Post-Game Talk: EXB Game - 7/29/20 | islanders vs RANGERS

[Kaapo Cabana]

They're going to get dropped in the quarters.

Trotz teams with out elite talent have a 2nd round ceiling. They were a better team last year.

They couldn’t lose in October/November. I fear it’s going to be just like that. Everybody is out of sync. It plays right into the hands of a stingy boring team like the Islanders.

 

[JT Kreider]

First off I could give two shits if we won or not tonight as all this was was a tuneup for Saturday. Was hoping and praying no on got hurt but looks like Staalsie aint looking too good. Anyways, I said in the pre game thread that I was looking for one thing and one thing only and I pretty much got what I wanted.

I wanted to see if the rumors in camp about Kakko looking nothing like pre-covid Kakko were true or not.

Well we got a pretty good answer tonight. Kakko too me looks like he's in better shape. He looks like he might have bulked up a bit with some weight training. He just looks a bit beefier which I was hoping and praying he'd do over the offseason. For Kakko, this covid break came at perfect time for him. He just looked gassed everytime out there other than at time on the PP when he could play off the half wall and didn't need to skate too much.

Anyways that's the first thing I noticed was that Kakko looks like he bulked up a bit. Secondly and just as important as this was a major criticism of him that I had, he not only kept up with his linemates tonight and didn't look gassed at all, whether it be Bread or Chytil, Kakko looked like he had some burst to the puck. He looked quicker and faster too me out there.

Third and final thing, Kakko looked like a guy who could be the sniper we all think he'll become as he was shooting the puck on net at pretty much every opportunity something he never did pre-covid. He was dangling the puck and looked dangerous out there. This Kakko is a guy who could and should turn into a perennial 30-35 goal 75-80 point guy down the road.

So yeah too me, this was the biggest thing that happened tonight and what I wanted too see. This impostor who wore #24 pre-covid has been given the boot. The "real" #24 is going to be awfully fun to watch going forward as he's going to keep getting better and better. I would not be surprised whatsoever if Kakko is a big factor in the Canes series and scores an important goal or two. Can't wait too find out!!

I honestly dont even care if we get swept just as long as Kakko has a very good series and puts himself in line for a big year 2 jump.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

They couldn’t lose in October/November. I fear it’s going to be just like that. Everybody is out of sync. It plays right into the hands of a stingy boring team like the Islanders.

A stingy boring team like the Isles will still get lit up by strong teams that can score and defend. They're probably going to see one of those after they get by the Panthers.

 

[Kords]

Isles are gonna get rinsed by who ever comes after Florida. They didn't even try to skate with us after putting up the first one, which in the condition we were in they could of actually benefitted from (practice wise). It's clear what their game plan is and it won't get them far. They did us pretty dirty, but I also think they kind of played themselves.

 

[Maximus]

I honestly dont even care if we get swept just as long as Kakko has a very good series and puts himself in line for a big year 2 jump.

I'm with you that I want too see Kakko have a nice year 2 jump. I am not with you that it wouldn't matter if we get swept. No friggen way. I want to win this series now that we are in it.

Back to Kakko, a jump for Kakko for me that would be commensurate with his age and talent, if Kakko could get himself into that 20-25 goal 20-25 assists...40-50 point area next season, I'd be more than happy with. I think that's a realistic goal for him and anything more than that would be part of the bonus plan.

So long as he keeps improving, gets stronger, faster, keeps improving his stamina, Kakko within 3-4 years will be as I said previously in that 30-35 goal 75-80 point area. Heck maybe he'll be better than a point per game guy....we don't know. But at the very least, Kakko has shown over the covid break, he worked on his weaknesses and did what he needed too do to come back a new man. And tonight, he certainly looked like a new Kakko.

 

[Fitzy]

Dunno who this player is wearing a Kakko jersey but he sure isn't the same one we saw before the shutdown.

 

[Richard Banger]

The game is honestly what I expected. This will not be the same NYR team that you see Saturday. It was so obvious that so many players were pulling up on plays and I don't blame them. The quest for the cup is two days away. Imagine injuring yourself and hindering that chance at a dream. Hope Staal is ok.

 

[and 99 others]

Could care less if we won or lost, but that might of been Panarins worst game ever. Like EVER.

star players are very much aware of what an exhibition game is supposed to be.

Kudos to Kakko and Greggory McKeggory for being the best skaters on the ice between both teams

 

[bobbop]

Lindgren has a difficult night. Howden played very well. And so it goes...

 

[Kords]

star players are very much aware of what an exhibition game is supposed to be.

