Rangers vs. Senators… It’s Go Time!

Game 6, Eastern Conference Semifinals (or is this called the Atlantic Division Final?)

First must win game of the season.

Rangers at Senators -7:30 PM NBCSN, 98.7 FM. Online streaming is available on nbcsportss.com or the NBC Sports app.

The Rangers come home after a disappointing performance in Ottawa on Saturday in which they were still capable of stealing a game that in my opinion they didn’t deserve to win. Now, instead of having a chance to close this series out, they have to win or go home.

I’ll be watching tonight’s game on a delay because of parenting responsibilities. Doesn’t RR Jr. know that it’s the playoffs!? I didn’t even edit this part from three games of this playoffs. Clearly, this is a HAV.

Tonight’s probable lineup for the Rangers, via Brett Cyrgalis (@brettcyrgalis):

Jimmy Vesey-Derek Stepan-Rick Nash

Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad-Mats Zuccarello

Michael Grabner-Kevin Hayes-Jesper Fast

Tanner Glass-Oscar Lindberg-JT Miller

DEFENSE

Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi

Marc Staal-Nick Holden

Brady Skjei-Brendan Smith

The big news of course is that this is the first must win game of the season. If they lose, it’s officially game over, season over. The lineup remains the same, meaning that there is more Tanner Glass in place of Pavel Buchnevich.  Honestly, the start to this game is a referendum to me of AV as a coach and the leadership group of this core. Too many times this team has come out flat in big spots. They should be flying from the opening puck drop. They are dominating this series and should force a game 7.

For the Senators, also no changes from the lineup that won game 5, including leading Conn Smythe candidate, Teflon Chris Neil. Although, perhaps calling him Teflon is a misnomer since he stays stuck to the bench most of the game.

If this is indeed the end of our season, I just want to say thank you for helping to keep this community together.

Don’t forget to tell everyone you know and to follow me on Twitter @rangersreport2. And don’t forget to vote!

507 thoughts on “Rangers vs. Senators… It’s Go Time!”

  6. OUR Backs are to the wall , there is no tomorrow . There is no ” do over”

    IT IS TIME!!!!!!!!! Go time that is , so slam down a few drinks Eric and enjoy this ride cuz The NEW YORK RANGERS are in da HOUWSEEEEEEEE!!

    WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!! Raaaaaanger hackey TONIGHT!!

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  7. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LETS do this!!! Lets go gog og og go go gog gogoogoo!!

    LETS GO RANGERS , LETS GO!! LETS GO RANGERS LETS GO GO GO GO GO GO GO!!!!

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  9. LETS cheer on the boys and make some NOISE!!

    LETS gog ogog og g gogogoooo!! LETS gogog go ggogoogogogo!!

    RANGERS RANGERS RANGERS RANGERS!!

    Greatest team of all time in the best building , TONIGHT we will win!!!

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  17. It’s not just MUST win game, but Rangers have to tear them apart in pieces, inflicting deep mental and hopefully physical damage to insure winning base in game #7. Oh, Canada, I have a dream…

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  26. I’m boycotting that little weasel of a Captain on the other team by not drinking out of my turvis tumbler tonight. Red solo cup all the way baby!

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  60. Not only 1st goal is about a 25 percent of losing game, but bad sign – I don’t see any particular desperation in Rangers game so far. I expected them to fly and hit everything which moving and cover every Sen’s player in own zone being faster on puck.

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  105. Seriously, can imagine that in a PO elimination game, having 4 min. PP, any good team (Caps, Pitts…) wouldn’t score or storm non-stop, wearing opposition. Looks like Rangers really have no business to advance and face a really good teams. Analyze than is it tactical, mental or else. NO Business at all!

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  108. Sorry…. call me “chicken little” all you want… but this crap is over. Another “good” season…. Its been real fellas. They wanna quit on their goalie? Well, I’m quitting on them.

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  132. We got this game. Junk Goalie is playing like a Greek god (if they played hockey) for the first period so far. If he can keep it up, and the team thinks they can get refunds on their Tee time for Thursday morning, they’ll start playing to win and game seven is in the bag. We never lose game sevens. Right?

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  138. …I have a feeling that Rangers are giving up. No way to explain inexcusable, embarrassing the whole series with not so good team and beginning of that crucial game. I expected them to play, like their lives depend on this game. They just owe that to frustrated fans, themselves and game itself…

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  153. Looking scary good on my second round predictions, had craps and ducks winning in 7, 1 game to go, had sens in 6 and the predators I think in 5, might nail them all with exact games.

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  163. This doesn’t bother me, I didn’t think rangers could beat the habs or anybody in the 1st round so that was a pleasant surprise. The rangers defense stinks, Lundqvist is 35 and past his prime. I don’t know what fans expected from this team.

