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Rangers bounce back with gutsy win over the Penguins; Miller and Hayes rise to the occasion
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)
After their first two game losing streak, the Rangers (14-5-1) took down the Pittsburgh Penguins (11-5-3) on the road, scoring five unanswered goals and coming out of the PPG Paints Arena with a 5-2 win.
Antti Raanta started in net, his first start of his career against the Penguins, and secured his fifth win of the season with a solid 29 save effort. He remains undefeated with a 5-0-0 record with a 2.05 GAA and a .938 save percentage.
In the team’s first game without Mika Zibanejad, out for the next 6-8 weeks with a broken fibula, the depth of the Rangers shone through. Kevin Hayes and JT Miller, both playing on the top line, stepped up big time, with each of them scoring a goal. Michael Grabner scored his team best 12th goal of the season, at even strength yet again. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers win streak ends after loss to Columbus; Grabner scores 11th goal
Alexandra Russo
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
The first power play of the game went to the Rangers, and they circulated the puck well but were held to one shot on goal. Against the best power play in the League, the Rangers did a great job after Nash put his team short-handed. The Jackets barely had any chances as they were kept to the outside.
With under five minutes to go in the first period, a bad set of plays put the Rangers behind by a goal. JT Miller gave the puck away right in the middle of the defensive zone to Karlsson who ripped a shot from the blue line. Lundqvist didn’t get the pads together in time on a shot that normally wouldn’t count as a quality scoring chance. The period ended with three shots on goal for each team, proving how limited the opportunities were. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers sweep Canada trip with 7-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks
Bobby Bevilacqua
Despite playing their third game in four nights and getting shelled in the first period, the Rangers (13-4-0) managed to come out of Vancouver with a 7-2 win thanks to an incredible offensive outburst from the team.
The Rangers got two goals apiece from JT Miller and Kevin Hayes, plus a three point night from Mats Zuccarello with a goal and two assists. Brandon Pirri (GWG) and Nick Holden also found the back of the net, while Mika Zibanejad, Kevin Klein and Jesper Fast each recorded two assists. Henrik Lundqvist was spectacular, making 36 saves to pick up his ninth win of the season.
For a box score, click here. Keep reading for my recap and thoughts on the game; Read the rest of this entry
Rangers win streak ends with loss to Canucks; Buchnevich scores again
Alexandra Russo
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
The New York Rangers (10-4-0) had their win streak broken at five as well as their home-ice winning streak. The Vancouver Canucks (5-8-1) snapped a nine game losing streak and scored a season high five goals, the most the Rangers have given up this season.
Usually, teams take penalties quite often when they are being pressured for extended periods of time. And that is exactly what the Canucks did. However, it didn’t cost them because the Rangers couldn’t seem to sustain any consistent zone time. Credit Vancouver for blocking some shots and passes, but the Rangers could have still done a better job with their playmaking. Maybe they needed some practice on the power play after not having one in the previous game against Boston.
Arguably the best chance of the first period came from the Rangers when Jimmy Vesey and Derek Stepan went racing down the ice on a two on one. Vesey waited just a little too long to make a pass, and Stepan wasn’t able to control it enough to get a shot off. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers down Boston for fourth straight win; Buchnevich scores first NHL goal
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Jim Rogash/Getty Images.
Okay, bad puns aside, now time for the real lede.
It took him seven games, but Pavel Buchnevich scored his first NHL goal as the Rangers (9-3-0) defeated the Bruins (6-5-0), scoring another five goals and winning their fourth straight game.
Pavel Buchnevich helped put the game out of the reach with a power play goal, sniping it past Tuukka Rask for his first ever goal in the NHL. The Rangers overcame a slow start and what was otherwise not a great game with that explosive offense. Read the rest of this entry
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