Game 81 Isles vs. Rangers

[kreidertime]

The puck possession with the fourth line is a ton better with Brodzinski on it but there’s something about Rempe where the team just seems to feed off of him as well as the crowd.

 

[kreidertime]

Just win round one. That is the key for the top seeds then they usually get rolling.

 

[NYR_94]

Yes, winning in round one can get you rolling with positive momentum. Assuming they beat Ottawa, they have no reason not to win round one in less than 7 games. You would like to get through round one and not have to play a long grueling series given how physically taxing it is to win the SC, the toughest trophy to win in sports.

In the NHL playoffs any team can win, most sports cannot say that, but if you can get an easier matchup on paper, you really would like to take advantage of that, that is why getting the top seed in the East meant something to me, especially with a series against the physical Canes looming in round two. But no doubt once you get going, the NHL playoffs will be wide open as usual.

 

[PorterPanzer]

Since the President's Trophy was awarded '85-'86 only 8 teams that won this award have won the Cup. I have the utmost confidence in this Rangers roster, it's superior in every way to the one that had the Bolts on the brink of elimination 2 years ago. The Rangers opponent is irrelevant because now we have a legit coach, this is where the rubber meets the road for the Rangers squad. Lav has won the Cup, he's the winningest US coach and should have the solutions to those tough forechecking situations that stymied the Rangers last postseason.

 

[NYR_94]

Agreed, I don't think anyone really cares about the Pres trophy, I know I couldn't care less about the Pres trophy. I do think getting the potential better opponent in round one does matter in the long grueling NHL playoffs, which is why I was a focused on getting the top seed in the East. Doesn't mean you are guaranteed anything, but I'll take the best path I can get overall and in round one, especially in this sport.

And coaching can only take you so far, at the end of the day the players need to get it done. God could have been their coach, and they wouldn't have beaten the Devs with the way they played. After game 2 that was a pathetic effort by the players. With that said, the coach also has accountability, so if the team falters again this postseason like last postseason, then Lavy should absolutely and deservedly take a hit. That is fair in a results-based business. I wasn't a fan of Gallant right from when they hired him, and I did like the hiring of Lavy, but if the players don't step up and play the way they need to play the result will be no different than last season no matter who the coach is, or maybe they get past round one, but won't beat the Canes if they aren't on their A game. And again, if they lay an egg Lavy should and will take a hit.

BTW - I hope you made some money, you could have gotten great odds on the Rangers setting a franchise record for wins and having the most points in the NHL this year, which you said were pretty much your expectations for this team. I hope you cleaned up on that....

 

[PorterPanzer]

I liked the Gallant hiring, loved the gritty philosophy adopted by Drury and was definitely in the minority espousing it's benefits over the summer two years ago. Drury went away from that last year, would still love to know what he and GG's blowup was about during the Rangers collapse against the Debs. Apparently you're missing my sarcasm when I say Lav's hiring fixed everything but I do expect him to take the Rangers on a deep run.

 

[kreidertime]

I don’t know how you can say you have the upmost confidence in this team, considering how consistently sloppy they are defensively, and they can’t score much of even strength. At least in the Hank days I was confident that they weren’t going to allow many goals every time they played a playoff game.

 

[PorterPanzer]

You're just not accustomed to good coaching yet Dump, relax and enjoy the run because that was what these quitting creampuffs told Drury last year, it was all coaching not their unwillingness to get gritty.

 

[NYR_94]

Now I get the sarcasm....

Truth be told, if this team flames out, Drury should be the one answering questions. Last season, the players he assembled didn't want to or were not capable of playing the way you need to play to win in the playoffs. Gritty, dirty, make the smart play with the puck in your own zone, get the puck towards the net more often instead of trying to be pretty, etc. If they fail to do it again this playoffs, Drury 100% should have his job status questioned.