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  174. I don’t think a team has advanced to the conference finals with lower than a 9.6 percent success rate one the power play since the stat was first kept. Anyone know where we ours falls compared to that?

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  179. Pozy Pozy Pozy!
    No neggys in here!

    Remember to always
    Cheer Cheer Cheer!!!
    Never Boo Boo Boo!!

    Our sexy boys will come out sexier than ever for the rest of the game!

    Go Team Go!

    Don’t worry. We’re gonna win if you all do your Pozy Pozy Pozys.

    I’ll leave you with that. Remember the power of Pozy!!!!

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  186. This team deserves exactly what they’ll get. They put themselves in cap hell with those ridiculous contracts they gave Staal and Girardi. At least Girardi would be ok on a third pairing, but Staal? Lundqvist has degraded since he signed that huge contract as well, but with all the rubber he’s been exposed to he should be CEO of Goodyear…

    Liked by 1 person

  194. I hope they lose tonight. Let’s get this over with. For some reason, I can’t take watching these games slip away.

    Put us out of our misery. Please.

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  199. New coach Amirante, appointed by Trump, leading the team with song at first intermission: “Okay, men, all the countertenors and castratos over here, all the mezzo sopranos over here, and a one, two, three….’We are the Champions…'”

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  210. Can’t they just pretend those are Habs sweaters and start hitting everything that moves? I don’t think even BGG has hit anything tonight

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  230. I don’t know if I’ve ever see the Rangers play this poorly in an elimination game in my life. There’s no intensity to their game, no precision to their passes or shots and basically no desire to do the things they needed to to win.

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  284. Anybody have time in zone by line? Seems to me that once again the 4th spends the most time in the other end. Sad. Very Sad. And that’s not meant to be a reflection on those guys.

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  285. Thank god there’s only one more period of misery left. That’s another game in the postseason without a good period. Who the hell are these guys? This is just an example of the fact that you can’t just flip a switch in the postseason.

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  287. If “this team goes as Hank goes” cliché is right – than abandon all hope ye who enter here, because he is going nowhere tonight, loosing to Anderson by “obvious advantage”.

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  290. I’d really settle for some overtime here… We have scored many goals and especially in bunches . WE can do this , I know we can . Attack and shoot!! These new small pads make everything go in. So LETS gog og gog oggogooo!!!

    Liked by 1 person

  291. Sadly, we have seen this before. A conference final that they should NEVER have lost to Tampa. A conference final that they NEVER should have lost to New Jersey, and now this embarrassing display tonight. Ottawa is finally playing a good game in a series they should have been out of 2 games ago.

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  295. Stepan/Staal/Kreider/Hayes….. wonder what we can get for them….. I just want them off the Rangers. I’ve officially given up on Kreider for the record. Waste of size and speed.

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  296. On 3rd goal it is mind boggling – why Kreider left the most dangerous men in front of net and went behind? It was just like invitation to score, which Karlsson did immediately, getting puck uncontested.
    Unfreakinreal!

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  300. This is the Rangers worst game of the playoffs for the simple fact that it’s an elimination game and they’re nowhere to be found. We were wrong. The Rangers are not a better team than Ottawa. It’s not all about skill. It’s also about heart and the sens apparently come to play when it matters while these Strangers do not.

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  367. I don’t care what anyone else says, I think McDonagh has been one of the worst Rangers in this series. He’s been fighting everything, making stupid plays and seems to have lost at least half his skill in this series.

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  405. I really don’t understand why so many people think the Rangers are the better team. Obviously they weren’t. Actually coming to play every game comes into play there. Ottawa really didn’t show up for maybe a game and half. The Rangers didn’t show up for at least 2 and a half. That equates to losing.

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  416. Ah well. That was painful. Playing only 20 minutes in an elimination game ain’t gonna cut it. I’m signing off before I start reading all the Hank hate – can’t take that right now. But thanks to all of you for an entertaining and informative take on the season. And Carp, I’ll look forward to your review! See you all next year…LGR!

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  418. Hey! Sorry I’m late! Right this way, the Ledge is officially open. It get’s a little warm out there over the summer, please drink plenty of fluids.

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  421. Nash has to be hurt. How could he have gone from the best skater in the last series to the invisible man in this one? How many times in this whole series did he crash the net like he usually does? Probably not even 3 times.

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  422. Just got home a while ago and caught up with the DVR replay. Unbelievable I knew it this team is just not good enough. I have said it many times before this cotton candy team will never win a cup with Lundqvist in net. Good D or bad D the guy is way past his prime. Gorton has his work cut out for him. 1st to go AV! I feel special I got to see 2 dog shows tonight, unfortunately the 1st one was better. Another year of NYR disappointment. Being a Ranger fan is worse than root canal! Good night Boneheads see you all over the summer should be interesting.

