200 thoughts on “Rangers 0, Capitals 2”

  3. The Okposo thing is curious and scary. Here is the evidence we’ve been given:

    1) He is in the neuro-surgical ICU.
    2) They are referring to his condition as “an illness.”
    3) The illness is as yet undiagnosed.

    That he’s in the neuro-surgical ICU would indicate that his condition affects his brain or spine. That they refer to his condition as an illness, particularly one that has not yet been diagnosed, would seem to eliminate something like a physical trauma or a stroke. That the illness is still a mystery would seem to eliminate more common things like meningitis.

    This has a feeling that’s really similar to when Shane Doan had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Maybe Okposo’s plight is also a tick-borne illness.

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  6. Some of the speculation reminds me of when Zuccarello was in ICU and the twitter fake news was that he was dying, his parents were being flown in from Norway to say goodbye, etc. It made it sound like it was worse than it was, even though it WAS bad. I am just going to resist speculating and hope he has a speedy recovery and can play hockey again next year.

    Liked by 2 people

  7. Was Buffalo involved in the mumps outbreak earlier this year? Some of the rare complications arising out of mumps in adults are encephalitis or meningitis. Or even Guillam-Barre syndrome. Hoping he gets well soon.

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  16. Hmm. Just saw that Mike Rupp is giving the Rangers the edge in the series. Said Price better than Hank in net right now but you can’t count Hank out when it comes to playoff performance. Also said he thinks the Rangers depth will be too much for Montreal. I didn’t expect that…

    Liked by 2 people

  17. I have to admit, I love the rangers….always will, but this team is as bland and boring as I’ve seen. Hard to watch.
    –
    That being said, I’d be happy as a pig in poop to see this bland, boring team lift the Cup this season.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Norm,
    I have said here many times, the best Ranger lineup had Vesey, and Buchnevich in the top 9, and Grabner, and Fast on the 4th line. This lineup has the most balance, depth, and flexibility. Two problems with this. One, I am pretty confident that AV does not agree with me, and two, Buchnevich has not given AV any reason to agree with me. Glass will probably be in the lineup game one.

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  20. BDL

    buch has not given many of us any reason to agree with you. i certainly don’t. grabner has played well and even when not scoring his speed creates chances and disrupts the opposition. he deserves his top 9 status.

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  21. probably more like first 6 weeks, not first half. Then injuries hit and Henk cooled tremendously.
    .
    I am high on Butch but he has show very little since the ASG IMHO.
    .
    Very surprised they didn’t get a bottom 6 vet who could play PK at the deadline.
    .
    This team is vanilla and that is in the AV mold. If they lose in 1st round again this season, still a successful season for making the POs?

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Carp
    They were exciting IF you like the all star game non physical hockey they played. To me that “style” and the lack of personality and intangibles of this current team have made it hard to watch this season compared to most.

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  24. I agree Carp,
    Glass will be in the lineup. That is the reason I asked this question. Would you rather have Tanner Glass in the lineup, or the seventh Dman?

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  28. Rupper is former teammates with several of the Rangers, including Lundqvist. If he’s trying to break into the hockey media business, it’s very important not to piss off your friends so that you can pump them for info later. That’s why Aaron Ward usually breaks Boston, Carolina, or Detroit news.

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  29. I was listening to RDS and its so funny, they are calling this series the Kreider revenge tour.
    –
    Also find it humorous that the pens are “supposedly” considering dressing Tostitos due to the dubi vs Crosby factor.

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  31. And let me be clear: it’s not that Crosby can’t beat Dubinsky on the ice. Their gf% against each other is tremendously in favor of Crosby. IT’s that you don’t want Crosby wearing down in the first round from the physical punishment Dubinsky will lay upon him.

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  33. well, if you find scoring five goals and winning every game boring …

    the nitwit Canadian media is really caught up in this Kreider story. Poor kid. But again, I think it will fuel him. And Yemelin, the jackwagon who tripped him into Price, will get his Y blown off again.

    If Tostitos plays, CBJs win.

    finally, I’d rather have Glass than a seventh D.

    Liked by 1 person

  37. Carp
    It isn’t the 5 goals or the winning that is hard to watch, it all the other stuff in between the goals and winning.
    –
    The jackets win with or without Tostitos in the pens lineup. Letang loss yuge

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  39. SN
    That team was not vanilla, had intangibles, worked its aasen off, and won as many cups as AV and his whistle to whistle crap has. Too bad it didn’t have a bit more skill to go with all that will.

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  46. Re D…I think opg and ein kleiner need to play, that lefty log jam is a good problem to have. I’d sit skjeL (I think D zone play is kind of important), but he isn’t sittting. With AV all about “transition” and D men in the offence, staal would then seem to be the next logical choice, but that isn’t happening either…so?

