First of all, let me apologize. The game went super late due to a lengthy delay, so I had plenty of time to think of terrible puns involving lights. The Rangers overcame a slow start and an issue with a bank of lights that kept one side of the rink darker than the other throughout, causing the teams to switch sides mid-periods. Despite that, the Rangers lit up (see, I can’t stop) the Kraken for four unanswered goals, leading to a 4-1 win in their most complete effort since the opener.
An odd game but one with some substantial positive takeaways for the Rangers, so let’s look at the good (The Baldman Cometh), the bad (can we ever start fast?), and everything in between (only the shadow knows.)
THAT’S GOOD!
BREAD LINE
Artemi Panarin has been a constant fixture in this section through the season’s first five games. Rightfully so. There was a ton of talk in the offseason about how his lackluster series against the Devils (especially) was a catalyst to come out blazing and “different” this year, and so far, he has backed it up. The shaved head might have seemed symbolic, but whatever it is, it’s working.
Even with a stellar run on Broadway so far, the one (valid) “knock” against Panarin is that he’s not aggressive enough with his shot. He is always looking for an angle to pass, even at the detriment of a point-blank look at the net. While he’ll never be a mindless sniper, you can see a concerted effort to let loose more, and it’s putting his game back to that elite level.
His first goal was the byproduct of a stellar pass by Chytil (more on him in a second), but his quick release and shot were a precise thing of beauty.
His second was even more special. Again, created by the hard work of his linemates, Chytil and Laf (beasts all night), Bread was surrounded by two to three Kraken a few feet from the top of the crease. The puck deflected up in the air, which he swatted to the ice with his glove. With some luck and skill, the puck pinballed between two Kraken, and he unleashed a wicked shot that beat Grubarer with little hesitation—the perfect example of how his game is firing on all cylinders right now.
Whether that is sparking his two young linemates or the effect is mutually beneficial can be debated, but last night showed the epitome of what this team would LOVE to see from Chytil and Laf.
We’ve seen this leap from Chytil (first 3-point game of his career) since last year, and while he’s a little snakebit right now with goals, his level of play is up to standards. The real revelation from last night would be the hope that Lafreniere can consistently be this type of player. His goal resulted from him being in the perfect spot and releasing a quick, decisive redirect off a great Chytil pass. However, it was also his constant engagement all over the ice which is the most encouraging. Too often, you don’t hear his name enough for a player of his pedigree. With these linemates and a motor that keeps revving, his production should be unlocked, which would significantly boost the trajectory of this team.
DEFENSE
In the early going, the improved defense is easily the most tangible impact you see Laviolette and the coaching staff having on the team. My favorite aspect is that they’ve developed more of a swarming mantra in the defensive zone. It could be anywhere from one to three players, but we are quicker to the puck than we used to be, and when it’s clicking, it’s limiting shots and chances. The Rangers smothered the Kraken all night, and when they didn’t…
QUICK
Granted, he didn’t have a lot of work, but when he did, he was up to the task, especially with the glove. Full disclosure: there’s not much Jonathan Quick can do this year to ever wipe away 2014 in my mind. Call me small and petty, but this one won’t be one of those movies or TV shows (I’m looking at you, Walking Dead) where they try to redeem the villain after the most evil actions against the protagonists. There’s nothing he can do about that except play as well as he can and hopefully be a cog in a Cup run. Then I will nod as if to say, “I’ll never forgive you, but you can go now and star in your own spinoff.”
Anyway, I’ve lost the narrative, which is Quick was damn good last night. That was a sneaky big reason for the win.
PK
I love what this penalty kill is doing in the same mold as the defense—most importantly, during a potentially game-altering sequence in the 2nd period with back-to-back penalties (and a slight five-on-three overlap). The PK didn’t let them breathe and was sound and effective. I’ll ALWAYS want to stay out of the box, but it’s a little more comforting when you can count on these killers and have a shot at some back-breaking shorthanded chances as well.
THATS BAD
SLOW STARTS
Much like Game One in Buffalo, there was not much to nitpick last night. If there was one qualm, it was a recurring one. This team always seems somewhat stuck in the mud at the beginning of each game. It was an issue under Gallant, too, so maybe it’s the nature of the players. If you finish strong, I’d prefer that DNA, but slow starts could result in a more talented team getting out to a big lead that we can’t recover from—something to keep an eye on.
CAN I GO NOW?
- I’ve seen a lot of sporting events and plenty with lighting issues, but I don’t remember one that didn’t get corrected at some point. Thankfully it didn’t affect the game itself much. How they handled it was the fair option, but still, I know the facilities team and managers all had a long Sunday morning Zoom meeting they were not expecting to have. That’s a relatively new arena, too.
- I love the heart of this team. Always have, which is why games like Nashville are so perplexing. Still, teammates sticking up for each other all over the place last night, punctuated by Trocheck winning his round on points with McCann. Nice jabs, Tro.
- It was easily Trouba and Miller’s best game last night. They were all over the place(in a good way) in every facet, including two assists for K’Andre.
- I’m starting to see some chatter about Wheeler being a little slow/past his prime. Granted, despite some flashes from Cuylle and Trocheck, Wheeler hasn’t been too noticeable. Still, the dude is a pro and a scorer. Let’s give him another five to ten games before we start screaming for Othmann to come up. (On that note, I’m excited for him, too, but I’d prefer letting him cook in Hartford a bit longer.)
- The next game will be under the lights (hopefully) of Calgary on Tuesday at 9:45 p.m. ET.
