Mailbag #28: Off To The Big Apple

NEW YORK, NY. -Happy Saturday, Caniacs.
The team has arrived in New York ahead of Sunday's Game Three with a 2-0 series lead to their name.
After another raucous environment at PNC Arena, the Canes are now also 6-0 on home ice this postseason. What more could you ask for?
Let's get to some questions.

(Please Note: Some questions have been edited for clarity.)
Do you think the Canes can steal a game at MSG unlike round one at the Garden? - @josh\_holdner98
Can they? Absolutely. Will they? We'll see.
Steal? Let's outright win, Josh.
Point blank, the Rangers do not have an all-time elite defensive center like Patrice Bergeron. Make no mistake though, Bergeron obviously isn't just a defensive center, he was the anchor of the Bruins line with the most firepower, so that's why Bruce Cassidy wanted to get him away from Jordan Staal, another elite defensive center whom clearly Boston could not produce against in Raleigh.
Now, what I suspect the Rangers will do is try and get their line of Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and Frank Vatrano (if that's what they go back to, they did shuffle the deck a bit themselves to start the third), against a line that they can have their offensive power shine a little bit more. New York's scored just one goal in two games in the series and it was somewhat gift wrapped to them, so they're going to try and get their offense going in Game Three.
With that being said, generating any offense against the Canes is no walk in the park, so New York still has their work cut out for them.
This is my first playoffs as a Season Ticket Member ever, and I've noticed a couple of the boys shaken up during the game even if they don't leave with injury. Do you rest players during playoff series or will this same lineup carry us all the way if they continue producing? - @\_amdsoftball
First things first, welcome to the STM family, Ash! Always exciting to hear.
These guys are tough, huh?
I do not except anybody to get a rest while games are going on, the way they try and rest and heal is on the non-game days. A lot of times the day in between games is a limited practice, like today. If a player is banged up or played a healthy amount of minutes the night before, they're likely not on the ice.
A lot of pride is on the line during the Stanley Cup Playoffs and a lot of times guys will only not play if they absolutely cannot.
Plus, the sooner they finish a series, the more rest they get as well.
How's Freddie doing? Recovering well? - @FROTNITE\_VICROY
Death, taxes, Frederik Andersen questions for the mailbag.
The netminder was on the ice again today, doing one-on-one work with Goaltending Coach Paul Schonfelder.
We're getting closer to being able to ask about him, which Rod Brind'Amour has politely asked we not do until he takes the ice for a full team practice.
Who starts when Freddie comes back? Do you ride Antti Raanta or go with your "#1"? - @ktmuhs\_
It's Raanta's crease until it's not. He's been incredible!
His .939 save percentage currently sits second among all remaining active goalies that have played four or more games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Why would you go with anyone else?
I know the defense in front of whoever is in the net deserves some love, especially last night for their ability to block shots, but let's all enjoy and appreciate what Father Finn has done.
Is fatigue a concern for Raanta? And should we expect a start from Kochetkov eventually? - @xWing\_Dan
Good question! Raanta was asked about his routine after Friday night's win.
"When you start playing more games, you start getting into a rhythm. You're not really thinking about too much, you just go and play. It almost feels like when the game starts, you're ready to play. Sometimes when you're waiting for a couple weeks to get into a game your mind starts playing games. You start questioning yourself and stuff like that. Now it's kind of taking care of your body on the off days and then getting ready for a game again. I think playing every second day is nice. You stay in a rhythm."
He doesn't seem to concerned with fatigue, in fact, he seems very happy with playing every other day. Plus, he's getting hotter and hotter the longer he's been in this routine.
So, again, I think it's Raanta's crease until it's not.
Our forwards have such a strong bond this year (not that past years didn't) just more noticeable I guess. Any specific reasons why? - @TiffanyB1253
Also a good question!
I think you have to start by giving President & General Manager Don Waddell and the front office management a ton of credit. Both he and Rod Brind'Amour have mentioned over the course of the year that it's beyond having just good hockey players in the locker room, it's about having good people. From my perspective, like yours, it seems like they've accomplished that.
There don't seem to be any egos or anyone who is bigger than the team. It really is a group effort.
Captain Jordan Staal deserves some credit in that too.
It's a special mix we've got going this year, that's for sure.
How accurate is the decibel meter on Jumbotron? - @JimChapin
Let's end this week's edition with a fun one.
Jim asked this one last week and honestly I didn't know. However, thanks to the folks at the Entertainment Team, I can tell you that the decibel meter on the Jumbotron IS accurate.
Well, kind of.
What's shown on the scoreboard is a reading from a meter that's housed near the control room in one of the upper levels at PNC Arena. So, it's accurate for that location, however, not the loudest reading taken in the higher building. I'm told that it can get to above 130 in the lower bowl, regularly.
Proof? I had the below tweeted at me this morning. You Caniacs are nuts, but it is awesome.

Closing Up Shop

Thanks to everyone who took the time to ask questions this week and equally as important, thank you to you, the readers.
A big day awaits tomorrow. Be ready for 3:30 p.m.
Not a member of Twitter? We're always happy to take questions at [email protected] as well!
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