Game Analysis: SERIES DISCUSSION: ADSF | Rangers vs. Canadiens Pt. 3 (MTL leads 2-1)

[Strat]

They've been doing this most of the year, but usually sprinkle in more drop passes through the neutral zone. If a team clogs the blue line, they've proven time and time again that they won't adjust and will just keep trying it.

They've got some speedy forwards. Dump & chase shouldn't be a problem for them at all. That's why it was surprising to me.

After reading a few pages of this thread, I think blaming AV is a bit much. The players didn't show up for most of the game, although I will say that in spite of that, there were a number of chances which could easily have gone in.

I suspect there will be a much higher sense of urgency from the whole roster next game. For their sake, they should stop wanting to destroy MTL players. That strategy almost never worked when the Habs played the Bruins so I doubt it'd be fruitful now.

By far, the best player has been Zucc. My biggest disappointment has been Kreider. Although 6'3" he's playing surprisingly "small" and timidly. From a power-forward, I was a bit taken aback at that. Other thing that's clearly obvious is King Lunqvist's frustration. His body language is emphatic. In my view, he's been lights out, all things considered. On some plays, he was left to himself. Maybe he hasn't had a season up to his standards, but he showed in Game 1 that he can still shine. But no goalie can steal an entire series, realistically speaking. He needs help from his teammates playing in front of him.

 

[NCRanger]

One thing among many that really hasn't been mentioned...or maybe it's just being overlooked.

On Sunday afternoon, February 16th, the Rangers beat the Capitals at the Garden and got within 7 points of first overall in the league.

Lundqvist had finally gotten over whatever had been causing him to be, frankly, pretty bad.

The team, warts and all, looked like they might be able to challenge.

However, the consensus around here was that they couldn't beat Pittsburgh or Columbus and they were never going to catch Washington anyway, but beating Montreal, or Ottawa...child's play and they'd make the ECF easily.

After that, the Rangers didn't win a home game until April, against an already eliminated Flyer team.

They also went from looking like they'd win 30 road games into limping down the stretch.

I just wonder how much knowing they were locked into the 1WC and not wanting to battle and end up playing Pittsburgh played with their heads. This group hasn't been right since February. It seemed at first as it was a case of comically bad luck and ridiculous bounces, but looking back, I have to wonder how much of it was not going all out, knowing where they would be. Coasting home for the final 25 did nothing but bring on bad habits and not keep the team sharp.

Perfect reason why a team shouldn't stop playing.

 

[Irishguy42]

we are calling zbad zBAD because hes been bad right. Like bad as in awful and not bad in being cool right? just making sure

It can be both at the same time

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

The players should have a closed door meeting. What for? I don't know. It just feels right.

No, that will come if they lose Thursday and go down 3-1. 100% guaranteed.

 

[Crease]

Lock these guys in a hotel with an N64 and some knee hockey sticks and don't let them out until they win the Stanley Cup.

 

[NCRanger]

Ah, what is happpening on the ice when you describe it is fact-based. When a fan with a different opinion says it, it is fan opinion. Got it.

Julien made what adjustment in Game 2? He was 17 seconds away from being down 2-0 at home to a coach you think is an idiot. Every Montreal fan thought he was a total moron at that point.

Your Nashville example of a team being up in a first round qualifies as evidence of being a good coach? That's scary-bad analysis. Actually, it's not even analysis.

And you saved the most inane for last. Because Laviolette won a Cup makes him a good coach? That's really lazy thinking. Torts won a Cup, but most here wanted him run out of town.

If a coach wins a Cup and another coach loses in the Finals, your assessment is that the winning coach is a better coach?

Your opinion is no different than those that maintained Hasek wasn't a great goaltender until he won a Cup, which never would have happened if he never left Buffalo.

The one thing you have been missing in all of you arguments is the simple fact that ALL coaches have a shelf life.

Whether it's players tuning the coach out, the strategy just not working any more, or personality conflicts, or whatever, coaches tenures with teams will eventually need to end.

None of that means that a coach is necessarily bad.

Laviolette is the perfect example of that. He won a Cup in Carolina. He's also a pain the ass to play for, and when things go south, they go south in a hurry.

Torts is another.

Going back, Roger Nielson was another. He'd fix a bad team, and bring them up to .500, but he'd also make a good team a .500 team.

AV might be a fine coach, but what he preaches may not be working any more for the New York Rangers. History with Vancouver shows this.

 

[will1066]

They've got some speedy forwards. Dump & chase shouldn't be a problem for them at all. That's why it was surprising to me.

After reading a few pages of this thread, I think blaming AV is a bit much. The players didn't show up for most of the game, although I will say that in spite of that, there were a number of chances which could easily have gone in.

I suspect there will be a much higher sense of urgency from the whole roster next game. For their sake, they should stop wanting to destroy MTL players. That strategy almost never worked when the Habs played the Bruins so I doubt it'd be fruitful now.

By far, the best player has been Zucc. My biggest disappointment has been Kreider. Although 6'3" he's playing surprisingly "small" and timidly. From a power-forward, I was a bit taken aback at that. Other thing that's clearly obvious is King Lunqvist's frustration. His body language is emphatic. In my view, he's been lights out, all things considered. On some plays, he was left to himself. Maybe he hasn't had a season up to his standards, but he showed in Game 1 that he can still shine. But no goalie can steal an entire series, realistically speaking. He needs help from his teammates playing in front of him.

