New York Rangers(1) vs. Ottawa Senators(8): Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

[nyahay bus]

Shanahan is an ass clown and is in way over his head. Three games for Hagelin and Weber only got a fine? Carkner and his goon friends are bragging that the plan all along was to goon it up and gets 1 game for ambushing Boyle and taking a top 6 forward out of the game? unfreakinbelievable. The league has its head up its ass.

If Hagelin got three games then Asham should be out for at least 10. Its going to be interesting to see how Shanahan screws that up.

[Bay Ridge Jet]

Its such trash. Hagelin was made an example of. Shea Weber gets to pretend hes John Cena and gets a 2500 dollar fine.

[Jordy]

The ONLY silver lining in this, and I mean only, is that we hopefully get to see the debut of Kris Kreider.

Maybe this will be a blessing in disguise. I would love to see Kreider out there and light the lamp or at the very least make an impact and shove this Hagelin fiasco up the asses of the Senators and the NHL.

Assuming the Rangers come out of this unscathed, they could be even more lethal when Hagelin returns and Kreider has 3 games under his belt.

Torts keeps Rupp in the lineup due to his experience and his ability to fight. Well, he's not going to provide much experience getting 4 minutes of ice time and he's shown an unwillingness to drop the gloves. He's pretty worthless. I say let Kreider take his spot when Hags returns, provided Kreider is earning the ice.

Tonight, Prust, Rupp and Bickel need to step up.

[Jordy]

Teammates feel Kreider more than ready if needed

KANATA, Ont. -- If New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider makes his NHL debut against the Ottawa Senators on Monday night in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series, teammate Brian Boyle doesn't have much in the way of advice of how to get quickly acclimated.

In Boyle's NHL debut with the Los Angeles Kings on February 2, 2008, he wasn't at the rink until the game had long since started.
"I was late. I got there with 12 minutes left in the first," said Boyle, whose Kings lost 6-3 in New Jersey that night. "We drove down. The driver got lost. I got a goal and an assist and I was really psyched. It was an emergency call-up from Manchester. I was in panic mode."

Should Kreider crack the lineup in place of Carl Hagelin, who will begin serving his three-game suspension for his elbow to the head of Daniel Alfredsson in Game 2 on Saturday night, he won't be racing to Scotiabank Place at the last minute, but his heart may be pumping twice as hard.

Kreider decided to forego his senior season at Boston College and join the Rangers right before the postseason, burning the first year of his entry-level deal in the process. Monday marked the first time during this series that Kreider didn't stay on late with coaches after the game-day skate, an indication he may play.

Rangers coach John Tortorella didn't tip his hand Monday morning -- John Scott could also potentially play in Game 3 -- but the 6-foot-3, 217-pound Kreider brings a similar skill set to Hagelin. Kreider possesses speed and a quick shot, but not a second of NHL experience.

Boyle feels that Kreider will adjust fine if he plays in Game 3.
"I think he's a pretty smart kid," said Boyle, who also played at BC. "He follows the game and he's probably been paying close attention to the series. Anyone who ever steps into a new team, or any advice I've gotten at level, is it's a hockey game. You've played one or two before, just enjoy it. That's the only thing I've ever told anyone when they come into a new situation."

Rangers center Derek Stepan was teammates with Kreider during the 2010 World Junior Championship. Stepan and Kreider emerged victorious in a 6-5 overtime win against Team Canada in the gold-medal game in Saskatoon.

Stepan didn't spend much time on a line with Kreider during the tournament, but he saw what Kreider could do in a pressure-packed situation on Canadian soil.

"We never really had set lines, but he's a good player," Stepan said. "He's big, strong, fast, shoots the puck hard. He always seems to be around the puck. He's got a good skill set, too. I'm sure it's like every other adjustment. It's going to be a big one for him. I think in practices here he's helped himself a lot."

Kreider played mostly on the wing at Boston College. The Rangers didn't display their lines during their optional practice, but Kreider could wind up playing with Stepan and Ryan Callahan on the second line with Artem Anisimov moved to the top line with Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards.

The Rangers gave Kreider a "homework assignment" while he sat during Games 1 and 2 -- study how Hagelin plays without the puck. Kreider said he learned a lot from the experience and even took notes during the first game.

"I was just trying to jot down whenever he used his speed off the puck to pressure the defensemen and get up ice," Kreider said after Game 1. "He used it in various situations. I went back today and looked at it on tape in a couple of situations."

No matter what Tortorella decides, replacing Hagelin won't be easy.
"He's a good player for us," Tortorella said. "He brings us speed, he chases down good. He's been really good since we brought him up."

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=628138

[rextilleon]

Based on the first two games, there is no way the Rangers win this series---Ottawa has too much offensive talent, and Rangers don't. Only hope is if King Henry stands on his head--but thats a long shot. Again--my predictions are 99% correct.

[AlwaysGreenAlwaysWhite]

Originally Posted by rextilleon

Based on the first two games, there is no way the Rangers win this series---Ottawa has too much offensive talent, and Rangers don't. Only hope is if King Henry stands on his head--but thats a long shot. Again--my predictions are 99% correct.

I laid decent $$ on the Rangers tonight... Two of the reasons below...

NY Rangers are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing on the road against Ottawa

NY Rangers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games on the road

[Austin]

Originally Posted by rextilleon

Based on the first two games, there is no way the Rangers win this series---Ottawa has too much offensive talent, and Rangers don't. Only hope is if King Henry stands on his head--but thats a long shot. Again--my predictions are 99% correct.

