So Rempe is going to go headhunting on Tom Wilson in the first shift and the Rangers are going to have to dress him the rest of the series. Which means they’ll be short one forward in every third period. Hopefully a short series.
Looks like I am back in the Rangers thread! Always fun talking hockey with you guys. Capitals-Rangers again. We have had some fun series over the last 15 years. The roles are completely reversed this time though. The Rangers are the #1 seed and President’s Trophy winners, while the Caps are in this odd transition period yet the players have too much heart to give in. The Capitals literally willed themselves to the playoffs despite lack of skill and lack of speed and lack of a #1 goalie. Can they will themselves past the Rangers? I don’t know. This is the first time in the Ovechkin era where the team literally has no pressure to win in the playoffs. Maybe that will allow them to play loose. Huge edge in every category for the Rangers. I’ve watched many mighty Capitals teams fall in the past though. You never know with playoff hockey. Good luck, fellas!
You can’t just look past the Caps like that, @Brook! Just kidding but yeah they’d play the winner of the Metro 2-3 series, which is the Islanders and Hurricanes like @BleedingGreen83 said. I never liked that rule. Set up too many Caps-Pens matchups in Round 2. Never allowed them to meet in the ECF.
Honestly, I am so disappointed they have to play Washington. So sick of playing either them or Pittsburgh almost every single playoffs. I wanted the Red Wings; haven't had a series against them since 1950. Would've been fun and less physical. Can’t wait for Wilson and Oshie to start trying to injure people.
I too would have preferred the Red Wings. Experience is so important in the playoffs, and the Caps have plenty of experience.
You know, with all the talk around Rempe and Trouba, who would have guessed that Lafreniere would have more hits than any other player in the game?
That "charging" call on Rempe at the start of the game was total crap. Nice hit by Lafrenière. Too bad the guy got hurt, but we need more of that throughout the playoffs.
There were a couple of soft calls going both ways early on. I think the league doesn't want the series to turn into a bloodbath.
Big Game 2 tonight! The Caps played Game 1 mostly how they need to if they want to win and still lost by 3, so that’s not a good sign!
Too loose with the puck, but we got out with the W and no injuries. I'll take that all day, every day. 14 to go!