Again, How many times do you need to hear Doc Emerick call "Girardi can't keep the puck in the zone" before you acknowledge that he hasn't had a good game since the conference semi-finals?
ok, so no doubt the Rangers have their hands full. What they showed last night was they can beat the Kings if they execute. I'll say it again but the best thing the Rangers can take away from this game is eating that humble pie and to never again take the Kings for granted for even a second
Haven't read through all post (started a new job, gotta limit my time on the forum)...so forgive me if everyone has already pointed all of this out. I took away from this game the fact that the Rangers can beat this team....and should have. Those saying the Kings will play better? not sure what team you've been watching in the playoffs, but that is how the Kings have been playing throughout.......slow starts, falling behind, a few big plays from Doughty and a few saves from Quick they tie it up........opportunistic on give aways. The Rangers for some unknown reason were reluctant to shoot in the 3rd period on what I saw as a pretty shaky goalie last night. He made a few patented Quick saves, but looked uncomfortable overall. Bottom line was for me that the Rangers had a ton of opportunities in the first 2 periods to extend the lead.........and had a chance with Hags and the end of regulation to seal it. Steps and Girardi with 2 HUGE mistakes. I thought Steps was worse becasue he just made a bone headed play..........Girardi was derailed by his clumsiness which we all know can rear it's ugly head now and then. Steps had plenty of time to make a safe play on goal #1. Liked the demonstation of speed and grit of Hags, Pouliot, Brass, Zucc....and the physical play overall by Mac,Stralman, Boyle, Dorsett, Moore. Nash/Steps/Kreider have some work to do.......Richards is once again skating in sand. St Louis missed a few golden chances. Hank was solid......and even though everyone is going nuts about all the shots in the 3rd....the Rangers still managed to have more quality chances in that period.
not to mention taking a whole period off. they had absolutely nada in the third period. no forecheck whatsoever either. you can't play 55 minutes in this league and expect to win, much less play forty minutes.] holy smokes I was pissed last night during the 3rd. bunch of bandwagon king fans for neighbors, that hurt to lose like they did last night. bad loss, bad giveaways.
by the way, not sure if anyone mentioned it, Doughty's goal, while impressive, should have not counted asI believe Richards was blatantly holding Stralman's stick so he couldn't defend.....don't even think that was mentioned in the telecast......but I knew that would never be called. and I don't agree with Game 2 being a must.....I can see this being a home ice series through 4 that will come down to who wins Game 5. I know that defies logic in these playoffs.
I agree with you, he was horrible, never thought I would say this but the defense will be better when John Moore comes back next game and we can roll 3 pairs
Great points. Some said the Rangers did not stand a chance against the Kings and last night showed that was not true. The Rangers can hang and even win. The Rangers have been so up and down in the playoffs recently, and my worry is last night was one of the games they should have won, not lost.
I'm getting pissed by the hour...I really wanted that win. I dont know what this means in Game 2 and how LA will play. The Rangers I hope really dial-in on what they have to do. My goodness those boards and that ice was worse then the MSG ice. Rangers have got to get the cycle play going so they tire out the Kings on the forecheck...Rangers need to be aggressive on that. Im just upset we lost on a turnover on a valiant effort from Hank and being up 2-0...It sucks because the team I KNOW FOR SURE read the scouting report on Quick and shot glove hand on him...he had been letting in alot of goals up high on pads and glove...The two saves on Marty and that 3rd period save sucks...DAMN IT Rangers have to play better
Yeah, Im not buying this "Kings also played below their norm". The Kings from the first game of the playoffs till last night have played exactly this way. They make mistakes..they have flaws but they keep coming. They have "dominated" 60 minutes on few occasions. The giveaways last night will continue for them too. Quick will have several games where he is not great. I mean, the flaws are there. BRAD said it above, the Rangers had some amazing chances that didn't go there way. I mean St Louis has an open net and shoots the puck wide to the opposite side. Tried to kill it..not sure what he was thinking. Had at least 3 chances where the puck was sitting there and someone was a second late. This big bad Kings stuff in the media before the series and today...what the Kings have that is very very tough to beat is the ability to never die. So friggin cliché but up 2-0 lets face it, if it was on our minds it was on the minds of the players. They either get over that in one game or they don't.
Hack, I definitely said Girardi was brutal and he should be getting ripped, I agree 100% He has been complete dog shit. Hes been our worst D man on the ice for a couple weeks now. total disgrace. I said there is no way in hell I would extend Callahan or Giradi. we made the right decision with one of them at least.
agreed...during the whole Blackhawks Kings series where everyone was marveling at the exciting hockey, what I saw was shoddy defense and inconsistent goaltending on both sides.....Rangers had a ton of great looks last night that they blatantly missed, quick saved a few, and the kings D were lucky to get a piece of a few. and yes, they thrive when they are down, for whatever reason. But that Stepan give away turned the game.
Girardi had a quote during media day....where he admitted he was just soaking it all in and it really wouldn't hit him until the pucked dropped.........Maybe it's time to focus now Danny boy.
Girardi had a quote during media day....where he admitted he was just soaking it all in and it really wouldn't hit him until the pucked dropped.........Maybe it's time to focus now Danny boy. sorry for the double
