Rangers Shine Through the Lights-Out Performance in Seattle
Strategies That Left Seattle in the Shadows:
The Rangers brought their A-game, and one of the most impressive aspects was their defensive play. Seattle is known for playing a tight game on both ends, but Laviolette’s men found a way to counterattack.
In the neutral zone, the Kraken tried to prepare for New York’s 1-3-1 neutral zone trap, but it seemed like they were caught in a fishing net, struggling to execute it effectively. On the flip side, the Blueshirts had no trouble breaking Seattle’s 1-2-2 formation, like they were finding the right combination on a locked door.
It looked like a chess game when the Kraken set up their 2-1-2 formation in the offensive zone. Defenseman 1 (D1) had the puck and tried to find Forward 1 (F1), who was looking to pass to Forward 2 (F2) positioned in the slot. If F2 had some company from the defense, he could pass it back to D1, who crept in a bit, while D2 held down the blue line. Forward 3 crashed the net.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. When there was a 50/50 puck battle along the boards, D1 took a bit of a risk by getting closer to the action, exposing the point area.
To cover for this risky move, D2 stepped over to provide support, and this strategy is what they call an “overload.”
Yet the Rangers matched it well with their tenacity. That was evident in Panarin’s first goal when Chytil passed through the four man overload to a wide-open breadman at the other end of the ice.
If F1 and D1 won the puck and got it away from the wall, D2 and F2 would join the attack. F3 would roam the area and adapt to the situation. He could help along the wall, or seal others off. However, there wasn’t much space for Seattle to work with. They only managed two shots in the second period. It’s like the Rangers built a fortress on ice!
Regarding Dave Hakstol’s breakout plans, Seattle traversed the puck between the defensemen (Ds) laterally, sometimes behind the net, and then directed it to Forward 1 (F1), waiting at the far blue line.
Forward 2 (F2) would sprint through the middle, attempting to regain possession in the offensive zone, with the third forward crashing the paint.
On the defensive side, Seattle played it safe with a literal “box” defense around the net, Yet the risk was that this squeeze created more open ice, and the Rangers capitalized.
Quick on the Draw: Jonathan’s Stellar Debut as a Ranger:
Let’s not forget the big story from the game – Jonathan Quick’s first win as a Ranger! The three time Stanley Cup champion who grew up a Blueshirts fan spent most of his career with the L.A. Kings and finally received his chance in Seattle.
It’s been a bit of a bumpy road for him, with some concerns after a poor preseason with a .807 save percentage. Yet Saturday’s performance should hush the doubters, at least for a few days.
The 37 year-old didn’t have a heavy workload, facing 19 shots, but he handled 18 like a pro. He pulled off two incredible saves in the last 10 seconds of the first period, and that glove save on Oliver Bjorkstrand’s one-timer during the Kraken’s power play in the second period was pure magic.
That man advantage was a 5-on-3 opportunity, but the New York defense stepped up big time.
Reigning Calder Trophy winner Matty Beniers had a couple of good looks for Seattle, but K’Andre Miller and Vincent Trocheck pulled off some slick stick lifts to deny him. Nick Bonino was a faceoff wizard, winning 55% of his draws, and he had two impressive blocks in one sequence. Trocheck threw his weight around with five hits and even had a little tussle with Jared McCann.
Defensively, New York put up a “No Entry” sign for Seattle, allowing just two high-danger scoring chances. The Rangers made Quick’s job and their flight to Calgary much easier.