2023-24 NHL Season

[EagerBeaver]

What a great goalie allows you to do is steal games in which you are outplayed. If any of you guys saw the Frozen Four Championship game, it was an utterly dominant and very superior in talent Boston College team that got utterly stoned by the Denver goalie, who had something like a .977 save % for the NCAA tournament, and he stood on his head making saves in the championship game. The point is that the Rangers can be outplayed and still win. The fact is the Rangers only needed to win 1 game in Florida, and have done that. They have home ice advantage and now just need to protect home ice. If Igor is on his game, it does not matter if Florida outplays the NYR, as long as they get opportunistic goals like they did today and in game 2

 

[Cap'tain Fantastic]

wow...pas certain qu'ils vont s'en remettre....lol.

Les Panthers vont rebondir et rugir encore plus fort. Ils dominent la plupart des facettes du jeu et sont intraitables pour ne pas cédé la zone neutre.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Les Panthers vont rebondir et rugir encore plus fort. Ils dominent la plupart des facettes du jeu et sont intraitables pour ne pas cédé la zone neutre.

Ironically Paul Maurice, who is a witty, funny guy, said after the game that the Panthers "have to keep growling." They better be roaring and not low growling next game, or they are going to get frustrated, start taking frustration penalties, and all of a sudden some slumping players like Zibenajad will get hot on the PP.

Meanwhile, they changed the winning goal and gave it to Wennberg rather than Lindgren. I did not think Wennberg touched the puck in real time, although it looked like he tried, but I guess he grazed it so now I have to change my hero of the game:

Rangers 5-4 Panthers (May 26, 2024) Game Recap - ESPN

Expert recap and game analysis of the New York Rangers vs. Florida Panthers NHL game from May 26, 2024 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

 

[ThunderLipps]

and all of a sudden some slumping players like Zibenajad will get hot on the PP.

Had him in my hockey pool, major disappointment for an early pick.

 

[ThunderLipps]

The Oilers better pull off some wins at home as you can't give Dallas an inch. By no means am I coaching material but I would never pull a goalie down by 1 with over 2 min left playing Dallas.

 

[EagerBeaver]

By no means am I coaching material but I would never pull a goalie down by 1 with over 2 min left playing Dallas.

It may have been a quick pull, but the reasoning likely was that if you put a team like Edmonton with the big guns on the ice on a power play for over 2 minutes, there is a good chance that they score and tie the game. But there is also a good chance that if the PP isn't as crisp as overcooked toast, that you give up the empty net goal. It's a roll of the dice. Whenever you pull a goalie in that situation you hope for the best, but also know that it's a risk.

The baseball analogy would be, in a tie game or up by one with 2 outs, intentionally walking the right handed hitter so that your lefthanded reliever can face the lefthanded batter who comes up next for the final out. You hope that the matchup goes in your favor, but if the lefty hitter lines a double down the line, or worse yet homers, you lose the game or go to extra innings. It's a dice roll and occasionally the move will backfire, and lose the game.

This discussion of coaching/managerial decisions backfiring for some reason reminds me of former NY Mets manager Mickey Calloway, who managed the Mets 2018-2019 and was later banned by MLB for sexually harassing MLB employees. As a regular listener of WFAN sports talk radio in NYC, I never heard a manager in ANY sport who did a worse job of handling the second guessing that went along with the job of managing a sports team in NYC. His contract required him to do a weekly interview (usually around 20-30 minutes) with WFAN. I recall he had a remarkable string of decisions that backfired on him badly. In NYC when this happens the media lose confidence in you very fast, and become very, very aggressive with their questions in the pressers. Calloway did the most comical thing, he would just spout euphemistic cliches like "I believe in my players", "we are going to turn this around", "the tide will turn", etc. etc., and never answer any questions. He was eventually fired for underachievement.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Trouba Gets Away With Light Fine:

Rangers' Trouba fined, not suspended, for elbow

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba has been fined $5,000 for elbowing Florida Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals Sunday.

www.espn.com

 

[Cap'tain Fantastic]

Trouba Gets Away With Light Fine:

Rangers' Trouba fined, not suspended, for elbow

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba has been fined $5,000 for elbowing Florida Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals Sunday.

www.espn.com

It is safe to say that in regular season he would have been given a 1 game suspension.

 

[EagerBeaver]

It is safe to say that in regular season he would have been given a 1 game suspension.

I agree, it was clearly not a hockey play at all. The NHL is showing it has a MUCH higher tolerance for rough play in the playoffs, which is why Rempe is getting the ice time he has been getting, although only 4 minutes last game. The NHL wants the games decided by the full compliment of players and will only suspend for non-hockey plays that are inhumane, cruel and unusual.

Some have contended the Rangers have been given extremely favorable treatment by the refs and by the NHL, because the NHL wants the Rangers in the finals as it's good for business. There is no evidence to support this. But I will agree with you that Trouba got away with one and should have been suspended.

 

[gaby]

Tough tough lost for the OILERS.....ROBERTSON a fait les dommages.....and SKINNER 17 saves/21 shots....hiiiiiii....a critical one tomorrow.

