New York Rangers’ Top five goals of the 2016-2017 season
The New York Rangers were a high-octane team in the 2016-2017 season. Blue Line Station has the best, most important, and most skilled goals they scored this year.
The New York Rangers scored the fourth-most regular season goals this past year, putting an impressive 256 pucks past opposing goalies. With that many goals, many can be considered candidates for a “best of the season” list.
There were some truly exciting goals scored by the Rangers this year. A successful regular season and a trip to the second round of the playoffs means our list will cover both meaningful goals and goals notable for skill or passing plays.
Whether it was a goal scored during the Rangers’ offensive outburst at the beginning of the season or a clutch goal in the playoffs, we have their top five goals of the year.
5) J.T. Miller vs. Colorado
In a game that the Rangers ran away with, Miller had the standout goal. Even with Chris Kreider’s hat trick, it was Miller’s second period tally that stood as the game-winner.
And what a goal it was.
After Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie crossed the blue line and dropped a pass that nobody picked up, Miller was off to the races. He picked it up, took a couple strides into the offensive zone, and unleashed an absolute cannon. The slapshot caught Avalanche goalie Calvin Pickard unaware, going far-side and off the crossbar and in.
I was at this game, and let me tell you: this was the best slapshot any Ranger has taken in years.
4) Rick Nash vs. New York Islanders
Rick Nash was brought to New York to score goals. Though his game has rounded out and he’s now a more complete two-way forward, he is still a premier power forward. Nash drives the net hard, shoots a ton, and creates plays in places nobody else on the Rangers can.
While he probably won’t repeat his 40-goal 2014-15 season any time soon, Nash’s goal against the Islanders on March 22, 2017 is a prime example of what he can do. It was the kind of goal only a big, strong, offensively gifted player can manage.
After a nifty pass up the boards from Oscar Lindberg, Nash gathered the puck near the Islanders’ blue line. With a deft outside-inside move with one hand on his stick, Nash breaks in before diving and chipping a goal back across Thomas Greiss.
3) Mika Zibanejad vs. Montreal
Zibanejad established himself as an offensive catalyst for the Rangers this season, despite missing two months with a broken leg. He scored big goals, including two overtime winners against Tampa Bay and New Jersey. With a healthy leg and an impressive playoff performance under his belt, Zibanejad looks to be an important piece in New York for years to come.
But most importantly, Zibanejad sealed his reputation as a clutch overtime performer in April. He scored perhaps the biggest goal of the year for the Rangers, finishing a broken play from Chris Kreider to get the Rangers up 3-2 over Montreal in their first-round series.
The play started in the neutral zone, with the Rangers coming up ice with speed. Kreider broke into the Canadiens’ zone before attempting a shot on net. His shot came off the heel of his stick, though, and deflected off of Alexei Emelin’s blade. Zibanejad snuck in behind the play and elevated the puck over a helpless Carey Price, giving the Rangers the win.
2) Michael Grabner vs. Tampa Bay
In the halcyon days of October and November 2016, the New York Rangers were unstoppable. The were scoring 5 or more goals almost every game, getting scoring up and down the lineup, and Michael Grabner was at the heart of it.
The Rangers jumped all over the Tampa Bay Lightning in their first meeting of the season, with Grabner scoring one goal early before breaking through in the third period.
While this goal goes on the scoresheet under Grabner’s name—and rightly so, as he made a nifty move in front of the net—this goal was the work of Kevin Hayes.
After receiving a breakout pass, Hayes entered the Tampa zone and simply undressed Tyler Johnson and Victor Hedman before setting up Grabner for the short breakaway. Hayes’ one-handed spin move, including a between-the-legs dance with the puck, was nothing short of ridiculous. He drew both Lightning players to him and left Grabner in the clear for the hat trick.
Honorable mentions: Chris Kreider and Rick Nash
The first honorable mention came off the stick of Chris Kreider. I wrote about this goal back in December, but it’s worth mentioning again here.
Kreider has a rare talent, even in the NHL, with his release. He’s mastered shooting the puck mid-stride, thus taking goalies off-guard. This goal was one such play, but with an added twist: he faked a shot, first. Kreider shot this puck with both of his feet off the ice—an incredibly awkward proposition—and put an absolute laser top shelf.
Our other honorable mention goes to Rick Nash, giving him his second inclusion on this list.
Nash’s backhand goal against the Carolina Hurricanes was a thing of beauty, culminating in a short-side, bar-down goal. He stole the puck in the defensive zone before rushing down the ice and splitting two Hurricanes defensemen. The finish was pure skill.
1) Pavel Buchnevich vs. Winnipeg
Coming into the NHL as a young player who barely spoke any English and needed to adapt to the North American game, Pavel Buchnevich nonetheless had hefty expectations on his shoulders. Despite being the victim of a back injury and Alain Vigneault’s questionable lineup decisions, Buchnevich still impressed.
After a slow start, Buchnevich finally scored his first goal early in November against the Boston Bruins. That goal led to a four-game scoring streak before his back injury took him out of the lineup.
But it was his second goal, and first at Madison Square Garden, that was the best Rangers goal of the season.
The Rangers won a neutral zone faceoff before Adam Clendening (Oh, sorry, he doesn’t exist anymore) some random defenseman, probably Dan Girardi, started a clean breakout. Buchnevich corralled Brandon Pirri’s pass off of his skate before abusing the Jets’ defense.
This goal had a little bit of everything: a nice, clean breakout; some filthy mitts to undress a defenseman; core strength and balance to fight through a check; and patience to out-wait the goaltender and score top shelf.
Next: Rangers 2017 Entry Draft preview
Buchnevich is obviously talented, but few players league-wide can score goals like that. His future is bright in New York, especially if he gets the opportunities and ice time he deserves next season.