I tuned out the moment the clock struck 0 last night, this stuff is too emotionally exhausting after wins, let alone losses sometimes. No matter the outcome here, we all need a vacation!
- B2B76

I didn't even bother to watch the postgame on MSG. It was embarrassing to be a Rangers fan last night. They completely got outclassed by a team that when you really look at it, is by no means elite.

I don't think this series is over. However, my confidence has in fact taken a hit. I am sure by tomorrow night I will feel better about the series by 8 pm. The most disconcerting thing was they completely unraveled at the end. That is not what they have done, they have always kept their composure and never got swallowed up by the moment. I got that sense last night that they were the frustrated team, not the Devils who supposedly were the more frustrated team. It reminds me a little of the 96 series with the Habs. The Habs went up 2-0 but the Rangers were carrying the play, the Habs were extremely opportunistic, Vincent Damphousse couldn't miss early in that series and stole the first two games at MSG but you never got the feeling that the Rangers if they kept going were going to lose that series. I am having that same vibe but this time the Rangers are the ones that are showing signs of breaking down mentally. Maybe it was the Rangers beginning to prepare for game 5, who knows, but as of 9:22 am today, I am not feeling great about this series. I hope to god I am wrong and like I said, by 8 tomorrow night I will be hopeful again.

It's 2-2.

But Pete, that's the way NJ makes you look. They make you look tired even when you're the more rested team. They always seem to be a step ahead. There always seem to be more of them and they're to the puck faster and they force you to make faster decisions than would be optimal. Their weakness, oddly, is in goal.

The Devils have owned the boards in this series, and the Rangers keep trying to go up the boards on their break outs, they gotta change that. They also gotta try and find a way to keep the damn puck away from fatso.

This loss was earned by the entire team, Lundqvist excluded.

Still waiting for Richards and Gaborik to realize that the team they play for is still playing in the postseason.
- MidnightMarauder

Agree here & Pete's post above, too long to quote but spot on as usual.

I know you hate to hear this Brandon but Dubi's fresh legs could really help right now.

I didn't even bother to watch the postgame on MSG. It was embarrassing to be a Rangers fan last night. They completely got outclassed by a team that when you really look at it, is by no means elite.
- MidnightMarauder

Yep & couple that the loss was in the ECF & to a rival, we all needed to sleep that one off.

I didn't even bother to watch the postgame on MSG. It was embarrassing to be a Rangers fan last night. They completely got outclassed by a team that when you really look at it, is by no means elite.
- MidnightMarauder

Didnt need the post game to tell me what I already knew, listening to Chico would have made me vommit

I am not sold on this team being tired, on the whole. I do feel some key forwards are playing hurt and it is obvious who those players are.

But players like Gaborik, Richards, Del Zotto, Stepan and Hagelin are playing poorly in this series and they look neither tired nor injured. They simply aren't moving their feet and fighting through the checks enough.

Boyle, Callahan, McDonagh and Girardi do look like they are playing through injuries. McDonagh has still been solid but the other three are struggling and it has nothing to do with lack of effort.

The Devils have owned the boards in this series, and the Rangers keep trying to go up the boards on their break outs, they gotta change that. They also gotta try and find a way to keep the damn puck away from fatso.
- Rayven

Frankie Bones from facebook....
"I know Mike Rupp is a big guy but did he bump into Fatso or shoot him with an elephant gun"......#stopfloppinfatty

Agree here & Pete's post above, too long to quote but spot on as usual.

I know you hate to hear this Brandon but Dubi's fresh legs could really help right now.
- B2B76

I actually think Dubinsky will help Wednesday, if he is reinserted into the lineup.

With both Prust and Dubinsky returning, you figure Bickel and Rupp/Mitchell sit, right?

I am not sold on this team being tired, on the whole. I do feel some key forwards are playing hurt and it is obvious who those players are.

But players like Gaborik, Richards, Del Zotto, Stepan and Hagelin are playing poorly in this series and they look neither tired nor injured. They simply aren't moving their feet and fighting through the checks enough.

