Br4d

Lost a bit in the conversation is that often a team's 3rd center is the best defensive center playing on a checking line that tries to matchup against the other team's #1 line. That kind of describes Zib's line pretty well at this point, albeit Zib gets lots of PP and PK time also.

The thing that worked in '94 was I never watched the game at home. Every single game of that run I was watching the game at a friend's house, usually buying entrance with wings or pizza. That's not happening this time around. Have to think of a new booster.

The Rangers were in the out-crowd back in the day when the NHL was totally corrupt and favoring 3 teams over the other 3. That's never really changed because in Toronto they still have one foot stuck in that tradition.

Bizarro Aho!

The question is: where is the market for NHL hockey? The Bluejackets averaged 17K attendance this year. That is a hot market for NHL hockey.

You generally rebut by statement with no supporting facts cited for your argument. Tactic 2 is to move the goal posts. Tactic 3 is to shift to a related but not coherent side topic. When you say: "I don't agree with your statement" or something similar and that is all you say at that point you are not worth arguing with because it's all just hot air emanating from your quadrant. What I'm trying to say here is that if you want to be an influencer you need to work harder at it than you do.

I never had a discussion with you about how Zib scoring 4 goals in 39 games at EVS against the teams that made the playoffs last year was a flawed stat. You may have posted a response to that stat when I published it as you are wont to do when a fly breezes by but I certainly have never accepted that Zib's inability to score at even strength against the good teams was anything but a reflection of his declining skills. This season of course is the clincher because that status has now extended to almost all the opponents. If Zib was not on the power play you would never post a response about EVS play because the evidence would be crystal clear and impossible to dissemble about.

Zib has 12 EVS goals in 78 games. That's bordering on 3rd line play at EVS. I've posted this before but I'll say it again for context: Zib was not a goal scorer against good teams last year. He's not a goal scorer against anybody this season. That's a classic step down over two seasons now.

The Rangers have had this going on at least since '21-'22. I remember watching games that year on the national networks where it felt like the analysts were all unhappy when the Rangers won a game. It was like we'd win and the analysts would be totally chapped afterwards talking about how the Rangers power play and Igor were the only reasons the team was winning. Last year we loaded up at the deadline and then fell flat on our faces, so I understand the skepticism there but this has been going on longer than that. I think the NHL should look at the TV contracts and see who could be jettisoned from the broadcast teams with no harm done. Ray Ferraro is a joke and should definitely be canned.

Kreider never scored 30 until the 52 season.

Igor is a man on a mission. He's going to be shaky handling the puck away from the crease until he finally scores. Hopefully soon.

We just got lucky. Trouba was trying to block that shot with his face and the shooter missed.

Rangers getting goalied! Bread and Laf's 9 goal performance is in doubt.

Carlsberg is good. Pilsner Urquell rules. My dad worked at Carlsberg Research Laboratories in the 60's in Copenhagen. One of the perks of working there was that they were right next door to the Carlsberg Brewery and the researchers had a fully stocked refrigerator with most of the Carlsberg brews available. Anyway one of the researchers was Czech and as a matter of national pride he brought in a bunch of Pilsner brews including Pilsner Urquell. My dad said that the researchers went out and purchased Pilsner Urquell at lunch every day after that instead of drinking the free Carlsberg brews stocked for them. The brewery got upset when they realized that their beer was being ignored and they began putting the special brews like Holiday Elephanter in the freezer instead. Well, free is free and apparently the special Carlsberg options were enough to keep maybe half the researchers from paying for beer at lunch. My dad drank Pilsner Urquell for 6 decades after that. I was still buying him cases when he finally passed at 96.

Dr. Zaius! Dr. Zaius!

I don't think so. I think you get into the playoffs and you're going to need a couple of lines scoring well. Otherwise we're at the mercy of the Bread Line having an off-series and we're screwed again like last year. Adjustments are fine but goals are king!

Trivia: The Planet of the Apes Opera.

Breadman needs 5 goals for 50. Laf needs 4 for 30. Lets get them all tonight to take the pressure off!

Zib definitely needs to score more at EVS in the playoffs. Currently ranked 120th in the NHL in EVS points in a 9 way tie (to 128).

Win 'em all. 20 in a row is a cup.

The Bread Line has 72 EVS goals in 77 games. We probably haven't had a line close to that since Jagr was here.

The Inn is full for the Rangers right now. A couple of decent players sit every night. This is a good thing but it is squatting on Zac Jones and Jonny Brodzinski's opportunities at this point. Both should be playing every game and yet they can't stay in the lineup reliably.

If there's a fight and Vesey is on the ice he will immediately pick one to get thrown out. Team solidarity.

That was an inspired move to the net. It required two guys in front to keep the defense from challenging him. Maybe that's the key to Kakko. Don't look for guys to cycle with him, look for guys who want to crash the net with him.

Kakko is still struggling in his own mind. Laf isn't. That's the difference.