It’s Go Time!

Rangers (17-19-7) vs Islanders (24-14-4). 1 pm start, TV-MSG

Second leg of home and home, this time at Barclays.

Projected lineup:

Kreider-Zibanejad-Zuccarello

Chytil-Strome-Fast

Vesey-Howden-Namestnikov

McLeod-Nieves-Buchnevich

Staal-Pionk

Skjei-McQuaid

Claesson-Shattenkirk

Smith and DeAngelo prucha’d

Hank in net

LGR!!!!!

Late changes: DeAngelo is in for Pionk, Georgiev in net.

Still:

LGR!!!!!

345 thoughts on “It’s Go Time!”

  3. I think they win today 3 to 1…
    But then again I just got back from Denver and the altitude is probably still affecting me ..coupled with the IPAs and then the cough syrup..so in retrospect maybe that prediction is tainted

    Like

  4. WTF with the Coors Light commercial..I’ve never had a Coors light then climbed out of ice infested waters onto a glacier..at least I cant remember that happening to me…

    Liked by 1 person

  30. SN from previous thread goaltending is bit better but that’s irrelevant to be honest. I never said they have Norris candidates on the blueline but what they have are vets and some younger guys that can actually defend a bit. Half our blueline consists of defenders who are incapable of defending. Maybe start there before we talk how much better the Rangers would be w a different coach?

    Liked by 3 people

  40. James is right re the D.

    Other than pionk, deangelo, shattenkirk, and skjeL the other 3 can actually play some D and Claesson is sort of youngish.

    The first 4 I listed know zippo about the D zone.

    I move all 4 if I could.

    Liked by 2 people

  44. Gorton constructed a blueline for Quinn’s first season. It consists of a potentially solid #2 dman who has played most the year like he’s a third pairing guy, a physical defenseman who is no longer NHL caliber, an offensive defenseman who is in the back 9 of his career and couldn’t even defend when he WAS relevant, two 20 years olds and an often injured, often concussed 31 year old who has had to overachieve in order to be average this year.
    Then you have McQuaid and Claesson who look like top pair guys compared to the rest of the heap.
    Sure, it’s the coaching!

    Liked by 2 people

  47. James – its the system not the players. NYR wants to play a 2 man forecheck system which is high risk, high reward; Isles are playing a 1-2-2 which is a conservative system on low risk, low reward.
    The talent disparity argument is reinforcing the need for a more conservative, defensive oriented system, no?

    Liked by 1 person

  50. Leddy and Boychick are the Isles first pair. Both a 2nd pair guys, Boychick is an offensive defenseman.
    Can you actually name the others without watching the past 2 games?

    Liked by 1 person

  51. Mr Finn?
    Yes Doc?
    We have your blood work back and there seems to be a problem.
    Oh no! What is it?
    Well, your hop count is off the charts. Never seem this before.
    And how is that a bad thing doc?

    Liked by 1 person

  60. Wicky- agreed on Chytil. And quite honestly, there’s more than a handful of guys on this roster who are overrated.
    If they had some elite talent around here then people could just say “oh Chytil is kind of a mess but in a few years he may be a nice player for this team”.

    Liked by 2 people

  61. Wicky – agree Georgie Porgie has looked solid; love they way to angles shots to the post. I keed, I keed..
    .
    Agree – beat these Vagabonds and send their loser fans back to wrong island.

    Liked by 2 people

  65. Putting all this irrelevant conversation about Rangers’ players skills for now, I still anxious to see at least some fierceness from them against a sworn enemy, insulting this team so too often…Too much to ask?

    Liked by 2 people

  69. SN, all I’m saying is that given the current make up of this roster and where the organization is at, they did not need Barry Trotz. And had they hired him they wouldn’t be much better if they improved at all imho.
    I for one plan on giving Quinn a full season before making up my mind on his capabilities
    Let the guy shape the roster a bit.
    Also- Leddy and Boychuk are both still NHL players. Not so sure 3 of our current dmen (2 of which play every night) can have that said of them

    Liked by 1 person

  70. James
    The thing is, imho, chytil is a tweener which is unfortunate for him.

    He has elite talent but isn’t an elite scorer or point producer.

    If he’s an elite scorer or point producer, you don’t mind if he’s crappy in 2 of 3 zones.

    Guys that aren’t elite scorers or point producers need to be noticeable in other areas or it’s a problem…chytil isn’t either of those and is terrible in two zones.

