Big Blue Huddle

Tues and Thurs will be tough, particularly Thursday. I'd like to think with a couple days rest and no travel we can beat Philly at home, but we'll see. At Avalanche will be tough of course. After that, the schedule softens up noticeably for the balance of the season. Doesn't mean we won't get caught off guard by an inferior team, but if we maintain the level of play that we've been putting out for the last few weeks, we should be ok.

Going into this two game stretch at Boston and against these guys, I would have happily locked in two points. And I would have been very happy with three. The fact that we managed to get four with Trouba and Lindgren out is superb.

You never know with games down the stretch but with the exception of Colorado the remaining schedule is pretty soft.  It will finish up as a great regular season.  One of their best ever but we all know the playoffs are all that will matter.

Thursday night's game in Denver. Rangers at the Avs. Now, forget that game is a regular season match.

Imagine, just for that night, if you will:

Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals with the Rangers a chance to win it all (NOTE: after winning the President's Trophy and winning 15 in the playoffs).

SIDE NOTE: the Rangers have taken the last two from the Avs and have earned five of six points in their last three matchups. But Colorado is currently riding an eight game winning streak.

It's my ultimate dream Stanley Cup Final matchup. As important and as great a win last night's triumph over Florida was, this is the NHL's marquee interconference matchup. Go into their building and their fans are equally as parochial as Ranger fans (NOTE: except a few Blueshirts will find their way in just like they always do across the land).

That's the huge game this week. Saturday's game in Tempe, AZ is going to be lights' out for myself in that my family and will see the boys live, up close and personal in the tiny 5,000 seat Mullett Arena where the AZ Coyotes play. This will be my first time at a live game in 24 years so we'll be bringing the Ranger jerseys and the noise!

Still have a fair amount of hockey to be played. Get the last long road trip out of the way and, with the exception of Detroit, and a visit to Long Island, the Rangers are home the rest of the way. If they can get two of three this week, that should sit well for the final countdown. Pull off all three and they might have the fast track to the President's Trophy. For now, just beat the Broadway Bullies.

Peace!

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on March 24, 2024, 07:48:08 AMTues and Thurs will be tough, particularly Thursday.

Flyers and Avs fans are also thinking the games are going to be tough. 

All I keep hearing (not on here) is how they can't beat this team and that team, yet they keep winning.  17-4-1 since all-star break?  I mean, I guess if they were good they would have won all 22 and outscored the opponents around 110-0 over the stretch.

Quote from: coggs on March 25, 2024, 12:59:39 PMFlyers and Avs fans are also thinking the games are going to be tough. 

All I keep hearing (not on here) is how they can't beat this team and that team, yet they keep winning.  17-4-1 since all-star break?  I mean, I guess if they were good they would have won all 22 and outscored the opponents around 110-0 over the stretch.

I get your point, but none of that applies to me.

I think some fans out there are skeptical about our postseason chances because (1) Bread's game seems to decline very noticeably in the playoffs, and (2) the team was pretty good last year and they lost in the first round.

I'm optimistic because I think this is probably the best all around team we've had since the 90s, but I understand why some are less so.

Quote from: coggs on March 25, 2024, 12:59:39 PMFlyers and Avs fans are also thinking the games are going to be tough. 

All I keep hearing (not on here) is how they can't beat this team and that team, yet they keep winning.  17-4-1 since all-star break?  I mean, I guess if they were good they would have won all 22 and outscored the opponents around 110-0 over the stretch.

This is the final week of playing an opponent who is one of the best in the league (i.e. @ Colorado who have won nine on the trot). When you tally everything up, the Rangers are currently #1 in the NHL with 47 wins and 98 points in 71 games played. Two inspiring wins against two of the best in the East, a division rival tomorrow, a potential Stanley Cup Final preview on Thursday, you all get to look in the stands for me on Saturday in Tempe, AZ ... what the heck more do fans want???

This has been an exciting season and the team is playing strong in the final week of March. Remember my prediction if they're still sitting at the top come April 1st ... no April fool here!

Peace!

Rangers win a game I don't think they deserved to win, and I didn't expect to win the way the game was going, but they beat the Flyers 6-5 in overtime on Fox's goal 36 seconds into the over.  To add some icing on the cake, both the Panthers and the Hurricanes lost.

Glad we found a way. Shesty was off tonight. I wonder if they were looking ahead to Colorado. Definitely not our best performance, but good teams find ways to win. Opposite of how the Giants find ways to lose.

They should've done something different tonight and given the 3rd star to head coach for his 800 win.

Rangers usually are on point with this stuff. Would've meant a lot to him and I'm sure his players would've thoroughly enjoyed that

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on March 26, 2024, 10:05:19 PMGlad we found a way. Shesty was off tonight. I wonder if they were looking ahead to Colorado. Definitely not our best performance, but good teams find ways to win. Opposite of how the Giants find ways to lose.

What a hell of a competitive game tonight! Props to the Flyers for coming to play with a purpose. They made the Rangers earn every goal tonight and Igor had one goal where he was caught asleep at the wheel but, by and large, he was left naked between the sticks while the defense caved in around him.

So, the Breadman gets his century, Laviolette gets his 800th, the Rangers earn their 100th point and their third consecutive playoff appearance. Oh yes, as nb587 said, the Rangers put distance between themselves and their challengers in the Metro, the Eastern Conference and the President's Trophy. It's time to head out this way for a date with Colorado for the Stanley Cup Finals preview on Thursday. It doesn't get any better than this!

Peace!

What a wild 3rd period!  Don't often see a 2-1 game going into the 3rd end up at 6-5 but that's exactly what happened as each team traded haymakers for most of that period.  Not a ton of defense being played either way and a couple of flukey goals helped but the Rangers hung on to become the first team to clinch a playoff spot.

Defensive zone play in the 3rd was atrocious, but considering they are down three defensemen, likely not a shock that things might be catching up with them and Igor's ability to always bail them out.  That they keep finding ways to win though is huge.  As is the walking wounded coming back soon to fortify the defense.

Didn't see the whole game but from what I did see, the Flyers capitalized more on bad defense than bad goaltending. 

Quote from: nb587 on March 27, 2024, 06:19:18 PMDidn't see the whole game but from what I did see, the Flyers capitalized more on bad defense than bad goaltending. 

We had some bad giveaways, and that was certainly part of the goals allowed story, but Shesty wasn't making the big saves in this game that he has been in other games in February and March, in which I would classify his play as elite or near-elite. That wasn't the case last night. I'm not worried about it at all, but I think he'd be the first to say he didn't have his best night. Same goes for the D.

The fact that we overcame all of that and still won is a testament to the heart, competitiveness, and winning culture this team has.

Since its inception in 1985-86, only 8 winners of the Presidents Trophy have gone on to win the Cup, the last being the 2012-13 Blackhawks.  I for one would not be upset if NYR didn't it this year.  I also avoid walking under ladders, stepping on cracks in the sidewalk and all black cats 🐈�⬛