyTrain9]

pulling hard for the caps tonight. If we play the Islanders, it will be a 7-game coin flip & definitely too much to handle for only the 2nd round of hopefully four.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

The last time the islanders won a playoff series, the song "Informer" by Canadian white rapper Snow was really high on the Billboard charts.

I would like that to still be true after tonight.

I hope the Caps send the Islanders Cup hopes (licky boom boom) down the drain.

I'll show myself out

 

[nevesis]

The last time the islanders won a playoff series, the song "Informer" by Canadian white rapper Snow was really high on the Billboard charts.

I would like that to still be true after tonight.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

The last time the islanders won a playoff series, the song "Informer" by Canadian white rapper Snow was really high on the Billboard charts.

I would like that to still be true after tonight.

I hope the Caps send the Islanders Cup hopes (licky boom boom) down the drain.

I'll show myself out

This is a tremendous, A+++ caliber post.

 

[FultonReed]

The last time the islanders won a playoff series, the song "Informer" by Canadian white rapper Snow was really high on the Billboard charts.

I would like that to still be true after tonight.

I hope the Caps send the Islanders Cup hopes (licky boom boom) down the drain.

I'll show myself out

 

[Xref]

A Rangers-Islanders series would be great for the NYC sports region, especially with the impending move of the Isles to Brooklyn. I'm looking forward to this matchup. The Caps would be boring conversation.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

has anyone heard what the schedule is going to be like?

I heard Thursday and Sunday for the first 2 games. Concerts at MSG Fri and Sat but apparently they can move those shows. So some folks are saying Game 2 Saturday. But the concert on Saturday is Eric Clapton's 70th birthday party jam. Would they really move that?

Also, do you guys think they can start Wednesday if the DET/TBL series ends tonight?

(Full disclosure - Isles fan here but first and foremost a hockey fan. A NYR-NYI series would be a ton of fun!).

 

[nevesis]

A Rangers-Islanders series would be great for the NYC sports region, especially with the impending move of the Isles to Brooklyn. I'm looking forward to this matchup. The Caps would be boring conversation.

I'm less concerned about the attention it gets, and more concerned with getting to the finals and having a shot at the cup. That will give us all the local attention we need.

 

[Holocene]

I don't care at this point. They both have their pros and cons and I'm 50/50 on it. Caps I'm tired of playing but they're an easier match-up for us. Isles defense is banged up and not that good to begin with but they have better depth up front. Holtby and Halak can both play really well or like a dumpster fire. I think that's a wash maybe a slight edge to Holtby. I think it'd be a less stressful series against the Caps but who knows? Maybe now that it's the playoffs and they'd match the Isle's intensity they had in regular season games in the beginning of the the season that would make for a quicker series.

All I know is that I'm bored AF waiting for the Rangers to play games again.

 

[FJB]

I want the Caps.

 

[broadwayblue]

The answer is simple.

We want the Washington Capitals.

The reasoning?

Ask yourself this question (the people who live in the Metropolitan area will understand best)

In the event that we actually lose the series which is completely possible, anything can happen. Who would you rather LOSE too? The Caps or the Islanders?

The answer is simple for me. Definitely the Capitals. This ensures the Islanders do not win anything this year, and keeps their drought that much longer than ours. The amount of Islanders fans in this area, and the gloating they would be doing would be an all-time high, and would anger me to no end. It just can't happen.

Would beating the Islanders be amazing? Hell yes it would, but do you know the stress that would put on not only us as fans, but the series would be emotionally and physically grinding for both teams because of how much is at stake. That would effect them for the ECF if they won and got there.

For me, its simple. I want the Washington Capitals next round. We know them well, and play them well.

Heres to hoping the Caps get it done tonight, and keep the Islanders streak of not winning a playoff series in over 20 years to continue...

I understand your point. But I think your reasoning is flawed. Who we want is the team we stand a better probability of defeating, not who we will be more upset losing to. If we have a 60% chance of beating team A I'll take them every time over a 55% chance of beating team B. Which team would hurt to lose to more is not part of the equation.

