Post-Game Talk: SCQ #1 - 8/1/20 | RANGERS @ hurricanes

[Leetch3]

So why was Shesterkin out? I know he was unfit to play, injury, blah blah blah. Any details? I suspect the team wanted to give Henrik a chance to start. At least that's my hope. An actual injury would be unfortunate.

You can’t be serious

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

He wasn’t great but he looked like Patrick Mahomes compared to Panarin

Yeah Panarin’s only noticeable shift in the entire game led to Staal’s goal (for us, not the one he scored against us).

We can’t win 3 of the next 4 if our top guns don’t show up. It’s great Chytil and Kakko looked good but if Mika, Panarin, Kreider, Strome, ADA and those guys don’t turn it on then we’re screwed.

 

[YoSoyLalo]

So why was Shesterkin out? I know he was unfit to play, injury, blah blah blah. Any details? I suspect the team wanted to give Henrik a chance to start. At least that's my hope. An actual injury would be unfortunate.

The team isn’t allowed to give details

of course ppl run with that and call conspiracy lol

 

[Avery16]

Yeah Panarin’s only noticeable shift in the entire game led to Staal’s goal (for us, not the one he scored against us).

We can’t win 3 of the next 4 if our top guns don’t show up. It’s great Chytil and Kakko looked good but if Mika, Panarin, Kreider, Strome, ADA and those guys don’t turn it on then we’re screwed.

Trouba needs to find another gear also.

 

[nyrleetch]

Who were the healthy scratches today?

 

[Shesterkybomb]

I give Kreider a bit of a pass after his injury but Zib, Panarin and Strome have no excuse for not showing up game ready, whatever issue DeAngelo has going on he gets a pass too but I dont wanna see him on pp1 after the first period if he is the same as today on Monday.

 

[ncmike]

He "should" do whatever the hell he feels like doing.

He’s earned that right

 

[Fitzy]

Yeah Panarin’s only noticeable shift in the entire game led to Staal’s goal (for us, not the one he scored against us).

We can’t win 3 of the next 4 if our top guns don’t show up. It’s great Chytil and Kakko looked good but if Mika, Panarin, Kreider, Strome, ADA and those guys don’t turn it on then we’re screwed.

Sure, but I think the point is that insofar as we are a 'building' team, having the youth finally start to show some progression when it was the veterans doing most of the heavy lifting this regular season is very refreshing. (With the obvious exception of the defense, obviously, where Fox ADA and Lindgren were the stars)

So if we do lose the series because the veterans are on a cold streak, but we see promising signs that Chytil and Kakko are getting closer to top 6 level, I'd say that's not all bad.

 

[haohmaru]

I’m not saying that’s why we lost. Just that Igor could have helped a little more in many different ways (it may have helped, it may not have). Just like Hank did more with less talent for most of his career. We were still bad today, but Igor can steal games for a team that doesn’t deserve to win. Hank is still good and he gave us a chance, but he can’t do that, even though it wasn’t his fault. I’m just saying that Igor can go the extra mile. I’m not blaming Hank. We lost because we sucked. But elite goalies like Igor can win games regardless. I’m convinced that maybe only 3 goalies in the world could have stolen that game for us, and we have one of those on this team. I suck at articulation. I still feel like I haven’t made my point.

Sorry, just to add so there's no misunderstanding - I'm not advocating Hank over Igor. I'm on the same page with you about that. What I am saying is that, as usual, goaltending was the least of our problems today and perhaps hoping for or focusing on some miracle Igor game probably isn't where our head(s) should be. The rest of the what the team was doing beyond goaltending is what the Rangers should be looking at to improve.

 

[Crease]

Also what the hell happened with Adam Fox today?

He got an education in NHL playoff hockey.

 

[Fataldogg]

I get what you're saying but there is just no way the NHL would allow a covid-positive player into the arena. There is zero upside and infinite downside. It is probably the first bullet point in their protocol.

You're probably right. Quinn didn't exactly sound 100% confident he would be ready for game two which is making me wonder what it could be then.

 

[aufheben]

On a scale of bad from the team today, Fox doesn't register.
That said, he is a rookie playing his first playoff game. I thought he handled it well.
The bigger problem was the Canes forecheck.