I don't know about that. The Rangers clearly outplayed the Senators for most of the first two games. Ottawa clearly has a chance, but even at this juncture I'd say they're the dogs.

[Jordy]

Alfredsson out for Game 3.

Rangers have a much better D.

Ottawa has the worst D among teams in the playoffs.

I'll take better D and lower scoring over better O and poor D.

[Austin]

It felt like the Sens really controlled the puck and got off more shots, but King Hendrik just wouldn't let them score. Great game between the pipes. And who told Brian Boyle to show up? He's really upped his game in the playoffs.

Very nerveracking game, as all low scoring playoff hockey games are. I was really on the edge of my seat the whole time.

[Jordy]

[kennedy fried Toon]

Originally Posted by Austin

It felt like the Sens really controlled the puck and got off more shots, but King Hendrik just wouldn't let them score. Great game between the pipes. And who told Brian Boyle to show up? He's really upped his game in the playoffs.

Very nerveracking game, as all low scoring playoff hockey games are. I was really on the edge of my seat the whole time.

+1 on all accounts. Lundy stole this one for the Rangers as Ottawa outplayed them for significant periods of time. The Boyle line and Callahan line applied the most pressure for the Rangers.

I for one am greatly disappointed in the effort being put forth by Gabby in the past two games. He looks timid and his game shrivels up under checking pressure. Him and Richards need to step it up in Game 4 and get on the board as all of the Rangers secondary players have been strong it is their contributions which have been missing. Without them performing, this team is not going to go very far.

[Jordy]

Originally Posted by kennedy fried Toon

+1 on all accounts. Lundy stole this one for the Rangers as Ottawa outplayed them for significant periods of time. The Boyle line and Callahan line applied the most pressure for the Rangers.

I for one am greatly disappointed in the effort being put forth by Gabby in the past two games. He looks timid and his game shrivels up under checking pressure. Him and Richards need to step it up in Game 4 and get on the board as all of the Rangers secondary players have been strong it is their contributions which have been missing. Without them performing, this team is not going to go very far.

Gabby seemed to be a bit intimidated on Saturday and that whole line was a bit out of sync last night without Hagelin. Kreider did okay considering he was thrown to the wolves with only a few days of practice with the team. I have a feeling he went into last night's game thinking that Ottawa was going to target him. I think Gabby will be okay moving forward. I hope that goon Carkner doesn't resume his antics tomorrow night, assuming he returns to the lineup.

[kennedy fried Toon]

Another blown lead..had plenty of opportunities on the PP but could not convert. The Rangers top players look sluggish and at this point I would be suprised if they pull this series out. Ottawa has looked like the better team 3 games in a row. Lundy is going to have to steal another game if they do manage to pull it out.

Gabby continues to be a no show. He needs to step his game up big time if the Rangers are going to pull thru.

[Austin]

Originally Posted by kennedy fried Toon

Another blown lead..had plenty of opportunities on the PP but could not convert. The Rangers top players look sluggish and at this point I would be suprised if they pull this series out. Ottawa has looked like the better team 3 games in a row. Lundy is going to have to steal another game if they do manage to pull it out.

Gabby continues to be a no show. He needs to step his game up big time if the Rangers are going to pull thru.

Can't say I disagree. Sens seem more energetic and aggressive, and have simply been controlling the puck and taking more shots.

Rangers had their chance last night 2-0, but were worn down -- they can't depend on a standout performance from Lundqvist every night.

[Bay Ridge Jet]

All the Senators do is pinch defensemen. Please just convert one of the million rushes you get.

[detjetsfan]

NHL has the most irrelevent regular season by far of all the sports. The fact that such a superior #1 seed like the Rangers with arguably the best goalie in Hockey is having such a difficult time putting away an 8th seed like the Senators says alot.

[Jordy]

Originally Posted by Austin

Can't say I disagree. Sens seem more energetic and aggressive, and have simply been controlling the puck and taking more shots.

Rangers had their chance last night 2-0, but were worn down -- they can't depend on a standout performance from Lundqvist every night.

Worn down being the operative word.

I think Torts made a tactical error last night by only rolling out 3 lines and going with 5 dmen. The 4th line had 3-4 minutes all night. Bickel had a little over 3 minutes! I didn't see anything wrong with Bickel's play. Did he do something wrong to get benched? He's one of the best at pounding forecheckers on the boards.

In any event, I think Torts' strategy bit him in the ass.

[nyahay bus]

where I was I had to watch with the sound down. I do not understand when up 2-0 and on the PP, you have Mitchell out there at all, let alone up high and Staal down low. The first Sens goal was a disaster.

[Jordy]

Originally Posted by nyahay bus

where I was I had to watch with the sound down. I do not understand when up 2-0 and on the PP, you have Mitchell out there at all, let alone up high and Staal down low. The first Sens goal was a disaster.

You're right in pointing that out.

That was the turning point of the game.

I was very disappointed in McDonagh not being able to poke check the puck from Matt frickin' Carkner of all people!

Made him look like Gretzky.

[AlwaysGreenAlwaysWhite]

Originally Posted by Jordy

I was very disappointed in McDonagh not being able to poke check the puck from Matt frickin' Carkner of all people!

Made him look like Gretzky.

Sorry but I lol'd...