MDSF: (1) New York Rangers vs. (WC2) Pittsburgh Penguins (Series 1-1)

[Rangerfan4life90]

The Rangers have not been nearly as impressive as I expected them to be so far in this series. Hell, if it wasn't for Lundqvist tonight, this game very well could have been going to OT or possibly even had the Pens winning, they were dominant in the third period.

Rangers should be destroying this Pens team. I understand they have Crosby and Malkin and Fleury is playing well, but the Rangers are better in every single way aside from down the middle.

Rangers dominated the first 50 minutes of this game tonight, only about the last 10 minutes did the Pens start pressing hard.

They'll be fine. A team with Crosby and Malkin, and if MAF is on his game is a very competitive team.

 

[sark76]

Correct me if I'm wrong...not that I really care anyways..but didn't HF mods used to not allow the term "rags".

 

[Trottier]

Malkin is hurt, Trots. He's not disappearing, he just doesn't have much to give.

Makes sense. He was impressive in Game One, easily one of the most noticeable skaters on either team. Not much since. Had no shots attempted late through the third tonight. (Unsure how he ended up.)

That's too bad (injury). He's such a marvelous player.

Obviously, Pens need to win the next one and make it a best of three. Not impossible, but very tough. Pens are no slouches, their detractors notwithstanding. Rangers are simply a damn good team, the best heading into these playoffs, IMO. No way to get around it.

 

[JFG]

Correct me if I'm wrong...not that I really care anyways..but didn't HF mods used to not allow the term "rags".

I thought so too.

 

[RiceCooker]

As a Ranger fan, I am never over confident about beating a team in 6 or less games, it just doesn't happen. The Pens have some major injuries on their D but they still have two of the best players in the World so I didn't figure it would be an easy series like most people.

 

[sark76]

I thought so too.

I'll never understand whats O.K. and whats not on these boards anyways. It's always a toss up.

 

[TNT87]

The thing is, the missed calls are blatant on both sides. The problem is, if anyone points that out they're stifled by idiots pointing at the powerplay numbers.

The other thing is that Pens fans have been choosing atrocious examples to complain about. Did the Rangers get away with some stuff? Sure! But don't point to the Yandle play as an example, since that was a textbook example of how to legally play a one-on-one (especially when defensemen on both teams interfered on one-on-ones on nearly every occasion except that one).
And stop pointing to cases where a Penguin got slashed or crosschecked with no call, when it was in fact part of a more extended battle in which he gave as much as he took.

The problem is when the missed calls have led to the game winning goals for the Rangers in this series. Comeau should not have been the only one sent off in Game 1 which led to the PP that the Rangers scored on and the Rangers scored on the rush right after the missed hook on Lapierre. It's not just about missed calls it's about those plays leading to scoring chances for the Rangers.

 

[Algernop Kreider]

The problem is when the missed calls have led to the game winning goals for the Rangers in this series. Comeau should not have been the only one sent off in Game 1 which led to the PP that the Rangers scored on and the Rangers scored on the rush right after the missed hook on Lapierre. It's not just about missed calls it's about those plays leading to scoring chances for the Rangers.

And what of game 2, when the Pens' first goal came on the power play from that tripping call on Hagelin? The missed calls really are going both ways. The Pens have been the worse for it only because they have been that much less disciplined.

 

[darko]

Makes sense. He was impressive in Game One, easily one of the most noticeable skaters on either team. Not much since. Had no shots attempted late through the third tonight. (Unsure how he ended up.)

That's too bad (injury). He's such a marvelous player.

Obviously, Pens need to win the next one and make it a best of three. Not impossible, but very tough. Pens are no slouches, their detractors notwithstanding. Rangers are simply a damn good team, the best heading into these playoffs, IMO. No way to get around it.

I recall Malkin getting hit hard in game 1. Legal hit. Might be a reason for his play since.

 

[crawz87]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=90&v=VPvAuG4cTLQ

Two clear missed penalties that led to goals for the Rangers. I am usually not one to blame the refs, but those two penalties were crystal clear and should have been called.

 

[Cassano]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=90&v=VPvAuG4cTLQ

Two clear missed penalties that led to goals for the Rangers. I am usually not one to blame the refs, but those two penalties were crystal clear and should have been called.

It's playoff hockey. Let the boys be boys.

 

[Doctyl]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=90&v=VPvAuG4cTLQ

Two clear missed penalties that led to goals for the Rangers. I am usually not one to blame the refs, but those two penalties were crystal clear and should have been called.

You're winning about those? Did you see the Penguins goal? Crosby is dragging Fast by his arm out of the slot and Hornqvist cross checks the rangers dman then scores and somehow the rangers were the ones with the delayed penalty on that sequence.

 

[Algernop Kreider]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=90&v=VPvAuG4cTLQ

Two clear missed penalties that led to goals for the Rangers. I am usually not one to blame the refs, but those two penalties were crystal clear and should have been called.

