Post-Game Talk: RANGERS @ stars | 8:30pm | MSG 2

[Tawnos]

Need to win all three on this trip to make up for the devils loss. Just have to

you gotta start igor tonight.

Theres the Islanders to watch, and certainly sweeping the road trip would go a long way, but consider this.

The Rangers have a game in hand on Columbus... if they win that game and beat CBJ, even in OT, when they play in a couple of weeks... all they have to do is match CBJs record in the other 11 games to make the playoffs. Provided, of course, that the Islanders don’t get there instead.

Obviously easier to do if they win the next couple, but it’s an interesting scenario.

 

[Siddi]

My 3 start in no particular order:

Mika
Igor
Kakko

 

[The S5]

Yes they are, and it's not even close. Fox might be a future #1D, but we are talking about future Norris candidates with Makar and Hughes. And Fox isn't there.

Since when did the Norris signify the best overall defense man?

 

[Kovalev27]

Theres the Islanders to watch, and certainly sweeping the road trip would go a long way, but consider this.

The Rangers have a game in hand on Columbus... if they win that game and beat CBJ, even in OT, when they play in a couple of weeks... all they have to do is match CBJs record in the other 11 games to make the playoffs. Provided, of course, that the Islanders don’t get there instead.

Obviously easier to do if they win the next couple, but it’s an interesting scenario.

I thought about it that way last night as well.

tonight is that game in hand. They need it.

the islanders are hanging on by a thread. Vancouver has been awful lately I mean awful and the islanders threw everything they had at them last night and still lost. It’s just so so hard for them to score goals and frankly they haven’t been able to keep the puck out of their net during this losing streak. 3 more on this road trip for them. Like us it could really make or break them.

We on the other hand seem to be playing better on the road than at home lately.

 

[FultonReed]

thzt would be really hard to do because Fox has been nothing less than fantastic this year.

was that a Fantastic Mr. Fox joke or

 

[The S5]

Definitely. Fox might be a more complete all around player with a slightly stronger defensive game, but Hughes has that rare game breaking talent that gives him the edge. He facilitates offense everytime he is on the ice and his ability to move the puck when it is on his stick is already amongst the best in the league. If not the best period.

This is no slight against Fox who in any other year would be a runaway favorite for best rookie defenseman and Calder finalist shoe in. He is having a much better season than Ekblad when he won his Calder. As a matter of fact Fox rookie season stands up against the majority of past Calder winners since Malkin and OV, other than maybe Matthews.

Makar and Hughes are two rare talents.

Not trying to take away from what those two players have done as rookies, but lets slow the roll. Both of then are suspect defensively. Fox is better by a significant margin. Both get more PP time than Fox.
Lastly, and IMO, most importantly, Fox has the best hockey sense of the group.
All three are great players, but the hype machine is strong with the other two based on point totals.

 

[will1066]

I'm wearing a new cologne to work. It's called Makar Noir.

 

[Nickmo82]

Shame there's no poll. KK would have been one of the picks for a change.

 

[eco's bones]

I remember everyone complaining how awful our PP looked when ADA was injured and Fox was in his place. Looked like a tirefire

DeAngelo has turned into a very good defenseman. My issue with some of your posting on this though is you don't want to give any kind of positive credit to either Trouba or Fox because you see them as direct competitors as right side defensemen to DeAngelo's status and or ice time on the team.....so Fox and Trouba in your postings are always getting diminished in some way. Everyone has an opinion but not all opinions are equally good. Each of these guys are better suited for different things---DeAngelo runs the power play best but Fox is very close. Trouba handles the harder assignments and bigger players. DeAngelo right now is best offensively but Fox is the best all around and as a rookie. I respect how good Makar and Quinn Hughes are but they're not Rangers or ever likely to be. Fox is probably better defensively than either though. You don't need to be slamming him--he's been an outstanding addition to our team.

 

[eco's bones]

Happy to see Kakko off the schneid. Nice play by Howden on his first and great pass by Zibanejad on his second. Fox with a big game and Shesterkin was solid. We let up off the gas in the 3rd but still a very good win.

 

[MrPodz]

No ones even talking about the best player on the team- brett howden.

 

[Maximus]

Igor needs to steal next game in Denver.

I know the game is in Denver but with no MacK, Makar, Rantanen, Kadri, Burakovsky, Calvert and Grubauer to have to deal with tonight, would it really be us “stealing” a game and instead, cant it be argued that winning a game vs that injury ravaged team should almost be expected?

I know that might sound nuts especially when we are playing at the other teams barn and we have a penchant for losing games we are favored in...I get that.

But the Avs are pretty much missing 2 full lines which includes one of the top players on the planet, their study rookie damn and their #1 goalie.

Sure we’ll be without a Kreider and Chytil but we’ll have by far AINEC the clear talent advantage tonight and I’d argue that we should be favored to win and if we don’t than this team simply isn’t ready to take that next step to being a playoff team despite teases like last night against the Stars.

