271 thoughts on “Rangers 1, Canadiens 3”

  4. Once again Dolan’s MSG hands out white ‘rally’ towels for a home game where your team is referred to as the ‘blueshirts’, the away team is wearing white seaters and waving a white towel is a universal signal for surrender in battle.
    .
    Life is irony…

    Liked by 2 people

  6. We are all nuts! Why do we support a team that doesn’t support themselves! Where is Ranger Pride with these guys? I watched them standing around on the PP looking at each other, what are we doing? Where are we going? Who wants the puck? Not me! Do you want the puck? What do I do when I get the puck? Shoot the puck what’s that? What’s a puck?

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  8. BDL-I think Buch should go in. Could they get Glass, (early 1st period), to goad Galagher or Ott into a fight and destroy one of them? Then have the Rangers settle into their game and beat em on the scoreboard. Win the battles. Forecheck, but walk away from the afted whistle crap.

    Take Hayes out.

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  10. I agree St.Pete. Nobody wanted the puck. Nobody supported the puck carrier. Too much hesitation on the forecheck. Looked like they wanted to be somewhere else.

    Got to change that right from the start of game 4.

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  16. sad thing is going forward these could be the good ol days – well at least the last few years were.

    in most aspects of life if you’re not improving you’re regressing. due to age, contracts, lack of draft picks kept, failed picks, etc we have been regressing the last 2 years. it doesn’t look good going forward.

    gorton has his work cut out for him.

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  18. I think that teams that are better prepared make the team that is not prepared look like they are lacking in effort. I don’t believe for a second that the Rangers players don’t care. I don’t believe that they are not trying, but the Habs are making them look that way for sure. I believe the reason is that the Habs are playing a more structured game that includes puck support all over the ice, and a much more energetic forecheck while the Rangers are looking for home run passes and to score on the rush. It is not a lack of effort, it is an opponent that is far better prepared. Carey Price could have won that game in a recliner last night. The Rangers did not have the puck much, and did not go to the net, were not the third man in for puck battles and did not win many of them.

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  20. This team doesn’t want to get its hands dirty. Takes its cue from their coach. Whistle to whistle works great in November, in April…not so much. The transformation from Torts to AV is basically complete.
    .
    Haze to me is most disappointing. You know there is an issue when in his Players Tribune piece he talks about how hard he is going to play like he needs to think about it.
    .
    JT and Kreider not too far behind. JT looks hobbled, doesn’t have the jump until March and Kreider is just scared of WWeber, refuses to engage.
    .
    Butch goes in for another finesse forward, not a member of their only effective line. The idea this team needs more speed or skill is a joke. some aren’t paying attention.

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  21. They were fine, IMO until about 10-15 minutes left in the 3rd period in game 2.

    They were playing hard, hitting, making plays, and for the most part had the Canadiens on their heels.

    But the final 10-15 minutes of regulation, the OT, and periods 1, 2, and 3 last night looked interchangeable. Save for the presence of Klein, the uniform change, and the Silence of the Garden.

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  22. SN this team is designed not to get its hands dirty. People laugh it off as fans overreacting but when you build a team for speed and skill and an aging defense constructed of offensive minded guys who shy away from physicality they’re going to be limited in how they can adjust to things in the post season

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  24. Confidence it’s all about confidence they have none at this point. They show no signs of believing they can do this. If they did they would have keep their foot to the gas in the 3rd period of gm 2. You know I’m right!

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  25. James – agree; roster construction is a big issue but when you are soft in the middle, you are toast. Haze is 6’5″ 220 lbs and is soft. Zika is soft. Stepsoft…is well…soft.
    .
    They had legit scoring chances last night but didn’t cash in. not SOGs but pucks rolling off sticks or just missing cutters.
    .
    Habs really stink. This is the Cup Champs we are losing to this year.