Boyle, Callahan, McDonagh and Girardi do look like they are playing through injuries. McDonagh has still been solid but the other three are struggling and it has nothing to do with lack of effort.
- MidnightMarauder

The Team is frustrated, they can't get in on the forecheck because they are interfered with on every dump, the Devils get away with so much obstruction it's maddening. I'd be frustrated too, 10 to 3 in calls the last 2 games.

I actually think Dubinsky will help Wednesday, if he is reinserted into the lineup.

With both Prust and Dubinsky returning, you figure Bickel and Rupp/Mitchell sit, right?
- MidnightMarauder

Dubinsky has obviously been offensively challenged this year, but he is the type of player that can possess the puck. He uses that big backside to box out the opposition, and more than anything right now, I think the Rangers need to possess the puck more.

I realize that it is a little bit much to expect a guy that has been injured and not practicing much to make a big difference for the remainder of this series, but I do think that he can help right now.

At the end of the day, unless the Rangers get better, they are going to have to depend on Hank to steal the series, which is possible but certaintly not the preferable path.

Yep & couple that the loss was in the ECF & to a rival, we all needed to sleep that one off.
- B2B76

You slept? I tossed and turned last night. Before that, I got a two minute minor for "trolling" on the Flyers boards. Last night was brutal to say the least.

I see we've all gotten past the pathetic performance last night. They've laid an egg in every series so far so last night was not surprising. Looking ahead to game 5 I expect a much better effort. They need to keep throwing shots at Brodeur and jamming the crease. The last 5 minutes of the third they played well and need to carry that into game 5. I don't agree with what Rupp did but I understand why he did it. He's been in playoff battles before and knows how to stir the pot. Let's see if it works. Also the PK was a real bright spot at the end of the game there, where the Rangers got penalized for everything they did. On to game 5.

You slept? I tossed and turned last night. Before that, I got a two minute minor for "trolling" on the Flyers boards. Last night was brutal to say the least.
- MidnightMarauder

Well I'm a different animal, I almost never sleep anyway cause of my 2 jobs so I called into the overnight job cause I was sleep deprived from forever & it was my daughters b day, so when I put my head on the pillow at 11 last night I was out!

The one theme today that I am not buying is that the Rangers lost their composure, and that somehow that had a result on the outcome of the game. When they engaged in their shenagans in the 3rd period, the game was lost. It was a 3-0 lead, and the Rangers weren't coming back from that. Put simply, I don't believe that the Rupp hit, or the Rangers taking all of those penalties down 2 or 3 goals in the third means anything at all. If they lose their composure in a competetive game, then I will believe that it means something, but I haven't seen that happen yet.

I want the Rangers to come out mad in Game 5, and maybe the end of game 4 will be assistive in making that happen.

Dubinsky has obviously been offensively challenged this year, but he is the type of player that can possess the puck. He uses that big backside to box out the opposition, and more than anything right now, I think the Rangers need to possess the puck more.

I realize that it is a little bit much to expect a guy that has been injured and not practicing much to make a big difference for the remainder of this series, but I do think that he can help right now.

At the end of the day, unless the Rangers get better, they are going to have to depend on Hank to steal the series, which is possible but certaintly not the preferable path.
- Pete V

Tortorella also needs to focus on his team and not worry about what the Devils are getting away with.

Looking at Jersey's lineup and I am still wondering how they have dominated the majority of these four games.

I think the Rangers will come out strong Wednesday and if they don't, it's time to fully panic.

Dubinsky has obviously been offensively challenged this year, but he is the type of player that can possess the puck. He uses that big backside to box out the opposition, and more than anything right now, I think the Rangers need to possess the puck more.

I realize that it is a little bit much to expect a guy that has been injured and not practicing much to make a big difference for the remainder of this series, but I do think that he can help right now.

At the end of the day, unless the Rangers get better, they are going to have to depend on Hank to steal the series, which is possible but certaintly not the preferable path.
- Pete V

Torts need to make some changes defensively. The collapsing D is killing them. I know it's been working but they've been figured out. When you have 5 guys covering 3 and still not recovering the puck it's time for a change. I would like to see the wingers stay closer to the devs D men and preventing the pass to the point. Too much running around in their own end. The Devs don't have the most offensively skilled D so they need to be exploited as much as possible.

