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

[Boruto]

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.

How dare you mock The Great Holtby. He will make 100 saves in a shutout effort tonight.

 

[Florida Ranger]

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.

To be fair, he does have decent numbers in the regular season as a young goalie.

 

[Riche16]

Plz... Plz... Nash... Plz show up in Monster Nash mode

 

[SaveByLundqvist]

Just win. I don't care how. Just win this friggin game.


P.S. Nasher now is a good time to go in beast mode thx

 

[The Gloaming]

How dare you mock The Great Holtby. He will make 100 saves in a shutout effort tonight.

And all of them will be 20MPH pucks going at his chest.

 

[we want cup]

Nash needs to go all Leroy Jenkins out there.

 

[Boruto]

Nash needs to go all Leroy Jenkins out there.

If he does and actually scores a goal, we will get someone to make a MMMM LEEEEEORY JEEENNNNN-KINS highlight video. It's hard to say what he's not doing. He's been somewhat... elusive during the regular season. For one I think he's positioned at a aimless spot where he can't put the puck on net with a good shot and from a good angle. As for playmaking... I really don't know what there is when the Caps have their sticks in lanes and no Ranger is moving and our point man doesn't carry the puck and refuse to break away from our mighty pentagon formation. All he's been able to do is cycle the god damn puck.

 

[truebluegoalie]

Need to win tonight. Not sure they can pull off a game 7 in DC. Also not sure my heart could handle that.

As far as Hank goes, if the Rangers had scored 1 goal in game 2 and won 1-0 I am not sure this discussion of Hank not playing well would be raised, because he would have stolen that game.

 

[Jersey Girl]

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

Covering more of the net is really not a change in goaltending style...and really not all that complicated. I guess your world no goalie in their 8th year needs a goaltending coach anymore.

 

[Boruto]

Covering more of the net is really not a change in goaltending style...and really not all that complicated. I guess your world no goalie in their 8th year needs a goaltending coach anymore.

Lots of changes happen and they happen through systematic adaptations.

 

[Crease]

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.

I left Hasek off because his playoff record speaks for itself. He had three post seasons with Detroit, two past the age of 40. He spent the bulk of his career on mediocre Sabres teams dragging them through the playoffs on three separate occasions. That '99 Sabres team had no business being in the SCFs. The '98 team had no business being in the CFs.

There is absolutely a team factor here. I don't deny that. That said, I've yet to see Lundqvist in his career steal a series. I've seen it from other goalies, including goalies I wouldn't put on Lundqvist's level. I'm sort of waiting for him to take the next step in his career, and establish himself someone who thrives in the playoffs.

 

[Faxius]

Covering more of the net is really not a change in goaltending style...and really not all that complicated. I guess your world no goalie in their 8th year needs a goaltending coach anymore.

To be fair, Henrik has adjusted his positioning during these 8 years. He used to play further out.

 

[nyr2k2]

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.

Yes. Games are typically lower-scoring. Tighter checking, less power play opportunities. A .920 SV% probably becomes a .923 SV% in the playoffs simply by virtue of those two factors.

I'm not being critical of Henke, but I think over his career, his playoff performance has been slightly less impressive than his regular season performance. I don't remember him really stealing an entire series. Individual games, yes, but not a full series. He's certainly capable of it though. He won an Olympic Gold and a couple championships in Sweden. The last one in Sweden, he was amazing.

 

[The Gloaming]

Covering more of the net is really not a change in goaltending style...and really not all that complicated. I guess your world no goalie in their 8th year needs a goaltending coach anymore.

...he has a goaltending coach.

And yes, he has been playing deep in his net for years now. Not a revelation. How about we stick with what works? He hasn't been flailing around like Thomas, I don't think he should start now.

 

[RangerBoy]

From: @TGfireandice
Sent: May 10, 2013 10:28a

It looks like rookie Tom Wilson will make NHL debut tonight for Caps with Martin Erat (left wrist?) out.

sent via Twitter for Android
On Twitter: http://twitter.com/TGfireandice/status/332864712062685184

 

[Crease]

No one is asking Lundqvist to change his style of play. The only point JG and I made was that Lundqvist is to blame on the 3rd goal. To say it was a lucky deflection and no one to blame is a bit disingenous. Lundqvist plays deep. That's a choice he makes to protect against the east-west game. He got burnt by that choice on that particular play.

