It was the powerplay that got the Rangers going tonight. A beautiful passing move saw Adam Fox alone with a lot of net to shoot at. It was an easy conversion for the former Norris Trophy-winning defenseman, who put the Rangers up 1-0. Once the wheels were in action in that second period, it would take a lot to stop them, which proved to be too much for the Edmonton Oilers as this Rangers team continued to get stronger.
Braden Schneider made it 2-0 after a beautiful keep-in by the Blueshirts. An excellent feed to Schneider allowed the young defender to pick a corner on Stuart Skinner, who had no chance. That was the goal that gave the Rangers the multiple-goal lead that they would not relinquish. A multiple-goal lead in the second period and the Rangers were not done in this frame yet.
Alexis Lafreniere would find the net again as he looks to repay the faith put in him by head coach Peter Laviolette. He made it 3-0 in the second period, and the Rangers started to pull away in the second period. At the end of 40 minutes, three of the younger members of the roster had combined to put the Rangers ahead. It was Peter Laviolette’s men who then shut it down in the third.
Despite having a possible fourth goal disallowed after the referees ruled that Blake Wheelers’ feed was intentionally kicked into the Edmonton cage by Will Cuylle, the Rangers responded by just doing what any good team needed to do. There is no need to keep trying to run the score up. Just make the game as boring as anything and ensure the two points in the standings, which they did.
Jonathan Quick, who got the start tonight, was excellent, allowing Igor Shesterkin to rest and collecting his fourth career shutout of the Edmonton Oilers and the 59th total of his career. He stopped all 29 shots he faced, and he’s been excellent as a member of the Blueshirts. It’s exciting to talk about the youth of this team, but for a man that some thought would not be a capable backup to be as good as Quick has been, it is an excellent sign.