Post-Game Talk: Stars @ Rangers - January 5

[FultonReed]

Lol @ Jets players.

it was amazing, you had to see it transpire. Mangold had it out for John Klingberg the whole night.

 

[mandiblesofdoom]

It's pretty evident that AV wants his main 6 playing because they know the system in and out.

Is G playing like he knows the system inside and out? How difficult is the system?

McIlrath looked fine when he played - the Rangers owned the puck while his pair was on ice. That to me says he understands "the system" well enough to be effective.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Who knows whether Girardi is injured? He's playing well though, so why the complaining? Our defense has been significantly better recently. Its speculation that he's playing injured. If he is, its a bad decision by the coaching staff and medical staff to allow it. We shouldn't be playing injured players, but with the way that our defense is playing, there really isn't a spot in the lineup for McIlrath if everyone is healthy. I feel like people are now trying to find new things to complain with about Girardi to find a way for McIlrath to be in the lineup.

As much as we all like how McIlrath's played, his chance was to outplay Boyle. The rest of the players seem to be be given the benefit of the doubt as long as they aren't playing horrible, and none of them are playing horrible. Boyle's putting up points right now, despite how bad he's playing defensively. When its close, I think the coach will give the veteran the advantage, and right now it is pretty close between Boyle and McIlrath.

Are you just conveniently ignoring the fact that it's been widely reported that he has a cracked kneecap after taking blocking a slapshot in the third period of the Vancouver game, which consequently has required him to rest more and deal with swelling on many different occasions? How is Girardi NOT injured?

Anyways, I thought McDonagh played well tonight. He was good handling the puck low in the offensive zone, made some nice carries out of the defensive zone, had that really strong backcheck effort on Seguin, and he was good at taking away most of Seguin's shooting and passing lanes.

Side note, score adjusted CF and FF% from last night: 54.59 CF% and 57.68 FF%. I know Dallas played their 7th game in 11 nights, but we were so much better than we have been recently.

 

[Tawnos]

Fantastic game last night, no complaints at all.

I honestly feel like this group is starting to turn a corner. Most of all, they live and die by how Stepan plays. Been true for a couple of years now.

 

[Florida Ranger]

Literally one player sucked tonight, and it was Girardi. He might as well have turned his back to the play and let them have their way. Everybody else was good-excellent.

I have to disagree. Girardi was just there. Didn't suck, but didn't do anything outstanding.

Staal was the only one I thought that I had rough game. It bothered the crap out of me to see him watch Spezza make a pass. He gave Spezza so much time to set up.

Hayes look alright. He looked a little timid. Nice work on the Stalberg goal. I wish he would've had the assist at least.


The team overall played very well despite Dallas possibly being fatigue a little. We'll take it. Three straight games where they've played well, imo.

 

[Mac n Gs]

I have to disagree. Girardi was just there. Didn't suck, but didn't do anything outstanding.

Staal was the only one I thought that I had rough game. It bothered the crap out of me to see him watch Spezza make a pass. He gave Spezza so much time to set up.

Hayes look alright. He looked a little timid. Nice work on the Stalberg goal. I wish he would've had the assist at least.


The team overall played very well despite Dallas possibly being fatigue a little. We'll take it. Three straight games where they've played well, imo.

Yeah I wasn't a fan of that play either, but I'll give him some credit for bodying Jamie Benn out of the crease on the powerplay when the score was 2-1.

 

[Loff]

It's nice to beat NHL's #1, but they're struggling. The reality check comes on Saturday against the Caps. Enough BS and follow up with good performances.

And Jaiyson was terrific. Noticable from his very first shift. He gotta stay.

it was amazing, you had to see it transpire. Mangold had it out for John Klingberg the whole night.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Girardi is sitting out of practice again today, to rest his knee. I think it's safe to say he's not 100% and is clearly playing injured (as if seeing him be very obviously physically limited wasn't enough).

 

[Mikos87]

Staal was the only one I thought that I had rough game. It bothered the crap out of me to see him watch Spezza make a pass. He gave Spezza so much time to set up.

Yeah that was a wtf was he doing staring at him moment. Very STEM like on that play.

I think that's been one of Staal and Girardi's biggest issues this year, its sticking to guys right away, pressure right away, taking away time and space.

After that play he was good, still had some aloof moments but dove to clear the crease and got noticeably more physical.

Girardi had one blunder and it was him taking too long on the wind up for the shot that resulted in a 2-1 with Seguin and Sharp.

Both guys have been playing very casually. They need to ramp up the sense of urgency.

Pressuring and denying quickly will help out those corsi numbers too. Someone should make a chart if that happens.

 

[Vickers8]

I actually liked Boyle playing forward down low on the PP, wouldn't mind going 11 forwards and 7 dmen, it would get Mcilrath back in, put Boyle with Dom Moore and Stalberg and it gets Glass out...also Megna(1g 1a) played well with Nash(3a) and Stepan(2g)

 

[Irishguy42]

AV says Megna is in on Saturday. If Kreider is good to go, which I bet he will be, since he was stickhandling with both hands today, then I imagine Glass would sit? Or...God forbird...AV sits Hayes again?

So healthy scratches would be Glass/Etem and (probably) McIlrath.

 

[Irishguy42]

 

[OrbitalDynamics]

AV's pet rock out of the lineup? Nay Sir,that'll nae happen here...

