This was an example of a playoff contender in the middle of his best pitch of the season who also notified a lapse early. These were the Rangers who laid the wood to the Devils, almost before they could handle New York’s two goals in the 6:39 opening and three in the 12:00 opening.
There was usually no fuss and not much ado, although David Quinn was annoyed enough by parts of his team’s second period that the coach juggled all his line combinations through the first 10 minutes of the third period of this 4-0 win in the Garden, in which Igor Shesterkin became the first Rangers rookie netminder to register consecutive shutouts since Lorne Chabot in the franchise’s first season of 1926-27.
Perhaps those missteps were in the mind of Artemi Panarin, who after handing in a typically brilliant goal-and-two-assist game talked about clearing up details as the Rangers continue to chase the uncooperative Bruins in the hunt for the last division playoff spot.
There is still a four-point gap as time decreases, with the Rangers with 13 games to go and the Bruins, 4-1 victors at home to the Islanders, with 15 more on the schedule.
“Obviously it’s nice to dominate a game, but it wasn’t ideal,” said No. 10, whose left wing of a spiked cross-ice, two-on-one Ryan Strome feed his team to the early 3. -0 lead. “We have some details to work on as well [improvement] for some very serious games to come.
“I would say, less turnover on the blue line. Overall, of course, this game was fun to play, but I’m probably on the front row of those giveaways, so I realize that. We have to tighten that up, play a little better defensive very seriously. “
Panarin, whose words had been conveyed by interpreter Nik Bobrov, the club’s director of European scouting, then interrupted him in English.
“And give me more of the puck,” he said mischievously.
The Rangers – 6-1-2 in the last nine – have two more against the Devils this weekend, who just aren’t equipped to stay with the big boys as long as there is a fair effort from the other side. No offense to the talented young athletes and veteran pros by their side, but the roster looks like a glorified AHL squad. The Blueshirts have to get away with four points this weekend to even have a chance to overtake Boston.
There were a few goals from the back, Jacob Trouba defeated Mackenzie Blackwood at close range in just 47 seconds into the game before Ryan Lindgren got his first in 98 games since November 10, 2019, scoring 2-0 from the game. closing at 6:39 AM.
There has been a slight shift in rear-end dynamics over the past week as the Trouba-K’Andre Miller pair have been given an equal share of responsibility with the Lindgren-Adam Fox tandem, whose game was down. bit.
Maybe Lindgren is beaten up or somewhat tired. Maybe Fox was somewhat tempted by points. But there is a flattening of the two sophomores. In the meantime, however, Trouba has played his best hockey as a Ranger, just like it did late last year.
Indeed, after Fox led the team in Ice Age in 34 of its first 39 games (one of which he missed), Trouba has played the club in three of its last four games, including this 11:44 PM.
“He brings a lot of things to the table that we don’t have,” Quinn said of Trouba. “This man is in many ways a setback in his approach to playing the game.
“The thing that is underrated about him is his pucking skills – I think he makes a great outlet – and he plays hard and creates a mindset in our locker room. He means an awful lot to us on and off the ice. People are talking about the leadership role he’s embraced this year, but I also definitely love what’s going on, on the ice. “
Trouba and Lindgren’s equal goals represented the club’s eleventh and twelfth defenders in the past 23 matches. The blue liners had combined for three equally strong goals in the first 20 games.
“You need all five guys on the offensive, and we’re definitely asking our D to get involved,” Quinn said. “I don’t think we did that at the beginning of the year, but we are now and are being rewarded offensively.”
The Rangers did what they had to do. They took care of the business. The mandate is to do it again on Saturday and then again on Sunday.