Pre-Game Talk: ECQF Game 5: NYR @ WSH | May 10th 7.30 EST (Series tied 2-2)

[Boruto]

I think the Caps as a whole are going to come out like they were shot out of a cannon. More energy than we've seen from them at any point in the series. It will be critical for us to not be overwhelmed early.

If the Caps come out as I'm anticipating, I think we gotta get Clowe and Dorsett out on the ice a good bit. See if we can bait them into taking stupid penalties with all the adrenaline they'll have.

You guys are way over thinking it... All we need is moar JAM from our TOI leader, Lord Byron the First.

 

[Florida Ranger]

Hit everything. Knock out their will. Make them scared.

 

[mandiblesofdoom]

Ovechkin is aware of the buzz surrounding him. I'm interested in seeing how he comes out tonight.

I wonder if he is gonna come out even more chippy than usual. Our guys need to be aware.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

IMO, fair or not, Hank is gonna need to steal one.

 

[SixGoalieSystem]

Aside from winning faceoffs, yes

What does Brian Boyle have to do to get credit for a good game? Score a hat trick, block 20 shots and beat up Chimera and Ovechkin?

I'm sorry, but I fail to comprehend how anyone would refuse to aknowledge that Boyle played well in Game 3 and clearly helped his line.

 

[Crease]

IMO, fair or not, Hank is gonna need to steal one.

He needs to elevate his game in the playoffs in general. He's capable of it, but hasn't shown it on a consistent basis. If people are going to look back on his career and view him as an elite goaltender, he's gotta find that next level in May and June.

 

[haohmaru]

Ovechkin is aware of the buzz surrounding him. I'm interested in seeing how he comes out tonight. Also, Lundqvist needs to be a wall. His regular season stats are better than his post-season stats. If he's truly the King, he'll kick it into a higher gear.

Have a look at last year, when he won the Vezina, and see if his post season stats were better than his regular season. Hint: they were.

 

[Parker]

Interested to see which Rangers team shows up tonight. Hopefully it's the one from the past 2 games and not the first 2 games.

Wishing for a Nash goal.

 

[Crease]

Have a look at last year, when he won the Vezina, and see if his post season stats were better than his regular season. Hint: they were.

You're right. But I was referring to career body of work.

 

[NYRKindms]

He needs to elevate his game in the playoffs in general. He's capable of it, but hasn't shown it on a consistent basis. If people are going to look back on his career and view him as an elite goaltender, he's gotta find that next level in May and June.

Doesn't help that he has had to carry the team on his back in to the post season almost every year with the exception being last year.

How many starts did Biron get this season ? 6

He played the game you are describing in game 2 but the team couldn't help him out.

 

[Boruto]

You're right. But I was referring to career body of work.

who's career body of work is better in the PO on a consistent basis? Not many. Goalies' stats SHOULD suffer going into the playoffs as they're facing all top 8 teams, better PP and with scouting reports and strategies to take against goalies working against them. We've been the bottom seed going into the PO every year except last year. A top team does not become a top team without potent scoring (exception of 2012 NYR ). Besides, the years of playing against the former goal scoring champ and the current goal scoring champ as well as Backstrom and Semin should do a thing or two to hurt his stats.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I have to say, I know that Ward looked great last game and Boyle is um Boye, but our 3rd line looks A LOT better than theirs. Brassard and Zucc are more talented than anyone on that 3rd line.

 

[haohmaru]

You're right. But I was referring to career body of work.

They are actually very comparable.

Playoffs: .917, 2.32, one shutout per 9.83 games
Regular Season: .920, 2.25, one shutout per 11.35 games

I think getting Nash going is a bigger deal than Lundqvist. Caps scored the 2nd most goals in the entire league the last month of the season, so goals are going to happen no matter who is in the net. As long as Lundqvist outplays Holtby, it's up to the guys in front of him.

 

[Idlerlee]

Zucc is going to drop the gloves and lay some hockey justice on Mike Green tonight.