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  60. Carp, from a writing perspective, that article must have written itself. From an emotional perspective, it must have been gut wrenching work.

    It’s going to be tough on Sunday. I imagine Zuke wins again because it’s fun to say ZUUUUUKE.

    I seriously cannot believe that Girardi never won it. In fact, no defenseman other than Leetch has ever won it.

    Liked by 1 person

  65. I wonder in match ups against other teams, how many of them would the rangers either have the best forward, d man, or goalie?
    Vs mtl they don’t have any of those
    Vs bos id say best d man
    Vs ott best fwd?
    Vs pitt (none when pitt healthy), d man now
    Vs cbj d man?
    Vs tor d man and goalie
    Vs was maybe d man

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  74. Carp
    I agree re hank. I just think the NHL and all its silly new rules to “open up” the game has made it harder and harder for goalies to “steal” games or series. Goalies really have to rely on teammates defensive ability and system (two things hank doesn’t seem to have in his corner this season) to be successful.
    –
    One of the reasons, along with starting goalies usually only play 75-80% of a teams regular season games…bad return on investment, that a goalie shouldn’t be highest paid player on team imho

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  78. Wicky, we have to beat teams with depth. Montreal has Paccioretty, Galchenyuk, and Radulov, but things tail off pretty significantly after them (Gallagher has been a disappointment this season but Byron has been a pleasant surprise). After Weber, the Montreal defense is pretty streaky. Guys like Markov, Petry, and Beaulieu have stretches where they play well, but have many games where you facepalm watching them. Markov not as much in that department. [Y]Emelin is garbage.

    Ottawa, same thing. Hoffman, Stone, and Turris are three really good players. After that? Brassard, Ryan et al have been disappointing. I happen to like Ottawa’s defense a lot, especially because Karlsson is so dynamic, but their third pair is weak. And I take Lundqvist over Anderson. Anderson has not been good over the past month and Lundqvist has the higher ceiling.

    Boston, all season, has been a one line team. It’s a tremendous line, but the rest of the forwards are weak. I think our defense is better than theirs. Rask is playing better than Lundqvist, but again, Lundqvist has that higher ceiling. Whether he reaches it or not is another story.

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  80. I don’t buy the rangers are deeper through their forwards. I do think they are 1-10 forward positions deeper offencively than most other teams, but not complete players deeper.

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  87. Interesting the award turned to a popularity contest given Jan Erixon won it first. Not that he wasn’t popular, but not a ‘glamor’ player by any stretch. Amazon Defensive Center.
    .
    Oscar is starting to really turn on his game (speaking of Swedish Defensive Centers). Saw the interview with him last night and he is jacked.

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  90. great read carp

    would love to see the captain win it. all those minutes with no set partner anywhere near his ability.

    mcdonagh
    mcdonald

    first 6 letters the same. give it to the irishman. well past time.

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  92. I hope someone spears Marchand in the eye in the playoffs. The NHL Department of Never Giving Marchand a Worthy Punishment (dongmawp) let him off again. If the Bruins had 5 games left before the playoffs I betcha Marchand gets 5. Can’t suspend him for any playoff games though. Nooooooo. That would be too harsh.
    Watch the NHL video describing the incident and subsequent suspension decision. They say all the right things to make you think they’re finally going to get it right and then do exactly the opposite. Smh

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  108. AV: Ha ha, the Ukraine.  Do you know what the Ukraine is?  It’s a sitting
    duck.  A road apple.  The Ukraine is weak.  It’s feeble.  I think it’s
    time to sit the Ukraine.

    Buchnevich:  I come from Ukraine.  You not say Ukraine weak.

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  109. It appears to me the rangers PP and PK wasn’t bad first few months of season but got worse as year went on where as it appears to me the Canadiens PP and PK improved as the season went on, especially when they replaced there head coach.

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  114. …Not even to mention that Buch is not from Ukraine, but rather from Cherepovec, Russia. Very much deep Russia: about 500 km from Moscow and same from St. Petersburg

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  115. Doodie
    Not talking about elite/star skaters as in the act of skating. I was asking about 3 star/elite players not including goalies…i.e. Skaters 😉

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  125. This fuggin’ clown

    “It all boils down to whether or not Price (and Montreal’s defense, which is vastly improved) can contain New York’s offense. And, because Montreal arguably acquired Shea Weber for specifically this purpose, to better insulate and protect Price, it’s hard to believe that Montreal’s game plan heading into this series won’t take into account Price getting injured back in 2014 when these two teams last met in the playoffs.

