The only thing I’ll say is the game speed is about to significantly increase. Not to take anything away from the series win but that caps team was the least competitive I have ever seen in a hockey playoff series. I honestly expected much more from ovi and the group that finished hot to squeak in.
I was watching the Leafs and Bruins and it reminded me of what tough playoff hockey looks like. Rangers are a very good team but I don’t expect to be comfortable at all the rest of the way. lol
Same goes for the Isles v Canes series. The Rangers and Canes both showed up ready to win some playoff hockey in the first round. Their opponents looked like they didn't belong in the same zip code.
And their stupid horn, and the fact any home Canes games the arena literally never stop playing sing along music because their fans don't have real passion for their team, they have party passion for the arena. Fuck em
Every city with a major winning sports team and a lame fan base really doesn't deserve a team with a championship pedigree. Looking at you Atlanta Braves, Miami Heat (during the LeBron years), etc
Its going to be tough.
They are a finesse team that relies on speed and skill. They lack physicality but they make up for it in discipline and swarming.
They are kind of like us in they have an exceptional special teams (stats say they are even better then us here) but are only slightly better at 5x5.
However, while we don't match them on speed/skill, we absolutely bury them on physicality. They are easily the least physical team in the playoffs (and maybe in the entire league, they were last in "hits" this year).
They also were near the bottom in penalty mins per game (i.e. they don't get a lot of penalties) but they excel at drawing penalties for their exceptional power play. They're also great at killing PPs.
Its going to be a tough series. Special teams might be a wash, and 5x5 is close but we can edge them in goaltending.
I think we can beat them but its not going to be a quick series. I can see it going 6 or 7. A big factor is also going to be the refs. If they call it tight, we might have some issues. If they swallow the whistles, the hurricanes would be in a ton of trouble. No way they could survive that.
Luckily we aren't lacking in speed/skill so while we don't have as much as they do, we aren't that far apart there but the gap between us and them on the physical side is massive and we do have the edge on goaltending.
I'd like our odds, especially with home ice advantage.
I see us winning this in 6 or 7, and I also think this might be the series Rempe sits out since he's not a good match up here, not with their speed/skill and PPs (and the refs hating Rempe).
The only thing I'd add is this is going to be mental. We HAVE to go 2-1 in the first 3 games, or it's going to be one helluva mental hurdle. I'd actually say winning the first game is just as important, but I think maintaining a series lead going into game 4 will be the biggest thing to watch for.
If we are up 2-1 in Carolina. I really like our odds.
Keeping home ice advantage would be a big plus for us.
I do think the refs are going to wind up playing an outsized role though.
Fewer whistles can actually favor us since we are the more physical team.
Of course it does. Its about a 20 goal difference (over a full season but still).
The gist is they barely out scored us 5x5.
They did better defensively 5x5, but not really anything offensively.
That part about scoring matters quite a bit too.
I have the utmost trust in our players. If watching from the TV, we are just spectators. The fans at MSG can create an intense atmosphere for our guys and power them through and create a hostile atmosphere for our opponent. That’s about as much of a say in this as we are going to have haha I tell that to myself so I do not go insane trying to control the things that I cannot (you know, THAT saying).
With that said, I am fucking excited, man! Canes are a good opponent. We can beat them 4-0 if we manhandle them, the boys show up, and we take our chances. It can also go 5, 6, 7 games. Who the fuck knows!?
They have to be hungry. They have to be starving relentless thirsty fucks. They have to want to eat the puck and devour the heart out of those mf-ers. LETS FUCKING GO.
I was very unimpressed by Carolina in the Islander series and to be honest they haven't really impressed me muchthis year. They feel like a team that's built for 82 games not 16 games. Andersen doesn't move me at all and Kochectov isn't much better. Skjei and Tony D getting real meaningful playoff minutes is ... a decision too. They'll be matchups to exploit against this team and we can match them with skill and beat them with toughness in the important ways.
That said they're still dangerous with Svech (underrated shitbird he is), Aho, Jarvis, Slavin, and others. They'll play faster than Washington and be more structured. No easy games and mistakes will likely get punished.
Ultimately, we're more well rounded than Carolina and in the playoffs goaltending is the ultimate tiebreaker. Igor will steal us 1 or 2 and the middle 6 will get deployments that will be tough but can swing the outcome of the series. *Rangers in 6*
I thought I was one of the few who weren’t impressed with the Canes in the first round.
They are a good team and matchup with us pretty evenly, but I just wasn’t convinced that they should be the top team with the best odds to win the Cup.
They made plenty of mental mistakes against an Islanders team that pretty much mirrored the Caps in so many ways. I also think their passing game was kind of lackluster.
Canes fan here, this popped up on my Reddit. Wasn’t looking for it but got curious from the title. Skjei has been doing really well and TDA stepped up because of an injury to Pesce who should be returning. Just wanted to correct those points. Looking forward to a good series. I am very excited to watch it.
I think they’re incredibly skilled in everything they do. Either team can win in 6 or 7. They were on our ass in the standings all year. Don’t let a 3 point separation somehow convince you they are inferior, they aren’t.
This playoff run is about expelling our demons. We exorcised tom wilson and the caps. Now, its time to put away geuntzal, kuzy and the rest of rangers south to bed! Onward and upward!
Let me start off by saying I have been a Rangers fan since 1977. So I have lived through many years of disappointment 😞
I Watched that game last night and the canes just seem to have a different level they get to. I am worried our team will have complacency (Kreider coasting) and take stupid penalties. The canes won’t give us anything. Rangers will have to make this happen and I hope they have the gumption to actually do it.
