Three! (3!)

[Greyvtrayn]

A week from tonight and the real season starts. Stay healthy, keep up the good PK momentum. And stay healthy.

 

[Rangers94]

It's cute that OV gets so excited when the refs are handing them this game with PP after PP chance. It's a fucking joke.

Oh and let's not forget all the check by OV and his teammates that should be charging calls when they leave their feet BEFORE contact which is an automatic penalty. Unless your the Caps.

 

[Ranger71]

Smith has been a penalty factory he needs to clean that up.

 

[Stepupstepan]

Let Ovechkin get all his glory in the regular season then get bounced in the second round as always.

 

[Messiah717]

Yeah let them have their little President's Trophy and another early playoff exit. I'd love to see them draw the Bruins and get bounced in round one.

 

[Ranger71]

I think Ottawa would be tough on them.

 

[kreidertime]

My expectations is this. A first round loss. Team wasn't built for the playoffs last year. Same this year. Should be interesting to see who Gorton ships off next season.

 

[Ranger71]

Looks like Toronto's getting Washington which will be a quick 5g series. Hopefully Boston beats Ottawa as we would fare better against them..IF, and that's a big IF they get there.

 

[RangersFan]

I say 60/40 series with Montreal the favorite. Certainly a series we can win, and I 100% believe the winner of our series goes to the ECF, but we need to raise our game to win it.

All right in front of us. Better path in the Atlantic and players should be well rested, now we'll see if we can get it done. I see Montreal in 6, but should be a real close series I'd think.

 

[kreidertime]

There was a time when I thought if Hank every had a team that could score winning a cup was almost a lock. Now the team can score and he is average at best. Perhaps the smaller pads took a lot away from his game along with age. I honestly think they team has a better chance with Raanta.

 

[theProdigy223]

RANGERS IN 6 GET ON THE BANDWAGON OR GET OUT THE WAY

Look for me at game 3 I'll be the guy with the "Get fucked Dump!" sign in 225.

 

[kreidertime]

Glad to see you are wasting your hard earned money worrying about me which tells me you don't believe at all this team is going to win.

 

[theProdigy223]

Glad to see you are wasting your hard earned money worrying about me which tells me you don't believe at all this team is going to win.

Incorrect my friend. The money I am spending to worry about you adds up to roughly zero dollars (free legal size paper and free sharpies at work).

The money I will spend on the tix (not zero dollars) should tell you I believe this team can win. The money I will then spend on beer will help ease my disappointment.

All jokes aside, it's not going to be easy. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they come back from MTL down 2-0. But there's nothing like playoff hockey at MSG and I'm pumped for another run, no matter how long or how short it is. If they happen to flame out I'll be here to listen to you all tell me how you were right and I was wrong and how the Rangers are the worst team in the NHL but until then I am ALL ABOARD the playoff train. If Hank gets hot (and id never doubt him) there's no reason we can't get to the ECF.

 

[Rangers94]

RANGERS IN 6 GET ON THE BANDWAGON OR GET OUT THE WAY

Look for me at game 3 I'll be the guy with the "Get fucked Dump!" sign in 225.

As I've said most of this season, this team has GREAT potential, however can they reach that potential remains to be seen. Game 1 I fully expect Montreal to come out FLYING and ramping up the physical aspect of the game and trying to knock our speed guys off their game. I think Montreal wins game 1 5-2. Game 2 I expect there to be a significant drop off in energy for Montreal and us to win that game 2-1 or 3-1. Game 3 I expect our fans to be loud and our struggles at home to end as we win that game 3-2. Game 4 I expect Montreal to get some gift PPs and our PK to cost us big time as Montreal wins 4-2. Game 5 I expect Montreal to win a defensive struggle 1-0 or 2-0. And game 6 I expect to be an all out battle but with Montreal's PP being the difference in a tightly contested 3-2 game giving Montreal the series in 6.

All that said, I am PRAYING this team remembers how to cover in the defensive zone to help out Hank, because if we can do that, I think we can EASILY win in 5. We have the offense, but the defense has been leaving Hank out to dry all season long. If they can tighten up, I don't see why we shouldn't be able to win this series in 5, maybe 6.

 

[RangersFan]

No doubt on your last point 94. If this team can stay structured in their own zone, cover the slot and weak side and stay out of the box, we can win this series for sure.

I just don't know if after 2 years of struggles this team can stay structured and disciplined enough in their own zone to win a series though.