But in honesty, if there by any chance aren't any deflect goals coming Hanks way, we got every chance of taking this game in the first 2 periods.

A Nash-Steph-Zucc line would be great, but I don't see torts messing around too much with the lines from the previous game, other than certain individuals not producing on barndoor shots, the team played a really good game and there isn't a big need to change things around too much imo.

 

[NYR Viper]

I have to say, I know that Ward looked great last game and Boyle is um Boye, but our 3rd line looks A LOT better than theirs. Brassard and Zucc are more talented than anyone on that 3rd line.

Eh, yeah, I guess. Perreault and Fehr have been effective for them though. Chimera has as well. The injury to Erat and having Laich already out forces them to move some people out of position. I am hoping the Rangers can exploit that a bit.

 

[QuadrupleDeke]

who's career body of work is better in the PO on a consistent basis? Not many. Goalies' stats SHOULD suffer going into the playoffs as they're facing all top 8 teams, better PP and with scouting reports and strategies to take against goalies working against them.

Hasek
Roy
Brodeur
Miller
Thomas

Those were the first (and only) five I looked at, and all had better sv% and gaa in the playoffs than regular season. Elite goalies raise their games in the playoffs.

Oh yeah, one more... Braden Holtby.

 

[Boruto]

Eh, yeah, I guess. Perreault and Fehr have been effective for them though. Chimera has as well. The injury to Erat and having Laich already out forces them to move some people out of position. I am hoping the Rangers can exploit that a bit.

In terms of match ups, we might be able to exploit that because of depth but as far as John Tortorella making strategic changes... who knows, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, I suppose.

 

[Crease]

who's career body of work is better in the PO on a consistent basis? Not many. Goalies' stats SHOULD suffer going into the playoffs as they're facing all top 8 teams, better PP and with scouting reports and strategies to take against goalies working against them. We've been the bottom seed going into the PO every year except last year. A top team does not become a top team without potent scoring (exception of 2012 NYR ). Besides, the years of playing against the former goal scoring champ and the current goal scoring champ as well as Backstrom and Semin should do a thing or two to hurt his stats.

This was just a quick search I did. Roy and Brodeur are legends but you would put Lundvqist on par or better than the rest, yes? Lundqvist is the only one in this list that has worse stats in the playoffs. And it's not like guys like Anderson and Giguere have favorable matchups year in and year out.

Goalie | RS % | RS GAA | PS % | PS GAA
Richter | 0.904 | 2.89 | 0.909 | 2.68
Vanbiesbrouck | 0.899 | 2.98 | 0.915 | 2.68
Joseph | 0.906 | 2.79 | 0.917 | 2.42
Belfour | 0.906 | 2.5 | 0.92 | 2.17
Brodeur | 0.913 | 2.23 | 0.919 | 2.02
Roy | 0.91 | 2.54 | 0.918 | 2.3
Lundqvist | 0.92 | 2.25 | 0.917 | 2.32
Anderson | 0.915 | 2.71 | 0.938 | 2.16
Giguere | 0.913 | 2.53 | 9.25 | 2.08

You play better teams in the playoffs. Absolutely. But games are also checked tigher. Hence why player PPG rates go down in the playoffs. Look, I love Lundqvist. But the reality is that he can do better in the playoffs. He's shown the ability to in the regular season. All those Vezina nominations are not going to mean much in the grand scheme of things if he can't elevate his game in the playoffs. I'm rooting for him to do it.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Zucc is going to drop the gloves and lay some hockey justice on Mike Green tonight.

But in honesty, if there by any chance aren't any deflect goals coming Hanks way, we got every chance of taking this game in the first 2 periods.

A Nash-Steph-Zucc line would be great, but I don't see torts messing around too much with the lines from the previous game, other than certain individuals not producing on barndoor shots, the team played a really good game and there isn't a big need to change things around too much imo.

