New York Rangers vs. Canadiens Forwards Preview

After New York Rangers’ forward Chris Kreider ran over Carey Price in the 13-14 playoffs, Canadiens fans and players alike want their revenge. This can play a role in how each team prepares their forward lines in this first round matchup.

Other Previews: Defense, Goaltending, Coaching

If you were expecting the New York Rangers to scratch Tanner Glass for game one, you expected wrong.

Although Alain Vigneault hasn’t announced what his lineup for tonight’s game one against the Montreal Canadiens will be yet, Glass practiced with Oscar Lindberg and Jesper Fast yesterday.

Normally, I would be quick to crucify Vigneault for that decision, but given the animosity the Habs have towards Chris Kreider and the arsenal of goons they employ in their lineup, I am willing to give it a pass for game one.

Back on March 4th, the Rangers got bullied around on Madison Square Garden ice by these very Montreal Canadiens. The Habs went out and acquired enforcers Steve Ott and Dwight King to bolster their bottom six with toughness and grit, something the Rangers don’t really have in their lineup. Tanner Glass is a guy who can bring grit to the Rangers lineup and is willing to fight when he sees fit.

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This is something to pay attention to because, as we have seen many times before, a team’s bottom six is usually the determining factor in a Stanley Cup winner.

The Top Six

Canadiens: Pacioretty-Danult-Radulov, Byron-Plekanec-Gallagher

Rangers: Kreider-Stepan-Zuccarello, Vesey-Zibanejad-Nash

The Canadiens are the team with the best forward in the series in Max Pacioretty. Pacioretty had 35 goals this season, which marked his 5th straight 82 game season in which he has tallied at least 30. The man who looks like he could be the love child of Brian Boyle and Super Mario can also impose his will physically and will be a challenge for the Rangers defense to stop.

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Although they don’t have the best forward in the series, the Rangers feature a much deeper top-six. Derek Stepan, Mats Zuccarello and Chris Kreider all finished with 50-plus points on the season. The trio has seemingly caught fire over the last few weeks of the season.

Vesey may not belong in the top six, but he is a better fit alongside Rick Nash and Mika ZIbanejad than he is on the other lines. The Rangers hope that Zibanejad can bring half of the playoff production that his predecessor Derick Brassard used to bring to the table. If he and Rick Nash–who played really well over the last few weeks–play well, the Rangers will have a huge advantage here over Montreal.

Verdict: Rangers

Bottom Six

Canadiens: King-Shaw-Lehkonen, Galchenyuk-Ott-Martinsen

Rangers: Miller-Hayes-Grabner, Glass-Lindberg-Fast

The Canadiens 3rd and 4th lines don’t make any sense. Why in the world is Galchenyuk, a player a year removed from scoring 30 goals on a line with Steve Ott, a man of seven points in 53 games? The Canadiens could have a very dangerous 3rd line if they made some adjustments.

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A Galchenyuck-Shaw-Lekhonen line could be very dangerous, especially against a team like the Rangers. They would be a physical line that has good enough shooters to capitalize on their opportunities.

The Rangers have the potential to make their bottom six better, too.

If they were to plug Pavel Buchnevich into the lineup, put him on the second line and bump Vesey to the fourth line, the Rangers would have as good a forward group as there is in the NHL. Regardless, they have the best third line in hockey, regardless of how often Michael Grabner scores. If that line is going, it helps all the other lines go and makes the Rangers an offensive juggernaut.

At the end of the day, it’s impossible to favor of a third line with Dwight King on it.

Verdict: Rangers

Summary

The New York Rangers have so much firepower throughout their lineup that it is impossible not to give them the benefit of the doubt. In a vacuum, you’d be nuts to take the Habs’ four lines over theirs.

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However, the case could be made that, since the Canadiens have the better defense, the better coach and the better goaltender, they will have an easier path to the goal column than the Rangers do.

If the Rangers stick to their speed game, finish their hits and continue to play with some of the snarl they developed in the last few weeks, they will be fine. If they play like they did on March 4th and get scared of the Canadien’s physicality, the series will be over quickly.

Next: Rangers vs. Canadiens Defense Preview

The ball, nay, the puck, is in the Rangers court.

Let’s see what they do with it.

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