 

[Kakko]

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.

He was good in game 3.
Then torts decided to make him play with our top offensive players, where just looked lost in game 4.
He was put back into his 1st line, TOI leader role for game 4, which he just shouldn't have

 

[The Gloaming]

Tom Wilson, eh?

Alright. Watch for this guy to try and hit a lot/stir the pot. Send Clowe out there to put the kid in his place nice and early.

 

[skymachine]

This game will be much tighter and lower scoring than the last 2. Rangers never seem to start strong on the road, ever. They'll need to survive the first 10 minutes because the Caps will be swarming.

Henrik seems to play better with the less goal support he is given. It's hard for the Rangers to score on the road, but I feel if they score 2 tonight they'll win.

 

[truebluegoalie]

I left Hasek off because his playoff record speaks for itself. He had three post seasons with Detroit, two past the age of 40. He spent the bulk of his career on mediocre Sabres teams dragging them through the playoffs on three separate occasions. That '99 Sabres team had no business being in the SCFs. The '98 team had no business being in the CFs.

There is absolutely a team factor here. I don't deny that. That said, I've yet to see Lundqvist in his career steal a series. I've seen it from other goalies, including goalies I wouldn't put on Lundqvist's level. I'm sort of waiting for him to take the next step in his career, and establish himself someone who thrives in the playoffs.

I think the team factor might play into it more than you are willing to admit. A timely goal here or there and a 35+ save loss suddenly becomes a win, can turn a series, and can change people's perception of a goalie's play.

 

[nyr2k2]

No one is asking Lundqvist to change his style of play. The only point JG and I made was that Lundqvist is to blame on the 3rd goal. To say it was a lucky deflection and no one to blame is a bit disingenous. Lundqvist plays deep. That's a choice he makes to protect against the east-west game. He got burnt by that choice on that particular play.

Yep. Fair point to make.

He has evolved over the past few seasons. Overall he has become more aggressive. He has also stopped cheating on the potential pass as much and learned to hold the post longer. Remember a few years ago? Every third game it seemed he'd give up a goal from a really bad angle, as he started to lean, anticipating the puck being centered. That has stopped almost entirely.

His style is not without its drawbacks. Same for an aggressive, floppy, pure butterfly goalie. Sometimes those guys will be laying on the ice for seemingly no reason, completely out of position. Happened to Tim Thomas somewhat regularly even when he was breaking records. Every approach has some holes.

 

[*Bob Richards*]

There is absolutely a team factor here. I don't deny that. That said, I've yet to see Lundqvist in his career steal a series. I've seen it from other goalies, including goalies I wouldn't put on Lundqvist's level. I'm sort of waiting for him to take the next step in his career, and establish himself someone who thrives in the playoffs.

Vs. Ottawa Senators 2012: 1.7 GAA--.945 SV % | Rangers goals scored: 14

Vs. Washington Capitals 2012: 1.85 GAA--.927 SV % | Rangers goals scored: 15

I really don't know how much more you want him to do there.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

He was good in game 3.
Then torts decided to make him play with our top offensive players, where just looked lost in game 4.
He was put back into his 1st line, TOI leader role for game 4, which he just shouldn't have

The fact that Torts thinks that Boyle is the perfect NHL player, tells you everything you need to know about him. He'd be a good pre-lockout coach.

 

[Crease]

Vs. Ottawa Senators 2012: 1.7 GAA--.945 SV % | Rangers goals scored: 14

Vs. Washington Capitals 2012: 1.85 GAA--.927 SV % | Rangers goals scored: 15

I really don't know how much more you want him to do there.

He was fantastic in those series. No doubt.

 

[*Bob Richards*]

He was fantastic in those series. No doubt.

Of course he will poop on my point with his bipolar Devils series. Was in Zeus mode from Game 1-3 and then it just went all downhill from there.