Big Blue Huddle

Agree on the worst period of hockey all year. But it's much better to suffer that now rather than in game 7.

Leadership and coaching now needs to come to the fore - remind them what they did in games 1-3. Bread needs to be more involved, as does Kreider.

They need one out of two, I'd have taken that at the start of the series but they really need to shake last night off. Hopefully the extra day off helps.

Rangers fans were WAY too optimistic after the first three games of the series.  All were one goal wins, and two in OT.  Taking nothing away from the Rangers, as they did win, but they were not dominant in any way. 

Starting in game three especially, the Canes played with a ton of energy, purpose, and desperation.  As you would expect.  Rangers matched them pretty well in game three and won.  Didn't match them nearly as well in game four, but again, you would expect that a team down 0-3 would have a ton more energy and desperation.  And a team up 3-0 might let up a bit (even though you never should take your foot off your opponent's neck, but alas, we are human too).  Even so, except for a late penalty, we could have won.

Once they lost their first game of the playoffs, I then expected game five to have them come out looking to obliterate the Canes and for the garden to be rocking.  Neither happened.  The garden seemed quiet all night (maybe it was the ESPN audio, who knows) and the Rangers were completely listless.  Zero energy, zero offensive pressure.  I don't remember one shot on goal, except the Trouba shorty, that was a high danger shot.  And ZERO physicality, except for the Trouba hit.  This is not the old Rangers teams from the past that were small and pushed around.  Kreider, Trocheck, LaFren, Cuylle, Vesey, Rempe, Goodrow, Lindgren, Schneider, Trouba... all bigger / chippier / willing to mix it up guys, and virtually NONE were to be seen.  If the Canes want to dump and chase and hit the Rangers D, not to mention take some liberties, then I expect these guys to stand up and pummel them into the boards.  But they are letting the Canes be physical with them and have zero pushback.

This team BETTER be flying in Game 6.  Better be hitting everything that moves.  Better be driving play.  The time is now for them to be desperate, aggressive, angry.  Because this is very close to a winner take all game seven, and after the third period last night, the Canes believe 100% they can win this.  Including that arrogant punk ass DeAngelo.  Time to take care of business.... and this will be just a blip.  That this was a good thing for them to get punched in the mouth and have some adversity to overcome... better to have that when you are up 3-0 than in the next round when you don't have as much cushion.  But this team needs a leader and I am not sure we have someone that can even partially emulate Messier and get them through this.

Sorry for the length of this..... I needed to vent.

I didn't watch the game, had an event to go to. Lucky for me, saved my voice from yelling at the tv.The extra day will help them settle down. Anyway I envisioned them winning this series in their white jerseys. From what I hear they again let Carolina skate through center ice. No, no, no, no, no. OPEN ICE BODY CHECKS. These are the playoffs. One can get away with a lot of stuff. See Sam Bennet on Marchand. What this team is missing is a Jamie Benn, or JT Miller(never wanted to see him traded). That guy who will step up and lay the wood into a key opponent. Remember what Messier did to Stevens in Game 2 in 94'. They should bang shots off the Canes like in an arcade game. Give no quarter, Attila the Hun during the game, and right after Mother Theresa while shaking hands. The only goal is to get one's name inscribed on the Cup. There is not one name on the chalice that indicates whether one is a Lady Bing type, or Hanson Bros. type. Not one. As far as winning a Cup, I'm Machiavellian.

Quote from: files58 on May 14, 2024, 11:45:36 AMAs far as winning a Cup, I'm Machiavellian.

If the Rangers make it through this round, their next opponent is the epitome of your descriptor.

You need not have watched the third period last night; you described it perfectly without seeing it. The entire space in front of Igor was completely undefended. Inexplicable! Cut to a Daffy Duck cartoon where he says "In---des--picable!" and substitute the word and that sums it up.

They wanted a series for the ages, well, they're getting their money's worth now!

Meanwhile, back in Mile High country, my dream Stanley Cup final took yet another blow as Dallas beat down Colorado into submission last night. A Vancouver - Dallas Western Conference semifinal is slowly starting to take shape. #1 Pacific vs. #1 Central seems inevitable.

Tonight, do the Panthers put the Bruins away? doesn't look good for Beantown.

Peace!

If this thing goes to seven games, and it is a possibility it very well could, this article is a sobering fact facing the eventual winner of the series:

Hurricanes vs Rangers is heading towards mutually assured NHL destruction

Peace.

"Tonight, do the Panthers put the Bruins away? doesn't look good for Beantown."

because the Panthers/Brennet stabbed the Bruins in the heart when he punched him. They went to the Finals last year, know what it takes, and taste blood.

