From the network that brings you the marvel that is Pierre McGuire, Rivalry Night on NBCSN.
Rivalry? Sure. Playoff intensity tonight? Leaning towards not. Isles need to start backing up the talk around understanding the task ahead of them to get to the dance. Rangers looking to stay healthy and keep skills reasonably sharp while fairly locked into WC-1. Bit of a more muted feel here today. Regardless, these games always take a life of their own, so we'll probably get some entertaining hockey.
Isles start Thomas Greiss, Blueshirts counter with Raanta (with Lundqvist expected to get 2 of the next 3 on the WC trip). For the Islanders, we see Dougie is paying attention. Seidenberg sits and is replaced by Thomas Hickey. Same forwards. Note, however, the lines at practice show a different configuration: 16-91-12, 27-72-66 (fun!), 29-18-25, and 86-53-15 are reunited. MiLB and I question the need felt to separate Lee from L1, but Ladd has been on fire; his sniper with size role is different (and not in a bad way) than Lee's netfront monolith role, so maybe these rejiggered lines provide the shot we've needed to get back in (successful) attack mode. Isles need at least 4 points out of the next three games in 4 nights (NYR, then B2B in PIT and home against BOS). I think they have to go 9-2 or 8-3-1 at worst to make it.
AV has noted all F and D will be gametime decisions. Lundqvist, Girardi, Klein, Glass, Kampfer, Pirri and Puempel were all on the ice for the NYR morning skate.
Let's Go Islanders
...and Rangers, feel free to take 'er easy if you want. You've worked hard.
Well it gave Pierre an opportunity to blow 'Joshua' ho-sang for the fifth time tonight. Because clearly the pass off two islanders skates into the net was what greats are made of.
We just match up so fucking poorly with this team lol. I'm waiting to go down 2-3 with a minute left. Rinse. Repeat. Against these fucks.
Get it out of the system now - it's fine - but these mistakes and this style I don't think lends well to playoff hockey
3-2 Isles
Good thing Tanner Glass played
I think most coaches could take this roster to 100 points a year or at least the playoffs. I do give him credit for young forwards and in general I like the (regular season) speed with which this team plays.
But the bizarre deference to the veteran crap on this roster, refusal to bench anyone but clendening and Buchnevich for mistakes this year (last night for example Holden was the worst player on either team and vesey is so worn down they might as well put a fork in his back on your RB screen... Yet tonight we play two scrubs for the other guys --- 4th line scores 3 goals in 2 games with Buch in line up be damned!!) ... And apparent disdain to get this team ready past few weeks by practicing playoff, tighter hockey even when for once in ten years you actually have nothing to play for for a month (even the caps are playing for something right now)
We lost this game because guys are still trying stretch passes and pretty plays from the D-zone. This lakers shit doesn't work in the playoffs stop it already.
8 more games of this crap and then we can actually play some games that matter again. Thankfully, cause this sucks
8 more games of this crap and then we can actually play some games that matter again. Thankfully, cause this sucks
If you think the PK is fine and AV playing Tanner Glass and Jesper Fast in the final minutes when we're done is alright, then I don't know what to tell you.
I didn't see a style tonight that worries me, we dominated possession in most instances and missed like 4 empty nets.. But we didn't play our best lineup once again and we probably missed Hank a bit tonight, in addition to some bad bounces
I didn't see a style tonight that worries me, we dominated possession in most instances and missed like 4 empty nets.. But we didn't play our best lineup once again and we probably missed Hank a bit tonight, in addition to some bad bounces
No shit we didn't play our best lineup. Tanner Glass was out there.
But let's be real: you think Girardi and Klein are going to turn this around? I doubt Lundqvist could've had a better game than Raanta did tonight.
And enough with Kampfer, God dammit. Put in Clendening.
Really? We lost fucking back-to-back to inferior teams. We haven't won at home in the last 8 games. How is everything A-OK?
Agree. Lucky to get two points tonight against a better team. And God help me I'm fascinated by the latest BBI gossip but trying not to give into the temptation to beg for some insight. Also Fuck Sidney Crosby.
Anak, everything is not ok. It's a flawed team that probably needs another offseason of tweaks before it's really ready to contend. But I'm just not going to freak out over these two games in particular when they did mostly good things and were done in by the randomness of 3-on-3 last night and some bad puck luck tonight. That's hockey.
