It's New York-Montreal, a match up that seemed like it was a given nearly two months ago and became a definitive reality the last week of the regular season. The two teams faced each other in the 2014 ECF, known for the Chris Kreider-Carey Price collision, which still has fans on both sides up in arms, depending on your view and rooting interest. Montreal made a bold move in the off-season, dealing P.K. Subban for Shea Weber and then signing Alexander Radulov to a one-year deal. The Canadiens also imported some beef at the trading deadline and closed the year on a roll, holding off Ottawa for the top seed in the Atlantic Division. New York added Nick Holden, Jimmy Vesey and Michael Grabner last off-season and got off to a tremendous start. But the Rangers, who added Brendan Smith at the deadline, limped down the stretch, and in fact, the last month-plus of the season, as a Wild Card spot was all but locked and one of the top three seeds in the division was a pipe dream.
All the rhetoric, hyperbole and written/spoken words (yes, I know, I was guilty of it too and will be guilty of it later in this article) ends at 8 pm tonight when the puck is dropped. When that happens, pretty much everything written can be tossed in the trash, since game action has started. This is the best time of year, Playoff Hockey Time. After the changes during the off- and in-season, slow start and hot play thereafter was just a lead-in to the second season. This is where making or the failure to make the simple play, the dump in and the chase, the dive to keep a puck in or get it out of your zone, the picking up your man in the neutral zone or in your own zone to prevent him from cruising down the slot, can be the difference between winning and losing.
Can you feel it? It’s that tangible feeling that’s a low roar in NY right now, limited to us, the faithful, who follow this team day in and day out, night in and night out, though ironically the weather is more Fall-like than Spring-like, but right now, that pales in comparison to how we feel as the playoffs kick off. That feeling will build if/when (I hope) the Rangers move to the next round. As they hopefully move up the ladder, the bandwagon will get bigger and bigger, until the City feels ready to explode with excitement and anticipation. All that is in the future, the here and now is to worry and take care of the Penguins.
I gave my behind the numbers article Tuesday, some of which will be referenced, and will post my overall Cup predictions shortly. I am sure I could go and on, but what’s the point. We all know that information already, or if now, we will hear it over and over during the series. For this column, I will limit it to the various line combinations with some brief comments after them.
First, some videos to raise the anticipation level a bit more and help get you ready for the playoffs.
AJ Castigliaa:
Victorious" NYR - MTL 2017 Playoff Preview
AJ Castigliaa:
"Just Like This" NYR 2017 Playoffs
Metrangerfan711:
Seek and Destroy:
Bdonn Films:
Call On Me | New York Rangers '16-'17 Playoff Push
Rangers:
Forwards:
20 Chris Kreider - 21 Derek Stepan - 36 Mats Zuccarello
61 Rick Nash - 93 Mika Zibanejad - 26 Jimmy Vesey
40 Michael Grabner - 13 Kevin Hayes - 10 J. T. Miller
15 Tanner Glass - 24 Oscar Lindberg - 19 Jesper Fast
Extras: Pavel Buchnevich (healthy, could end up on the second line, opposite Nash and Zib, the third line with Vesey if Miller is moved up and Vesey sits, or the fourth line if Glass sits), Brandon Piri and Matt Puempel (healthy, likely to fill the role of Black Aces) and Taylor Beck (a big body, who scored in the NHL, but unlikely to see action this series)
(The Rangers finished fourth in the league in scoring but much of the dirty work was done in the first quarter of the season. Since then, it's been a mix of up-and-down, where the offense has disappeared for stretches only to wake up for a few games in a row, then fall back into futility offensively. AV can roll four lines, though save for maybe two of them and components of two others, the combinations could shift game-to-game and at times, in game.