Quote from: kartanoman on May 14, 2024, 12:47:50 PMYou need not have watched the third period last night; you described it perfectly without seeing it. The entire space in front of Igor was completely undefended. Inexplicable! Cut to a Daffy Duck cartoon where he says "In---des--picable!" and substitute the word and that sums it up.

That first goal by Staal was a complete disaster. Guys going off for changes inexplicable, wide open passing lanes in the neutral zone and then Schneider both gives Staal space AND let's him beat him to the net. Just awful all around.

Quote from: jgrangers2 on May 14, 2024, 06:11:35 PMThat first goal by Staal was a complete disaster. Guys going off for changes inexplicable, wide open passing lanes in the neutral zone and then Schneider both gives Staal space AND let's him beat him to the net. Just awful all around.

After I watched that goal and the replay I felt ill. I actually like Schneider and think he's a developing, pretty decent young player. But his complete lack of effort on that play was utterly inexcusable. That's the sort of thing I'd consider benching him for a game over and giving Zac Jones or Chad Ruhwedel a shot in his place.

The problem with that, of course, is that he isn't the only one who should be hanging his head after that game. There are plenty of others, including some who make much, much, much more money than he does.

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on May 14, 2024, 06:16:08 PMAfter I watched that goal and the replay I felt ill. I actually like Schneider and think he's a developing, pretty decent young player. But his complete lack of effort on that play was utterly inexcusable. That's the sort of thing I'd consider benching him for a game over and giving Zac Jones or Chad Ruhwedel a shot in his place.

The problem with that, of course, is that he isn't the only one who should be hanging his head after that game. There are plenty of others, including some who make much, much, much more money than he does.

Lots of eggs on lots of faces. Let's leave it at that and let Chef Laviolette figure out how to cook the omelet before his goose gets cooked.

Peace!

This is more of an NHL playoffs commentary than anything else.

I guess it's best to not jump ahead and let's just appreciate the drama (NOTE: both good and bad) that comes with the intensity of excellent teams fighting for their lives to get to what I used to think was the hardest round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the semifinal round. After observing the will and determination of both Boston and Edmonton, last night, the second round has been pumped new life and Colorado will have the opportunity tonight to fight off extinction in Dallas. Should they succeed, I think it would be worthwhile to stop, take a step back, put our fanaticism for the Rangers down a moment, and just appreciate what a thrilling story that is unfolding in these hockey playoffs this year. You have plot twists, teams rebounding from star players getting injured by goons, tug of war between two of the best NHL teams, speed race of the two fastest teams to determine which is faster, battle of the two highest scoring teams in the league, this playoff round has it all.

I like the way Boston's goalie Slayman just put the whole thing on his back and he played on his head the whole game. Florida almost tied it at the end but he answered the bell and seeing his emotion afterward is taking this series to a level above Florida's gooning Marchard. I would love nothing more than to see the Bruins run the table and run the goons out of the playoff race. Just a dramatic and intense goalie performance last night!

The Oilers came to play, last night, and this morning the Canucks are being accused of being "soft." Sounds familiar, doesn't it? That's why I posted that article yesterday because it made a salient point that, when excellent teams face each other in the second and third rounds, you start to see casualties and, more obvious, the scars, bruises and the beginnings of wear and tear that the playoffs have on a team. You read what files58 describes as "Machiavellian," but sometimes even that gets beaten by a hero who steps up and refuses to die and puts it on their shoulders, "The Last Samurai" style, and that's why Slayman's performance last night was one for the ages.

These playoffs have more plot twists than the greatest Greek tragedies ever written and there's so much more to come before the second round is in the books.

Turning it back to the Rangers-Canes series, it only takes that one thing to send the momentum swinging one way, or the other, as a testament to how evenly matched up these teams are. Who is going to be responsible for that "one thing" tomorrow night? How is it going to shape the legacy of what has become the greatest series so far in these NHL Playoffs?

Who will be the one to answer the bell when it is rung?

This is why we tune in and find out!

Peace!

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on May 14, 2024, 06:16:08 PMAfter I watched that goal and the replay I felt ill. I actually like Schneider and think he's a developing, pretty decent young player. But his complete lack of effort on that play was utterly inexcusable. That's the sort of thing I'd consider benching him for a game over and giving Zac Jones or Chad Ruhwedel a shot in his place.

The problem with that, of course, is that he isn't the only one who should be hanging his head after that game. There are plenty of others, including some who make much, much, much more money than he does.

If they're gonna bench anyone, it should be Trouba or Gustafson for Jones. They've been terrible (Trouba's shorty notwithstanding). I think Schneider got caught flat footed and stuck between giving Staal space and attacking him and just did neither. It was ugly and then only got worse from there.

