Down 2-1, The Rangers Have No Chance With Lundqvist Between The Pipes
After Game 2, fans with eyeballs knew every puck that beat Hank was unstoppable. Six goals against is never a good number, obviously. That doesn’t change the fact that, whether you want to credit turnovers & penalties for the opportunities or the Lightning for making the most of them, it didn’t matter who was in net. Now, after a legitimately poor Game 3 where you could argue half of TB’s goals should’ve been stopped, everyone’s tune has changed to “he’s been torched for 12 in 2 games”. Never mind the couple high quality chances he robbed – it’s time to look to Cam Talbot to save the postseason.
Fuck the guy who’s 13-3 in elimination games over the past 4 years, including 6 straight Game 7 wins, with just 25 goals against. Fuck the first goalie in history who’s led a team back from 3-1 series deficits in two consecutive years after overcoming 3-2 holes in each of the prior two years. Fuck the guy who had given up 2 or less in 11 of 13 this year prior to Game 2. Lundqvist has finally let NY down for once, so AV has no choice but to tap Talbot on the shoulders for just the second time since March and have him make his playoff debut in the ECF against the high-flying Bolts. Forget that Cam struggled his first month as a starter with a 2.80 GAA & .906 save percentage. This time he’ll undoubtedly be in his peak March form despite zero action in 45 days. It’s the Blueshirts only hope now that the King gives up 6 a night for the rest of his career.
Let’s just forget about all those nights Hank stole wins for an anemic offense. Ignore the “super star scorer” who grows more transparent as the postseason progresses & can’t even muster a point in a 5-goal outburst while a rookie promoted from the 4th line a couple weeks ago finds ways to keep his squad close. It’s all on #30. Avoid acknowledging that it’s the Conference Final – the NHL’s final four – against a talented trio that’s been by far & away the most productive line all playoffs. Doesn’t matter how good the opponent is. A bad game from a goalie every other team left would swap theirs for right this second is inexcusable. There’s no reason to believe he can bounce back. Not down 2-1. If Vigneault is serious about a Cup, he’s gotta know the Rangers best chance to get there is without Henrik Lundqvist.
Yeah. OK.