Up front, New York was once led by Mats Zuccarello, who scored 15 goals and a team-high 44 assists.. His center Derek Stepan, who has shown the ability raise his game in the playoffs, scored 50+ points for the fifth season of his career while Chris Kreider set a career-high with 28 goals and tied his career-high with 25 assists. Given the Kreider-Price incident of a few years ago, all eyes will be on CK20. had 27 goals and 31 assists while J.T. Miller, the physical part of this trio, had a breakout campaign with 22 goals and 34 assists. Mika Zibanejad came over for Derick Brassard this past off-season, making the Rangers younger and a bit speedier. Zib suffered a broken leg on November 20, costing him 26 games, and it has taken him a while to find his form. He seems to set for the playoffs, notching three goals and five assists the past nine games. Rick Nash is everyone's whipping boy, especially due his layoff struggles of the past, but he scored in five of the last seven games he played to finish with 23 goals before getting shut down two of the last three games of the regular season. Flip a coin and that's who lines up on right wing on that line.
Jimmy Vesey, who was brilliant early, but hit a wall and has yet to really recover may be choice 1a, especially after the hands and skill he showed in scoring in the season finale. Pavel Buchnevich, like Vesey, got off to a solid start but then was shut down from November 12 to January 12 as he rebuilt his core. He has tremendous talent and skill, but appears lost at times in his own zone. That said, he might option 1B. Coach Alain Vigneault could opt to move J.T. Miller up to the second line and play Vesey and Buch opposite Kevin Hayes and Michael Grabner.
Grabner seemingly scored at will the first four months of the season, notching 26 goals in 53 games. But we all knew the ride would end due to a 21.3% shooting percentage. He has crashed to earth with one goal and four assists his last 23 games. Grabner still pressures the D with his speed, which is why he might be better suited on the fourth line. Hayes set a career-high with 49 points, rebounding from a disappointing 2015-16 season. But like Grabner, much of that damage was done early, since he has just two goals, five assists and minus-13 rating in 25 games since February 16.
Two-thirds of the fourth line should be Oscar Lindberg, who has had solid possession numbers and won 52 % of his draws. AV trusts Jesper Fast in all situations, especially on the PK and late in games. Fast plays bigger than his size and brings several intangibles to the table. Now for the fun part, Tanner Glass. Everyone loves to hate Glass, but you know you will get an honest effort from him nightly. The puck possession numbers aren't there, though he has been better than in the past, and he brings a physical presence against the big boys Montreal likely will roll out on their fourth line. AV could opt for skill over brawn, starting Vesey or Buch on the fourth line, or as said above, moving Grabner down a line to play with Lindberg and Fast and play Vesey and Buch with Hayes).
Defense
27 Ryan McDonagh - 5 Dan Girardi
76 Brady Skjei - 8 Kevin Klein
18 Marc Staal - 22 Nick Holden
Extras: Brendan Smith (could dress in place of Klein or Holden), Adam Clendening (will be inserted if a puck-moving d-man is needed and Steven Kampfer (depth for the blueline).
(McDonagh, who missed four of the last five games of the regular season after getting injured March 17, returned for the finale, notching a goal and an assist. He looks to be fully healthy and ready to go. The rest of the blue line, most of which received days off late, is close to 100%. That includes Kevin Klein, who was out 16 games over a month span from late-February to late March with a back injury.
The defensive issues in New York aren't limited to just the blue line. Own zone and physical breakdowns coupled with their lack of speed and inability to cover the front of the net has made that group a shell of their former self. In McDonagh and Skjei, the Rangers have two mobile, puck-moving d-men. Many would like to see those two paired together, but separating them and spreading out their talent on two duos is the way to go.
The pairings are literally a finger in the air, since you could mix and match probably seven of the nine defensemen, save for Clendening and Kampfer. I expect AV to go back to what he and the team is used to, McDonagh and Girardi, despite the clamoring from the faithful. Klein has been mildly better since returning from injury and could pair with Skjei, though the same could be said for Nick Holden and Brendan Smith.