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  27. BDL

    buchnevich needs a lot of work in getting stronger mentally and physically. don’t go by the hype go by the reality. he will totally shy away from the hard spots of the ice. playing him just gets him a headstart for next yr assuming we even make the playoffs next yr.

    a far cry from the guys of your name in tkachuk, fairbairn, vickers, balon.

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  30. Admiral that’s the worst part to me. That even thought there’s no momentum the series began to tilt kind of like it did last season against the Pens. It started w the third period Friday night and after the way they blew that game you would expect the Rangers to come out and reaact to it with some urgency. Instead they are no shows. They come up with their worst effort and show again how they can’t make in game adjustments or any adjustment really. Guys throwing blind passes behind the back, looking for the extra pass on the pp shooting from the top of the circles – no matter how many times they’re unsuccessful- as if suddenly it’s going to work. That’s alarming to me.
    And yeah they can still turn it around because anything is possible but they sure spend a great deal of time looking for answers to the same questions

    Liked by 2 people

  31. So be it, BDL. They’ve put faith in a coach and a top 9 that aren’t getting it done when it counts for a second consecutive year now. Tanner Glass can’t be your best forward through three games

    Liked by 4 people

  32. Klein and Holden is a borderline wash. But I was more implying that our troubles run a bit deeper than swapping 6th defensemen :/

    More of painting the porch while the house is on fire, but McDonagh sure picked a great time to become a spaz in the offensive zone.

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  33. Which of the top 9 forwards is able to win a 50/50 board battle?
    Kreider, Miller, Nash sometimes, Zucc every now and then,
    VC – no, haze – no, Step – no, Zika – no, Grabber – no.
    over half of our ‘top’ forwards can’t play on the wall including 3 top centers.
    .
    Es grande problema en playoffs…

    Liked by 2 people

  36. Alex,
    I get that you are a big Grabner fan, and you don’t like anything that may effect him, but I am more concerned with the TEAM. I am not buying Buchnevich hype. IMO the best 12 forward group the Rangers can dress, has Vesey and Buchnevich in the top 9, and Grabner and Fast on the 4th line, and Glass in a sky box.

    Liked by 1 person

  49. Of course it is ilb. AV got suckered into playing Glass to match the Habs new found size. It worked in game one, but predictably it has failed since.

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  52. I truly believe this team needs to get meaner. We’re not making trades or buying anybody out right now so they need to play their game and that includes winning races and battles for the puck, not giving it away.

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  53. Step off PP was the biggest move he could make.
    .
    The Habs’ size? Gallagher?? Ott??? Plekanec???? Mitchell????
    .
    The teams’ best line has been the 4th line. They don’t have any centers to move in so put Butch in Top 9 for Glass which will provide their most talented lineup. Best Playoff lineup? TBD.
    .
    Won’t take much to turn the tide here because the Habs stink. Fo real.

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  54. BDL

    it’s not the best lineup. buch is weak mentally and physically attributes that are needed n the playoffs.

    i’m not a glass fan but he’s playing well and he and the existing 4th line need to play a bit more not have one of them in the press box. 4th line has been best line overall all 3 games not just game 1.

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  55. Tom,
    I have no problem with them being meaner, but what they really need is for there forwards to play with speed, and there D to stop concerning themselves with the ” first pass”, and start carrying the darn puck out of the zone.

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  59. Rangers Report 2.0 I’ve been saying that for quite awhile. Tank you very much. Need some elite talent WHO CAN SCORE A FREAKIN GOAL IN THE PLAYOFFS!

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  60. skill players?

    they play soft especially the centers. so no reason lindberg and 4th line can’t get more minutes. in game 2 in ot if they didn’t want to throw glass out here the other 2 could have played with a wing switching in from another line. the rest of the guys were gassed.

    buch MAY have a future but it’s not now. playing him now is about the future to get his feet wet. he is as soft as they come at the present time. our lineup has plenty of those guys already.

