Playoffs Rangers-Penguins Round One — General Series Thread

[Bugg]

19 hours ago, rmc51 said:

I’m sure there were many posts just like this from TB fans after they got swept by CBJ in the first round in 2019. They barely changed anything that offseason right after, and they certainly didn’t abandon their core. It wasn’t the first time they underachieved in the playoffs with that group either. Then they became back to back Cup champions the next two seasons. Sometimes, maybe even most of the time, you need to take your lumps in the playoffs.

 

I would argue that what is actually most important is to maintain continuity. The guys who get you there, and lose heartbreakers in the playoffs together and develop chemistry and bonds with each other, try to keep them together. It’s how deeper bonds and know-how for the next time are formed across a team.
 

We also haven’t even lost yet. Maybe we should wait to see what they can do in the next game.

Issue is when it comes to continuity, this series has often looked a lot like the throttling the Canes administered in the bubble. And recall also that was a team NYR had handled pretty easily in the regular season. 

 

Having said that, NYR were totally screwed by a refs/Toronto decision in game 1. And if Igor can find his form and they can mount some semblance of an offensive attack, this is not over. 

 

About Igor; every great goalie goes through something like this. The question becomes can he get off the mat , dust himself off and return to form. Everything we know about him says yes. We be a huge help if the team i fo of him did their jobs too. 

[BrooksBurner]

49 minutes ago, Bugg said:

Issue is when it comes to continuity, this series has often looked a lot like the throttling the Canes administered in the bubble. And recall also that was a team NYR had handled pretty easily in the regular season. 

 

Having said that, NYR were totally screwed by a refs/Toronto decision in game 1. And if Igor can find his form and they can mount some semblance of an offensive attack, this is not over. 

 

About Igor; every great goalie goes through something like this. The question becomes can he get off the mat , dust himself off and return to form. Everything we know about him says yes. We be a huge help if the team i fo of him did their jobs too. 

The last game looked like that. I don’t think the first 3 did. I guess we will find out in a few hours if game 4 was a write-off. The Canes series always seemed tough to judge as a source of truth for what the team might look like in the playoffs, because the situation it occurred in was so out of the ordinary.

[The Dude]

They obviously miss Lindgren. I just hope they don't reach and put him in the lineup where he's really not ready and winds up coming out early,  realizing he can't continue.  

 

Wouldn't be shocked to see 7 D men dressed, Lindgren being one of them. 

[Capt]

5 hours ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

It's so obvious from these charts that we're also being outcoached by a good margin here. Sullivan just told the players to let Fox have the puck on the right side of the blue line. The "only" move he has is to fake inside and then skate down a long the boards on the right side and looking for a tap in in the crease. If no ones open he just circles around the net and throws the puck away. Same thing with Panarin on the left board. Either take him hard to the boards and pin him, if you're not close enough, take out the trailer, Panarin ALWAYS passes to him, never shoots.

 

Offensively Pens get it in deep and grinds the defense, mainly on the left side. I think that's why Miller has looked good (especially the first 2-3 games). The play was almost always on his side. He managed it, but Braun and Nemeth looked completely lost. This is a part where we misses Lindgren a lot. He's really good at retrieving the puck deep and giving it to Fox or a forward. He's not afraid of the forechecker and taking a hit.

 

Oh, and Sullivan told the players to camp in front of the goalie and shoot the fucking puck.

So in other words Sullivan put the emphasis on playing a simple game.  Get the puck to the net and crash it.  When defending protect the house.  Yeah somehow we have a professional hockey team unable to perform the most simple tactic which doesn't take talent.  it only takes a will to do it and effort.  That is why it's so infuriating.  This is the Rangers losing not because they lack the ability to match the Pens but because they lack the care to match them in effort.  In other words they are not interested in paying the price to win.

[Bugg]

Cannot let Geuntzel to get off 3 shots without getting hit. CANNOT FUCKIN' HAPPEN. 

[Scott]

Guentzel with another goal, no shit.

[Ozzy]

Lindgren.....Warrior!