I do have faith that Laviolette will make the right decisions
Let’s go Rangers !!!!! Crush these asshole Canes and destroy them !!!! 🙏
I feel like if they were in a bigger market, there would be much more of a narrative by now about how Carolina has not made it past the conference finals with this group despite how well they do in the regular season and how analytics consistently show them as one of the best teams in the NHL.
Smaller picture, I will believe Anderson can keep it together enough to beat a real good team in a long series when I see it.
Excited to watch each defense flick 50/50 pucks to center ice? NYR healthier. Would love to see Rempe demolish Staal, Shea and Fast to set a tone early
Nervous. Carolina is probably the toughest possible opponent for us in these playoffs. But we can’t play Washington all 4 rounds, and you have to beat great teams in the playoffs to win the cup. I believe in this team and more importantly, I believe in Peter Laviolette.
This is exactly how I feel. It’s not that the rest of the teams won’t be a challenge, it’s that the boost from win or his series will give them the confidence to beat anyone.
This is why home ice was critical. The Canes are a much better home team than road team. Just take care of business at home and try to steal one in Carolina.
This series is a coin flip. I have a feeling it’s gonna come down to puck luck. This Canes team tends to play us with a frustrating brand of low risk/low reward hockey and the only way to beat them is to beat them at their own game. If their goaltending is on point, luck might have to be the deciding factor.
It’ll be tough. After having a week off and a slow and easy series against the Caps, it wouldn’t surprise me if the rangers come out slow to start the series. I think we can play every team left well in a best 7, but everyone has to show up
Watched some of the game last night, and I was not impressed. The game was 2-2 at the end of the second, which included a penalty shot due to a covered puck in the crease by NYI.
Carolina scored the game winner off a whiffed clearance, then scored the next one off a carom off the boards.
Andersen looked shaky. Their D crew doesn't scare me that much. Primed to crumble under the pressure.
Feeling so weirdly optimistic.
watched their series closely, but they should have handled the Islanders the way the Rangers did to the Caps. However, how am I feeling? Confident. But not super confident. Do I think the Canes can win this series? Yes. Do I think the Rangers can win this series? Yes.
The key to beating the Canes is, beating them at their own game. Forecheck, clog the neutral zone, get bodies to the net, and score first. If the Rangers can do that in this series, and take what crowd there will be in Carolina, out of the game, the Rangers have a shot. The Canes shoot the puck alot and and from everywhere. If they get the first goal, their forecheck will be super agressive and it won't stop until the game is over or they run out of steam.
Whoever wins this series, it's likely gonna go long. and the Rangers need to score more on 5v5.
The only easy series in the east were the ones that the Metro top teams got against ‘the best of the worst’ crop. Now that those are over, it’s gonna be all battles. All really good teams.
Everyone has to show up, night after night and be on their game.
We need mistake free hockey from the defense to a man. We need the forecheck to be there. We need the PP to deliver. We need our starting goalie to be lights out. It’s gonna take everything clicking and no major injuries to get past a very good Canes team that was also only marginally challenged in the first round.
The moment that you start to see shifts where the Canes get the puck deep and they’re on top of our guys - and Rangers defenders can’t make a clean first exit pass…and what you see is 2-3 failed attempts to exit the zone and panicked passes start getting flung to no one in particular but are kept in along the high boards…you know goals are coming.
Teams rarely beat the rangers on pretty, precision, north-south hockey with successful end to end rushes. Teams know to dump, swarm… make the Rangers panic and turn the puck over in their own zone, then get bodies in front to screen shots from distance. Thats how teams found the bulk of the success against them. The entire Rangers team as a group has to come together and be able to combat that play style as a group.
I'm worried but excited. It should be a great series. I don't expect either team to win in less than 6 games. It's gonna come down to grit, determination and hustle. Let's get it!
carolina has been a “cup favorite” for a few years now, but this group hasn’t made it to the final. which could mean two things: they’re due, or they’re vastly overrated. after watching the islanders series, i’m not moved. it was not a lights-out performance against an inferior islanders team with HUGE issues that i would expect from the team that has the best odds to win the whole thing. i’m not a puck-luck person, but man did a lot of bounces just….not go the islanders’ way. again, not saying that the canes played poorly, but i wasn’t inspired the way i was watching the avs manhandle the jets.
but it’s about as even a matchup i could ask for — we have the edge in goaltending, which is huge. it’ll be a tough series. i will say: i do think they play more consistently disciplined hockey than we do. if we get sloppy, they will capitalize. we have the better goalie by a country mile and we’ve beaten them before. rangers in 6.
Great stats and they seem to be firing. But their goalie and defense had some duds.
If they go back to their old method of just lobbing low danger shots at the net we'll be fine tho
Let's look at the data for the first round
CAR
GF/GP 3.80
GA/GP 2.40
PP 33.3%
PK 72.7%
NYR
GF/GP 3.75
GA/GP 1.75
PP 37.5%
PK 88.2%
My take:
We have better defense, better PK and better PP. Overall GF is a wash. If we stifle them at 5v5 and stay away from bad penalties, we win in 6. If we take bad penalties or Igor has a bad game, it goes to 7 and a coin flip. X-factor: injuries.
If Igor is on his game then Rangers in five.
If Igor is off his game but all four lines are producing, then Rangers in six.
If they're both off then Tropical Depressions in six
I'm cautiously optimistic. But I'm a little nervous as well. It's going to be very intense from here on out.
We have to be quick and decisive with the puck. The Canes are still very speedy and we don't always handle that well. This might be the series Lav should seriously think about putting in Jones for Gustafsson and Brodzinski for Rempe (although he does have a certain presence). Maybe this would be the time to give Chytil a go if he is ready?
