No Hockey Fans This Post Season??? (Page 6 of 31)

Let's get something straight.  I am a true blue Rangers fan.  Outplaying a team is moot when the match is over and lost.  Blaming officials is fruitless, any sport pretty much, slight nod to the NFL replay and NHL reviews.  Hitting the goal posts reminds me of my hockey shot philosophy-a pipe miss is as good as a mile.  No joy is no joy.  Rangers were behind on the scoreboard and really blew it when it mattered most.  Caps got some bad calls also that kept he game from slipping further.  Rangers have to sink or swim. 

Rock ON & Keep the Faith,
Rocket

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! "
http://jbonamassa.com/tour-dates/
"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
“Now, this isn’t your ordinary party crowd, here.  I mean, there are professionals in here.”

FR

The Rangers either have to play flawlessly or Lundqvist stand on his head to win. They do it often, but didn't do either Monday. Whether the winner comes out of the East or West depends on the composure of the young goalies in the West. It is very difficult for goalies to advance more than a round more than their prior best playoffs. Holtby hasn't been particularly brilliant so far this round, leaving a ton of rebounds last game that the Rags had no one in front of the net to capitalize on.

Quick and Smith have to  be considered question marks if they make it to the finals. Something isnt right with Rinne, and with two of their top forwards suspended coming back from 2-0 down would be an amazing feat for Nashville. St. Louis could rebound though. They have to rough Quick up a bit and make him think twice.

HL, Brodeur and Bryzgalov have the experience, so odds are heavily in favor of whatever team makes it out of the East IMHO.

A Phoenix or LA  vs Rangers final would be the second best thing to a M&G with Joe for this West Coast Rangers fan!

I'm supposed to leave early in the AM for Joes show in Des Moines, but I can't take my eyes off the Rangers/Caps game...which is now headed to triple OT. 6 AM wake up call may be tough if this extends much longer. I love this game!
Fun to watch when you don't really care who wins...sorta nice not be be emotionally invested for a change....Ok, I'd much rather be watching the Hawks, but they're gone.

Wow! What a game! Rangers win with a few minutes left in triple OT...thought they were going to a 4th OT period. That's a tough loss for either team...Caps had shots off the post in both the 2nd and 3rd OT's. Almost a 5 hour game. Rangers will sleep well tonight, Caps not so much.

Words fail me, Cathy. What a noble sacrifice on your part, to sit through three OTs for me! Shame about the result, though.

Yeah, poor Bill...I'll try and find some time to feel sorry for him today.

Give some extra drive time Bill. A bit wet here today but expected to clear this afternoon, then wet again tonight. I tried to find that game last night when I saw it was in the 1st OT but no luck here on the hotel choices.

No, let's not forget Fuzzy Wuzzy either!  I listened at work, wow is all I can say, what a game, end to end back to end to back to other end, both goalies remarkable saves (according to excitement in announcers' voices) plus more defensive play blocked shots by others on both teams than you could shake a hockey stick at! Triple overtime!!! Announcers revisited the
Rangers' Pete Stemkowski's triple OT goal back in 1971 in Game 6, which if they had lost were to be eliminated-a game made in a kid's NHL Hockey (on Canadian television, of course!) on a school night dreams (old man let me stay up for playoff games' end, a huge privilege hardly ever dispersed, not usually accorded at least, even to the priveliged older sisters )! Oh well, Blackhawks went on to win game 7 and advance, but what a series. 

Rookie goalies, young goalies, ah yes.  Seems I recall the dreaded Canadiens had this young law degreed rookie in net, can't remember how that turned out.   Also recall the dusty "old timer" goalies who took naps on the bench then came in when the fire alarm went off and almost invariably saved the day...

Holtby continues to be impressive, Cathy, uh, the guy guarding the net thingy for the Caps, , as is the Rangers' Lundqvist!  Love when the goaltenders take lots of quality shots on and win.  Can't wait to root for the Flyers next game!

Skating Away, ON the Thin Ice Of The New Day, Ice Creaking With Faith,
Rocket

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! "
http://jbonamassa.com/tour-dates/
"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
“Now, this isn’t your ordinary party crowd, here.  I mean, there are professionals in here.”

Just going with the statistics. 2010 was one of the exceptions..why? Because goaltending matchups for the Hawks werent even close to being a deciding factor. 5 goals a game in the first round, 6 goals a game in the second round, 5 goals a game in the 3rd round, nearly 7 goals a game in the finals. Niemi's SP was a pedestrian .910.

Most years goaltending is the deciding factor, 2010 it simply wasnt.

Burke has worked miracles with Smith, playing far above his history. Whether it can be maintained for two more rounds will be fun to watch. Quick I know very well, having coached against him in USAH Nationals and  prep school. If anyone can overcome the freshman jinx its him, because he is oblivious to pressure. Still a long shot, especially if he's facing an experienced goalie. He faced a physically depleted Canucks team and an inexperienced goalie who has melted down in the 2d round, playing horribly.

If the Rangers win tomorrow I'm getting ready to celebrate the Cup, because the Rangers will be odds on favorites to make the finals, and odds on favorites against either Quick or Smith, despite their lack of a threatening power play.

ETA: Holtby misplayed the GWG in the OT game. The biggest risk with traffic in front and the puck behind the net is 5 hole and should have played it paddle down, like Lundqvist does. Instead he not only left the 5 hole exposed, his stick redirected it through. He has been playing great though, but if the Caps offense wakes up enough to beat the Rangers, I cant see them making it to the finals.