Big Blue Huddle

Expert NHL Best Bets and Predictions for May 11

As we get ready for Game Four, one of the "experts," Jonny Lazarus, has our Rangers .... as favorites tonight?

Reverse psychology to jinx them?

We'll find out.

Enjoy the game!

Peace!

Quote from: brownelvis54 on Today at 12:14:43 PM

Good video, despite everyone talking over everyone else, but they're keeping the discussion points on Purdy fair and, in the end, if this all adds up to anything meaningful, he probably should be in the top five and you can certainly debate, pro or con, whether number two is the right call.

Peace!

Quote from: MightyGiants on May 09, 2024, 09:18:16 AMAnother concern with Gano is that even prior to the knee injury, he missed 35% of his field goal attempts.

The very thought of a potential "mental" impact entering the equation of a kicker can derail a career faster than a physical injury.

Let's hope his experience has taught him to work through that and, as these guys say, "focus on the next kick."

Peace!

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on May 10, 2024, 01:02:41 PMMy first thought (before thinking "good"), was now it's even going to harder to tell him apart from Bricillo. My second thought: "did he make the decision or did his wife nag him into it?"  , and my third thought, "I wonder if he's on Ozempic"

Regardless, he looks much better and healthier

Regardless how, good for him that he did it! Further, if he did it the Ozempic way, then he took another healthy step in improving his blood A1C which is a key component in determining Type-2 diabetes. If your lifestyle forces you into dangerous conditions that could impact your life, you do what you have to do to take care of yourself. So, a huge shout-out to the head coach for doing just that and hope he's able to sustain the lifestyle changes he has made.

Peace!

Quote from: EDjohnst1981 on May 10, 2024, 02:56:50 PMI don't think so. But he worked very hard on his skating and other stuff. Plus he had the belief of the coach - he's not had that before.

Belief from Lavs was a catalyst, no question about it. But also challenging him to play right wing, from time to time, unleashed additional potential and, with that, grew self-confidence that was supported by a strong work ethic which he always had, but we didn't always see.

Things came together for Laffy, as well as a few Ranger players, but the commitment of each individual to sacrifice their "me" for the team's "we" may have been the biggest leap forward yet for these guys. That's what a winner in a head coach, along with his assistants, can do when a team has the talent but now needs to give of themselves to each other for the bigger picture.

I believe that's the difference this year.

Peace!

The one thing nobody here is doing is taking Carolina for granted. Now, with that having been said, it is fact that the Rangers have the stranglehold on them and must continue to focus on playing THEIR brand of hockey which has yielded their 55 regular season wins, a President's Trophy, a big broom-sweep of their first round playoff divisional nemeis in the Nation's Capital and, here we are, on the throes of having the opportunity to do the same to a heated divisional rival AND, as if it hasn't been mentioned enough, our bestest of friends in Vegas at Bet MGM Sportsbook have anointed them as the champions before the season's first puck drop. "Paper Champions" they have been, to date, and Brind'Amour must come up with a new formula quickly before the bizarre occurrence of the Rangers going 8-0 in this post-season while Carolina would have been swept in their last two playoff matchups (NOTE: lest we forget what Florida did to them in the Eastern Conference Finals last year).

But it is very true that this entire series can turn on a dime if the Canes can break the code that debunks their poor special teams' play as well as Igor's apparent invincibility.

But Laviolette is in the driver's seat right now and is playing his cards masterfully. The Chytil for Rempe switch ultimately paid off last night with the extra attacker adding more pressure on their defense and young goalie. Will Lavs stick to this formula or switch it around and bring back the big kid in case things get out of hand tomorrow night? We hinted, during Game Four of the Washington series that it might have but, alas, it really did not. So, I venture to guess that Chytil will stay in the lineup, for now.

