Apparently, Raanta starting, Vesey may play.

Odd about Raanta because he played last night, maybe King not 100% or really playing that badly.

Apparently, Raanta starting, Vesey may play.

Odd about Raanta because he played last night, maybe King not 100% or really playing that badly.
- John Jaeckel

Lundqvist admitted it was performance based and he needs to improve his play

Rangers and Hawks have a lot in common in that their records are better than their actual play or that they are / were riding unsustainable numbers that made their PDOs super high. For the Hawks, they're relying a lot on goaltending. For the Rangers, they're riding the highest sh% in the league by a generous margin. Neither team has good underlying numbers (see below). Rangers do have good special teams compared to the lukewarm Hawks. If they were merged into one team, they'd be the 2014 Avs.

Apparently, Raanta starting, Vesey may play.

Odd about Raanta because he played last night, maybe King not 100% or really playing that badly.
- John Jaeckel

Here we go JJ, noticing teams are starting to play their back ups against the Hawks. Call it like ya see it buddy, Hawks are back down to earth right in the pack with the other teams. I'm with Rob, unless he changed his mind, ass kickin tonite by the Rangers, prolly Tuesday also. Hmmmmmmm????

Here we go JJ, noticing teams are starting to play their back ups against the Hawks. Call it like ya see it buddy, Hawks are back down to earth right in the pack with the other teams. I'm with Rob, unless he changed his mind, ass kickin tonite by the Rangers, prolly Tuesday also. Hmmmmmmm????
- wonthecup10

Thats because we make back ups look better than there starters

Both sides come in banged up, will be a depth test for sure. I have not watched the Blackhawks much this year as I am a Ranger fan, but I am not very confident in my team's play currently. Too many defensive breakdowns, especially in their own zone where they have been dominant getting the puck up the ice at the start of the season. They bounced back after the hard loss to the Islanders.. which you can make the fair argument that 2/4 goals scored on that game were.... hanks fault :/ . I think this game goes to overtime, maybe a shootout. But I have CHI 2-1 in this 1

Tonight's game is really going to come down to how well we play defensively.

Really can't sustain any kind of offensive zone pressure that amounts to quality shots on goal, so they will have to be patient, try to keep the Rangers to half the ice and catch then being over aggressive so we can counter and maybe score a couple of transition goals.

Please no impatient penalties in the offensive zone as well, can't afford them

Rangers and Hawks have a lot in common in that their records are better than their actual play or that they are / were riding unsustainable numbers that made their PDOs super high. For the Hawks, they're relying a lot on goaltending. For the Rangers, they're riding the highest sh% in the league by a generous margin. Neither team has good underlying numbers (see below). Rangers do have good special teams compared to the lukewarm Hawks. If they were merged into one team, they'd be the 2014 Avs.


- L_B_R

I think you posted the Coyotes stats. It says "ARI"??

I think you posted the Coyotes stats. It says "ARI"??
- EnzoD

No, they're for NYR; I just didn't change the name from last game by accident (fixed it now). NYR has generally middling to bad underlying numbers. CHI isn't much better either (though tbf they were trending up before Toews went down and then they've been dropping steadily).

Though not as bad as ARI - if it was ARI, almost everything would have been rank 30th.

I didn't catch many of the highlights of the Oilers-Flyers game, but does anyone have perspectives to share on the McDavid-Manning debacle? I would like to think McDavid is more mature than Crosby and I don't want to automatically think that Manning is the bad guy just because McDavid is an elite player.

I didn't catch many of the highlights of the Oilers-Flyers game, but does anyone have perspectives to share on the McDavid-Manning debacle? I would like to think McDavid is more mature than Crosby and I don't want to automatically think that Manning is the bad guy just because McDavid is an elite player.
- AEL_Fox

I Saw the comments after the game... I think McDavid was just a little caught up in it and maybe Manning and the flyers got under his skin. Manning didn't really push him from my perspective. Maybe Connor just caught an edge or hit a bad patch, but I think it was just the heat of the moment thing last night. I'm sure they will both get over it. Glad we get to see more of McDavid this year.