Skjei has had a tremendous rookie campaign, growing in confidence, which has been coupled with increased minutes and responsibility. His 34 assists was second behind McD among d-men, 27 of those helps came at even strength. Skjei and Clendening were possession and lone-exit monsters, but Clendening's d-zone issues likely mean he will start the playoffs on the bench.
the third pair is a major guess right now. Marc Staal has the experience while Nick Holden was excellent early and a nightmare late. One of the two could be replaced by Smith, who hasn't been the deadline acquisition boost we all hoped he would be. Staal actually played better when he was on McD's right, but that could be because he was paired with McD and less to do with Staal. I expect lots of switches and maneuverings in game and during the series, as AV searches for the right pairings).
Goaltending
30 Henrik Lundqvist
32 Antti Raanta
(Lundqvist notched the 400th win of his career but had a very uneven year. A hot start was followed by a major lull in the middle. A hip injury sidelined him eight games in March, but after returning, he allowed 21 goals in six games. In addition, he went 3-5-2 in his last 10 games and 5-7-3 his last 15 to finish 31-20-4 with a 2.74 GAA and .910 SV%, the latter two numbers the worst of Hank's career. If he doesn't come close to or match Carey Price's performance and numbers, it could be a short series. Raanta was phenomenal his second season in New York. Working with goaltending coach Benoit Allaire, Raanta went 16-8-2 with four shutouts, a 2.26 GAA and .922 SV% in 30 games. Lundqvist would need to get injured or really bomb for a goaltending swap to occur, but Raanta waits in the wings if needed).
Canadiens
Forwards
67 Max Pacioretty - 24 Phillip Danault - 47 Alexander Radulov
41 Paul Byron - 14 Tomas Plekanec - 11 Brendan Gallagher
27 Alex Galchenyuk - 65 Andrew Shaw - 62 Artturi Lehkonen
21 Dwight King - 92 Steve Ott- 37 Andreas Martinsen
Scratches - Torrey Mitchell, Brian Flynn and Michael McCarron (all three could see action on the fourth line, depending on who coach Claude Julien decides to deploy).
(After a down season last year, Montreal rebounded, aided by the return of Carey Price from his injury to win the Atlantic Division. The trade of P.K. Subban to Nashville for Shea Weber paid immediate dividends for the Canadiens, though the future value may lean towards the Subban side. In addition, the one-year deal signed by Alexander Radulov gave the bleu-blanc-et-rouge another scorer and playmaker, resulting in the first place finish. Montreal was in the midst of a horrific slump when team management decided to fire Michel Therrien and bring back Julien on February 14 for round two. That switch made all the difference, as the Canadiens took off from there, winning the Atlantic Division. They lack the depth, especially down the middle, scoring and speed New York has but bring a major physical presence to the fourth line.
The key member up front for Montreal remains Max Pacioretty, who scored 30+ goals and 60+ points for the fourth straight season, matching his career-high with 67 points. His center-mate has changed throughout the season, but the streaky Phillip Danault is now between Pacioretty and Radulov on the top line. Radulov proved that the character issues of the past are just that, in the past, as he is set up for a huge pay day this off-season after chipping in 18 goals and 36 assists.
Tomas Plekenac, who dropped from 60 points two years ago to 54 last season and just 28 this year, centers Paul Byron, who came out of nowhere to score 22 goals, carrying the Canadiens' and is hot again, and Brendan Gallagher, still searching for his game after missing slightly more than a month and 18 contests with a fractured last hand. Like Gallagher, Alex Galchenyuk missed 18 games with a knee injury and has been a major disappointment, failing to take the next step forward. But he did lead the league with five overtime goals, so he has a flair for the dramatic.
Andrew Shaw, who has a wealth of playoff experience, centers Galchenyuk and Arturri Lehkonen, possibly Montreal’s X-factor. Lehkonen finished the season with 18 goals in 73 games, six of which came in the final 10 contests of the season. Julien could move Galchenyuk to center with Byron or Gallagher or possibly shift Byron over to the pivot and play him with Lehkonen and Gallagher or Glachenyuk to generate offense.
