New York Rangers powerplay scores three times in shutout win against the St Louis Blues
By Conor Power
Igor Shesterkin shut out the St Louis Blues as the Rangers powerplay would tally three to see them safely past the 2019 Stanley Cup champions. New York restores its four point lead at the top of the division after Carolina cut into it with its win in New Jersey. A good start to the post deadline stretch as we move into the home stretch of the season.
New York would open the scoring when Artemi Panarin played catch with Adam Fox at the point. Panarin would get the puck back and wind up from the point. His shot was deflected in the high slot by Vincent Trocheck, and the puck trickled in along the ice to have Trocheck mark his 700th career NHL game with a goal on the powerplay. It deflected off the stick of Colton Parayko too, giving the Blues netminder no chance.
New York would double its lead with less than a minute to go in the first when Barclay Goodrow was the first to a loose puck in the Rangers defensive zone. With the Blues going for a line change, he was able to send the puck up the ice and onto the stick of Jimmy Vesey who entered the zone with Matt Rempe on an odd man rush. Vesey's shot squeaks through the five-hole and into the back of the Blues net for a 2-0 Rangers lead after one.
In the second. K'Andre Miller would bring the puck up the ice and into the Blues zone. He'd get the puck to Barclay Goodrow who went flying towards the faceoff dot, looking for a pass. Eventually, he's able to find Matt Rempe alone in front, and the giant himself is able to bury one past Jordan Binnington and it's a dominant lead for the Rangers on this one, or so he thought. The puck never crossed the line, so it stays 2-0.
New York's powerplay would strike again in the third when Adam Fox was able to get the puck back to Panarin at the point. He shot again looking for a deflection, but the puck went well wide of the net. It bounced off the end boards and to the side of the net where Chris Kreider was able to chip it up over the pad of Binnington and this would would count, making it a 3-0 Rangers lead.
Another powerplay goal would see Jack Roslovic send it back to Alex Wennberg, who got the puck back to the point. That shot went well wide, but it sat at the side of the net. Just like Kreider earlier in the third period, Kaapo Kakko was able to corkscrew the puck home to make it a 4-0 Rangers lead and give the Blueshirts dominant control in this game as the Rangers cruised to victory.