The potential of the Rangers vs Islanders R1 thriller ?!

charlie1

It's all McDonald's
Dec 7, 2013
3,132
0
You will never see a team more motivated than the Isles playing the Rangers in the last playoffs at the old barn.

The kids will be hungry.
 

Doctyl

Play-ins Manager
Jan 25, 2011
23,258
7,024
Bofflol
As hungry as the Isles kids may be, I think Hank Nash and MSL are more hungry especially after tasting the finals.
 

RangersOwnNewYork*

Guest
I don't know, I don't really see it as much of a rivalry. Just because they're from the same city doesn't make it a rivalry. It's not like Pittsburgh/PHilly where there is a history & bad blood between the teams

This rivalry has deep roots. This was one of the best rivalries in the 70's and 80's. They haven't met in the playoffs since 1994 and that year the rangers were much better and steamrolled them. It's been 20 years since they met and both teams and their fans have reasons to believe they can make a deep run. If it happens it will be one helluva series.
 

WangMustGo

Registered User
Mar 31, 2008
8,741
2,945
Long Island
As hungry as the Isles kids may be, I think Hank Nash and MSL are more hungry especially after tasting the finals.

Except Nash doesn't show up in the playoffs 5 goals in 41 games, that is abysmal.

I am hoping for this series, it would be great for new york hockey, and it would be a great series.
 

AHB*

Guest
Except Nash doesn't show up in the playoffs 5 goals in 41 games, that is abysmal.

I am hoping for this series, it would be great for new york hockey, and it would be a great series.

The idea of playoff performers is a misconception. Same with non-playoff performers.

Regardless, we are a LONGGGGG ways away from this being a reality.
 

RoseTintedVisor

Frans Nielsen?!?!?
Feb 25, 2009
4,438
0
bklyn
I fear no team in the East outside of Montreal. They are a bad matchup for us systemically due to their point men and our inability to get out to the point man on the PK.

The Rangers? BRING EM ON.

I think we are a matchup nightmare for them.

Hank can steal it too, but so can Halak.
 

AHB*

Guest
I fear no team in the East outside of Montreal. They are a bad matchup for us systemically due to their point men and our inability to get out to the point man on the PK.

The Rangers? BRING EM ON.

I think we are a matchup nightmare for them.

Hank can steal it too, but so can Halak.

You realize the Rangers system and Montreal's system is very similar, right? The Rangers beat Montreal last year because they played that system better.

But I wouldn't expect anyone to fear a team that just went to the finals, especially if that team is the Rangers.
 

LeetchisGod

This is a bad hockey team.
May 21, 2009
19,601
11,212
Washington, DC
You realize the Rangers system and Montreal's system is very similar, right? The Rangers beat Montreal last year because they played that system better.

But I wouldn't expect anyone to fear a team that just went to the finals, especially if that team is the Rangers.

Don't you know that we suck. Stop trying to convince them otherwise.
 

StillAnIslesFan

Registered User
Feb 26, 2010
202
12
This would be one heck of a series, and quite stressful, unless Kreider takes out Halak's knee, then Rags can show how great they are again like last year vs the Habs.

Seriously though, it's way too early to tell who could win this, almost 50 games left in the season, with so few points in between the teams, there's a six point difference between #2 and #8 in the conference.
In reality, both teams could collapse and miss the playoffs. Stranger things have happened...
 

haveandare

Registered User
Jul 2, 2009
18,889
7,400
New York
This would be one heck of a series, and quite stressful, unless Kreider takes out Halak's knee, then Rags can show how great they are again like last year vs the Habs.

Seriously though, it's way too early to tell who could win this, almost 50 games left in the season, with so few points in between the teams, there's a six point difference between #2 and #8 in the conference.
In reality, both teams could collapse and miss the playoffs. Stranger things have happened...

Let your d know not to trip him into the goalie and you should be fine.

I'd bet almost anything both teams make the playoffs.
 

StillAnIslesFan

Registered User
Feb 26, 2010
202
12
They'll try not to, but let Kreider know he doesn't have to stick his leg up in the air towards the keepers crotch. All in good jest fellas :)

Really hope this happens so we can get this old rivalry back, it was so much fun way back when. We hate each other like Eagles and Cowboys fans. If it happens, I dont care the cost, I will be at one of those games. LGI!
 

Doctyl

Play-ins Manager
Jan 25, 2011
23,258
7,024
Bofflol
Except Nash doesn't show up in the playoffs 5 goals in 41 games, that is abysmal.

I am hoping for this series, it would be great for new york hockey, and it would be a great series.