 

[ThunderLipps]

It may have been a quick pull, but the reasoning likely was that if you put a team like Edmonton with the big guns on the ice on a power play for over 2 minutes, there is a good chance that they score and tie the game. But there is also a good chance that if the PP isn't as crisp as overcooked toast, that you give up the empty net goal. It's a roll of the dice. Whenever you pull a goalie in that situation you hope for the best, but also know that it's a risk.

Also to note, he pulled Skinner when they never had possession of the puck.

 

[ThunderLipps]

Me thinks the Oilers are done if they play Skinner in game 4.

 

[EagerBeaver]

He thinks the Oilers are done if they play Skinner in game 4.

He may be right. Skinner is not someone who has gained the confidence of his coaching staff, and it's not really clear if he has confidence in himself at this point either. The conference finals is not the time to be playing musical chairs and other games with goalies. At some point you have to make your bed, and then sleep in it.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Keefe to NJ Devils!!!!

Keefe, after Leafs firing, hired to coach Devils

Sheldon Keefe, who compiled a 212-97-40 record in 4½ seasons as coach of the Maple Leafs before he was fired, has been hired as the new coach of the Devils.

www.espn.com

If they can straighten out their goalie situation this is an excellent core of young players for Keefe to work with.

Brodeur mentioned the other day that they’d be looking at acquiring a #1 goalie to go with Jake Allen.

 

[Doc Holliday]

He thinks the Oilers are done if they play Skinner in game 4.

Is it Soupy time?

 

[ThunderLipps]

Is it Soupy time?

I would bring him in, had a .9 something in 120 min last playoffs.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Guys, it's official. The Panthers have hit the panic button, and activated Kyle Okposo for game 4. Remember him? The guy on life support. Yep, and he will be bringing his ventilator out on the ice with him. Hockey analysts are discussing the move and the reasons behind it. These are being posited:

1. Out-toughing the Rangers is not working, due to counter-measures being employed by Laviolette such as Rempe (thug insect repellant), Trouba and company. The Rangers have out-hit the Panthers in the 2 wins. When the out-toughing is not happening and not enough goals are being scored, you put in the offensive skilled player over the tough defensive minded player. If not for Rempe, the teams would be even in hits the last two games, but instead Rangers are +10

2. Problem is Okposo's best offensive days are behind him. In fact Okposo's, best offensive days were when I saw him play for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, a team no longer in existence, back in 2007 or so.

Is this the answer? Well we will see. I told you guys that the past recipe against the Rangers was always to send out the tough guys on them and goon them, and they will be intimidated and thrown off their game. In the past, those strategies did work, but it has all changed now. Those days are over. The fans in NYC already knew it, but now you guys and the Panthers know it.

Okposo could reenter Panthers lineup for Game 4 against Rangers | NHL.com

Forward on 4th line during morning skate for potential 1st appearance since May 14

www.nhl.com

 

[EagerBeaver]

Of goalies remaining in this postseason, Shesterkin leads with a .925 save % followed by Oettinger at .923. Shesterkin is a postseason career .927 save % goalie, which is very impressive. In the postseason the pressure is higher and it's the best teams with the best goal production.

 

[EagerBeaver]

The Rangers are also +22 on blocked shots. Another toughness stat. It's all about sacrificing your body, taking some pain and stopping or slowing down a shot on your goalie. This, along with hits, are toughness stats and the Rangers are winning those stats.

 

[Cap'tain Fantastic]

Guys, it's official. The Panthers have hit the panic button, and activated Kyle Okposo for game 4. Remember him? The guy on life support. Yep, and he will be bringing his ventilator out on the ice with him. Hockey analysts are discussing the move and the reasons behind it. These are being posited:

1. Out-toughing the Rangers is not working, due to counter-measures being employed by Laviolette such as Rempe (thug insect repellant), Trouba and company. The Rangers have out-hit the Panthers in the 2 wins. When the out-toughing is not happening and not enough goals are being scored, you put in the offensive skilled player over the tough defensive minded player. If not for Rempe, the teams would be even in hits the last two games, but instead Rangers are +10

2. Problem is Okposo's best offensive days are behind him. In fact Okposo's, best offensive days were when I saw him play for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, a team no longer in existence, back in 2007 or so.

Is this the answer? Well we will see. I told you guys that the past recipe against the Rangers was always to send out the tough guys on them and goon them, and they will be intimidated and thrown off their game. In the past, those strategies did work, but it has all changed now. Those days are over. The fans in NYC already knew it, but now you guys and the Panthers know it.

Okposo could reenter Panthers lineup for Game 4 against Rangers | NHL.com

Forward on 4th line during morning skate for potential 1st appearance since May 14

www.nhl.com

Nothing like a cheerleader cheerleading!
Panic button? Come on Eb!

1st- you will never see Paul Maurice panicking, he’s a rational man and a fierce analyst.
2 nd- why would the Panthers panic? They are dominating the Rangers for most of the game, it is mathematically, only a matter of time before they get the most of the series. Only Shesterkin can delay the end result, or change the course of it. We’ve seen it in the past, a goalkeeper steeling an entire series. Hold on tight to your rosary and keep praying !

This series is the best hockey so far.