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  61. I’m a Buch fan, and I’m never going to be confused with a Glass fan. But if Buch comes in for a guy like Glass, we’re essentially breaking up a 4th line that’s been the only line that’s actually worked for us across 3 games. And while I can name 4-6 guys in the top 9 that has stunk up the joint, is there anybody up there that is a realistic scratch candidate?
    Personally I think our only hope up front is that we get some lines that work with the guys who have been playing.

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  65. Preparedness comments are ridiculous..all about compete level that was not there and why its not in a playoff game is the question. most of the forwards need to look in the mirror. Klein was not the answer either.. Holden should be given another chance

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  67. Well there’s this:

    #NYR practice seems slightly low energy. AV trying to get team going, don’t seem to be responding. Feels like mid-January practice.#TSN690

    After they surrendered at this point in last year’s playoffs, you have to wonder if they will do the same this year.

    Liked by 1 person

  68. Pp qb does NOT have o be a D man!!!! It can be a forward on the half wall(i.e. Toronto).
    –
    Your 12 most talented forwards do not make the best team
    –
    Intangibles and coaching still killing this team…rangers had a winning formula through 1.5 games, then the opposing coach made an adjustment and our coach did what? Clearly our roster can beat this mtl roster, too bad our coach can’t figure out how to replicate the first 4.5 periods of success.

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  71. Don’t know what all the fuss is about. From my point of view the rangers haven’t been a good team for a few months now. Some said they had nothing to play for but I didn’t and don’t buy it, think this team has major flaws in it and the flaws really stand out in the playoffs when it really counts. I picked the Canadiens in 6 before the regular season was over and went back and forth with carp even before that saying I don’t care who the rangers played in the 1st round they were one and done and there is nothing that has changed my mind. They escaped the 1st game of the series because of Lundqvist, not because they played great.

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  73. I have never understood this era Ranger fan infatuation with playing the 4th line. Who can forget the love Blair Betts, Colton Orr, Ryan Hollweg, and Jed Ortmeier used to get. You only have to look back to the Buffalo series to remember how that turns out. A good 4th line can steal you a game in a series, and contribute to a run, but cannot and should not be counted on for more than they are capable. Less 4th line is a better 4th line. Less 4th line is a better team.

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  76. I’m done with Hayes, Kreider and Stepan.

    This roster will be completely different next year. If Stepan isnt gone (for whatever we can get) prior to his NMC kicking in, Gorton isnt doing his job.

    Liked by 3 people

  78. Bulldog – under normal circumstances you’re right. But normally,the 4th line isn’t your best line 3 games running. Lindberg, in fact, came the closest to scoring by hitting the post.

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  80. c’mon, guys…stop being so hard on them…they’re just still tired from all those long postseason series that they played in the last few seasons…give them some break.

    🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  81. Point is e3,
    If the 4th line is the best line, you are dead. The 4th line is not bringing them back to win the series. If they come back to win, it will be because the guys who are supposed to score start scoring.

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  82. Less hard and more trying or something like that.
    .
    The 4th line did their job, too bad it was the only line to do their job. Doesnt’ mean we play them more. AV tried to sprinkle that effort across the other lines in the 3rd and some opps but mostly more of the same.
    .
    The issue is in the middle and lack of D moving the puck. Oh yeah, the PP stinks.
    .
    In second score tied 0-0, JT wins puck battle in corner comes out, passes to Haze, puck goes under his stick and an opp is wasted. Later in same period, Haze passes to Miller who fires a quick pass to Grabner cutting to far side of goal and just misses.
    .

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  83. Bulldog – I understand. I’m hoping the 4th line can jumpstart the other 9 chunks of crap.

    Sit Zman. Slide JT to center. Insert Buch.

    Or sit Haze or Stepan.

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  84. The speed only game doesn’t seem to be the answer in the NHL playoffs, just ask the wild and the rangers to this point. When the rangers come in hard, they’re fine, when they try to be all fancy boy and fast, they lose.

