Mike Keenan Rips Rangers, Says He Wants “More Determination”
CBS New York — Mike Keenan is in that rare position where his criticism holds weight. It comes off as a lot more than simple frustration or armchair quarterbacking that fans and many in the media are known for. Keenan has earned the right to say whatever he wants — especially when it comes to the Rangers. And speak his mind the head coach of the 1994 champions did following the Blueshirts’ disappointing 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday. Keenan held nothing back, literally. He was especially incensed by the Rangers’ demeanor in the locker room following the defeat.
“I don’t like the tone at all. I want more resolve, I want them to be more angry, I want more determination. I’m not seeing it. This is the Stanley Cup Final,” Keenan said during MSG’s postgame show, according to SNY. Keenan, who coached three different teams to the Stanley Cup Final, and made a total of four appearances, said for whatever reason the Rangers have been unable to play the type of ferocious hockey needed to vanquish opponents at this stage of the playoffs. “If this goalie is on top of his game you need to do something about it. There isn’t anybody in front of the net. I was at ice level and they don’t hate each other yet. You gotta get engaged,” Keenan said. “Maybe it’s inexperience on the part of the Rangers who haven’t been here before with the exception of two players who have won the cup. The other team the entire nucleus has been there. You gotta step your game up. “I’m talking whistle to whistle and within the whistle being more determined that what I am seeing right now,” Keenan added.
“You make a soft chip and it ends up in the back of your net with one second to go, soft chip in the neutral zone. You give the game away in Los Angeles twice, I am sorry, I am not buying it,” Keenan said. “You make the breaks by playing smart defense. Two goal lead, on the road, twice in two games, three times in two games and you need to find a way to win. You lock it down yourself.”
I’m in no position to disagree with Mike Keenan. For Rangers fans, Coach Keenan is a walking legend, the last man to bring home a Stanley Cup to Broadway. But unless I’m reading his quotes wrong here, he seems to be insinuating that the Rangers disappointing Cup performance is a question of heart or determination more so than any particular hockey reason. The Rangers are down 3-0 this series because they don’t know how to score ugly goals when they have to. The Rangers are down this series because they don’t know how to consistently protect leads in playoff games against quality teams. The Rangers are most likely going to lose the Cup because they are trying to play a speed game against a team that they simply can’t sustain for 75 minutes when in overtime. In short, a lack of playoff experience and postseason guile have been the Rangers problem. Take for example the lack of Rangers goals in critical moments such as overtime and late in the third period. Watch this video of hockey being played at the highest and most desperate stage, the 2010 Olympic Final.
EVERY SINGLE goal (ok 4 out of 5) scored in this video, there’s chaos in front of the net. The best way to score goals against high-quality goalies and defenses is to create traffic (from players on either team) in front of the net and then get shots on net until you find the back of it. The Kings (until game 3), had a negative goal differential this playoffs in every single period except for the third. There’s a reason for this; Jonathan Quick, more than any other goalie can elevate himself and find a way to get it done in big moments. The way to score on goalies running hot like that is to be able to get those ugly points, which the Rangers failed to. That’s the kind of critical game know-how that this team, in part because of youth, in part because of a recent lack of deep postseason success, doesn’t possess. All in all, I’m proud of this team this playoffs. They battled against the Flyers when everyone was calling them soft, struggled to their last breath and eventually overcame the Penguins when down 3-1, and answered the bell against the Canadians whenever called upon. Heart, teamwork, determination, and desire have never been the issue with this team. But this Rangers squad left something on the table this Cup series. We’re now a loss away from losing it all with four opportunities for the Kings to clinch, and we should really be up 2-1. Just know that it’s hockey reasons why we (most likely) will have lost, not heart.
Viva la Blueshirts.