Rangers make a statement in 5-2 win over Panthers
The New York Rangers try to avoid those “statement games.” Coach Gerard Gallant prefers to treat every game the same way with concessions to the quality of the opponent. But after blowing three straight two goal leads, even Gallant had enough. He called out the team and that made this game against one of the best teams in the NHL indeed a “statement game.”
Was it ever. After a loose first period that ended in a 1-1 tie, the Rangers turned it on. After allowing an early power play goal to Florida, the Rangers scored the last four goals of the game for a decisive 5-2 win. They beat a team that had lost only twice in their last 17 games and they did it without the best defenseman and the best right winger. They held the most high powered offense in the NHL to just two goals and they did it with a six man defense that is the youngest on a playoff-bound team.
The Panthers score over four goals a game and had scored 22 goals in their last four contests. The Rangers stopped them dead in their tracks.
Coach Gerard Gallant was pleased. “That was perfect. The last two periods was great. We battled back from a tough first period…I was real happy with how the team responded. I thought we came out in the second and third period, and we put pressure on them, made them turn the puck over…it was a different game.”
Okay, we won’t be getting too giddy about this win. The Panthers did get 36 shots on goal and had the Rangers on their heels several times, especially in the first period. But at 5v5 the Rangers had 51 shot attempts to Florida’s 46. They had 12 high danger scoring chances to nine for the Panthers. Their power play was three for five and they stopped Florida on two of three man advantages. Oh yeah, and Ryan Strome beat up Mason Marchment.
Gallant said that fight was a key. “The hit and Strome was a big part of the game, changed a lot of things for us…it did the job. I wouldn’t tell a guy to go fight, but the way it came down, he’s an important player but you can’t not respond to a guy hitting you like that. Strome did a great job.”
As the Rangers go off on their two week vacation, they need to remember this game. It’s the recipe that they need to follow to be successful. Win the special teams battle. Get the puck deep every time they can, then forecheck like crazy with heavy hitting on the walls. No dumb turnovers in center ice. And when all of that fails, let Igor Shesterkin see the puck so he can make the saves.
This was not a game that they “stole.” It wasn’t the case of them winning a game that they could have or should have lost. They won this game and won it big. They can play with the big boys.
About the game
Mika Zibanejad had spoken about the importance of playing a full game on Sunday and he did his part getting the Rangers off to a great start. He broke into the Panther’s zone with Ryan Reaves and tried to get the pass to him and it deflected off defenseman Gustav Forsling and past Spencer Knight and the Rangers had the lead just 35 seconds in.
Came to PLAY pic.twitter.com/HpJt9QGmZL
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 2, 2022
It was the fastest goal that they have scored in a game this season.
Despite the lead, the Panthers took over and had the better of the play. The Rangers got a huge break when the Panther’s Owen Tippett scored off the rush at 9:17, but the goal was disallowed as it was offside. It took a challenge by Gerard Gallant and the result was in the Blueshirts’ favor.
Still, the Rangers couldn’t stand good fortune as on a practically identical play, Anthony Duclair whipped a shot past Igor Shesterkin just a minute and a half later. It was a defensive breakdown as Libor Hajek took the wrong player and left Duclair wide open.
The period ended 1-1 and the Rangers had to consider themselves fortunate as they were outshot 15-7 and had a Florida goal disallowed. After the game, Kreider said that “we gave them too much time and space. They’re the best rush team in the league and we gave them a bunch of rush chances.”
In the second period, the Rangers came out hitting, but K’Andre Miller was given a penalty for holding Sam Reinhart and the Panthers power play connected just 2:18 into the period.
At that point, the Rangers took over. Their forecheck improved along with their physical play and the Panthers were unable to transition to offense as easily as they did in the first period. Just 1:09 after the Reinhart goals, Chris Kreider kept the puck along the boards and fed Alexis Lafrenière who skated out and put a backhand past Knight.
Make it count. pic.twitter.com/Kpgzpurt14
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 2, 2022
Tie game.
The Rangers controlled play with the help of one power play, but they also had to kill two penalties. FInally, at 16:46, Carter Verhaege was called for hooking Ryan Strome and the Rangers power play went to work. On the rush, Panarin got the puck to Strome who fed a streaking Chris Kreider who put it past the Florida Goalie.
CHRIS "POWER PLAY" KREIDERpic.twitter.com/JMMUF5cX9T
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) February 2, 2022
With two and a half minutes left in the period, the Rangers were up 3-2.
With less than two minutes left, Ryan Strome took a big hit from Mason Marchment, a hit that left him shaken up as he was in a defenseless position.
This hit by Marchment on Strome in the 2nd period led to a fight in the 3rd period (1/2)#Panthers 2 #NYR 3 P3 pic.twitter.com/y7CHl5BMFK
— Sᴘᴏʀᴛs 24/7 (@Sports_24x7_) February 2, 2022
The third period was all New York as Rangers kept the Panthers bottled up in their own zone. They held Florida to nine shots and whenever the Panthers were able to get into the zone, Igor Shesterkin was there to make the save. The Panthers had no high danger scoring chances in the third period.
