Rangers’ third period comeback gives them a win over Devils to sweep season series

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Derek

After the early fireworks came just two seconds in, with Matt Rempe and Kurtis MacDermid headlining a 10-player line brawl, there was a hockey game played at The Garden on Wednesday night.

With the refs sending eight players to the locker room for the remainder of the match, that left both Rangers coach Peter Laviolette and Devils coach Travis Green to juggle their lines. In particular, they had to double shift their four defensemen who were left over.

That meant a lot of heavy lifting for Adam Fox (29:39), Ryan Lindgren (27:17), Erik Gustafsson (29:42), and Braden Schneider (27:36). At times, they looked exhausted. Especially in a lopsided second period that saw the Devils come back from a two-goal first period deficit to take a 3-2 lead.

But the Rangers came back with a strong third period to prevail over the Devils 4-3 on home ice. The win allowed them to sweep the season series for the first time since 2014-15.

Most notably, they kept their hold on first overall by banking two points to move up to 106 in the standings. The Stars entered tonight with 103. At last check, they were leading the Oilers 1-0.

The Hurricanes were off. The Rangers now have a five-point lead over them for the Metropolitan Division. They’ll host the Bruins tomorrow night.

Following the six fights, which included Will Cuylle defending himself against Dawson Mercer due to hitting Brendan Smith from behind, Artemi Panarin opened the scoring when he buried a pass from Alexis Lafreniere into an open side for his 45th goal of the season. Fox picked up the secondary assist.

Green challenged for offside. But the video replays confirmed that Fox kept the puck in on the line. The Devils were assessed a delay of game minor. The Rangers didn’t cash in on the power play.

They had most of the edge in play. They outshot the Devils 15-4. Tomas Nosek cross-checked Schneider to go to the penalty box. Although they didn’t score on the power play, they were able to strike once it expired.

Jack Roslovic skated around the net with the puck and set up an Alex Wennberg shot that Kaapo Kahkonen gave up a rebound on. Lafreniere was right in front for the easy finish for his 26th goal. That gave him a goal and assist to improve his career high total to 54 points.

The Rangers killed off a Vincent Trocheck hooking minor that extended to the start of the second period. However, the Devils found their legs. They got back in it thanks to some nice teamwork.

After receiving the puck from younger brother Luke, Jack Hughes maneuvered around and passed across for an Ondrej Palat one-timer that beat Igor Shesterkin from a sharp angle into the top of the net.

Suddenly, it was the Devils with the momentum. They kept attacking the Rangers’ defense. Shesterkin was forced into some difficult stops. He only faced 20 shots in the game but was good in the second.

Shesterkin couldn’t do anything about the Devils’ second goal of the period. On a strong cycle down low from Jesper Bratt, he found a wide open Smith in front for the equalizer. Nobody took Smith on the blown coverage.

At that point, Laviolette took his timeout. He wasn’t pleased with how his team was playing. They were lackadaisical defensively and didn’t have much going on.

Instead of regaining their composure, they let Bratt wheel around and set up Nico Hischier for the Devils’ third straight goal in the period. It came 1:31 later.

The Devils took a one-goal lead to the locker room.

In the third period, the Rangers responded well. Beginning to take over the action, they would draw even thanks to a great solo effort from Kaapo Kakko.

Luke Hughes attempted a slap shot at the Rangers’ blue line. But he broke his stick. That allowed Kakko to steal the puck and break in the opposite direction. With Hughes chasing him to apply pressure, Kakko had enough strength to get off a good wrist shot from the left circle that went by Kahkonen’s glove upstairs to tie the game.

The unassisted tally gave Kakko goals in three of the last four games. That’s a good sign. The Rangers certainly can use a more confident Kakko for the playoffs.

With the game still tied, Smith hooked Roslovic to give the Blueshirts a power play with less than seven minutes left. Following a Devils’ clear, Panarin grabbed the puck and skated up ice, and gained the zone. He dropped the puck off for a Fox shot pass that Kreider tipped home in front for his 36th goal to give the Rangers a 4-3 lead with 4:57 remaining.

They wouldn’t relinquish it. The Devils lifted Kahkonen for an extra attacker with under two minutes to go. Although they applied some pressure due to Hughes, they never got the kind of chance needed to force overtime.

With time winding down, Hughes lost the puck to Panarin, who cleared it. When the buzzer sounded, the Rangers had their league best 51st win if the season.

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Line Brawl Part 2: Rempe and MacDermid headline fight night between Rangers and Devils

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Derek

It happened. As expected, a line brawl took place during the opening faceoff between the Rangers and Devils before a pumped up crowd at Madison Square Garden.

The final regular season meeting didn’t disappoint. With the Devils seeking retribution due to Rangers rookie Matt Rempe knocking out defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler with an elbow that kept him out for three weeks with a concussion, they were ready to rumble on Broadway.

Kurtis MacDermid returned from a lower-body injury just in time to get his fight with Rempe. At the drop of the puck, all 10 skaters squared off. Barclay Goodrow fought Kevin Bahl. Jimmy Vesey took on Curtis Lazar. K’Andre Miller dropped the gloves with John Marino. Jacob Trouba fought Chris Tierney. Rempe and MacDermid danced at center ice.

While it was a spectacle to watch, all eyes were glued to Rempe and MacDermid. They exchanged heavy blows for nearly five minutes, battling to a draw. When it was over, both were ejected along with Miller, Trouba, Goodrow, Marino, Tierney, and Bahl.

Eerily reminiscent of the line brawl that took place at MSG between the same two teams back on Mar. 19, 2012, this was another chapter in the unique Hudson rivalry. Ironically, Mike Rupp was one of the spectators who decided to go to tonight’s game. Rupp was one of the participants in the first line brawl 12 years ago between the Rangers and Devils. It was fitting that he was in the audience.

The fighting wasn’t done, either. Following a boarding minor penalty by Will Cuylle on Brendan Smith, Devils forward Dawson Mercer answered the bell. He challenged Cuylle. The two battled near the back boards, with each going off for fighting. Cuylle received two minutes for boarding while Mercer got two for instigating and an additional 10 for a misconduct.

By the conclusion of the first period, the teams totaled a combined 162 penalty minutes for a league record. Six fighting majors and eight game misconducts helped them reach that high number.

When there was actual hockey played during the period, the Rangers scored twice. Alexis Lafreniere set up Artemi Panarin for his 45th goal. Lafreniere later finished off his 26th on a rebound in front from Alex Wennberg and Jack Roslovic.

The Rangers led 2-0 after one period on Wednesday night.

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Hell, to pay for Rempe tonight against Devils

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Derek

Fittingly, it’s a nasty day in the big city. The heavy rain is a perfect backdrop for tonight’s final regular season meeting between the Devils and Rangers. It promises to be intense.

