Rangers storm back, extend point streak to six games, and leave Utah in the rearview

It's nights like this remind you why you stick with a team through the highs and lows. This New York Rangers season has been filled with frustration, inconsistency, and moments that test your patience. Then, there's gutsy, come-from-behind wins like these that reignite belief. No, the Blueshirts weren't sharp in their 5-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday in their maiden visit to the Delta Center. Yet sometimes, winners don’t need perfection. Fight, resilience, and a few timely plays can be enough. Hockey is unpredictable, and the puck tilted in the Rangers favor, as they found a way, extending their point streak to six games.

Sloppy Start Costs Rangers Early:

Things started poorly, with Mika Zibanejad coughing up the puck in the neutral zone. Just 1:01 into the game, Utah's Matias Maccelli made him pay, capitalizing on a rebound that K'Andre Miller couldn't track. Maccelli. Again. 1-0 Utah. Later, Ian Cole's shot was blocked, and guess who? Maccelli beats Igor Shesterkin's short side. Two early goals, and suddenly, the defense looked like Swiss cheese. Zibanejad and Ryan Lindgren weren't much help either—both got outmuscled near the net. Igor wasn't his usual self, standing above the crease instead of staying in the blue, and without him standing on his head, the Rangers' shaky D-corps felt exposed. Utah had four grade-A chances off the rush in the first 10 minutes.

King Arthur and Prince Breadman to the Rescue:

The Breadman showed off the forecheck (yes, the forecheck for only the second time all season), as Alexis Lafreniere set up Artemi Panarin, and he ripped one past Karel Vejmelka to tie it 1-1. He has three goals in just over three periods against them this season.

After Maccelli gave Utah the lead again, Arthur Kaliyev, the new guy from L.A., made an instant impact. Filip Chytil's shot trickled through, and Kaliyev cleaned it up to square the score. Laf also deserves a ton of credit for his hustle—breaking up a near Utah goal and even making a huge block to bail out Igor.

These two teams combined for 15 goals in their first 84 minutes of hockey this season. The Rangers knew they had to tighten up defensively to take control of the contest and they did when it mattered most.

Special Teams nothing special:

The second period kicked off with Utah on the power play for 1:23, and the Blueshirts paid the price early. Logan Cooley buried a pass from Clayton Keller, sneaking the puck through Shesterkin's five-hole. Zibanejad was on the ice for all three Utah goals, raising questions about his defensive reliability as a supposed "two-way center." Meanwhile, Miller was out of position again, leaving Cooley wide open.

The Rangers had a golden opportunity to bounce back when they were gifted a 5-on-3 advantage for over a minute after penalties to Mikhail Sergachev and Alex Kerfoot. Instead of capitalizing, they squandered it with poor puck movement and errant shots. The Utah crowd erupted in a standing ovation as their team killed off the penalty. At the same time, the visitors mustered a measly one shot during the extended advantage in their opponent's worst stanza.

Defensively, Utah's John Marino, Kevin Stenlund, and Ian Cole were rock solid, while the Rangers struggled to create meaningful chances. Shot totals told the story — Utah held a commanding 21-10 edge in shots on goal midway through. The Rangers looked flat and hesitant, with players seemingly afraid to shoot, even as they managed occasional offensive zone pressure. They were choppy and not confident. That five-on-three sequence where Lafreniere had so much room in front of the net and passed, before doing a fly-by defensively was them in a nutshell. The kid also hasn't been the same since getting his contract extension earlier this year. Fans' patience is wearing thin as the team's inconsistency continues.

Clutch Comeback: Rangers Rally in the Third to Stun Utah:

The third period couldn’t have started better for the Blueshirts, who were 0-17-1 when trailing after 40. Just 28 seconds in, Reilly Smith saved his boys bacon and tied the game 3-3 with a gorgeous short-handed snipe. Braden Schneider’s brilliant outlet pass set it up, and a fortunate deflection off Mikhail Sergachev’s stick guided the disc top right corner. It was a “puck don’t lie” moment after the controversialLafrenière cross-checking call to end the second. Rangers fans in attendance made their voices heard, and the team’s penalty kill, which desperately needed a boost, delivered.

Sam Carrick continued to stand out on the fourth line, hustling to pucks and winning critical battles—something too many Rangers forwards neglect. His effort, paired with a Laviolette adjustment, paid off later in the period. With the score tied, Carrick won a faceoff while on his knees, setting up Chris Kreider for a shot that deflected in off a Utah stick. The Rangers took the lead, 4-3, with under 10 minutes left.

Utah pushed hard, but Igor Shesterkin shut the door, including a massive save on Mattias looking for his hat trick. Shesterkin even tried his luck at a goalie goal in the closing minutes, narrowly missing the net. Utah pulled their goalie for the extra attacker, but Carrick’s relentless board battle sealed the win, finding Panarin up ice for the empty-netter.

The first third period comeback in 19 tries is a huge confidence boost as the points heater stretched to six games. They didn't play their best hockey, and Utah certainly made some costly mistakes, but it takes two to tango. The Rangers pounced, and they'll gladly take the critical two points as they chase down a playoff spot.