I could not stop laughing when I started hearing "Let's Go Rangers" and "I-gor" chants competing with "Let's Go Canes." Let's face facts. This country IS Rangers' Nation. I witnessed it with my own eyes here in Phoenix when they came to town. Sam and Joe have commented on every road trip that Ranger fans have represented the team well on the road. Laviolette and the entire team have taken note of that and I have no doubt it gives them all a great sense of pride. In truth, it gives us Rangers fans nationwide great pride to take over an opponent's building. The looks on the home team's fans are absolutely priceless!

Next game up; can the Rangers pull off what many believe would have been unthinkable at the start of this series?

Stay tuned!

Peace!

Yes, there's the ethics/morals aspect but there's a bigger picture as well. When you start publicky sharing with the world your "worth," you potentially open yourself to bad people showing up in your life disguised as good folks with good intentions who are out for one thing. On the other hand, it can potentially set you up for getting robbed if you're not careful.

The point is to be smart and think carefully about the consequences of anything you post in the public domain. No amount of money makes you immune to the consequences of your own foolish postings.

Peace!

Lol on Purdy, but last time I checked, he and his team were either in overtime in the Super Bowl, in year two of his career, or throwing with a blown out elbow in the NFC Championship game in his rookie season.

He's in a system that is working well for his skillset and he doesn't have to apologize for the talent around him; he just wins. He only needs to take the final step and become a championship quarterback. He's still growing into the position and getting better.

He's accomplished all that in his season and a half experience in the NFL.

Definitely top five, but you can make a case why or why not for second best.

Peace!

P.S. the Jones ranking is a bait click scheme, enough said.

Quote from: Giant Obsession on May 10, 2024, 07:31:30 AMHands down....the MOST resilient Ranger team of my lifetime.

18 guys with backbone suited up every night and a goalie who almost defies description.

Mr Laviolette is Joe Torre of 1996.  A solid "ugh" when he was hired admit it.  Well, pass me some crow and cranberry sauce.

Don't wake me up....please.

They have to conquer all foe, en route to the top, and reach the Everest before comparisons to Torre can even be considered.

But I'll yell you the truth. Throughout this season, that's exactly what came to my mind as well.

Peace!

1:43 in overtime ...

Breadman!

Breadman!!

Breadman!!!

Style points back-handed tip-in off a gorgeous pass from Trocheck in the right corner for the winner, 3-2.

I don't want to analyze tonight's game. As I stated before, the Rangers, since winning Game Seven of the 2022 Playoffs against Carolina in Raleigh, they've played well in that building and weren't impacted by the home crowd that, despite attempts to keep Ranger fans out, the Blueshirts fans found their way into the building.

Special teams was won by the Rangers again. Carolina was 0 for 5 on the power play. The Rangers were 0 for 4 on the power play; however, 5 for 5 penalty kills PLUS one short-handed goal which shut down the Carolina fans for a good portion of the game.

Igor did his hls job well in keeping Carolina in check for most of the game. The game tying goal was unfortunate; but the building pressure and chaos by Carolina was effective in their endeavor to score. Fortunately, he wasn't needed in overtime to repeat Tuesday's magical performance.

Panarin's game-winning goal, his fourth game-winner in this year's playoffs, should finally quiet the critics who have castigated him for his past playoff disappearances.

Also, Laffy getting his third goal of this series, which almost turned out to be the winner, continues to validate his growth.

But Vinny Trocheck continues to be a thorn in his former team's side. Whether he's baiting his ex-teammates into penalties, or making plays that result in scores. His impact was felt today from start to finish.

The Rangers' defense bent but never broke. They held the Canes to one score for 58 and a half minutes and two for the entire game.

After the Rangers scored in overtime, I spent time observing the Canes and their fans. Both looked broken. It's not over until it's over, but they looked broken. I think maybe they are starting to realize what files58 and I have been seeing and saying on here with conviction, not that the rest of you aren't, or don't believe it, but the Rangers have a sense of purpose now that goes beyond the President's Trophy. It's retribution for that embarrassment last year when they self-destructed against the Devils. This team is the antithesis of that group.

So, the Canes came to play and their fans arrived to cheer them on to victory. In the end, neither was enough to defeat a Ranger team who is now a game away from sweeping the third best team in this season's play.