They'll come out with a huge sense of urgency on Tuesday, but if they don't score after that initial burst or worse, they get scored on, they will very predictably fall back into a passive game. Kreider's game disappears because mentally he's soft. He starts overthinking when things don't go his way, instead of just playing the game with his natural gifts. Honestly, I don't think he'll develop to be anything more than what he is now.

 

[chosen]

I don't get it. The Hawks won their 2015 Cup while playing Keith, Seabrook, Hjarmalsson crazy minutes and the other 3 D men getting very small minutes. Quennville recognized that if he wanted to win, he couldn't deploy his D men equally as he had in the regular season, he needed to ride his horses and play the best players.

AV SHOULD be doing what Q did with McD, Skjei, Smith. He won't though.

There's a reason one of them has 3 cups and the other has none with 2 SCF losses with his biggest criticism both times being his failure to adjust.

Yup. One of them had Kane, Hossa, Toews, Keith, and a great supporting cast. Now Q is being swept in the 1st round and the fans don't understand why he can't figure out how to manage his defensemen.

 

[TheTakedown]

this. no bothering mentioning names but we know which pitiful forwards they are.
but if Buch is to get in he needs to get in top 6. Send grabner down to 4th line and hopefully the 4th line stays effective as they've been

That would make the most sense...

Kreider-Zib-Buchnevich
Nash-Stepan-Zuccarello
Vesey-Miller-Pirri
Grabner-Lindberg-Fast

I don't want to see Hayes or Glass anymore unless we're going to dress 13 Forwards, in which case dress Hayes.

We might as well dress 5 Defensemen at this point, but we should be running:

McDonagh-Smith
Skjei-Clendo
Holden-Girardi

Just ****ing do it AV

 

[4mattylights]

That would make the most sense...

Kreider-Zib-Buchnevich
Nash-Stepan-Zuccarello
Vesey-Miller-Pirri
Grabner-Lindberg-Fast

I don't want to see Hayes or Glass anymore

Hate to break it to you but Pirri is a BUM.

 

[TheTakedown]

Hate to break it to you but Pirri is a BUM.

Can he possibly be worse than Hayes

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Yup. One of them had Kane, Hossa, Toews, Keith, and a great supporting cast. Now Q is being swept in the 1st round and the fans don't understand why he can't figure out how to manage his defensemen.

2014 and 2015 Rangers rosters were good enough to win the Cup. Please don't act like AV just didn't have the horses because he 100% did.

Both times we lost it was because of AV failing to adjust to the opponent. 2014, failing to adjust 3rd period strategy with the lead. 201, failing to adjust to Tampa's trapping style in Game 5 and Game 7.

 

[ponytrekker]

Torts was canned I believe IMO that after management did their interviews and got the players perspective, they wanted a system change, combine that with Hank's comments and Torts refusal to change his system/ways when he met with Sather is what got him fired. If you put the dots together it comes out like that IMO.

Word on the street was that Hank ****canned Torts.

 

[Gardner McKay]

2014 and 2015 Rangers rosters were good enough to win the Cup. Please don't act like AV just didn't have the horses because he 100% did.

Both times we lost it was because of AV failing to adjust to the opponent. 2014, failing to adjust 3rd period strategy with the lead. 201, failing to adjust to Tampa's trapping style in Game 5 and Game 7.

And then trying to out Tampa, Tampa by playing 7 defensemen in game 7, only to have McDonagh play one shift.

 

[Mikos87]

You know whose matched up against Rick Nash every shift?

Benn.

Not Jamie.

Jordie.

You know who shuts down Nash with ease and without any pushback from Rick?

Benn.

Not Jamie.

Jordie.

Rick Nash is being shutdown by a guy that was a fringe 3rd pair D in DAL.

You know why?

He plays like he gives a damn.

 

[4mattylights]

Can he possibly be worse than Hayes

I think so, honestly. Pirri is a one trick pony that only knows how to score and has proved he cannot do that consistently. Hayes at least [potentially] brings more to his game.

All in all, if we're deciding on the 12th man to fill out the fourth line, I leave Glass there. At least with his game I don't find myself wanting to throw my beer at him every time he steps on the ice, which is a nice change of pace.

 

[LieutenantLackluster]

Can he possibly be worse than Hayes

Yes.

And Zib on the first line? Might as well just play Glass.

 

[ponytrekker]

Habs fan coming in peace.

I have a genuine question about last night's game. Wondering if anybody has the answer.

Haven't had the time to follow the NYR closely but I noticed in last night's game during the PP that they'd try to enter the zone by stick-handling through a MTL player and failed to gain the zone the handful of times in a row this happened. Not once did they dump & chase. Was a little surprised at this, to be honest.

Wondering who's idea was it ; the players' on the spur of the moment, AV's, or the NYR's PP specialist's?

In October they were successful in using the drop pass to have a trailer gain the zone. Then by February (or March) when it became really obvious that every team figured that out they tried skating quick up the boards. Against nonplayoff teams it worked.

So at this rate you should see a new entry strategy by August.