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2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs thread


MadDog2020

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This Rangers team has more heart than any I've seen.

 

I agree with devilsrule33, New York's 2012 team had plenty of heart too. Maybe more heart than this year's (but less skill). Your 2012 team never quit. Look at your roster now though, it's stacked.

 

Good money was paid, good deals were made and you have a team with Nash, Richards, Martin St Louis, McDonaugh, one of the league's best goaltenders, and fast kids who'll be hitting pay day next year. I know every star (Richards, Nash, etc.) seems to devalue in the eyes of Rangers fans as soon as NYR puts pen to paper and they play a bad game or bad month, but let's call a spade a spade, these were headline-grabbing signings at the time; the Rangers aren't some lunchpail blue collar underdog team. I don't think they're any less stacked than LA; on paper, LA may even have less superstars (in my opinion), but it's their system that reigns. Their system beat probably the most stacked team in the league and can probably beat anyone at this rate. What will win it for NY will be Lundqvist. Can he steal a series? Or steal a game or two, enough to frustrate the Kings/get in their heads? A Cup win starts and ends with him, no matter how stacked the team in the Finals is. LA's "team" and system is that good, and Lundqvist is the x-factor.

Edited by DJ Eco
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Did you miss the save he made with 8.2 seconds left? Quick hasn't been as sharp during this run but is clutch. I'd have preferred Crawford and the Hawks.

 

I agree. Quick's (and Crawford's) numbers only took a hit because they mutually faced just about the toughest offensive opponents in the league, in each other. That's reason number 1 I have the Kings winning the Cup, because let's face it, the Rangers haven't been playing at the level the Kings' previous three rounds of opponents have. The Rangers will only win if Lundqvist finds yet another gear (he's been terrific overall), or if injury/tiredness becomes a major factor with the Kings, which I don't think it will (NY's only played one less game than LA).

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I agree with devilsrule33, New York's 2012 team had plenty of heart too. Maybe more heart than this year's (but less skill). Your 2012 team never quit. Look at your roster now though, it's stacked.

 

Good money was paid, good deals were made and you have a team with Nash, Richards, Martin St Louis, McDonaugh, one of the league's best goaltenders, and fast kids who'll be hitting pay day next year. I know every star (Richards, Nash, etc.) seems to devalue in the eyes of Rangers fans as soon as NYR puts pen to paper and they play a bad game or bad month, but let's call a spade a spade, these were headline-grabbing signings at the time; the Rangers aren't some lunchpail blue collar underdog team. I don't think they're any less stacked than LA; on paper, LA may even have less superstars (in my opinion), but it's their system that reigns. Their system beat probably the most stacked team in the league and can probably beat anyone at this rate. What will win it for NY will be Lundqvist. Can he steal a series? Or steal a game or two, enough to frustrate the Kings/get in their heads? A Cup win starts and ends with him, no matter how stacked the team in the Finals is. LA's "team" and system is that good, and Lundqvist is the x-factor.

 

 

NHL.com pretty much stated my point a bit more eloquently, but point for point... http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=721473&navid=DL|NHL|home

 

 

KINGS WILL WIN IF … They use their size and grit. This is not a team that wins pretty; it is a team that wears down other teams, using a long series to grind up and beat up an opponent. Each round, the Kings have found a weakness in their opponent, and then they spent the rest of the series exploiting it. Heading into this series, it appears the Kings will have a physical advantage, and they must exploit it from the very beginning to slow down the Rangers and make them less effective.

RANGERS WILL WIN IF … Lundqvist is able to steal some games and the Rangers are able to use their speed to their advantage. Lundqvist and overall team speed might be the only advantages the Rangers have. Their defense will be pressed harder in the Cup Final than in any of the three previous rounds. New York doesn't have the center depth to match up in this series. However, the Rangers will stay in games and give themselves a chance if Lundqvist is on his game, McDonagh is the best skater on the ice, they forecheck hard and play fast, which starts by setting the tone early.

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LA is not a big ratings market for the NHL. So far the ratings coming from LA locally in the playoffs have not been good. For example, NBA games that include teams not even close to LA have done significantly larger ratings than Kings games in LA. I expect that to continue in the Cup Finals.

 

On the other hand, Chicago is a ratings juggernaut. Chi/NYR would be the NHL's dream matchup. The NY/LA matchup might have national intrigue though.

 

Just read that Kenny Albert will be calling Game 1 of the Finals as there has been a death in Doc's family.

