Rangers 5, Jets 2

The New York Rangers defeated the Winnipeg Jets tonight by the score of 5-2. For a box score, click here.

I hope Rammer and the training staff at the Garden have the oxygen masks handy after that one….

final shift TOI:
buch, fast, mcdonagh 3:10

pirri 2:54

skjei: 1:51

— Neill Fowler (@fiveonfir3) November 7, 2016

Not going to kill the team as it was extremely obvious that most of them didn’t have legs in what was their fifth game in eight nights. What’s more impressive is scoring 5+ in each game. 

I was stunned learning that it was Girardi who would be the one sitting for Clendening as AV has been hinting the young Ranger defenseman was going to get a game soon. AV also said it was a preventative issue for Girardi coming off injury for the healthy scratch. We’ll see if this continues for Girardi in future back to backs. Clendening in relief, played well despite not playing in over 2 weeks.

As per usual, leave it Lundqvist to bail out a tired group who made save after save to keep the Rangers around in that first period until the Rangers went off with four goals in the second. 

I’m going to look into this a bit more this week, but I think the Rangers’ goal scoring has been a product of good puck luck combined with facing some bad goaltending from opposing teams. Hellebuyck was awful in the second period and was mercifully yanked after Klein’s shot from the point glanced off Fast’s skate and into the net to make it 4-2.

It was really only a matter of time for Buchnevich to settle in and grow confidence in his game on the fourth line and it didn’t take long for his second. Buch taking a pass off his skate from Pirri and dangling Hutchinson in front of the crease was a thing of beauty. Won’t get sick of watching that for awhile.

Two more goals from the Hayes-Miller-Grabner line which has to be the hottest trio going in the league right now. Hayes’ blast from the point got the Rangers going early in the first. Miller’s goal, which wound up as the game winner was a gorgeous short side snipe off a subtle pass from Holden at the red line. 

With AV drawing Clendening into the lineup, I’m anxious to see if the coach does the same thing with a tired forward group and brings in Lindberg for a game or two, which would possibly cause someone like Pirri to come out of the lineup. It might be a bit of a sacrifice to the offensive depth and the power play, but it is a long season and the kids to need to play.

The Rangers’ next game is on Tuesday with the Vancouver Canucks in town coming into the Garden on the second game of a back to back and current owners of a 7 game losing streak.