Series Discussion: Round 2 (Caps vs Rangers) 2015 Playoffs

[g00n]

Many rongo. Very NY. Wow.

The following is the complete Capitals playoff television schedule for the Eastern Conference semifinal series versus the New York Rangers IF TAMPA BAY ADVANCES TO THE SECOND ROUND:

Date TIME (ET) #1 NY Rangers vs. #2 Washington Networks

Thursday, April 30 7:30 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

Saturday, May 2 12:30 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers NBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports

Monday, May 4 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

Wednesday, May 6 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

*Friday, May 8 7 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers NBCSN, TVA Sports

*Sunday, May 10 TBD NY Rangers at Washington TVA Sports

*Wednesday, May 13 TBD Washington at NY Rangers TVA Sports

Click to read more...

 

[mrwarden]

I'll be honest. I think Ovechkin has a knee and a wrist injury. It's house money though at this point.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Kreider and Hagelin are going to give us fits. Zucarello too if he plays, but I really doubt he comes back. Nash should have a huge target on him as he can be completely neutralized.

It would be really nice if someone could step up and have a ppg+ series.

 

[trick9]

Whoever controls the play and gets the other side to play their game will win. Caps need to take away their speed and make the game more physical. Rangers need to attack with speed and shy away from this physical stuff because they are much smaller team and Caps have lethal PP.

I would guess this goes to 7 again and atleast 6 games out of those are won by the team that scores the first goal of the game.

 

[strungout]

You know who I wont miss in this series??

Callahan, Boyle, or Asham.

They dont have any of those kinda guys this time around. Great team...but theres a window there to punish that line up.

Edit: Forgot Dubinsky and Prust too.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Why even have this thread? I've been told this is a sure series loss. No point in discussing it...

I thought Ovie was honed in last night. He was dealing passes all over the ice. They bracketed him and took away his shot, so he impacted the offense in other ways. For all the concerns we have about his health, he still put up 5 points in a low-scoring series.

The Caps of games 5 and 7 can certainly beat the Rangers. I have not been impressed with Yandle. He should be targeted along with Boyle and Klein.

 

[Stewie G]

Someone needs to get Stepan for that dirty chicken wing to Green a few years back. The Caps actually have the personnel to make that happen, although I fear the refs are going to interject themselves into this series.

They just need to play the game they showed in 5 and 7 and let the chips fall where they may. They can't afford any duds this time around.

 

[Maruk moustache]

I'll be honest. I think Ovechkin has a knee and a wrist injury. It's house money though at this point.

Definitely seems like the shot is off and he's not skating as well. Definitely glad the Caps got this done despite that.

That last game vs. Rangers in the regular season, I know the Caps won convincingly in the end. But the first period contained a lot of odd-man breaks that the Rangers just didn't convert.

After the brutality of this series, with Ovechkin possibly not a likely to score as usual, it's going to be difficult to keep up with a team like the Rangers I feel. Holtby standing on his head and not giving up any softies will be necessary, I'm pretty sure.

But, as things are, I'll give the Caps like a 38% chance or so.

But, y'know, if Caps win game 1, maybe catch the Rangers being a little rusty off their long break, then math suddenly puts the odds in our favor. That could easily happen.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Rags in 7, based on Ovi being injured/in a slump.

If Ovi snaps out of whatever is restraining him, he could turn the tables for us.
An injured Ovi is slower than usual, but still has a wicked shot and punishing physicality.

He shot one so hard from the top of the circle yesterday, it nearly bounced back in the slot off the glass.

 

[Maruk moustache]

I guess I just feel like the shot might be a little off in terms of inaccuracy.

Just watching on TV so what do I know. Just a feeling I got. I can't articulate a justification for it.

 

[Capitlols]

Caps had trouble mustering up any offense on the Isles subpar D, can't see them doing much to a deep Rags blueline.

Rags in 6.

 

[Raikkonen]

Win 1st game somehow and it's a different series then.

Holtby needs to be better. No soft goals please. That's critical.

The best scenario would be to win 1st and then catch them on the counters in 2nd. 2-0 and 2 home games. I think we can do it.

What we have is a team, an effort, a defense, a goalie, couple of skilled forwards and many vet bottom-6-ers. To win a series Rangers first need to outplay us.

 

[Chukcha]

Underdog mode ON. This series against the rangers will be much easier to play. No pressure. No fear to lose. More passion and courage. Confidence strenghtening game by game. I'm sure we beat them. Just paradoxal truth.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Underdog mode ON. This series against the rangers will be much easier to play. No pressure. No fear to lose. More passion and courage. Confidence strenghtening game by game. I'm sure we beat them.

Absolutely. The Rangers are clearly the better team. I won't be ashamed if we lose in 7.
If we don't win at least one game at MSG, we're done.

 

[Devil Dancer]

If they go in heavy in games one and two, they have a pretty good chance. If they play soft the way they did in game 6 of round one, they're doomed.

I think Rags in six is a pretty obvious choice, but I'd love to be wrong.

 

[ChibiPooky]

I don't think they get either of the first two at MSG, so they need to hold serve at Verizon Center. I think they drop Game 4 and NYR close it out at home in Game 5.

 

[Pigskin]

Captain Obvious statement

there is no way we can come home down 2-0

game 1 needs to be our best game of the playoffs, then believe

 

[tycoonheart]

Same game plan as we used against the Isles. No reason we can't beat them if we play with the type of urgency we played in games 2, 5 and 7.

 

[Maruk moustache]

Is it true that game 1 can't be until Thursday at the earliest because the Wings game 7 is Wednesday? I know they used to wait until the whole round 1 was over before starting round 2.

 

[amin723]

Caps win going away. This Rangers team will be exposed as soft and will start to get frustrated when breaks don't go there way.

Caps PP comes to life and Caps PK stifles Rangers enemic PP.

More penalties are called in this series to keep it from getting too out of hand with the hitting. The NHL will not want any of the Caps or Rangers to go into the ECF significantly shorthanded.

 

[Calicaps]

Is it true that game 1 can't be until Thursday at the earliest because the Wings game 7 is Wednesday? I know they used to wait until the whole round 1 was over before starting round 2.

Yes. A bit of recovery time, which is great.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Is it true that game 1 can't be until Thursday at the earliest because the Wings game 7 is Wednesday? I know they used to wait until the whole round 1 was over before starting round 2.

Good, it gives us more time to recover. It would be good for Ovi to completely heal in that time.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

I didn't realize how much the Rangers were struggling to score. 8 goals in 4 wins vs Fleury and a depleted D.

 

[RandyHolt]

I have read on an off that the Rangers are a fraud; a paper tiger. Unable to maintain their same shooting percentage, or whatever it was.

Advanced stats folks, hook up a guy that still likes our players to have a positive plus minus.

What do the advanced stats say about the Rongos? Thanks.

 

[Capitlols]

I didn't realize how much the Rangers were struggling to score. 8 goals in 4 wins vs Fleury and a depleted D.

To his credit, Fleury wasn't in crap mode.