NEW YORK RANGERS @ CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

[BigDaddyAl1973]

Fuck yeah... Shutout number 5 for Cam... Brass can't hit an open net but dam son he blew one by Crawford.. Great road win... Next up Icelanders.. Come on boys take charge and beat the shit out of the pretenders

 

[chuckd3534]

Big win tonight fellas. That is playoff hockey.

And BTW...we controlled the 1st, they controlled the 2nd, 3rd was pretty even but if there was an edge it was edge us as we outshot them 14-8.

4 PP's for them and our PK was great. 2 PP's for us and our PP was bad.

I will say two things...1. we need to get the PP going. 2. Yandle does need to shoot more. Not a knock per se, needs to get comfortable, but Step was right on that one.

 

[Ranger71]

I like what i've seen from Sheppard so far, he was a nice little upgrade there.

 

[chuckd3534]

No doubt Sheppard is an upgrade. Better than Glass and Stemp for sure.

So far we have 5 points in this tough 6 game stretch with two games left. Let's see if we can get a few more.

I have to say it again, tip of the cap to Cam. He struggled early as the starter, but since he has settled in and gotten comfortable he has been very good. Full credit to him. Good for him and for us.

 

[Messiah717]

Brassard would have 25 goals if he could hit the net like that more often.

 

[chuckd3534]

He does struggle with hitting the net and scoring on open nets...LOL. He does have a very good shot though.

BTW...how good is Kreider right now. He is all over the ice and involved in almost everything we do that is positive. I would put him on the 1st PP unit and drop MSL down.

 

[Rangers94]

We nee someone on the pp to go in front and screen the goalie. And it can't be Nash. Nash needs to be on the side boards opening up the defense. Kreider is perfect for that role.

 

[Ranger71]

That's the downside of having a smallish team, you don't have enough netfront guys, though Kreider does a decent job. I wonder if Sheppard can play a little in that role.

 

[Messiah717]

Yes, I would put Kreider in front of the net Adam Graves style.

 

[Stepupstepan]

Good, solid win in boring game on the road against one of the best teams. I will take it. Yandle is already allergic to shooting...LOL Welcome to the Rangers PP.

 

[Messiah717]

Frankly, I blame the power play failures of late on the strategy. Even when they put one on goal there's never anybody there for a rebound. Unless you're one of those guys with a 100+ MPH shot the shots from the point are going to be stopped. That is however you get bodies in front to screen the goalie. Sorry but 99.9% of the time the goalie will stop a 45 foot shot he can easily see.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

PP has to come around come playoff time

 

[Greyvtrayn]

Still plenty of games left to get the PP in line.

 

[theProdigy223]

I'd like to see a little more out of Yandle, but he'll come along. Big change for him going from that team to this one. When he gets it going the power play will take a huge jump as well.

 

[Rangers94]

I think 1st PP should be Nash, Kreider Hayes/Stepan, Yandle and Klein or Staal for defensive purposes. 2nd should be MSL, Zucc, Hayes/Stepan Boyle, Klein or Staal. If MSL would shoot the puck he'd have around 7-10 more goals this year already.

 

[Rangers94]

The other issue with our PP is that our passes are too "soft" giving the PK time to slide over and adjust. We need quicker passes to get the PK out of shooting lanes.

 

[theProdigy223]

I think 1st PP should be Nash, Kreider Hayes/Stepan, Yandle and Klein or Staal for defensive purposes. 2nd should be MSL, Zucc, Hayes/Stepan Boyle, Klein or Staal. If MSL would shoot the puck he'd have around 7-10 more goals this year already.

I dont think you can leave Brass off both units the way he is playing. Unless you meant to include him on that first one as I see Hayes listed twice.

Personally I'd like to see Kreider get first unit minutes and plant himself right in the crease. That would free up Nash to have a little more room, as he's currently the first unit's crease-crasher.

I think Kreider-Brassard-Nash/Stepan-Yandle, then Zuccarello-Hayes-MSL/Boyle-McDonagh should be the way to go. That way the first unit isnt loaded up with guys who refuse to shoot (Stepan, Zucc, MSL).

Unfortunately MSL has played himself off of the first unit.

 

[chuckd3534]

Yandle/Stepan/Kreider/Brass/Nash
McD/Boyle/Zucc/Hayes/MSL

That's how I would set it up. I like Step on the 1st unit because he is a righty shot.

No need to play Girardi on the PP when we have Yandle/McD/Boyle.