GAME 4 RANGERS-CANADIANS - SERIES CHANGES TONIGHT

[Rangers94]

AV better SLAM these refs after this game

 

[Rangers94]

Big rule change that is LONG overdue...when a goalie is pulled the team down a man can't be called for icing.

 

[mrmel29]

Thank friggin God. Now go get game 5

 

[Rangers94]

Great game. AWFUL officiating. Possibly the worst game I've ever seen officiated in 30+ years of watching hockey. Holy shit. If AV doesn't throw these refs under the bus and demand they not be allowed to be near an NHL game with the Rangers involved in it I'd be disappointed tremendously. These refs were waiting for someone to get hurt and hoping they would get hurt it seemed like. Smith catches an elbow in the face and no call. Not sure how 4 refs all missed that call but it's disgusting.

 

[Ranger71]

Smith is going need some 'personal' masseuse time after that one.

 

[Messiah717]

Smith is going need some 'personal' masseuse time after thaf one.

He played a heck of a game.

 

[Stepupstepan]

Good that they won finally on home ice. I forgot how comfortable win at home in the playoffs feels like.

 

[Messiah717]

Now onto a critical game five in Montreal.

 

[RangersFan]

Very solid game by the Rangers. I guess we are where we always figured to be, tied 2-2. Now we have road ice advantage back....

Truth be told I am sure Montreal will come out on fire in game 5, so we need to come ready to play from the start or we can get buried. But if we can get out of the first 8 minutes or so in a good position, I think we can win that game.

And I never complain about the refs, but that 3rd period was a joke. Habs got away with 3 or 4 penalties easy. The only plus is we didn't get called for any either, but not sure we were even close to deserving one. And I feel bad for Smith man...he got beaten up in the 3rd...but he is a good solid dman...I like him a lot.

Onto game 5...need to raise our level again to win that game back in their building.

 

[Ranger71]

He played a heck of a game.

I didn't like his play in the first 2 but he was gutty in the 3rd. Hopefully he's ready for Thurs.

 

[RangersFan]

I agree 717, game 5 will be critical in the sense that I think it is going to be damn hard to win a game 7 up there. Almost need to win in 6. But for now let's enjoy this win tonight and be happy we still have a season to focus on for a few more days.

 

[RangersFan]

You don't like Smith 71, that is cool but clear. You have knocked him since he got here. I disagree with you. I think he is a solid lower 2nd pair dman. Happy we have him.

 

[Greyvtrayn]

Gutsy game. Both sides seemed to be getting the benefit of the doubt on some of those hits, slashes, trips and general rough play. much rather have that than a ton of penalties. Nice to see them back in the series...best of 3 now! Lundqvist has been tremendous.

 

[Ranger71]

It's not that i don't like him, but i don't think he's been more than average since getting here. He's taken a decent # of penalties and seems shaky at times in his own end. I liked the acquisition and wouldn't mind keeping him at all. I think with a full camp and what he's gotten from playing with these guys he will look even better next year.

 

[Messiah717]

I agree 717, game 5 will be critical in the sense that I think it is going to be damn hard to win a game 7 up there. Almost need to win in 6. But for now let's enjoy this win tonight and be happy we still have a season to focus on for a few more days.

They have done it in the past but yes game sevens on the road certainly aren't easy. One game at a time at this point.

 

[RangersFan]

I think he is what he is, a solid # 4 dman. If you were expecting more than that is on you. He is not a 1st pair dman. I do agree with you on the penalty run he was on late in the season, but he has cleaned that up in the playoffs. Again, to me we are darn lucky we have him. That Skjei/Smith pair has been real solid for us behind McDonagh/Girardi.

 

[Ranger71]

I actually would feel more confident in game 7 than i do about the next game. All the pressure is on the home team and the Rangers tend to exploit teams in that spot. I would be a little worried about needing to win game 6 at home.

 

[theProdigy223]

Looks like we got ourselves a series here boys.

Great game. Crowd was electric, best one I've been a part of since the finals playoff run.

Will post some observations tomorrow but in the meantime LETS GO RANGERS

 

[RangersFan]

Yes, we'll worry about game 7 if we get there. I picked Montreal in 6, and I figured 2-2 would get us there, so we still have a lot of work to do in order to get where we want to get.

I mean let's be real here, we played well tonight, but the lack of finishing and over passing is a huge issue. We'll need to finish way better and SHOOT THE PUCK to win game 5 up there.

And BTW Price didn't make any real big saves tonight, maybe 1 or 2, so we need to get more pressure on him, and get more pucks on net when we can to win game 5.

 

[RangersFan]

BUT I am happy this team showed some heart and fire at home, that was good to see, and if nothing else a huge improvement from game 3. At least they have some balls.

