Game Thread Game 6: THE WE WILL NOT GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT GAME

[Messiah717]

The guy has two cups, good situation or not. Our guy has zero. Can we at least give Sutter a chance for two years?

If a change would be made I'd rather have somebody with a future. I just have no interest in a guy like Sutter. I'd rather have a guy like Lindy Ruff if you're going to go that route.

 

[Stepupstepan]

they need to add some vets to get the job done

When the rangers add vets. We all know what happens...LOL they just collect the retirement checks. I would love to show Hayes the door though.

 

[Stepupstepan]

If a change would be made I'd rather have somebody with a future. I just have no interest in a guy like Sutter. I'd rather have a guy like Lindy Ruff if you're going to go that route.

Lindy Ruff? What has he done?

 

[Messiah717]

It's funny but I'm not even that upset. I guess I resigned myself to the fact that they were losing this series after they blew game five like they did. Just asking to overcome too much. Gut punch one put them down 2-0 in the series. Gut punch two knocked them out.

 

[RangersFan]

Amen 717...I agree 100%. Not really upset either. WAY too many things working against them after being down 2-0, then battling back only to be gut punched again and lose game 5 tied 2-2. Like I said Saturday...would have been an all-time epic win if we came back from all the things that stacked up on us this series.

 

[Messiah717]

Lindy Ruff? What has he done?

Fifth all time in wins and somebody who would stress defense.

 

[Messiah717]

Amen 717...I agree 100%. Not really upset either. WAY too many things working against them after being down 2-0, then battling back only to be gut punched again and lose game 5 tied 2-2. Like I said Saturday...would have been an all-time epic win if we came back from all the things that stacked up on us this series.

It's like casinos. Eventually the odds get to you in the end and you lose. We mentioned previously that game five winners take the series 78% of the time. It's not like it can't happen but you can't expect it often.

 

[RangersFan]

What we need to do is follow what I laid out above (which is exactly what many/most of you have been writing also so not my idea). And then stay the course with the kids upfront, Graves on D, and sign a dman. This hopefully will be a springboard to bigger things.

Last season was step one. I think this season could be step two hopefully. Gorton has done a really good job since he took over, I have faith in him.

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

If a change would be made I'd rather have somebody with a future. I just have no interest in a guy like Sutter. I'd rather have a guy like Lindy Ruff if you're going to go that route.

Lindy Ruff...umm pass

 

[RangersFan]

AND team that goes up 2-0 wins 78% of the time. So a double 78% of the time. Yeah...unlikely you come back to win that series.

 

[Stepupstepan]

The kings did a lot of crazy comebacks on their way to their cups. Who was the guy behind their bench?

 

[Messiah717]

Lindy Ruff...umm pass

Didn't say I wanted him but I'd go that route before the Sutter route. Like I said if a change would be made give me a younger guy with a future.

 

[Messiah717]

The kings did a lot of crazy comebacks on their way to their cups. Who was the guy behind their bench?

They also had Quick playing out of his mind. The Kings underachieved often during the regular season then got hot on a couple of runs. No thanks on Sutter. Torts came here after winning a cup also.

 

[RangersFan]

No thanks on Ruff. Don't really love Sutter either. I think AV will be here anyway, so no point in really analyzing.

 

[Messiah717]

No thanks on Ruff. Don't really love Sutter either. I think AV will be here anyway, so no point in really analyzing.

There's no great option. The best coach right now in my opinion ended up in Nashville. Has a chance to go to his third finals with his third team.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

At the end of the day the players blew the games. Just as they did on ur SCF. Go back to game 1 of the SCF when D.Moore whiffed on a wide open net on a pass from MSL. That would have made that game 3-0 and maybe they hold on. Same crap this year (last year they got killed) with 6on 5 play. The series should have been over in 5. AV will be here next year hopefully they can add a piece

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Ultimately the team needs a go to player. As they are they are a good support it cast. Take a chance on Kovalchuk who might have one last good season in him as a vet player. Atleast the guy is a threat on the PP... 3-39 lol

 

[Messiah717]

Ultimately the team needs a go to player. As they are they are a good support it cast. Take a chance on Kovalchuk who might have one last good season in him as a vet player. Atleast the guy is a threat on the PP... 3-39 lol

I think the Rangers will have interest but I don't know about it happening. I'd certainly take him on a two year contract. He could still easily score 35 goals and is a difference maker type player that teams have to game plan for and pay attention to. It's something the Rangers don't have and the other teams remaining in the playoffs do. The problem is that the Devils would still hold his rights if he returned.

 

[Ranger71]

Hard to see Shero dealing him here unless you gave them a boatload. I'm not sure they can even afford him at say 5m with the RFA and defenseman situation. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up staying in NJ.

 

[Stepupstepan]

I would stay away from guys like Kovalchuk as far as possible. They need to revamp the d and get guys who can play a two way game. That should be a priority. Kovalchuk does not play any defense.