Coming off another brutal loss, this time blowing a two-goal lead to the Penguins in embarrassing fashion by allowing the last five goals in the third period, the Devils sit six points out of the playoffs with seven games remaining. They basically need to run the table.

Considering how classic an underachieving team they’ve been, that’s about as likely as you or I landing on the moon. April 3 has been circled on the Devils’ calendar for a while. On Mar. 11, Rangers rookie forward Matt Rempe knocked Jonas Siegenthaler out of the game with an illegal check that resulted in an elbowing major and game misconduct. He served a four-game suspension for concussing Siegenthaler.

Siegenthaler just returned to the Devils’ lineup last night. He missed three weeks due to the dirty hit by Rempe, who didn’t accept Kurtis MacDermid’s challenge. When he left the ice, he waved goodbye to MacDermid, who had some harsh words afterwards. 

With MacDermid expected to be back for the Devils just in time for tonight’s game at Madison Square Garden, you know what’s coming. Unlike last time when he wouldn’t oblige MacDermid, Rempe knows that he must be accountable for his actions. If he’s smart, he’ll get it out of the way early.

When he’s played at The Garden, the 21-year-old has heard his name chanted by the crowd. They love what he brings. Rempe understands that he must play between the lines. He can’t take such undisciplined penalties. The energy he brings can help the Rangers. It’s an honest style that fans and teammates appreciate.

For his part, Rempe expressed remorse over injuring Siegenthaler. However, the Devils will be out for blood. This one could get ugly. That all depends on how the close Hudson rival decides to play. They can still keep their feint playoff hopes alive. But Rempe will play with a target on his back.

By inserting Rempe back into the lineup, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette looks to have changed his mind on who comes out. A day after Will Cuylle skated as an extra, Jonny Brodzinski was on the ice late. That likely means he’ll be a healthy scratch.

Brodzinski has been a nice story. He has contributed since coming up from the Wolf Pack. The 30-year-old veteran has posted six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 53 games. He was re-signed for another year for the hard work he’s put in. He brings more skating to the lineup.

Cuylle has been a gritty first-year player for the Rangers. Having spent most of the season playing on the third line, he’s added grit and physicality to the lineup. He’s also scored a dozen goals and added eight helpers while pacing the club with 237 hits. That’s an element they need.

Lately, he’s been used on the fourth line. Cuylle hasn’t gotten as many shifts. He’s a better fit when he plays with Alex Wennberg and Kaapo Kakko in the top nine. Having that sandpaper is important. Especially in a playoff series.

It’s understood that Cuylle made a mistake that led to a Pens’ breakaway goal scored by Emil Bemstrom in a 5-2 loss on Monday night. He tried to make a low percentage play inside his blue line. Those are the ones any player has to avoid.

If Laviolette was trying to get his attention yesterday, maybe he got the message. We’ll find out later. He expects better from a young player who’s graduated from just being a rookie.

The other story is the return of Erik Gustafsson. A good offensive skating defenseman who’s put up 30 points in 70 games, he was struggling defensively before an injury forced him out of action.

With Zac Jones providing consistent play when he filled in for Jacob Trouba, Ryan Lindgren, and Gustafsson, a case can be made for Jones to remain in the lineup. He played steady and heady on the blue line. Jones’ confidence has never been higher.

Laviolette has the final seven games to decide which player is best suited for playing on the third pair with Braden Schneider. Given that he likes Gustafsson, Laviolette will give him every chance to start the playoffs.

If Gustafsson struggles, then the coach will face an interesting decision. Jones has proven he belongs. We’ll see what happens.

The main event on Wednesday night should come early. Rempe should square off with MacDermid. How the game plays out will be interesting. Expect some fireworks.

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Rangers fall to Crosby Pens to end win streak at five

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Derek

The weather was sunny and pleasant. The Rangers looked like the best team in hockey. April Fool’s.

Neither was true on the first day of April. Instead, the weather was dreary. The Rangers looked nothing like the number one overall team in hockey.

An uninspired start put them behind by two goals. Although they made it interesting late after trailing by three, the comeback fell short in a 5-2 loss to Sidney Crosby and the Pens at The Garden.

In his only appearance at MSG this season, Crosby dominated the matchup with Vincent Trocheck and mismatched defensive pair K’Andre Miller and Jacob Trouba. Crosby had a goal and assist before 11 minutes had elapsed. One of the game’s greatest players, he finished the game by adding an empty netter to give him three points.

That clinched his 19th season of putting up at least a point-per-game, tying Wayne Gretzky for the record. The Rangers were on the wrong side of it. Crosby set up a goal from Bryan Rust just 18 seconds in. On a bad turnover from Jacob Trouba, Reilly Smith passed the puck for a Crosby shot on Igor Shesterkin that came right to Rust for an easy finish.

In his second game back, it was a brutal night for Trouba. He and Miller struggled mightily when going up against the Crosby line. For the night, each finished a minus-3. Rangers coach Peter Laviolette insists on keeping them together. It’s only been two games for Trouba after missing most of March. However, he doesn’t look up to speed.

Would it kill Laviolette to go back to Braden Schneider working with Miller, who looked much more comfortable when they teamed up in Trouba’s absence? There’s nothing wrong with having Trouba play on the third pair with Zac Jones. Jones was one of the bright spots, going plus-2 in over 18 minutes. He continues to make a strong case to be in the top six, even when Erik Gustafsson is healthy.

The Rangers looked sluggish for a majority of the first period. Especially whenever Crosby was out against Miller, Trouba, Trocheck, Artemi Panarin, and Alexis Lafreniere. Every offensive shift they had, Crosby made something happen. Another Trouba giveaway nearly led to Crosby scoring. He missed wide.

However, they weren’t so lucky a bit later. With the Pens absolutely owning the play in the Rangers’ zone, Kris Letang fed Pierre-Olivier Joseph for a one-timer that Crosby redirected home for his 36th goal of the season at 10:39. That put the Rangers behind by two.

Laviolette delayed at the bench before challenging for offsides. The replays on MSG Network were hard to tell. It was inconclusive. With it too close to overturn, the call on the ice stood. That gave the Pens a power play.

But Erik Karlsson took a bad penalty when he knocked Trouba’s stick out to earn an interference minor. That evened things up. During the four-on-four, nothing materialized for either side.

When it was over, Penguins backup goalie Alex Nedeljkovic made a key stop on Chris Kreider. Originally not expected to start, he played well with Tristan Jarry out due to illness. Nedeljkovic made 28 saves on 30 shots to earn the win.

Following a lackluster first, the Blueshirts turned it up in the second period. They were much better at attacking the Pens in their end. It looked like they’d find a goal and turn the tide.

With Evgeni Malkin off for slashing Adam Fox, the Rangers’ power play did everything but score. They got multiple looks on it. Following a Trocheck shot that hit the crossbar, they thought they had a power-play goal.

