The New York Rangers (45-24-3) defeated the Minnesota Wild (43-21-6) by the score of 3-2. For a box score, click here.
3 Stars
1st Star – Brady Skjei’s family (Got to see Brady score in his home state)
2nd Star – Minnesota hockey (Thank you for developing McDonagh, Stepan and Skjei)
3rd Star – Road games (The Rangers wouldn’t have any wins without them)
Post Game Cocktail Recommendation
To celebrate the newly formed “Kid Line” let’s enjoy a Shirley Temple.
Gif of the Game
When you sell out with nine seconds remaining in a one goal game, you deserve the “Gif of the Game”…
Kid Line
I’ve been racking my brain thinking of line combinations that would keep both Vesey and Buchnevich in the Top 9, but putting them on the same line? Now that’s some out of the box line-up tinkering that has eluded AV during his Rangers tenure.
[protected-iframe id=”61ffec4398f95008e943f53b6ec6e81d-114320562-46273279″ info=”https://www.nhl.com/rangers/video/embed/vesey-cashes-in-on-the-rebound/t-277443728/c-50510203?autostart=false” width=”540″ height=”360″]While I’m still not a fan of Fast on the third line, I have to admit he’s been significantly involved offensively since being placed with Grabner and Hayes after coming off of IR.
2-on-1 Parade
Every time I looked up in the second period the Wild were racing down the ice on a 2-on-1. And somehow, they weren’t able to convert…
Holden played this one perfectly…
This one, not so much (but got away with it)…
Brendan Smith continues to impress as he executes a perfect snow angel…
Does Zuccarello ever stop hustling?…
This was the hockey game. The Wild not being able to finish on even one of these odd man rushes was their ultimate demise.
Tanner Glass Watch
Scenes from the press box:
McDonagh Struggling
A night after McDonagh’s embarrassing flailing attempt failed to stop Jaromir Jagr’s pass on Barkov’s third period go ahead goal, the Rangers Captain made two more questionable defensive plays:
The first was when he carelessly decides to leave the front of the net to double team the puck carrier while on the penalty kill leaving Eric Staal wide open in the slot…
The second is when he again decides to play defense from the seat of his pants allowing the puck to get through to the slot…
With the defense being the Rangers achilles heel, they can’t afford to have their best defender making these kind mental errors if the Blueshirts expect to make a long run in the postseason.
Mini Recap
I don’t mean to over-react to one win, but the line-up AV rolled with tonight needs to be the Rangers Game 1 line-up when the postseason begins. The forward lines were balanced while the diversity on the back end gives the Blueshirts the best chance at victory every night.
My favorite aspect of Brady Skjei is that while most first year players usually begin to falter late in the season, his game has actually gotten stronger.
Any chance the Rangers petition the league to have all their playoff games played on the road?
Two too many men on the ice penalties while quick thinking by Stepan at the bench prevented a third. Unconscionable. Especially when the penalty kill has been struggling of late.
I haven’t seen a faceoff performance as good as Zibanejad’s since…
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