On Rupp--not as talented as Avery but he's still a legit NHL player who can play 10 minutes per game if you need him--knock in a goal now and again and can handle the rough stuff. He's not Prust redux. I love what Prust brings--but he can't really handle the legit heavyweights. Rupp can at least hang with them and last night we got another look at what a Rupp can bring to the team and it's a major reason why I was okay with that signing. Maybe for this team's purposes Rupp is our version of the 94 Stanley Cup winning Rangers Kocur. He's not nearly as feared as Joey was but he provides a comfort zone for the rest of the team to operate in. Skill isn't everything. It takes an assortment of variables to build a winning team. And Rupp is not a complete hack as a player--like Booggard, Brashear.
As for the scrum I can understand what Kopecky did and why--don't think it was right but it is a team bonding moment when Rupp pulls him out of the arms of the striped guys and starts wailing on him. I'd be furious at Kopecky if MDZ was actually hurt but for now I think it's the kind of thing that can make the team even better.
At least for now the three teams in the East setting themselves apart are us, Boston, Philadelphia. The Bruin team looks like a real juggernaut. That's a tough team. To beat them we're going to have to be tough too. So we need guys like Rupp, Prust and Bickel to lead the way in that department. I like Avery. I wish we could slot him in but it ain't happening. That corner's been turned. We've got 4 games to play against Boston in the second half. To win I'm thinking we've got to go through them. It's not going to be easy.
Against Boston we must have Bickel in the lineup to match with their toughness, either he'll have to be called back or he'll still be on the team as the 6th/7th. If we go into that game with Rupp, Prust, Bickel I'm confident that we won't be pushed around by Thornton, Lucic, Chara, McQuaid and company
Please dont mention Boyle in references like this..You watch the games right?
Contrary to popular belief, Boyle does hit people all the time. It's just that people expect him to just murderize the entire opposing team because of his size, and he simply does not possess the killer instinct that would turn him into the animal everyone seems to want in a guy that big.
Against Boston we must have Bickel in the lineup to match with their toughness, either he'll have to be called back or he'll still be on the team as the 6th/7th. If we go into that game with Rupp, Prust, Bickel I'm confident that we won't be pushed around by Thornton, Lucic, Chara, McQuaid and company
Rangers and Bruins are built along similar lines. I think we have an edge in goal. I think they have an edge in toughness. I like our defense corps a lot better--especially if we're adding Staal back into the equation. We don't have a Chara though. I think overall we're better as far as youth. These two teams though might be headed back to the days when they were main rivals.
I'm not convinced by any stretch that a D corps with a 1st pair of Campbell-Garrison is going to be anywhere near the incredible tag.
Campbell played 29 minutes and was everywhere. He is absolutely a 1st pairing defenseman.
Garrison has only just emerged. Regardless of how much more he improves, Kulikov is going to be a 1st pairing defenseman very soon, while Gudbranson (who isn't being developed properly mind you) has potential to be a top pairing guy. Not to mention Weaver is a very good depth defenseman.
It's much less about their top pair and more about their depth. Their defense is already very good, while being young as well.
If you didn't notice, aside from the 1st line that is playing way over of their heads, their defense was dominant. They move and shoot the puck as good as any core in the league.
I love the kid, but it was only a sucker punch because he turned he looked away from the guy he just cross checked in the head(funny none of the replays emphasize what MDZ did, just the punch)
Again, under circumstances leading to "sucker" punch, I agreed with that shot too.
Sam "Protect yourself at all time"
Will Smith in MIB "Don't start nothing, won't be nothing"
Why the hell should a player get his cheap shots rewarded with an 'honorable'(ROFL) reaction. ******* really.
I love the kid, but it was only a sucker punch because he turned he looked away from the guy he just cross checked in the head(funny none of the replays emphasize what MDZ did, just the punch)
Again, under circumstances leading to "sucker" punch, I agreed with that shot too.
Sam "Protect yourself at all time"
Will Smith in MIB "Don't start nothing, won't be nothing"
Why the hell should a player get his cheap shots rewarded with an 'honorable'(ROFL) reaction. ******* really.