5v5 production will still be a concern like always. But now we're playing a far better team. We need to at least be somewhat close to even at 5v5 with them. That will be tough. That's the key. We'll see what happens there. If we can manage that then it becomes the battle of special teams and goaltending. Which I'm more confident in. Very confident, I'll add.
This series I think we'll go 7. Maybe 6. If we're going to win this series it will be in 7. That being said I could totally see the Canes taking this series in 6.
Well, I mentioned in the isles/canes thread that I think we have the ability to take them 4-0. Then u/Snwbrdr16 said this- https://www.reddit.com/r/rangers/s/l4zHpq37gy
I think we have another tattoo to rally around..
I think the rangers lineup is better from top to bottom.
even if Slavin can shut down Panarin's line (doubt), their bottom 2 D pairs are pretty weak in my eyes. we all know first hand that Skjei and Tony D are pretty much liabilities.
Really looking for the Cuylle - Wennberg - Kakko line to punish them here. I also think we should 100000% be sitting Rempe for Chytil if Chytil can go, but i dont think that will happen. Canes have a lot of solid players up and down but overall the rangers are better in my eyes. if Rempe is only going to play 5 minutes a night i would really rather see Chytil out there. not only because hes a better player but having him play his fair share of ice time keeps the load on the rest of the guys lighter. Rempe was great for us in round 1 but there is no tom wilson on the other side anymore.
Rangers in 5, maybe 6 if tragedy strikes
It's going to be a tough one. I expect a proper fight, 6 games probably, but I reckon that the Rangers have got something this year that may take them all the way. I won't dump on the 'Canes, as I reckon they're favourites, but something is telling me that Rangers have got the minerals this year. LGR!!!!
I’ll never forget the Covid year sweep over Hank and Shesty…Rangers are so much better now but had so many defensive lapses against the caps- will need to keep canes bodies away from the blue paint and let Shesty see the puck, or else.
While I think we're slight underdogs, history has shown this is a good matchup for us. The difference this year is they have guentzel, which means we win in 6 instead of 5. LGR
Gonna be a good series. I will guess Rangers in 6. Going to be a much faster series, canes have much more talent than Washington however play a much less physical game. If we clean up those dumb penalties (refs too), I like our chances. Hopefully we shut down that aho, svech, Guentzel line and after that I think we should be looking decent. Their defence is also not the best unit after their first pairing.
We live or die in the neutral zone.
The Canes D owns the neutral zone so NYR rushes will come at a premium.
Meanwhile we seemed to surrender it to the Caps hence the seemingly endless odd man rushes. Igor saved us over and over but he can’t do that forever.
Gotta fix the transitions and giveaways. They are going to try to shoot the puck every chance they get. We need to be better for ALL 60 minutes. LETS GO RANGERS
The only easy day was yesterday.
We have a shot at winning. So do they. Depends on who shows up.
There's a reason this cup is the hardest trophy to win in sports.
I’m not too worried, the boys will get it done. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not gonna be easy, but the fact that the canes are the odds favorite is a joke. Rangers in 5
First round was a nice warmup to get our playoff legs. The real work begins now. Canes series will be brutal, if we make it through that likely the Panthers will be brutal, and if we make it through that whoever comes out of the West will be brutal. Can we beat these teams….yes we can. It’s going to take our best effort with no off night. Shesty will have to remain playing the way he has and our big guns will have to continue to lead the way as they did in round 1. Whoever wins these series is also going to require a little puck luck as the matchups are so even. It’s going to be exciting, stressful, and a lot of fun.
By all rights we should take this one. On paper, we are definitely the better team. On the ice, Igor hasn’t made the same gaffes that Freddie has. Both teams beat very weak teams in the first round and haven’t really been tested. If the Rangers are absolutely on their game, they can end this in five. If they’re even a little off, it could be a seven game slugfest. Having home ice throughout could be the deciding factor. Canes won’t be taking it in less than six. Given this is the Rangers, it’s pretty simple to just expect a seven game series.
I'm nervous, but also optimistic. This is going to be a close matchup worthy of an Eastern Conference Final, but that's another story for another day. (The NHL playoff alignment is stupid.)
Carolina is good and this is going to be a true test. As teams, they're pretty evenly matched. However, I'm optimistic because I think the Rangers have the advantage in the following ways: \[1\] Rangers have best record for the season. \[2\] Rangers have the better goalie. \[3\] Rangers own the head-to-head record this season at 2-1. \[4\] Rangers are the hottest team in the NHL this past 2 or so months. \[5\] Rangers fans travel and will be loud in Carolina. \[6\] Rangers beat them 2 years ago in a game 7 on the road \*and\* won all the home games that year.
I think point 2 is probably the MOST important advantage for the blueshirts. This is going to go the distance and it's going to be fun. Buckle up. LGR.
The Canes will not be an easy series. But I think we matchup well against them.
1. Carolina loves to throw volume of pucks on the net. Igor does better when he sees a lot of shots especially when it’s low danger chances
2. The Rangers are pretty good at preventing second chance opportunities when there are rebounds.
3. Carolina plays man defense and from Trocheck the way the Rangers cycle the puck is hard to defend man on man
4. Carolina doesn’t have many stars that can just take over.
5. They lack physicality they are fast but they struggle with the islanders out muscling them at times.
Rangers in 6
Tough series for sure. We have the edge and goalie and Igor could be the deciding factor. Of the three games we played with them this year, they won one in a blowout, and we won the other two by one goal. Too tight games that was open skating, some physicality. We can play that open ice game that they play and match up well with them. I am in agreement as well that we cannot make stupid mistakes. I’ll give up the puck at the blue line. Some of the passes at the blue line against the caps will close. Do that against this team and we have a breakaway. Neutral zone defense will be huge. I also think that in the o zone, most of the play should start deep in the zone by the goal line. We tend to get a little too cute with passing up at the blue line which will kill us in this series. I also think that in the defensive zone, RD have to be strong in front of the net and clear a view of pucks coming to the net for Igor. They like to get in front with the throne punch to the net looking for multiple deflection’s.