 

[nj cup]

Kovalchuck on the rangers makes way too much sense. He certainly would improve the nonexistent power play that cost you this series. But there's noway shero would deal him to the rangers to help them win the cup.

 

[RangersFan]

The PP did not cost us this series. We lost game 2 scoring 5 goals. We lost game 5 scoring 4 goals. Those were the two games that decided the series. We scored 9 goals combined. O was not the issue in this series, as it usually is in our playoff L's.

That doesn't mean we don't need to improve the PP or need a scorer, just means we didn't lose this series because of the PP or O.

 

[Ranger71]

I don't know, i mean 3/39 is pretty darn awful, and even one goal out of that 6 min in the 1st period and the momentum changes completely imo. It acts as a drain and gives the other team life. Next thing you know its 2 zip and a major climb.

 

[RangersFan]

PP was awful. They scored 1 goal against Montreal...did it cost us that series...NOPE.

And again we scored NINE...NINE...NINE goals in the two most important games in this series...NINE.

We are having two discussions here. Do we need to be better on the PP in general...YES YES YES. Did the PP cost us this series against Ottawa...NO NO NO.

Two separate points.

And game 6 was not where this series was lost. I know that is the easy game to focus on because it was the last game, and yes in GAME 6 the PP cost us, but we did not lose the series because of it. We lost the series in games 2 & 5, and because of awful personnel decisions by AV late in those games, and awful execution by the players late in those games, and Hank allowed 4 or 5 soft goals in those two games combined.

THAT is why we lost the series, not the PP.

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

PP was awful. They scored 1 goal against Montreal...did it cost us that series...NOPE.

And again we scored NINE...NINE...NINE goals in the two most important games in this series...NINE.

We are having two discussions here. Do we need to be better on the PP in general...YES YES YES. Did the PP cost us this series against Ottawa...NO NO NO.

Two separate points.

And game 6 was not where this series was lost. I know that is the easy game to focus on because it was the last game, and yes in GAME 6 the PP cost us, but we did not lose the series because of it. We lost the series in games 2 & 5, and because of awful personnel decisions by AV late in those games, and awful execution by the players late in those games, and Hank allowed 4 or 5 soft goals in those two games combined.

THAT is why we lost the series, not the PP.

I will disagree in that the pathetic PP cost them as not only did they not score but they allowed Ottawa to gain confidence in killing the penalties and which allows them not to worry about questionable calls...they know they can get away with more because the p.o. can kill them

 

[Ranger71]

3 or 4 pp goals dispersed throughout that series and they probably are now on the winning end. One of the bad losses probably dosen't happen, and maybe they end up winning games 1 or 6. So at least if the pp is not god awful it's probably enough to have them at worst playing tomorrow night.

 

[mrmel29]

If Gorton pulls the trigger and jettisons AV which would be the right move and contract extension means nothing as we saw with torts situation I'd like to see Messier who was interested in the job before they chose AV become the new coach if he's still interested and bring with him graves and leetch as his assistants. If AV back it will be the same shit again watching over rated veterans at the end of each game blowing leads along with no defense and an invisible power play.

 

[nj cup]

i beg to differ about the power play not being a factor.

sure you got past the habs with only 1ppg but when push came to shove your down a goal in the third you get a power play and do nothing with it? thats when it comes up short and it really stings. what were the rangers last night 0-4? you lose a game by 1 goal and go 0-4 on the power play. thats huuuuuge!

 

[Messiah717]

2 for 40 on the PP or whatever it was is ridiculous.

 

[RangersFan]

I will disagree in that the pathetic PP cost them as not only did they not score but they allowed Ottawa to gain confidence in killing the penalties and which allows them not to worry about questionable calls...they know they can get away with more because the p.o. can kill them

All fair. I will disagree with you guys in terms of its affect on this series overall.

We led for 180 minutes, Ottawa led for 13 minutes, games 1-5. We pretty much dominated or worst case totally controlled games 1-5, yet trailed 3-2 in the series.
We scored 5 goals in game 2. We scored 4 goals in game 5.
We led game 2 by two goals with 3:19 left and blew it late and lost in OT.
We led game 5 by one goal with 1:19 left and blew it late and lost in OT.
This series was absolutely lost in games 2 & 5 not game 6.

So when I look at that list it is hard to say the PP is what cost us the series. I mean sure we could have scored 7 goals in games 2 & 5, but I am pretty sure we'd all feel good with 5 and 4 goals in those games, and leads very late.

But again I really think we are talking about different things. We disagree that the PP is the reason, or even a main reason, we lost this series. That doesn't change the fact AT ALL that the PP was horrific and needs to be improved BIG TIME. Also I would agree last night in game 6 the PP was a killer. I agree in that one game. I simply don't agree on the series as a whole. I would go through a long list of reasons why we lost this series before I got to the PP. On the list for game 6 specifically, the PP would be near the top.