Mika Zibanejad let go of a one-timer that beat Nedeljkovic with Kreider parked in front. But referee Wes McCauley immediately waved it off. He cited goalie interference on Kreider. Judging from the replay, Kreider made just enough contact with Nedeljkovic to negate the goal. While many fans didn’t like the call, it’s incidental contact with the goalie. That’s why it didn’t count.

When play resumed, the top unit created a few more chances. But Nedeljkovic made three saves, including a pair on Panarin. He also made a good stop to deny Adam Fox.

After the power play expired, the Rangers continued to generate opportunities. Kreider came close, but his wrist shot hit the goalpost. Will Cuylle also missed a chance. He was again on the fourth line. Something that doesn’t make sense.

Kreider would be the trailer on a four-man rush. He took a back pass and just missed wide from the slot. It was that kinda night.

Igor Shesterkin then made a strong denial on a Malkin backhand in tight. It was his best save of the game. The loss wasn’t on him. It was more indicative of how the Rangers played. They’d been winning games despite not being at their best. Eventually, your luck runs out. It did tonight to end their winning streak at five.

Late in the second, another Karlsson penalty put the Rangers back on the power play. Despite getting a couple of shots on Nedeljkovic, they also had some attempts not reach the net. That included Panarin having his shot blocked by Letang. Zibanejad broke his stick on one attempt to send it wide.

They still trailed the Pens 2-0 after two periods.

In the third, the Pens played a solid defensive game. They frustrated the Rangers by playing a tight checking style. That kept them to the outside and limited their chances. Nedeljkovic was able to see the shots.

When Cuylle made a mistake by trying to make a pass inside his own blue line, the loose puck went past Trouba to send Emil Bemstrom on a breakaway. He made no mistake by shooting over Shesterkin’s glove to give the Pens a 3-0 lead with 10:09 left.

But over a minute later, Panarin and Fox combined to set up an open Kaapo Kakko in the right circle for a one-timer that just snuck over the goal line. Nedeljkovic made the glove save. Once they went upstairs to review it, Kakko had his 12th goal of the season to cut the deficit to two with 9:18 remaining.

After killing off a bench minor for too many men on the ice, the Rangers drew a little closer. On a bit of a fluky play, Zibanejad fired a one-timer that banked off the back boards right to Jack Roslovic, who was able to put in the rebound for his second goal as a Ranger. That cut it to 3-2 with 3:07 left in regulation.

With Shesterkin on the bench for an extra attacker, Letang won a board battle to get the puck past Zibanejad and Trocheck. Jeff Carter fed Rust for an empty netter that made it 4-2 with 2:11 left.

The Rangers didn’t give up. But it was a determined Crosby who got in front of a Panarin shot and blocked it. He then broke ahead to put in the empty netter to seal it with 45 seconds left.

By losing the game, they were unable to take advantage of the Hurricanes being idle. They still lead the Metropolitan Division by three points. Each team has seven games remaining.

The Rangers are one point up on the Stars for the President’s Trophy. They’ll return to action on Wednesday night against the Devils. The game will be on TNT.

The Devils are very much alive now due to the teams in front of them. Despite some bad losses, including a miserable 5-2 defeat at the Sabres last Friday, they are still in play for the playoffs. Wednesday’s game should have a playoff intensity. We’ll see if the Devils can bring the same urgency as the Pens.

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League Needs to Change the Schedule

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Derek

On Easter Sunday, the Rangers are one of 30 NHL teams that have off to celebrate the holiday. There’s only one game later this afternoon when the Ducks take on the Canucks in Vancouver.

At least they get it right when it comes to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. As exciting as the product is with scoring up, thanks in large part to the rule changes, it would be nice if the league did a better job with the schedule. There needs to be a change moving forward.

Most hockey fans enjoy rivalry games. Those generate the most interest. For the Rangers, playing the Islanders, Devils, Flyers, Penguins, and Capitals brings a unique element. There’s more of a buzz when you have traditional rivalries. The Islanders are the biggest rival for the Rangers. It’s over half a century old.

The names on the backs of the jerseys have changed over the years. Long gone are the  days of Potvin, Trottier, Bossy, Smith, Nystrom, and Gillies for the Islanders. The Blueshirts featured Esposito, Maloney, Greschner, Nilsson, Duguay, and Davidson. In 1979, the Rangers upset the Islanders in the NHL Semi-finals to take on the Canadiens for the Stanley Cup. They lost in five games.

The Islanders would eliminate the Rangers from the playoffs in four consecutive years (1981-84). That included Ken Morrow scoring an overtime winner in the deciding Game 5 to send the Islanders to the Patrick Division Finals. They won two more series before finally losing to the Gretzky and Messier Oilers for the Cup in 1984. That ended their dynasty.

The Rangers had a lot of good teams in the 80s. But they never could break through. The closest they came was in 1986 when they reached the Wales Conference Finals behind John Vanbiesbrouck. However, they ran into rookie Patrick Roy and the Canadiens. Montreal took the series in five and went on to win the Cup.

Most notably, the Rangers finally got the better of the Islanders in the first round during their run to the Stanley Cup in 1994. Led by Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Adam Graves, and Mike Richter, they dominated the Islanders to sweep them in impressive fashion.

That team would then oust the Caps in five and then dig deep to beat the Devils in a classic seven-game Eastern Conference Finals. “Matteau, Matteau” can still be heard in these parts. They went seven games to defeat the Canucks to capture the franchise’s fourth championship. They’re still waiting for another one three decades later.

If there’s a disappointing aspect to the regular season schedule, it’s the lack of emphasis on divisional games. The Rangers didn’t play the Islanders until the memorable outdoor game on Feb. 18 at Met Life Stadium. They came back from a two-goal deficit late in the third period to force overtime. Artemi Panarin won it 10 seconds in for a wild 6-5 victory.

Since then, the two New York rivals faced off on Saint Patrick’s Day. That game was won by the Rangers 5-2. They scored the last three goals to pull away. Both Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere had goals in the third to dash Islanders’ hopes.

The two teams will clash on April 9 and 13. If the Islanders are still in the playoff hunt, those will be significant games. If because of the way they play these days. Even Roy hasn’t been able to get them to play consistently. They trail the Flyers by five points for the final wildcard with nine games remaining.

There’s nothing wrong with having a pair of rivalry games that late in the season. Especially when there could be some meaning. The Rangers likely will still be battling for the President’s Trophy. Plus, they’ll likely have a chance to eliminate their crosstown rivals. There should be a lot of energy in the buildings for those tilts.

If there’s an issue with the schedule, it’s that there aren’t enough games inside the division. They play an 82-game schedule. The Rangers only see the Penguins three times. Tomorrow night, when Sidney Crosby and the Penguins visit Madison Square Garden, it’ll be the only time they’ll play in the Big Apple. That isn’t ideal for the league.

