New York Rangers survive a scare in Motown in a win over the Detroit Red Wings

The New York Rangers have avoided a potential banana skin as they look to go into the playoffs on a high note. They successfully overcame the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena by a final score of 4-3 for their 52nd win of the season. It means that the New York Rangers will be going for franchise history next time they play, trying to match a franchise-high 53rd win in a season.

It started on the right foot when the Rangers were forced to over in the neutral zone. Austin Czarnik put the puck perfectly on the blade of Will Cuylle. Cuylle walked in towards Alex Lyon in the Red Wings net before letting it fly through the legs of the Red Wings netminder. It was his 13th of the year, and a bit was the right start for those supporting the iconic Blueshirts. It was a good start, but the Blueshirts needed more.

Detroit proved why a few minutes later. Joe Veleno would retrieve a puck in deep before it was thrown in front. It would bounce off Vincent Trocheck and straight down onto the blade of Andrew Copp in front of Jonathan Quick, who was handling the net for the Rangers. Copp got it past the all-time NHL among American-born netminders in wins to tie this game up.

Off an offensive zone faceoff, the Rangers would restore their lead. Jonny Brodzinski would win the faceoff back to Jimmy Vesey, who would fire the puck toward the net. It would get knocked down before it got there, but Barclay Goodrow could gather in the bouncing puck. Goodrow then sniped the puck home like no Rangers fan alive knew he could do, and the Blueshirts were back in front.

There would be more twists, however. Early in the second period, Lucas Raymond would send the puck behind the net to J.T. Compher. Compher would get it to David Perron to Jeff Petry, but that puck would bounce behind the net. Petry gathered it again behind the net and had another shot going wide. It went so far wide that it hit Compher and bounced into the net, getting the Red Wings back on level terms.

With less than 7 to go in the middle frame, the Red Wings would grab the lead for the first time tonight. A set faceoff play on the powerplay got the puck back to Shayne Gostisbehere, who set up a teammate for a one-timer, but Quick was equal to it. After the safe, the loose puck bounced into the path of Dylan Larkin, who deposited the puck in the home to give his team the lead.

Before the end of the second, New York would get another goal from a reliable goal scorer. I'll let you laugh now. Braden Schneider set up a rush, sending Jonny Brodzinski through the neutral zone. He and Jimmy Vesey played catch before Lyon stopped Vesey's redirection attempt. Barclay Goodow was able to fire home the rebound to get the Rangers back tied, and his second goal of the game was not something I expected to say.

A powerplay for the Rangers in the third would ice it. Artemi Panarin started it with a pass to Mika Zibanejad. Zibanejad set up to slap it on the one-timer before thinking better of it and aiming for Chris Kreider's stick in front. That didn't go, but Kreider, working from his office at the top of the blue paint, was able to slam the puck into the cage for a 4-3 Ranger lead. New York would shut it down from here, and enjoy the two points after a hard-fought win in Motown.