Post-Game Talk: Game #2: Rangers @ Columbus Blue Jackets

[Levitate]

I love how we are talking like Duke made 2 unreal plays last night and he is really playing well. He made two passes that a pro hockey player should make. Other than that what did he do? The first goal he had all kinds of time to find Stemp and the second pass is a pass that every hockey player sees in that spot . Let's relax.

It's more that he created those opportunities himself and then actually MADE the plays, which most of the rest of the team wasn't doing last night. Yes they weren't amazing passes (though the one to Stempniak was nice) but his work in the offensive zone created two goals last night, that's the big thing. It also created a breakaway for him (should have just shot the puck!) and he hit the crossbar with a wicked shot earlier in the game

And beyond that I think he's just playing the game at a NHL level which is what we want to see from him if he's going to stay. You can say "every hockey player sees those passes" but the reality is that it's more like "most NHL players with some offensive talent should see those passes" (can't say Glass would have seen that...) which is important because Duclair is trying to prove that he is a NHL player

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

I love how we are talking like Duke made 2 unreal plays last night and he is really playing well. He made two passes that a pro hockey player should make. Other than that what did he do? The first goal he had all kinds of time to find Stemp and the second pass is a pass that every hockey player sees in that spot . Let's relax.

Correction: he made two passes that a top-6 pro hockey player should make. And the second one to Nash was one that many top-6 guys don't see, much less execute. That's why folks are excited. Did he dominate the game? No, obviously not. But those two plays gave real indications that what he flashed in the preseason might be for real. That's why folks are excited, even though it happened in a losing effort.

Jeez, it's like if you don't agree that the sky is falling after two games (the second of which they lost to an amped up would-be rival playing its home opener - and the first of which they actually won, for crying out loud!) you're a pariah around here. God forbid someone should take a positive out of the second game of the season.

 

[RangersOwnNewYork*]

I love how we are talking like Duke made 2 unreal plays last night and he is really playing well. He made two passes that a pro hockey player should make. Other than that what did he do? The first goal he had all kinds of time to find Stemp and the second pass is a pass that every hockey player sees in that spot . Let's relax.

He also rang a rocket of a shot off the crossbar, the pass he made to Nash for the second call was in traffic close to the net and a lot of NHL players wouldn't have had the vision to make that pass. He used his blazing speed to steal a puck and go in on a breakaway which unfortunately he didn't score on. This kid is for real.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

It's more that he created those opportunities himself and then actually MADE the plays, which most of the rest of the team wasn't doing last night. Yes they weren't amazing passes (though the one to Stempniak was nice) but his work in the offensive zone created two goals last night, that's the big thing. It also created a breakaway for him (should have just shot the puck!) and he hit the crossbar with a wicked shot earlier in the game

And beyond that I think he's just playing the game at a NHL level which is what we want to see from him if he's going to stay. You can say "every hockey player sees those passes" but the reality is that it's more like "most NHL players with some offensive talent should see those passes" (can't say Glass would have seen that...) which is important because Duclair is trying to prove that he is a NHL player

Absolutely. And I would go a step further; I'd change your bolded sentence to read "most players with some offensive talent should see those passes, and only those who have real offensive talent execute them both".

 

[Raspewtin]

I love how we are talking like Duke made 2 unreal plays last night and he is really playing well. He made two passes that a pro hockey player should make. Other than that what did he do? The first goal he had all kinds of time to find Stemp and the second pass is a pass that every hockey player sees in that spot . Let's relax.

How dare people give a 19 year old credit for playing very well against a good team.

Who do they think they are?

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

There's a difference between saying "Kreider was wrong for doing that" and "Kreider being in the box cost the team a chance at a comeback." Perhaps it would be best to say "Kreider being in the box HURT this team's chances at a comeback but it's good he stood up for his teammate and I'm sure the locker room has to appreciate it." That way we don't have to jockey to prove who knows more hockey and can move on after 4 pages of useless bickering.

Edit: Really? 9 pages? Boy that wasn't a thorough thread hijacking. Was there even a game played or was it just a symposium on the merits of top line players taking 10 minute misconducts that played last night on MSG?

Duke's vision and awareness are higher than I've seen out of any offensive rangers prospect including Stepan (out of the ones that make the team) . He loses the puck a little too easily which I suspect is because of inexperience with using his body and physical weakness (he's 19 obviously). But he sees so many little things and just constantly gives these perfect little love tap passes that leave you wondering how he saw it and did it.

The D has too many breakdowns.

Staal is looking good although I swear he's at least a little slower this year.

The Zuke line has been very disappointing. Zuke is the only one ever showing anything as of right now

I noticed a lot of attempts to force the puck to the middle of the ice when nothing was there and they just kept failing.

We're missing Step, Boyle and Lundqcvist last night. This is very important.

The game was evenly played. We were getting run out of the building, momentum would swing and we'd run them out of their own building. They had some luck with an off the skate rebound and goal 4 but it wasn't as big of a whooping as the score indicates.

MSL shoots slightly to the left and it's a goal. As awesome as that save was there was a TON of open net.

The inconsistency in the terrible Stemp penalty vs the blatant Hartnell non call makes me want to hurl batteries at the refs in the tunnel bt periods lol.

The rangers shy away from finishing awesome check opportunities too often

Anisimov spent too much time admiring what was essentially a dump in and got clocked. I remember he used to have problems sensing east-west hits

 

[cwede]

I think the lines are a mess,
MSL shouldnt be at Center and Hags doesn't complement Brass/Zucc.

call me nuts but I'd send down Hayes and Fast,
call up Lindberg and Hrivik
and risk dressing a quick, balanced, but non-physical lineup

DuClair-DMoore-Nash
Hrivik-Brass-Zucc
Kreider-Lindberg-MSL
Hags-Miller-Stempniak

switch Kreider and Duke if you want,
switch Miller and Moore if you must

 

[Levitate]

re: Kreider, I assumed he just jumped Skille, but if both guys kinda dropped at the same time then I'm less critical of him. Haven't watched a replay though. I still say he can't just jump someone and pick up the easy instigator, but if goes over there and gets in Skille's face and then they drop, I'm ok with it, shouldn't be an instigator in that circumstance.

 

[Infinitum Vitae*]

I'd send miller down as a wake up call like what they did to Kreider last year of course that's if they put hayes in the lineup and he plays well.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

I'd send miller down as a wake up call like what they did to Kreider last year of course that's if they put hayes in the lineup and he plays well.

Unfortunately he missed his 8 am and 9 am wake up calls already. Eventually he's going to just plain miss the meeting (I think he'll get it eventually though I have no idea why I think this)

 

[gmerger37]

I'd send miller down as a wake up call like what they did to Kreider last year of course that's if they put hayes in the lineup and he plays well.

The thing is we did this to him last year. All signs pointed to him "getting it" in camp, showing up early, in shape, etc. I don't know I had high hopes watching him in pre-season but he's been pretty bad to start the season.

 

[Blueshirt Special]

Safe to say this team is going to struggle for a good part of the first half of the season. Significant roster changes to begin with, plus injuries.

I am not expecting an early winning streaks.

The important thing now is to win the games we "should" win. And that means riding Hank. He should have been in net last night as well as tonight. JMHO

Expect a war on Tuesday. Piles think they are going somewhere and will try to prove that in one game. I'm pretty sure we lose that game.

 

[Megustaelhockey]

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1750251