Sure Hurts Doesn't It?

The playoffs really ARE the ultimate barometer.

This series is showing exactly what this team has got, and we've got a lot given our level of experience. You can see at times, like the first 15 minutes of the third period in game two, that this team isn't that far away from exploding. Unfortunately however, that probably won't happen until at least next year. Something to be sad about? I don't think so, it's hardly unexpected. New York has finally bought into the plan of building a team from scratch, and it's the only way we're going to have another parade any time soon. So good job boys is what I have to say...

Having said that, let me go on to now say that I believe we can still win this series. Call me crazy, but it just doesn't seem that out of reach yet. Consider the two Washington goals and the circumstances surrounding them.. They were the result of a drop in Ranger intensity, so just like in game one, the Caps scored because of the Rangers, not because they are so skilled that they just bulldozed through us. You could see right out of the gate that the Rangers were not playing as hard at the beginning of the second, and the Caps smelled blood.

Usually the Rangers just bust their asses all night regardless of what the other team gives them, but they seemed to stumble at the beginning of the second as if maybe they were over-complicating things, and they ended up straying from their well known mantra. The Caps seem more reactionary as far as how hard they decide to play (IMO), only becoming unmanageable when you give them a little bit of breathing room. I'm telling you, if the Rangers can just play their same old game consistently @ MSG for game three, good things could happen, and we all know what happens to this team when their hard work brings success; they do things like beat Boston 5-3 after being down 3-0.

Can't wait for game three, but can I ever really wait for the next Ranger game?