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  427. Three good thing is I think this team prepared us for the end of the season with their play early in the game. I think most of us were resigned to a loss even after they teased us with breakaway goals.
    Maybe they should’ve just had someone waiting for a pass at the offensive blue line must of the game and they would’ve had a chance. Think about that. The only goals we scored in this game were breakaways. Lundquist was on his knees for all 3 he let in.

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  437. So thinking back to last June, when nobody thought we would be close to playoffs this season, have to wonder if maybe we would have been better off just sucking and getting a high draft pick than somehow proving the pundits wrong and getting 100+ points again.

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  443. Exit interviews? Does Carp go to breakup day? Gorton is methodical. I don’t expect anything impulsive. AV will be back, but, maybe not Arniel. NMCs and cap hits make player movement difficult. He has to find a way to change the core of the team without completely blowing it up. No small task.

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  444. I felt relief after early exit last season, knowing that roster ant team at whole wasn’t good and really didn’t stand a chance. But this season was different – team was good on paper and in most of the games in best part of regular. And of course, they had colossal luck in PO pairing schedule, sitting comfortable as a 1st wild card without a challenge, when better teams were fighting each other. That’s why it is SO devastating and bitter, hey should do better. Arrogance? Underestimation? Continuous, collective mental fart? Or just simple tactical mistakes? Plenty time for analyses, but I’m loosing trust in this weak bunch called Rangers, from head to toes.

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  446. We have to throw in things like number 1 pick or buch to get a team to take any contract over $ 5 million other than Nash

    Nash only because he only has 1 year left

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  448. coos

    If they weren’t instructed to be this passive then it’s even AV’s fault for not having them ready for elimination game… all in all, if this coach stays, we will see more of the same bullsht

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  454. The Ranger who needed to be their best player wasn’t and was outplayed by his counterpart. Blame whomever you want, but if the guy who also happens to be an $8.5 million cap hit until 2021 isn’t the best guy in a blue shirt, you don’t win. The middle-of-the-road bald guy outplayed him.

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  458. It was mighty disappointing that even in the 3rd, when they were coming on in the offensive zone, most plays ended with a low-percentage Girardi shot. That’s not a knock against Girardi, that’s a knock against the other 4 players not getting themselves into any sort of position to score. That’s a knock against the coach too.

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  460. Girardi and Staal are shot. Brendan Smith has Gorton by the short hairs. About to have a shot at a lucrative (large $) long term contract, he sure won’t like paying NY taxes compared to elsewhere. Gorton will have to cover that.

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  461. Dave, spot on.

    I particularly enjoy the good old patented race into the zone and down to the near corner… swing around the net… continue through the far corner and out to the blue line… try to dump it to a D man but give up possession. And waste about 15 seconds in the process.

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  464. Heyyy! Yoooo. Man up! You bunches of wimps! So what? Rangers frigggin sucked her Majesty’s Royal Balls all playoffs. Losers! Bunch of losers what they are. You wanna knows what? Half of them will be out partying tonight. They don’t care they broke our hearts. Losers. Bunch of LOSERS!! This is why nobody likes hockey around here. Cause this team stinks. They stink!! That junk goalie needs to be taken out back behind msg and beaten with rubber hose! He gave up more points than the entire jets defense.

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  466. And if I sees any dem losers out partying, Ima punch each one in their frigggin noses. I’ll tell them “Tou lost! Partying is for winners. You gentlemen, are LOSERS! No go home and get your shine box”

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  468. Bums! Bums what they are. A bunch of no good bums. They get paid and all da sudden they like Houdini. I outta throw food at them when I sees them around. Treat them like the dogs that they are.

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  470. Nice to see when Keiser wants to he can play like a big boy. You know when we trade him he will go on to score 40 goals forever,just like luc robatile. Stepan has got to go. Last but not least can we get a power play.

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  473. They need to move Nash (limited NMC), Opie and Staal if they can find a partner. It really doesn’t matter what they get back, its an E3 dump. You can probably live with G as third pair for one more season before buyout. I would sell high on Zuch. And if HL would be willing, I’d move him too if you can find somebody to take the salary hit. Time to clean house of the old guard and run with the kids, let them find their own way.

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  477. For your team to come out with way less than 100% effort in an elimination game tells you all you need to know about the coach. AV don’t let the door hit you in the arse on your way out. His team failed to play a full 60 minutes most of the season and he has a number of players that take full games off. He will never coach a cup winner. He can take Stephan, Kreider, Hayes and Nash with him. These 4 should be traded(Nash probably untradeable) so you can protect guys with heart (Fast, Lindbergh, Grabnor) in the expansion draft.

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  478. Carp – Though I agree Rangers won’t tear down team, history shows that those teams that tank for several years build contenders for years to come by having top 5 picks(star players) several years in a row. See Pitt (Crosby, Malkin), Chicago (Toes, Kane, Keith), LA (Doughty, Kopitar). Though very Painful to get to top again, atleast they all won multiple cups. Rangers will continue to make playoffs but won’t win without those star players that can make the big plays when you need them. Do you think the Rangers at least make a coaching change?

