EC RD2: Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Rangers

[mister_mcgoo]

So basically people are saying yet again that Pittsburgh would only lose because of fleury...sigh

defense and goaltending wins championships...you don't have the be the best in the league at either, but you can't get by sucking at either of them and expect to have success

Case in point, Team Canada 2014...Crosby slept thru the whole thing but it didn't matter, the defensive play and the goaltending carried them thru

[metaldude26]

Depth vs. lack thereof. Taking the Rangers here. Actually like them to represent the East.

[JagrBomb]

terrible call leading to rangers 2nd goal. seems like the linesman right by the blueline sees it is onside, but the ref at center ice calls it offside? wtf??

[Top_Shelf]

defense and goaltending wins championships...you don't have the be the best in the league at either, but you can't get by sucking at either of them and expect to have success

+1 completely agree

[JagrBomb]

so if rangers beat pens, will that mean having a top goalie in the playoffs is crucial again?

Lundqvist + 1 of Rask/Price

Hiller/Quick + Crawford/Bryzgalov


Go Bryzgalov!

[Bomm Bastic]

Honestly, this Lundqvist's time to shine. He can steal this series. And he should.

[PrairieDog]

Honestly, this Lundqvist's time to shine. He can steal this series. And he should.

Wow did you ever just jinx him Still got the lead but Pit is turning it up...

[mister_mcgoo]

so if rangers beat pens, will that mean having a top goalie in the playoffs is crucial again?

Lundqvist + 1 of Rask/Price

Hiller/Quick + Crawford/Bryzgalov


Go Bryzgalov!

No of course not but how long have you been watching hockey? 30-40 years i'm guessing? How many times have you seen a goalie steal a game? a series?
He's the only player who plays every single minute of the game (provided he's good of course), he is the lynchpin that holds the entire team together.

A bad goalie cripples a team psychologically and physically.
A 'decent' goalie just shoots par and keeps them in every game...onus is on the skaters to excel.
A strong goalie cripples his opponents both psychologically and physically.

[forumname]

so if rangers beat pens, will that mean having a top goalie in the playoffs is crucial again?

Lundqvist + 1 of Rask/Price

Hiller/Quick + Crawford/Bryzgalov

Does 'top goalie' even mean anything? Every year, more and more goalies cross that line back and fourth.

[PrairieDog]

Second Pit goal shouldn't have counted - wow, big miss by the ref. He totally interfered with Lundquist's glove on that play.

[Bomm Bastic]

First but not the last controversial goal.

[JagrBomb]

Second Pit goal shouldn't have counted - wow, big miss by the ref. He totally interfered with Lundquist's glove on that play.

yup definitely shouldn't have been a goal. but to be honest lundqvist wouldnt have stopped it, he had no idea where it was. i guess it somewhat makes up for the 2nd rangers goal.

[JagrBomb]

No of course not but how long have you been watching hockey? 30-40 years i'm guessing? How many times have you seen a goalie steal a game? a series?
He's the only player who plays every single minute of the game (provided he's good of course), he is the lynchpin that holds the entire team together.

A bad goalie cripples a team psychologically and physically.
A 'decent' goalie just shoots par and keeps them in every game...onus is on the skaters to excel.
A strong goalie cripples his opponents both psychologically and physically.

obviously having a top goalie is better than having a decent/bad goalie, no doubt about that. but some years that's in question, when you see guys like fleury, leighton etc go deep in the playoffs because their team is stacked, and you can just as easily see top goalies like lundqvist, rask etc get knocked out first round.

chances are we will see two elite goalies in the final. what are the chances STL nabs hiller? or would the pens dare trade fleury and go for hiller? i have a feeling he's gonna get $$$$ this summer.

[RangerFan]

Overtime here we come!

[PrairieDog]

Jokinen/St.Louis