NFT: NY Rangers 2023 - 2024 Season

[DaveBrown74]

Florida is pretty stacked. They go four lines deep with talent, and Bobby is a great goalie... probably HOF material. I won't be surprised if this one goes to a game seven.

On the positive side, I think there might be more open ice in this series for Bread and Zibs.

[kartanoman]

Florida will try to do the same thing to Panarin/Fox that they did to Marchand. Bennet got away with it. Maurice is a very good coach who desperately wants his name on the chalice. The Rangers raised the level of their game in the 3rd, they will need to keep their game on the incline. I noticed during the Cane series Fox was not coming down the boards like usual until that third period. Maybe he's getting closer to healed. There will be a ton of hitting this series. I hope the refs are legitimate in their calls, and no cheapies. Here's where Goodrow's Cup experience comes in handy. Florida is a really really good team. It will be interesting to see how many Ranger fans travel to Sunrise for the game and to see their grandparents.

You wrote down what I was thinking. You get to the semifinals, having people who have been there AND know what it takes to win, i.e. Barclay Goodrow, are intangibles that can help a team in a pinch. He doesn't tilt the ice, since the entire Florida team took the broom to the Canes last year in this round. But Goodrow has something those guys do not ... a Stanley Cup with his name on it. They also have a former Florida player who was also a former Canes player who drove his former team batty out there in round two. I think Vinny Trocheck is someone else who can get underneath the skin of the Bennetts and other goons on Florida's roster to throw them off a step. That could have a huge impact on improving the Rangers' chances.

Peace!

[kartanoman]

Florida is pretty stacked. They go four lines deep with talent, and Bobby is a great goalie... probably HOF material. I won't be surprised if this one goes to a game seven.

On the positive side, I think there might be more open ice in this series for Bread and Zibs.

They are already advertising this one as a battle of best goalies in the league. Wait! What happened to Vezina Trophy winning Hellebuyck, anyway?

Anyway, I agree that the Z-man and the Breadman will have chances but I also think that this could be the series where Jack Roslovic, and his blazing speed, kicks into full gear and creates open spaces for our scoring heroes. He's played very well this off-season, as well as Wennberg, but Jack just needs to clean up the accuracy of his passing, a bit more, and keep shooting the puck, and he'll make an impact.

I'm hoping Laviolette is telling Jones to stay ready because I have a feeling we might see him before all is said and done.

Wednesday is going to be a good one! Meanwhile, if you haven't watched the Vancouver-Edmonton war, you're missing a Western classic. Game Seven on Monday in Vancouver, BC for winner take all and Dallas, who has home ice advantage, is ready for the winner. Oilers look dangerous! Connor McDavid is a f^@#!#g machine!

Peace!

[nb587]

Not going to be breaking any ground but this will be a really tough series.  To me, Florida is very similar to Carolina but they have better goaltending

[coggs]

Florida IS a really good team.  So are the Rangers.  This is the conference finals.  nobody should expect it to be easy.

[kartanoman]

NOTHING comes easy once you get to the semifinals. This is the backbreaker and even the best of teams have fallen off the cliff in this round. You make it here because you DESERVE to be here. This is the "Final Four" of the NHL but in Best of Seven format. If you can survive this round, you've arrived on destiny's doorstep.

It's NOT for the feint of heart - period!

It's going to be tough for the Rangers every bit as tough as it's going to be for the Panthers.

In other words, this is going to be one damn exciting series to watch, with the Western Conference Finals being equally as exciting.

Edmonton vs. Vancouver tonight for the right to play Dallas, tonight! A great series overall and worth watching if you have insomnia on the East Coast!

Peace!

[kartanoman]

T-1 for the puck drop to start Game One of the much-anticipated NHL Easten Conference Final between the Panthers and Rangers.

In anticipation of tomorrow night, we've batted around some thoughts, but I thought this NY Post article would be a good share in terms of the big-picture perspective of the Rangers' opponent to add another level of intensity and excitement to this chapter in this season's NFL Playoff story.