Crosby is a remarkable superstar who’s been one of the game’s greatest players. He’s still the face of the league. Even at 36, he remains a productive player. With an assist on Saturday, he’s up to 79 points in 73 games.

Crosby is closing in on 19 consecutive seasons of averaging over a point-per-game. If not for injuries, he’d likely have over 1700 points and chasing 2000. In 1263 games, he has 1581 points. That’s an average of 1.25 per game for his career. That’s legendary.

Astonishingly, the Pens are going to miss the playoffs for a second straight year. It speaks to how mismanaged they’ve been. Signing both Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin to deals with both in their mid-30’s wasn’t very wise. Both are revered in the Steel City for what they’ve done in the past. They teamed up with Crosby to win three Cups, including going back-to-back in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Neither was trading for Erik Karlsson. Even signing former Devil Ryan Graves hasn’t worked out. When they traded popular star forward Jake Guentzel to the Hurricanes, it wasn’t received well by Crosby. You could understand the frustration. What exactly is the plan in Pittsburgh?

Crosby has one more year left on his contract. The $8.7 million cap hit is the biggest bargain in hockey. He’s been such a great player for the Pens. The question is, does he want to stay? He can sign an extension this summer. If there’s any hesitation, the off-season will dramatically change. Imagine a market where teams are talking to the Pens about Crosby. It’s hard to envision him in another jersey.

What’s sadder is that you can only see Crosby if you have tickets to tomorrow’s game on April Fool’s Day. That in itself is foolish. Even if he isn’t playing, it’s the Pens. A rival that got the better of the Rangers during the 90s.

There’s still a lot of disdain for Mario Lemieux due to what he pulled during the 1992 Patrick Division Finals to get Graves suspended for the rest of the series. He was the biggest whiner.

The 1991-92 Rangers had more talent than the 1993-94 team that won. Had they advanced past the Pens, they might’ve won the Cup that year. A lot of young talent like Tony Amonte and Doug Weight might’ve stayed. We’ll never know what would’ve happened.

Instead, Mike Keenan came in, and Neil Smith sacrificed a lot of players to win that one Cup. That hurt the future of the franchise.

When looking at what’s wrong with the schedule, it’s the lack of divisional games. If they play 82, then teams should play their division more than four times. The Rangers play the Penguins three times. That’s not enough. There’s eight teams in each division. That means they can play the other seven teams. If it was even four per opponent, that’s only 28 games – leaving a ridiculous 54 games for outside the division.

In some cases, they’re playing the other division inside the conference just as much as their own division. Case in point. The Rangers will have faced the Panthers as many times as the Penguins. It’s three games against the Atlantic. That comes out to 24 games because it’s eight teams.

I understand why players are in favor of seeing the other conference. But it doesn’t have to be twice. They could reduce that part by alternating who plays at home for each season. It’s still 16 teams. Currently, you play the opposite conference 32 times. That’s more than your own division. It makes no sense.

A simple fix would be to make increase the number of divisional games. If they went to six, that would total 42 games. That would still leave 40 remaining games to face the other divisions. They could still play teams in the opposite conference once. Forty-two plus 24 equals 66. That would leave exactly 16 games.

Metropolitan Division

7 opponents ×6 = 42

Atlantic Division

8 opponents ×3 = 24

Central Division

8 opponents ×1 = 8

Pacific Division

8 opponents ×1 = 8

Total                     82

There’s no reason there can’t be more games inside the division. The Rangers shouldn’t go the first half without seeing the Islanders. By limiting the schedule, that takes away some of the juice from rivalries. There are hardly any classic home and home series anymore. It shouldn’t be.

If they played more divisional games, that would add more importance to getting points. We’re talking about three or four-point games. If you lose in regulation to a rival, it becomes magnified.

Why isn’t there another game against the Hurricanes? The Rangers only faced them three times, with the most recent meeting a playoff caliber game that they won 1-0 on Mar. 12. There should be. Carolina is still fighting for the division. They are  three points out with seven games left. The Rangers have eight remaining.

Hopefully, the league and players will recognize the importance of having more rivalry games. Without it, it hurts the regular season.

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Kreider and Quick reach milestones in Rangers’ win over Coyotes

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Derek

It was similar to the wild wild west out in The Desert. In what turned into another old fashioned shootout, like the 6-5 overtime win over the Flyers this past Tuesday, the Rangers outscored the Coyotes 8-5 to win their fifth game in a row.

This one had it all. If you like milestones, it was that kinda day at Mullett Arena in Arizona. The fans got their money’s worth on the college campus of Arizona State.

After only one goal was scored in a relatively quiet first period, the teams combined for a dozen goals over the next two periods. That was highlighted by Alexis Lafreniere scoring his 23rd and 24th goals while also helping set up a Ryan Lindgren goal for a three-point second. It was part of a memorable game for the 22-year-old from Quebec.

Lafreniere recorded his first career hat trick and added two assists for the first five-point game of his career. Although he was overshadowed by Chris Kreider scoring career goal number 300 and Jonathan Quick picking up win number 392 to surpass Ryan Miller for the most victories by an American-born goalie, Lafreniere was recognized as the game’s first star.

It’s been a big week for Lafreniere. He also scored twice in the win over the Flyers on Mar. 26. Since posting a helper against the Lightning on Mar. 14, the former 2020 top pick has 13 points (7-6-13) in his last nine games. He’s set new personal bests in goals (25), assists (27), and points (52).

It’s all come together in his fourth season. One in which Rangers coach Peter Laviolette decided to stick Lafreniere on the second line with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck.

No player has benefited more than Lafreniere from working with Panarin, who continues to pile up the points. He added three more to push his total to a career high 107 (44-63-107). Panarin won’t win the Art Ross that’s being contested by Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov, and Nathan MacKinnon. However, a strong case can be made that no player has been more valuable to their team than Panarin. We’ll see if the voters understand what the Hart Trophy is all about.

Lafreniere ranks second on the Rangers with 23 even strength goals. Panarin leads the team with 34 on the season. Both got empty net goals to secure the victory. That was necessary due to the resilient Coyotes cutting a 6-3 lead to one in the late stages of a wild third period that saw seven total goals scored. The Blueshirts outscored the Yotes 5-2.

It didn’t begin that way. Laviolette gave Quick the start with a chance to set the new record for most wins by an American-born netminder. He’d previously tied Miller by making 24 saves in a win over the Bruins on Mar. 21.

In the early going, Quick was sharp. Facing an opponent who had scored 16 times over the last two games, he made some key stops to keep the Coyotes off the scoreboard. That included a good save to deny Sean Durzi on a backhand.

The game marked the return of defenseman Jacob Trouba. The Rangers’ captain had missed the previous 11 games with a lower-body injury. The team didn’t mise a beat by winning nine of the 11 thanks to key contributions from Chad Ruhwedel and Zac Jones – who remained in the lineup with Erik Gustafsson out.