With all my love to the Vegas prognosticators, and all Canes bandwagoners, it gives me great pleasure to say ...

Rangers: 3 - Your Paper Champions: Goose Egg, Zero, Zilch, Nil, Nada, You get nothing and like it, Nyet!

Oh, and I almost forgot ...



Let's Go Rangers!

Peace!

Quote from: Rosehill Jimmy on May 08, 2024, 09:54:18 PMRempe got all of 4 minutes TOI.  I understand benches get shorter in the playoffs and in fact, Carolina had 2 with 6+ minutes of TOI. Tough to mess with a winning formula but would PL contemplate swapping Brodzinski for Rempe?

Lots of bantering in the NY Post comment section about that today. It's hard to make a change when you have a winning formula (6-0 in the playoffs). Sometimes it's important for a kid like Rempe, who literally AND figuratively tilts the ice, who has both the opponent's AND the referee's heads' all jumbled up in knots, to do something as simple as "snow" Andersen, following Igor's getting tripped and flipped, to deliver an unspoken message that gets across clearly in a manner that no other way would prove effective. Johnny Brodz won't give you that.

In general, Laviolette knows how to make it to the top of the Everest of this sport. His tracks are there at the peak from '06. He knows what he's doing with his Rangers' team AND with keeping Rempe out there, even if for a handful of minutes.

The dynamics of this series change with the scenery now shifting to Research Triangle, NC. Will Rempe still be a role player remains to be seen. But the evidence is undeniable that the refs are whistle-happy when he's on the ice. That they scolded him yesterday was laughable. If he is in the ref's heads, in the opponent's heads, none of them are primarily focused as they should be on what they're supposed to be doing and that just benefits the Rangers.

Laviolette is brilliant!

Peace!

This is an excellent thread and, if the Giants have any hope of being competitive in the coming season, having a good, if not excellent, special teams could enable them to stay close in games they would otherwise lose or, glass half-full, be the difference in winning a close game (e.g. Polish Power Olszewski's punt return TD last year).

It was one of Bill Parcells' interests, especially punt returners, but special teams in general, that hitting on two of the three cylinders in a football game (i.e. offense, defense, special teams) will put a team in a good position to win a football game. Special teams have become a little more refined since then, and I believe they have even more opportunity for refinement. But a special teams' coach has to ensure that his players can, first and foremost, execute correctly and consistently. That's been a challenge with the Giants for a while now. That Michael Ghobrial is no stranger to the Sardine Can, and all its little details, such as wind patterns, is a good head start. The team has brought in new players, and I trust even more new players from free agency will find their way onto the team via special teams, so it's going to be different.

It's already been noted, and it cannot be understated, that Daboll is handling this off-season very differently than previous years in that he's now bringing in competition to challenge the incumbents and this is sorely overdue. This is going to help the entire team, not just special teams, bring their best every day to compete and fight for their job.

My biggest question mark remains Graham Gano's recovery to include his flexibility in his planting leg, as well as his strength to bear his weight on the planting leg as he goes through his kicking motion, will be something to keep an eye on. I have no doubt he will be ready for camp, assuming his procedure went well with no complications, and he has had time to rehab it so his flexibility and strength should be getting close to normal. But you know with surgeries, things are never the same as they once were. So, we'll see.

Peace!

Will the 2024 Giants, opening day, be "better" (NOTE: quantify "better" as you please) than the opening day 2023 Giants, and why?

Now, how does that play into answering the original question posed in this thread?

Discuss, please.

Peace!

OK, I'll ask the question.

When the time (eventually) comes, which half of Giants' ownership is going to sell out to a Private Equity Fund(s) FIRST?

Talk amongst yourselves.

Peace!

Quote from: spiderblue43 on May 08, 2024, 04:52:56 PMI remember how our best weapons was punter Dave Jennings and the D in the 70s.

You talk about godawful offenses, those mid 70s teams were as bad as you could get. Terrific players Brad Van Pelt and Brian Kelley never got the success they deserved.

My idol!