What went right and wrong during the Rangers preseason home opener
The New York Rangers defeated fellow city foe the New York Islanders in a 6-4 win in the Rangers preseason home opener at Madison Square Garden. Let's take a look at what went right, and what went wrong.
There truly is nothing more special than playing at Madison Square Garden.
On Tuesday, the New York Rangers rallied past fellow city rival the Islanders after erasing a 4-1 deficit in their preseason home opener. The magic happened in the third period, in which the Blueshirts scored all six of their goals. Four of these were scored in a span of just over two minutes, and the Rangers improve their preseason record to 2-0.
And let's hope the magic at the Garden holds up. The Rangers are home to host the Boston Bruins again in another preseason game on Thursday night.
But before we switch gears, let's take a look at two things that went amazingly right and two things that went egregiously wrong from Tuesday's play.
Things that went wrong
1. Filip Chytil's injury and others
Filip Chytil, the Rangers' 25-year-old center, had an on ice-collision with Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield barely six minutes after puck drop.
He was down on the ice for several minutes before being helped up by his teammates. The collision was a knee-on-knee hit with Islanders' defenseman Scott Mayfield.
He then spent most of the the first period in the locker room.
Defenseman Ryan Lindgren received an instigator penalty and misconduct, and was cut during a fight he challenged Mayfield to following Chytil's injury.
Lindgren did not return, and the Rangers PR Department stated he was out with an upper-body injury.
Left wing and alternate captain Artemi Panarin also left the game in the third period with a lower-body injury.
2. Not starting hot
After a scoreless first period when the Rangers were outshot 9-7, they allowed three goals in the second period to fall behind 3-0.
As previously mentioned, the Rangers scored all six goals in the third period, including five straight, and four in a span of 2:01.
Not scoring until the third, especially when the Islanders offense came out as hot as they did in the second is unacceptable.
The Rangers need to start gaining momentum right out of the gate if they want to make this season both count and last.
Things that went right
1. Chris Kreider playing to his strengths
Chris Kreider had two goals — one of which was unassisted — and one assist to help lead the Rangers comeback.
To be more specific, Kreider pulled the Rangers even at 18:41, scoring on a snap shot from the bottom of the right circle. Just forty-one seconds later, Edstrom deflected home a shot by Trouba, and then Kreider iced it with an empty-net goal at 19:49.
Kreider has everything a modern NHL power forward needs: top-end speed, game-breaking ability and a physical approach to the game.
The Rangers selected Kreider in the first round of the 2009 NHL Draft as No. 19. And he's going to show everyone why this season.
2. Chytil's recovery and answer
Chytil returned to the Rangers bench following his collision with Mayfield with roughly three minutes remaining in the first period. During a TV timeout, he took a brief twirl on the ice and returned to the bench instead of back to the locker room.
Chytil took his first shift after returning with 46 seconds left in the period, and seemed to be skating fine.
He then snapped a power-play shot past the Islanders line at 13:50 to get the Rangers within two.
How he answered back really helped the night's statsheet, and helped the Rangers secure the win.