As expected, Trouba was reunited with K’Andre Miller on the blue line. It wasn’t exactly a great game for Trouba. He was on for three Arizona goals, including one that Clayton Keller burned him on during the second period. Miller was on for a pair but finished the game even. There was chemistry between him and Braden Schneider when Trouba was out. A case could be made that they should be put together before the playoffs.

Instead, Jones and Schneider worked together on the third pair. They were on for two goals for and one against. Jones scored his second goal of the season in the third period. He also continued to show confidence by making good reads that led to scoring chances. In 21 shifts, he had four shots-on-goal and finished plus-1 over 16:28 of ice time.

Schneider went plus-2 with five hits and five blocks in 16:25. The Rangers can’t do much better than having them as the third pair. It’ll be interesting how Laviolette handles Gustafsson when he’s available.

Laviolette kept the forwards the same. That meant for the second straight game, Matt Rempe was a healthy scratch. Jonny Brodzinski played again on the third line with Alex Wennberg and Kaapo Kakko. Barclay Goodrow stayed between Jimmy Vesey and Will Cuylle. If there’s a concern, it’s Laviolette’s reluctance to give Cuylle more ice time. He doesn’t belong on the checking line. His energy will be needed for the team to be successful in the postseason.

The only goal in the opening period came courtesy of a Lafreniere finish on a two-on-one rush. A Panarin touch pass led to Lafreniere skating into the Coyotes’ zone. Using Trocheck as a decoy, he faked a pass and then fired a wrist shot that went high glove on Coyotes goalie Karel Vejmelka with less than six minutes left.  Lindgren picked up the secondary assist.

Previously, Mika Zibanejad had a long shot go off the crossbar and down. The puck took a funny hop underneath Vejmelka. The Rangers took a one-goal lead to the locker room.

At the start of the second, it was a dominant shift from the Zibanejad line that pinned the Coyotes in their zone. Unable to get out, they were dead exhausted. With the Rangers controlling the puck, they eventually were able to change all five players. That led to Lindgren getting his third of the season.

Lafreniere made a good read by making a diagonal feed down low to Adam Fox. He then patiently waited before sending a perfect pass in front for Lindgren to bury to make it 2-0 at 1:59.

A few minutes later, the Coyotes came back with their first goal. On a Josh Doan outlet, Jack McBain gained the Rangers’ zone and then made a nice drop pass for Matias Maccelli to cut in and beat Quick for his 14th to make it 2-1.

But on the very next shift, some hustle from Trocheck allowed him to get the puck in front for Lafreniere, who went to the backhand to get his second of the game only 18 seconds later. It’s been that kind of consistent effort from Trocheck throughout the season that merits him as the leading candidate for the Steven McDonald Award. He deserves it.

Leading by two, the Rangers lost their focus in the second part of the period. On a play in their zone, Keller slipped free of Trouba to receive a Nick Schmaltz pass. He then moved in and scored his 32nd goal on a nifty backhand to make it 3-2.

The score remained that way until the final minute. Kreider thought he had his 300th goal. However, a coach’s challenge overturned it. They ruled that Jack Roslovic made enough contact with Vejmelka to change the call on the ice. It was iffy. Kreider threw the puck away.

Instead of leading by two, they only were up a single goal. On a late shift in the period, Schmaltz forced a turnover. He then set up Nick Bjugstad in front for the equalizer with 42 seconds remaining. That tied the game.

At the start of the third period, the Coyotes came close to grabbing the lead. They were unable to finish some chances. That proved crucial.

Kreider finally got number 300 with less than 15 minutes remaining. Lindgren centered the puck for Roslovic, who then made a nice shot pass down low for what else but a Kreider tip-in. His specialty. He’s made a living out of scoring goals right in front. It was a fitting way for him to achieve the milestone.

Less than two minutes later, Jones took a Lafreniere feed and buried a one-timer past Vejmelka to put the Rangers ahead by two with 12:48 remaining. Panarin set up the play.

As it turned out, the Rangers would need some insurance. It came from an unlikely source. It’s been a tough season offensively for Goodrow. However, his work ethic has always remained intact. He’s a key penalty killer. During a Coyotes’ power play, it was Goodrow who took advantage of a turnover to score a shorthanded goal on a breakaway. That made it 6-3 with still 10:27 left.

There was enough time for the Yotes to mount a rally. It started on another power play. With Jones off for delay of game, Bjugstad and Logan Cooley combined to work the puck in the slot where Lawson Crouse fired home his 21st to cut it to 6-4 with 7:39 remaining.

Just over two minutes later, Cooley blasted a one-timer past Quick for his fourth goal in two games. That made it a one-goal game with 5:24 to go. 

Quick had to make a big save to earn his record-breaking 392nd victory. He stopped Cooley on a backhand to preserve the win.

With the Coyotes lifting Vejmelka with less than 2:30 left in regulation, Kaapo Kakko got the puck to Panarin, who scored his team-leading 44th goal into an open net.

The only remaining question was whether Lafreniere would get the hat trick. He’d been close before. It finally happened.

Fox and Trocheck combined to move the puck to Lafreniere, who fired the puck down into the vacated net for his 25th goal with 15 seconds left to record the first hat trick of his career. That gave him five points.

Hats decorated the ice from the Rangers supporters who made the trip. Lafreniere was all smiles. It was a nice way to wrap it up. He deserved it. He’s had a good season. They’ll need more of that in the playoffs.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Rangers poured out onto the ice to mob Quick for his 392nd win. It was another special moment. There’s been a lot of them. Hopefully, the best is yet to come.

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Ruhwedel deserves credit for filling in on Rangers’ blue line

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Derek

When the Rangers visit the Coyotes later this afternoon, it’ll mark the return of Jacob Trouba.

He missed the last 11 games due to a lower-body injury. Without him, the Rangers went 9-2-0. They’ll bring a four-game winning streak into The Desert on Saturday.

A big reason for the team’s success without their captain has been the improved depth on the back end. The consistent play of Zac Jones and deadline acquisition Chad Ruhwedel helped stabilize the defense.  Both have been steady players since entering the lineup due to injuries that kept Trouba, Ryan Lindgren, and Erik Gustafsson sidelined.

Lindgren just returned in the Rangers’ 3-2 shootout win over the Avalanche on Thursday night.

With Trouba ready to be back in the lineup, that leaves Gustafsson as the only regular who’s missing. However, Jones has been so consistent that they haven’t missed Gustafsson. When he’s ready, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette will have an interesting decision to make.

When Ruhwedel was brought in by Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury, it was an insurance policy. He made the move in correlation to knowing Trouba was going to miss time this month.

As it turned out, adding the 33-year-old  veteran defenseman who won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins was a wise move. In five games, he’s played solid defensively for the Blueshirts.

