[RS] (#55) Rangers @ New York Islanders — the One With the Big Ass Jersey Numbers

[Pete]

4 minutes ago, Jdog99 said:

 

Not 'lucky'

 

But not the kind of performance that inspires confidence in a deep playoff run

Since when does not quitting, resiliency, and coming from behind not inspire a deep playoff run? 

[torontonyr]

16 minutes ago, Pete said:

Since when does not quitting, resiliency, and coming from behind not inspire a deep playoff run? 

I agree with you. This reminds me of the 2011-2012 Winter Classic and season in general.

[Vodka Drunkenski]

The Islanders handed the game to the Rangers

[Pete]

6 minutes ago, Vodka Drunkenski said:

The Islanders handed the game to the Rangers

Because the Rangers forced the issue. 

[RichieNextel305]

58 minutes ago, Jdog99 said:

 

Not 'lucky'

 

But not the kind of performance that inspires confidence in a deep playoff run

Not every single win is going to be a masterpiece. Some games you’re gonna truck teams. Others, you're gonna have to grind for 60 minutes and scrape out a win. Others, you’re just gonna get beat. They all happen. To all teams.

 

A win like that inspires confidence for me because those are the type of games not a lot of teams have the ability to come back and win. 

[Valriera]

I mean, those last two are two easy penalties to call. yeah, they're bad penalties to take but it's not like these are make up calls. One is a play on the boards that's an obvious but unnecessary trip, and the other is directly from Lafreniere taking a guy on, and the guy makes a sloppy play with his stick.

 

After that, we still have to score, twice, with the goalie pulled on the powerplay to tie the game. Doing that once rarely happens enough because it's hard to do, but one great tip from Kreider (which is the only thing he does) and one great pass from Fox (which is one of many things he does) and the game is tied.

 

Then Panarin makes an Hart Trophy caliber play to win the game.

 

I hardly call that handing the game over. Sure, at least one of those is a bad penalty and then leaving Kreider wide open in front is never a great idea, but this is not like the islanders left the net wide open. Mika misses that same exact shot four times per game. 

 

These are the big guys standing up and delivering when the pressure and spotlight is on which I might argue is the most important thing next to your goaltender that matters for the playoffs.  

 

 

[Vodka Drunkenski]

29 minutes ago, Pete said:

Because the Rangers forced the issue. 

riiiight

[BrooksBurner]

I don’t think anyone watching that game was ready to call it a good game with 5 min to go against a mediocre-to-bad team, who then gave them two PPs in the dying minutes. The first of which was on a ticky tack game management style hooking penalty call.
 

A 5-on-3 goal and 6-on-4 goal with the goalie pulled for both, one or two empty net misses by the Isles, and a 3 on 3 OT goal. It’s a great game you love to be on the right side of, but it’s a one off that happens once a year if you’re lucky. They are running out of time to show progress. They got absolutely trampled at 5v5 yesterday.

Edited February 19 by BrooksBurner

[Br4d]

This game is irreproducible in the playoffs.  Zero chance the whistle comes out twice like that in the waning moments of the game.

[Vodka Drunkenski]

29 minutes ago, BrooksBurner said:

I don’t think anyone watching that game was ready to call it a good game with 5 min to go against a mediocre-to-bad team, who then gave them two PPs in the dying minutes. The first of which was on a ticky tack game management style hooking penalty call.
 

A 5-on-3 goal and 6-on-4 goal with the goalie pulled for both, one or two empty net misses by the Isles, and a 3 on 3 OT goal. It’s a great game you love to be on the right side of, but it’s a one off that happens once a year if you’re lucky. They are running out of time to show progress. They got absolutely trampled at 5v5 yesterday.

 

Don't forget that those PP goals against the worst PK in the league.

[BrooksBurner]

10 minutes ago, Vodka Drunkenski said:

 

Don't forget that those PP goals against the worst PK in the league.

 

I didn't even catch that they were that bad. 70% PK? Wowzers.

[The Dude]

35 minutes ago, Br4d said:

This game is irreproducible in the playoffs.  Zero chance the whistle comes out twice like that in the waning moments of the game.

Meh. Look back at the amount of penalties called in the Devils series last season. Refs don't put the whistles away for the playoffs anymore.

[Pete]

30 minutes ago, Vodka Drunkenski said:

 

Don't forget that those PP goals against the worst PK in the league.

Remind me how good bad the Rangers power play has been over the last month or so?

[jsm7302]

59 minutes ago, BrooksBurner said:

I don’t think anyone watching that game was ready to call it a good game with 5 min to go against a mediocre-to-bad team, who then gave them two PPs in the dying minutes. The first of which was on a ticky tack game management style hooking penalty call.
 

A 5-on-3 goal and 6-on-4 goal with the goalie pulled for both, one or two empty net misses by the Isles, and a 3 on 3 OT goal. It’s a great game you love to be on the right side of, but it’s a one off that happens once a year if you’re lucky. They are running out of time to show progress. They got absolutely trampled at 5v5 yesterday.

When ya get the puck luck, it is awesome.

 

However, let's be honest....the last part of the post should pull everyone back down to reality. On the other hand though, they have 7 in a row now? Is that all puck luck?

 

The team has the potential to put it all together....wildly inconsistently though.

[Pete]

10 minutes ago, jsm7302 said:

When ya get the puck luck, it is awesome.

 

However, let's be honest....the last part of the post should pull everyone back down to reality. On the other hand though, they have 7 in a row now? Is that all puck luck?

 

The team has the potential to put it all together....wildly inconsistently though.

