New York Rangers Antti up the Victory
Rangers second period leads to win
To start the season the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers were battling for the top spot in the NHL.
Coming into tonight’s game, the Canadiens are one of the worse teams in the league and the Rangers are trying to keep room between themselves, the New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The game started, and both teams were feeling each other out, yet; it was the Rangers and J.T. Miller on the board early. After a bad pinch in by Alexi Emelin, who went for the big hit on Derek Stepan, Stepan got the puck to Miller. Miller would toe drag past Andre Markov and score.
Later in the period Canadiens Lars Eller would score off a broken play by the Rangers defense and the game was tied at one apiece.
The period ended 1-1 and the Rangers outshot the Canadiens 11-7.
Like in the first, it was the Rangers who get on the board again. After Chris Kreider missed the Derick Brassard collected on the rebound.
The goal seemed to do a reverse effect and energize the Canadiens. The push by the Canadiens caused a holding penalty by Jasper Fast but the Rangers Penalty Kill was up for the task.
The Rangers killed the penalty and then Rick Nash forced Andre Markov into a holding call and the Rangers power play went to work.
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The Blueshirts wasted no time and Kreider converted off the beautiful pass from Brassard, it was the third game in a row the power play converted.
Just two minutes later Kreider made a nice defensive play and it was off to the races and Kreider scored off the breakaway.
However, don’t count the Canadiens out. A Dan Boyle pinch led to a goal by Phillip Danault and the lead was cut to 4-2.
Late in the second Emelin took a cross checking penalty on Tanner Glass and again the power play went to work. Shorty after the power play started Stepan scored and the Rangers are two for two on the power play and the period ended with the Rangers on top 5-2 even though they were outshot 10-8.
Ben Scrivens started the third period for the Canadiens. To start the third period the Rangers took three back-to-back tripping calls. Yet, the penalty kill was up to the task and killed off all three. The Rangers also went on a power play that was unsuccessful.
Late in the third Keith Yandle took a cross checking penalty, and the Rangers were able to kill it again.
Antti Raanta won his third game in a row and his sixth win in his last seven games. Yet, don’t let the final 5-2 score make you think it was a walk in the park. The Canadiens outshot the Rangers 26 to 23 and nine to four in the third
The Rangers gain points 93 and 94 as they get ready for their game tomorrow vs the Pittsburgh Penguins. A game that has the possibility of a being a first-round playoff matchup.