Ruhwedel has made several blocks and taken the body while averaging a shade over 14 minutes. Laviolette even had him out for a key defensive shift in the final minute of a tie game against the Flyers on Mar. 26. He rewarded the coach with a responsible shift that helped the Rangers reach overtime. Adam Fox’s goal won a wild game 6-5 at Madison Square Garden.

With Trouba finally ready, it probably means that Ruhwedel won’t see too much action down the stretch. The Rangers are still battling a few other teams for the league’s best record. He deserves credit for how well he filled in. It isn’t an easy job. But Ruhwedel has shown why he was a good pickup.

The Rangers play Game 74 later at Arizona. They’ll have eight games left on the regular season schedule. That includes Sidney Crosby and the Penguins paying a visit to the World’s Most Famous Arena on Monday following Easter.

Astonishingly, it’ll be the only time fans will get to see one of the game’s all-time greats play on center stage. The Pens are heading for a second consecutive postseason miss. Crosby has remained over a point-per-game at 36. If you can get to MSG for the game, it’ll be well worth it.

The reminder of the schedule includes the Devils, at the Red Wings, the Canadiens, at the Islanders, and then the final three home games versus the Flyers, Islanders, and Senators.

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Rangers find a way in shootout win over Avalanche

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Derek

The Rangers have now won a league-leading 49 games. They found a way past the Avalanche in a 3-2 shootout victory last night in Colorado.

In a marquee matchup that featured two of the league’s best teams, the Rangers banked points 101 and 102 to stay first overall with nine games remaining. They have a one-point lead on the Stars for the President’s Trophy. The Bruins and Hurricanes have 99 points. The Avalanche and Canucks each have 98.

Whether or not they grab home ice for the entire playoffs, the Rangers continue to win consistently this season.

Two days removed from pulling out a wild 6-5 overtime victory over the Flyers at home, they went on the road and beat an elite team. The Avalanche boasts Hart candidate Nathan MacKinnon, Norris candidate Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen. They’re three of the game’s best players.

Colorado is in a battle with Dallas for first place in the Central Division. The former 2021-22 Stanley Cup champs upgraded their roster by adding center Casey Mittelstadt at the trade deadline in exchange for defenseman Bowen Byram. Despite being without Gabriel Landeskog for the whole season, they remain formidable.

Led by MacKinnon, whose 123 points (45-78-123) rank second in scoring behind Nikita Kucherov (42-82-124), they are an explosive offense. Rantanen and Makar are dynamic stars who can strike on any shift. Makar has the ability to jump in on the rush and cause headaches for opponents. He nearly ended the game in overtime when he went around K’Andre Miller.

A subplot was the head to head goalie battle between former teammates Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev. Shesterkin was particularly strong in the later stages – stopping 16 of 17 shots during the third period. He followed that up by making five more saves in overtime. That included a diving stop to prevent a sure goal.

Overall, Shesterkin made 38 saves and stopped both Mittelstadt and Rantanen in the shootout to get the win. He was selected as the game’s third star. They gave Artemi Panarin the first star for scoring in the first round of the skill competition. As brilliant as Panarin’s been, Shesterkin was the best player on Thursday night. He stood on his head.

Unlike Tuesday night, goals were hard to come by. There was no scoring until Mittelstadt beat Shesterkin with 33 seconds remaining in the second period. He took a good back pass from Brandon Duhaime and scored his 17th goal to give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead.

Miller was occupied with Duhaime, who made a good play. Panarin went to the bench on a line change. The Avalanche took advantage of that. Vincent Trocheck was too late to pick up Mittelstadt on the goal.

Through two periods, play was pretty even. The Avalanche led in shots 18-16. Each side only had six in a tight checking first. Colorado held a 12-10 edge in the second.

Trailing by one, the Rangers came back early in the third period to tie and grab the lead. On a smart play behind the Avalanche net, Kaapo Kakko stuck with it to bank the puck off Georgiev and in for an unassisted goal that tied the score at 2:59. It was his 11th goal.

Alex Wennberg returned to the lineup after missing the Flyers game. He was back between Kakko and Jonny Brodzinski. The fourth line consisted of Barclay Goodrow between Will Cuylle and Jimmy Vesey. Matt Rempe had the night off.

The biggest story was the return of Ryan Lindgren. Less than two weeks ago, he suffered a leg injury versus the Islanders when he and Jean-Gabriel Pageau came together. It looked serious. Fortunately, Lindgren didn’t miss significant time. He’s a warrior.

Lindgren was back on the top pair with Fox. He took 27 shifts and blocked three shots in 21:11 of ice time. Jacob Trouba skated at yesterday’s practice in a regular jersey. He’s getting closer to returning. Even without the Rangers’ captain and Erik Gustafsson, they’ve gotten steady play from veteran Chad Ruhwedel. He and Zac Jones have been consistent.

With the Rangers and Avalanche even on the scoreboard, Panarin drew a holding minor on Zach Parise. On just their second power play, the Blueshirts went to work. On a Panarin point shot, the puck went off Trocheck in front right to Chris Kreider, who scored his team-leading 14th power-play goal. It was the 299th goal of his career.

Following the goal, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar decided to challenge the play for a hand pass. They thought the puck was played illegally by Trocheck. However, the refs determined that it wasn’t a hand pass, making it a good goal. The puck deflected off Trocheck to Kreider for his 34th of the season. That put the Rangers ahead by one with 10:25 left in the third.

Due to the failed coach’s challenge, the Rangers went back on the power play. Unlike the successful five-on-four that they had previously, they were unable to take advantage of the opportunity. That left the door open for the Avalanche.

With the Avs applying heavy pressure, they finally found a way to tie the game. On a dominant shift from their top line, Devon Toews took a MacKinnon feed and fired a one-timer that Shesterkin made the save on. However, Lindgren accidentally put the puck in his own net. He tried to tuck it underneath Shesterkin. Instead, it became an unassisted goal for Toews. That tied the score with 7:13 left in regulation.

After Toews’ tying goal, the Avalanche had a few chances to go ahead. Makar missed wide on a dangerous opportunity. Parise had a shot go off the goalpost. Shesterkin made a few timely saves to help the Rangers force extras.

In the three-on-three portion, he made a couple of clutch stops to keep it alive. The Rangers played the overtime without Adam Fox, who took a puck up high late in regulation. He was okay. Miller, Jones, and Braden Schneider took the shifts in OT.

With time winding down, Trocheck got one final shot right on Georgiev, who made the glove save at the buzzer.

In Round 1 of the shootout, Panarin used a forehand deke to beat Georgiev upstairs. After Shesterkin foiled Mittelstadt, Mika Zibanejad tried to go to one but lost control of the puck. Georgiev looked to be there anyway.