Rangers haven't seen anything like the challenge Stanley Cup-hungry Panthers pose

Looking back to last night, an injured and short-handed Vancouver finally succumbed in the end to Edmonton, 3-2, after what had been a magnificent season with a most disappointing playoff run reminiscent of the Rangers in the late 1980s to early 1990s. But an Oilers - Stars Western Conference Final should be equally as entertaining as Cats - Blueshirts.

Let the countdown begin!

Peace!

[EDjohnst1981]

So pumped, I couldn't even take a pre-game nap. This is going to be incredibly tough and incredibly tight.

[kartanoman]

T-3 hours and counting!

[DaveBrown74]

My broad view on this series is I think Florida is a tougher opponent than Carolina. They have a much better goalie, they have snipers all over the place, and they have some bruisers on D.

BUT

I also think we will be better. It's no more than a hunch, but I feel like we bottomed out in that Carolina series. I don't think we'll see this team lay an egg again the way they did in game five.

With that said I feel like this one is going to go to seven, even if we play our absolute best. We're going from facing a bad goalie to facing a great one. Bobby is likely HOF material. Freddy Anderson was a sieve.

[Messiah717]

The intensity just wasn't there tonight.  They will need to up their game in game two. 

[EDjohnst1981]

Long way to go but my initial thoughts the morning after are:

1. The rangers were pretty bad/soft/poor yet only 1 goal down until 3 mins to go. They mostly handled everything the Cats threw at them.

2. Florida looks to have far better depth

3. How many calls did the refs miss last night? The standard of officiating has been pretty poor in the post season - the high stick and bloodied nose suffered by Lindgren was particularly egregious.

4. Igor wasn't at his best. You can give a pass for being mostly unsighted for the first but the second was a dreadful error.

5. PP was limb but PK strong.

6. ESPN might offer the worst production of any sport I follow. The commentators are simply dreadful, the camera cut aways to close ups are ill timed.

7. It's game 1 and there's a long way to go. So I'm not going to panic but Friday is absolutely huge.

8. But they have to find a way to spring that forecheck.

[Gmo11]

How many posts did they hit? I think at least 3. They had a couple other glorious chances that were botched in that 3rd period too. Kakkos shot that bounced between the arm and pad but somehow doesn't go in? My goodness.

And that 2nd goal I cant really fault Igor on either because how is he supposed to anticipate Laffy being so frustrated trying and failing to score on one end that he decides to try and score on the other instead?

It sucks this game happened in game 1 at home because while Florida is a juggernaut of a team the Rangers withstood everything and had a number of terrific chances to tie/win it in the 3rd.

Game 2 just became a must win and I expect them to play with that type of intensity. I wasn't confident they'd take both MSG games but they gotta get one. Then steal one in Florida.

[coggs]

Thought both of those were on Igor.  first one he has to stop. 2nd was just an awful play by him.  Give it to Gustaffson.

Oh well, onto friday.  Confident Laviolette will get them going.

[kartanoman]

Florida's PRESSURE, SPEED and WINNING THE CHASE TO THE PUCK set them up to control the game last night. Brilliant display of shutting down a potent offensive attack like the Rangers and, despite all that, it was 0-1 for two and a half periods so consolation prize for the Rangers in that they can't get down on themselves and must make some more adjustments and they'll get some pucks past Bobrovsky.

The game played out every bit like we all expected it to be. Intense, physical (but generally clean) and fast track. The dynamics of this series haven't even begun yet. The heavy artillery has yet to be fired.

Florida drew first blood, but just remember the Rangers have a recently good history of success in their building so take notes from this game, adjust the plan and go out and win game two, then split in their building to make it a three game series. This one will likely have to go seven for the Rangers to win it; otherwise, Florida will end this one quickly and finish their own season of destiny.

Peace!