Conference Quarterfinals: #1 New York Rangers vs. #8 Ottawa Senators

[JKidd]

Records:
New York Rangers: 51-24-7 (109 points) Home: 27-12-2 Road: 24-12-5
Ottawa Senators: 41-31-10 (92 points) Home: 20-17-4 Road: 21-14-6

Head to head:
Oct 29th - Senators 5 / Rangers 4 OT
Nov 9th - Rangers 3 / Senators 2
Jan 12th - Senators 3 / Rangers 0
Mar 8th - Senators 4 / Rangers 1
Sens took season series 3-1

Fights:
Nov 9th: Sean Avery vs. Zenon Konopka
Nov 9th: Andre Deveaux vs. Jared Cowen
Jan 12th: Brandon Prust vs. Zenon Konopka
Mar 8th: Brandon Prust vs. Zack Smith

Lineups:
Goaltending: win New York
Scoring: Edge Ottawa
Defense: win New York
Coaching: win New York
Grit: Edge New York

Schedule:
Thu, Apr 12 in New York 7PM ET
Sat, Apr 14 in New York 7PM ET
Mon, Apr 16 in Ottawa 7:30PM ET
Wed, Apr 18 in Ottawa 7:30PM ET
*Sat, Apr 21 in New York 7PM ET
*Mon, Apr 23 in Ottawa TBA
*Thu, Apr 26 in New York TBA

Prediction:
While the Sens had success against the Rangers during the regular season, the contract in team styles definitely favors the Rangers in the playoffs. Henrik Lundqvist and the waves of defense the Rangers employ will play perfectly into stopping the Senators offense, while the some times sparatic offense of the Rangers plays perfectly with a defense in Ottawa that is anything but consistent. The one major thing to watch is how Norris candidate Erik Karlsson affects the series. He can change games, and for Sens fans - hopefully a series, with his dynamic offensive abilities. I don't see him getting a showcase opportunity against the Rangers though. I'll take the Rangers exploiting the Senators inconsistent defense in 6 games.

[mikebflorida]

Hard to imagine the Rangers blowing this, Ottawa just isn't all that good.

Rangers in 5 games, Ottawa should steal an early game just to make it interesting.

Torts has been there before, the guy is a winner.

[djaye]

If there is going to be an upset in the first round, this might be it.

[D Y B FLYERS]

Originally Posted by mikebflorida

Hard to imagine the Rangers blowing this, Ottawa just isn't all that good.

Rangers in 5 games, Ottawa should steal an early game just to make it interesting.

Torts has been there before, the guy is a winner.

I disagree. I think Ottawa is a lot better than they get credit for. I think this could be a tough series for the Rangers, could be very physical. I don't see the Rangers losing though, either, but for a #1 vs #8 I believe it will prove tougher than what it looks on paper. My guess is Rangers in 6.

[lakingsfan19]

Rags in 6. Could go 7, but sticking with 6. The Rags should be banged up after this series.. Not your ideal first round, if you want to go far in the post season.

[I_am_Belak_2]

Rangers in 6.

[Janssen25]

I honestly think Ottawa doesn't get enough credit. They're a pretty solid team. I've been calling it all along so I'll stick with it and say the Rangers lose in 1st round. There's going to be a ton of pressure on the Rangers. The Rangers are the type of team that doesn't put teams away and play a lot of close games. To their credit they did a good job winning most of these types of games. I just feel like Ottawa isnt the type of team you can let hang around. If the Rangers want to win this series they're going to have to put Ottawa away early. If not I think Ottawa pulls it out in the end.

Ottawa in 7.

[Broons66]

Put up or shut up time for Lundqvist. Rags in 6.

[PotvinSucks]

Originally Posted by Broons66

Put up or shut up time for Lundqvist. Rags in 6.

Agree on Henrik and your prediction. rangers will go as far as lundqvist will take them. He carried his team during the reg season, now its time to put the team on his back when it counts.

[Janssen25]

Originally Posted by Broons66

Put up or shut up time for Lundqvist. Rags in 6.

Originally Posted by PotvinSucks

Agree on Henrik and your prediction. rangers will go as far as lundqvist will take them. He carried his team during the reg season, now its time to put the team on his back when it counts.

Fact.

[Isles4life]

Ottawa does often gets overlooked by a lot of us who just aren't sure how they managed to have the success they did this year. But even if people do tend to undersell them, I still don't think they match up well with the Rangers over a 7-game series.

I still believe the Rangers are a very vulnerable #1 seed once they are forced to play a highly talented and more playoff-experienced team, but I just don't see the Senators being able to do enough consistently to knock them off. Rangers in 5.

[V12_Bi-Turbo]

Rags in five

[pesadillamal]

I think it was very important that the Penguins got within a point of the conference lead and challenged the Rangers. They needed to face that adversity and they passed the test easily. As a matter in fact they never let anything get to them all year and they are ready to move forward. Rangers in five.

[mikebflorida]

The one not getting enough credit here is Tortorella.

I don't even know who Ottawa's coach is. I know they have some players that have been there for what seems like decades, Alfredsson, Philips, Neil, and a couple of others, I just don't think they have the game for the Rangers. Who is their goalie? I know the Rangers goalie is Lundqvist, most likely the Vezina winner, if not the MVP.

Torts has won a cup, they have depth, they have toughness. I just wouldn't bet against that.

I imagine it will be pretty physical, Ottawa are no pushovers or anything, I just don't think they will hang with NYR.

I am being totally objective on this, by the way, I'm not a Rangers fan but I am a Tortorella fan, the guy is good, bottom line.

[bupz91]

Upset. Sens in 6. They are a pretty strong scoring team. Big series from Karlsson.