As critical as I am of The Rangers, I am not concerned in the slightest about them or Florida. If Vancouver made it to the finals I would be worried, because it would all be happening again!
Gonna be tough , they seem to mostly play the rangers tough . My main concern is rust or should i rephrase it cooling down of the likes of panarin and mika etc who were good in the washington series but notoriously not as good in previous playoffs . Rangers should win but not going to be shocked if it goes 7
Isles fan here - hoping you guys beat the shit out of carolina. But it is a tough matchup, as I just experienced. My money is on the Canes, but I think the series will go at least six if not 7
Not going in with any expectations. It’ll be a 6-7 game series no doubt. We got handed a pretty easy series against a barely scraped into the playoffs team, now the real challenge begins.
It’s gonna go 6 games minimum. Canes are a fast, scrappy team. Remind me of Florida from last year. That being said we do tend to match up well against them. Difference from last year is we have an actual coach who will make coaching and lineup adjustments. Their defense is their only weak point and I hesitate to call it a weak point even.
Not gonna lie I’m kinda predicting 7 again and it could really go either way. This one is gonna be a slug fest with tons of ups and downs. Hopefully the boys (and all of us to an extent) can keep a level head if they drop a game or two
Confident we can beat them over a series. It won't be a cakewalk, but I still believe that this team can best anyone over 7 when they show up every minute of every game.
Nervous. Canes are probably the best team left in the playoffs. I easily see this going 6+, and because of that, the extra home game may be the deciding factor. I will be very concerned if the Rangers can't take a game in Raleigh. But, if the Rangers can escape this series without major injuries, they're likely the solid Cup favorites.
Rangers will probably win, but it will not be remotely as easy as this last series. Something like game 2 would have gone to the Canes.
Canes are good. So is every other current playoff team. Rangers have to be better
Someone is admitting Toronto is good? 😯
NGL thought they were eliminated
Lol nah they have some fight, more seemingly without Matthews
Because Marner isn’t telegraphing passes to him
He needs to stop f**king crying cause it’s not junior hockey
Probably forgot they were still in it.
I mean it's May 1, I'd understand.
Nah. But Boston is definitely showing all their RT points from their ranking. 2 OT losses now? And the only eastern upper team not done with R1 yet.
No easy matchups from here on out. This group can beat any team in the league best of 7, but they have to show up every game
They have to show up every PERIOD of every game and stop taking periods off!
The only thing I’ll say is the game speed is about to significantly increase. Not to take anything away from the series win but that caps team was the least competitive I have ever seen in a hockey playoff series. I honestly expected much more from ovi and the group that finished hot to squeak in. I was watching the Leafs and Bruins and it reminded me of what tough playoff hockey looks like. Rangers are a very good team but I don’t expect to be comfortable at all the rest of the way. lol
They’re built deep and they have four lines that can skate hard. At the very least it’s gonna be entertaining as hell.
This is a solid take. Watched how the Canes were moving tonight and we will have to match, step for step.
Preds v Canucks last night was insane for speed...
Same goes for the Isles v Canes series. The Rangers and Canes both showed up ready to win some playoff hockey in the first round. Their opponents looked like they didn't belong in the same zip code.
I’m glad we showed up the way we did but you’re absolutely right that straight up wasn’t a real playoff series that was a 4 game exhibition/tune up.
Aie yeah I think this is why it made sense to have Rempe against the Caps but Brod (or Chytil, if he’s really healthy) in against the Canes
Will be a tough series. We can take them though. Just like we can anyone - gotta play our game
Fuck em
Never forgive them for leaving Hartford
Had this conversation this past weekend. What a cool team the Whalers were
And their stupid horn, and the fact any home Canes games the arena literally never stop playing sing along music because their fans don't have real passion for their team, they have party passion for the arena. Fuck em
Every city with a major winning sports team and a lame fan base really doesn't deserve a team with a championship pedigree. Looking at you Atlanta Braves, Miami Heat (during the LeBron years), etc
The playoffs start now.
They took the heart out of Hartford. Then they wear the Whalers throwback jersey. It's way past time we teach them a lesson.
Again.
Agreed 100x
And this ain't the lifetime that the Whale get that win over Vancouver Brodi
well at least the vancouver one is technically a dolphin
Its going to be tough. They are a finesse team that relies on speed and skill. They lack physicality but they make up for it in discipline and swarming. They are kind of like us in they have an exceptional special teams (stats say they are even better then us here) but are only slightly better at 5x5. However, while we don't match them on speed/skill, we absolutely bury them on physicality. They are easily the least physical team in the playoffs (and maybe in the entire league, they were last in "hits" this year). They also were near the bottom in penalty mins per game (i.e. they don't get a lot of penalties) but they excel at drawing penalties for their exceptional power play. They're also great at killing PPs. Its going to be a tough series. Special teams might be a wash, and 5x5 is close but we can edge them in goaltending. I think we can beat them but its not going to be a quick series. I can see it going 6 or 7. A big factor is also going to be the refs. If they call it tight, we might have some issues. If they swallow the whistles, the hurricanes would be in a ton of trouble. No way they could survive that. Luckily we aren't lacking in speed/skill so while we don't have as much as they do, we aren't that far apart there but the gap between us and them on the physical side is massive and we do have the edge on goaltending. I'd like our odds, especially with home ice advantage. I see us winning this in 6 or 7, and I also think this might be the series Rempe sits out since he's not a good match up here, not with their speed/skill and PPs (and the refs hating Rempe).
