2014 SCF : (2) The Big Apple vs. (3) Hollywood

[vladdy16 2,154]

I just voted Rangers in 7 because that's obviously how it'll go at this point, right?

I'm kinda hoping actually.

[Euro_Twins 4,476]

You're saying that after last night's game?

Quick has played at an elite level multiple times this postseason.

Yes I am saying that, he has looked shaky in almost every post season game, and if it wasn't for his team scoring ridiculous amounts of goals, the kings wouldn't have made it this far. Like I said quick has had a few very good games, but his overall performance this post season and most of the regular season has him looking Crawford. I'm not saying he isn't elite I'm saying he hasn't been playing at an elite level. On the subject of lundqvist, he hasn't been all too great either, but I think he's been better then quick

[anthonyn66 89]

This might be the best thing ever

https://twitter.com/BestKingsFan

[plopster 136]

This might be the best thing ever

https://twitter.com/BestKingsFan

That's great. Made me laugh. Worries me why someone would spend so much time on that though. Just sayin.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Yes I am saying that, he has looked shaky in almost every post season game, and if it wasn't for his team scoring ridiculous amounts of goals, the kings wouldn't have made it this far. Like I said quick has had a few very good games, but his overall performance this post season and most of the regular season has him looking Crawford. I'm not saying he isn't elite I'm saying he hasn't been playing at an elite level. On the subject of lundqvist, he hasn't been all too great either, but I think he's been better then quick

They also wouldn't have made it this far without Quick stealing them some games.

Shaky almost every game this postseason? How many games did you watch Quick play this postseason?

Nevermind. Are views are so far apart on this there's really no point in us discussing it.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Marc Staal - Not in Our House!

There were no Mark Messier-like guarantees flying out of a despondent Rangers locker room Tuesday afternoon, but at least one voice tried to make a stand for the team’s collective pride.

“You don’t want to end your season losing a game at home and giving the Stanley Cup to their team. It’s not going to happen that way,” defenseman Marc Staal said. “We want to come out and get one game.”

It was quite difficult to find a Ranger who matched Staal’s optimism. The Blueshirts’ room, one that was so boisterous after a Game 6 victory in the Eastern Conference final, has now grown dejected after the team dropped the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final to the L.A. Kings. Not that a perturbed Alain Vigneault expected anything less.

“We’re down 3-0. We’re all lacking sleep. . . . I didn’t expect my players today to be cheery and upbeat,” Vigneault said. “You don’t get a lot of these opportunities. Excuse us if today we’re not real cheery. But tomorrow I can tell you we’re going to show up.”

BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGESThe Kings raise the Stanley Cup in 2012, and can do it again on Wednesday at the Garden.

They’ll have to bring their best in Wednesday night’s Game 4 if they want to avoid a repeat of 1972, when the Boston Bruins hoisted the Cup on the Madison Square Garden ice — the only road team to do so in the Rangers’ storied history.

The Rangers are well-aware of the task ahead of them, knowing that only four teams the 1942 Maple Leafs, the 1975 Islanders, the 2010 Flyers and this year’s Kings have ever won a series after trailing 3-0, with the Leafs being the only team to do so in the Stanley Cup Final. There have been 20 sweeps in Final history since the league went to a seven-game format in the 1938-39 season, the last one coming in 1998 when the Red Wings rolled over the Capitals. The Rangers would love to avoid being the 21st.

De facto captain Brad Richards, who has struggled mightily in the series, tried his best to stay positive while describing why the Ranger’s psyche and their season — have suddenly taken a nose-dive on hockey’s biggest stage.

COREY SIPKIN/NEW YORK DAILY NEWSHenrik Lundqvist and the Rangers are trying to avoid becoming the 21st team to be swept in the Stanley Cup Final.

“(The Kings) are a good team that three years in a row now made a run, and with that confidence grows, and when you have a majority of a team with a Stanley Cup ring on their finger, they don’t get rattled. But that doesn’t mean they’re unbeatable,” Richards said. “They don’t win every year, but they’re a good team, we know that, but we have to still believe we’re a good team and stay with the process.”

At this point, perhaps the only way that the Cup will seem less like a mirage and more like a reality for the Rangers is if the man who got them to this point begins to stand on his head. Though he’s suffered some bad bounces and had at least one blown call go against him, Henrik Lundqvist has not been at his best against the Kings. After surrendering just 12 goals in a six-game series against Montreal including a shutout in Game 6 Lundqvist has allowed 11 goals in three games against L.A. Though the two goalies have the same amount of saves thus far in the series (91), the Kings’ Jonathan Quick has outplayed Lundqvist, allowing just six goals and shutting out the Blueshirts at the Garden in Game 3.

If there is hope for the Blueshirts to return to Los Angeles and avoid watching Kings captain Dustin Brown plant a kiss on the Cup at the World’s Most Famous Arena, Lundqvist will have to assert himself as a King amongst Kings. No one seemed to believe that more than Lundqvist himself.