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  85. Bdl
    But miracle worker AV would have that la roster in the cup finals the last two years as opposed to Sutter?! I don’t believ for a second that Sutter “lost the room” there. Start with losing voynov a couple seasons ago, then having a roster that we all agree has little to no mobility and there you go.

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  86. You guys are gonna crucify me, but taking Tanner Glass out of the lineup solves nothing. Glass was not even close to being the problem.

    But, I’m happy at Buch can get some experience at the playoff level, even if teammates refuse to play at that intensity level.

    Liked by 2 people

  88. Only reason why Im OK with the lines at practice and Glass being the odd man out is because on paper that’s as balanced 4 lines as we could possibly have.

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  89. Av can’t even succeed with a roster built to his specifications. And please don’t tell me success is measured by not winning championships, because it isn’t and shouldn’t be.

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  90. Season over. Team is a complete embarrassment. Stepan no move clause kicks in July 1. Leave him unprotected. Team better think long and hard about what they want to do down the center. It’s anemic.

    Series was lost after we blew consecutive pp late 2nd per of game 2. Habs were on ropes.

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  92. Someone brought up total rebuild last night… I don’t think it is feasible or necessary. It’s not feasible due to staal, hank, and Girardi contracts.
    –
    I don’t think it’s necessary because if you buyout staal, trade Stepan and Nash, you can add to the roster that isn’t terrible. I certainly think z pack, Hayes, and kreider have to be much much better but I’m not sure I move them. Stuck with the albatross hank contract (he’s certainly been very very good this series) unless he goes all naslund on us.
    –
    But for now it’s on to Tuesday night and let’s win there. We will sort out the remnants after the canyon of heroes parade in June. LGR!!!

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  95. would messier take the coaching job if offered or does he want to be a gm

    downside to that is potential for his ranger legacy to be ruined among our “fans”

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  96. The Wild, and NYR. Two teams that should have traded with each other during the season. The Wild needed help up front, and the Rangers needed help on the back line. They were a perfect match.

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  98. Pre-Julien, Montreal was pretty good playing their game. Julien has them playing a different game and they are more energetic and better. AV is a one trick pony. His players are unprepared and confused. Claude Julien schooling AV big time.

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  105. I got it knew heart, courage, a brain for Kreider? They need to see the Wizard of Oz! There’s no place like home! There’s no place like home!

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  107. Eric – Were you just one with Michael Kay? I had it on the TV and wasn’t paying too much attention to who the caller was until he mentioned he had tickets for Game 7 in Montreal. I looked up at the screen and saw your name.

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  115. E3
    I’m merely speculating from norms posts that this team has no issues whatsoever and is going to win the cup this season because it has the best coach, players, and system.
    –
    Again, only speculating from his posts and not trying to put words in his keyboard (see what I did there), just gleaning from his posts.

    Liked by 2 people

  119. Stepan says rangers need to worker “smarter”. Clearly the message is their effort is just fine…nothing to see here, please move along

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  121. Work smarter? They need to be smarter. Sometimes I wonder how much hockey sense they have. The faceoff penalty Miller took is example number one. I am not going to argue if that play should be a penalty or not. I can’t figure out why Miller did it at all because even if it wasn’t a penalty it would be a hand pass in the offensive zone!

    Far too many time Ranger forwards gain the blue line and then curl at the top of the circle rather than push the play and drive to the net. I can understand Kreider being leery of doing that, but the other 11 have no excuses. I know the PP is horrible, but even a bling squirrel finds a nut and if the Rangers get enough chances even they MIGHT score a PPG.

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  122. Step lately yakking it up with the Media. My guess is that The Captain asked his old college buddy and NYC roommate to pick up an oar so #27 doesn’t keep being asked questions for which he has no answer other than the same old pap.