 

Eh, LA is a BIG bandwagon town. If the media can play up the LA vs. NYC thing well, it could substantially boost ratings.

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It's easy to say that now that there in the Finals, but I don't buy that. What did the 2012 team lack in effort or "heart". Torts had all 5 skaters on the ice playing goalie all game. I remember someone tweeted at the time saying, "why do we need so much goalie equipment when the Rangers have 5 guys on the ice happy to sacrifice their body without any." The Rangers are here now because they have been a lot better than past teams.

 

Good luck to your team especially getting to Doughty, but if the Kings lose this series, it won't be because they were outhearted or outwhatever insert intangible cliche here.

 

The 2012 team always gave max effort. As evidenced by the end of the ECF. I don't believe they would've comeback from 3-1 down. They were more reliant on Lundqvist and played as you referred to, "5 guys on the ice happy to sacrifice their body without any." The biggest difference is this year's squad boasts more speed and rolls 4 lines. There's more of an emphasis on attacking. They're more aggressive and the D pinches. McDonagh is also much better offensively.

 

Thanks. If they win, it'll be because Lundqvist outplayed Quick along with their team speed.   

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I agree with devilsrule33, New York's 2012 team had plenty of heart too. Maybe more heart than this year's (but less skill). Your 2012 team never quit. Look at your roster now though, it's stacked.

 

Good money was paid, good deals were made and you have a team with Nash, Richards, Martin St Louis, McDonaugh, one of the league's best goaltenders, and fast kids who'll be hitting pay day next year. I know every star (Richards, Nash, etc.) seems to devalue in the eyes of Rangers fans as soon as NYR puts pen to paper and they play a bad game or bad month, but let's call a spade a spade, these were headline-grabbing signings at the time; the Rangers aren't some lunchpail blue collar underdog team. I don't think they're any less stacked than LA; on paper, LA may even have less superstars (in my opinion), but it's their system that reigns. Their system beat probably the most stacked team in the league and can probably beat anyone at this rate. What will win it for NY will be Lundqvist. Can he steal a series? Or steal a game or two, enough to frustrate the Kings/get in their heads? A Cup win starts and ends with him, no matter how stacked the team in the Finals is. LA's "team" and system is that good, and Lundqvist is the x-factor.

 

They're not as much lunch pail as 2012. When you change key players (Anisimov, Dubinsky, Prust, Callahan, Fedotenko, Gaborik) and replace them with a mix of speed, skill and grit (Nash, St. Louis, Zuccarello, Brassard, Pouliot, Moore, Dorsett, Carcillo), it provides better balance. It took a change in philosophy to reach this point. No player has more than 13 points. They've gotten large contributions from Moore and Boyle. In 2012, they were victimized by the Devils 4th line (Carter-Gionta-Bernier).

 

Comparing talent is interesting. The Kings' best are clearly better. Any GM would take Kopitar, Carter and Doughty. LA entered the tournament as the lowest scoring team. They are the highest scoring headed into tomorrow. Gaborik has flourished and Carter is having a huge postseason. Kopitar leads everyone in scoring. Doughty has dominated. Williams is a big game performer. When you can get great production out of Pearson and Toffoli, it makes you that much better. Voynov and Muzzin are underrated on the back end. Brown had a big Game 7 and is a bigger version of Callahan.

 

I glanced at total hits on nhl.com. The Kings lead the postseason with 898. Also a product of playing the most games (21). That's an average of 42.8. The Rangers rank second with 587 over 20 (29.3). LA also is second in faceoff percentage (52.9). The Rangers are 12th (47.5). The Rangers have the most takeaways (137). LA is tied with Chicago for fourth with 92. The Kings have the most giveaways (250). The Rangers are second highest with 220.

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The 2012 team always gave max effort. As evidenced by the end of the ECF. I don't believe they would've comeback from 3-1 down. They were more reliant on Lundqvist and played as you referred to, "5 guys on the ice happy to sacrifice their body without any." The biggest difference is this year's squad boasts more speed and rolls 4 lines. There's more of an emphasis on attacking. They're more aggressive and the D pinches. McDonagh is also much better offensively.

 

Thanks. If they win, it'll be because Lundqvist outplayed Quick along with their team speed.   

 

That's just it. They are simply a better team. The 2012 team was not coming back down 3-1 to this year's Penguins team or probably many teams. 

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