Br4d

I get what you're saying but asking a defenseman known primarily for speed and offense to instead be a solid defensive player is like asking for a giraffe to be an elephant because right now you need an elephant. There have been a few plays already in this series where Miller stuck his neck out when we'd all have preferred he had a trunk instead. Odds are really good that continues to be a thing moving forward this year. Can Miller really grow into that two-way solid defenseman capable of leading an odd-man rush? Time will tell.

This is an unreasonable point of view though. Part of what Miller brings to the ice is his ability to facilitate scoring in the offensive end. Without that he's just a mediocre defenseman whose primary value is his ability to get back in a hurry when the other team is in transition. Saying that we don't need the offense is dramatically marking down his value because that's a big part of his game.

This series right now is likely to be chip city, particularly if the Devils get down early next game.

I was not looking specifically at LD. My point was that if things get chippy you'd much rather have Schneider on the ice than Miller. Again, that's just an overall chemistry thing. There's no doubt that right now Miller is more talented but I'm not 100% sure that Miller's overall contributions are more important to the Rangers right now than Schneider's.

If Miller's play the first two games is truly our worst then we're winning a cup this year.

In principle I agree with the statements above however this team has a *lot* of players who are great at the role they play. I was looking 1-21 and it's hard to find fault with anybody. I'm not 100% sure that Miller is more valuable than Schneider at this point and that's taking nothing away from Miller.

The first two games were all about the Rangers being vets and the Devils being newbs. The vets showed up ready to play and the newbs skated alongside them trying to figure it all out. Saturday will probably be the first game the players are all on the same page.

Panarin was the best player on the ice last night and he didn't even get on the scoresheet.

I thought the ejections were good. No idea whether we'd have had suspensions out of the last 6 minutes plus but the score said no point in finding out.

If Panarin played every period like the 1st tonight there'd be no problem with his contract.

The thing about all the cycling is that the value depends on the scoring attempt it promotes at the end of the sequence. This year that has tended to be an easy chance for the goalie. Last year on the PP the cycling turned into Zibanejad one-timers and Kreider deflections. The Rangers high value chances this year tend to come off of a simpler progression of a pass into the zone and then a cross-ice pass for a shot against an unbalanced goalie. Once they settle down and start cycling it feels like all of the promise is gone in a few passes.

The Rangers can't do the pass-pass-pass cycling thing against the Devils. Too much speed going the other way.

Miller made the beautiful pass to Tarasenko on the early goal. He gives and he takes now but he's probably going to be a top 5 defenseman in his prime and you don't trade that away unless you know you are getting more back. I think I keep him unless the cap crunch becomes unbearable or the Rangers spring a 24 year old star-in-waiting RW back in return.

It feels like 2 months ago the Rangers were playing in June last season.

Just going to respond with record-setting season. Think about it.

I gotta admit that I kinda miss the days when NHL hockey was like a WWE event on skates.

I still have this feeling we're looking at 2 Devils wins followed by 4 Rangers wins and a clinch in MSG on the 29th. I think it is going to take a couple of games of watching the Devils speed to get all the vets properly focused on controlling the games and winning them.

Rangers need to stop missing the shot or getting stoned by the goalie on high danger scoring chances. We've had a few stretches like this during the season and we're in one of them now.

The other thing GG provides is cover for the players when they are going through a rough stretch. Miller could easily have wound up as a huge target this season based on up and down play and yet that never really materialized even when he acted out in a big way. Lafreniere appeared to be coasting early on and yet the volume remained low throughout. There were others who appeared to be almost indifferent at times, waiting for somebody else to take the lead and GG's reaction was just to keep shuffling lines until he found the right fits. We're kind of upset at GG this year despite the 107 points and maybe that's one of the things he brings to the team, providing shelter to players in a bad stretch as he accumulates the blame for their sometimes less than 100% efforts.

I think the Devils want the Rangers. I think the Canes want the Devils. And of course the Rangers want the Canes. Should be an epic first round.

Devils, Canes, Bruins is a tough row to hoe on the way to the finals.

He wasn't dogging it. He looked at the bench as he skated past it and nobody was up and ready to get on the ice. Then Kreider got up after he passed by and over the boards before he knew it. Was just very bad communication. Rangers need to tighten that up before the playoffs. They gave up a goal earlier when 3 of the players had been on the ice for 1:45+.

Miller looks really shaky. Not sure what is going on but he is definitely the last guy you want to send the puck towards in the defensive end.

Both defensemen to Igor's right. He must feel awfully lonely at times.

Greschner was a decent player. Very good pointman on the powerplay. Good at even strength. His defense was ok but nothing to write home about and he took a few too many penalties. Dave Maloney was the glue on those defenses. He was also the guy who would step up and fight when that needed doing.