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  125. Wasn’t the best moment for miller, but I think overall he hasn’t been that bad. He hasn’t scored but he’s playing fairly responsibly and physically. Can really say that for other top players like step, kreider, z pack, and Nash

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  126. I’m with you guys that aren’t concerned about the fourth line. Too much emphasis the last couple years on which winger gets flipped in and out – just like the 7th dman stuff.
    Again- they can get back in this thing- but if they don’t you have to question the philosophy and if it’s actually one that’ll work. Because the coach has morphed this team isn’t what it is and come off season his solution will be to find MORE guys that are similar to the ones causing the problem. Including non physical non defensive dmen that either don’t cover their man or snow angel every night.

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  127. Anthony, Kreider can’t be leery of driving the net or his game will continue to be ineffective…Screw the League..Gallagher has been in the blue paint for 3 games now

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  128. Bobbyo
    I see what you are saying…I also wouldn’t put too much into msg “reports” of rangers practice either. If you know what I’m saying.

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  129. Kreider has some soul searching to do. I stand by my opinion that he’s on a line that he doesn’t fit on but this kid was practically a savior in playoffs passed. He hasn’t been a go to guy for a long time now. And please don’t scoff with some comment about leading the team in regular season goals.
    He needs to be utilized differently and he needs to look in the mirror. Because hes smart enough to know what he has to do to lead this team and he just hasn’t done it

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  130. Wow- Lundqvist’s interview says it all…. and not just from today. He has zero confidence in the team in front of him. Can’t say I blame him. Oh, and btw- read Amanda Stein’s tweet about how practice looked today. Basically said they were dogging it while our crap coach kept preaching speed. Pretty obvious he’s lost the team….

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  133. Wicky it’s like you had said to Norm- it’s not always easy to keep your emotions in check when you’re commenting during a game. And sometimes you speak from raw emotion and frustration. (But being blindly optimistic isn’t any better.)
    The fact is the Rangers are the better team and have gotten the better goaltending. They just haven’t played well enough to be up 2-1 or 3-0. They can pull out of it but they have to adjust

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  135. E3, regarding your earlier comments on Stepan’s “comedy gold”, you are so spot on. Stepan has been mailing it in all year. The next check he throws will be his first. The fact that he wears an “A” is a joke. His favorite time on the ice is when his shift ends. My favorite Stepan BS quote is the one about “figuring it out.” And the writers lap this nonsense up without nary a question. There is no captain to grab this team by the throat and say to them, “the next time Gallagher skates anywhere near my goalie and is not knocked on his ass, someone in this room is going to lose his job!”

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  137. 4 minute penalty by Zucc was dumb but he was speared by Markov right before it..Markov does not get spearing penalties though only 10 minute meaningless misconducts at the end of game ‘

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  138. Part of the problem on our pk is “soft” centres. The inability of the rangers to have intangibles like “win that crucial pk draw”.

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  139. Well…. they’re a passive group. I mean look, who knows what goes on between periods in the locker room…. but, it really is hard to believe that tempers are flaring, fires are being lit under asses and accountability is being stressed. I just think they’re a fragile bunch without much moxie save for Zucc/Miller/Glass/Hank/and at times Girardi.

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  141. So I guess it’s OK for me to say as I’ve been saying this coach is clueless and has no idea what to do with this bunch? If that’s the case 3-1 after tomorrow nights game. I hope it’s 2-2 so Carp can be right as usual. But then again if Amanda Stein’s tweet is accurate turn out the lights the party’s over!

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  145. I wanted av here, I was wrong. I didn’t take into account he had in their prime sedins, burrows, Kessler, bieksa, among others. Most of us could get that canucks team into the playoffs every year. He then comes to New York and rides the coat tails in his first season of the previous coach (it happens folks, look at the first year of the raiders after gruden). The more he touches the team with his “philosophy” over time, the worse this team seems to get. Don’t give me the regular season record crap, as long as they make it into the post season, when it really counts, is what matters. And the team gets worse every post season under him.
    –
    Admittingly, there is still an absolute chance they advance in this post season, but if they don’t, you logically have to look at the coach every bit as much as you do some players in the “core” for the lack of progress in this team.