Yea yea yea and Nash was gonna be a borderline 20 goal scorer
 

Samuel Culper III

Mr. Woodhull...
Jan 15, 2007
13,144
1,099
Texas
It would be a great series for hockey, both fan bases, the rivalry, etc. I think the Rangers would come out on top, if healthy, due to experience. It would be extremely close think.
 

kmo429

Registered User
Jul 22, 2011
1,927
426
Rangers are superior everywhere except Center ice, this is Rangers in 5 or 6. Tight,defensive hockey

Except the Isles are miles ahead of the Rangers int terms of centers and the teams matchup closely every where else. Good luck :p:
 

WangMustGo

Registered User
Mar 31, 2008
8,741
2,945
Long Island
Yea yea yea and Nash was gonna be a borderline 20 goal scorer

Oh i never said that, he has been great this year, but in the playoffs he has a ton to prove. Is it possible that he continues into the playoffs? Absolutely, but its also entirely possible that he turns into a shell of himself in the playoffs.

Either way this is a very long way away from happening, were not even halfway through the season.
 

islesfan186

YES! YES! YES!
Jul 5, 2012
7,122
2,958
Tennessee
5 reasons I don't want to see the Rangers in the playoffs:

- Vigneault>>>>>Cappy
- Lundqvist
- Isles special teams are a train wreck
- Rags have tons of playoff experience
- Lundqvist again

As awesome as it would be to have 1 final throwdown at the coliseum, I don't want to listen to ranger fans ALL offseason talking about how they beat the isles in the playoffs and that they were the last opponent ever seen in the coliseum. PLUS.....ticket prices for these games at the coliseum would be CRAZY expensive. Not to mention....everyone remembers the last time these 2 teams met in the playoffs right?
 
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bigbuffalo313

Registered User
Apr 28, 2012
4,135
57
New York
5 reasons I don't want to see the Rangers in the playoffs:

- Vigneault>>>>>Cappy
- Lundqvist
- Isles special teams are a train wrech
- Rags have tons of playoff experience
- Lundqvist again

As awesome as it would be to have 1 final throwdown at the coliseum, I don't want to listen to ranger fans ALL offseason talking about how they beat the isles in the playoffs and that they were the last opponent ever seen in the coliseum. PLUS.....ticket prices for these games at the coliseum would be CRAZY expensive

While the rest are all true (especially us talking about it forever;)) the bolded one won't be a problem. Your pp might struggle, but the Rangers are and have always been pathetic on the pp. Against Philadelphia a few weeks ago, MSG showed a stat that the Flyers were 30th in the league on the pk. the next game, which was a back to back so the Flyers didn't have any other game in between, the Flyers were 28th. The Rangers pp improved the Flyers pk% so much it moved them up two spots in the standings for pk%
 

DPSNAGS

Registered User
Dec 3, 2007
1,228
3
The islanders experience is a tricky one to gauge. The team has added 2 stanley cup champions to their roster. Halak has played all the way to the ECF and had some time playing with St. Louis. Vis is a vet and then for the most part the team has that one pitt playoff series. To me the best experience this isles team has as a whole was their train wreck of a season last year. They made it to the playoffs in a shortened season and expected themselves to be their again. I truly believe that last season is a huge reason why they are excelling this season. A team that has had a great playoff matchup, went through a terrible run and is no excelling just seems much more mature to me.

Back to this matchup, the rangers only have 2 champions on their roster if im correct but of course the team as a whole has much more experience. I just can see this Isles team as the year they finally break past the first round and begin gaining that necessary experience as well. So i really do know want to run into Lundy and the defensive team but it would be a great series.

The thing that hasnt been mentioned in this thread is that these 2 teams have played only once so far. With both teams excelling now, these next 3 games should not only be great games but may very well begin to heat up this rivalry and create some bad blood if we met in playoffs
 

hockey4sale

Registered User
Oct 19, 2014
1,008
256
Halak placed on IR, I don't think Islanders would win another game with Chad Johnson in net, all this playoff talk could be very premature if Halak stay out for any extended period of time
 

SI90

Registered User
Jul 25, 2011
85,039
62,501
StrongIsland
If the Isles don't improve the special teams it wont matter who we play in the first round because we will be going home early.

As far as the Rags, the only thing that would worry me is the Queen Henrik being at the top of his game. He has the ability to absolutely dominate.
 

ziggy7716

Registered User
Oct 20, 2006
1,602
252
Halak placed on IR, I don't think Islanders would win another game with Chad Johnson in net, all this playoff talk could be very premature if Halak stay out for any extended period of time

He was on the ice with Johnson and Poulin this morning and share a net with Johnson. It's not serious at all. Good chance you see him start on Monday against Washington
 

Nolanitis

Registered User
Feb 19, 2007
2,279
43
NYC
Halak will probably get till next weekend, if i had to guess it is probably a groin issue (based on history).

As for special teams the Isles have the better powerplay and just reasswembled their top 6 on defense. So lets see where their pk winds up over the next month. It should go up quite a bit.

And do not rule out Halak outperforming Lundqvist, he has done it before in the playoffs
 

bigbuffalo313

Registered User
Apr 28, 2012
4,135
57
New York
If the Isles don't improve the special teams it wont matter who we play in the first round because we will be going home early.

As far as the Rags, the only thing that would worry me is the Queen Henrik being at the top of his game. He has the ability to absolutely dominate.

Because the Ranger's top five offense and top five/ten defense is nothing
 

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