Torts need to make some changes defensively. The collapsing D is killing them. I know it's been working but they've been figured out. When you have 5 guys covering 3 and still not recovering the puck it's time for a change. I would like to see the wingers stay closer to the devs D men and preventing the pass to the point. Too much running around in their own end. The Devs don't have the most offensively skilled D so they need to be exploited as much as possible.
- DONMURDOCH14

Torts always says how they don't change anything, I understand what he wants to do, but that doesn't mean you don't make some adjustment. I think you see Dubinsky in th enext game, I don't know how ready he is but this might be one of those cases in which Dubi goes into Rammers office and takes his skate, slams it on his desk and demands he tell Tortorella that he is good to go...I know he doesn't score but they miss him, there is no doubt, he does provide them with an extra forechecker, face off man and puck posseser, just makes the team more versatile and deeper...

Hey fellas... First time poster.

Devils took us out a little bit early when McD let himself get sucked into Henrique's nonsense. It was already 1-0 at that point, but that turned the tide, put Del Zaster out there with more responsibility than he should be handling, and the 2-0 deficit after Zajac's goal put the Rangers out of reach. Had the McD been out there and kept the game at 1-0, the result would have been much different.

I was very disappointed in McD. You can't let yourself get taken out of a big game like that. It was very uncharacteristic of him, and that it happened so early tells me that the Rangers were not in the right mind frame to win this game. Fortunately, it's only one game and we know the Rangers have the ability to respond to this level of adversity.

Hey fellas... First time poster.

Devils took us out a little bit early when McD let himself get sucked into Henrique's nonsense. It was already 1-0 at that point, but that turned the tide, put Del Zaster out there with more responsibility than he should be handling, and the 2-0 deficit after Zajac's goal put the Rangers out of reach. Had the McD been out there and kept the game at 1-0, the result would have been much different.

I was very disappointed in McD. You can't let yourself get taken out of a big game like that. It was very uncharacteristic of him, and that it happened so early tells me that the Rangers were not in the right mind frame to win this game. Fortunately, it's only one game and we know the Rangers have the ability to respond to this level of adversity.
- callahank

I hate that

21 year old defensemen make mistakes sometimes.

When Kevin Lowe was 21, he made mistakes, it's the chance you take when you try and go for the whole thing with such a young team. in 1994, we had the 35 year old Lowe as a steadying influence.

This team doesn't have the veteran presence on the blue line to calm everyone down in tough spots, but they still have pulled out two game 7 wins in the playoffs so far and I wouldn't count them out from doing it again.

I'm right there with you. A teaching moment, in the end. But that we're so dependent on a 21 year old defenseman... A positive sign for the future, but a cause for concern right now because of the potential for this type of situation.

However, I have no doubt McD won't let us down again. Del Zotto, however...

I hate that

21 year old defensemen make mistakes sometimes.

When Kevin Lowe was 21, he made mistakes, it's the chance you take when you try and go for the whole thing with such a young team. in 1994, we had the 35 year old Lowe as a steadying influence.

This team doesn't have the veteran presence on the blue line to calm everyone down in tough spots, but they still have pulled out two game 7 wins in the playoffs so far and I wouldn't count them out from doing it again.
- jimbro83

His grandmother passed away 2 days ago, I can't imagine how he felt last night, he's a big part of the success, I think the new guy is scotty hockey, south park gives it away.

Eh, think what you will. I'm a die hard Ranger fan and I only came to give my opinion and express my disappointment with one of our best players. It doesn't mean I think he sucks, nor does it mean I think he's the only one to blame for the loss. In my opinion, that fight was more indicative that the team wasn't in the frame of mind it would have taken to win last night.

I was unaware about his grandmother, but I don't buy that as an excuse... These guys didn't become professional athletes by accident. They play through things, both emotional and physical, that would render many people catatonic. I would expect that those kinds of things don't affect their play... Unless Henrique insulted his grandmother or something.

Just got through all the comments, some great stuff I will use on the blog. Have lots of thoughts and those who followed me on twitter saw I lot of my comments last night. I will address the MDZ benching, Rupp incident, Gaborik elbow etc and views on yesterday's performance or lack thereof and look forward to Game 6. Lots of videos today as well. Will have it up this afternoon