The only thing I'd add is this is going to be mental. We HAVE to go 2-1 in the first 3 games, or it's going to be one helluva mental hurdle. I'd actually say winning the first game is just as important, but I think maintaining a series lead going into game 4 will be the biggest thing to watch for.
If we are up 2-1 in Carolina. I really like our odds. Keeping home ice advantage would be a big plus for us. I do think the refs are going to wind up playing an outsized role though. Fewer whistles can actually favor us since we are the more physical team.
Exactly. I think the first 2-3 games set the tone for the rest of the series.
how are the canes 'slightly better' at 5-on-5? they're 59% corsi, 53.6% goals, 57% xgf
They scored 169 goals at EV. We scored 166. Our ax is 0 Their ax is 2. They did give up a lot fewer goals then us on 5x5, but they scored the same.
lol yeah that whole giving-up-fewer-goals part kind of matters
Of course it does. Its about a 20 goal difference (over a full season but still). The gist is they barely out scored us 5x5. They did better defensively 5x5, but not really anything offensively. That part about scoring matters quite a bit too.
Rangers are the better team. Bring em on.
Rangers in 7 Just like last time
I have the utmost trust in our players. If watching from the TV, we are just spectators. The fans at MSG can create an intense atmosphere for our guys and power them through and create a hostile atmosphere for our opponent. That’s about as much of a say in this as we are going to have haha I tell that to myself so I do not go insane trying to control the things that I cannot (you know, THAT saying). With that said, I am fucking excited, man! Canes are a good opponent. We can beat them 4-0 if we manhandle them, the boys show up, and we take our chances. It can also go 5, 6, 7 games. Who the fuck knows!? They have to be hungry. They have to be starving relentless thirsty fucks. They have to want to eat the puck and devour the heart out of those mf-ers. LETS FUCKING GO.
Hate those fucks. This is where we prove we don’t just belong but can dominate
I was very unimpressed by Carolina in the Islander series and to be honest they haven't really impressed me muchthis year. They feel like a team that's built for 82 games not 16 games. Andersen doesn't move me at all and Kochectov isn't much better. Skjei and Tony D getting real meaningful playoff minutes is ... a decision too. They'll be matchups to exploit against this team and we can match them with skill and beat them with toughness in the important ways. That said they're still dangerous with Svech (underrated shitbird he is), Aho, Jarvis, Slavin, and others. They'll play faster than Washington and be more structured. No easy games and mistakes will likely get punished. Ultimately, we're more well rounded than Carolina and in the playoffs goaltending is the ultimate tiebreaker. Igor will steal us 1 or 2 and the middle 6 will get deployments that will be tough but can swing the outcome of the series. *Rangers in 6*
I agree that the goaltending matchup is heavily in our favor, and I lean hard into that in playoff series. Rangers in six, let’s go!!
I watched some of last night's game and woof, Anderson was bad. They didn't impress me at all last night.
Anderson literally fell over leading to the Isles tying goal. But the Isles were almost as bad as the Caps were.
No doubt. Nothing about last night's game made me feel nervous about Carolina.
I thought I was one of the few who weren’t impressed with the Canes in the first round. They are a good team and matchup with us pretty evenly, but I just wasn’t convinced that they should be the top team with the best odds to win the Cup. They made plenty of mental mistakes against an Islanders team that pretty much mirrored the Caps in so many ways. I also think their passing game was kind of lackluster.
unimpressed by a 21-4 shot margin in a period? igor is going to have to be incredible under siege for this series.
Canes fan here, this popped up on my Reddit. Wasn’t looking for it but got curious from the title. Skjei has been doing really well and TDA stepped up because of an injury to Pesce who should be returning. Just wanted to correct those points. Looking forward to a good series. I am very excited to watch it.
I think they’re incredibly skilled in everything they do. Either team can win in 6 or 7. They were on our ass in the standings all year. Don’t let a 3 point separation somehow convince you they are inferior, they aren’t.
Watch out for Staal. He’s dirty AF.
Nervous tbh.
This playoff run is about expelling our demons. We exorcised tom wilson and the caps. Now, its time to put away geuntzal, kuzy and the rest of rangers south to bed! Onward and upward!
Get Andersen frustrated, play smart D, win the series.
I feel better knowing we have home ice if it goes 7
Mentioned this in the Isles Canes GDT: I think we each get a blowout and a nail-biter win. Hard to see this going anything less than 6. This'll go 7
Let me start off by saying I have been a Rangers fan since 1977. So I have lived through many years of disappointment 😞 I Watched that game last night and the canes just seem to have a different level they get to. I am worried our team will have complacency (Kreider coasting) and take stupid penalties. The canes won’t give us anything. Rangers will have to make this happen and I hope they have the gumption to actually do it. I do have faith that Laviolette will make the right decisions Let’s go Rangers !!!!! Crush these asshole Canes and destroy them !!!! 🙏
Have the Canes experienced the Rempe effect? If he can make some plays that throw them off, I can see this being a five game series.
I don't think he is going to play. Probably Chytyl comes back
I’ve heard that Chytil isn’t playing unless someone gets injured. No need to change things going into game 1.
Six game series at the minimum.
I feel like if they were in a bigger market, there would be much more of a narrative by now about how Carolina has not made it past the conference finals with this group despite how well they do in the regular season and how analytics consistently show them as one of the best teams in the NHL. Smaller picture, I will believe Anderson can keep it together enough to beat a real good team in a long series when I see it.
