New York Ranger Gabe Perreault impacted team in debut according to fans

The New York Rangers beat the Minnesota Wild at Madison Square Garden in OT with a 4-5 score. This was a much-needed win to gain points and get one step closer to a wildcard spot. This game also marked the debut for 19-year-old Gabe Perraeult, who performed honorably. Additionally, Igor Shesterkin had a fantastic game with 20 saves.

The Rangers finally secured a win. The team desperately needed this; the countdown to the wildcard spot is only getting shorter. And now, with only seven games left of the regular season, the pressure is on to see if they have the potential to keep playing into the playoffs of the Stanley Cup. The Rangers couldn’t have won without the scoring of Braden Scheinder, K’Andre Miller, Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin, and lastly, making the OT goal, Vincent Trocheck.

Also, Gabe Perreault, the newbie of the Rangers, could have possibly made the Blueshirts step up their game.

I was in attendance at this game, nervously watching as the score kept returning to a tie when the Rangers would have the leg up. I observed fans at MSG; overall, they were proud of their team. At the beginning of the game, I heard some chirps, but maybe the team heard them too because, following the fans being a bit upset, they came to perform and brought us the win.

After the game, I, Hannah Eng, continued the fan comment interviews at MSG, discussing the Ranger goalie duo and the NHL debut of Perreault. 

Gabe Perreault

I asked, “Do you think the newbie Gabe Perreault impacted the Rangers in the way they played tonight?” and “What did you think about his rookie lap?”

"Absolutely. The guy killed it … I loved every second of it. It is great seeing these guys, these young guys coming up, you know, going from college and playing in the NHL. It’s great."

Peter, NY Ranger Fan

"I thought Perrault skated extremely well. He was in the forecheck and on the backcheck. He really affected the game on both ends of the ice. He had a really good effect on the top six: how they transitioned the puck, and the cycle in the offensive zone was a lot better."

Jonny, NY Ranger Fan

"Yeah, I thought, you know, with a little amount of power-play time that he had, he really showed his IQ out there with the passing … made some great passes … almost could have had three assists this game, but he couldn’t find the back of the net, and neither could the people he passed to, but other than that, he had a very good game."

Alex, NY Ranger Fan

Goalie Duo

Next, I asked some fans about our power goalie duo.  The question was, “Why are Igor and Jonathan the best goaltender duo in the league”? And this is what they had to say.

"So, as you know, Quick has beat us in Stanley Cup, and he's just the top performer and go along with Igor best goalie in the league since two years ago."

NY Ranger Fan

"They show up when they have, even though their defense may be slacking. They get the wins. But Igor also has to pick it up. He’s got a monumental contract right now. He is not playing what he is worth. He has to make saves that no one has seen before. This is money that no one has ever seen before."

NY Ranger Fan

It was a sight for sore eyes to see the Rangers win. Fans came out of MSG smiling and chanting proudly, “Let’s Go Rangers”. The fanbase of the Rangers is strong, and we hold a lot of pride when our team wins. It was good to see that energy from fans again. The Blueshirts must keep winning; they can’t give up on us. The time is now to kick the winning streak into oblivion. The team also just got a new player: Perreault will give the Rangers the edge that they need. All eyes are on them now that Perreault has made his debut. It’s all over the internet, and if they want to keep the Rangers in a good place, they must hold their performance to the highest of their ability.

The next game for the Blueshirts is on April 5, and all they have to do is cross the Hudson River. That’s right; they are battling a rival team, the New Jersey Devils. While the Rangers can hopefully win that game, they are tied with the Montreal Canadiens for third place. The New York Rangers are an original six hockey team. If they play proficiently, can the Rangers be a Stanley Cup team?