Derek Stepan is a game-time decision

[chuckd3534]

Alain Vigneault says that Derek Stepan is under the weather and is “less than 50-50″ for today’s game against the Predators. (Giannone)

Lee Stempniak, who appeared to be a scratch, will come into the lineup if Stepan can’t play.

 

[chuckd3534]

Looking forward to the game against Dallas tomorrow evening. Very unlikely we can win in Nashville with no Hank and no Stepan.

 

[cagedlion]

WTF!

Dominos anyone?

 

[chuckd3534]

Stepan not on ice and not going to play it appears.

Hopefully he is back tomorrow evening against the Stars.

An L today wouldn't be terrible considering how good the Preds are at home especially, and we got a very good W against Boston the other night. The issue is the top of the Met is winning every game again, so losing a game hurts us. I really want to avoid being a WC. I want # 2 in the Met. Not going to be easy with Hank out 15 games at least.

 

[Messiah717]

Maybe we will pull off a surprise win today and be their third home loss.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Don't try to be nostrodamous chuck

 

[chuckd3534]

? Because I think it will be tough to win today in a building that road teams struggle in...yeah I am really going out there with a crazy prediction...LOL. You are interesting strud.

Not an awful 1st period. Team playing hard. O will be hard to come by today though. Maybe we can get 1 and get out of there with a 1-0 or 2-1 win. That's why they play the games.

 

[cagedlion]

Maybe we will pull off a surprise win today and be their third home loss.

It would be a real surprise. Our O against Pekka Rinne = 0

 

[Ranger71]

You're not gonna beat Rinne straight on you need traffic in front.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Comon 2 shitty goals

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Can anyone besides Nash score

 

[chuckd3534]

Well, that was frustrating. I was saying get out of this period up 1-0 and I will feel pretty good. 38 + good minutes thrown away with shotty coverage. The 1st goal is Cam's rebound control issue. I know he has hopes to be a starter after next season, but to get there he must get better rebound control. 2nd goal is poor coverage.

Frustrating...

 

[chuckd3534]

It is all about depth again. When Step plays we have poor depth, but when he is out we have an AHL lineup outside of a couple of guys. The trade DL can't get here soon enough so Sather can make a deal.

 

[Stepupstepan]

Mcd and Girardi are the two worst d-men on the team right now. They need to be relegated to second pair behind Klein and Staal.

 

[cagedlion]

Can anyone besides Nash score

NO.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Comon Cam

 

[Stepupstepan]

two garbage d-men again on the ice for the goal against.

 

[chuckd3534]

That's the issue with Cam. We have to play perfect defensive games to beat good teams with him in net. He should have stopped that one. We really have played a solid game, frustrating we are trailing late.

Can we score 1 more in the last 6 minutes...

 

[chuckd3534]

I am not going to blame the dmen for a goal that Cam should stop. You certainly can Step, but I won't.

What were you saying when McD made a great move for the tying goal?

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Joe M sugarcoating the goal like always. Shitty goal to give up

 

[strudwickisthebest]

They let that cokehead Ribiero score

 

[Stepupstepan]

if one of the idiots Mcd or G actually blocks the shot instead of screening Cam, that shot does not go in.

 

[Messiah717]

I was hoping for a point. Not shocking though.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

They found every way to lose this game

 

[chuckd3534]

Okay, agree to disagree Step. I believe Cam should have stopped that for sure. You can blame the D for not blocking the shot. All good.

VERY frustrating L.

Couple of quick comments:

1. Played well, which is good to see, but we really lost this game during a 1 minute stretch late in the 2nd.
2. Cam played pretty well, but rebound control on the 1st goal and a soft goal on the 3rd goal did us in.
3. Zucc has got to shoot more. Starting to get fed up with him. When the guy passes the puck back 2' in front of the goal you know you need to rethink things.
4. Brass frustrates me because he misses a lot of golden chances. Hit the net bro.
5. Depth...a huge issue. Needs to be addressed.
6. Need to get a win tomorrow evening against the Stars. We do and we're okay. A loss and then you start to wonder about us without Hank.

 

[Messiah717]

They will be fine. Frustrating but lets win tomorrow and it's all good.

 

[Stepupstepan]

man, that preds d is scary with Weber, Josi and Jones.

 

[chuckd3534]

Agree Mess. Need that W tomorrow though. 4 game road trip starts after that game, so getting a W tomorrow evening is huge IMO. Really cannot afford a loss or doubt starts to creep in.

I am a little nervous right now. Team can step up on D and help Cam out when we are talking a game here or there. Now knowing he is the guy for the next 12-15 games at least, it is different. Cannot step it up every game.

And with the rest of the Met winning again, would love to see the Bruins and Canucks win tonight, I am concerned where we may be when/if Hank returns. Cannot afford an L tomorrow evening IMO.

 

[chuckd3534]

West will be a battle with Nashville, StL, Chic, and Anaheim. Anaheim may have the edge because they only play one being in a different division.

 

[Stepupstepan]

They should let that kid Skapski play at least two or three games. Who knows, he might steal a couple. We've seen other teams play some unknown rookie against us and win so let the kid get into some games. Might as well give him some experience. Cam is not used to playing so much.