Tampa Bay wins 2-0 in Game 7, Advances to Cup

[Rangerfan4life90]

The biggest problem for them is I think the East is in a weak stage right now, there are a bunch of up and coming teams in the East...this is going to become very hard to get out of that conference in 2-3 years. This year I thought the Bolts/Rangers and maybe the Habs were the only legit contenders to come out of the East. Good luck in 3 years when the Isles, Jackets, Pens, Caps, Panthers could all be in the mix as legit teams.

Don't forget to include the Sabres in that mix.

 

[Khelvan]

So it turns out that both Staal and McDonagh were playing on broken feet? That explains some things.

Good luck Tampa Bay. You have a good team. Please shut up all of the "west is best" people.

 

[JT Kreider]

Don't forget to include the Sabres in that mix.

I see CBJ being a major player next season. They would've been this year if not for the ridiculous string of injuries.

Watch my boy Dubinsky follow in the footsteps of Callan Captahan and give the New York Shiny New Toys the big ole' F U.

 

[Licentia]

Stopped reading there and so did everyone else. Sidney Crosby is good enough for at least one playoff win in a 7 game series. Which is exactly what happened. Crosby dominated that game.

You are giving credit to the opponent rather than acknowledge that the Rangers did not play like a President's Trophy winning team throughout these playoffs.

I knew that my Canadiens were in big trouble when they failed to eliminate Ottawa in 4 games. I didn't give credit to Ottawa for their great play. I didn't praise Anderson for stealing the game(s). I placed the blame squarely on the Canadiens for failing to score goals and for failing to win. I knew right then and there that they would not win the cup. I didn't fool myself, or comfort myself. I considered the facts and formulated a logical conclusion. I did not allow my feelings to play into that conclusion.

Sidney Crosby can't simultaneously play centre while filling in the holes on defence that the Penguins had. The Pens lost 5 straight games before finishing the season with a win over Buffalo. Despite any potential "Crosby Heroics," had the season run for another week the Penguins wouldn't have made the playoffs at all.

What upset me was the response I got at the beginning of the Tampa Bay / New York series when I stated the obvious; that the New York Rangers were not playing as they should have been as a President's Trophy winning team that was the consensus favourite to win the cup.

 

[JT Kreider]

You are giving credit to the opponent rather than acknowledge that the Rangers did not play like a President's Trophy winning team throughout these playoffs.

I knew that my Canadiens were in big trouble when they failed to eliminate Ottawa in 4 games. I didn't give credit to Ottawa for their great play. I didn't praise Anderson for stealing the game(s). I placed the blame squarely on the Canadiens for failing to score goals and for failing to win.

Sidney Crosby can't simultaneously play centre while filling in the holes on defence that the Penguins had. The Pens lost 5 straight games before finishing the season with a win over Buffalo. Despite any "Crosby Heroics" had the season run for another week the Penguins wouldn't have made the playoffs at all.

Sometimes you have to. Can't take anyone crapping on a team for winning a series in 5 seriously.

And OK, subscribing to your theory, the Rangers didn't play a perfect series. Because nobody is perfect. Winning the PT doesn't mean the Rangers were invincible.

 

[Lshap]

You are giving credit to the opponent rather than acknowledge that the Rangers did not play like a President's Trophy winning team throughout these playoffs.

I knew that my Canadiens were in big trouble when they failed to eliminate Ottawa in 4 games. I didn't give credit to Ottawa for their great play. I didn't praise Anderson for stealing the game(s). I placed the blame squarely on the Canadiens for failing to score goals and for failing to win. I knew right then and there that they would not win the cup. I didn't fool myself, or comfort myself. I considered the facts and made a logical conclusion. I did not allow my feelings to play into that conclusion.

Sidney Crosby can't simultaneously play centre while filling in the holes on defence that the Penguins had. The Pens lost 5 straight games before finishing the season with a win over Buffalo. Despite any "Crosby Heroics" had the season run for another week the Penguins wouldn't have made the playoffs at all.

No team in history has swept their way through the playoffs all the way to the Cup. Your standards are bizarre. Any sport that includes a million bounces and deflections will always have a wide margin for error. The idea that anything less than a sweep is a failure is plain silly.

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

You are giving credit to the opponent rather than acknowledge that the Rangers did not play like a President's Trophy winning team throughout these playoffs.

I knew that my Canadiens were in big trouble when they failed to eliminate Ottawa in 4 games. I didn't give credit to Ottawa for their great play. I didn't praise Anderson for stealing the game(s). I placed the blame squarely on the Canadiens for failing to score goals and for failing to win. I knew right then and there that they would not win the cup. I didn't fool myself, or comfort myself. I considered the facts and formulated a logical conclusion. I did not allow my feelings to play into that conclusion.

