New York Rangers: Main takeaways from Edmonton Oilers loss

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 12: Kaapo Kakko #24 of the New York Rangers celebrates his first NHL goal at 18:28 of the first period against the Edmonton Oilers at Madison Square Garden on October 12, 2019 in New York City. The Oilers defeated the Rangers 4-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

1. Kaapo Kakko Arrives

It finally happened. Kaapo Kakko scored his first goal in the National Hockey League on Saturday.

We’re joking about the finally bit, of course. This was only Kakko’s third game in the NHL and he had looked exceptional in his first two outings, doing everything but get on the scoreboard.

But perhaps it was fitting that Kakko’s welcome to the NHL moment came against a team with a player who also entered the league to great fanfare and is now one of, if not the best players in the game right now.

We are of course talking about Connor McDavid.

But Saturday, at least in the minds of Rangers fans, belonged to Kakko as he announced his arrival in North America in emphatic and impressive style.

Executing a game of pitch and catch with Ryan Strome, Kakko displayed his lethal combination of speed, skating ability and nifty stickhandling ability before backhanding the puck past Oilers goalie Mike Smith.

Low-key first period.

😏 pic.twitter.com/wTfptXT827
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 12, 2019

It was a breathtaking moment that sent MSG into raptures and hockey Twitter into a spin, and that should be the first of many for the rookie phenom.

The only question remaining is when Kaapo Kakko will be bumped up to the first line and on to the top power play unit, which appears to be a mere formality now.

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