Here is why The Maven believes the Rangers fell short of their championship aspirations.
1. When the Penguins Jake Guentzel was made available Chris Drury should have jumped at the chance to obtain the sniper.
2. Strength through center wins Cups. In the end the Rangers were not strong enough in the middle.
3. The better team triumphed. Or, as Jacob Trouba affirmed: "The Panthers definitely deserved to win the series."
4. Peter Laviolette: "There's a lot that goes into figuring out the opposition's defense." Isn't that what assistants Phil Housley and Michael Peca are all about?
5. One definition of "A Build-Up To A Letdown." The Rangers once-vaunted power play went one for fifteen against Florida.
6. Keen Observation from SportsNet's Luke Fox: "In all the one-goal games, the Panthers never felt frantic nor in grave danger." (In third periods, they were plus-13.)
7. Hmmmmm! Department: "We're a good team that gave everything." Breadman Panarin.
8. Well, you could say that about Ryan Lindgren who emerged from the series as the Rangers best "defender."
9. Reader David Perlmutter writes for Chris Drury to read: "What the Rangers need are big and tough scorers." (Does that or does it not remind you of Jake Guentzel?)
10. Arguably the best Panther: "We all had the same goal; to get better and get back. Here we go again!" Aleksander Barkov.
11. My man in Florida, Big Al Greenberg, does not believe that Matt Rempe would have helped in Game 6. "He would have been a liability," says Al.
12. Also from Greenberg: "The scores were close because Igor kept them in. The
Rangers were outplayed in every game. Nastiness was missing." Al wasn't very complimentary to Jacob Trouba as a tough deterrent either.
13. Closer to home, Brooklyn-based longtime radio sports ace Rich Ackerman offers: "All season long I was concerned about the Rangers (weaker) five-on-five play." Ack; We're on the same page.
14, From my Hershey (Jr.) Cubs grandson Ariel Fischler: "Sergei Bobrovsky deserves more credit than he's been given for the Panthers' win."
15. Old Pal Kyle Okposo is going to get a good shot at Cup champagne. That would be neat for a hustling warrior.