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

[KingP]

Comes down to one thing and its the reason we havent won a Cup or wont win one for a long time. this team simply cant finish.

Rangers have played some excellent Cup winning hockey the last few years in my opinion but if you dont get those big goals you wont win


We dominated last night to start the game but its all wasted if you cant get the puck in the net


This series is over. Pens didnt even have A game last night and still won

 

[NYRFAN218]

I think they played stupid last night. Too many bad penalties. The short handed goal was atrocious.

I don't think they played bad, it's just the same brain dead plays that have occurred all season did them in. And I'd say 3 of the 5 penalties were horrible calls too considering it's a playoff game (both Stalberg penalties and the Staal goalie interference). Both teams had 5 power plays anyway with a goal each it's just the Rangers let up a shorthanded goal on one of theirs.

They carried the play for solid portions of the game which is encouraging considering I was expecting us to get shelled at 5 V 5 but some defensive breakdowns you just can't overcome especially when Henrik isn't in net to save your ass.

 

[silverfish]

I think they played stupid last night. Too many bad penalties. The short handed goal was atrocious.

Miller, Nash, and Yandle on that play. All looked like they had never played hockey before. That was definitely the back-breaker.

 

[NYRFAN218]

Miller, Nash, and Yandle on that play. All looked like they had never played hockey before. That was definitely the back-breaker.

To cut Yandle some slack there, I believe he had been on the ice for 2+ minutes at that point IIRC. But yeah, it was still played horribly. He needed to get down and block that pass because the guy was in so far there wasn't even a shooting opportunity.

 

[KingP]

The defensive breakdowns are frustrating but they happen to every team and its something that happens after not scoring on good chances. it all starts with that. we dont ****ing score enough. we dominate play and dont finish

Puts a lot of pressure on

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Miller, Nash, and Yandle on that play. All looked like they had never played hockey before. That was definitely the back-breaker.

All true. The timing of it was devastating.

 

[KingWantsCup]

The funny thing is for all you advanced stat crazes out there.. We had a shot attempts % close of 62.71% and still got **** on 5-2... We played solid, but like all year a few brain farts and they capitalize

Most shots were just crap thrown on the net just because Zatkoff is a 3rd stringer.

 

[Ori]

Girandi lost focus even worse on that goal. Henrik should getvto punch him in the eye.

Yes, Girardi waitd for a call that didn`t happen, and chasing a lead in playoffs
is difficult. And Rangers was best for the major part of the 1st period.

 

[True Blue]

I'm a huge doubter of Nash, but he had an awesome game last night.

I can't go there. Once again, he is not the little engine that could. He again failed at the one thing that the team counts on him to do. Score goals. If you forget goal scoring, sure he was good. But one cannot take that out of the equation.

Aside from that, we had terrible luck last night.

Don't think it was terrible luck that caused the team to stop playing halfway through the first period.

 

[RangerBoy]

The team played like **** and it was a microcosm of the entire season.

 

[silverfish]

Yes, Girardi waitd for a call that didn`t happen, and chasing a lead in playoffs
is difficult. And Rangers was best for the major part of the 1st period.

I actually think all the analysis of Girardi expecting it to be icing is wrong. If he thought it was going to be icing, he'd have had to turn around and sprint towards the puck because the Pens were coming in fast. He didn't look like a player trying to win an icing race.

Honestly?

I think he had no idea where the puck was. I think he lost sight of it.

 

[Mr Clutch]

U know what keeps bothering me? Ian cole was running his mouth all night to our guys. Ian freaking Cole. I cant stand when crap players run their mouth. Id love to see kredier obliterate him in open ice

 

[Ori]

It bounced over Staal`s stick as well - Pengs was lucky last night.

 

[nyrleetch]

Girardi Staal Nash Boyle... 20+ mil invested in this.

 

[Trxjw]

Team looked like it forgot there was a game last night. From the start I just had that feeling it was going to be a drubbing if they couldn't put one behind Zatkoff early.

 

[Megustaelhockey]

U know what keeps bothering me? Ian cole was running his mouth all night to our guys. Ian freaking Cole. I cant stand when crap players run their mouth. Id love to see kredier obliterate him in open ice

Why else do you think Ian Cole has a job?

 

[Maineice11]

U know what keeps bothering me? Ian cole was running his mouth all night to our guys. Ian freaking Cole. I cant stand when crap players run their mouth. Id love to see kredier obliterate him in open ice

Kreider would get an interference penalty or illegal hit to the head penalty

I'd rather see McIlrath get in there and lay some punishing hits clear the crease. Earlier in the season I had concerns about his speed, but as he got more playing time, he adapted and really looked good with Staal the last couple of games of the season. I hope he gets put in for Game 2, but I doubt it happens.

What is frustrating to me, is I really believe this team has the personnel to win a cup, but this coach has done a horrendous job of using the personnel this entire season. And some players need benchings to be held accountable to figure it out, Girardi and Staal both respond to that type of accountability, which I think is why they did well under Torts, and that was in their subconscious the last two seasons, but has no worn off now... As extreme as it may have been, I really felt that they needed to fire AV and bring in another coach, even if just for these playoffs, if they wanted a chance at the cup once in the playoffs, it did not happen, and now we lose another cup chance for Lundqvist.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

If AV wants this series to go more than 4, he needs to make lineup changes. Sit Girardi for a game to send a "message" (or however they want to spin it), put McIlrath in, and change the forward lines. Split Brassard from Zuccarello, bench Glass, and move E. Staal up.

Kreider-Stepan-Zuccarello
Staal-Brassard-Nash
Miller-Hayes-Stalberg
Lindberg-Moore-Fast

Yandle-Klein
Staal-McIlrath
Skjei-Boyle

Forget having a 2nd and 3rd pairing on D. Roll a 2A, and 2B, and spilt the minutes evenly between the two pairs. Yandle and Klein do the heavy lifting.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

I love how it's the same ******** every year.

Other teams worry about when their players will come back from injury and we're constantly sitting here desperate for a tweet on whether or not the injury our guy suffered is career threatening.

Only the Rangers.

 

[Doctor King Schultz]

"Family"

 

[nevesis]

"Family"

#changetheending



....again

 

[Ori]

If AV wants this series to go more than 4, he needs to make lineup changes. Sit Girardi for a game to send a "message" (or however they want to spin it), put McIlrath in, and change the forward lines. Split Brassard from Zuccarello, bench Glass, and move E. Staal up.

Kreider-Stepan-Zuccarello
Staal-Brassard-Nash
Miller-Hayes-Stalberg
Lindberg-Moore-Fast

Yandle-Klein
Staal-McIlrath
Skjei-Boyle

Forget having a 2nd and 3rd pairing on D. Roll a 2A, and 2B, and spilt the minutes evenly between the two pairs. Yandle and Klein do the heavy lifting.

Yes, I agree, I like the line changes as well - quoted for truth!

 

[Miamipuck]

Replace/upgrade four guys - Girardi, Staal, Boyle, Glass, and they're fine.

I'd like the defense to average 25 years old. The forwards are fine.

I totally agree but how is this going to happen? Is management seeing what we're seeing?