When did the Rangers get Brodeur?
What ass clown called this a sweep??? Seriously. hating or ignorance?
What ass clown called this a sweep??? Seriously. hating or ignorance?
What ass clown called this a sweep??? Seriously. hating or ignorance?
Caps caught a break in the sense the Pens, Canes, or Habs were a tougher matchup than the Rangers. I hope you do not think those 7 of 8 points matter if they face each other later in the payoffs.
Caps caught a break in the sense the Pens, Canes, or Habs were a tougher matchup than the Rangers. I hope you do not think those 7 of 8 points matter if they face each other later in the payoffs.
The Rangers will beat Washington in the first playoff round. If only it was so easy to play as it is to write it.
Of course, the Blueshirts matchup with the Capitals will be fraught with challenges, but that's what the playoffs are all about. For starters, The Maven wants it known up front that I'm not the least bit interested in statistics (That's why some guy made a mint writing a best-seller, "How to Lie with Statistics").
Any stats you may refer to in analyzing the Rangers and Caps come from the regular season which is HISTORY, OVER, IRRELEVANT.
This is The New Season, where things happen differently than they do in the regular campaign.
One story tells it all:
In the 1941-42 campaign, the Toronto Maple Leafs best scorer was Gordie Drillon and their two best defensemen were Bucko McDonald and Bingo Kampman. The trio were inept in the first three games of the Finals against Detroit. Leafs coach Hap Day benched them all and inserted three mostly-minor leaguers; forward Don Metz and Dmen Ernie Dickens and Bob Goldham. They became immediate stars and Toronto won four straight and The Cup.
Back to the Rangers. They'll beat Washington because they have the most important player of all, Henny Lundqvist. Goaltending wins playoffs and New York has a hot one. The Caps Jose Theodore has "Sieve" written all over him.
Now you're going to ask me, "What about Al Ovechkin?"
Good question. I love the guy along with millions of other hockey fans. However, John Tortorella has the perfect antidote to Ovie and that happens to be Sean Avery.
Or, have you forgotten how The Great Gabbo thoroughly drove Atlanta"s Ilya Kovalchuk nuts in the opening playoff round two Springs ago? The Thrashers went out in four straight and, as far as I know, Ilya is still talking to himself. Yes, I'm fully aware that the Caps also have folks such as Al Semin, Nik Backstrom and the ever-popular Vik Kozlov who know a bit about shooting the biscuit.
Oh, brother, how I respect their offense but voracious checking, A-1 goaltending and insightful blueprinting (by Torts) can defuse the best attackers. Playoffs-past prove this point over and over and over again. (Check out Bobby Orr And The Big, Bad Bruins who were knocked off by Ken Dryden and Montreal in 1971.)
What I don't respect is the Washington defense.
Yeah, the Caps have a winner in Mike Green but he's not even a defenseman. His listing to the contrary, Green actually is a ROVER. He's more interested in scoring than defending and – like Orr was – is vulnerable to a quick counterattack. After Green, I can't find anyone on the Washington roster who the Rangers really would want on their blue line.
The addition of Derek Morris has given New York a well-rounded defense. I expect Wade Redden to step up his game and there's no reason to doubt that Dan Girardi, Mike Rozsival, Paul Mara and the rest of the worthies can do the job AS A UNIT.
Clearly, I'm basing my prediction on the offense delivering. Nik Antropov, in particular, is poised for a big series. Ditto Chris Drury, Scott Gomez and – no chuckles in the balcony, please! – Nik Zherdev.
New York's penalty-killing IS the best and, who knows, maybe the power play will shape up against a mediocre Washington D this time around.
Home ice advantage? That's nonsense. I'm with Torts when he asserts that it's just as advantageous to open on the road.
Pressure, believe it or not, is on the home team. Plus, the Rangers ARE underdogs ... No matter.
NEW YORK IN SIX GAMES.
The Rangers will beat Washington in the first playoff round. If only it was so easy to play as it is to write it.
Of course, the Blueshirts matchup with the Capitals will be fraught with challenges, but that's what the playoffs are all about. For starters, The Maven wants it known up front that I'm not the least bit interested in statistics (That's why some guy made a mint writing a best-seller, "How to Lie with Statistics").
Any stats you may refer to in analyzing the Rangers and Caps come from the regular season which is HISTORY, OVER, IRRELEVANT.
This is The New Season, where things happen differently than they do in the regular campaign.