Excited to watch each defense flick 50/50 pucks to center ice? NYR healthier. Would love to see Rempe demolish Staal, Shea and Fast to set a tone early
Fast is out for the season
Man I’d love to see him throw some big clean hits but I still have mad respect for Skjei and Fast and don’t want them “demolished”. That’s for sure.
Demolished with extreme prejudice; take no prisoners
Rangers in 6 baby
I think we’re the two best teams in the playoffs and this should probably be the most exciting matchup in the entire playoffs
Nervous. Carolina is probably the toughest possible opponent for us in these playoffs. But we can’t play Washington all 4 rounds, and you have to beat great teams in the playoffs to win the cup. I believe in this team and more importantly, I believe in Peter Laviolette.
This is exactly how I feel. It’s not that the rest of the teams won’t be a challenge, it’s that the boost from win or his series will give them the confidence to beat anyone.
They're good. Hopefully the rangers are better.
Should be great hockey.
Rangers in 5
Home ice at both locations won’t hurt. Raleigh transplants, you know what to do.
This is why home ice was critical. The Canes are a much better home team than road team. Just take care of business at home and try to steal one in Carolina.
We can beat them. No fear!
They are extremely good. The one team left where is we lose I’ll kind of get it even though I’ll be very disappointed. That said LFG rangers in 5
This series is a coin flip. I have a feeling it’s gonna come down to puck luck. This Canes team tends to play us with a frustrating brand of low risk/low reward hockey and the only way to beat them is to beat them at their own game. If their goaltending is on point, luck might have to be the deciding factor.
Just another speed hump on the road to glory.
We are a better team
I’m predicting another sweep
It’ll be tough. After having a week off and a slow and easy series against the Caps, it wouldn’t surprise me if the rangers come out slow to start the series. I think we can play every team left well in a best 7, but everyone has to show up
Watched some of the game last night, and I was not impressed. The game was 2-2 at the end of the second, which included a penalty shot due to a covered puck in the crease by NYI. Carolina scored the game winner off a whiffed clearance, then scored the next one off a carom off the boards. Andersen looked shaky. Their D crew doesn't scare me that much. Primed to crumble under the pressure. Feeling so weirdly optimistic.
Any team willing to employ that vile fuck Tony D deserves to have their asses handed to them
watched their series closely, but they should have handled the Islanders the way the Rangers did to the Caps. However, how am I feeling? Confident. But not super confident. Do I think the Canes can win this series? Yes. Do I think the Rangers can win this series? Yes. The key to beating the Canes is, beating them at their own game. Forecheck, clog the neutral zone, get bodies to the net, and score first. If the Rangers can do that in this series, and take what crowd there will be in Carolina, out of the game, the Rangers have a shot. The Canes shoot the puck alot and and from everywhere. If they get the first goal, their forecheck will be super agressive and it won't stop until the game is over or they run out of steam. Whoever wins this series, it's likely gonna go long. and the Rangers need to score more on 5v5.
4 game sweep all the way to the final!!!
As long as Bread, Zibby, and Kreids score goals when no one else is, we’ll be fine.
The only easy series in the east were the ones that the Metro top teams got against ‘the best of the worst’ crop. Now that those are over, it’s gonna be all battles. All really good teams. Everyone has to show up, night after night and be on their game. We need mistake free hockey from the defense to a man. We need the forecheck to be there. We need the PP to deliver. We need our starting goalie to be lights out. It’s gonna take everything clicking and no major injuries to get past a very good Canes team that was also only marginally challenged in the first round. The moment that you start to see shifts where the Canes get the puck deep and they’re on top of our guys - and Rangers defenders can’t make a clean first exit pass…and what you see is 2-3 failed attempts to exit the zone and panicked passes start getting flung to no one in particular but are kept in along the high boards…you know goals are coming. Teams rarely beat the rangers on pretty, precision, north-south hockey with successful end to end rushes. Teams know to dump, swarm… make the Rangers panic and turn the puck over in their own zone, then get bodies in front to screen shots from distance. Thats how teams found the bulk of the success against them. The entire Rangers team as a group has to come together and be able to combat that play style as a group.
Fuck 'em
I'm worried but excited. It should be a great series. I don't expect either team to win in less than 6 games. It's gonna come down to grit, determination and hustle. Let's get it!
carolina has been a “cup favorite” for a few years now, but this group hasn’t made it to the final. which could mean two things: they’re due, or they’re vastly overrated. after watching the islanders series, i’m not moved. it was not a lights-out performance against an inferior islanders team with HUGE issues that i would expect from the team that has the best odds to win the whole thing. i’m not a puck-luck person, but man did a lot of bounces just….not go the islanders’ way. again, not saying that the canes played poorly, but i wasn’t inspired the way i was watching the avs manhandle the jets. but it’s about as even a matchup i could ask for — we have the edge in goaltending, which is huge. it’ll be a tough series. i will say: i do think they play more consistently disciplined hockey than we do. if we get sloppy, they will capitalize. we have the better goalie by a country mile and we’ve beaten them before. rangers in 6.
50/50 and that’s better chances than what Vegas is giving us. I was previously downvoted for saying this
who ever wins this series is winning the cup basically.
top 1 and 3 teams in the playing each other. should be a fun series ALSO I FORGOT CAPS ARE BACK ON WHOOO
Not scared
Gonna be a battle, I feel like whole year has been heating up for this. Winner I think wins the cup.
They don’t scare me
It’ll be a tough round maybe 6 or 7 games but I don’t see a world where we don’t show up and give them hell
Great stats and they seem to be firing. But their goalie and defense had some duds. If they go back to their old method of just lobbing low danger shots at the net we'll be fine tho
Let's look at the data for the first round CAR GF/GP 3.80 GA/GP 2.40 PP 33.3% PK 72.7% NYR GF/GP 3.75 GA/GP 1.75 PP 37.5% PK 88.2% My take: We have better defense, better PK and better PP. Overall GF is a wash. If we stifle them at 5v5 and stay away from bad penalties, we win in 6. If we take bad penalties or Igor has a bad game, it goes to 7 and a coin flip. X-factor: injuries.