The Canadiens bulked up at the deadline, adding Steve Ott, Andreas Martinsen and Dwight King, created a big, bruising fourth trio. King has Cup experience and brings grit, as does Ott. Torrey Mitchell, Brian Flynn or Michael McCarron also could see time. That line can be exposed by speed and it will be interesting to see how AV constructs his lineup. Does he match physical size for physical size or counter it with speed?).
Healthy Scratches - Brandon Davidson (only if injuries occur)
Injured: Alexei Emelin (lower body injury, out Game 1, if healthy, likely replaces Nesterov)
(Defensively, it all begins and ends with Weber, who used his howitzer from the point to notch 17 goals and 42 points, 20 of which came on the man-advantage. In addition, Weber, who missed the last few games of the regular season with a lower body injury but is expected to suit up in the post-season, is not adverse to blocking shots and dishing out punishment. He likely will line up across from Andrei Markov, who doesn’t seem to age and continues to post solid stats at 38. Jordie Benn, also acquired at the trade deadline, missed the last seven games of the season with a lower-body injury but will be in the lineup, likely alongside Nathan Beaulieu. Beaulieu top a step forward and likely will be Montreal's second best d-man next season, if he isn't already. Look for Nikita Nesterov and Jeff Petry, who had a hot start and limped to the finish, on the third pairing. If Alexei Emelin is healthy, he likely replaces Nesterov on the third pairing).
Goaltenders
31 Carey Price
35 Al Montoya
(Price was limited to 12 games last season due to injury but showed his usual brilliance this year. He went 37-19-5 with a 2.20 GAA and .924 SV%, numbers made even better when you consider his struggles just before Julien was hired. If Price plays at an elite level, especially Lundqvst doesn't match up save for save, Montreal wins this series and possibly handily. Al Montoya is a solid backup, just not Price, and if Price was knocked out of this series as he was the ECF in 2014, the Rangers might need a police escort to leave Canada. Montoya had an okay year backing up Price, but not to the same level as he played last year in Florida).
PK1: Lindberg and Fast, McDonagh and Girardi
PK2: Grabner and Hayes (Nash and Stepan) Staal and Holden
(New York and Montreal finished 11th and 13th in PP success at 20.2% and 19.6%. They were separated by four attempts and two more goals by the Rangers. The Rangers closed strong on the man-advantage, going 13-for-40 on the power play in their final 15 games. They were 1-for-40 in 15 games from Feb. 7-March 7. For Montreal, the PP is all predicated on getting Weber open looks from the point, but if you overplay him, Pacioretty and Radulov will beat you.
As seen above, the Rangers PP has taken a major turn for the positive the last 15 games or so. After languishing much of the season, New York finally better adopted puck and player movement while using Kreider as a big screen in front. Zibanejad's right-handed one-timer from the left dot is a huge weapon, plus using Skjei more often has helped as well. In addition, Stepan and Zuccarello were on the half-boards and in, taking advantage of the crisper passing from side-to-side, resulting in more opportunities. New York still struggles at time to initially gain the zone cleanly and for the love of all that is holy, please don't use the drop pass back to the "rushing" d-man. Either dump it softly deep to the open wing and crash or use passing to get the zone and then move the puck quickly once in the zone to set up. The Montreal PK isn't overly special, as they finished 14th in the league at 81.1 %).
Montreal: (not set in stone)
PP1: Pacioretty-Shaw-Radulov-Markov-Weber
PP2: Galchenyuk-Plekanec-Gallagher-Petry-Beaulieu
PK1: Plekanec and Byron, Weber and Benn
PK2: Mitchell and King (Pacioretty and Danault) Petry and Emelin
(Montreal could mix and match on their two power play lines. Shaw uses his big body to screen in front while Pac and Rad are the skill players along with Weber and Markov's point blasts. Julien could move Galchenyuk up and Shaw down if more skill is needed.