 

[Messiah717]

The Rangers responded big time tonight after that stinker in game three. They came out skating and actually hitting. Thursday night should be a heck of a game.

 

[Ranger71]

With all the hitting whoever makes it through is going to want at least 4-5 days off.

 

[Stepupstepan]

I have a feeling AV is gonna put Glass back in with all the shit that went on even though it was refreshing to see four good lines for once with Buch tonight in the playoffs.

 

[Messiah717]

Nash has shown up big time in this series. Somebody needs to wake Kreider the hell up.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Still think the team is bogged down in that 1-2 goal per game style of play. They were better tonight but didn't have a ton of scoring chances. Henrik made the better of the saves tonight

 

[kreidertime]

Kreider has been atrocious. Shame he went from a playoff beast to a schmuck in the post season. Hank for having a crap regular season has really proved something here. Honestly, I thought he was more done than not. Same with Girardi. That was a very good win. They actually looked like a playoff team for the first time in 2 years. However, if Kreider and Stepan continue to look like imbeciles it will be hard for them to get out of the first round.

Lindberg, Fast and Vesey continue to look like they will be good playoff guys going forward.

 

[theProdigy223]

Kreider has been atrocious. Shame he went from a playoff beast to a schmuck in the post season.

When I said I was going to post some observations today, he was the guy I had in mind. Having a low hockey IQ is not necessarily a deal breaker when you're as physically gifted as Kreider is. However, Kreider is no longer trying out there. In years past, even at times this season, he would get a flying start and shoot past the defense for a breakaway or, at least, a hard drive to the net. Last night, if you watched him without the puck, he barely moved. He would take a few strides, coast, stop, turn, coast, etc. He passed up several opportunities to lay a hit. He fumbled the puck when he got it. He looks absolutely lost and looks like he'd rather be anywhere else in the world than playing playoff hockey. I dont know if something is up with him but he needs to wake up. Fans at the game were getting on him hard because it's very, very noticeable.

Aside from Kreider, a few other guys who stood out to me in a good way and other observations:

-McDonagh is never going to be in that elite level of defenseman like Weber or Karlsson or Subban or Suter but this guy is criminally underrated on this board. He makes up ground better than any defenseman we've had in years. The puck could be coming in on the opposite side of the ice and McDonagh is on the carrier in seconds. He's the most fluid skater on the team and almost always makes the right play with the puck. He also had an incredible keep-in and pass to Nash on the game winner. Say what you want about him as a captain but he can flat out play.

-While McDonagh may be the best skater, the best stickhandler is far and away Buchnevich. When he has the puck on his stick it almost looks magnetized. He can deke back and forth, change hands, make all sorts of stick fakes, and the puck never even comes CLOSE to slipping off. It's incredible to watch. Then you see a guy like Kreider, who he was playing with, try to receive a pass and the puck goes bouncing away. Buch is really gifted and is going to be an important player for us. He was even mixing it up a bunch with Ott. Hilarious to see Ott try to chirp at him, Buch probably had no idea what the hell that bearded buffoon was saying.

-Aside from Staal's struggles in Game 2, both he and Girardi have had a resurgence this series. They are both incredibly poised with the puck. Miles better than at any point the past year or two. They take hits when necessary and never give up an opportunity to dish one out at the right time. Skjei is a little jumpy at times but has the physical tools to make up for mistakes. Smith has also been very, very good. The weak link again was Holden. You can almost here him say "Oh shit" out loud when he gets the puck in his own zone.

-Lindberg and Fast have probably the best forward chemistry of anyone on the team. Love these two together.

-Carey Price is almost unbeatable with wrist shots from distance unless you have someone stand directly in front of him. However, he is not that great when the puck is in close. He doesnt cover scrambles the way Hank and others do. Both goals were scored in the crease. Instead of making the extra pass we should be looking to carry the puck in close and bang it home. You can tell he isnt comfortable when people are on top of him and the puck is loose.

-Hank is still Hank and everyone here or elsewhere who said they had no confidence in him should be eating crow.

Overall, I like where we're at. No reason we can't go into MTL and take game 5, and if we do we'll be in a very good position.

LETS GO RANGERS.

 

[Ranger71]

We all like little Zucc but he's gotta stop with the forced passes and shoot more. I don't know why he's gotten into that mode so badly this year.

 

[RangersFan]

I actually like that line, but between Zucc and Hayes they never shoot. That is a concern with that line.

 

[Stepupstepan]

Zucc has been doing that no shooting for years and now Hayes does the same shit. The rangers are the only team that I've watched in the playoffs so far that likes to score pretty goals. That never works in the NHL playoffs. No wonder they never score any goals at home.