Anytime a team can open their season on the road and win a hockey game is a good thing, no matter who it is against.
It is even better if the team can do so in a convincing fashion. That is exactly what the New York Rangers did on Thursday night, October 12th, when they defeated the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 5-1 at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY.
The Rangers did a lot of good things in this hockey game. They were able to put the puck in the net with consistency, played extremely well defensively, got the job done on special teams, and got the goaltending they needed from Igor Shesterkin, who won his 100th career game, when things broke down, which was not too often.
In the team’s season-opening victory, several things stood out. For starters, Chris Kreider looked great.
Kreider, 32, had three points on two goals (one powerplay goal and one shorthanded goal) and an assist, established a great net-front presence, had three shots on goal, and was a +/- + 2 on the night. Kreider got off to a slow start last season, so the fact that he got on the board in the first game could go a long way.
Artemi Panarin also had a great night. He had a goal and assist for two points, helped create a few turnovers, and looked good playing with Alexis Lafreniere.
Speaking of Lafreniere, 22, it was great to see Alexis Lafreniere open the scoring about four minutes into the game. I know that many fans, including myself and pundits alike, criticized him during the offseason and preseason, but maybe his play tonight will be the start of something. For both his sake and the organization’s sake, it better be.
The team also defended extremely well in this game. They blocked 23 shots, forced the Sabres to shoot from the outside, and made life relatively easy for Shesterkin, as he had to make just 23 saves tonight.
In all, the Rangers did a good job of following new head coach Peter Laviolette’s system. They were aggressive, they created offense by playing well on the other end of the puck, and they capitalized on their chances.
It may only be the team’s first game of the season, but the Rangers played the game the right way, and because of it, they were able to come away with a victory to kick things off.
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