Rangers at Capitals… It’s Go Time!

The Rangers are missing three of their best skaters and the couch that they’re resting on. I am, however, a little nervous about McDonagh, who actually did get injured late in a game and hasn’t played since. They can call it maintenance all they want, but I’m not so sure that I believe them, especially at this time of the season.  Skjei and Holden were also just added as late scratches for rest, bringing in the Gerund and Kampfer (does he have a nickname?). I have a feeling that if the Rangers could just forfeit the next three games, they would.

They’re playing against a Capitals team that has almost as little to play for on the second night of a back to back, third in four nights, and their first home game after a five game road trip. Should be a pretty low intensity game as neither team is looking to get banged up before the playoffs in a meaningless game.

256 thoughts on “Rangers at Capitals… It’s Go Time!”

  8. 4everanger I’m hoping Hank is looking at this game like a preseason warmup. Otherwise he’s probably going to be on the ledge with the fan base…

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  13. This game is meaningless and the score will confirm it. Any Boneheads with weak stomachs should probably pass on watching this disasta!

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  19. Holy crap:

    from the Buffalo News.

    By John Vogl
    Published Wed, Apr 5, 2017

    After Dan Bylsma admitted to being “very concerned” about Kyle Okposo’s health, word came that the Buffalo Sabres forward is hospitalized and in intensive care.

    Okposo is in the Neuro Surgical ICU at Buffalo General Hospital, Paul Hamilton of WGR-AM 550 reported Wednesday. The Buffalo News has confirmed the story.

    Okposo has been sick since March 28. The 28-year-old has visited doctors, but Bylsma had no diagnosis to announce Wednesday.

    “It’s a difficult thing for him to be dealing with now in this situation,” Bylsma said in KeyBank Center. “Very, as a coach and a person, concerned for him and his situation.

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  30. There’s no way the rangers arent going to protect Lindberg. It isnt a flash in the pan. The kid is that good. He’s gonna end up being a good 2C or an elite 3C

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  48. I think due to cap reasons, a forward with salary is going to have to be moved. Opening up a forward protection slot. I protect both fast and lindberg over grabner, and in a vacuum would choose the center (lindberg) over the wing (fast). I guess things to take into acct is what another team offers in a trade for lindberg, and then it becomes do you want fast and the return from the trade, or do you want lindberg.

    miller
    stepan
    zika
    kreider
    hayes
    zucc or nash
    lindberg, fast grabner

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  57. i protect grabner over fast or lindberg. unfortunately all 3 might be available as will be raanta

    we saw last yr how much we missed hags .

    grabner and hags world class speed.

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  62. i get that alex, but if he has a decent year next season, he’s gonna bolt for a larger contract than the rangers are able to give him. 1 year of grabner, or Fast/Lindberg who are both RFA this season.

    I think Gorton will trade Lindberg, Raanta, maybe fast before before exposing them in the expansion draft.

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  66. Surprisingly, not too bad… Looks Rangers, if nothing else, don’t feel any pressure and pretty relaxed . The rest is just technicalities…

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  69. JPP

    we have a small window with henrik. grabner helps with that for next year more than the others.

    if we trade any one of those guys or even 2 we’ll still lose a good player to expansion.

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  71. I can think of a few teams that would probably protect Raanta as their #1 goalie. But dont know about the forwards. There are teams that are looking to upgrade at goalie.

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  75. It’s only because the best team in the conference gets to play the worst playoff team in the conference. Also a reward for winning the other division is to play the second “worst” team to make the playoffs. This year was an oddity.

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  76. Alex,
    what if the play is to trade Hayes and make lindberg the 3c. If lindberg is 15-20g and 15-20a as the 3C, is he more valuable than grabner’s speed?

    Look, I get your reasoning, and I cant say im right. I dont know. I’ve just always thought Lindberg was gonna be a player, and im seeing now what i had seen at first to think that. I think he becomes a very good player.

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  83. Someone whos pretty knowledgable brought up how the rangers can qualify skapski and he would be the goalie exposed. there is no 40/70 requirement on goalies. Just forwards and ds.

    “much easier to replace a backup goalie than a young forward”
    I agree with that, big time. So if the rangers believe Raanta to be back up as opposed to a starter without a team to start for, than yeah.

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  120. I know they’re resting a lot of guys. But do you want to go into the playoffs on a 3 game losing streak? That bang be good for Lundqvist’s psyche. He’ll probably play at least 2 of those.

