Post-Game Talk: I can Motte believe it

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I felt like this the perfect type of game they needed and at the right time

After the big wins against Pittsburgh they found their game, and then the blugdeoning of the Preds - they easily could have gotten ahead of themselves and played too loose.

But they carried the right type of play into this game. Tight checking, attention to detail, puck management. It unraveled a bit in the second half of the game, and they fell out of it in the battle dept. They cant win on skill and decision making alone and this was a good game to reinforce that.

It also points out that theyll need to be a little more structured on the PP. Carolina is an excellent PK team, 2nd in the league since Jan 1st. Boston is #1. If they want to go all the way they will need to traverse that.

FYI Rangers are 80.4% and Devils are 81.6%, 20th and 16th respectively.

 

[Rangers in 7]

It’s weird but after watching that game I’m more confident that we would beat the canes in a playoff series

 

[bhamill]

It’s weird but after watching that game I’m more confident that we would beat the canes in a playoff series

what I saw was a team that just started making bad decisions after the 1st. They lost their focus mentally. This wasn’t a game where they were physically outmatched. Yes Carolina is fast, a very good team, and played about as well as they are capable of, but that was not the real issue. Mental errors and giveaways were the the issue. This team went brain dead in the second. And it STILL took a missed slewfoot goal for them to beat us.
Yes, if we play this kind of mentally deficient game against them or NJ in the playoffs we are going to have trouble. But if we are as sharp as we were for the previous 5 our chances are great. Either of those teams at their best will lose handily to this team at its best. If this team doesn’t play it’s best it will lose, but that’s every team.

 

[bbny]

One thing that's killing me with this team is that in the D-zone, when someone picks the puck up low, they just ring it around the boards when there's the slightest bit of pressure. It doesn't matter who is there. I swear the majority of the night the puck went to a Carolina player. We need to figure out how to use the bumper breakout instead of using the boards every... single.. time.

A lot of teams will post a guy right behind the play that's by the boards, in the circle/faceoff dot area and instead of passing it up the boards and hoping for either a teammate reception or clear, they pass it (or make two passes) and it ends up on the bumper guy at the dots. I see it done to us by plenty of teams this year.

This here is on the money, but it’s much more noticeable against Carolina because it’s damn near their entire forechecking strategy to force play up the boards where they are waiting. Quick outlets up the middle to break out of the DZ is how teams can create odd man rushes the other way on them. It’s much easier said than done, which is why the Canes are a very good team, but the Rangers didn’t execute this part of the game near well enough.

To a man, the Hurricanes are not a very talented team, especially without Svechnikov. What they are is very smart, wholly bought into the system they play, and limit their mistakes to an absolute minimum. The sum is far greater than the parts and they are a tough team to beat because of it.

 

[McRanger92]

It’s weird but after watching that game I’m more confident that we would beat the canes in a playoff series

Opposing teams need to be play their best game to beat us. Rangers were out of sync because the Canes defended so well and then I thought we looked a little tired in the 3rd period off a 3rd game in 4 days. No concern after last night.

 

[will1066]

Had a chance to sleep on it, and I believe that the best thing to do is to sell immediately. Try to get the best pennies on the dollar for our spare parts.

 

[Kovalev27]

basically Carolina had to play a perfect game to win last night. At any point we get that 2nd goal and that game would have been over. Even with the pressure in the second the chances weren’t dangerous and the metrics show that.

We’re going to need the powerplay and we shouldn’t have been dicking around with it the last two weeks. 5 best guys need reps. Period.

 

[Leonardo87]

Had a chance to sleep on it, and I believe that the best thing to do is to sell immediately. Try to get the best pennies on the dollar for our spare parts.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

basically Carolina had to play a perfect game to win last night. At any point we get that 2nd goal and that game would have been over. Even with the pressure in the second the chances weren’t dangerous and the metrics show that.

We’re going to need the powerplay and we shouldn’t have been dicking around with it the last two weeks. 5 best guys need reps. Period.

Yeah, power play has been annoying. Put out the best 5 and get it going. No need to galaxy brain this shit

 

[Rongomania]

Last night I went from confidently putting the phone on my bathroom windowsill at the start of the third, to switch from watching to listening while I showered. I came out of the shower 35 minutes later so angry and confused.

Kakko showed that clutch magic again, he did it against the isles too this season. At 22 he's scored more big time clutch goals this year than 95% of the team.

 

[LOFIN]

Mikkola-Schneider our best D pair tonight. Both were really solid.

If you were trying to find something positive about the game, this really isn't it.

 

[will1066]

Despite the loss, @FultonReed and I will always have Dubai.

 

[Raspewtin]

completely outclassed. it's okay, move on and do better tomorrow.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

Just an observation. I feel like they need the forwards to come back and support the break out, and move up as a unit. I feel like more often than not the forwards are up the ice before the D even has a chance to move it to them, so the D is then forced to make long passes and the forwards are also then slowed down because they're already up the ice, that momentum through the neutral zone should be coming as a unit breaking out of the D zone.

A separate issue is still the forcing of cross ice passes. They have got to stop forcing it. If it's there go for it. Otherwise they have to crash and bang the net.

Gallant has to adjust this. Stop letting the inmates run the asylum. In the playoffs those habits are going to get them eliminated or at the least extend series more then they have to be.

 

[duhmetreE]

It comes down to near ZERO adjustments made.

On the breakout, their defense is aggressive, getting in front of our forwards. Nothing changed all game.
Continually trying a long stretch pass... didn't work all game. Forwards needed to come back to better support the puck.

On the PP, pressure up top, they finally adapted on the last PP, Kreider missed 2 tap-ins.

We played this team before. We know how they play. We've adapted before. We just weren't ready, per usual.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

Trade Fox for Matthew

Why trade for one Matthew when we can have Matthews?

 

[will1066]

Why trade for one Matthew when we can have Matthews?

I always say why get Couture when you can get Couturier?

 

[turcotte8]

If they are going to win anything this year they really need to figure out how to cover the slot.

 

[will1066]

Look, we wouldn't even be lamenting this morning if we had cashed in on those power play chances.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

It’s weird but after watching that game I’m more confident that we would beat the canes in a playoff series

If they make the correct adjustments they could absolutely wipe the floor with Carolina, because, Carolina lacks the amount of high end talent the Rangers have. If the Rangers can commit themselves to playing tighter and as a unit, no more pond hockey, they can beat anyone.

 

[will1066]

If they make the correct adjustments they could absolutely wipe the floor with Carolina, because, Carolina lacks the amount of high end talent the Rangers have. If the Rangers can commit themselves to playing tighter and as a unit, no more pond hockey, they can beat anyone.

They did it for a period and got away from it. Playing Carolina is a full 60-minute grind and requires patience. Don't have to repeat what's been said already about forwards coming back to support. They need to move up ice as a unit.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Look, we wouldn't even be lamenting this morning if we had cashed in on those power play chances.

What does Keith Morisson think after a night to reflect on it?

 

[will1066]

What does Keith Morisson think after a night to reflect on it?

 

[GENESISPuck94]

They did it for a period and got away from it. Playing Carolina is a full 60-minute grind and requires patience. Don't have to repeat what's been said already about forwards coming back to support. They need to move up ice as a unit.

Agree. What Carolina lacks in high end talent after Aho and Svechnikov (who is out injured) they make up for with speed, determination, and fully buying into the coach.

Rangers have a lot of guys who are of the "I play my way" ilk. If they want to win a Cup that attitude has to go away.

 

[Boris Zubov]

I'm thinking that should be your new avatar.