It’ll be a good Thanksgiving for the New York Rangers. Following a 6-3 loss to the Dallas Stars on Nov. 20, they responded with an impressive 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night, Nov. 22.

The Rangers have plenty to be thankful for this holiday season. By bouncing back with a victory over their old Patrick Division rival, they improved to 13-3-1 for the season. They lead the Metropolitan Division with 27 points.

A good start to the season has them five points up on both the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes. With no games on Thursday due to Thanksgiving, the Rangers can enjoy their turkey and cranberry sauce with a lot of smiles. They then will visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Black Friday, Nov. 24 for a special 1 PM game. That’ll be followed up by their first game against the league-leading Boston Bruins on Nov. 25.

Quick a Key to Early Success

When they signed Jonathan Quick on July 1, 2023, it was with the intention of filling the backup goalie role that Jaroslav Halak occupied. While many questioned the signing of what appeared to be a 37-year-old veteran in decline, the former Stanley Cup champion answered those critics by performing better than anyone could’ve imagined. Quick’s been a key to the Rangers’ early success.

Entering Wednesday night’s match versus the Penguins, Quick brought in a 4-0-1 record with a 1.98 goals-against-average (GAA) and .928 save percentage. After Igor Shesterkin returned to make the last two starts, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette went back to Quick to face the Penguins in Pittsburgh. He made Lavolette look smart.

Quick stopped all 32 shots to post his second shutout of the season. With the Penguins desperate for the tying goal late, Jake Guentzel made a blind pass for a wide open Sidney Crosby in the slot with 14 seconds remaining. Pens fans could only shake their head in disbelief as Quick robbed Crosby with a clutch save to clinch the victory for the Rangers.

That’s how well he played throughout an entertaining game when only one goal was scored. It was an old-fashioned goalie duel between Quick and the Pens’ Tristan Jarry. Both were on top of their game. Quick .add some early stops to keep the Pens off the scoreboard. Jarry was particularly strong in the second period when he made 17 saves to give his team a chance.

Quick had a few close calls on some dangerous Pens’ chances. He robbed Guentzel of a goal with a little help from defenseman Erik Gustafsson. He would later deny Guentzel again on what looked like a sure goal.

Rangers Successfully Challenge for Offside to Overturn a Goal

The one time the Pens thought they beat him came in the second period when Alex Nylander tipped in a shot. However, the Rangers successfully challenged for offside to overturn the goal. Even more puzzling was that a Pens’ player accidentally knocked Quick’s glove off. It was in the corner when Nylander believed he tied the game. It didn’t make sense. Quick had an interesting explanation following the game.

“I asked them to look at it in between periods if he thought it would’ve been goalie interference. He said because my glove was outside of the crease, even though my feet were inside of the crease, the goal probably would’ve stood,” Quick told reporters.

Apparently, the league gives the refs some leeway when it comes to goalies in relation to the crease. However, it definitely felt a bit confusing. The more you try to understand the rules of the game, the more you can’t. Nothing makes any sense. There are puzzling calls in almost every game. It might be time to rewrite the rulebook.

Lafreniere Gets The Only Goal

Early in the first period, a Mika Zibanejad takeaway in the neutral zone led to him sending Alexis Lafreniere in for a breakaway. Similar to the goal, he scored in a 4-3 shootout win on Nov. 12, Lafreniere moved in and froze Jarry by whistling a backhand past him for the only goal of the game at 5:10. It was one for the highlight reel.

Lafreniere now has eight goals on the season. That ranks third on the Rangers behind co-leaders, Panarin and Chris Kreider. Seven of Lafreniere’s eight goals have come at even strength. That trails only Panarin, who leads the team with eight even strength goals.

Asked about his confidence level following the game, Lafreniere said, “It’s pretty good. “But I can still, I think, play better.”

While there’s always room for improvement, it’s safe to say that Lafreniere has taken a big step in the right direction. He’s excelled while playing with Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. That’s been the Rangers’ best line so far. Without the key contributions of all three, who knows where they’d be in the standings.

Penalty Kill Shuts Down Penguins

If there’s been an area that’s improved under Laviolette, it’s been the play of rhs special teams. Most of the hoopla surrounds the Rangers’ fourth ranked power play that’s clicking at 30.9 percent. However, their ninth rated penalty kill has been part of their success. That penalty kill shut down the Penguins on Wednesday night.

