Editor’s Note: The following was written by new LWOS writer Robbie Jefferson. You can follow him on Twitter at (@robbedy)
After watching Madison Square Garden clear out faster than the subway car a homeless guy just peed in, Ranger fans went catatonic. Bounces, is a word you’re hearing a lot in postgame recaps and with good measure; they were the killer of the Ranger spirit last night. Without taking too much away from the Kings, (who can largely say, “We created those bounces all game”) this game showed us the single most frustrating part of Hockey. Girardi (who has spent the last three games/series as the poster child for bad breaks) and McDonagh played the kind of defense last night that you love to see, breaking up passes, getting in shooting lanes only to see those exact qualities we expect from defensemen leading directly to goals. Games like these are when fans force a wry chuckle through the stomach churning disappointment and utter a quick, “I hate this game” under their breath. The Kings, to their credit, are the never say die team, three series going 7, coming back from 3-0 down to the Sharks in the first round, and having two 3 game losing streaks in one postseason. The “Fatigue” of playing 21 games is just that, so laughable now it requires air quotes. They force you into mistakes and don’t miss when they do. When we look at the Fenwick you can see why the Kings were so effective at making their own luck. (Chart provided by www.extraskater.com)
The biggest concern for Ranger fans happens between goals 1&2. That is scoring, and then the Kings putting a stranglehold on you until they are up a pair. After that score effects take over and the desperation chances start piling up for the Rangers, when a 2-1 breaks and our friend, the bad bounce, rears its ugly head again. So, what do you do if you’re the Rangers? Play with a lead and you lose in OT, try to come from behind and they will let Quick handle things and counterpunch when the time is right. The Rangers can at least take solace in the fact that the worst two players on the ice have been Brad Richards and Dan Girardi, wait no those guys are making TONS of money so that’s much more panic than solace, my bad.
Richards is a guy I have now (both rationally and irrationally) gone back and forth regarding the compliance buy out. Well now I’m firmly in camp buy out. Too many guys need new deals, (especially Zuccarello and Stralman) and he’s been a ghost this series. Not to mention the powerplay that he’s “Quarterbacking” Looks like the New York Jets offense trying to score on the vaunted Steel Curtain defense.
That brings us to Girardi, who god help me I cannot figure out. He has the innate ability to make amazing plays followed by allowing three goals on huge defensive errors. The further we go into the postseason the more I wish we hadn’t given him that contract, especially with possession monster Anton Stralman waiting on a deal that would almost assuredly be cheaper. Girardi has a very terrible 43.5% Corsi For. Meanwhile, Anton Stralman has a Corsi For of 51.5%. So what does that mean? Well with Stralman on the ice the Rangers have the puck more, resulting in more chances, and with Girardi on the ice, they have the puck less, allowing for more opportunities for him to accidentally kick the puck into his own net.
Am I putting the cart before the horse here talking about off-season moves before the Stanley Cup Final is, you know, final? Absolutely, but these are things worth discussing. My post Stanley Cup dream goals: 1. Go the parade at the Canyon of Heroes. 2. Buy out Richards. 3. Trade Girardi to a team desperate for a defensemen and willing to overlook how bad he is in the playoffs against tough competition (hey look, its everyone else in the Metro Division on the line for you, Slats!) If I’m ranking them based on optimism, Richards, Parade, and Girardi.
Now with a deflating loss, and certain doom staring them down its time to see what this Ranger team is made of. This isn’t Pittsburgh, where the Rangers were the better team, even if the standings disagreed. Sorry Pens fans, you had two of the three best players in the series, but no team depth, which is fine when you play the Islanders and Jets, but not an actual playoff team. The Rangers were already heavy underdogs, being down 3-0 and pissing away games 1 and 2 was painful, but nothing hurts more than those F@%&ing bounces last night.
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