Ok all kidding aside, thoughts on Rangers / Caps series:

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Edge on defense obviously goes to the Rangers

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I don't get this. Rangers have the best top pair, but the Caps have a far better second pair and the Rangers third pairing might be the worst of any team in the playoffs. I wouldn't trade blueline corps with the Rangers on a bet.

And while King Henry is, well, King Henry, I think this matchup is bad for him. So much of playoff goaltending is getting into your opponents' heads. That thought that they can't beat you, and the frustration starts in. For as great as Lundqvist is, the Caps are so f'n familiar with the Rangers, and Lundqvist especially. The Caps KNOW they can beat him. Hell, they feel they should have won last year's series, and let it get away. They won the other two. I think of all the goalies the Caps could have faced, Lundqvist is the one least in their kitchen (Nabokov is so in the Caps kitchen, he has just ordered a second refrigerator to keep his deli meats cool). I won't say the Caps own Lunqvist, but he doesn't own them. And Nobokov and Anderson might.

I love the Rangers forward depth. As always, the key for the Caps is finding some secondary scoring, and the Rangers are designed to shut down good third lines. And the Caps third line has been pretty meh. And by meh, I mean spectacularly awful. The more this series is decided by back of the bench guys, the better for the Rangers. Their bench is far better and deeper.

The Caps went 5-1-1 against playoff teams in April. So, in the last month, the Caps are far better than .450 against playoff teams.

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The Caps went 5-1-1 against playoff teams in April. So, in the last month, the Caps are far better than .450 against playoff teams.

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Obviously - just talking about the entire body of work. Rangers went 3-2.

I'm just talking overall edge on the goaltending. Holtby's save % is .909 against playoff teams vs. The King's .941.

I wouldn't feel bad last year man, it's not like you got booted by the 8th seed, you got booted by the president's trophy winners.

This video actually sums up my feelings better with the Ovechkin giveaway and all.....

I wouldn't worry about the advantage / depth with lines. Tortorella is bound to screw it up. He would put Wayne Gretzky on a line with a kid in a wheelchair and happy gilmore so that Boyle can get more ice time.

Hotlby's Sv % by month:

January 863
February 907
March 925
April 937

Lundqvist by month:

January 904
February 928
March 929
April 934

Man, Holtby was awful in January. He's gotten progressively better throughout the year. Lundqvist "slumped" at the beginning of the year, but he quickly got back to being his awesome self.

Last year sucked only because the Caps had it won, and just gagged on it. Game 5 was painful.