    Liked by 1 person

  150. I want to thank doodie and the rest of you for giving opinions and theories today and being great ranger fans and still hanging in here no matter how the rangers are playing.
    –
    Peace out wankers

    Liked by 1 person

  151. RE: Breaking up the core. Can clubs commence with trades as soon as the finals are over? If so, with Minnesota going out so quickly, with the Kings out, if the Rangers end up one round and done again there is the possibility of an upgrade on the backline prior to the expansion draft, and prior to Stepan’s NMC kicking in. Who knows, but as configured the center position is redundant and needs to be addressed. Too many prancers and pansys in the middle. There is the Stepan to Minnesota angle, and their centers are nothing special. Koivu and Hanzal are aging fast. Granlund is the only young stud and Coyle is better on the wing.

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  153. I’m switching over to baseball. Mets and Yankees look good. Rangers were the only ones around here who made the playoffs. Then they put in goal El Junko and we lose. Islanders wouldn’t put they’re bad goalie in if they made it.

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  154. Junk Goalie. They’re should print it in the playoff tickets as a disclaimer. “We will be using a junk goalie. Spend at your own risk”9

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  155. Wicky

    big difference between the 2014 team and now relating to certain players aging especially on d and in goal. in addition several key players from the 2014 team are gone,. all compounded by trading all those picks over 4 year period.

    this team is definitely on a downward slope but for more reasons that you list.

    i really think we miss the playoffs next year.

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  156. No reason to think they miss the playoffs, but they need to re-tool. They need to address the defense for sure. Stiffs like Beaulieu and Benn look better than all but one or 2 of our defensemen. Part of that is the forwards of Montreal playing better in their own zones than the Rangers, but a lot of it is also a goalie who cannot handle the puck and defensemen who cannot win puck battles and move the puck out.

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  158. looked at buyouts for 3 defensemen. won’t do all but if klein bought out then holden would meet criteria for leaving a defenseman open.

    savings are before any replacement. example staals first yr equates to 5.7-2.1=3.6

    klein

    17-18′ 1.1
    18-19′ (.9)

    staal

    17-18′ 3.6
    19′ 3.6
    20′ 2.6
    21′ 1.8
    4 years of (1.4)

    girardi

    17-18′ 2.9
    19′ 1.9
    20′ 1.9
    3 years of (1.1)

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  161. If the Rangers are done already, we’ll know soon enough and that will mean a yooj re-build. But it seems a bit premature to me to have lost faith in a team that has been through a few playoff wars of late, more than any other team, in fact. OK, they lost early last year to those crappy Pens, who went on to accomplish nothing. But otherwise, they’ve given us pretty good reason to think they might have a response. And a big Game 5 no matter what!
    I’m in the camp that says, thank you, Mr. Glass, for taking us this far and seeing if Buchnevich can get himself or a teammate behind that D. We’ve seen his one and only snipe, I imagine. And Promote Lindberg!

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  166. Eric, that’s awesome! I heard the whole interview- I was impressed with your call man. although you sound nothing like I imagined lol. Great job though, you really called it like it is.

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  167. Yeah because Holden is the backbone of our offensive rush? Next he’s going to bench a 4th liner. Same two moves all the time. But Stepan-Kreider and Zucc will still be the top line.

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  168. Norm, like I’ve said it isn’t even about a rebuild it’s about continuing to dismantle the old core and continuing to build the new one.

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  171. So I ask this question- if you remove Stepan, Nash, Girardi and Staal and find respectable replacements over the next 2 calendar years- would they be good enough to try to make one last run with Hank?

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  172. Had a lawyer friend back in the day met Mantle. So he says “what do you do for a living?” and he replies “i’m a lawyer”. he goes “oh very nice. so you passed the bar?” and he goes yes sir I did! and Mantle goes “well I wouldn’t know about that I’ve never passed a bar in my life”

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  175. Mantle did tell the story that, after starring in two World Series in the early 50’s, he went back to Oklahoma and ran into someone who had known his dad, “Mutt Mantle,” and the guy asked Mick which kid he was of Mutt’s and what he’d been doing with himself. 🙂 In 1951, if you were in Oklahoma, you may as well have been in Casablanca for how slow news traveled.

