Game Thread Game 5 Rangers Look to take charge...

[chuckd3534]

Your crazed obsession with Glass and the 4th line is funny dump. Your right to feel how you do, but I think it is way over the top when MSL is a - 5, Nash has zero points in 4 of 5 games, Brass has 1 goal this series, Hags has 0 goals, and Staal is a - 4 this series.

 

[Rangers94]

Agree with Mess. You have got to give TB full credit, it isn't fair to them not to. They were clearly the better team after the 1st period last night and deserved the win. But we played with nothing IMO. We never went hard to the net. Never created any traffic in front. Never just fired pucks at the net instead of being fancy. That's the reality of it. We didn't play at all like we did in games 3 & 4. Now some credit for that goes to TB for sure, but a big part of it was also our "effort" as well.

We do NOT need major changes here. By definition upgrading the 4th line and maybe 3rd D pair cannot equal major changes. We need some tweaks in those spots if we lose tomorrow night.

As for McIlrath, I know no one accepts this, but maybe he isn't good enough to be a solid NHL dman. I know that is crazy for me to say, but he isn't doing much in Hartford. He isn't a good skater. So why is it on AV that he isn't here? In the NHL today you need to be a good skater to be a good dman OR be just so darn imposing that it doesn't matter if you aren't a good skater. Maybe McIlrath isn't that guy. Could simply be reality.

Exactly right with McIlrath. He could be a good dman, or he could be awful. Fact is, he hasn't really stood out in Hartford, he isn't what AV wants in a dman either as AV wants dmen that have a good offensive skill set and McIlrath is definitely not that. This still isn't truly AVs team.

 

[Rangers94]

Dump wants to blame the 4th line, that's fine. They're not an offensive threat. That's for sure. But our lines that ARE SUPPOSED TO BE aren't either and that's the bigger issue. The Zucc injury is a two-fold injury. Hurts us with the loss of Zucc and hurts us with the addition Sheppard on the 4th line.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

All thanks to moron McDonaugh

 

[strudwickisthebest]

To me AV plays "small ball" like NBA coaches.. The team just doesn't have mAny players that play an in your face style outside of Kreider. G4 they hit TB and scored garbage goals like dump said. When they try to be too fancy they get shutout like last night because it's just too easy for other goalies

 

[chuckd3534]

Moron McDonagh? He has also been far from our biggest issue. Certainly hasn't been the stud we expected, but he has been fine. 9 points in the playoffs and a + 2 isn't terrible.

You guys really do dance around the main issues and try and come up with stuff that doesn't matter.

Staal -4 this series. MSL -5 this series. Brass 1 goal this series. Nash ZERO points in 4 of 5 games in this series. Hags zero goals since the Pitt series. Those are your biggest issues this series IMO.

McD, 3 points and a -2, hasn't been good enough this series, but he hasn't been that bad considering how much he plays and who he plays against.

To me the 5 or 6 players I have mentioned have been the biggest issue by far, specifically Nash, MSL, and Staal.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

I think he's a moron for causing injuries to our players this year, albeit they were accidents.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Plus him and Girardi have been undressed by TB this series

 

[chuckd3534]

Your first comment is stupid and I won't even touch it. Your second comment is interesting to me considering these guys have played a ton, and McD is a -2 and G is a -1 in this series. Not bad when you realize they are playing against the triplets this series AND our top guys have done sh*t.

AGAIN focus on Nash and MSL and Staal and Brass with 1 goal this series. There is your issue, not Glass or G or McD.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Nash and MSL are what they are... You have a playoff choker and a guy that just came to the end of his career... Tough because we all felt that Marty had one more left in him and this was finally the road to redemption for Nash after scoring 42g and playing all season

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Can they take over next game? Maybe, their best games have come in TB and on the road... They need a decisive win tomorrow. Even if they score first the defense has shown they can't handle TB's top 2 lines

 

[Messiah717]

Can they take over next game? Maybe, their best games have come in TB and on the road... They need a decisive win tomorrow. Even if they score first the defense has shown they can't handle TB's top 2 lines

I don't care if it's 1-0 then need a win.

 

[chuckd3534]

Yes MSL and Nash are what they are, but that still doesn't change the fact that we are losing because those guys are doing nothing.

Nash was given credit for playing well outside of not scoring goals, well in the last 6 games he has ZERO points in 5 of them...not good enough.

MSL has hit the wall hard, and not only wins ZERO puck battles, he also is killing the team with mistakes and soft plays.

Add in Staal being bad. And Brass with 1 goal. And Miller with 0 goals. And Hayes with 0 goals (does have 4 assists and has played well, but 0 goals). And Hags with 0 goals. There is your issue. 3 of 4 lines not doing much. CK/Step/Fast is the only line that has produced, and they didn't do a darn thing last night.

 

[Disturbed]

You guys need to dissect the ills of this playoff series after it's over.

It's not over

 

[chuckd3534]

Agreed. Our best players need to play better or we won't win. If they do we can clearly still win this series. That simple IMO.

 

[mrmel29]

We are not done yet until rangers lose a 4th game. Until then they have proved to be a resilient and tough enough team to deserve our support until that happens. We are a win away from forcing game 7 on our ice when we do not lose. Keep the faith fellas and we will be rewarded. They know better than anybody they played like shit tonight and will come back strong tomorrow. That being said Dump, your description of Yandle was so on the money its ridiculous.