Rangers

[Gerry]

So it's pretty much assured by now that it's the Rangers in Round 1, right? With 5 games left, it's not *impossible* that they could climb out of the first wildcard sport, or that the Habs could slide out of first... but with 6 point cushions, it's highly unlikely.

Rangers have good balanced offense, D and goaltending have maybe not been as strong as expected, but I think one generally expects them to be strong there. 23rd on PK stands out a bit... if only the Habs' PP was able to figure itself out.

I don't think there's a big star or even really a top line on the Rangers that you try to shut down. They have balance and speed pretty much everywhere. It's not too bad a matchup for the Habs. The Rangers don't seem to have an especially physical/gritty team... even some of their heavier forwards like Hayes, Kreider, Nash and Zibanejad... they have size but don't necessarily play "mean".

It's not a terrible matchup for the Habs. There isn't much else you could get that would be better, no matter where you sit in the standings... 2nd vs. 3rd in the Atlantic is about the only somewhat "weak" matchup, perhaps, but would have been a big rivalry slot instead. To go anywhere in the playoffs, you have to be able to get by these teams at some point, so starting with the Rangers is as good as anything. Bonus, if you get past them, you get the rivalry/weaker opponent in the 2nd round.

l8r,
Gerry

[Mike]

I think they can be the Rangers - they've already shown that. King
Henrik has not had a fantastic year and Price is coming into the groove
as we speak so I think they can beat them. I also think they can beat
Ottawa or Toronto, although the way things are going I wouldn't be
shocked to see Ottawa tumble out of the race. Karlsson is hurt which for
them is like Price going down for the Habs - bad news. Looking at the
schedule, Montreal will have a very large say in who plays in that #2/3
spot. They've got Tampa twice so will be interesting.

After the second round I don't hold out much hope and in truth it
wouldn't shock me totally if the Rangers did beat them - after all they
are two even teams, points wise so its far from an easy pick. My bold
prediction is that they beat NYR in 6, the Leafs in 5 hard fought games
and then go down 4-1 to Washington who will finally beat the curse and
get to the Finals.

[gorgo...@gmail.com]

Rangers are fine with me. I want no part of the Leafs more so than any other team. They are a huge darkhorse, you don't know what they'll do, and have a good coach. There is also the Leafs v Habs phenomena of them rising in games v the Habs. Most importantly, I would not be able to endure the absolutely hyper pro-Leafs media buzz that would certainly surface. I'd have to watch the games on RDS even though I can't speak French.

Great clip by Arron Ward on Montreal 690 the other day where he went ocf big time on the arrogance of the atmosphere surrounding the Leafs and how this affected his feeling that he never wanted to play for them. He also said this feeling exists among many veterans. The Montreal announcers loved ig.

[Marty]

On Sat, 01 Apr 2017 03:57:00 -0700, gorgofromns wrote:

> Rangers are fine with me. I want no part of the Leafs more so than any
> other team. They are a huge darkhorse, you don't know what they'll do,
> and have a good coach. There is also the Leafs v Habs phenomena of them
> rising in games v the Habs.

Welllll now, I think recent history is in our favour. I believe we're on a
2 year winning streak, aren't we? :)

Most importantly, I would not be able to
> endure the absolutely hyper pro-Leafs media buzz that would certainly
> surface. I'd have to watch the games on RDS even though I can't speak
> French.
>
> Great clip by Arron Ward on Montreal 690 the other day where he went ocf
> big time on the arrogance of the atmosphere surrounding the Leafs and
> how this affected his feeling that he never wanted to play for them. He
> also said this feeling exists among many veterans. The Montreal
> announcers loved ig.

Aside from the point I made, yeah, I don't want to play the Leafs because
the only time it wouldn't feel like torture would be after a win. All the
build-up will be pro-Leaf propaganda, and if they actually beat the Habs,
we'd probably have to endure documentaries about it 25 years later as "the
great 1st round series in play-off history". I mean, to this day Leaf fans
still think they should have won the 93 Cup because they would have beat
the Hab's like rented mules. The fact that they couldn't beat the Kings in
7 and the Hab's dispatched them in 5 is lost on a Leaf fan. They think the
hockey world was deprived of the greatest finals match-up ever, as well as
a a Leaf Cup. Bleech. I hope to pull of another "greatest 1st round
collapse ever" like they did to the Bruins. They are only Canadian team I
don't wish well.

Marty

[Gerry]

Has Ward been fired yet????

l8r,
Gerry

[Marty]

Right now the Rangers are looking like the most beatable team out there.
Poor record against Montreal, and playing poorly lately.

Here is the last 14 games of Montreal, Boston, Toronto and Rangers. I've
modified them such that all OT or SO wins and loses I count as ties as
what happens in OT is not normal hockey and won't be played in the play-
offs.

Rangers 4-5-5

Toronto 8-3-3

Montreal 8-3-3

Bruins 8-6


Rangers are clearly the only stumbling team.

That said, the team that wins the play-off is the best team that is hot in
the play-offs, not before. In 93 the Hab's stumbled in, the Nordiques
looked unbeatable after 2 games, and the rest is history. Still, as of
today, yeah, Rangers are looking like the most beatable opponent. Oddly
ewnough, given the wickedly weird way the NHL seeds the teams, the Rangers
are also, currently, the perfectly fair and normal match-up. They are
solidly the 4th and 5th teams right now.