One story tells it all:
In the 1941-42 campaign, the Toronto Maple Leafs best scorer was Gordie Drillon and their two best defensemen were Bucko McDonald and Bingo Kampman. The trio were inept in the first three games of the Finals against Detroit. Leafs coach Hap Day benched them all and inserted three mostly-minor leaguers; forward Don Metz and Dmen Ernie Dickens and Bob Goldham. They became immediate stars and Toronto won four straight and The Cup.
Back to the Rangers. They'll beat Washington because they have the most important player of all, Henny Lundqvist. Goaltending wins playoffs and New York has a hot one. The Caps Jose Theodore has "Sieve" written all over him.
Now you're going to ask me, "What about Al Ovechkin?"
Good question. I love the guy along with millions of other hockey fans. However, John Tortorella has the perfect antidote to Ovie and that happens to be Sean Avery.
Or, have you forgotten how The Great Gabbo thoroughly drove Atlanta"s Ilya Kovalchuk nuts in the opening playoff round two Springs ago? The Thrashers went out in four straight and, as far as I know, Ilya is still talking to himself. Yes, I'm fully aware that the Caps also have folks such as Al Semin, Nik Backstrom and the ever-popular Vik Kozlov who know a bit about shooting the biscuit.
Oh, brother, how I respect their offense but voracious checking, A-1 goaltending and insightful blueprinting (by Torts) can defuse the best attackers. Playoffs-past prove this point over and over and over again. (Check out Bobby Orr And The Big, Bad Bruins who were knocked off by Ken Dryden and Montreal in 1971.)
What I don't respect is the Washington defense.
Yeah, the Caps have a winner in Mike Green but he's not even a defenseman. His listing to the contrary, Green actually is a ROVER. He's more interested in scoring than defending and – like Orr was – is vulnerable to a quick counterattack. After Green, I can't find anyone on the Washington roster who the Rangers really would want on their blue line.
The addition of Derek Morris has given New York a well-rounded defense. I expect Wade Redden to step up his game and there's no reason to doubt that Dan Girardi, Mike Rozsival, Paul Mara and the rest of the worthies can do the job AS A UNIT.
Clearly, I'm basing my prediction on the offense delivering. Nik Antropov, in particular, is poised for a big series. Ditto Chris Drury, Scott Gomez and – no chuckles in the balcony, please! – Nik Zherdev.
New York's penalty-killing IS the best and, who knows, maybe the power play will shape up against a mediocre Washington D this time around.
Home ice advantage? That's nonsense. I'm with Torts when he asserts that it's just as advantageous to open on the road.
Pressure, believe it or not, is on the home team. Plus, the Rangers ARE underdogs ... No matter.
NEW YORK IN SIX GAMES.
You are a bit irritable and take things too personal. Caps did earn the no 2. Who is arguinng that point. That does not make them the 2nd best team IMO, nor is the 7th seed the 7th best team. The standings were so close that the Pens or Canes could have easily been 7th, but that would not make them a worse team than where they ended up.
At the end of the season, two years ago the Sens & Pens were arguably the two best team's at that time, but they were seeded 4 & 5. Seedings do not mean a whole lot other than home ice.
You are a bit irritable and take things too personal. Caps did earn the no 2. Who is arguinng that point. That does not make them the 2nd best team IMO, nor is the 7th seed the 7th best team. The standings were so close that the Pens or Canes could have easily been 7th, but that would not make them a worse team than where they ended up.
At the end of the season, two years ago the Sens & Pens were arguably the two best team's at that time, but they were seeded 4 & 5. Seedings do not mean a whole lot other than home ice.
Wrong thread bro...
Wrong thread bro...
You are a bit irritable and take things too personal. Caps did earn the no 2. Who is arguinng that point. That does not make them the 2nd best team IMO, nor is the 7th seed the 7th best team. The standings were so close that the Pens or Canes could have easily been 7th, but that would not make them a worse team than where they ended up.
At the end of the season, two years ago the Sens & Pens were arguably the two best team's at that time, but they were seeded 4 & 5. Seedings do not mean a whole lot other than home ice.
You are a bit irritable and take things too personal. Caps did earn the no 2. Who is arguinng that point. That does not make them the 2nd best team IMO, nor is the 7th seed the 7th best team. The standings were so close that the Pens or Canes could have easily been 7th, but that would not make them a worse team than where they ended up.
At the end of the season, two years ago the Sens & Pens were arguably the two best team's at that time, but they were seeded 4 & 5. Seedings do not mean a whole lot other than home ice.
.....the caps D scare me man!!
.....the caps D scare me man!!
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