Ultimately, while game 5 was ugly, it's just one game. Hopefully the Rangers come out better tomorrow night and look a lot more like the team from game 4. Carolina needed three bar and in goals to win on Saturday. If the Rangers play like that, they end it tomorrow and we don't have to go through the heart attack of a game 7.

Quote from: jgrangers2 on May 15, 2024, 04:38:53 PMIf they're gonna bench anyone, it should be Trouba or Gustafson for Jones. They've been terrible (Trouba's shorty notwithstanding). I think Schneider got caught flat footed and stuck between giving Staal space and attacking him and just did neither. It was ugly and then only got worse from there.

Ultimately, while game 5 was ugly, it's just one game. Hopefully the Rangers come out better tomorrow night and look a lot more like the team from game 4. Carolina needed three bar and in goals to win on Saturday. If the Rangers play like that, they end it tomorrow and we don't have to go through the heart attack of a game 7.

You know, I remember cursing at Trouba last year as the Rangers went down in flames. I'm not sure what's going on with him. But I will say that I remember when he was out of the lineup, the defense came to life when Jones stepped in and added a nice little spark in the transition element of the defensive game. He seemed to hold his own as well against some of the better teams out there. But that's when Foxy was at 100%, which it is pretty clear he is not at the moment.

Ever since that high-flying missed check into the side boards, Trouba seems to have lost something and, along with Miller, they're fading at the end of games now. So are we seeing one player going to pieces, or are we seeing a few players fade because their tanks are starting to hit empty? A scary thought!

But bringing Jones in would make all the sense in the world right now because they need a spark back there and he can provide that. He's fresh, can spell one of them who needs a day off, and tomorrow the world will be on their backs with a relentless attack coming.

But Laviolette needs to take the temperature of his team right now and be smart in the next steps he makes. He's accomplished the gauntlet for Lord Stanley so this shouldn't be any surprise for him. Make smart adjustments, don't sell out your players and risk getting them injured if they're hurting too much right now. Challenge the ones whom he believes they have something to deliver and let them go deliver it.

But, in the end, defend that space in front of Igor, for crying out loud!

Peace!

Quote from: jgrangers2 on May 15, 2024, 04:38:53 PMIf they're gonna bench anyone, it should be Trouba or Gustafson for Jones. They've been terrible (Trouba's shorty notwithstanding). I think Schneider got caught flat footed and stuck between giving Staal space and attacking him and just did neither. It was ugly and then only got worse from there.

Ultimately, while game 5 was ugly, it's just one game. Hopefully the Rangers come out better tomorrow night and look a lot more like the team from game 4. Carolina needed three bar and in goals to win on Saturday. If the Rangers play like that, they end it tomorrow and we don't have to go through the heart attack of a game 7.

With the Avs scoring three in the third period last night, they bought themselves a Game Six at home. The narrative played out precisely and all four series are at 3-2.

The next act in the grand theatric performance that is the Rangers and Canes takes center stage tonight. Home team has the momentum, now can the visitors find that one thing to get them through to finish the series tonight?

Stay tuned.

Peace!

I don't know how to post a screen shot but 5/6 experts from The Athletic are picking the Rangers: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5496109/2024/05/16/nhl-playoffs-picks-odds-rangers-hurricanes-oilers-canucks/?source=user_shared_article

I wish I was that confident.

Quote from: EDjohnst1981 on May 16, 2024, 02:08:02 PMI don't know how to post a screen shot but 5/6 experts from The Athletic are picking the Rangers: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5496109/2024/05/16/nhl-playoffs-picks-odds-rangers-hurricanes-oilers-canucks/?source=user_shared_article

I wish I was that confident.

At this point, I've learned not to predict but to sit back and enjoy the performance across all eight teams remaining. No expectations, no pressure. Just appreciate the effort all teams are putting out there because Game Six in each of these tight series' are jam-packed with intense pressure belying the pain and fatigue every player is trying to work through at the moment. We too often throw around the term "gut-check" casually; however, each of the four match-ups are literally gut-checks in the truest sense of the term.

You'd have better luck pinning a tail on a donkey blind-folded at this point, when it comes to predictions. Just when you think one team is done, and it's all over, they rise from the near-dead and find a level they thought they never had and, all of a sudden, it's a brand new series.

So, that's my take going into the games tonight. I will probably record the game and start watching an hour or so into it to fast-forward through the commercials. But since the playoffs started, I've gotten my wife watching by my side every game. The youngin' we took to Tempe is on and off, but only because she's jacked up since the school year is almost over.

We'll be ready but plan to just enjoy the show.

Peace!