If we are gonna lose a heartbreaker, do it in game 1
- TPC

Better than a game 7

Better than a game 7
- mdw7413

Yep

Duguay agrees with me. He got smarter after he stopped dressing like a bag of skittles.

Yup, going to have some breakdowns throughout the game. People forget we are playing a good team with the best goal scorer in the NHL and one of the best centers.

Completely agree Sil, finishing was the issue, overall game was pretty good.
- mdw7413

I'm hearing you all about how the Rangers didn't play bad, and I don't think they did either, but I just saw them being a lot more dangerous in this game, in my mind. They looked... off, if I can say that. I did see that danger in last few minutes of the third when you were forcing Holtby all over that crease, and sadly I missed the 1st period. Well see what happens next game. Hopefully this will be a great series.

Duguay agrees with me. He got smarter after he stopped dressing like a bag of skittles.
- mdw7413

Had Boyle out there in two situations he had no business being a part of, that's on AV
- HankdaTank

Agree with this... (frank)in eh

Calgary has no chance vs ducks. 3-0 already

'm hearing you all about how the Rangers didn't play bad, and I don't think they did either, but I just saw them being a lot more dangerous in this game, in my mind. They looked... off, if I can say that. I did see that danger in last few minutes of the third when you were forcing Holtby all over that crease, and sadly I missed the 1st period. Well see what happens next game. Hopefully this will be a great series.
- Dr3aMWeav3r

It reminded me of 2 boxers feeling each other out in the 1st round, and one of them landing a scoring blow at the bell. Not great, not bad, more of a feeling out process. I'm expecting a different type of game Saturday with hopefully the Rangers coming out on top.

Wish Nash could perform like Perry, dude is enigmatic waste

God why couldn't AV sit Boyle and play Hunwick???????

No call was coming in the last minute, you have to play through tough hockey. And just like Boyle has been ALL season, he's a turnover machine in our own end. 5 seconds left and decides to skate the puck backwards into the corner and run the clock down. Problem is, Boyle can't protect the puck if his life depended on it. All he had to do was chip that puck off the glass and its OT...

There's no one one this team that has a mentality like Ovechkin. OV is always thinking shot, always thinking just put the puck into the net. Sometimes our guys are completely happy just making a great pass, like the shot isn't the most important thing to them. Unreal how many extra passes, missed shots, shanked shots, wide shots....when are we gonna get it, you can't score unless you shoot. It's no one thinks they can actually shoot the puck into the net, they always think they have to create something that will magically make the puck find a way in....

Had Boyle out there in two situations he had no business being a part of, that's on AV
- HankdaTank

really good point, there's really no need for him on pk with Klein back. He misplayed the Ovi goal badly

Jan I love ya as a blogger, and I agree there were mistakes throughout the game, I think your being a little overly critical after a tough loss though. You make valid points, and I'm not disagreeing with the points you brought up, but those same points could be brought up in a win. I just think it was a close game and we came out on the short end of the stick on this one.
- mdw7413

Just stating that overall, I didn't think they played a good game. That said, as noted earlier, it was 1-1 late in the third. It's the playoffs, you are unlikely to be good throughout, but felt they weren't sharp a good part of the night.

Ducks = scary. Still pi$$ed we didn't get Kesler

Like many I'm angry at the way that went down. The calmer reaction is this:

Boyle was terrible in the first round. He is too slow losing races to loose pucks, not able to hold the puck in at the blue line, and backing up way too far making life hell on Hank. His shots are soft. He resembles Richards 2.0

Tonight he backed in way too far against a guy who loves to shoot and has a cannon of a shot. Then he quit playing with 10 seconds to go and made the poor choice to hold the puck.

6 guys stopped playing 10 seconds too soon and it cost them but I direct the anger at Boyle because he set the tone by making the decision to coast into the corner with the puck. If you are going to make that call in that situation you have to be ready to fight like a honey badger against all comers. He didn't protect himself or the puck. It cost his team the game.

As others have pointed out: WTF was he doing out there in the first place?

Negatives from Game 1:
1.)Blind passes from behind the net leading to defensive zone turnovers.
2.)Rangers didn't start going to the net until the 3rd making it easy for Holtby.
3.)Forwards often out of position making it hard to connect passes.
4.)Failed to capitalize on rebounds, or even get to them in the first place.
5.)Rick Nash.

Positives:
1.)Still controlled puck possession for most of the game.
2.)Defense negated most of the capitals pressure.
3.)Matched Washington's physicality without taking penalties.
4.)Lundqvist.

These conversations are so much better to read than the trash on NHL.com.

I am saddened by this result.

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