Quote from: files58 on Today at 01:21:13 PMThey should have won last night. I don't like giving any hope to any team, let alone Carolina. As I mentioned in a previous post the Canes are taking more shots straight away in the high slot. That's close to where Shaj's(never could spell his name) goal came from. That and the Canes are having a forward hang on the Ranger's side of Center ice to break up the 1-3-1. The Rangers are also giving up too much ice, and letting the Canes skate up to-through center ice too easily. Things that need to be adjusted. As far as the chippiness. Well since I don't hail from Canada or the European countries where hockey is worshipped, and don't live by the grail a little errant clear or shot that just happens to hit a Cane under the eyeshield never hurt a Ranger. How about that same errant clear off the boards happens to land in the Cane bench. Yes I don't know what the refs were looking at when Trocheck got mugged. Breszinski is a waste. Look for Chytl to re-enter the lineup unless he can't physically go. Asking him for two playoff games in a row after being off for 6 months is alot to ask. He brings speed, talent, and a scoring threat each time on the ice. They need to tighten up defensively. They hit how many posts, and just wide yesterday? Laffy was clearly the best player on the ice for both teams, and is earning his #1 status. If you think this is chippy watch Boston-Florida. One thing I would like to see is when the Rangers hopefully have the series won with a few minutes left would like to see Guentzel salted. I thought the call on Lindgren was iffy, it looked like he got the puck, and the skate which makes it ok.
Lots of good discussion here but I continue to find myself aligning to your perspective because what you've preached since about the 10th game of the regular season, which was around the time the Blueshirts took Northwestern Canada by storm for their first ever five-game sweep of that region, these boys need to show a pair when it counts the most. By and large, they've done that for seven straight games.
No question the Canes threw their bodies in front of Igor to disrupt his vision, capitalize on rebounds and redirect pucks into the back of the net. Three box checks for them, desperate times called for desperate measures and, with the refs largely letting the play go on, they built their 1-3 lead.
But the Rangers kicked into gear and, as much as the Canes blanked their shots off the posts at the Garden, the hockey gods were getting even with the Rangers last night. Still, the boys tied it up with nearly a full period to go.
Now, we can talk about Trouba here if you'd like. Did he get banged up because he didn't look 100% out there.
I want to talk about Miller who seemed a little too passive out there when a more muscle was needed. He also turned the puck over in the Rangers' zone a few too many times for my comfort.
Foxy looks like he is playing through the knee injury right now and he's a warrior, but only able to give about 70-75%, I'd say.
Schneider had some nice looks on offense and has been more or less a steady player for them.
But Lindgren, my Lord, he is the MVP of that defense, the cornerstone, if you will. He IS a presence out there, almost like Christ standing on the troubled waters of the sea. He just puts his nose down, gets in there and breaks things up to get a Ranger counterattack going. I've seen the light on him after watching him at the Mullett in Tempe. A true-blue Ranger defensive hero. Thr call on him for tripping should never have happened. Ticky-touch at worst. The replay showed he went for the puck and the player tripped over the extended stick. Did the stick move a little in a motion that might constitute a trip ... yes, of course. However, how much force was applied to that stick with him on the ground? The way the game was called, it shouldn't have been flagged. But, it was and, in a delicious irony for the home team, they finally break their power play drought with the game winner. Great theatric drama and a guaranteed ratings boost for Monday.
Johnny Brod's debut was OK. Nothing special. He was out of sync for a while, managed to get in on some action close to Freddie, but did skate some minutes out there. Would you go back to Chytil, or Rempe? This isn't games one or two. Both teams have wear and tear on them now, and Carolina is a wounded animal that is fending off being put down. How do the Rangers plan to put themselves in the best position to win Monday AND minimize further wear and tear on their beat-up players?
Does Rempe playing Sherriff out there get it done on Monday? Does Chytil's speed and skill, despite not having his full conditioning back, prove to be the difference? Does giving Johnny Brodz another game, now that he's been indoctrinated into the series, help the cause? Or, does Laviolette have something else up his sleeve?
The answer isn't any one player. Every game in this series has been a one-goal game, win or lose.
Carolina took away the space in front of Igor and that resulted in deflected goals and rebound goals. In spite of all of that, the Rangers still almost pulled it off and had them on their heels.
For files58, what did you think about that right poke Bennett gave Marchand thar the refs missed that the whole world is talking about? Not to get ahead of ourselves, but I would see Rempe as a necessary component of all games in a Panthers-Rangers semifinal. Might I suggest a possible bloodbath series between the two if the Panthers pull that $%!t with the Rangers? The now-famous bloodbath semifinal series between Colorado and Detroit in '96 where Darren McCarty of Detroit beat the living daylights out of Avs goon Claude Lemieux, for seriously injuring his teammates with a cross-check. Lemieux's face was dripping in blood, fans went nuts at the Joe Louis Arena, and the refs, seeming knowing the history in the series, only gave McCarty a double-minor for roughing. Cool! He went back out later and kicked the living $%!t out of Lemieux again, then proceeded to score the game winning goal in OT and went on into Red Wings' lore for a performance for the ages which launched the Wings to the Stanley Cup that year.
Whomever is making it out of the East this tournament will be missing a few parts, spare parts included!
Peace!
, and my third thought, "I wonder if he's on Ozempic"