 

[Claxton]

Glad Kakko scored a couple, 1 goal in his previous 28 games. Hopefully he can string a few more together and the idiots can relax on calling him a bust/historically bad rookie season. Just turned 19 years old playing in the NHL full time as a rookie in New York city, people need to be a little more patient.

 

[Siddi]

No ones even talking about the best player on the team- brett howden.

You forgot the sarcasm emoji.

 

[Siddi]

I know the game is in Denver but with no MacK, Makar, Rantanen, Kadri, Burakovsky, Calvert and Grubauer to have to deal with tonight, would it really be us “stealing” a game and instead, cant it be argued that winning a game vs that injury ravaged team should almost be expected?

I know that might sound nuts especially when we are playing at the other teams barn and we have a penchant for losing games we are favored in...I get that.

But the Avs are pretty much missing 2 full lines which includes one of the top players on the planet, their study rookie damn and their #1 goalie.

Sure we’ll be without a Kreider and Chytil but we’ll have by far AINEC the clear talent advantage tonight and I’d argue that we should be favored to win and if we don’t than this team simply isn’t ready to take that next step to being a playoff team despite teases like last night against the Stars.

All good and valid points but I fear that they will come out flat on a 2nd night of the b2b hence why I feel like Igor needs to steal it away.

 

[Maximus]

I thought about it that way last night as well.

tonight is that game in hand. They need it.

the islanders are hanging on by a thread. Vancouver has been awful lately I mean awful and the islanders threw everything they had at them last night and still lost. It’s just so so hard for them to score goals and frankly they haven’t been able to keep the puck out of their net during this losing streak. 3 more on this road trip for them. Like us it could really make or break them.

We on the other hand seem to be playing better on the road than at home lately.

As I just said in my previous post, we should win tonight not hope for a W, as you couldn’t possibly be playing Colorado at a more perfect time.

The Avs missing 2 full lines including MacKinnon, their #1 dman and #1 goalie is a ridiculous gift from the hockey gods and if we toss it away and somehow lose, I contend it would be an even worse loss than the Devils game and pretty much squash any realistic hopes for sneaking into a playoff spot.


That said, I’m going to think positively and say we will take care of business win the game and keep our playoff hopes alive.

 

[Peltz]

Hughes & Makar are way better

I don’t think so dude. Fox is incredible in his own zone.

 

[BKGooner]

Hughes' self-promotion the other day is basically an admission that Makar is the better player. Fox is outstanding and should be in the discussion for the Calder, maybe even get a few votes, but he should't win. If the Rangers make the play-offs, Shesty should get votes too.

 

[Kovalev27]

No doubt because of that devils loss it really makes this game tonight a must win. Win tonight and you’re back on track.

Colorado has struggled on home ice of late as well. We have to show up tonight no question.

 

[Levitate]

People somehow manage to underrate the crap out of Fox I think because his skating isn’t a standout feature and people are more wowed by shiny things like that, and he’s still currently playing behind DeAngelo offensively which isn’t surprising because DeAngelo is also immensely talented offensively and has several years and age in development on Fox

 

[RangersFan1994]

I want this to happen... so Staal can sit, as his replacement is here.

Call it 7 D and waiting for Kreider. Double shift some of your top players or throw Smith into a shift here and there.

I'd love this down the stretch....

Kreider Zibs Buch
Panarin Strome Kakko
Lemieux Chytil Gauthier
PDG Howden Fast

Lindgren Fox
Smith ADA
Hajek Trouba

This is the lineup... everything falls into place

We're a much better team. I know everyone doesn't like Hajek but he is MUCH better than Staal. He's got great mobility and can move the puck.

i dont mind Hajek. he just gets hurt every season it seems. I think Hajek is better than Staal even with his issues.

 

[duhmetreE]

This team doesn't worry me against good competition with Shesty in net.

The NJ game was a stinker, the PHI games were rough with bad goaltending, before that though... we were good. We honestly play down to our competition or play well enough to win then the goalie gives us a back breaking goal or two.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Underrated game by Fast. He single-handedly physically manhandled the whole Stars lineup with forecheck and backcheck.

I wonder when they will sign him. i hope the price is decent for both parties. I wonder why it is not done yet.

 

[Raspewtin]

excellent match against a good team.

it's honestly a shame how many once-in-a-decade things are happening for this team and we may not even make the playoffs.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

This team doesn't worry me against good competition with Shesty in net.

The NJ game was a stinker, the PHI games were rough with bad goaltending, before that though... we were good. We honestly play down to our competition or play well enough to win then the goalie gives us a back breaking goal or two.

It's been a mixed bag since the Carolina game.

Horrible start but strong finish vs SJ and MTL

Horrible from Start to finish vs NYI, NJD and PHI pt 1

Deserved better vs PHI pt 2 and STL

40 minutes of domination vs DAL

Mika Vs WSH.

That NJD loss is going to bite them in the ass. It's one thing to lose to really strong teams, but that was the gimmie of all gimmies left on their schedule and they pissed away 2 points.