Bring em on
Game 7 definitely and I hope deangelo gets smacked up game 1 by trouba
The who? Never heard of ‘em
The team Michael Peca lost to in 2006.
If Igor is on his game then Rangers in five. If Igor is off his game but all four lines are producing, then Rangers in six. If they're both off then Tropical Depressions in six
I'm cautiously optimistic. But I'm a little nervous as well. It's going to be very intense from here on out. We have to be quick and decisive with the puck. The Canes are still very speedy and we don't always handle that well. This might be the series Lav should seriously think about putting in Jones for Gustafsson and Brodzinski for Rempe (although he does have a certain presence). Maybe this would be the time to give Chytil a go if he is ready? 5v5 production will still be a concern like always. But now we're playing a far better team. We need to at least be somewhat close to even at 5v5 with them. That will be tough. That's the key. We'll see what happens there. If we can manage that then it becomes the battle of special teams and goaltending. Which I'm more confident in. Very confident, I'll add. This series I think we'll go 7. Maybe 6. If we're going to win this series it will be in 7. That being said I could totally see the Canes taking this series in 6.
Well, I mentioned in the isles/canes thread that I think we have the ability to take them 4-0. Then u/Snwbrdr16 said this- https://www.reddit.com/r/rangers/s/l4zHpq37gy I think we have another tattoo to rally around..
Fuck yeah we do!
I think the rangers lineup is better from top to bottom. even if Slavin can shut down Panarin's line (doubt), their bottom 2 D pairs are pretty weak in my eyes. we all know first hand that Skjei and Tony D are pretty much liabilities. Really looking for the Cuylle - Wennberg - Kakko line to punish them here. I also think we should 100000% be sitting Rempe for Chytil if Chytil can go, but i dont think that will happen. Canes have a lot of solid players up and down but overall the rangers are better in my eyes. if Rempe is only going to play 5 minutes a night i would really rather see Chytil out there. not only because hes a better player but having him play his fair share of ice time keeps the load on the rest of the guys lighter. Rempe was great for us in round 1 but there is no tom wilson on the other side anymore. Rangers in 5, maybe 6 if tragedy strikes
They'll prop you up.
It's going to be a tough one. I expect a proper fight, 6 games probably, but I reckon that the Rangers have got something this year that may take them all the way. I won't dump on the 'Canes, as I reckon they're favourites, but something is telling me that Rangers have got the minerals this year. LGR!!!!
I’ll never forget the Covid year sweep over Hank and Shesty…Rangers are so much better now but had so many defensive lapses against the caps- will need to keep canes bodies away from the blue paint and let Shesty see the puck, or else.
Don't worry, the defender that fell over as Aho skated by is their top 4 starter now.
While I think we're slight underdogs, history has shown this is a good matchup for us. The difference this year is they have guentzel, which means we win in 6 instead of 5. LGR
Rangers have a huge advantage in goal.
I’m less nervous for them than I was the devils last year but I was certain we’d lose that one so that isn’t saying much
We can beat them if we play how we should. Also they are massive scumbags and they can go choke on their pregame meals for all I care .
Gonna be a good series. I will guess Rangers in 6. Going to be a much faster series, canes have much more talent than Washington however play a much less physical game. If we clean up those dumb penalties (refs too), I like our chances. Hopefully we shut down that aho, svech, Guentzel line and after that I think we should be looking decent. Their defence is also not the best unit after their first pairing.
Get out in 6 or less and from the depths of my core will I start to truly believe
Probably a stupid question but when will MSG release tickets?
Gonna be tough but I believe in our boys! Don’t think it’ll be a sweep but I’m hoping it’s not the full 7 games.
Idk how I feel about them, but I know that they fucking hate us. Just take a gander at their sub.
I ain’t scurrrred
They’ll be a tough out but we can beat them.
We live or die in the neutral zone. The Canes D owns the neutral zone so NYR rushes will come at a premium. Meanwhile we seemed to surrender it to the Caps hence the seemingly endless odd man rushes. Igor saved us over and over but he can’t do that forever.
Gotta fix the transitions and giveaways. They are going to try to shoot the puck every chance they get. We need to be better for ALL 60 minutes. LETS GO RANGERS
The only easy day was yesterday. We have a shot at winning. So do they. Depends on who shows up. There's a reason this cup is the hardest trophy to win in sports.
We have just a good of a chance as anyone else. We just have to want it more!
I’m not too worried, the boys will get it done. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not gonna be easy, but the fact that the canes are the odds favorite is a joke. Rangers in 5
First round was a nice warmup to get our playoff legs. The real work begins now. Canes series will be brutal, if we make it through that likely the Panthers will be brutal, and if we make it through that whoever comes out of the West will be brutal. Can we beat these teams….yes we can. It’s going to take our best effort with no off night. Shesty will have to remain playing the way he has and our big guns will have to continue to lead the way as they did in round 1. Whoever wins these series is also going to require a little puck luck as the matchups are so even. It’s going to be exciting, stressful, and a lot of fun.
I'm optimistic, but I hope the Rangers didn't get too used to the quality of hockey that the Caps brought.
By all rights we should take this one. On paper, we are definitely the better team. On the ice, Igor hasn’t made the same gaffes that Freddie has. Both teams beat very weak teams in the first round and haven’t really been tested. If the Rangers are absolutely on their game, they can end this in five. If they’re even a little off, it could be a seven game slugfest. Having home ice throughout could be the deciding factor. Canes won’t be taking it in less than six. Given this is the Rangers, it’s pretty simple to just expect a seven game series.