Hank leaves himself vulnerable to deflections on long shots (even off a guy's BACK for goodness sake!) by playing so deep in the net. He needs to make himself bigger in net on those point shots.

 

[Boruto]

Hasek
Roy
Brodeur
Miller
Thomas

Those were the first (and only) five I looked at, and all had better sv% and gaa in the playoffs than regular season. Elite goalies raise their games in the playoffs.

Oh yeah, one more... Braden Holtby.

Henrik did last year and it's certain that he's not playing his usual 2 or less performance. In general though, his stats are high enough that you can't expect him to take it to another level when the Rangers play this horrible 6 goalie system that an offensively talented line will exploit. Although , I'm not sure what I'm ranting for he does need to kick it up a notch.

 

[WeWillWinTonight]

Ahhh the classic "Nash Will Score" logical fallacy where everything makes sense but it doesn't. It gets the best of us.

So due for a goal just sayin

 

[The Gloaming]

Hank leaves himself vulnerable to deflections on long shots (even off a guy's BACK for goodness sake!) by playing so deep in the net. He needs to make himself bigger in net on those point shots.

Yes, in his 8th season, only now should our Vezina winner change his goaltending style.

 

[NYR Viper]

This was just a quick search I did. Roy and Brodeur are legends but you would put Lundvqist on par or better than the rest, yes? Lundqvist is the only one in this list that has worst stats in the playoffs. And it's not like guys like Anderson and Giguere have favorable matchups year in and year out.

Goalie | RS % | RS GAA | PS % | PS GAA
Richter | 0.904 | 2.89 | 0.909 | 2.68
Vanbiesbrouck | 0.899 | 2.98 | 0.915 | 2.68
Joseph | 0.906 | 2.79 | 0.917 | 2.42
Belfour | 0.906 | 2.5 | 0.92 | 2.17
Brodeur | 0.913 | 2.23 | 0.919 | 2.02
Roy | 0.91 | 2.54 | 0.918 | 2.3
Lundqvist | 0.92 | 2.25 | 0.917 | 2.32
Anderson | 0.915 | 2.71 | 0.938 | 2.16
Giguere | 0.913 | 2.53 | 9.25 | 2.08

You play better teams in the playoffs. Absolutely. But games are also checked tigher. Hence why player PPG rates go down in the playoffs. Look, I love Lundqvist. But the reality is that he can do better in the playoffs. He's shown the ability to in the regular season. All those Vezina nominations are not going to mean much in the grand scheme of things if he can't elevate his game in the playoffs. I'm rooting for him to do it.

I would like to look at the teams those players have played for. Hasek played for the Wings. Roy the Habs and the Avs. Broduer won how many Cups? That helps pad stats.

 

[Boruto]

This was just a quick search I did. Roy and Brodeur are legends but you would put Lundvqist on par or better than the rest, yes? Lundqvist is the only one in this list that has worst stats in the playoffs. And it's not like guys like Anderson and Giguere have favorable matchups year in and year out.


You play better teams in the playoffs. Absolutely. But games are also checked tigher. Hence why player PPG rates go down in the playoffs. Look, I love Lundqvist. But the reality is that he can do better in the playoffs. He's shown the ability to in the regular season. All those Vezina nominations are not going to mean much if he can't elevate his game in the playoffs.

That's a lovely table. Thanks for that. He's been okay I suppose. It doesn't help that he's played on an essentially scrub team up until last year where half of the defensemen in front of him are either retired, retiring, in the AHL or out of an elite level job and he basically played against the #1 offensive team in the league in half the series he's been in. He CAN and DID elevate his level last year is the point that I'm trying to spit out I'm really tired and have no idea what I'm actually trying to articulate.

Nothing says crunch time like a best of 3. We'll see... very anxious.

 

[The Gloaming]

Holtby's playoff stats are so good because he's faced our terrible offense twice already, where we rarely get any good shots and constantly shoot at his chest.