Sidney Crosby can't simultaneously play centre while filling in the holes on defence that the Penguins had. The Pens lost 5 straight games before finishing the season with a win over Buffalo. Despite any potential "Crosby Heroics," had the season run for another week the Penguins wouldn't have made the playoffs at all.

Dude, the other team gets paid to perform as well.

A team with Crosby could easily steal at least one game despite the injuries they had, and that's what the Pens did. Rangers handled them fine for the most part.

 

[JT Kreider]

On NHL.com headlines on that sidebar they have:

WHY NYR FAILED : 5 REASONS LIGHTNING ADVANCED.

 

[Coopers Gum]

On NHL.com headlines on that sidebar they have:

WHY NYR FAILED : 5 REASONS LIGHTNING ADVANCED.

We're used to it by now.

 

[Lovethiscity]

You are giving credit to the opponent rather than acknowledge that the Rangers did not play like a President's Trophy winning team throughout these playoffs.

I knew that my Canadiens were in big trouble when they failed to eliminate Ottawa in 4 games. I didn't give credit to Ottawa for their great play. I didn't praise Anderson for stealing the game(s). I placed the blame squarely on the Canadiens for failing to score goals and for failing to win. I knew right then and there that they would not win the cup. I didn't fool myself, or comfort myself. I considered the facts and formulated a logical conclusion. I did not allow my feelings to play into that conclusion.

Sidney Crosby can't simultaneously play centre while filling in the holes on defence that the Penguins had. The Pens lost 5 straight games before finishing the season with a win over Buffalo. Despite any potential "Crosby Heroics," had the season run for another week the Penguins wouldn't have made the playoffs at all.

What upset me was the response I got at the beginning of the Tampa Bay / New York series when I stated the obvious; that the New York Rangers were not playing as they should have been as a President's Trophy winning team that was the consensus favourite to win the cup.

The irony of this statement is that the tendency of a fan with blinders on is to blame their team for an "off game" instead of just admitting that they were not the better team and giving credit where it's due. Your "logical conclusion" was actually the typical emotional response.

EDIT: I just read your original post, and you are way off base. You're saying you recognized that the Rangers were under-performing because they didn't sweep the Penguins? Do you have no concept of variance? By your logic, the "best" team in the league (whoever it is) would win every game.

Also what does this statement mean-

"The New York Rangers were eliminated even earlier than I figured they'd be. I thought for sure they would be eliminated next round. Oh well."

You mean you thought they'd make it to the finals? You say that in a context that sounds like you were projecting them to fail. You're not making any sense.

 

[Machinehead]

We're used to it by now.

And you're in the East too, so expect it to get worse.

 

[The Underboss]

Good series. Nice to see my other team continue onward!

 

[Mike Yanagita*]

Feels so sweet sending MSL home with nothing. Lots of no shows for the NYR.

I'm glad NBCSN spent so much time crying over the Rangers losing the series. I had no idea that there were so many valid reasons they had for losing the series. I just thought that the better team won.

Now just need to hope for a Chicago win tonight. After battling through Price and Lundqvist, TB is going to eat either of the other two guys alive in the finals.

TB will be blown out by either the Ducks or the Hawks

 

[IdealisticSniper]

TB will be blown out by either the Ducks or the Hawks

I keep reading this. Yet when asked to provide sound reasoning as to why this statement is true, it's nothing but "because West" or crickets.

Weird.

 

[zeykshade]

I keep reading this. Yet when asked to provide sound reasoning as to why this statement is true, it's nothing but "because West" or crickets.

Weird.

Don't hurt 'im hammer. Rookie Poster.

 

[Section32]

I am weary...

This just goes on and on and on.

For you gleeful folk. The Rangers TRY to win every year. Clearly there is error in the equation.

But, not matter how much I hate ownership, they do try, every year.

Unlike many "unnamed" teams, the Rangers have tried to be a "player" almost every year, NEVER tanking ...and never receiving a top 5 pick other than Brendyl in the last 40 years.

GET IT! YOU NEED TO BE A TRUE LOSER TO WIN!

With Dolan, it will always be a "somewhat loser" and the Rangers will never win a Cup.

Too tired to sleep. But will have good dreams eventually knowing that your teams were absolute losers (on purpose in many cases) to get where you are today.

BTW, NYC is the best city in the world..

 

[IdealisticSniper]

Don't hurt 'im hammer. Rookie Poster.

Haha. You have to beat them down when they are little so they know their place early.

I am weary...

This just goes on and on and on.

For you gleeful folk. The Rangers TRY to win every year. Clearly there is error in the equation.

But, not matter how much I hate ownership, they do try, every year.

Unlike many "unnamed" teams, the Rangers have tried to be a "player" almost every year, NEVER tanking ...and never receiving a top 5 pick other than Brendyl in the last 40 years.

GET IT! YOU NEED TO BE A TRUE LOSER TO WIN!

With Dolan, it will always be a "somewhat loser" and the Rangers will never win a Cup.