“I don’t feel like (I need to have a shutout), but I know I have to play really well for us to win,” Lundqvist said. “I do believe we can turn this around. I do, because we’ve been that close in every game. They’re a really good team and they’re not going to hand us anything. We have to go out and earn it.”

RELATED STORIES Leonard: Rangers sound ready to be put to sweep

Vigneault could call on Carcillo

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Although I don't care who wins (would be fine with both), a sweep wouldn't be funny so let's hope for at least two more games = go Rags

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Thanks to an article from the Toronto Star's Bruce Arthur, those who thought they had Darryl Sutter figured out might have to figure again.

[Euro_Twins 4,476]

They also wouldn't have made it this far without Quick stealing them some games.

Shaky almost every game this postseason? How many games did you watch Quick play this postseason?

Nevermind. Are views are so far apart on this there's really no point in us discussing it.

Quite a few actually. The announcers give him so much praise based off past success even after he lets in 4-5 goals, which he has done quite a bit. Yes he has stolen some games, but he is nowhere near the level he is capable of.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Best cup in all of sports and also by far the hardest trophy to win

[STL-Wings 36]

Quite a few actually. The announcers give him so much praise based off past success even after he lets in 4-5 goals, which he has done quite a bit. Yes he has stolen some games, but he is nowhere near the level he is capable of.

A key point being that Quick has shown up huge in absolute must win games most of the time. The Kings, in general, show up in monster games. That's what makes them an elite team.

Even on some of his off days, 29 other NHL teams would be glad to have Quick in the net. Course I would take just about anyone off that Kings roster.

Edited June 11, 2014 by STL-Wings

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Quite a few actually. The announcers give him so much praise based off past success even after he lets in 4-5 goals, which he has done quite a bit. Yes he has stolen some games, but he is nowhere near the level he is capable of.

A key point being that Quick has shown up huge in absolute must win games most of the time. The Kings, in general, show up in monster games. That's what makes them an elite team.

Even on some of his off days, 29 other NHL teams would be glad to have Quick in the net. Course I would take just about anyone off that Kings roster.

To me it seems like the Kings have some sort of playoff switch and once that one is turned on good luck stopping Kopistar and company

[STL-Wings 36]

To me it seems like the Kings have some sort of playoff switch and once that one is turned on good luck stopping Kopistar and company

They do. In the regular season, there are times where the Kings are just...weird. And when they go in the playoffs in the middle pack and lots of people focus instead on Chicago, St. Louis, Anaheim.

I think the most telling moment was when Drew Doughty was yelling about a high stick and you could see the bench telling him to knock it off and shut up. The Kings could honestly care less about bad calls, being down in goals or games, etc. Whereas we have listened to nothing but an iffy call out of NY. Chalk this up to Kings coaching. Mentally, they are better than most.

While Coach Sutter doesn't care, I would like to see another dandy dive by Nash again. Must want a trade to Boston or something...

Edited June 11, 2014 by STL-Wings

[Euro_Twins 4,476]

They do. In the regular season, there are times where the Kings are just...weird. And when they go in the playoffs in the middle pack and lots of people focus instead on Chicago, St. Louis, Anaheim.

I think the most telling moment was when Drew Doughty was yelling about a high stick and you could see the bench telling him to knock it off and shut up. The Kings could honestly care less about bad calls, being down in goals or games, etc. Whereas we have listened to nothing but an iffy call out of NY. Chalk this up to Kings coaching. Mentally, they are better than most.

While Coach Sutter doesn't care, I would like to see another dandy dive by Nash again. Must want a trade to Boston or something...

Sutter is quickly becoming one of my favorite coaches. I love his pressers

[brett 1,029]

yeah i want to see a couple more games come on rags

[arag 308]

Iam glad the World Cup starts tomorrow, because hockey ends tonight. Go Kings !

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

Dan girardi with another HUGE mistake.

[BottleOfSmoke 5,965]

@HarrisonMooney: "David Duchovny in the crowd, as the New York Rangers try to Californicate the LA Kings. Glenn Healy, no longer making sense

Celebrities watching hockey is why we can't have nice things.

Edit: except for Jay Baruchel, because he was here first.

Edited June 12, 2014 by BottleOfSmoke

[dirtydangles 1,328]

Girardi just got beat flat out by Carter. Made him look like an amateur.

[Ekmanc 586]

Girardi has had an awful series so far.

[e_prime 1,936]

Well would ya look at that.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Going back to LA.

[plopster 136]

Who wants to bet the ice girls in LA make sure the crease is nice and clean the next game? Think that was a coincidence that their goal crease was soft and chewed up?

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Happy for the Rangers they certainly didn't deserve to get swept and now they can go into LA without any pressure.