Good Brooksie column
 

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/range...5PdupIziFeBSMN

I agree with him on Kreider and Stepan. He shouldn't play so conservative; it's a recipe for disaster.

I agree to an extent. As I've said, I dont blame him for being conservative with Kreider. But having Boyle up on the 2nd line instead of Stepan the other night was borderline inexcusable.

Stepan needs to be in the top 6 no matter what. Hopefully he picks some spots with Kreider too - home ice should provide some favorable matchups.

Andrew Gross ‏ @AGrossRecord

Chris Kreider off the fourth line at Rangers practice, skating with Derek Stepan and Ryan Callahan on a second line.

I frequently disagree with Brooksie, but he's dead-on here.

EDIT: good to hear the update from Gross. If it turns out that it was a limited demotion to make a lasting point with an eye towards longer-term success and it works, then great. The only issue is that by doing it for 2+ games (rather than 1+), Torts has burned his margin of error.

From: @JimCerny
Sent: May 11, 2012 11:01a

at #NYR practice: Kreider now skating on line with Stepan and Callahan; Boyle centering Anisimov and Prust....

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From: @JimCerny
Sent: May 11, 2012 11:02a

also Fedotenko with Mitchell and Rupp; and Hagelin-Richards-Gaborik intact....nothing is a given, just how they're lined up for practice

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From: @JimCerny
Sent: May 11, 2012 11:02a

Mats Zuccarello wearing orange non-contact jersey taking part in #NYR practice

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Flip Fedotenko with Prust.

Ah, this update makes me feel a lot better about tomorrow. I'll take a Kreider gaffe that leads to a goal because more than one goal could be created with him in the top 6. We were barely able to generate any good scoring chances with him buried on the 4th.

Disagree. Boyle and Prust have chemistry.

Probably the first time i agree with Brooks ever

Dead on Brooksie. Took those word out of my mouth, time for the All American Line for Game 7. So happy to hear they are practicing together.

I'm sure a lot of that had to do with being on the road and having a hard time getting the matchups we wanted. That shouldn't be an issue tomorrow. Our top line was intact, but was a lot less dangerous in game 6 than they had been in game 5.

They had a really tough time matching up against that checking line. Hopefully home ice alleviates that trouble a bit.

We can only hope this is occurring Saturday night:highclap:

Boyle and Fedotenko also have good chemistry. Fedotenko is a big game player. He might score a goal or make a big play playing with better players in Boyle and Anisimov than Rupp and Mitchell. Prust looks off right now.

From: @simmonssteve
Sent: May 11, 2012 12:59p

Looking for a Game 7 hero? How about Ruslan Fedotenko? He's 5-0 in Game 7s with 3 Gs scored. And has 0 goals in this playoff season for NYR.

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Sounds good to me

Agreed. Prust has been sloppy in the offensive zone. Fedotenko makes very few mistakes.

yeah, flip flop feds and prust and those are the lines i suggested on my site right after the loss.

But having a solid second line would have forced hunter to choose who to matchup with. Knowing that the rangers had their skill buried on the 3rd/4th time meant that he could more easily concentrate his checking line/d or whoever he wanted on the rangers first line. There was absolutely no reason to have stepan and kreider on the 3rd line/benched. It was flat out stupid and in my armchair opinion seriously hurt the team.
What amazes me is how many people thought the same thing, I mean look at our gdt, or the comments on that post article or anywhere else. It was so obvious it was amazing he didn't change it up. Also saw a good comment on that post article. something to the effect of Trotz punished Radulov and Kozyinitsyn (sp) and look at where Nashville is now. Playoffs are not the time to be punishing an offensively gifted rookie or sophomore for that matter for mistakes.


btw, once tortorella sees this article I am sure he will go back to what he had for game 6 just despite brooks. :sarcasm:

Would Kreider have been demoted if Lundqvist made a routine save on that play? That play was 50/50 Kreider/Lundqvist anyway.

In a word, yes. Casual fans would've ignored it - Torts wouldnt have.

It was about as bad a giveaway as you could possibly have.

man, the avatar Brooks uses of himself must be like from 1990. He looks nothing like that now.

Generally , I agree with what you wrote.

I agree the Kreider and Stepan demotions for 2 games was ridiculous. I think the point would have been taken by both with a shorter benching and/or closed door meeting.They both appear to be good kids, I am sure they would have been smart enough to get the point much sooner.

However, Trotz did the right thing. Nashville's loss had nothing to do with playing or not playing those 2 schmucks. The only reason they were in the elimination game was because Trotz didn't want to embarrass his GM. They have a good working relationship, and from what I was reading wouldn't have played them otherwise.

There is absolutely nothing similar between Kreider/Stepan and Radulov/Kostitsyn. I am sorry but that Post comment is patently stupid.