Shootout propels Jets over New York Rangers

FINAL SCORE: New York Rangers – 0 Winnipeg Jets – 1 (SO)

FIRST PERIOD: The Winnipeg Jets were hoping to come into Madison Square Garden in the first period and play well enough to quiet the crowd and cut any chance of Rangers momentum. However just five minutes in the Rangers got an opportunity on the power play and didn’t score and as soon as that power play ended they got another one and AGAIN they didn’t score. However those two power plays did give them the momentum they were looking for throughout the game. Sometime along the way of the first period, Kevin Klein took a hard shot to the foot and was sent off the ice with no word on whether he would be returning to play, and just a couple of minutes later Ryan McDonagh took a HARD hit from Evander Kane and hit his left shoulder (the same one that he injured last season) and had to leave the ice, again with no word. After that the Rangers had to handle a penalty opportunity which they did, they finished the period up 10-6 in shots but down Klein and McDonagh. No goals were scored this period, and the game was tied 0-0.

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SECOND PERIOD: John Giannone of MSG networks asked defensive coach Ulf Samuelsson for an update on the situation and he said that Klein could be back at some point during the game. He also said that they asked around the locker room who would want to play defense and that nobody volunteered but that Kevin Hayes and Tanner Glass said they could and Rick Nash said that he played some beer league defense often and could volunteer, HOW FUNNY IS THAT. Anyway, the Rangers announced midway through the period that McDonagh suffered a separated shoulder and Klein a foot contusion and neither would return to play. At just under eight minutes to play in the period Anthony Duclair took a very questionable penalty which the Rangers killed off, on that power play Hayes got a wonderful chance with Lee Stempniak but elected to try and shoot instead of pass over on a 2-on-1 and Ondrej Pavelec stopped the puck, as he did many, many pucks during that period, he and Henrik Lundqvist played exceptional throughout the second period. Jacob Trouba took a penalty with five seconds left in the period to give the Rangers their third power play of the game. The period ended and the game was still tied 0-0 but the Rangers played well offensively and were up 26-14 in shots.

THIRD PERIOD: The Rangers had some great chances on their power play but could not find the back of the net past Pavelec. So the Rangers just continued on with their strong pressure of the jets. However, a few minutes later, Marc Staal took a bit of an extended shift and took a tripping penalty with 14:35 left in the period which a tired Rangers group managed to kill off. Just under halfway through the period, Nash drew a penalty and sent the Rangers to their fifth power play of the game which was killed off by the Atlanta Thrashers .. I mean Winnipeg Jets. One thing that’s worth mentioning for this game is how well the defense played, Staal and Dan Girardi, Matt Hunwick and even Mike Kostka played most of this game with only four defense-men and each one of them stepped up to the plate and did what had to be done. ZERO GOALS WERE SCORED, and the Rangers and the Thrashers, um Jets went to overtime. The Rangers were up 35-21 in shots and were headed to overtime.

OVERTIME: The Jets dominated most of this five minute period, the Rangers got a few chances, one by Chris Kreider the other by Martin St. Louis but neither scored on their chances. Lundqvist and Pavelec both had to make tough saves. The overtime ended and the Rangers went to the shootout.

SHOOTOUT: 

ROUND ONE: Mats Zuccarello scored. Blake Wheeler scored.

ROUND TWO: Rick Nash didn’t score, neither did Andrew Ladd.

ROUND THREE: Dominic Moore didn’t score, neither did Brian Little.

ROUND FOUR: Martin St. Louis doesn’t score, but Evander Kane does and the Rangers lose 1-0.