 

...'nuff said 

[Keirik]

It’s amazing we are in this series considering how little our top 6 has done, our goaltending has done, our coaching has done, and just general positioning and gameplay has done. 
 

  No more bag skates. Hell, no more practices for this series. I feel like this team just needs a heart to heart sit down amongst the players alone. Closed door shit. Just a look in each other’s eyes and see who is with us, who is against us, and who the fuck wants to step up. The kids are carrying is. Why? Because they too young and dumb to give a fuck about going against a legacy. It’s the vets that are too scared to admit it’s our time here. Time for a game 6 soul search and realize who the fuck we are all god damn year. That’s us. Not these last gaggle of games. Let’s fucking go ! Play OUR game, not some other game we think is necessary to win. Dominate this team. You go up by 2 or 3 in game 6 and we roll through this team. I guarantee it. 

[-ERIK-]

how many games is Trouba getting?

Sullivan was already lobbying for it

[Keirik]

Zero. 

[Karan]

1 hour ago, Keirik said:

It’s amazing we are in this series considering how little our top 6 has done, our goaltending has done, our coaching has done, and just general positioning and gameplay has done. 
 

  No more bag skates. Hell, no more practices for this series. I feel like this team just needs a heart to heart sit down amongst the players alone. Closed door shit. Just a look in each other’s eyes and see who is with us, who is against us, and who the fuck wants to step up. The kids are carrying is. Why? Because they too young and dumb to give a fuck about going against a legacy. It’s the vets that are too scared to admit it’s our time here. Time for a game 6 soul search and realize who the fuck we are all god damn year. That’s us. Not these last gaggle of games. Let’s fucking go ! Play OUR game, not some other game we think is necessary to win. Dominate this team. You go up by 2 or 3 in game 6 and we roll through this team. I guarantee it. 

 

Seriously man, those few minutes in the 2nd period just highlighted that if only the Rangers played with any sort of hunger and focus this series, they would absolutely steamroll Pittsburgh and light Dominque the fuck up. The team's just stuck in their own heads and over thinking things too much. On Friday, they just need to go out there, with nothing to lose, forget about the crowd and the pressure, and have some fun.

Edited May 12, 2022 by Karan

[Pete]

Look no further than lack of PP time as a reason the top 6 arent in their groove. Been that way all season. No PPs means no looks means they're not "feeling it" 5v5. 

 

This isn't a "playoff disappearance"  issue, been this way for awhile. 

[RJWantsTheCup]

Why did Gallant switch Strome and Zibanejad spots on the power play?

[Parsley]

6 hours ago, Keirik said:

It’s amazing we are in this series considering how little our top 6 has done, our goaltending has done, our coaching has done, and just general positioning and gameplay has done....

 

You forgot to mention the league/refs too. Game 1 no-goal was crucial and the lack of PP's much of the series has clearly greatly impacted where this series is right now. Not sure the Rangers would have won in 4 or 5, but they'd be up 3-2, most likely. 

[jsm7302]

5 minutes ago, Parsley said:

 

You forgot to mention the league/refs too. Game 1 no-goal was crucial and the lack of PP's much of the series has clearly greatly impacted where this series is right now. Not sure the Rangers would have won in 4 or 5, but they'd be up 3-2, most likely. 

Yea, this. It would be 3-2 us at this point. 

 

Last night was inspiring. We beat these clowns 3 out of 4 this season, we can pull this off if they can keep the foot on the gas.  We need someone to go over who is covering the third man in on Pittsburgh because they have had ridiculous scoring chances on blown coverages all series long.

[RichieNextel305]

We are at a point here at 3-2 where:

 

A.) Our top guys have not played their best games of the series yet.

B.) Our superstar goalie has not played his best game of the series yet.

C.) Pittsburgh has, IMO, looked their best.

D.) They may now be without Crosby.

