It would be the home team that broke the ice in this one. A turnover by K'Andre Miller in the defensive zone would allow Claude Giroux to knock the puck down and create a scoring chance for the Senators. He got the puck over to Brady Tkachuk, and the Senators' captain put the puck beyond Jonathan Quick in the Blueshirts' goal. It was a deficit early for the Rangers, which was the worst case scenario for a team in the rut they had been.
On the powerplay, the Senators would double the lead. Thomas Chabot got the puck deep to Drake Batherson in the corner. He was looking for someone to set up for a scoring chance. It would come when he was able to find Jakob Chychrun streaking through the slot to rip the puck home. Now, a multiple goal lead for the Senators spelled trouble for the Rangers whose opponent could see its prey struggling.
Vincent Trocheck circled with the puck in the offensive zone before the puck was worked over to Artemi Panarin. The shot from the slot ended up missing the net and bouncing off the end boards in a manner that allowed Alexis Lafreniere to come from behind the cage, distribute the puck behind Joonas Korpisalo in the Senator's goal, and cut the Ottawa lead in half.
It would soon be a tie game as the Rangers come all the way back, A faceoff win by the Senators in the offensive zone allowed the loose puck to bounce into the neutral zone. Chris Kreider with his speed was able to latch onto the puck, and get a shot off at Korpisalo. The Finnish netminder had no answer, and it just nestled in the side of the goal for a tied score and a brand new hockey game.
It would be 3-2 quickly after as the Rangers turned this game on its head in a flash. Vincent Trocheck did well to protect the puck and chip it up the ice to Artemi Panarin. Panarin would have an odd-man rush with Zachary Jones joining him in the offensive zone. A perfect pass from the breadman got Jones on the scoreboard, and the Rangers now had a lead. 39 seconds after the Kreider goal, it was a Blueshirts advantage.
New York would not take their foot off the throat of the Senators as they continued to add to their lead. Will Cuylle took the puck behind the net and feed the puck to the blueline for Zac Jones. Jones fresh off scoring a goal fired it on net, and Jonny Brodzinski was able to tip the puck past Korpisalo for a 4-2 lead. It was this that ended the night for Korpisalo, and in came Mads Sogaard for the Senators.
It would be 5-2 before the end of the period. A defenseman to defenseman pass in the Ranger zone allowed the Blueshirts to manipulate the puck up the ice as Mika Zibanejad fed Kreider in behind the Senators defense. Kreider gave it to Wheeler, and Blake Wheeler was able to make it 5-2. It was utter dominance in the Canadian capitol by the Blueshirts. A good second period has them in cruise control.
The Rangers would hit the empty net when Artemi Panarin distributed the puck from his own size of center ice. Vincent Trocheck got under the skin of Jakob Chychrun as the Senators started to lose their discipline as they tend to when things are not going their way. It was a comprehensive win in the Canadian Capital, and the Rangers go into the all-star break with a tentative lead at the top of the Metropolitan Division.
Kaapo Kakko would actually add another late from the blade of Kaapo Kakko.Just salt in the gaping wounds of the Senators to enjoy the final few minutes with a 7-2 scoreline. Remember when it was 2-0 at the end of the first period? Who cares? It's a spectacular win in Canada to end the leadup to the all-star game. We will get to move onto the other side of the break with the the division lead.