 

[nevesis]

I understand your point. But I think your reasoning is flawed. Who we want is the team we stand a better probability of defeating, not who we will be more upset losing to. If we have a 60% chance of beating team A I'll take them every time over a 55% chance of beating team B. Which team would hurt to lose to more is not part of the equation.

Using percentages like that is way more flawed. There is no math that can predict any outcomes, especially in the playoffs.

For me, it all comes down to two things, who I think it will be easier to beat, and who I wouldn't want to lose too.

I think we match up better with the Caps, and know them well in the playoffs, and I would not want to deal/live with knowing the Islanders eliminated us in the playoffs because i'd never hear the end of it from that fanbase.

 

[broadwayblue]

Using percentages like that is way more flawed. There is no math that can predict any outcomes, especially in the playoffs.

For me, it all comes down to two things, who I think it will be easier to beat, and who I wouldn't want to lose too.

I think we match up better with the Caps, and know them well in the playoffs, and I would not want to deal/live with knowing the Islanders eliminated us in the playoffs because i'd never hear the end of it from that fanbase.

Obviously we all know you can't use percentages. I was simply trying to illustrate that you want to go with the better matchup on paper. If the Isles are the better match up I want them even if I will be 10x more upset about losing a series to them. In that case I'm not going to hope we get to face the tougher team so that I can be less miserable this summer if we lose.

Having said that, before the playoffs started I was nearly 100% sure we would match up better against the Caps. But now after watching those teams play 6 games I'm not so sure. The Caps are getting more rounded scoring and the Isles are really depleted on the back end. Let's see tonight if Washington can take advantage of that having the last change on home ice. I'm not convinced either team is that much better than the other at this point.

 

[Quinnisinoverhishead]

I want the Islanders:
...Their "D" is seriously banged up.
...6,000 Rangers fans at NVMC neutralizes their biggest advantage
...It would be good for hockey in this area
...So tired of seeing Rangers vs. Caps in the playoffs

Great post.

Agree with you on every point.

This would be a great series. Highly entertaining.

 

[nevesis]

Obviously we all know you can't use percentages. I was simply trying to illustrate that you want to go with the better matchup on paper. If the Isles are the better match up I want them even if I will be 10x more upset about losing a series to them. In that case I'm not going to hope we get to face the tougher team so that I can be less miserable this summer if we lose.

Having said that, before the playoffs started I was nearly 100% sure we would match up better against the Caps. But now after watching those teams play 6 games I'm not so sure. The Caps are getting more rounded scoring and the Isles are really depleted on the back end. Let's see tonight if Washington can take advantage of that having the last change on home ice. I'm not convinced either team is that much better than the other at this point.

But ask yourself the simple question...

Who would you rather lose too? The Capitals, or the Islanders?

 

[rangers1314]

No Yandle, Zuc or Staal at optional Practice today, Klein is on.

 

[Xref]

I'm less concerned about the attention it gets, and more concerned with getting to the finals and having a shot at the cup. That will give us all the local attention we need.

I hear that and agree. I think we win the series regardless of which team we play, but the entertainment value in a Ranger/Islanders series would be off the hook.

 

[Beacon]

Let's look at the factors that mater in the playoffs:

Goaltending : Caps
Defense: Caps
Physicality: Caps
Experience : Caps
Travel: Harder against the Caps
Beating the Isles and closing Neverwin Homeless Shelter: Priceless

The Isles have better depth up front than the Caps, but defense and goaltending matters much more in the playoffs. Our forwards will score more on Halak than theirs would on Lundqvist. I have no idea why people are scared except that you confuse the difference between playoffs and regular season. In Novembrr, they play us like its May, but we play them like it's November. In May, both teams will play like it's May.

Plus it will be like having all the games at home. We will rock the homeless shelter.

 

[Xref]

Optional skate? They should be having MANDATORY power play practices. My gawd....