This team...

[eco's bones]

Originally Posted by Fletch

it's not just 'discipline', it's about outworking the other team. When you're not working harder than the other team, that's when calls go the other way. When the Rangers work hard, forecheck hard and cycle, they draw penalties. They haven't had a decent forecheck since prior to the Olympics.

16 games in March is a lot. I know other teams have the same kind of schedules. It's still a lot. A lot of teams are desperate for positioning or desperate to make it and we haven't played desperate in a while. I would say we're also relying too much on the top two lines and too little on the bottom two. And losing Kaspar has destabilized the defense. Then there is a lot of bad penalties--not as good penalty killing which may be because Henrik is getting worn down and Kevin is not playing enough.

[Fletch]

yes and yes. It's too late, but bringing in some Hartford blood to inject some life may've been nice. Too late.

[Czech Your Math]

Originally Posted by Fletch

it's really a matter of how much space Jagr gets and how good Lundvist is. In the end, that may very well determine how far this team goes.

In the playoffs, Jagr will have one guy on each shoulder, with a third applying a chokehold with a stick. He will still get a ppg+.

Lundqvist will play well (perhaps not superhuman), the bigger question to me is if he will be worn down if they play long series. This is why Weekes is playing more than many would prefer.

I do think they will play more disciplined in playoffs, they just have to keep it simple, no dumb penalties, a couple d-men help out on the rush, the rest play tight defense, 3rd & 4th lines play tight D and kill penalties, that leaves it up to Lundqvist in net and need the top two lines to bury some pucks.

[eco's bones]

Originally Posted by Fletch

yes and yes. It's too late, but bringing in some Hartford blood to inject some life may've been nice. Too late.

Hopefully these 4 days off will help but I wouldn't count on it. Jagr had 25 goals at the 41 game mark (midpoint of the season) since then he's had 27 in 33 which doesn't include the Olympics. He's been a beast. Lundqvist seems pooped at times. Maybe it's that anyway--maybe it would help if our D-pairings weren't so up for grabs apart from Malik-Roszival. Besides the 'too many penalties' we're making too many mistakes in our own zone. It may be that other teams are figuring us out.

Nothing against Giroux but I for one would have rather seen Immonen or Dawes coming up and getting 4 or 5 games each.