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  177. James

    I can see stepan being traded and nash not resigned after contract ends. only see one of the two defensemen being bought out (pick whoever) but not both.

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  178. Intelligent caller and a modest poster 🙂 I’m jk. You summed things up well. Just annoying how they wouldn’t even touch on your Stepan comments.

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  180. Alex I have my doubts that much of any of that will happen. And Stepan’s no trade kicks into effect July 1 so he’s our problem to deal with. It’s just good conversation.

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  181. Did you guys see this stat….game one, staal let in 0 entry passes on his side, game two, he let in 9 of 12….as I said, they sat the wrong guy from the staal Holden pair.

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  182. Funny how carp refers to brassard as the stamp guy but Stepan gets a complete pass when just as guilty last season.
    –
    Now to the present…mr perfect Stepan gets no grief for his performance so far no stamp reference there. Brassard, who has 4 points in 2.5 games so far this post season mails it in though…lol

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  185. I’m beginning to think carp doesn’t like French Canadiens, I mean he does like me (who does though), he accuses brassard of mailing it in but he was every bit the player Stepan (a non French Canadien) was last post season and better this one, yet Stepan doesn’t get the stamp book. He calls offencive zone penalties a pouliot, but the season that originated kreider (a non French Canadien) took more offencive zone minors than pouliot did (you can look that stat up).
    –
    Hmmm, I’m beginning to wonder 😉

    Liked by 1 person

  188. I agree that Stepan is not a true 1C, though I’m thinking there are only a handfull of those in the league and Pittsburgh has two of them.

    If we do trade Stepan, what’s who’s coming back? Who’s replacing him? Are we signing a UFA this summer to be our first true 1C since . . . ? Messier?

    I’d be fine with trading Stepan before July 1 if it’s part of a bigger plan for next year.

    Norm-I agree that Lindberg deserves more minutes tomorrow night. Could switch him with Hayes or Zibanijad.

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  191. Eric, did you also call NHL Radio on Sirius XM 91 today? Could swear the things you wrote here on this blog were identical to what the caller was saying…. and he was PISSED.

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  193. Pierre LeBrun‏Verified account @Real_ESPNLeBrun

    NHL scout pre-game: “Ovechkin needs to stop worrying about looking for hits. Wasted energy. Focus on what he does best.” He just did.

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  201. I hope our idiots are watching the Leafs tonight…. putting the puck on net EVERY opportunity they get and being RELENTLESS on the forecheck. That is how you win in the playoffs… not looking for the perfect pass, having it blocked or impeded…. and doing the same crap over and over expecting different results…

    Liked by 3 people

  203. Right Craig. Speed, forechecking and compete level. The Leafs are hanging with the Caps. No reason the Rangers can’t win tomorrow and win their series.

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  213. Fans know this team is caca.
    .
    Eric – I won’t even tell you what I am paying for these games in the 100s. Stayed till the end hoping for a Glass run on Price.
    .
    watched Brassard win some key Dzone draws in 3rd period of tie game. Miss that guy…

    Liked by 1 person

  215. Hunwick, our former 7th D wearing a letter and playing top 4 minutes for Loafs joined by Brian Boyle how is built for the second season.
    .
    Brass on Sens. Moore on Bs, and thats just the eastern conference…

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  216. Just catching up, now back in the metro area after decamping from the North Country. Nurse Ratched will be by later with meds for you guys (she has to stop in the Caps room first) I don’t think even Norm could move that sentiment needle from negative infinity.

    By all outward appearances, the “leadership” in the room is not leading. Its one thing to play hard and be out classed, these guys are just mistake prone (mental) and not willing to go the extra inch/foot/mile (heart). I say these as there are too many in that boat to bother to single out the exceptions. Management has backed themself in the corner with the C on #27. Not everyone is a leader so no diss on him. Probably should have given it to #5 instead.