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  479. Mike

    point taken regarding top end talent picked very early

    but

    Crosby was a pure weighted lottery that most including me think was fixed.
    Kopitar was 11th overall
    Keith was a second rounder

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  482. Well as the Rangers were not winning the cup this season, I was not all that broken up about it. Sure, I expected them to be ready to play and to come out desperate and they did not, but is that so surprising when it has become the norm? They had 4 power plays that generated squat, but that is nothing new either. Clearly something needs to change…..the coach? The leadership group? Who knows but they have successfully squandered 12 years of Henrik Lundqvist career and won exactly squat. Henrik was not blameless the last 2 games for sure, but the blame has to fall on the others. Some of the D and forwards were woefully unproductive these playoffs. They lost to a club that had the best player in the series, but a club that they had no business losing to. Gorton has some decisions to make. We’ll see what happens.

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  483. Alex- I thought Kopitar & Keith were higher picks, but obviously i was wrong. With that being said, my point is that you need to build through the draft and need higher picks to get some top talent players(Toronto & Edmonton on way up due to their recent drafts). Especially with hard cap you need those talented players that are cap friendly. Rangers farm is baron. College FAs may help(Vesey) others won’t(Hayes – Lazy, No heart).

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  490. I highly doubt AV’s going anywhere. The Rangers initiated the contract extension for a reason. I believe Gorton thought this would be a step-back year and that they will reload this summer and next summer. Certainly not going to give away assets like Stepan and Nash for nothing. They might buy out one of the defensemen, but they might not since they no longer have to worry about protecting Holden or Klein.

    and they surely won’t tank for years and years to get maybe one or two elite players. Look how long it took Edmonton. or Chicago or LA or even Pittsburgh for that matter. Isles have tanked and still stink. Philly too.

    And if any of you tell me you’ll put up with a full rebuild, I’m calling B.S. You won’t.

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  491. Can a reporter ask Kreider where for the whole series was the guy we saw in the third period. I think you give him 1 or 2 more years and trade him before next contract. He and his agent will think he like “tax free” will be worth 6 million a year.

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  496. Sucks to wake up to that! This series should have been long over, 4-0 or 4-1 if the Rangers close out those leads.
    I was shocked watching those goals….pylons, the lot of them

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  498. Good morning Boneheads life goes on for Ranger fans as usual, disappointment & heartache. Looking forward to some interesting discussions over the summer. I still believe Gorton has a plan! One good thing about this pitiful playoff loss is me & Evrockriser will not be eating crow, I hate crow!

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  499. It’s the end of the world as we know it
    It’s the end of the world as we know it
    It’s the end of the world as we know it
    And I feel fine

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  500. I used to get so upset when my favorite team lost that it affected me for days. Not any more. There are more important things to get upset over.

    As soon as Ottawa scored that third goal I knew the game was over. You could feel it. For a team with all of that “valuable playoff experience” they couldn’t hold a lead and couldn’t come back to tie when behind. Playoff experience is over rated.

    So, it’s on to the golf course and let’s win there.

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  501. And so ends season #50 for this long time fan. Woke up to Rosen’s voice from ’94 ringing in my head: and this one will last a lifetime! I had no idea at that moment it would have to. Sad to say I think Brooks might have it right about the Giacomin and Lundqvist eras’ equivalence…

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  503. Let’s Go Mets! (Too soon??)
    .
    Passengers through out the lineup but the Lack of puck movers in D and soft play down the middle was the difference.
    Step – trade for back line help
    Haze – needs to grow up, not convinced he can play pivot in a speed game, but can be 2C
    Zika – showed flashes, can be productive 1C-
    Lindbergh – can play 3C; solid 2 way game

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  505. Gorton kept working during the playoffs signing players. He is on it 24/7 unlike Slats. He didn’t extend AV to can him 3 months later. I assume just like last year he will listen to offers for anyone but won’t make a panic move. There will be changes (Hayes, Miller, Kreider, Staal, Girardi?) AV’s staff may get shuffled in hopes of helping the special teams. I think there is a chance they may expose Stepan since I don’t think he would be picked and it would allow them to protect Lindbderg, Fast or Grabner. One of those three will be the player Vegas picks. A succession plan for Hank has to be part of the future as well. Fahter time gets everyone eventually. He was mediocre during the regular season and against Ottawa after being lights out against the Habs. If Raanta isn’t picked by Vegas give him 35 games next year and try to get the Russian kid to come over. Raanta will probably go elsewhere to try to be a No 1 when his contract ends. Got to look for someone to take over like Schneider did with Brodeur. Can’t wait for him to completely crash and have to go with an AHL goalie.

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