The Rangers took some undisciplined penalties against the Pens. However, their diligent penalty kill blanked the Pens on five power plays. When the gritty duo of Nick Bonino and Barclay Goodrow weren’t blocking shots, the Rangers limited Pittsburgh to five shots in five power plays. They frustrated them by keeping the shots outside.

When the Pens forced the action, the aggressive Rangers’ forwards intercepted pucks and went the other way for shorthanded chances. They consistently outworked a Pens five-man unit that featured Crosby, Guentzel, Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson, and Kris Letang. They heard boos from dissatisfied Pens fans.

Credit the Rangers’ penalty killing unit for doing an outstanding job. They were disciplined and defended well in front of Quick.

Zibanejad Has a Good Night

Entering Wednesday’s game versus the Penguins, Zibanejad had struggled recently. He had only one point over his previous eight games. Playing against a division rival, he had a good night.

Zibanejad was more noticeable throughout the game. A key takeaway led to him making a touch pass that allowed Lafreniere to go in and score the game’s only goal at 5:10 of the first period. It was the kind of play he’s capable of making when he’s sharp. That was the case on Nov. 22.

Unlike recent games where he wasn’t visible, Zibanejad was around the puck more against the Pens. He had four shots-on-goal along with three takeaways and a blocked shot in 20:45 of ice time. His strong showing included winning 12 of 21 faceoffs (57 percent) to lead the Rangers.

It was exactly the kind of game they needed from their number one center. Hopefully, this can be the start of a turnaround for Zibanejad.

Successful Without Adam Fox

The Rangers have continued to be successful despite an injury that’s kept Adam Fox out since Nov. 2. Despite missing their top defenseman, they improved to 5-1-1 without him.

Both Jacob Trouba and K’Andre Miller have played extremely well. The key defensive pair have been very consistent overall while logging key minutes to help the Rangers continue to win games. Each defenseman logged over 23 minutes in the win over the Pens. Trouba and Miller had a combined five shots, 11 attempts, eight blocks, and five hits on Nov. 22.

Trouba had 23:52 of ice time while Miller led all Rangers skaters with 24:40.

Since Fox went down, Gustafsson has been an unsung hero by providing the Rangers with offense from the blue line while playing steady defensively. He’s adjusted well to working with Ryan Lindgren. Both were good against the Pens, highlighted by a hustling Gustafsson helping Quick keep a Guentzel shot out of the Rangers’ net.

Although they didn’t play as much as the top four defensemen, Zac Jones and Braden Schneider rebounded from a subpar showing in the loss at Dallas on Nov. 20. They were better defensively and on for the Lafreniere goal. Schneider finished with two hits and a block in 14:24. Jones was a plus-one in 11:06.

Laviolette Running A Good Bench

If there’s been one noticeable difference with the Rangers this season, it’s been the way Laviolette runs the bench. He’s made several smart moves during games that have led to good results.

The way he’s utilized Trocheck is a prime example of why the Rangers have been successful. By leaning on him for key faceoffs and trusting him defensively, Laviolette has found the right balance for the veteran center to have an impact on games.

His versatility has helped the Rangers overcome the loss of Filip Chytil to a suspected concussion. He’s more than made up for Chytil by fitting in perfectly with Panarin and Lafreniere. Remarkably, Chytil hadn’t even been missed thanks to Trocheck’s performance. With Bonino able to move up and center the third line, Goodrow has shifted to center the fourth line.

Laviolette’s patience with Lafreniere has paid early dividends. He has unlocked the former 2020 top pick by continuing to play him with Panarin. Both have found chemistry and work well together. The gritty style of Trocheck has meshed well to form the Rangers’ best line.

Even when Shesterkin went down, there was no panic from Laviolette. He rode Quick, who’s responded well when called upon. By implementing a real defensive system that limits odd man rushes and protects the house, Laviolette has created a much better work environment for the Rangers. They play more like a team, which explains why they’ve been winning consistently even without key players.

It’s a credit to how Laviolette coaches. He’s done a great job so far. With plenty of the season remaining, it’ll be interesting to see how things play out. Right now, the Rangers have been one of the league’s best teams. With back-to-back afternoon games coming up against the Flyers and Bruins on the road, it’ll be another good test to see where they are.