    #21 needs to go – at best a #2C and even if you try to argue team won’t replace with as good a talent, its not always pure talent that wins games – heart and smarts go a long ways to a player making a difference when it matters. Just not seeing any more upside with him and his persona (again, from what fans see) just doesn’t seem what is good for a room of young players. I was ready to jettison #13 last year but figured I was wrong with his play through March. Play of the past month complete reversion, only question is it reversion to the mean. If so, cya.

    My prediction for game 4 is: which ever team scores first will win going away.

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  220. Evrock

    during the ot it really wasn’t exciting it was 1 way traffic. quite honestly wasn’t even nervous since outcome was inevitable. game 3 wasn’t exciting at all. started flipping to the columbus pitt game toward 3rd and their ot.

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  222. I thought the first two games of this series were pretty entertaining…3rd game was how I felt about the whole ranger regular season, passive and boring.
    –
    How great would it be to watch an Edmonton Toronto cup final this year?! All that young talent, the in your face way both teams play…the calmbot

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  225. If the kids in Toronto dont run out of gas they may very well run to the Cup. That’s some exciting playoff hockey. Effort on every shift, battle to keep pucks in, shots on net from everywhere…

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  226. the kids were the hit in the world cup and they’re the hit now

    all 4 games tonight to ot

    all came from at least 2 goals down in some cases 3 goals down

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  237. Watching the Leafs win in overtime I cheered at the winning goal. My wife asked me if the Rangers were playing. I said, no but Washington just lost and that’s almost as good. I’ve found myself to be enamored with watching the Leafs. I enjoy watching them play. I’m not sure how far they will go because I’m not too sold on Frederik Anderson in goal, but they play an exciting brand of hockey.

    Liked by 1 person

  241. Lets be optimistic here. Last game was a disgrace, and VERY troubling, but we’re only down 2-1. If they can light a fire and come out ahead tonight, we’ll be even-up and have some momentum going on the road. Lets make Game 3 the outlier…the obligatory dud they needed to get out of their systems early.

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  242. How and when did Stepan become the spokesman for this team? Love me some Donuts, but he seems to be the wrong guy for the ‘C.’ Matter of fact, he might welcome the monkey off his back. Just speculatin’.

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  243. Dave B – agree that Game 3 was a dud but it started half way through Game 2 when they went passive and played prevent or at least looked they were trying to.
    That and the PP is putrid.
    .
    LGR!
    I will be there again against my better judgement, this time well lubricated prior…

    Liked by 1 person

  245. On a serious note, though, I really think Hawks unpleasantly surprised most, in this series. I honestly like this team – pure hockey, very solid and classy. Can’t comprehend what happened to them, considering Preds didn’t show something extraordinary, except, probably, some good efforts. Strange…

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  247. Got those Faculty-Meeting-no-DVR blues, missing the game again! Haven’t seem them live since the second period, game 2, before they sucked. But I promise not to check in here until after the game is over, don’t want to get in the way of the sturm und drang that accompanies anything less than a 4-goal lead. To each his own and LET’S GO, RANGERS!!

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  250. SN – Very true about the end of Game 2. But I HAVE to believe that they’ll show up tonight ready to play.

    Unless:
    1) The Habs are playing some kind of defensive system that is so subtly stifling that nobody has noticed, or has an answer.
    2) There’s something toxic brewing

    If tonight’s a dud, even if it’s not on the level of last game – then we’re getting blown up this summer.

    Wait…I forgot that I was being optimistic and positive for a second…

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  254. Lev – it’s a strange day when

    1) Tanner Glass is your best F
    2) Your best forward may be a healthy scratch

    Goddamn it, I swear I’m trying to be positive.

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  256. From reading various quotes, it seems clear that MSG is a far more intimidating place to play for the Rangers than their opponents. Very sad!

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