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  126. 11 games with a pp goal against one the last 15. With multiple games with multiple pp goals against in that span and at least 1 pp goal against in another game that was scored moments after a power play ended. So pretty much at least 12 in 15.

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  132. As competitive as Hank is, even he must realize this game is meaningless other than to get his timing down and get in a groove. Here’s hoping Hank hangs tough, the team stays out of the box, and that they can slip one or two by Holtby.

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  133. If the Rangers lose tonight playing 6 substitutes, it will mean, it will mean… what will it mean? They’re playing well and, knock wood, staying healthy.

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  136. I disagree with most excessed wit here. I think, if not for endless, sequential, questionable calls PK, Rangers played descent game so far with chances and shouldn’t be ashamed.

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  158. It’s okay everyone- once the playoffs start, they’re going to flip a magical switch, win board battles, have a “shoot first” mentality / pump several pucks past Price. We’ve got this!

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  161. All things considered…. could be worse considering we’re playing the top team in the league with 6 regulars out, so there’s that…. But, the sad thing is… I don’t think the result would be much better w/ all the regulars playing. Not saying…just saying….

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  166. Are we trying not to shoot? Is this a convoluted strategy, because I’m confused by the lack of vulcanized rubber heading toward Holtby…

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  168. I think this has been Lundqvist’s worst season of his career because he’s worn like 5 different masks this season. What happened to goalies being superstitious and creatures of habit. I played goalie in a rec roller hockey league and even I wouldn’t have done that.

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  173. Agreed Alex. I have no delusions about this team…and I should be thankful they’ll once again make the playoffs. I guess I have an “all or nothing” mentality and when in my heart of hearts I know this team just doesn’t have it… I guess it just frustrates me. My mind knows they’re not true contenders, yet my heart wants to believe they are…. so, the end result is my sarcasm I suppose 🙂

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  226. CCCP at least he didn’t score in this one! And I would have loved to be a fly on the wall to hear the conversation the 2 of them had before the game. “So Henke. Is Dolan gonna let you go to Olympics?” Fill in the response…

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  233. The fact that Hank and Girardi gave him nothing for years and now he scores seemingly at will is due as much to the players Ovi is playing with now as it is to any decline in G or Hank. Backstrom, et al are incredible at moving the puck which opens Ovi up both 5 on 5 and on the PP. The Caps are far superior these last few years to any of their prior teams in the Ovi era.

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  246. Awake again, memories of last nights game washed away by a morning storm in St Pete. Torrential downpour, lighting, thunder, dogs and cata living together, I feel better already. The Kreider is ready to shake up the Price! I am not giving up on this cotton candy bunch, anything can happen. Oh good morning Fellow Boneheads!

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  247. Can’t believe they lost last night. With all that was on the line they stunk up the joint. This game will definitely have an impact come playoff time. Tonight is a must win!!!

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  250. You’re wasting your life.

    I am not. What you call wasting, I call living. I’m living my life.

    OK, like what? No, tell me. Do you have a job?

    No.

    You got money?

    No.

    Do you have a woman?

    No.

    Do you have any prospects?

    No.

    You got anything on the horizon?

    Uh, no.

    Do you have any action at all?

    No.

    Do you have any conceivable reason for even getting up in the morning?

    I like to get the Daily News.

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  251. Not a bad game for the second stringers last night. They played hard and they played pretty well. They just couldn’t score. At least they didn’t give up the empty netter. That’s a plus. (shrug)

    What happened to Lindberg on that second goal? That goal seemed to take some of the intensity out of the Rangers.

    What in the world happened to Pirri? At the beginning of the season we were saying what a good pickup it was. Now? The guy can’t even get a shot on goal.

    Of the two rookie forwards I see a lot more competitiveness in Vesey than I do Buchnevich. Buch seems to float a lot while Vesey isn’t afraid to mix it up.

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  252. I know it is very doubtful that AV would consider this, but who would you rather have in the lineup, the 7th Dman ( who ever that may be), or Tanner Glass.

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  253. Good morning, boneheads!
    Just finished reading the Go Time thread? Can someone explain to me why I keep doing this?
    I think our AHL team didn’t look as bad against against the Presidents’ Trophy winners as they should’ve looked.
    They should sit more people next 2 games. Except Hank. He is definitely getting better. Let him play.

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