Following a strong save from Shesterkin on Rantanen, Trocheck came out as the Rangers’ third shooter. He faked and then beat Georgiev to clinch the victory.

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Fox’s goal in overtime lifts the Rangers past the Flyers in old-fashioned shootout

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Derek

For two periods, the score was normal. Then, came a wild and wacky third period that was totally unpredictable.

In what turned into an old fashioned shootout, the Rangers edged the Flyers 6-5 in overtime on Tuesday night at The Garden. Adam Fox scored 36 seconds into OT to give them the win on home ice.

The victory kept the Rangers a point up on the Bruins for first overall in the league. They became the first team to reach 100 points this season. Combined with a rare Hurricanes’ loss to the Penguins, they now lead the Metropolitan Division by three points with 10 games remaining.

By winning over the Flyers, who earned a point to stay in third place over the red hot Capitals (4-3 OT winners over the Red Wings), the Rangers rewarded coach Peter Laviolette with career win number 800. He became the seventh coach to reach the milestone.

When Fox beat Flyers’ goalie Samuel Ersson, Laviolette cracked a smile. Assistant coaches Phil Housley, Michael Peca, and Dan Muse congratulated him on the achievement. Laviolette then was all business by heading back to the winners’ locker room.

Fox’s career high 15th goal also clinched a playoff berth. The Rangers are officially in the postseason. During the postgame, Laviolette was quick to point out that it wasn’t a big deal. They knew they’d make it. It’s all about what happens ahead.

While Fox earned the game’s first star for posting the overtime winner and an assist to give him 63 points in 62 games to push his late Norris campaign, Alexis Lafreniere was the Rangers’ best player on the night. The former 2020 top pick was super throughout the game – scoring twice in a high scoring third period that defied logic.

Lafreniere now ranks second behind Artemi Panarin on the team in even strength goals. His pair both came at five-on-five to pull ahead of Chris Kreider. Of his 22 goals, 20 have come at even strength. Panarin leads the Blueshirts with 33 even strength goals.

The Rangers skated without three of their starting defensemen. Erik Gustafsson was the latest to go down to injury. Hartford recall Brandon Scanlin made his NHL debut. He logged 10:46 of ice time while partnered with Chad Ruhwedel on the third pair. Ruhwedel again had a solid game, even taking a key defensive shift with less than a minute left in regulation. The former Penguin hasn’t made any glaring mistakes.

They also were without Alex Wennberg, who missed the game due to a family emergency. His wife is pregnant. She’s due with the new baby soon. We’ll know more about the situation.

In another twist, Jonny Brodzinski scored a big goal to touch off a seven-goal third. The Rangers outscored the Flyers 4-3. Previously, they trailed 2-0 more than midway through the second until Mika Zibanejad scored a crucial power-play goal that gave them some momentum.

Before that, they were badly outplayed by a desperate Flyers team battling to make the playoffs. They lost a lot of battles and were sloppy defensively. For too long, the Rangers looked flat and uninspired. They were outskated by a wide margin.

In what was a scoreless first, the Flyers had the better of the play by firing 15 shots on Igor Shesterkin. However, most came from the outside. Aside from a Lafreniere turnover that led to Shesterkin denying Bobby Brink one on one, he didn’t have to work too hard in the period.

On the flip side, the Rangers had nine shots on Ersson. He made one strong glove save. Aside from that, he didn’t face much pressure.

Early into the second, the Flyers grabbed the lead. Taking advantage of a bad line change, Travis Sanheim moved the puck up for Travis Konecny. He then found Scott Laughton open for a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Shesterkin at 2:58.

On the play, the Rangers changed their forwards without getting the puck deep. That left Braden Schneider and K’Andre Miller without any help. Miller was too far over to the middle to recover and prevent Laughton’s shot. It was a total team breakdown.

Continuing to look out of sorts, the Rangers were two steps behind the Flyers. They were out of sync. When Vincent Trocheck went off for tripping Tyson Foerster, the league’s worst ranked power play connected to take a two-goal lead.

Defenseman Egor Zamula passed across for a Laughton one-timer that came right to Ryan Poehling in front for an easy put away that made it 2-0 with 8:21 left in the second.

At that moment, it looked like the Flyers would cruise to a victory. But an errant Foerster high stick on Fox in the offensive zone with just over five minutes left swung the momentum.

The Rangers remain one of the league’s most dangerous power plays. They entered tied with the Panthers for the fourth rated at 25.9 percent.

On the man-advantage, they had full control of the puck. Able to get it set up, they worked it around up top. Fox moved the puck across to Panarin at the left point. He then passed over for a Zibanejad wrist shot that went through a Chris Kreider screen past Ersson stick side.

Still trailing by one at the start of the third, the Rangers drew even thanks to Brodzinski. Only in the lineup due to the absence of Wennberg, Brodzinski took a pass from Kaapo Kakko and got his sixth of the season to tie it at 1:23.

Suddenly, with the crowd alive, the Rangers used the energy in the building to surge ahead. On a strong shift from Lafreniere and Zibanejad, whom Laviolette put together during the second, a fluky bounce led to Lafreniere scoring unassisted at 2:57. Zibanejad sent a puck towards the Flyers’ net that took a funny hop in front right to Lafreniere for a backhand that went in for a 3-2 lead.

After scoring three in a row, they spent an extended shift in the Flyers’ end. However, a Jimmy Vesey shot from a sharp angle missed wide to trap his teammates. That allowed Konecny to come in on a breakaway and score his 31st unassisted to tie it back up.

From that point, the period became unpredictable. With Zac Jones in the box for high-sticking, the Flyers turned over the puck inside the blue line. Konecny lost his balance. That led to a two-on-one between Zibanejad and Trocheck. He got the puck across for a Trocheck shorthanded goal that put the Rangers back up 4-3 with 10:26 remaining.

However, the lead was short-lived. On a smart lob pass from Morgan Frost, the puck came right to Owen Tippett at the Ranger blue line. He then broke away from a chasing Miller and whistled a backhand that banked off the goalpost and in. That came 2:11 later.

Laviolette decided to reunite his best line. The move worked. On a strong offensive shift, Panarin got the puck to Trocheck, who had the puck come right to Lafreniere for a quick shot past Ersson for his second of the game. His career best 22nd goal, put the Rangers back in front 5-4.

With the Flyers’ urgency increasing, a broken play led to Foerster jamming in a rebound to again tie it at five with 3:31 left in regulation.

In overtime, it didn’t take long for the game to end. On some hustle from Panarin in the corner to keep a play alive, that allowed Trocheck and Fox to play catch. Eventually, Fox came in and fired a wrist shot that went blocker side to give the Rangers the exciting 6-5 win in extras.

With three assists in the victory, Panarin now is up to 102 points. He became only the seventh Ranger to record 100 points in a single season. Jaromir Jagr was the last player to do it in 2005-06.