I didn't catch many of the highlights of the Oilers-Flyers game, but does anyone have perspectives to share on the McDavid-Manning debacle? I would like to think McDavid is more mature than Crosby and I don't want to automatically think that Manning is the bad guy just because McDavid is an elite player.
- AEL_Fox

Manning was simply trash talking McJesus to get in his head, and he clearly succeeded. 97 in Edmonton just gave every player in the NHL an invitation to talk trash to get under his skin and get him off his game. It was a early years Cindy Crosbaby-esque moment.

I Saw the comments after the game... I think McDavid was just a little caught up in it and maybe Manning and the flyers got under his skin. Manning didn't really push him from my perspective. Maybe Connor just caught an edge or hit a bad patch, but I think it was just the heat of the moment thing last night. I'm sure they will both get over it. Glad we get to see more of McDavid this year.
- 93Joe

Manning was simply trash talking McJesus to get in his head, and he clearly succeeded. 97 in Edmonton just gave every player in the NHL an invitation to talk trash to get under his skin and get him off his game. It was a early years Cindy Crosbaby-esque moment.
- EnzoD

Thank you both for the perspectives. My take is similar to Joe that it's all heat of the moment stuff but I also agree with Enzo that this may give teams a new page in their playbook on how to play against McDavid. Then again, chirping a player and generally getting under their skin is a default part of any game plan regardless of who the other team and players are. Everyone has their breaking point.

His name has come up on these boards, but the Leafs finally traded Holland (to the Coyotes).

His name has come up on these boards, but the Leafs finally traded Holland (to the Coyotes).
- AEL_Fox

really? Why?

Thank you both for the perspectives. My take is similar to Joe that it's all heat of the moment stuff but I also agree with Enzo that this may give teams a new page in their playbook on how to play against McDavid. Then again, chirping a player and generally getting under their skin is a default part of any game plan regardless of who the other team and players are. Everyone has their breaking point.
- AEL_Fox

I re-watched the McDavid/Manni play from last year and it does not look intentional, IMO. Who knows. Either way, McDavid shouldn't have given the rest of the league a recipe for rattling his cage.

Manning was simply trash talking McJesus to get in his head, and he clearly succeeded. 97 in Edmonton just gave every player in the NHL an invitation to talk trash to get under his skin and get him off his game. It was a early years Cindy Crosbaby-esque moment.
- EnzoD

Not sure who the guy is that hit McDavid when he got injured last year but I wouln't be surprised if it was this guy Manning. I saw the play and the guy didn't hit McD hard but he moved McD's shoulder and put him off balance enough to send McD into the boards where he got hurt. The guy absolutely did it on purpose in kind of a sneaky way. If Manning is that guy I wouldn't blame McDavid for stick handling his jewels. At that age I would have done worse.

not sure about that but should be a good one nonetheless as it always is when we meet.

rangers have really slowed of late, and are now (like the hawks) hit with the injury bug with a significant number of forwards out.

i have a feeling raanta goes again tonight for the rags
- NYRangers1124[/quote]


I have to apologize my Ranger friend. I thought for sure Lundqvist would get the start. Raanta is in! My bad.

I re-watched the McDavid/Manni play from last year and it does not look intentional, IMO. Who knows. Either way, McDavid shouldn't have given the rest of the league a recipe for rattling his cage.
- EnzoD

So it was Manning? Tweaked his shoulder just enough at a time when they were just about to turn. Cheap play and no question in my mind intentional. McDavid could have gotten his center of gravity lower to help his situation, but anybody that gets twisted like that at high speed approaching the boards is going to go ass over apple cart and get hurt.

Manning was simply trash talking McJesus to get in his head, and he clearly succeeded. 97 in Edmonton just gave every player in the NHL an invitation to talk trash to get under his skin and get him off his game. It was a early years Cindy Crosbaby-esque moment.
- EnzoD

I'll have to add that I had to do catch up on Manning and he likes to push, make contact and make you take notice.
He's also looking very NHL-like, and not out of place.
Sure, the Flyer vets and past hitsry might be influencing how he approaches most games, but he is older 26 0r 27, so McDavid might be returning fired based upon he is seeing an older guy gunning for him. and felt he needed to return fire...

just saying.

Where's Philco? Larmer doing the last shift thing tonight

One for Philco.

Hey Rain, another one bites the dust from a Forsling shot

Hawks with a ton of quality chances, to bad not one has found the back of the net

Hawks actually winning some board battles

Officially done with Enzo. The Kane hit wasn't that bad and it was Kane's fault? What a joke. Refs are a joke.