Most people would look at this team and say they have but in first place all season while not yet hitting their stride. They have been able to win without playing their best hockey, and the law of averages says that all of their best hockey is ahead of them.

 

But that's most people. 

[4EverRangerFrank]

It's Monday and I'm still feeling the good feels of that incredible win.

[RichieNextel305]

I don’t get why we’re nitpicking here to find reasons that yesterday wasn’t a good day. We came back from 2 goals down in a rabid, unfamiliar environment in the final minutes on goals by 2 of our most important players, followed by a quick strike in OT by our team MVP to continue on a winning streak that is now at 7 games. What am I missing here?

 

I’m not saying we don’t have holes. I’m not saying yesterday was a masterclass in how to play for 60 minutes. But come on. Down 2 goals against an Islander team that was playing in its most important game of the season and we come back and take it from them. If you want to argue “they shouldn’t have been in that spot” or “it’s the Islanders, we shouldn’t be trailing to them” then I can respond with the fact it was a monumentally huge game for them and that team always plays their best games against the Rangers.

 

Showing resilience and being able to not lay down and die, much like this group has before in big spots where the odds are stacked against them need I remind you, was a very good sign. 

[Pete]

28 minutes ago, RichieNextel305 said:

I don’t get why we’re nitpicking here to find reasons that yesterday wasn’t a good day. We came back from 2 goals down in a rabid, unfamiliar environment in the final minutes on goals by 2 of our most important players, followed by a quick strike in OT by our team MVP to continue on a winning streak that is now at 7 games. What am I missing here?

 

I’m not saying we don’t have holes. I’m not saying yesterday was a masterclass in how to play for 60 minutes. But come on. Down 2 goals against an Islander team that was playing in its most important game of the season and we come back and take it from them. If you want to argue “they shouldn’t have been in that spot” or “it’s the Islanders, we shouldn’t be trailing to them” then I can respond with the fact it was a monumentally huge game for them and that team always plays their best games against the Rangers.

 

Showing resilience and being able to not lay down and die, much like this group has before in big spots where the odds are stacked against them need I remind you, was a very good sign. 

Agreed. 

 

Look this isn't GGs Rangers, where all they had was Igor and a power play, just bleeding shot attempts from everywhere and the worst team in the league in high danger chances against. 

 

They are developing nice depth. They are finding ways to overcome bad goaltending performances and a cold power play. Their D is a work in progress.

 

We always knew it would be an adjustment period and that the team would need to be better than the sum of it's parts anyway. They're adjusting and despite the struggles they have been in first place and should be in the playoffs, where anything can happen. It's a race to 16 wins by hook or by crook. Even I accepted that during the GG era.

 

This team really turn the corner before the break and they've continued to stack wins. Could just be they are the team that bucks the analytics. 

[lefty9]

3 minutes ago, Pete said:

Agreed. 

 

Look this isn't GGs Rangers, where all they had was Igor and a power play, just bleeding shot attempts from everywhere and the worst team in the league in high danger chances against. 

 

They are developing nice depth. They are finding ways to overcome bad goaltending performances and a cold power play. Their D is a work in progress.

 

We always knew it would be an adjustment period and that the team would need to be better than the sum of it's parts anyway. They're adjusting and despite the struggles they have been in first place and should be in the playoffs, where anything can happen. It's a race to 16 wins by hook or by crook. Even I accepted that during the GG era.

 

This team really turn the corner before the break and they've continued to stack wins. Could just be they are the team that bucks the analytics. 

Hope you right Pete

I am very happy with yesterday results

[Sharpshooter]

They never really lost first place in their division despite being mid at best for two months. This current streak they're on is reminisce of their hot start. Perhaps not playing their best but finding ways. Our big guys came up absolutely huge yesterday.

[jsm7302]

1 hour ago, RichieNextel305 said:

I don’t get why we’re nitpicking here to find reasons that yesterday wasn’t a good day. We came back from 2 goals down in a rabid, unfamiliar environment in the final minutes on goals by 2 of our most important players, followed by a quick strike in OT by our team MVP to continue on a winning streak that is now at 7 games. What am I missing here?

 

I’m not saying we don’t have holes. I’m not saying yesterday was a masterclass in how to play for 60 minutes. But come on. Down 2 goals against an Islander team that was playing in its most important game of the season and we come back and take it from them. If you want to argue “they shouldn’t have been in that spot” or “it’s the Islanders, we shouldn’t be trailing to them” then I can respond with the fact it was a monumentally huge game for them and that team always plays their best games against the Rangers.

 

Showing resilience and being able to not lay down and die, much like this group has before in big spots where the odds are stacked against them need I remind you, was a very good sign. 

[BlairBettsBlocksEverything]

watching highlights of this game for the millionth time because it was so great, but god would these be so much better if Doc was still calling hockey games. ESPN announcers are so boring. 

[Sharpshooter]

5 minutes ago, BlairBettsBlocksEverything said:

watching highlights of this game for the millionth time because it was so great, but god would these be so much better if Doc was still calling hockey games. ESPN announcers are so boring. 

I was thinking the same thing. McDonagh is an awful announcer who, on top of that, couldn't have been less happier whenever the Rangers scored or when they won. lol

[BlairBettsBlocksEverything]

8 minutes ago, Sharpshooter said:

I was thinking the same thing. McDonagh is an awful announcer who, on top of that, couldn't have been less happier whenever the Rangers scored or when they won. lol

Ferraro on the color commentary is actually pretty good but McDonagh just gets no excitement going. Seems like every time a goal is scored he's always talking about something else and feels like he needs to finish his point lol

 

 

[Drew a Penalty]

Wischusen is the best PBP that ESPN has by far. He should be on the main team, not McDonough.