Five minutes it, Strome had his chance to get even with Marchment for the hit and in a spirited bout, Strome won the clear decision.
Ryan Strome 🥊 Mason Marchment
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) February 2, 2022
(via @BR_OpenIce)pic.twitter.com/Tws9Coe4Qu
At 14:39 it was Kreider again on the power play after a high sticking call against Marchment. He took a spectacular pass from Zibanejad who threaded the needle to the front of the net for an easy tip-in for Kreider.
Consider the needle threaded. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/dwZnb0Lfai
— NHL (@NHL) February 2, 2022
Florida pulled their goalie with 3:33 left in the game, but Aleksander Barkov went off for tripping and Artemi Panarin put the puck in the empty net with 41 second left.
Here’s a video recap of the game.
Sure, the Panthers were on the second game of back-to-backs, but this was a resounding win for the Rangers and sent them off for a well deserved break.
Notes on the game
The Rangers go into the All-Star break with a record of 30-13-4 and are tied in points with first place Caroline. Only the Anaheim Ducks have played more than the Ranger’s 47 games. They have the sixth best points percentage (.681) in the NHL.
They improved their home record to 15-4-2. Only the Avalanche and Panthers have lost fewer home games this season.
As far as losing any ground in this two week break, the only team that has a lot of games in hand in the playoff mix are the Hurricanes who have five games in hand on the Blueshirts and should be expected to open up a sizable lead in the Metropolitan Division. Pittsburgh and Washington have only one game in hand and the Penguins trail the Rangers by two points while the Capitals are five points back.
This was the 300th win of his career for Gerard Gallant. After the game he said he didn’t realize until the team presented him with the puck, but overall he said “it’s no big deal.”
CONGRATS, TURK! 🥳 pic.twitter.com/NwIxbmJk2j
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 2, 2022
Mika Zibanejad’s two point night gives him 18 goals and 49 points and a tie for 12th place in the NHL scoring race. He has 13 goals and 28 points in his last 19 games.
Chris Kreider’s two goals gives him 33 on the season and he has a two goal lead over Leon Draisaitl. His 17 power play goals are tops in the NHL and four more than runner up Draisaitl.
This was the first game this season that the Rangers have scored three power goals. It moved the team into fifth place in the NHL with a 25.9% success rate.
Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist and move into eighth place in the scoring race with 52 points. His 39 assists are fourth most in the NHL, one behind teammate Adam Fox and eight behind league leader Jonathan Huberdeau.
After not scoring a point in nine straight games, Alexis Lafreniere now has scored a goal in two games in a row. He has 10 goals on the season. Only Lucas Raymond of the Detroit Red Wings has more goals (11) of all of the players drafted in 2020. For all of the criticism, Lafreniere has scored 21 goals in his career. That’s double what any other 2020 draft pick has scored except Tim Stützle (#3) who has scored 20.
The fight was Strome’s first fighting major of the season. The Rangers have 12 fighting majors so far this season. Last season they had 22 in 56 games.
All 10 points by the Rangers were credited to forwards as the defense was shut out for one of the few times this season.
The Rangers took two of three from the Panthers, winning the season series. The Rangers join the Seattle Kraken as the only teams to beat Florida twice this season.
The Rangers own the Atlantic Division. They have a 12-2-0 record, getting 24 of 28 possible points.
The kids on defense, specifically K’Andre Miller and Braden Schneider both played very well against a very fast team. Miller in particular was physical, throwing several big hits and almost getting into a fight at the end of the second period.
While Igor Shesterkin didn’t have to make any spectacular saves,he still stopped 36 of 36 shots and was noticeable for his stickhandling. He created breakouts at least twice in the game including on the Kreider second period goal.
Chris Kreider takes the league lead in goals (32) and the @NYRangers take the lead 3-2 🚨 pic.twitter.com/NJYbVqQXQY
— ESPN (@espn) February 2, 2022
He remains first in save percentage (.937) and second in goal against average (2.10). His 22 wins are sixth most in the NHL
My 3 Rangers stars of the game
- It’s tough to not give the top star to a player who scored two goals, but Mika Zibanejad deserves the top honor for this all around game. His goal just 35 seconds into the game was crucial as the team needed to get off to a fast start. His pass to Chris Kreider for the Rangers’ fourth goal was superb. He won 53% of his faceoffs and played 22 minutes.
- Chris Kreider continues to score important goals. After the game he lauded the players who get the puck to him, calling himself “the backboard for those skill guys,’ but he doesn’t miss and that’s important.
- Igor Shesterkin had just another day at the office, but he again held the opposition to two goals and only one at even strength and his headmanning the puck set up the Rangers game winning goal.
The official 3 stars
- Chris Kreider
- Mika Zibanejad
- Igor Shesterkin
What’s next
The Rangers are off until they play Boston on February 15. Chris Kreider will on full display at the skills competition on Friday night on ESPN at 7:30pm and the All-Star Game on Saturday afternoon on ABC at 3pm.
Without games, we will be trying to keep up with interesting topics here at Blue Line Station.
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