Ah so few understand....Great post...What I wouldlove next game is for Rupp to go after Kopecky again and not fight Barch or whoever they dress...Send the message to him again!
agreed, but why stop there... Rupp should get his phone # and leave nasty messages on his answering machine for a month
I love the kid, but it was only a sucker punch because he turned he looked away from the guy he just cross checked in the head(funny none of the replays emphasize what MDZ did, just the punch)
Again, under circumstances leading to "sucker" punch, I agreed with that shot too.
Sam "Protect yourself at all time"
Will Smith in MIB "Don't start nothing, won't be nothing"
Why the hell should a player get his cheap shots rewarded with an 'honorable'(ROFL) reaction. ******* really.
He crosschecked him in the soldiers and gets punched in the face.
And do you think MDZ just randomly crosschecks him?
Campbell played 29 minutes and was everywhere. He is absolutely a 1st pairing defenseman.
Garrison has only just emerged. Regardless of how much more he improves, Kulikov is going to be a 1st pairing defenseman very soon, while Gudbranson (who isn't being developed properly mind you) has potential to be a top pairing guy. Not to mention Weaver is a very good depth defenseman.
It's much less about their top pair and more about their depth. Their defense is already very good, while being young as well.
If you didn't notice, aside from the 1st line that is playing way over of their heads, their defense was dominant. They move and shoot the puck as good as any core in the league.
i completely disagree their D was dominant. They go 4-0 down early and NYR take their collective feet of the gas.
I think the Panthers are another team like the Islanders whose youth are constantly getting overhyped.
You don't think it had to do with him violently lunging forward?
It looks like a shoulder check to me.
It's a cross check to the shoulders. In the same motion, on the follow through, Del Zotto high stick's Kopecky while he's turned around and knocks off his helmet. Looks like Kopecky thought that was intentional.
Kopecky must have assumed Del Zotto was being dirty and hit him in the head with his stick. Clearly the course of action is not sucker punching him, he should have squared off with an aware Del Zotto and not one looking away.
I'm happy Rupp stood up for Del Zotto. So many times in the past few years i've seen other teams taking liberty with ours. It's good to have some reinforcement.
You've never heard the phrase "the straw that stirs the drink?" He was talking about Weiss and how he's the key player that makes his line go. There's nothing strange about saying that.
Joe **** the phrase up that's what the OP was referring to...he said the straw that keeps the drink together.
If sucker punching was a correct way to response every time something happens in a battle in front of the net, we'd have insane amount of concussions
very good point. that's the problem here. del zotto made a bad hockey play. stupid. cheap. whatever. but kopecky took it up a few notches. apples and oranges. but rupp did sort it.
Strong game. Glad to see Richie Rich get going again. Going to need him to stay consistent throughout the course of the season.
I would have LOVED to have seen the reaction if it were Avery instead of Rupp at the end of the game. Guarantee half our fan base would be complaining about what a gutless puke Avery is to jump a guy who isn't a fighter and punch him in the face when he's on the ice.
Strong game. Glad to see Richie Rich get going again. Going to need him to stay consistent throughout the course of the season.
I would have LOVED to have seen the reaction if it were Avery instead of Rupp at the end of the game. Guarantee half our fan base would be complaining about what a gutless puke Avery is to jump a guy who isn't a fighter and punch him in the face when he's on the ice.
But Mike Rupp did it so rock on!
Avery wouldn't have done what Rupp did, sorry to tell you.
Avery wouldn't have done what Rupp did, sorry to tell you.
Yeah I forgot, Avery's never stood up for his teammates before. You're right. Who was the first guy to defend Gaborik after he was cheap shotted like Del Zotto? Oh that's right. The guy who wouldn't do that. Just shut up.
My point is that if that exact same thing played out that way and it was Avery instead of Rupp, people would be talking about how gutless Avery is for pummeling a guy who isn't a fighter and hitting him while he was on the ice.
he'd lose sleep every night and have pre game diarrhea