 

We need to get our top guys to become more engaged. There just was not enough last night for a team facing elimination. Namely, Zibanejad and Panarin. On a team ripe with star talent, those are our 2 biggest, most lethal talents. And they have been held at bay. 2 goals combined through 5 games, both by Panarin, is simply not good enough. 
 

There is an opportunity here to make this comeback. But, the name talent on this roster, specifically the 2 I mentioned, need to come to the forefront and lead this charge. Pittsburgh defends extremely well. But you know what? Game breakers should be able to get their looks against any team at any time. It’s been 5 games. You know what you’re up against. Make the necessary adjustments, and start filling the net.

 

Lets. GO.

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by RichieNextel305

[Sharpshooter]

I am still kind of concerned with this core, though. I just don't think Panarin's and Zibanejad's playstyle is conducive to consistent postseason success. They are certainly capable of still having great games and could win you a series. But, over the course of a grueling NHL postseason? I don't know. They've (and the team in general) and have looked like total garbage in Pittsburgh. They need a dominant road game. They've been good on the road all season, stop running around and just get back to basics.

[RangersIn7]

Top forwards, especially the Zib line, has been completely outplayed by Crosby line. Whether matching up directly or not. 
 

It’s that old cliche, but it’s true. You need your best players to be your best players in the playoffs. Yes, depth and contribution up and down the lineup is important. But the top guys play the most, so they gotta give you a lot. 

[Blue Heaven]

Any word if Trouba’s hit is getting reviewed? I can totally see an Adam Graves situation, Crosby will be in a full body cast later today, Trouba will get suspended, Crosby will play tomorrow 

[Morphinity 2.0]

2 minutes ago, Blue Heaven said:

Any word if Trouba’s hit is getting reviewed? I can totally see an Adam Graves situation, Crosby will be in a full body cast later today, Trouba will get suspended, Crosby will play tomorrow 

This is all we know:

I'd put money on him getting suspended.

[Pete]

4 minutes ago, Morphinity said:

This is all we know:

I'd put money on him getting suspended.

Which would be fuckery and we all know it. 

 

That said, I'm moving Schneider up and playing Lundqvist before playing Nemeth. 

 

Playing Nemeth at this point is a fireable offense. 

[RJWantsTheCup]

I would play a forward on defense before letting Nemeth play again.

[Flynn]

I read the comments on the Pens Athletic story about the game. After reading the story, Sullivan’s comments and those of their fans, I apparently didn’t see a good video of the hit. According to them this was worse than the JFK assassination. 
 

The video I saw showed a shoulder to shoulder hit that wasn’t worth 2 minutes.  I must have missed the guy on the grassy knoll. 
 

 

 

[LindG1000]

6 minutes ago, Flynn said:

I read the comments on the Pens Athletic story about the game. After reading the story, Sullivan’s comments and those of their fans, I apparently didn’t see a good video of the hit. According to them this was worse than the JFK assassination. 
 

The video I saw showed a shoulder to shoulder hit that wasn’t worth 2 minutes.  I must have missed the guy on the grassy knoll. 
 

 

 

The more I watched the video, it's a comedy of errors. Trouba's watching for the puck, Crosby intercepts it and Trouba IMMEDIATELY goes for a pokecheck. Crosby gets low, contact. The fuck is he supposed to do?

 

I've lost a good deal of respect for Pens fans across this series as I read on other platforms. They're astoundingly hockey-illiterate.  

[Flynn]

9 minutes ago, G1000 said:

The more I watched the video, it's a comedy of errors. Trouba's watching for the puck, Crosby intercepts it and Trouba IMMEDIATELY goes for a pokecheck. Crosby gets low, contact. The fuck is he supposed to do?

 

I've lost a good deal of respect for Pens fans across this series as I read on other platforms. They're astoundingly hockey-illiterate.  

Whatever do you mean @G1000??  Its clear as day- 

 

The sixth and fatal shot—frame 313—takes Crosby in the head from the front. This is the key shot. Crosby going back to his left. Shot from the front and right. Totally inconsistent with the shot from the depository. Again... back and to the left… back and to the left… back and to the left… back and to the left.