    He’s the Diet Coke of players, not quite elite enough and does nothing else.

    (See what I did there;))

    Liked by 3 people

  72. CbJ should trade both bob and the breadman.

    Trade breadman to the predators for a deal including tolvanen

    Trade these guys and get players you can slot into their roles and grab the additional assets: picks, prospects, other players

    Don’t hold them for a playoff round victory, I’ve heard a lot of talk that is the hope, if that is the hope, you trade these guys, bring in some guys who can slot in (obviously not nearly as good at this point), and you still have a chance to win a round. Don’t miss the chance to get something for these guys unless you believe you can win it all

    Liked by 1 person

  73. No argument here, Wick. But that’s not to say he’s reached him ceiling yet. Kevin Hayes couldn’t make a defensive play to save his life his rookie year and he was older and had experience on American sized rinks.
    We’ll see where he goes but I just can’t write off a 19 year old who has looked lousy on a lousy team

    Liked by 1 person

  75. James – not saying they should have hired Trotz, though it would be the first Cup winning HC they hired since Torts who ended up OK.
    My issue is with the system, which relies upon a heavy forecheck and speed up front and a D that can move the puck quickly.

    Like

  76. James
    Oh, he’ll definitely get better no doubt. I’m just not sold on his “compete” level/drive and that’s something you don’t need to watch 100 games to notice or evaluate.

    Liked by 2 people

  78. Toronto needs a right D.

    Edmonton wants a righty pp D.

    Winnipeg needs a lefty D.

    It’s been noted that a couple of these teams aren’t interested in a ufa, but would prefer under contract or rfa that can be controlled.

    Liked by 1 person

  84. Gotcha, SN. Certainly not a style this group can pull off. Again though, a coach will usually have some say in his roster. Much like AV did as he turned over this team from a grinder work horse team to a cotton candy fluffy cloud one.
    Trying to give it Time.

    Liked by 1 person

  87. That Edmonton roster may be worse than ours aside from Connor. They have him and three other guys with 14 or more goals and the next highest total for a forward is 3 goals on the season. (Nurse has like 5).

    Liked by 1 person

  88. I like DQ, just think he is hamstrung with this roster for his system so the jury will be out for some time if they need for a full competitive roster is required to accurately assess his coaching ability.
    Good thing Ruff is there is speed up his development…

    Liked by 1 person

  89. SN
    Chirelli trying to save his job and the west wild card situation is a joke, just look at the ducks…lost 10 in a row and still only 1 point out.

    Edmonton is 2 points out of 8th.

    Unless you’re the kings or hawks, you’ve got a shot at 8th inthe west.

    Liked by 1 person

  94. Kreider 13 goals by mid November then has his patented 50% reduction in production for the remainder of the year. He’s the conn smyth winner of the November cup champs. I’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t hit 40.

    Liked by 1 person

  97. Fivefinns: As a matter of fact, yes. We’ll be flying in for that game from SoCal. I suffered through the years, through the Islanders dynasty crap, the Borad Street Bullies, all of it. Had to move away for work and , of course, they win the cup. Could not come back for the parade due to commitments, so I watched it on TV until it was pre-empted by the OJ white Bronco coverage. We’ll be there.

    Liked by 1 person

  106. If they take 4 penalties and they will give up a goal. The sucky PK guarantees that. And Krieder has to stop the grab with the free hand. He gets called for it every time.

    Liked by 2 people

  107. James Mirtle
    Verified account
    @mirtle

    The Ducks are a real cautionary tale about paying and counting on older players. Kesler has huge term and dollars remaining and six points in a half season and 20 in his last 86 games. That’s going to be a costly buyout.

    Liked by 2 people

  122. Ageee with Wicky one thing you really need to see with the kids is a good motor. They’ll all make mistakes and progress differently due to individual and team circumstances. If its an age/maturity thing where they just don’t get it yet, then maybe back to minors to get hungry riding the bus.

    Liked by 1 person

  126. Alex
    I also heard that re Calgary.

    Toronto not interested in expiring nor was Winnipeg.

    Edmonton reportedly interested in non rental as well.

    Imo, I think closer to the deadline that will change.

