Should Shesterkin or Georgiev Start Game 5?

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

I didn't watch the last period last night, but there's no way you play Georgiev over Shesterkin. No way. Galant even confirmed it.

 

We could've lost 10-0 x3 and I still would go Igor in the last game. There is a slim chance of making a comeback in this series and that's if Shesterkin goes God mode. He's capable of doing it, so give him the chance to do it. If he fails again you blaim it on inexperience and give him the summer to re-focus.

 

We've not come this far just to go out with Crosby lighting up Georgiev in MSG. Nope.

[fletch]

I'm terribly unimpressed by Gallant's in-series adjustments. Even the TNT broadcast was discussing the lack of defensive zone adjustments.  Apparently Gallant is going to go with what worked in the regular season, and is showing a lack of flexibility in game planning.

 

The question is who gives us the best chance to win in Game 5.  Unless Georgiev were to pitch a shutout or give up one goal, I'd go back to Shesterkin in game 6.

 

If you look at performance every day over 9 months, hands-down Shesterkin is better than Georgiev in the vast majority of days.  But we're taking a single sample for Game 5, and over Game 3 and Game 4 I argue that Georgiev has been vastly superior, and gives the Rangers the best chance to prolong the series in Game 5.

 

I don't want my season to end by having Shesterkin yanked in Game 3,4,5 because he's hit a bad patch. It's not fair to the team.

 

And similar to the reason why coaches pull a goalie mid-game as a time-out and a reset for the team, even when it's not the goalie's fault, starting Georgiev in Game 5 sends more of a message than running gassers at practice.  Focus on defensive structure, limit quality chances, and don't play pond hockey where we're trying to score 5 goals.  We are not Edmonton.

 

And yes, I know Gallant committed to Shesterkin right after the game. What's the rush to decide 30 minutes after you've gotten blown out? Why not at least look at the tape and look at the entire team and each player's performance, instead of reacting in the moment?

[Parsley]

Alot of blame needs to be off the goaltending and on the undermanned, pathetic (somewhat due to injury and somewhat due to the roster in general) D. I think with any goalie in the NHL, this would be the end result for the Rangers at this point, down 3-1.  And, if the refs didn't blow the series would be tied at 2. 

 

Forwards aren't helping either. 

Edited May 10, 2022 by Parsley

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

58 minutes ago, fletch said:

I don't want my season to end by having Shesterkin yanked in Game 3,4,5 because he's hit a bad patch. It's not fair to the team.

But that's not the case. Maybe he could've stopped a goal or two over the last two games, but it's not like he's been horrible and the reason they've lost. "Not fair to the team". The way the've played is not fair to Shesterkin, who's carried their lazy asses for a long stretch of the season.

 

 

Can't put this on Shesterkin. Do some adjustments defensively and go with Shesterkin again.

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

Nashville got swept and gave up 5.25 goals p/game and we're somehow worse defensively in every category available. lol

[Scott]

Georgiev will be gone never to wear a Rangers jersey again after this season. Igor coming in off one of the best seasons (8th in save %) of all time. He's also one of the cornerstones of the org going forward.  He needs the experience, good or bad just like any other young guy never having played in the playoffs.  

 

At the same time it's not like this team is going on any kind of run, that much has been proven by their overall team play the first 4 games.  They are and continue to be fatally flawed and too easy to play against while also being unable to put together 60 minutes on any kind of consistent basis.

 

Even IF they were to miraculously take the next 3 (I give them virtually no shot whatsoever based on what they've shown- or not shown as a whole).  There's not a long run to be had here with this group. It's got an abbreviated walk written all over it and a very abbreviated one at that.

 

Surprised, a little, disappointed greatly.

[lefty9]

Shesterkin ,our defense has played horrible 

 

[Pete]

9 minutes ago, jsrangers said:

Georgiev will be gone never to wear a Rangers jersey again after this season. Igor coming in off one of the best seasons (8th in save %) of all time. He's also one of the cornerstones of the org going forward.  He needs the experience, good or bad just like any other young guy never having played in the playoffs.  

 

At the same time it's not like this team is going on any kind of run, that much has been proven by their overall team play the first 4 games.  They are and continue to be fatally flawed and too easy to play against while also being unable to put together 60 minutes on any kind of consistent basis.

 

Even IF they were to miraculously take the next 3 (I give them virtually no shot whatsoever based on what they've shown- or not shown as a whole).  There's not a long run to be had here with this group. It's got an abbreviated walk written all over it and a very abbreviated one at that.

 

Surprised, a little, disappointed greatly.

Why would you be surprised at all?

 

Once the injuries piled up and Copp moved into the top 6, it rendered them the pre-deadline Rangers. No depth to the forwards to generate 5v5 and defense still bleeds HDSCA. 

 

I was hoping the deadline moves solved the year long issue, but with Copp cemented in top 6 (with reason), Goodrow out, Motte out, Lindgren out, Nemeth ... Nemething... It's too much to overcome, in addition to the refs doing Pens things. 

[Dunny]

Those are all real issues (except the ref thing) but they're just temporary injury issues, and while important, not the primary long term issue, which has to be our top 6 getting embarrassed, led by the centremen. 

 

Pittsburgh has its own injury issues they can point to. They've stepped up. They have a true leadership group, they have a baseline they can revert to when the chips are down that we don't have.

[Scott]

25 minutes ago, Pete said:

Why would you be surprised at all?