 

[Ola]

AV says Megna is in on Saturday. If Kreider is good to go, which I bet he will be, since he was stickhandling with both hands today, then I imagine Glass would sit? Or...God forbird...AV sits Hayes again?

So healthy scratches would be Glass/Etem and (probably) McIlrath.

Many players could sit a bit. OL, Fast, Kreider, Hayes and co. Miller have been better I reckon, but he have to start producing a bit more...

I am not a Glass fan, far from it. But our 4th lately is -- by far -- playing its best option with Glass on it. By far. Do you want to mess with it?

 

[Irishguy42]

Many players could sit a bit. OL, Fast, Kreider, Hayes and co. Miller have been better I reckon, but he have to start producing a bit more...

I am not a Glass fan, far from it. But our 4th lately is -- by far -- playing its best option with Glass on it. By far. Do you want to mess with it?

I was just throwing out a name. But it'll be interesting to see what AV does if Kreider is ready for Saturday.

 

[Ola]

Gorton's kid? Really. They're trying to see what they have with him. He should be looked to be moved, though.

He has been playing because Gorton have given AV zero options.

I can promise you that AV wouldn't have used Etem much if he had any options.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Are you just conveniently ignoring the fact that it's been widely reported that he has a cracked kneecap after taking blocking a slapshot in the third period of the Vancouver game, which consequently has required him to rest more and deal with swelling on many different occasions? How is Girardi NOT injured?

I'm not ignoring that. The team says he's no longer injured. Why do you think he didn't play for like two weeks? They were letting his injury heal.

 

[BlueshirtBlitz]

He has been playing because Gorton have given AV zero options.

I can promise you that AV wouldn't have used Etem much if he had any options.

Why complain about the GM and coach trying to see if a former first round pick can play some hockey?

Gorton gave AV some options on defense and he still decides to run the suboptimal pairs so lets not pretend AV is a genius hamstrung by the GM's roster moves.

 

[TheTakedown]

I'm not ignoring that. The team says he's no longer injured. Why do you think he didn't play for like two weeks? They were letting his injury heal.

http://nypost.com/2015/12/27/rangers-dan-girardi-to-return-with-cracked-kneecap-reveal/

He said himself it's still cracked--though he supposedly "can't hurt it further"... that's crap though. I think he's done after this year.

 

[ThatsNashty61*]

How McD is not getting more love is beyond me. The best line in hockey (arguably) shows up at the garden and Mac and G are matched against them all night and nothing happens. Girardi played better than he's getting credit for but McD was brilliant and taken for granted on this board. He's still a stud and is performing at a high level most nights. He's also been more than solid on our top 10 PP. And all this with Hank playing poorly. Everyone is working harder to keep pucks away from the net.

 

[ThatsNashty61*]

Many players could sit a bit. OL, Fast, Kreider, Hayes and co. Miller have been better I reckon, but he have to start producing a bit more...

I am not a Glass fan, far from it. But our 4th lately is -- by far -- playing its best option with Glass on it. By far. Do you want to mess with it?

I don't see Glass as a better option than anyone on our roster or Megna, or Bourque. His physical presence is overrated and his puck flubs and slow as crap stops and starts hurt us in all zones. He knows where to be on the ice but he doesn't get there often enough to be effective. He used to be a good penalty killer; no more. He has gone from one of the worst players in hockey to worse than that. We would be better off with Boyle on the wing, put McI in the lineup and the physical "need" would be improved as well. We can not afford to dress our less than best, and right now we do that every night.

 

[Miamipuck]

I don't see Glass as a better option than anyone on our roster or Megna, or Bourque. His physical presence is overrated and his puck flubs and slow as crap stops and starts hurt us in all zones. He knows where to be on the ice but he doesn't get there often enough to be effective. He used to be a good penalty killer; no more. He has gone from one of the worst players in hockey to worse than that. We would be better off with Boyle on the wing, put McI in the lineup and the physical "need" would be improved as well. We can not afford to dress our less than best, and right now we do that every night.

I will give you a 1000 Amens there.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

How McD is not getting more love is beyond me. The best line in hockey (arguably) shows up at the garden and Mac and G are matched against them all night and nothing happens. Girardi played better than he's getting credit for but McD was brilliant and taken for granted on this board. He's still a stud and is performing at a high level most nights. He's also been more than solid on our top 10 PP. And all this with Hank playing poorly. Everyone is working harder to keep pucks away from the net.

I think its a combination of things, crediting McDonagh makes Yandle look bad and criticizing McDonagh makes it easier to criticize Girardi since they can just say that pairing sucks. People on HFNYR will say that Yandle is better than McDonagh, and McD-G is the worst pairing in the NHL. Most of these types of comments are to keep narratives going, not really based in what's really happening.

 

[JohnC]

Most of these types of comments are to keep narratives going, not really based in what's really happening.

Pot

Kettle

Etc.

 

[Ail]

I think its a combination of things, crediting McDonagh makes Yandle look bad and criticizing McDonagh makes it easier to criticize Girardi since they can just say that pairing sucks. People on HFNYR will say that Yandle is better than McDonagh, and McD-G is the worst pairing in the NHL. Most of these types of comments are to keep narratives going, not really based in what's really happening.

Haha, someone agreed mildly with a lonely and unsubstantiated point of view. Better jump on that quick.