Post-Game Talk: EC Round 1: New York Rangers (M3) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (M2) (PIT leads 1-0)

[nyr2k2]

If I was betting on this, Pens in 6. I'm not betting though, so Rangers in 6.

 

[Infinitum Vitae*]

Pens in 4. We'll score 8 goals the entire series.

 

[NYRKING30]

Rangers in 6.

 

[Holocene]

Let's be real, if we're winning this series it's gonna be in 7 games

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Not feeling overly confident, but as long as Hank is playoff Hank we have as good a chance as anyone.


I think the opening road games are imperative. At the very least we need a split, ideally we win both.

I'm not sure where the Penguins are going to be as far as injuries when the series starts, but if it's Murray or Zatkoff in net to open the series (hell even if it's MAF bc he'll be rusty after injury) we need to completely blitz them in game 1 when the puck is dropped, don't let them get comfortable, shoot everything. Do the opposite of what we did for an injured Ben Bishop in games 5+7 last season.

 

[NYRFAN218]

If I was betting on this, Pens in 6. I'm not betting though, so Rangers in 6.

Pretty much how I feel.

 

[GOAT AINEC]

Both the Panthers and Penguins wanted to avoid the Rangers, you guys need to be more confident.

I'm really not scared of the Penguins.

 

[Greg02]

Wow a lot of you guys are negative. We have experience, we have size up front, we have Hank in net. We've beaten them before, and I think we'll beat them again.

Let's go Rangers!

 

[NYRKING30]

We starting up on Wednesday?

 

[wolfgaze]

I voted Pens in 5 and I would love to be proven wrong...

 

[GOAT AINEC]

Penguins goaltending situation is a disaster. Much rather face them than Luongo who can get hot.

 

[McD27]

#NYR Rd 1 Schedule:
Game 1 @ PIT 4/13 (8p)
Game 2 @ PIT 4/16 (3p)
Game 3 MSG 4/19 (7p)
G4 MSG 4/21
G5 @ PIT 4/23
G6 MSG 4/25
G7 @ PIT 4/27

 

[nevesis]

 

[Mikos87]

LGR *****es Let's GO

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Wednesday start is so clutch for me

 

[GordonGecko]

wow that's so spread out, Rangers have no excuse rest wise

 

[Jaromir Jagr]

ALL the pressure on Pittsburgh.

I believe this is completely false. I actually feel there is more pressure on this years Rangers than in years past, because they know big changes are coming on the off-season and if they fall early, even bigger changes, especially for guys who have spent their whole careers here.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

Playing with the house's money for me. Pens win in 6. LGR

Also voting Pens in 6 but... LGR. Still think we have a chance maybe. We go where Hank takes us.

I believe in Hank.

 

[94wasagoodyear]

Need to somehow split the 1st 2 in pitt and we have a fighter's chance.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I don't know how to feel about this team. I think we could win this series, but I'm not confident that we will.

Hank will probably be going against a third string goalie. Show up, outplay a third string goalie. If Hank can't give us the goaltending advantage in this series, we might be in big trouble.

This offense could have a new dimension if Nash decides to show up, something he hasn't done all year and hasn't yet done in the players. If Marc Staal and Girardi can show up in this series and help shut down Crosby like these guys have done a good job of in the playoffs before, that would also go a long way to helping us win. I also don't know what to expect from Eric Staal. We traded a very good prospect and two 2nd's for a guy who's effectively playing like a 4th line forward offensively. 6 points in 20 games is really bad for a skill forward. Someone playing like that might be scratched if they didn't once score 100 points in a season.

 

[GPNuck]

Well i'm a Rangers fan now ladies and gents )) Happy to join the bandwagon for the playoffs.

 

[nevesis]

I believe this is completely false. I actually feel there is more pressure on this years Rangers than in years past, because they know big changes are coming on the off-season and if they fall early, even bigger changes, especially for guys who have spent their whole careers here.

Don't see how you think that. Penguins have their 3rd string goalie and are going into the playoffs with a weak defense, and a lot of young guys with little playoff experience.

Also going into the playoffs with enormous pressure not to lose again against the team that has embarrassed them two playoff series in a row, and being the hottest team the last couple months of the season. They have to keep that up when everything matters the most.

The pressure is on us?

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

I don't know how to feel about this team. I think we could win this series, but I'm not confident that we will.

Hank will probably be going against a third string goalie. Show up, outplay a third string goalie. If Hank can't give us the goaltending advantage in this series, we might be in big trouble.

This offense could have a new dimension if Nash decides to show up, something he hasn't done all year and hasn't yet done in the players. If Marc Staal and Girardi can show up in this series and help shut down Crosby like these guys have done a good job of in the playoffs before, that would also go a long way to helping us win. I also don't know what to expect from Eric Staal. We traded a very good prospect and two 2nd's for a guy who's effectively playing like a 4th line forward offensively. 6 points in 20 games is really bad for a skill forward. Someone playing like that might be scratched if they didn't once score 100 points in a season.

Eric Staal hasn't put up big numbers, but his play hasn't come close to warranting a scratch. He's been very effective on the third line, he's effectively played the PK. I just hope he's not injured from what happened vs. Detroit.


Pittsburgh's team speed really worries me, frankly they remind me of the 2014 Rangers and that's scary, especially with our #1D likely missing the entire series.

 

[Mikos87]

Hank's been in a slump, hopefully a few days of Benny time gets him out of the funk.

Rangers are a much bigger team, and have better overall depth.

The Penguins are much faster and they hustle hard.

Rangers will need Hank to stand on his head, and their players to be physical.

IMO the goat for the Rangers is Kevin Hayes... he's missed a lot of checking assignments and isn't the fastest guy out there. He's a guy that can be exposed. He's missed a lot of checking assignments versus the faster teams and hasn't hustled at all.

I can see him being a regular scratch depending on how the first couple of games go.

Rangers would be wise to not overexpose Skjei early on.

Being that the Pens are much faster.. the Rangers should use their size, crash the net, and play a very disciplined game along the walls.

Getting into a track meet with these guys is an easy loss.

It will be interesting to see if the coaching adapts to more of a slower grinding game along the walls instead of that fast game that AV likes but this roster isn't equipped to handle versus Pittsburgh.

Physicality will be key. Staal, Nash, Kreider are all on the softer and physically disengaged side for the Rangers, but they'll need to finish checks and take out the Pens defensemen who are basically 4 deep and soft.

IMO they should run Letang every chance they get. Tanner, this is yo time to shine boy.

I can see Kunhackle being concussed by McIlrath. The Undertaker's gotten him good a few times his season... absolute bone crushing hits. If he's playing, hope he can line up Kessel that way.

Marc Staal, let's see some more of those cross checks to Crosby's neck. Let's turn that into an annual tradition.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Don't see how you think that. Penguins have their 3rd string goalie and are going into the playoffs with a weak defense, and a lot of young guys with little playoff experience.

Also going into the playoffs with enormous pressure not to lose again against the team that has embarrassed them two playoff series in a row, and being the hottest team the last couple months of the season. They have to keep that up when everything matters the most.

The pressure is on us?

Do we know this for sure? Wasn't Murray kept out for precautionary reasons? I heard MAF could be back for game 1.