The Canadiens have an edge shorthanded, in terms of the ability to shut down the opponents' PP, as New York finished 19th in the league at 79.8. But the Rangers had nine shorthanded goals, spurred by Grabner, while the Canadiens had five. New York gets burned when cheating to try and get a shorthanded chance, which will kill the Rangers if it leaves Weber open at the point. Montreal was third in the league in home success kill rate at 85.5% but just 26th on the road at 76.8%. The Rangers have struggled shorthanded and it will be interesting to see if the late-season practice work pays off. These could be the matchups that decides the series.)
Playoff Schedule:
Montreal (A1) vs. New York (WC1)
G1 Wed., April 12 NY Rangers @ Montreal, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, NBCSN, CBC, TVA
G2 Fri., April 14 NY Rangers @ Montreal, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, USA, CBC, TVA
G3 Sun., April 16 Montreal @ NY Rangers, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA G4 Tue., April 18 Montreal @ NY Rangers, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, NBCSN, CBC, TVA
G5* Thu., April 20 NY Rangers @ Montreal, TBD, TBD
G6* Sat., April 22 Montreal @ NY Rangers, TBD, TBD
G7* Mon., April 24 NY Rangers @ Montreal, TBD, TBD
Possible Unsung Heroes:
We all know how important Nash, Zucc, Stepan, Kreider and Hank are to the Rangers as well as Pacioretty, Radulov and Price are to the Penguins. In addition, the play of blueline, especially McDonagh and Weber, is a key. I want to focus on two players each, while not unsung, may be keys to the series.
For the Rangers, it's Zib and Skjei. Zib gets his first exposure to playoff pressure in New York after coming over for Derick Brassard. If he provides the secondary scoring needed and helps set up Nash, the Rangers will roll offensively. Skjei will be a major key. His offensive and puck-moving abilities will be major components in the series. I expect him to log heavy minutes, likely 20+ in each game, and if he success, taking pressure off McD, New York stands a good chance of winning.
For Montreal. it's Galchenyuk and Lehkonen. Galchenyuk has had a disappointing, but he has a world of talent. If he puts it together, watch out, as that will make Montreal even more dangerous. Lehkonen closed the season on a roll. I view him as a major X-factor since he lengthens the lineup and provides secondary scoring.
Edges:
Even-Strength - Edge possession wise to Montreal, slight edge in 5x5 goal-scoring to New York
PP - Just about net even
PK - Edge to Montreal, as noted above
Forwards - The Rangers have better depth throughout the lineup, especially down the middle. Montreal has better elite talent in Pacioretty and Radulov.
Defense - The presence of Weber tips the balance to Montreal. Both teams have issues on the third pairing, but Weber, Markov and Beaulieu give the Canadiens the edge, especially once you get past McDonagh and Skjei, seeing how the rest of the D has struggled.
Goalie - Montreal due to Price. Lundqvist has taken the Rangers to a Cup Finals, but his play, partially due to the D around him, has fallen off. Price rebounded from his injury last year to have a Vezina Trophy like campaign.
Playoff Experience - New York has much more overall experience but Montreal added King, who won a pair of Cups with the Kings.
Coaching - Probably a net even as AV has been to the Finals twice before losing as has Julien, though Julien won the Stanley Cup in 2011 and also reached the Cup finals in 2013 with the Bruins
Intangibles - so many open subplots. Kreider-Price. The Bell Centre House of Horrors for Lundqvist. McDonagh. Weber. Zucccarello. Pacioretty. Past history. Montreal's overall history. Is the Rangers last kick at the can. Can Nash score in playoffs? Will Galchenyuk or Gallagher find their games.
Prediction - Rangers winning in six.
My heart says Rangers, my head says Montreal because of Price. But I think the Rangers offensive depth makes all the difference while Lundqvist raises his game to at least match Price.
This time of year, you need to play hard and pay attention for every second you are on the ice, one slip up or lapse in concentration could mean the difference between winning a series and advancing or losing and going home.
It’s go time. Let’s Go Rangers!!! The Drive to the Stanley Cup begins tonight.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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