    Whether or not Chris Kreider intended to crash into Price three years ago is irrelevant and has no bearing on the upcoming series (other than the fact Kreider will likely be watched like a hawk). All that matters is that he did, and, with the Canadiens cognizant of the risk, they can prepare accordingly. Although, it feels like the Habs have been waiting for this chance ever since they got eliminated that year.

    In short, the Rangers would be mistaken to take their opponents lightly, because the Canadiens won’t be. The Rangers may think they’ve lucked out, but this is likely what the Canadiens have wanted all along. That they match up well against the Rangers is just gravy and points to a Habs victory in the end.

    Prediction: Canadiens over Rangers in six.”

    READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE:
    http://thehockeywriters.com/montreal-canadiens-outclass-new-york-rangers-on-paper/

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  129. Where’s the word coming from, or is it just opinion, that Holden is now the #7? I saw last night as AV resting 6 starters, and that it was down to Smith vs. Klein for the last spot. Me crazy?

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  133. Doodie

    Because if game 3 is Sunday day or night on Easter and Eric Engels who’s dialed in has game 5 Friday 21st game 4 could be Tuesday or Wednesday so either way extra off day

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  140. Hate to say it, but….So long as I match up Okay, I would love to open up against the Rangers because I know that if we’re lucky enough to get by them, we will get by them unscathed, unbruised, and healthy for a more physically demanding second round.

    Liked by 3 people

  143. As the playoffs approach, it’s becoming clear to me that it’s not the Rangers who are soft. Some of its alleged fans, though… time to toughen up, stop whining about the Blueshirts’ imperfections, and SUPPORT OUR TEAM! Woot, woot!! Wait, am I peaking too soon?

    Liked by 1 person

  144. NYR have, at times this season, played physical with a good amount of bump and grind. The problem is they rarely start a game playing that way, even when doing so might be to their advantage. I’m not in the hit for the sake of hitting camp, but do feel taking the body early can open things up a lot later.

    Too much handwringing here about who is in or out of the last spots. Don’t be surprised if it changes each game and its a somewhat good problem to have, no?

    Liked by 1 person

  164. Crosby first leaves ROR childless with a mean spear… then chops half a finger off of a guy from Ottawa… ZERO minutes in penalty… ZERO days in suspension.

    NHL = “ZERO” bias league.

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  165. Looks like some promising news out of Buffalo via the AP as per Kyle Okposo. I hope that he well on his way to full recovery because I have had my fill of Neuro ICU and it is not aplace I hope to ever have to visit again.

    BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A person with direct knowledge of Kyle Okposo’s condition tells The Associated Press the Buffalo Sabres forward is showing signs of improving from an undisclosed illness that has hospitalized him for the past five days.

    Shifting gears, I believe Beck is the fourth of the non-emergency recalls. I think the Rangers can make additional recalls once the Wolf Pack are done for the year – which is April 15. I would have thought they’d use the final recall on a goalie so that they would have a third goalie on the roster for the playoffs in case Hank (or Antti in warmups) got hurt during a playoff game.

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  170. Oh and kudos btw to former ranger Michael Haley for at the end of a shift going back after Lucic after the hit on (tierney i think) a teammate. That is a big tough man to try and fight, especially when your bagged/gassed.

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  172. Forwards big edge Rangers.
    D edge Rangers, based on a deeper group.
    Goalie, edge Montreal, but not as big an edge as claimed. Seems most have forgotten Price’s slump during the season. It rivaled Hanks.
    Coaching, edge even.
    Rangers in 5. Deeper, and tested.

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  175. I don’t think he was “tanking” but there was definite friction in room with Therrien and players. I’d give more credit to change of coach/system better suited to roster helped stabilize price’ game (and a bit of a happier team dynamic).

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  184. Carp – Outstanding article, brought tears to my eyes. As a 32 year PO I can tell you that Stephen McDonald was EVERY cops hero, that is why 15,000 of us showed up for his funeral. It was not only to honor our hero, Stephen, but to honor the two other heroes with him, Patti Ann and Conor. The sacrifices the entire McDonald family has made will never be forgotten by their Police family. May Stephen Rest in Peace, he fought the best fight we have ever seen and was truly an inspiration to us all. I’m sure he is looking down with unbelievable pride at his son Conor. Conor is an inspiration like his Dad.

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  199. Finally got around to reading Carp’s piece on Steven and Conor McDonald. Got goosebumps.

    FWIW – Last year it was difficult to pick anyone who stood out. This year, (despite the flat finish), there are several guys to choose from. I voted for McDonough, but I’d be happy if Girardi got it as a lifetime achievement award and for a bounce back season. JT, Lindberg & Kreider would be good choices . However , more and more I’m thinking Raanta.

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