Leddy hit the inside of the post less than 15 seconds before the power play that led to the pinball goal. It's all fair game.
Huge win. Fuck you, Columbus.
Anak, everything is not ok. It's a flawed team that probably needs another offseason of tweaks before it's really ready to contend. But I'm just not going to freak out over these two games in particular when they did mostly good things and were done in by the randomness of 3-on-3 last night and some bad puck luck tonight. That's hockey.
That's not hockey. Hockey isn't playing Tanner Glass over Pavel Buchnevich because AV thinks we need some grit. Hockey isn't putting Tanner Glass, with one goal on the season, on the ice with 5 minutes to go and down by one. Hockey isn't putting Jesper Fast and his five goals on the season, with two minutes to go.
If this is hockey, this is a poor excuse of hockey. No wins in the last 8 home games. The PK is the worst in the Eastern Conference since New Year's. Losing to two rivals who are clearly inferior to us. AV, during his time here, has made absolutely mind-numbing decisions...and Canucks fans warned us about this too. He has his favorites, he'd rather play veterans than youngsters, he'll overstay his welcome, etc. It's enough.
We're going to make the playoffs, but if we continue to play like this and AV continues to coach like this, we're not going to make it past the first round. But ok, Shattenkirk will fix everything next year., right?..Until AV decides to bench him for Kampfer. Good thing we have a bunch of prospects waiting in the pipeline...oh wait. Well, at least we have draft picks this year...well, at least we have a first rounder this year.
Quote:
Safe trip home in the team bus.
Shotgun!
Stink finger served cold and old. Enjoy!
Thanks, bud.
Thanks, bud.
Well, I taught what hockey is NOT
Quote:
Goals and wins are at a premium for us. The pinball goal is what it is, but we seem to experience that against us a lot so it feels like some evening out. A solid 3rd which are sporadic in frequency for the Isles was great for our side to see. Much needed 2 points.
Leddy hit the inside of the post less than 15 seconds before the power play that led to the pinball goal. It's all fair game.
Huge win. Fuck you, Columbus.
Think its time to focus on the Bruins. Saturday is going to be HUGE. They better show up for that one because the last 2 home games were awful
Barzal had 10 goals and 69 assists for 79 points in 41 games this season. He started the season with the New York Islanders playing two games before returning to the T-Birds. Barzal won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2017 World Junior Championship.
Some drool-worthy highlights linked below.
Mat Barzal 2016-17 Highlights - ( New Window )
Nelson really must be put on notice. It is tiresome to watch his looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane routine.
Y'all behave, hear?
I'm with you. The last two goals were very puck luck-ish, especially the first, and Kampfer over Clendening at this point is baffling.
Just add it to the list of numerous baffling decisions by AV. I grew up watching Rangers teams finish in 9th or 10th in the conference every year and didn't have this much disdain for the coaches of those teams as I do for this coach who has brought me a level of success with this team that I have never seen before
Quote:
Family starting to arrive for dinner...it's my triplets' 12th birthday today. Man, time flies.
Y'all behave, hear?
Wow, great stuff, congrats for weathering the storm of love and devotion for the threes. And your Bedouins gave you a nice win. Puck not bouncing well for the Blueshirts during this shoulder season.
Especially when the 4th line had chipped in 3 goals in the past two games... why the fuck would you take Buchnevich off the ice?
Buch must have had some of the dreaded "inefficient touches".
Clendening (58% Corsi, 57% Fenwick this season) was sent to the press box for far less two weeks prior for 5 games.
But Holden (47% Corsi, 48% Fenwick) can do no wrong - especially when he has 8 goals (due to a 13% shooting percentage versus 6% for his career).
One guy is 29 (no accountability at that age under AV) and the other is 24 and obviously ain't re-signing with us next season. What a waste. I realize Clendening lives somewhat sheltered minutes and assignments so the possession metrics are a little overstated, but cmon... with those possession numbers doesnt he deserve an opportunity in 20 meaningless games down the stretch to see if he can be trusted with playoff minutes?
We aren't winning a cup with Nick Holden logging big minutes for us.
Ho-Sang is going to be very special. Every time he steps on the ice you are expecting something good to happen. It is all in front of the Islanders right now. Play Bruins on Sat. and we have a game in hand. They have not really played a start to finish solid game in the last 5 or 6 games. They have 10 playoff games to go before the playofffs. All up to them.
Finally! We need every point and he gives us the best opportunity to get them.