Yeah because our one defenseman capable of settling the game down did the exact opposite today. Those 15-20 minutes of relief from the other team's relentless pressure we normally have went poof.

 

[aufheben]

He got an education in NHL playoff hockey.

Hope so.

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

Escrow related, he's obviously been practicing for the last month but the prior to that it sounds like he wasn't.

I mean, we don’t see him on a daily or weekly basis but, he did vacation with his model fiancée for like a month. Kinda hard not to notice it when he’s posting it on Instagram.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Sure, but I think the point is that insofar as we are a 'building' team, having the youth finally start to show some progression when it was the veterans doing most of the heavy lifting this regular season is very refreshing. (With the obvious exception of the defense, obviously, where Fox ADA and Lindgren were the stars)

So if we do lose the series because the veterans are on a cold streak, but we see promising signs that Chytil and Kakko are getting closer to top 6 level, I'd say that's not all bad.

Sure, it won’t be all bad in the grand scheme. I’m just talking as someone wanting to see them win the Cup this year (as unrealistic as that is I just mean as a fan rooting for them in the playoffs).

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

He got an education in NHL playoff hockey.

or he's caught the same bug that Panarin, Kreider and Strome have

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Think Quinn deserves a fair bit of blame too. I mean it is supposed the coach's job to get the team ready to play, to try and find an answer to the other team's tactics (Islanders clogging the middle, Canes forecheck and pressure) and the PP and PK setups are all wrong.

 

[Leetch3]

Think Quinn deserves a fair bit of blame too. I mean it is supposed the coach's job to get the team ready to play, to try and find an answer to the other team's tactics (Islanders clogging the middle, Canes forecheck and pressure) and the PP and PK setups are all wrong.

Yep quinn’s fault when we lose inspite of him when we win. We get it

 

[The S5]

Yeah because our one defenseman capable of settling the game down did the exact opposite today. Those 15-20 minutes of relief from the other team's relentless pressure we normally have went poof.

Is that what you took away from watching Fox? I thought he was composed and made some really smart plays. He was far from perfect but he showed himself well in his first playoff game.
Remember, unless your last name is Orr, a successful breakout is a more about team structure than individual ability. There were many times that Fox escaped the forecheck, made the first pass, only to have the puck turned right back at him.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Yep quinn’s fault when we lose inspite of him when we win. We get it

you disagree?

 

[Crease]

Not for nothing but this is from the Canes GDT in the third period:

Svechnikov to Aho would have been such a good goal. Lundqvist stands on his head again.

f***ing lundqvist man. This should be 4-1.

HANK RETIRE PLEASE

Lundqvist is like Ovechkin for me. It’s an honor to continually be owned by someone who’s just so f***ing good.

 

[The S5]

Not for nothing but this is from the Canes GDT in the third period:

You need to consider that Hank has played some of his best hockey versus the Canes over the last couple of seasons. They are a bit biased.
Bottom line is if Hank had played as well as he has played against the Canes for the remainder of the season, he would be the clear cut starter.

 

[kovazub94]

It’s obvious. If Shesterkin played today, we win 6-1.

Shesterkin with 6 assists.

This f***ing place is dense.

Was going to say that some posters seemed to be in pre-season form and then realized that they are actually in their mid-season prime. Terrible takes based on unfounded bias galore...

 

[kovazub94]

You're not wrong about Shesterkin impacting the game with his ability to move the puck, but today, to me, it seemed like Carolina generated most of their pressure on controlled entries or in transition. They had no problem gaining the zone which would sort of mitigate the benefit you'd see from an aggressive, skilled puck handling goaltender. Lundqvist has always sucked moving the puck but I don't think it had much of an impact today.

SEVEN futile PP in a 2:3 game. Simple.

 

[JohnC]

Sorry, just to add so there's no misunderstanding - I'm not advocating Hank over Igor. I'm on the same page with you about that. What I am saying is that, as usual, goaltending was the least of our problems today and perhaps hoping for or focusing on some miracle Igor game probably isn't where our head(s) should be. The rest of the what the team was doing beyond goaltending is what the Rangers should be looking at to improve.

Co-sign

Igor needs to play if healthy. Hank was not the problem today and will not be the problem going forward if the rest of the games play out the way today’s did with him in net.

Both of these things can be true at the same time.