1. Yandle did not interfere with Crosby. If you aren't convinced of that by now, you simply haven't paid enough attention to what I or any number of other posters have said.

2. Where was the missed call on the Kreider goal? I just don't see it.

 

[Doctyl]

1. Yandle did not interfere with Crosby. If you aren't convinced of that by now, you simply haven't paid enough attention to what I or any number of other posters have said.

2. Where was the missed call on the Kreider goal? I just don't see it.

I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Lapiere hook. Cole's slash before Kreider scored was more of a penalty than that hook.

 

[Novak Djokovic]

I think this series can put the whole "Refs love the Pens" crap to rest... I hope.

Refs don't love anyone. Not the Rangers either. When they make mistakes, they are just incompetent (or being "human").

 

[Algernop Kreider]

I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Lapiere hook. Cole's slash before Kreider scored was more of a penalty than that hook.

Yeah, good call. I didn't see it because his link skipped past that point in the video. The Rangers definitely got lucky there, but no more than the Pens have on some of their goals this series.

Edit: I hadn't even noticed that slash. That was pretty bad.


(At 2:06)

 

[crawz87]

You're winning about those? Did you see the Penguins goal? Crosby is dragging Fast by his arm out of the slot and Hornqvist cross checks the rangers dman then scores and somehow the rangers were the ones with the delayed penalty on that sequence.

In all honesty we seen way worst cross checks then what Hornqvist did there, that was soft. And also, watch the replay carefully you will see Fast holding Crosby's stick. And Crosby tries to get his stick loose, which in turn gets Fast to the ground because he is holding the stick.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=90&v=VPvAuG4cTLQ

Two clear missed penalties that led to goals for the Rangers. I am usually not one to blame the refs, but those two penalties were crystal clear and should have been called.

That's what you're doing.

There was a ton of stuff let go BOTH ways tonight, this was not a game to complain about the refs for, they let both teams get away with a lot. Especially in the 3rd, the Pens were getting away with everything Crosby elbowed McDonagh and high sticked him on separate plays, neither called. That's fine, they let the teams play.

The play with Yandle before the Hagelin goal, Yandle played Crosby within the legal time frame that the player is allowed to be played, then you see the puck go by and Yandle pushes to release and Crosby reaches over and grabs Yandle, that's why the ref didn't call it. If Crosby doesn't reach over top of Yandle he probably calls it, but to the ref they both were borderline and he let it go. That's the correct call.

The hook on Lapperiere was borderline, probably should've been called, also looked like Boyle's stick was up near him and Lapperiere but one hand on it and Laperiere definitely tried to make it look more like a hook than it was. Ref let it go.

They weren't crystal clear penalties, they were borderline plays that the Rangers just so happened to score after thus magnifying their importance. If the Penguins had scored after Crosby high sticked McDonagh late in the 3rd (idk if CBC/NBCSN showed it but MSG did, it was a stick directly across the forehead of his helmet maybe the visor right in front of the ref) it would've drawn a lot more of attention. They didn't though.

In all honesty we seen way worst cross checks then what Hornqvist did there, that was soft. And also, watch the replay carefully you will see Fast holding Crosby's stick. And Crosby tries to get his stick loose, which in turn gets Fast to the ground because he is holding the stick.

For sure, Fast was definitely holding Crosby's stick there. Very smart play by Crosby, his stick is getting held so instead of just standing there or pushing Fast away, he pulls him away from the crease opening that space for the rebound.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

The Rangers have not been nearly as impressive as I expected them to be so far in this series. Hell, if it wasn't for Lundqvist tonight, this game very well could have been going to OT or possibly even had the Pens winning, they were dominant in the third period.

Rangers should be destroying this Pens team. I understand they have Crosby and Malkin and Fleury is playing well, but the Rangers are better in every single way aside from down the middle.

The thing is, this is the playoffs. The Pens are fighting to keep their season alive and it's a best of 7 series. They surely limped into the playoffs, but they wiped that slate clean. Their late season struggles don't matter anymore once the playoffs start. They now have 1 opponent and try and beat them to 4 wins. It's a lot different than a slump to end a season.

I don't know why people expected the Rangers to sweep the Pens in 4 straight 5-0 blowouts. The Penguins still have a lot of talent, even with their injuries. MAF is on fire and playing the best he has in years.

 

[Nanaki]

Both look really borderline to me. I understand your frustration in being down 2-1 but to say that the Penguins are losing the serious because of the refs is kind of immature. They played well in game two but they were pretty dominated tonight for the most part.

 

[crawz87]

Both look really borderline to me. I understand your frustration in being down 2-1 but to say that the Penguins are losing the serious because of the refs is kind of immature. They played well in game two but they were pretty dominated tonight for the most part.

I never said we are losing the series because of the refs, most of the penalties we've gotten, we have deserved. But IMO those two penalties should have been called. That's all there is to it. And dominating is the incorrect term, the Rangers were just the better team for most of the game. But they didn't "dominate."

 

[gphr513]

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