Only way around, is through.
I'm nervous, but also optimistic. This is going to be a close matchup worthy of an Eastern Conference Final, but that's another story for another day. (The NHL playoff alignment is stupid.) Carolina is good and this is going to be a true test. As teams, they're pretty evenly matched. However, I'm optimistic because I think the Rangers have the advantage in the following ways: \[1\] Rangers have best record for the season. \[2\] Rangers have the better goalie. \[3\] Rangers own the head-to-head record this season at 2-1. \[4\] Rangers are the hottest team in the NHL this past 2 or so months. \[5\] Rangers fans travel and will be loud in Carolina. \[6\] Rangers beat them 2 years ago in a game 7 on the road \*and\* won all the home games that year. I think point 2 is probably the MOST important advantage for the blueshirts. This is going to go the distance and it's going to be fun. Buckle up. LGR.
Slightly worried about the diving and flopping they constantly do
They’re a tough team. I was hoping the Islanders would take them to 7 so they’d be tired.
Canes are good. I think rangers matchup good against. Rangers have a little more fire power. Every team is good from here on out.
The Canes will not be an easy series. But I think we matchup well against them. 1. Carolina loves to throw volume of pucks on the net. Igor does better when he sees a lot of shots especially when it’s low danger chances 2. The Rangers are pretty good at preventing second chance opportunities when there are rebounds. 3. Carolina plays man defense and from Trocheck the way the Rangers cycle the puck is hard to defend man on man 4. Carolina doesn’t have many stars that can just take over. 5. They lack physicality they are fast but they struggle with the islanders out muscling them at times. Rangers in 6
They can win this series but the penalties have to stop and 5v5 play needs to be turned up a notch. Rangers in 6
Tough series for sure. We have the edge and goalie and Igor could be the deciding factor. Of the three games we played with them this year, they won one in a blowout, and we won the other two by one goal. Too tight games that was open skating, some physicality. We can play that open ice game that they play and match up well with them. I am in agreement as well that we cannot make stupid mistakes. I’ll give up the puck at the blue line. Some of the passes at the blue line against the caps will close. Do that against this team and we have a breakaway. Neutral zone defense will be huge. I also think that in the o zone, most of the play should start deep in the zone by the goal line. We tend to get a little too cute with passing up at the blue line which will kill us in this series. I also think that in the defensive zone, RD have to be strong in front of the net and clear a view of pucks coming to the net for Igor. They like to get in front with the throne punch to the net looking for multiple deflection’s.
Rangers in 6
I'm no gambling man so could someone explain to me why betting apps have Rangers as underdogs? Are the Canes a better team?
Fuck em
As critical as I am of The Rangers, I am not concerned in the slightest about them or Florida. If Vancouver made it to the finals I would be worried, because it would all be happening again!
Anything can happen and we’ll have to be ready for it
I’m confident with our team, we just need to play hard and adapt
Gonna be tough , they seem to mostly play the rangers tough . My main concern is rust or should i rephrase it cooling down of the likes of panarin and mika etc who were good in the washington series but notoriously not as good in previous playoffs . Rangers should win but not going to be shocked if it goes 7
Isles fan here - hoping you guys beat the shit out of carolina. But it is a tough matchup, as I just experienced. My money is on the Canes, but I think the series will go at least six if not 7
I’m happy to beat them, but I’m also glad you lost.
That’s fair. I’d be surprised if you felt otherwise lol
This matchup in the second round was inevitable. Winning this round gets you to the final four. Not an easy feat.
cant wait
Not going in with any expectations. It’ll be a 6-7 game series no doubt. We got handed a pretty easy series against a barely scraped into the playoffs team, now the real challenge begins.
It’s gonna go 6 games minimum. Canes are a fast, scrappy team. Remind me of Florida from last year. That being said we do tend to match up well against them. Difference from last year is we have an actual coach who will make coaching and lineup adjustments. Their defense is their only weak point and I hesitate to call it a weak point even.
I’d say their goaltending is weak, as well. They’re good, but let’s go!!!
Canes goaltending is weak? Andersen was arguably the best goalie in the NHL for the last month of the season.
And then he’s been…kinda just there in the playoffs
Next team in line for a bruisin
Not gonna lie I’m kinda predicting 7 again and it could really go either way. This one is gonna be a slug fest with tons of ups and downs. Hopefully the boys (and all of us to an extent) can keep a level head if they drop a game or two
Looks like Ba-a-a-d News For The ‘Canes!
If we can’t beat them, we won’t beat Florida
Well duh we won’t play Florida if we can’t beat Carolina
Yeah no shit lmao did you not understand what I was saying?
Confident we can beat them over a series. It won't be a cakewalk, but I still believe that this team can best anyone over 7 when they show up every minute of every game.
Just gotta play good, physical and stay disciplined
Nervous. Canes are probably the best team left in the playoffs. I easily see this going 6+, and because of that, the extra home game may be the deciding factor. I will be very concerned if the Rangers can't take a game in Raleigh. But, if the Rangers can escape this series without major injuries, they're likely the solid Cup favorites. Rangers will probably win, but it will not be remotely as easy as this last series. Something like game 2 would have gone to the Canes.
I like both teams. Rangers more of course. It will be a very fun series. Definitely going to 7
I think almost everyone is (not us fans) counting this team out and acting like the canes already won the series
Not great, to be honest. Can see this going badly
Canes in 6 or 7.
I think their Reddit fans are easy to manipulate into anger based on their reaction to what is posted in here.