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Rangers explode for three late goals to give Vigneault 100th win in New York
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
There is a heated rivalry brewing between the Rangers and the Blue Jackets, and the disdain for each other was on full display tonight.
Despite improbable circumstances, the Rangers score three goals in a span of 77 seconds to propel them over the Blue Jackets, spoiling their home opener and heading back to Madison Square Garden after a 4-2 win and with a 2-0 record.
For large stretches of the night, Columbus was the aggressor, energized by their home fans and looking to make an impact in the first game of the season. But the Rangers weathered the storm, played an excellent defensive game, and grinded out another road win.
The victory also gave Alain Vigneault his 100th win as the head coach of the Rangers, becoming the 10th head coach to win 100 regular season games with the Rangers. He was the fastest to reach that total out of the 10. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers Look to Open Season with Back-To-Back Road Wins
Drew Williams
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
The New York Rangers will faceoff Friday night against a revamped Columbus Blue Jackets team at Nationwide Arena, and will look to build on a 3-2 win over Chicago in their season opener.
This Metropolitan Division matchup will certainly be different from last year, as Columbus added a big name in the offseason in Brandon Saad, at the expense of forward Marko Dano, Jeremy Morin, Artem Anisimov, Corey Tropp, and a fourth-round pick in 2016. The addition of Saad makes for a potent top line for Columbus, as he will play with center Ryan Johansen and winger Nick Foligno.
The Rangers lines will stay the same in Columbus, according to SNY. Read the rest of this entry
What we learned from the Rangers season opener
Bobby Bevilacqua
- Oscar Lindberg seems like a bona fide pro. His performance against the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks was an encouraging sign of what is to come, and he was my first star from the game.. Lindberg opened the scoring less than two minutes into the game, killing the atmosphere at the United Center. He nearly scored again, but was denied in front by Crawford. For a lot of the night, Lindberg was the best forward on the team. He was a monster defensively, won six of the nine faceoffs he took, and helped spark the offensive production from the third line. Vigneault trusted him enough to try him out as the third line center, giving him more offensive freedom and opportunities to score. Lindberg’s performance, and the whole line’s performance, is part of the reason why there’s no lineup change for tomorrow. Excellent first game from Lindberg.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
- JT Miller was Lindberg’s linemate last night, and my goodness was he impressive. Miller kicked off the night with an assist on Lindberg’s goal, making a sweet cross crease pass right to the rookie’s stick. He made an equally impressive pass to Keith Yandle, picking up a secondary assist on Kevin Klein’s goal. While I said that I thought that Chris Kreider could eclipse 30 goals this season, or in the near future, I also said that JT Miller could easily be a 40 point player. Vigneault knows him and trusts him now, which is great for his confidence.
- Speaking of Chris Kreider, he was playing like a man possessed against Chicago. He was effectively using his blend of speed and strength to pressure the opposing defenders. If he hit the net a bit more consistently, I’m sure he would have scored a goal or two. And I think he will score in Columbus.
- No need to worry about Kevin Hayes. After a poor preseason, Hayes fit in perfectly alongside Derek Stepan and fellow Boston College Eagle Chris Kreider. There was some concern over whether or not Hayes could still be a playmaker on the wing, and it seems like he can be. His assist on Derek Stepan’s goal showed excellent awareness and hockey instincts. On top of that, he won all five of the faceoffs that he took. Hayes can stickhandle in a phone booth and pass just as well as anyone on the team, so I’m excited to see him in a top six role.
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