Kudos to Kakko and Greggory McKeggory for being the best skaters on the ice between both teams

This works both ways and it wasn't just a normal exhibition game. You don't have to make apologies for him. Given the circumstances, it makes sense that his timing and touch's were off. It's also okay to be worried when you look around the league and see most other teams' "stars" showing up like it's still March.

 

[Roo Returns]

They didn't give up 700 shot attempts which is good. They play defensively like they did tonight and get slightly sharper in the OZone they'll be fine vs. Carolina.

Playing the Islanders is like trying to run a 5K wearing a full backpack after being on vacation a month. And they survived. Good signs and don't turn into Star Wars fans reviewing a trailer and writing a novel on every little thing.

 

[egelband]

I wish I had friends like this.

I wish I had friends

 

[Maximus]

They didn't give up 700 shot attempts which is good. They play defensively like they did tonight and get slightly sharper in the OZone they'll be fine vs. Carolina.

Playing the Islanders is like trying to run a 5K wearing a full backpack after being on vacation a month. And they survived. Good signs and don't turn into Star Wars fans reviewing a trailer and writing a novel on every little thing.

Well said. Nothing about tonight changes my thoughts that we could and should beat the Canes in 4 or 5 at the very worst .Goaltending was as good as expected. Offense had tons of chances but didn't have any puck luck. And defensivly were were fine.

If anything the way the Canes played yesterday vs the Caps should give them even more pause than they already had, as to how they are going to deal with us.

Full speed ahead for our Ranger choo choo train....

 

[egelband]

The Isles are just so cheesy. They're the guy who scoots past you the get the elevator and then tries shutting it before you arrive.

And then when you do get in, the guy just looks at his feet.

 

[Ola]

The biggest positive to take away from this game is that the 3rd line actually looked good, especially Chytil and Kakko. Going into this game if you asked me which 3 players I really wanted to see something out of today, those 2 would have been in the top 3.

I mean this team is dead in the water if the top 6 performs the way they did today, but assuming that they actually do the hockey that they usually do having 3 strong lines makes a big difference, especially considering how that 3rd line got killed for most of the season..

Yeah this is my biggest fear, especially thought Ziba was further from game form than everyone else.

Surprised by how good the defense was. Liked Buch.

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

Gauthier needs to be in the top-9

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

One of my friends is an Islanders fan, he sent me this after the game:

"To be fair to the Rangers: the Islanders have much more experience playing a meaningless game in front of an empty arena"

 

[wolfgaze]

"Chlorophyll? More like Bore-a-phyll..."

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Did anyone else notice this team stopped playing a compact game and collapsed at the blue line the moment Lundqvist entered the game? You just rarely see a goalie change just for the sake of it. Normally a goalie switch is when you are down 3-4 goals but this was different. And it was like the defense just flipped a switch.

Lundqvist was great. As if he didn't miss a beat. Good to see, but the sudden change in intensity from our defense (that's the way it seemed to me at least) is really something that bothers me.

 

[mas0764]

Join us Saturday where you'll see all your favorite stars: Ariaga, Ariaga II, Bariaga, Aruglia, and Brett Howden!

Classic reference, A+

 

[mas0764]

None of this matters. I can’t get worked up over this. Hockey was already very random. Now everybody is cold. Might as well have a coin flipping tournament.

I get they need the TV money, but it would have been better if they just scrapped it and went back to normal scheduling for next season. Fans or no fans

If they win, it will feel cheap tbh

They aren’t gonna win. It will be someone else’s asterisk.

 

[NYSPORTS]

We will have 2 firsts this year too. Nobody seems to be talking about that. The future hasn’t fully arrived yet.

More concerned about when we will be playing in the future. Rightfully so, we’re so excited for a series (+) yet the reality of returning to games at MSG and league wide is legitimately threatened.

 

[jiitu]

And Bobrovsky is the worst goalie in the entire playoffs. Reimer will be in net by Game 3.

Reimer might be in the net in game 1. And much closer game to you than you think. And much better than you think.

 

[Kovalev27]

Let’s relax on the islanders at the end of the day they barely beat us 2-1 generated nothing and had to have their goalie steal the game

they’re not special

our best players were dog shit that’s more the concern.

I’d like to see more mins for gauthier somehow. That kid was flying early then didn’t get a sniff of ice. He’s been flying all camp. There is no way I spend a dime on Jesper Fast this off-season. We need more mins for these kid right wingers.

And I’d love to see Kravtsov in there too. That’s where next year we can take the next step with our scoring depth.

 

[WojtekWolski86]

Islanders look like the 2014 Torts Rangers. They just suffocate you and outwork you until you make a mistake. Once they have the lead they are perfectly fine with dumping it out of their own zone softly and rinse repeat.