The other five Rangers include Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Jean Ratelle, Vic Hadfield, and Mike Rogers.

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Panarin boosts MVP candidacy by shooting Rangers past Panthers into first overall

Posted on March 24, 2024 by Derek

In a showdown between two playoff contenders, the Rangers came back to defeat the Panthers 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday night at The Garden.

Artemi Panarin’s goal in the second round stood up as the winner. The emerging Hart candidate also scored twice to hike his goal total to a career best 43.

Following Carter Verhaeghe putting the Panthers ahead 3-2 with 4:08 left in regulation, Panarin took a Zac Jones feed and had his shot carom off a Panther’s skate for the game-tying goal with 3:25 remaining. It answered Verhaeghe’s goal only 43 seconds later.

On the goal, Alexis Lafreniere was battling in front. Originally, it looked like he might’ve put in the loose rebound. However, the replay clearly showed that it was Panarin’s goal. The way his season has gone, it isn’t surprising.

Everything has come up roses for the Bread Man. After Sam Reinhart evened the shootout at one to answer a beautiful goal by Mika Zibanejad, Panarin made a great move to the far right before finding just enough room to fire the puck underneath the glove of Sergei Bobrovsky.

Igor Shesterkin made stops on Anton Lundell and Vladimir Tarasenko to seal the victory.

That allowed the Rangers to pass the Bruins for first overall in the NHL with 98 points. They are in play for the President’s Trophy. A point up on Boston with 11 games remaining, they can clinch home ice for the entire playoffs.

It’s hard to say where they’d be without Panarin. With a pair of goals, he’s up to a career high 99 points. His next point will be number 100. It’s been a special season for him. Panarin leads Vincent Trocheck by 30 points for the team lead in scoring.

That’s overlooked by most of the national media who cover the sport. MVP candidates Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov, and Auston Matthews have stronger support. If the Rangers finish at the top of the league, that could work in Panarin’s favor. He’s so much better than every other forward that it should be noteworthy.

When he was up for the award in 2019-20, Panarin probably deserved to finish higher than third. Leon Draisaitl ran away with it while MacKinnon finished runner-up. If history repeats, then nothing has changed. This isn’t to say that MacKinnon or Kucherov aren’t deserving. They boast pretty talented teammates. Unless you think Mikko Rantanen and Brayden Point aren’t helping each candidate’s cases.

Panarin is responsible for Lafreniere’s breakout season. If Trocheck surpasses his career high in points (75), it’ll be due in large part to playing with Panarin. He picked up three assists in the victory to pull within six points of matching his career best season back in 2017-18 with the Panthers.

Sometimes, the most valuable player doesn’t need to have the most goals or points. They can carry a team.

The Rangers weren’t expected to be in first place this late in the season. Yet here they are atop the Metropolitan Division and tops in the league. That’s a credit to how well Peter Laviolette has coached. Unlike his predecessor, he hasn’t been afraid to double shift Panarin. That’s paid dividends.

The most impressive part has been Panarin’s consistent work ethic. He’s played well in all facets, including coming back defensively. Under Laviolette, the 32-year-old left wing has played the best hockey of his career. He’s been more involved in the forecheck and backcheck. It’s led to a special year.

In the third and final regular season meeting, both clubs skated without key players. The Panthers didn’t have Aleksander Barkov for a second straight game. Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling also sat out. The Rangers were again minus defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Jacob Trouba.

Laviolette made one change to the lineup. Opting to give Will Cuylle a night off, he inserted Jonny Brodzinski. He wants to make sure all 13 forwards stay fresh. It was Cuylle’s first healthy scratch of the season. Matt Rempe stayed on the fourth line. He heard his name chanted by the crowd.

The first period wasn’t the most exciting brand of hockey. That might’ve been due to the game’s importance. The Rangers also wanted to play a bit better defensively. It helped not to face Barkov. However, they’ve continued to manage well thanks to Jones and Chad Ruhwedel filling in admirably on the blue line for Lindgren and Trouba.

With the game still scoreless, the Panthers struck first with under 12 minutes left. Josh Mahura took a Verhaeghe pass and let go of a wrist shot that Matthew Tkachuk tipped home for his 23rd goal of the season. After a slow start, the dominant power forward is having a strong finish. Nobody will want to face him in the first round.

The Rangers failed to capitalize on a power play late in the period. With Oliver Ekman-Larsson off for taking down Trocheck, the power play was mostly one and done against an aggressive Panthers’ penalty kill. They didn’t get much set up.

After getting outshot 11-8 in the first, the second period didn’t start well for the Rangers. It took the Panthers just 21 seconds to double their lead.

On a play in transition, Reinhart took advantage of a sliding Erik Gustafsson to dish the puck across to Eetu Luostarinen for an easy tap in that put the Rangers behind by two.

But they got back in it thanks to the power play. After Kyle Okposo held Adam Fox, Trocheck and Zibanejad combined to get the puck to an open Fox. With plenty of time and space, he moved in and beat Bobrovsky with a wrist shot for his career best 14th. That cut the deficit to one with 13:38 remaining.

Just over two minutes later, Panarin struck for his 42nd to tie the game at two. Following a Panthers’ turnover, Fox and Trocheck combined to set up a quick Panarin one-timer that beat Bobrovsky.

The Rangers got some more opportunities in the second half of the period. But Bobrovsky kept them off the scoreboard. On the opposite end, Shesterkin was steady in stopping all 12 shots he faced. Bobrovsky made 13 saves on 13 shots in a busier second.

For most of the third period, it looked like neither goalie would budge. In particular, Bobrovsky. He faced more pressure but held up well.

It was the opportunistic Panthers that clawed back ahead with 4:08 left in the third. On some sustained pressure down low by Tkachuk, Brandon Montour pinched to get the puck to Verhaeghe. He then came out and got to the right circle, where he roofed a shot past Shesterkin to the short side. It was one he should’ve had.

However, the Rangers came back on the next shift to draw even. On some good work from Trocheck, Panarin took a Jones pass and took a shot that deflected off a Panther and in.

After nothing was decided in a good overtime that saw each side get four shots, including a Zibanejad to Chris Kreider set up that was denied by a sliding Bobrovsky, the game required a shootout.

In the top of the first, Zibanejad put on a series of moves before pulling off a Forsberg to tuck a backhand past Bobrovsky. But in the bottom half, Reinhart answered by going top shelf on Shesterkin.

Out came Panarin for Round 2. He was very patient by going to a deke that took him wide. He then found enough real estate to shoot the puck past Bobrovsky.

After Shesterkin made a save on Lundell, Laviolette wanted Trocheck to take the clincher. Facing his former team, he went for a simple wrist shot that Bobrovsky swallowed up.

That left it up to Tarasenko and Shesterkin. Facing his one-time teammate, Shesterkin wasn’t having it. He denied Tarasenko down low to seal the win.

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