    Liked by 1 person

  136. You know what. Nieves is a much better player than he knows. He’s gonna get a chance to play a lot the rest of the season. He plays hard, but I wonder if he can develop alittle hard to play against. Doesn’t seem like his nature but

    Liked by 1 person

  157. If you had the Boo Chytil ticket you won the daily double

    Jpp said it last week – this is Boo’s last shot to prove hes more than AHL fodder. There’s a role for responsible hard working 4th liners in the league open to him if he can step it up.

    Liked by 2 people

  160. If someone with a man bun wants to cobble me a pair of Bob Ross wanna be sneaks I mean I’ll take em…but damn what’s his healthcare plan?
    Has that guy ever read a paystub?

    Like

  163. I 100% believe that is why GQ wanted and traded for McQuaid, not to move him again.

    I certainly would move him if a good deal came along, but I think they have zero issues with retaining him.

    Liked by 3 people

  164. Looked like McQ took it right I. The boiler room…if that was a baseball player…out 3 months…soccer player? Would have been rolling around like a drunk snow covered panda

    Liked by 3 people

  172. I remover when everyone decided to call offencive zone penalties a “Pouliot”.

    It always amuses me to hear it because in that particular season the player that led the rangers in offencive zone penalties was…..you guessed it, Kreider.

    Liked by 2 people

  177. Kreider doesn’t fall down as much as Fast so less penalties against. Don’t worry, I am all in for dealing Kreider this season. Have fun watching Jester Fast light it up the next few years.

    Liked by 2 people

  195. Five
    A lot of people can’t.

    Me, I like how he plays and he’s smarter player than people give him credit for (probably due to his antics).

    He does some questionable stuff for sure but he will answer the bell about it as well, which is more than a lot of the guys that do questionable things will do.

    He didn’t do anything different there than McLeod did at the beginning of the game Thursday. Not engaging when drawing a penalty in a close game, not cowardly…smart.

    Liked by 1 person

  263. Sam sped his speech up on zuccs clear to Heetlejuice…and 230timetogoOH!itsahChytylskatinginOHJoeohJoe!!
    Drug test Sam after this is over

    Like

  265. I think the rangers on this powerplay should take the puck from behind their own net, skate out about 20 ft, turn and shoot it on Georgiev.

    Keep doing it until they score 2 on him so the islanders lead.

    Liked by 2 people

  296. Ok, I guess it’s time to come clean on this….

    Ev and I decided through emails that the blog was too boring so we fabricated the whole disagreement to spice up the place.

    You guys are welcome!!!

    Liked by 5 people

  324. Wouldn’t it be ironic if stralman and Boyle sign with the rangers this summer and Callahan ended up back here as part of a cap clear from Tampa ?

    Like

  326. Skinny skinny.
    The most ironic part.
    If we had resigned Boyle and stralman, we would have beat the lightning that year, cuz we would have had they wouldn’t have. Add to us, subtract from them. Beginning of the downfall, letting those two guys leave, or in boyle’s Case making him want to leave (the coach, not management)

    Liked by 2 people

  328. If thy had to win one is was good it was against the Isles. Devils beat Flyers who remain in the East cellar. You don’t have to win many to stay ahead of them.

    Liked by 1 person

  331. Stralman wanted to stay and Sather wanted Dan Boyle more. An utterly stupid idea. Boyle wanted out just like Callahan, because AV though they were both 4th liners. Neither were getting PP time and first or second like minutes like Torts gave them. I was sorry to see Boyle go. Not so Tax Free.

    Liked by 2 people

  333. Had to baby sit our grandson today. Still got to see most of the game on my cell. Too hard to post with 18 month old climbing all over me. Great to beat the fishsticks! Chin up boys there will be plenty of time for ping pong balls after the deadline!

    Liked by 2 people

  336. NYR Stats & Info
    ‏Verified account
    @NYRStatsInfo

    Mats Zuccarello recorded his 331st career point as a Ranger, passing Alexei Kovalev for sole possession of 31st place on the franchise’s all-time points list. #NYR

    Like

  337. TYM that was the beginning of the end. If they had held onto Stralman with a similar deal (+/-state income tax factor) and maybe made an offer on Niskanen instead of extending both girardi and Staal the blueline would still have a couple of reliable vets to this day.

    Liked by 3 people

  342. Brett Cyrgalis
    ‏Verified account
    @BrettCyrgalis

    Quinn says it “doesn’t look good” for Claesson, and that Pionk “might” be able to play tomorrow in Columbus, calling it “a day-to-day thing.” Said Hayes won’t play in Columbus.

    Like

Leave a comment