Too tired to sleep. But will have good dreams eventually knowing that your teams were absolute losers (on purpose in many cases) to get where you are today.

BTW, NYC is the best city in the world..

So you're saying the Rangers lost because TB has a better team? I mean that's what I took from that.

Thanks buddy!

 

[Mike Yanagita*]

I keep reading this. Yet when asked to provide sound reasoning as to why this statement is true, it's nothing but "because West" or crickets.

Weird.

It's an opinion based on watching the games and comparing the rosters. The Ducks and Hawks are both considerably better than the Bolts, top to bottom. It is true that the West is the superior conference overall, but that's irrelevant for the purpose of direct comparison.

Rangers fans said the same thing last year and got worked. I'm a Hawks fan but I think the Ducks are the tougher matchup for TB because of their style of play. I'd pick Hawks in six and Ducks in five. Vegas will agree.

 

[Ron*]

I keep reading this. Yet when asked to provide sound reasoning as to why this statement is true, it's nothing but "because West" or crickets.

Weird.

Don't hurt 'im hammer. Rookie Poster.

because West

 

[CupsOverCash]

Sometimes you have to. Can't take anyone crapping on a team for winning a series in 5 seriously.

And OK, subscribing to your theory, the Rangers didn't play a perfect series. Because nobody is perfect. Winning the PT doesn't mean the Rangers were invincible.

The eastern conference was close at the top all season. The rangers won the most games and got the most points. That doesn't mean they were the best team. It's a long season. Some teams get cold for a stretch. It happens. And sometimes the best team is indeed the best team from all season. It's just really hard because you got so many teams who are just as good as your team is. It's just difficult to be consistent.

 

[IdealisticSniper]

It's an opinion based on watching the games and comparing the rosters. The Ducks and Hawks are both considerably better than the Bolts, top to bottom. It is true that the West is the superior conference overall, but that's irrelevant for the purpose of direct comparison.

Rangers fans said the same thing last year and got worked. I'm a Hawks fan but I think the Ducks are the tougher matchup for TB because of their style of play. I'd pick Hawks in six and Ducks in five. Vegas will agree.

Ok so let me just make sure I understand.

TB, the best offensive team in the league, doesn't have better forwards than Anaheim or Chicago. Who were 8th and 17th respectively( I believe).

TB has also been better defensively in the playoffs at 28 shots against per game. Anaheim is at 29.8 against and Chicago second to worst out of all 16 playoff teams at a whopping 36 shots per game. That's horrible defense.

Anaheim and Chicago have both had an easier path to the Cup (their matchup against each other being boths toughest test by far). Especially Anaheim.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Ok so let me just make sure I understand.

TB, the best offensive team in the league, doesn't have better forwards than Anaheim or Chicago. Who were 8th and 17th respectively( I believe).

TB has also been better defensively in the playoffs at 28 shots against per game. Anaheim is at 29.8 against and Chicago second to worst out of all 16 playoff teams at a whopping 36 shots per game. That's horrible defense.

Anaheim and Chicago have both had an easier path to the Cup (their matchup against each other being boths toughest test by far. Especially Anaheim.

Dude. West is the best.

 

[Mike Yanagita*]

Ok so let me just make sure I understand.

TB, the best offensive team in the league, doesn't have better forwards than Anaheim or Chicago. Who were 8th and 17th respectively( I believe).

TB has also been better defensively in the playoffs at 28 shots against per game. Anaheim is at 29.8 against and Chicago second to worst out of all 16 playoff teams at a whopping 36 shots per game. That's horrible defense.

Anaheim and Chicago have both had an easier path to the Cup (their matchup against each other being boths toughest test by far). Especially Anaheim.

so did you even read what I wrote? Just in case: I said comparing rosters, player for player, both Anaheim and Chicago are superior to TB.

You're full of bluster now, just like Rangers fans in 2014...just like Bruins fans in 2013...just like Devils fans in 2012...just like Flyers fans in 2010. I get it, you like your team, but they are the underdogs. Sorry that seems to hurt your feelings.

 

[Richter Scale]

It will hopefully force teams to adapt and realize that boring systems and shot blocking is not the only or best way to win.

Still living in 2011 I guess? Rangers don't play that style anymore. Not to mention the "boring system" and shot blocking won last night... But why watch the games when we can make baseless comments?

(For the record - not digging the Lightning by saying that; and nor do I think playing competent defense is "boring." Congrats to the Lightning on moving on. Hope Cally gets his cup.)

 

[Richter Scale]

I'm glad NBCSN spent so much time crying over the Rangers losing the series. I had no idea that there were so many valid reasons they had for losing the series. I just thought that the better team won.

They took it a bit far last night in the post game at times for sure. But at the same time, I'm sure you were in the group of people with zero excuses after the Lightning's 4-and-out last year right?