 

[RangersFan]

And nothing beats playoff hockey at MSG for sure. Best game I was ever at in person was game 4 of the ECF against Montreal in 2014. MSL's OT winner to put us up 3-1, knowing we were almost certainly going to the SCF. Building was crazy.

Have fun 223...hopefully the series is 1-1, which almost all NHL series are.

 

[Ranger71]

You know the fans up there are going to be overhyper, especially about CK returning as some sort of villian, though he's played there alot since the incident. If they can somehow win game one that might take some air out of their balloon. Getting back to NY 1-1 would be good.

 

[theProdigy223]

And nothing beats playoff hockey at MSG for sure. Best game I was ever at in person was game 4 of the ECF against Montreal in 2014. MSL's OT winner to put us up 3-1, knowing we were almost certainly going to the SCF. Building was crazy.

That would have been awesome to see in person. That goal is right up there with the best moments of this recent Rangers run. When Hags gets the puck over to him with all that open ice the whole building knew he was going to finish. You can even see people standing up in the crowd before he shoots it. I'd say the only one that might top it (again, for this recent run) is Richards' tying goal against the Caps with 5 seconds or so left back in '12. I went absolutely bananas.

As for in-person games, the best (and for most of it worst) I've seen was being down 3-1 to the caps, shutout for 59 minutes and feeling absolutely foolish for even going to the game in the first place. Then Holty whiffs on that Kreider shot with only a minute to go until elimination, and McDonagh finishes the drop pass from Stepan in OT. I sat closer than I usually do for that game. The atmosphere was electric.

See how fun playoff hockey is you bunch of debbie downers!

 

[Disturbed]

Montreal vs NYR is a good series. Neither team is great. I would give this team literally ZERO chance to make in ECF if they were 3rd in Metro, now I actually think they have a realistic shot.

Worst constructed teams in the NHL have made the finals before. Unlikely they get past ECF but Montreal/Toronto/Boston to get to ECF is a gift from the gods.

Stupid NHL playoff format

 

[theProdigy223]

Unlikely they get past ECF but Montreal/Toronto/Boston to get to ECF is a gift from the gods.

Im just hoping that Columbus/Washington/Pitt beat the hell out of each other for 7 games a pop and whoever comes out of that bracket ends up limping to the ECF. If we stay relatively healthy in our series that could be the difference.

 

[Ranger71]

Stay out of the box and keep it 5/5 as much as possible. And convert odd man chances of which there may be a bunch.

 

[RangersFan]

Agreed guys. That's why I feel if you win round 1 you are in the ECF. I don't see Boston/Ottawa/Toronto beating the NYR/Montreal winner. So somehow win that series and it can be another long playoff spring for Ranger fans.

 

[kreidertime]

This team doesn't have great potential. They have looked like a minor league team when they have played Pitt. Jesus. At least be objective. Their starting goalie is now average who has been outplayed or played evenly by the backups for 3 years in a row. The defense can't stop elite players any longer and the PK sucks again now.

 

[Ranger71]

I think Ottawa is as good if not slightly better than Montreal but if Methot is out that could drag them down.

 

[RangersFan]

You are overrating Ottawa this year I think. They are a nice team, and can beat Boston or Toronto in round 1, but I would love to see them in round 2.

 

[Ranger71]

Price is better than Anderson and adding King and Benn probably puts them ahead but i think they're very close.

 

[theProdigy223]

Getting way of ourselves here but I think I prefer Ottawa. Anderson gives us fits but I think Boston is the better team. Bergeron will probably go 150/150 on faceoffs in the series if we pull Boston.

Also depends whether we want to lose McDonagh to a hit from behind from Chris Neil, or to a slew foot from Marchand. Toss up there.

 

[RangersFan]

I think we'll lose a tough series in 6 to Montreal, so this may not matter, but in order of which team I prefer to see in round 2 I go:

1. Ottawa 2. Toronto 3. Boston

I will be rooting for Ottawa to stay in the 2/3 Atlantic bracket, and then rooting for them to win in round 1.

I don't think there is a huge difference between the 3 teams, but I'd prefer Ottawa if I had the choice.

 

[theProdigy223]

I think we'll lose a tough series in 6 to Montreal

 

[RangersFan]

Hope you are right, but as I said earlier I don't have faith this team can stay structured and disciplined in their own end to win the series. Add my concern about that to playing Price, and our awful PK, and it is difficult for me to pick us to win the series.

Hopefully they surprise me and really step up their game.