 

Once the injuries piled up and Copp moved into the top 6, it rendered them the pre-deadline Rangers. No depth to the forwards to generate 5v5 and defense still bleeds HDSCA. 

 

I was hoping the deadline moves solved the year long issue, but with Copp cemented in top 6 (with reason), Goodrow out, Motte out, Lindgren out, Nemeth ... Nemething... It's too much to overcome, in addition to the refs doing Pens things. 

I was hoping guys like Zib, Strome, Kreider, Pararin would actually show up and be difference makers this time around. Didn't expect much from half the D but didn't expect Igor to completely stop standing on his head either. 

 

All the talk about Laf/Chytil/Kakko being the best we have in this series is a cringe worthy  reflection on the top 6. The kids have I  think they have 6 pts. in total and Chytil is getting smoked out of the dot as usual.  If that's the best we have our best is crap and the great regular season is going to come to a crashing halt here real soon.  It will certainly be a huge black eye for many of our regular season studs. 

 

Edited May 11, 2022 by jsrangers

[Pete]

44 minutes ago, Dunny said:

Those are all real issues (except the ref thing) but they're just temporary injury issues, and while important, not the primary long term issue, which has to be our top 6 getting embarrassed, led by the centremen. 

 

Pittsburgh has its own injury issues they can point to. They've stepped up. They have a true leadership group, they have a baseline they can revert to when the chips are down that we don't have.

Of course. 

 

I was just listing the issues that we knew where there all season. What you are referencing has just been exposed by real playoff hockey. 

[fletch]

Fair points.  Number one issue is shoring up the defensive zone. Number one A is getting the top 6 to wake the hell up and produce.  Number one B is slowing down the Crosby line.  Full stop.

 

So what is the best way to get a reset and fresh start to this series?  Juggling lines?  Running gassers at practice?  Probably too late to make more than minor adjustments to strategy.

 

Ideally you'd like to play your number 1 goalie every game and take home the Cup.  But it's not unusual to have the backup jump in for a game or two.  And it doesn't have to be a Binnington or Cam Ward type run - just the easiest way to change things up.

 

[Gravesy]

9 hours ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

10 hours ago, fletch said:

I don't want my season to end by having Shesterkin yanked in Game 3,4,5 because he's hit a bad patch. It's not fair to the team.

But that's not the case. Maybe he could've stopped a goal or two over the last two games, but it's not like he's been horrible and the reason they've lost. "Not fair to the team". The way the've played is not fair to Shesterkin, who's carried their lazy asses for a long stretch of the season.

Spot on @Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc

Whilst Igor hasn't been his incredible self and has been unable to steal one for us, focusing on him here is barking up the wrong tree. There isn't a goalie past or present who wins the last 2 games for us. 

[fletch]

Hopefully Shesterkin pitches a shutout in Game 5.

[Sharpshooter]

Just a solid performance and a win would be good at this point. lol

[Cr00zng]

13 hours ago, fletch said:

I'm terribly unimpressed by Gallant's in-series adjustments. Even the TNT broadcast was discussing the lack of defensive zone adjustments.  Apparently Gallant is going to go with what worked in the regular season, and is showing a lack of flexibility in game planning.

 

The question is who gives us the best chance to win in Game 5.  Unless Georgiev were to pitch a shutout or give up one goal, I'd go back to Shesterkin in game 6.

 

If you look at performance every day over 9 months, hands-down Shesterkin is better than Georgiev in the vast majority of days.  But we're taking a single sample for Game 5, and over Game 3 and Game 4 I argue that Georgiev has been vastly superior, and gives the Rangers the best chance to prolong the series in Game 5.

 

I don't want my season to end by having Shesterkin yanked in Game 3,4,5 because he's hit a bad patch. It's not fair to the team.

 

And similar to the reason why coaches pull a goalie mid-game as a time-out and a reset for the team, even when it's not the goalie's fault, starting Georgiev in Game 5 sends more of a message than running gassers at practice.  Focus on defensive structure, limit quality chances, and don't play pond hockey where we're trying to score 5 goals.  We are not Edmonton.

 

And yes, I know Gallant committed to Shesterkin right after the game. What's the rush to decide 30 minutes after you've gotten blown out? Why not at least look at the tape and look at the entire team and each player's performance, instead of reacting in the moment?

Fair points, that didn't take couple of things into account....

 

In the first two games @MSG, Shesty had a combined SV% 0.951 and wasn't the reason for loosing one of the games. That in itself is a good reason to start Shesty in game five. As long as the team performs better, both on offense/defense, Shesty will keep them in the game and have similar SV% in winning game five

 

On the other hand, the PPG Paint Arena had been the house of horror for Shesty. He played a combined of 60 minutes in two games, posting a 0.766 SV%. In relief Geo also played 60 minutes in two games and had 0.929 SV%.

 

In game six at PPG, there could be an argument for starting Geo in that game, based on performance numbers. Sitting Shesty, who is one of the Vezina Trophy finalist and presumptive winner, is hard decision for the coach to make. The chances are that Shesty will start in game six, but Gallant will keep him on a short leash and will bring in Geo, if necessary. At least one would hope so...

 

The main reason why the starting goalie argument cannot be won is....

 

Despite Geo's performance in the playoffs and winning seven games in the last eight start in the season, he's not very well liked in this forum. Nor there is much credit given for him for that. Shesty's performance tapered off at the and of the season and had couple of stinker in the playoffs, but it does not matter. It's all up to the coach anyway and this is just the members discussing it...